Banana Diet

The Morning Banana Diet was developed in Japan by a pharmacist named Sumiko Watanabe in attempt to help her husband increase his metabolism and lose excess weight. The diet requires that you eat bananas for breakfast along with a glass of room-temperature water. There are not many restrictions on the other two meals of the day; the general rule is that you may only eat to until 80-percent fullness and cut out obviously problematic foods, such as fried foods and desserts.

For breakfast, you may consume an unlimited amount of bananas until you have a a feeling of satisfaction. In addition to bananas, you may drink as much non-chilled water as you wish. Room-temperature water must be drunk regularly throughout the day. If after 15 minutes, you do not feel satisfied, you can indulge in any food or drink. For lunch, you should eat small meals at a slow pace; the diet recommends rice. You are allowed one snack a day is allowed, which can be anything; the diet recommends rice or a piece of fruit. According to the diet, you should eat dinner before 8:00 p.m, at least 30 minutes before bedtime. Dessert is not allowed after dinner, but sweets are allowed as an option for the midday snack. Bedtime is midnight.

Exercise is not required on the diet; and is somewhat discouraged. The physical activity guidelines recommend light, easy exercise, such as slow walking. Moderate exercise is believed to cause more harm than good and is not worth the risk of injury.

Pros

Eating breakfast, as encouraged by the diet, increases metabolism and reduces the chances of binging later in the day. Bananas are a nutritious breakfast choice, as they are high in fiber, potassium and vitamin C. No food after 8:00 p.m. eliminates late-night snacking.

Cons

A balanced diet requires a combination of protein, carbohydrates and fat at each meal to stay healthy and reach satiety. The banana diet breakfast consists of mostly carbohydrates, which may pose problems for some people, including hypoglycemics. Allowing dieters to eat anything for lunch and dinner, including a sweet snack in between, can lead to excess calorie consumption. The diet does not educate the dieter on how to make nutritious choices for meals. Exercise, a vital component for weight loss, is discouraged.

Does the Morning Banana Diet Work?

The weight loss that occurs as a result of following this diet comes from eating breakfast, a restriction of calories and no dessert; it is not specifically related to the consumption of bananas It is important to remember that exercise should be incorporated into any successful diet plan.

Since no portion control is required, it would be possible to eat foods allowed on the diet and consume too many calories to lose weight. Being aware of your hunger level and being able to stop eating when you are 80 percent full is a skill that not everyone has mastered. Therefore, the Morning Banana Diet may lead to weight loss in some people and weight gain in others. Requiring bananas to be eaten each morning may grow redundant, which often leads to overeating empty calories and sabotaging weight loss.

Many of the habits emphasized by the diet are beneficial, including eating breakfast, going to bed at a set time each night and ending your meal before you are stuffed. However, the diet does not address many of the vital aspects of successful weight loss, including planning a balanced menu and preparing healthy meals. It is important to remember that you'll have to maintain your goal weight once you reach it. Failing to learn how to eat a balanced diet often leads to rebound weight gain.

What Are the Benefits of the Banana Diet?

SIMPLICITY

The basic rules of the Banana Diet are very simple, therefore the diet is easy to follow, and you are less likely to give up after a short time due to too many complicated rules. The main rule of the diet is to eat raw bananas for breakfast and drink room-temperature water. If you feel like eating another food after your bananas, you should wait at least 15 minutes.

Your lunch and dinner can consist of anything you desire, but you should not eat a dessert. The official morning diet website advocates eating until you feel 80 percent full; finish eating before you become satiated.

An afternoon snack is permitted that can consist of a sweet food. Chocolate or cookies may be consumed, but foods rich is saturated or trans fats such as donuts or ice-cream are not advised. An additional piece of fruit is also an option.

Dinner should be eaten at least four hours before you go to bed, and you should be in bed by midnight.

VARIETY

Because your lunch and dinners can consist of any combination of foods, you are less likely to become bored on the Banana Diet, and as you are not required to eliminate favorite foods, you will not feel deprived. Boredom and feelings of deprivation are common causes of weight loss failure among dieters.

EXERCISE

The Banana Diet does not have any hard and fast exercise rules, and if you do not enjoy forced exercise, this is a benefit of the diet. Walking is recommended, but only to a point that will not cause you any discomfort or stress. If you are very overweight, Wantanabe does not advocate exercise, as she claims you can put undue stress on your knees.

DRINKS

While following the diet, your principal drink should be water, drunk at room temperature. There is no stated quantity of water that must be drank, but sipping water regularly throughout the day is required. No drink is completely banned, and even alcohol is permitted occasionally in a social setting. This is a further benefit that makes the diet easy to follow due to lack of restrictions.

RULES

There are are no strict rules on this diet, other than the requirement to go to bed reasonably early, and to eat bananas after waking before any other food. However even the eating bananas rule is not an absolute requirement, you can replace them with another fruit if you do not like bananas. While the diet states you should not eat for at least four hours before going to bed, the official Morning Banana Diet website says if you wish, a piece of fruit may be eaten if you feel hungry. Although sugary food intake is limited, deprivation feelings should be mild, as a sweet afternoon snack is permitted.

HEALTH GAINS

Bananas are a source of resistant starch, of which a byproduct is the blockage of the conversion of some carbohydrates into energy, which can force the body to use fat stores for energy instead of carbs. Bananas are also a rich source of nutrients, which can curb cravings for unhealthy foods as you feel more satisfied if your nutrient requirements are met. The high fiber and vitamin C content of bananas may also support weight loss.

By sipping water throughout the day, you are assuring your body is well-hydrated and less prone to headaches, fatigue and other signs of dehydration. Going to bed before midnight has many benefits, and you will probably notice increased energy and concentration, when you begin a new habit of retiring early. Research suggests too little sleep can increase overeating.