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Travis Stork

Best tips from 'Super Shred,' 'Doctor's Diet' authors

Nanci Hellmich
USA TODAY
Ian Smith's "Super Shred" diet book is on USA TODAY's Best-Selling Books list.
  • In %27Super Shred%2C%27 Ian Smith promises to help dieters lose 20 pounds in four weeks
  • In %27The Doctor%27s Diet%2C%27 Travis Stork offers 10 food prescriptions for health and healing
  • Both diet books are on USA TODAY%27s Best-Selling Books list

High-profile physicians Ian Smith and Travis Stork of the TV show The Doctors offer different takes on how to lose weight in their new books, which have spent weeks on USA TODAY's Best-Selling Books list. Here's a look at both doctors' best diet tips:

In Super Shred: The Big Results Diet, Ian Smith outlines a short-term, rapid weight-loss plan that he says can result in losing 20 pounds in four weeks. He has dieters follow a specific four-week eating plan, including some days where the calorie count is about 1,600, and other days where it is 900. (The average caloric intake for women is about 1,800 a day; for men, 2,500, according to government statistics). Smith's plan includes specific grocery lists and meal plans. He recommends doing about 40 minutes or more of high-intensity interval aerobic exercise a day.

His tips for losing weight and keeping it off:

Strategic snacking. Snacks are an awesome way to lose weight for two major reasons. First, if they're the right type, they can prevent you from overindulging at your next meal and consuming too many calories at one sitting. Second, they prevent you from feeling hungry throughout the day. People have to understand that snacks should be bridges between meals. The problem in America is that we eat snacks with so many calories that they are meals themselves.

High-intensity interval training exercise. Exercise should be a part of any balanced weight-loss program. The best exercise for weight loss is now believed to be high-intensity interval training. Exerting yourself in short bursts with small periods of recovery can burn more calories than a steady-state exercise such as walking on a treadmill for an hour. This type of exercise increases your resting metabolic rate and increases your oxygen consumption, two things that lead to increased calorie burning.

Sliding nutrient density. This is a principle where toward the latter half of the day most of your calories come from plant-based products rather than meat. Plant foods tend to be lower in calories and full of fiber which makes you feel full longer and prevents high-calorie consumption at the time of day when your metabolism is slowing down.

Calorie disruption. Don't consume the same amount of calories each day. Keep your body challenged by continuously changing the types of food you consume and thus the amount of calories. The goal is to keep your body off-kilter and not let it grow accustomed to seeing the same type and quantity of food energy. This can keep your metabolism stoked.

Healthy meal replacement. Occasionally opt for a smoothie or soup that is full of fruits and/or fiber. You can reduce the amount of calories you consume, but still get all of the vitamins, minerals and other phytonutrients that you need. These meal replacements are perfect for weight loss as they can be inexpensive and very convenient because they're easily transported.

"The Doctor's Diet" by Travis Stork, a co-host of "The Doctors," is on USA TODAY's Best-Selling Books list.

In The Doctor's Diet, Travis Stork, an emergency medicine physician and host of The Doctors, lists 10 food prescriptions to teach people ways to heal and restore their bodies with food rather than having food exacerbate health problems. Among those prescriptions: Fill your plate with vegetables, put protein to work for you, break up with sugar and fall in love with legumes. Stork offers a 14-day jump-start plan to help dieters start losing weight quickly, followed by another plan designed to keep the pounds coming off while restoring health. Then he has a maintenance plan.

Jump-start your weight loss. As an ER doc, I know firsthand that excess weight is a true health emergency requiring immediate lifestyle treatment — and changing your diet is the very best place to start. The first two weeks of my plan are designed to help jump-start weight loss with tasty meals that are moderately high in protein, contain smart amounts of unsaturated fat and omega-3 fats, are rich in dietary fiber, and are low in simple carbs and unhealthy fats.

Put protein to work for you. We don't know exactly why protein helps with weight loss. One reason is that it has an impact on the action of ghrelin, known as the hunger hormone, and leptin, the satiety hormone, which is why people who eat protein at each meal find they are fuller and less hungry after they eat than do people who skimp on protein. Another explanation is its ability to help keep blood sugar levels stable. In The Doctor's Diet, up to a third of your daily calories come from the protein in meat, poultry, seafood, beans, peas, eggs, dairy, nuts and seeds.

Get smart about carbs. I firmly believe based on my reading of the medical literature that cutting out a whole tribe of foods, such as carbs, just because a few members of the family are troublemakers makes no sense whatsoever. I honestly don't believe that avoiding carbs is the way to go for enjoying long-term health and energy, not to mention the enjoyment of eating. You can lose weight and burn fat while still enjoying the many health benefits of great carbs. In The Doctor's Diet, I introduce a concept called "carb flex" where your carbohydrate intake is modified based on activity levels. Having said that, it's so important to learn how to control sugar cravings and learn how to make smart carb choices so you'll never have to fear carbs ever again.

Avoid mindless eating. Mindless eating is when our mouths do the chewing and our minds are paying zero attention to what we are eating. When we eat mindlessly, we don't taste our food or appreciate the flavors. Mindless eating is one of the top contributors to America's obesity epidemic. Being mindful of what you eat is so very important. This one change alone could make all the difference for one's quest to lose weight for good. Some examples to help one be more mindful include choosing appropriate portion sizes, chewing food fully and savoring every bite. Your mind is your number one weight loss tool.

Exercise. It does amazing things for your body. In addition to helping with weight loss, being physically active lowers your risk of heart disease, certain cancers, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis and depression. It also helps strengthen your muscles, improves the health of your organs, boosts your mood and sharpens your brain. The list of benefits is almost endless. My exercise prescription is simple: Move your body for at least 30 minutes a day every day, and try to decrease the amount of time you are sitting throughout the day. That's it for a start.

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