The CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet was developed by nutrition scientists from the clinical research unit of the CSIRO in Australia. It very quickly rose to the top of the bestseller list in Australia and has gained notoriety in other areas of the world
The diet is based on results of a 12 week study of over 100 overweight women that showed that a high protein, low fat diet produced superior results compared to a high carbohydrate, low fat diet in regard to weight loss and general health improvements.
The CSIRO diet was designed not only to promote weight loss but also to support the optimal health of the dieter and is carefully planned so as to supply the nutrients needed for immune function, bone strength, and high energy levels as well as to reduce the risk of chronic conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.
Even though it is a high protein diet, it differs in many respects from other well-known diets such as Atkins and Protein Power in several ways.
The CSIRO diet has been described as carbohydrate limited rather than low carb as it contains low glycemic index carbohydrates such as bread, cereal, yogurt, fruit, and vegetables. While the Atkins diet aims to restrict carbohydrates almost completely the CSIRO diet includes carbohydrates in order to keep energy levels up by stabilizing blood glucose.
The Atkins diet is also high in saturated fats while being low in essential fats. The CSIRO diet avoids this imbalance by allowing only lean meats and low fat dairy and by including at least two serves of fish weekly in addition to other sources of healthy fats in moderation.
Other foods that are permitted in unlimited amounts include diet soda, tea, coffee, cocoa, bouillon, diet jelly, fat free salad dressings, artificial sweeteners, pickles, ketchup.
Breakfast
3/4 cup high fiber cereal |
Lunch
Ham and tomato toasted sandwich (100g ham and 2 slices wholegrain bread) |
Dinner
Teriyaki lamb and vegetable stir fry (200g lean lamb) |
Evening Snack
Low fat yogurt |
Dieters are encouraged to engage in at least 30 minutes of exercise each day both for its weight loss and general health benefits. Those who don’t enjoy structured exercise are advised to increase daily activity however possible.
These exercises can be used with the CSIRO Diet.
The CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet retails at $34.95 Australian dollars.
There may be an increase in grocery expenses due to the requirement for large amounts of meat and seafood.
The CSIRO diet is balanced and could be easily sustainable by most dieters as a lifestyle approach for weight management.
The high amount of meat recommended may slightly increase the risk of certain health conditions however this is probably insignificant when weighing up the alternative risks that are associated with obesity.
me and my boyfriend love this.. its soooooooo goood <3 xxxx
There are patented margarine blends that are non-hydrogenated and trans-fat free. I see this comment constantly in diet reviews about how bad margarine is and that if only we had known it was worse for us back in the 1980s, nutritionists would have gone on recommending butter (since saturated fat vs. trans fat is the lesser of two evils). That sentiment negates the fact that for 10 years now we have had many choices of margarines that do not contain ANY of the offending processes. When are diet reviews and nutritionists going to start drawing these valuable distinctions? Personally, I prefer Smart Balance because it tastes more buttery than any other margarine that I’ve tried. I bought it because it was heart healthy; I stick to it because it has a superior flavor and you can continue baking with it just like ordinary butter. And no, I do not work for or represent a margarine company. I just like the “facts” to be factual.