LA Weight Loss Centers can be found throughout the United States, with locations in every state except Alaska. They also have centers in Canada, Australia, Puerto Rico, and Costa Rica. These centers are the basis for the LA Weight Loss program. The centers provide personal one-on-one counseling and work with dieters to develop personalized meal plans and customized exercise guidelines. Counselors at the centers also provide emotional and motivational support.

The LA Weight Loss program involves helping dieters learn to use regular foods, available at their normal supermarket, to create healthy meals. Dieters have the option of purchasing special LA Weight Loss foods, but the company says this is not a necessary part of the program. Counselors at the LA Weight Loss Centers teach dieters about nutrition and how to eat a balanced diet. Dieters are also taught how to eat healthy nutritious foods, even when eating at their favorite restaurants. Counselors also help to develop an exercise program for each individual dieter.

The first step to the LA Weight Loss plan is an individual meeting with one of the counselors at an LA Weight Loss Center. In that meeting dieters determine their current health status and their weight loss goals. Together with a counselor, they also then build a plan for attaining those goals. After the initial meeting, dieters can call anytime they need encouragement or want to setup another meeting to review their progress.

In addition to the weight loss centers, the company offers an online version of their weight loss plan called “LA at Home.” The online version is based on the same principles as the center-based plan. Dieters can receive online counseling that will design a personalized weight loss plan and provide ongoing support. Online tools are available to help with meal planning, choosing restaurants, ordering foods, and also allow dieters to track their progress. Dieters who join the online program can also submit their favorite recipes to the “LA Chef” and receive instructions on how to create a healthier version of their favorite foods. Through the website, dieters can also purchase LA Weight Loss food products.

One of the hallmarks of the LA Weight Loss Program has been celebrity endorsements. In television and print commercials, as well as through their website and other promotional materials, celebrities have partnered with the company and promoted its message. The list of celebrities to do this includes actress Whoopi Goldberg, actor Steve Harvey, Philadelphia Eagles Coach Andy Reid, Chicago Bears Coach Mike Ditka, as well as former NFL greats Ron Jaworski, Jim Kelly, Joe Greene, Ed Jones, and Dan Dierdorf.

Separate from their regular weight loss plan, LA Weight Loss Centers offer “The Man Plan.” Unlike most diet plans, which tend to cater to women, this plan is aimed at men. Marketing materials for the plan feature famous sports figures who say they’ve lost weight using the plan. It is intended to satisfy a larger appetite using foods like pizza, hot dogs, and potatoes. Men can use the plan by going into one of the LA Weight Loss Centers or by joining online. Like the regular plan, it uses one-on-one counseling to design a personalized weight loss strategy. Also like the regular plan, “The Man Plan” allows dieters to eat at restaurants and prepare meals using foods available at the supermarket.

Judy Mazel says that she was always an overweight child, and beginning when she was nine years old, she went to see doctor after doctor trying to find out why she could not be thin. For 20 years she continued to struggle with her weight and was finally told by a doctor that she was destined to always be fat. Six months after this pronouncement, she went skiing and broke her leg. While she was recuperating, she read a book on nutrition that a friend had given her. From this she developed her ideas about how the body works and what is needed to lose weight and stay thin.

Mazel reports that she used her new theories to lose 72 lb (29 kg), and has kept off the weight ever since. In 1981, she published her diet in a book The Beverley Hills Diet. The original book reportedly sold more than a million copies, and in 1996 Mazel published a revised and updated version of the diet calledThe New Beverly Hills Diet. Mazel has also written a cookbook designed to go with the diet and The New Beverly Hills Diet Skinny Little Companion, a slim volume designed to provide inspiration and tips to help dieters through their first 35 days on the diet.

The Beverly Hills diet is a food combination diet. It is based on the idea that it is not what a person eats, or even how much food is eaten that causes a person to gain weight. Mazel believes the combinations in which foods are eaten and the order in which they are eaten causes weight gain. She says that eating foods in the wrong order can stop some foods from being digested, and it is the undigested foods that cause fat build-up.

The groups into which Mazel divides foods are carbohydrates, proteins, fruits, and fats. She believes that fruit must be eaten alone and must be eaten before anything else is consumed during the day. She also says that for correct digestion, each type of fruit must be eaten alone. This means that if a dieter eats an orange, the dieter must wait at least one full hour before eating another type of fruit, such as a pear. If the dieter eats a different type of food, such as a protein, the dieter must wait until the next day to eat fruit again.

On the Beverly Hills diet, protein and carbohydrates cannot be eaten together. Most dairy products go into the protein group for purposes of categorization. This means that dieters can drink milk with protein meals, but not with carbohydrate meals. Fat is allowed to be eaten with either group, but may not be eaten with fruit The order throughout the day in which food is eaten is very important on the Beverly Hills diet. Mazel says that each day fruit should be eaten first. After fruit, the carbohydrate group can be eaten. After carbohydrates comes food from the protein group. Once a dieter has changed food groups, he or she cannot eat from the previous groups again until the next day. Dieters must wait two hours between eating foods from different food groups.

During the diet, Mazel says that dieters must not consume diet sodas or anything with artificial sweeteners. Because milk is considered a protein, the dieter is very limited in when it can be consumed. Unlike many other diets, alcohol is not as restricted on the Beverly Hills diet. Mazel categorizes most alcoholic drinks, such as beer, vodka, and rum, as carbohydrates, and says they must only be consumed with carbohydrates. Wine is categorized as a fruit, and unlike the rules for eating other fruits, wine does not have to be consumed alone but can be drunk with another fruit. Mazel says that champagne is a neutral food and can be drunk with anything.

Mazel provides dieters with a 35-day plan for losing weight. Every day dieters are told what foods are allowed, and in what order they must be eaten. Most foods do not have a quantity limit. Instead, dieters may consume as much of a given food as desired until they move on to the next food. Dieters must eat the foods in the order listed and cannot go back or make substitutions. The diet is very restrictive, with most days allowing no more than two or three types of foods.

For example, on the first day of the diet, dieters are instructed to eat pineapple, corn on the cob, and a salad made of lettuce, tomatoes, and onions with Mazel dressing. (Mazel dressing is a recipe included in the book, and shows up frequently throughout the 35-day diet.) This means that dieters may eat as much pineapple as desired in the morning, but once they beginning eating corn on the cob they cannot go back and eat more pineapple. Once the salad is eaten, both corn on the cob and pineapple are no longer allowed. Dieters are instructed to wait between changing foods to ensure proper digestion.

Some days on the diet only one type of food is permitted during the entire day. Day three of the diet allows the dieter only to consume grapes. On other days the dieter is only allowed to eat watermelon. Although these rules are extremely restrictive, they are not as restrictive as the rules set out in the original Beverly Hills diet. On that diet, dieters were only allowed to eat fruit for the first 10 days of the diet. No animal protein was allowed at all until the 19th day. The New Beverly Hills diet includes vegetables and carbohydrates occasionally during the first week, and includes lamb chops and shrimp on the sixth day.

The Jenny Craig program is a three-stage program. In the first stage, dieters eat only Jenny Craig prepackaged foods that are supplemented with approved fruits, vegetables, and non-fat dairy products. These meals contain 50–60% carbohydrates, 20-25% protein, and 20–25% fats, and contain between 1,200 and 2,500 calories daily. This generally is in line with the federal Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005. Vegetarian options are available. However, no other food is permitted during the first stage of the program, which can make eating away from home difficult. The prepackaged meals are intended to model healthy eating and portion control. In the United States in 2007, the cost of one month of pre-packaged meals was about $500. A personalized exercise program supplemented by optional workout videos and workout equipment encourage the dieter to become more active.

Once dieters have used the pre-packaged meals to become familiar with healthy foods and correct portion sizes, they move to the second stage of the program in which written material supported by consultants teach techniques for healthy meal planning, cooking, and eating out. This stage of the program is designed to develop lifelong habits of moderation and good food choices. The consultant also addresses behavioral issues such as handling stress and emotional triggers for eating.

The final stage of the Jenny Craig program is a maintenance stage. Dieters move into this stage when their weight-loss goal is met. This final stage is designed to keep weight off for life.

Dieters can join the Jenny Craig program in one of two ways. Jenny Craig Weight Loss Centers are physical locations that the dieter visits weekly for individual consultations with a Jenny Craig counselor. Unlike some other center-based weight-loss programs (e.g. Weight Watchers), Jenny Craig centers do not offer group meetings. The philosophy behind the Jenny Craig program is one-on-one weight loss help.

Dieters who live too far from a Jenny Craig center or who do not wish to attend one can join Jenny Direct. This is a complete at-home weight-loss program. In the Jenny Direct program, pre-packaged meals and weight-loss literature are delivered to the dieter’s home. The dieter is supported by online tools accessed through the Jenny Craig Web site and a required private 15-minute telephone consultation with a Jenny Craig consultant once a week. Consultants do not have formal training in nutrition.

To join either Jenny Craig program, one must first talk to a consultant by telephone. Several different levels of Jenny Craig membership provide different benefits. Jenny Craig advertises heavily and often has special membership discounts. All programs require that the dieter buy Jenny Craig food.

The Jenny TuneUp is targeted at people who have fewer than 20 lb (10 kg) to lose. It is an entry-level program with a low enrollment fee. In 2007, the Jenny TuneUp was advertised in the United States as “Lose 20 lb for $20.” JennyOnTrack is a six-month program, and Jenny Rewards is a long-term program. Jenny Craig does not reveal the enrollment costs of the OnTrack and Rewards programs on its Web site, but they amount to several hundred dollars plus the cost of food. Lifetime memberships are available, as are programs for 13-17 year olds and breastfeeding women. All Jenny Craig advertising is geared toward getting the dieter to call a toll-free telephone number for additional information.

Dean Ornish is a professor of clinical medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, and a practicing physician. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Texas, Austin, then attended Baylor College of Medicine and Harvard Medical School. He received further medical training at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is the founder and president of the Preventive Medicine Research Institute located in Sausalito, California.

While Dr. Ornish was a medical student he became interested in heart disease. In 1978 he began doing research on patients with coronary artery disease (a common form of heart disease). He created a diet that was very low in fat and completely vegetarian and studied its effects on the symptoms experienced by these patients. The patients also learned a variety of stress reduction techniques. He discovered that for many patients this diet caused a significant lessening of their symptoms. This was the beginning of Dr. Ornish’s research on the effects of low fat, low or no-meat diets on weight loss, health, and heart disease. This original diet is the basis for his Eat More, Weigh Less diet, as well as his other related diets.

Over the years, Dr. Ornish has published many different books and articles, and has recommended diets with many different names. All his diets revolve around the same basic principles, with additions or changes in emphasis, based on the goal that the diet is intended to achieve. For example, Dr. Ornish’s heart disease prevention diet allows small amounts of lean meat or fish, while his heart disease reversal diet is completely vegetarian.

Dr. Ornish presents his Eat More, Weigh Less diet as more of a spectrum of choices than a set of hard and fast rules. He believes that because people have many different goals, from moderate weight loss to actual heart disease reversal, no one set of dietary rules will fit everyone. He also emphasizes overall lifestyle change, not just through what a person eats but also through stress reduction, moderate exercise, and if applicable, quitting smoking.

The main component of the Dr. Ornish diet is eating more vegetable products and many fewer meat products. For people trying to lose moderate amounts of weight this may mean eating small amounts of lean chicken or fish as well as some skim milk or egg whites. For those with more ambitious goals, the diet may be almost completely vegan (containing no meat or animal products at all).

The diet is also extremely low in fat, with fewer than 10% of calories coming from fat. The strictest forms of the diet do not allow any nuts, seeds, or avocados. The only oil Dr. Ornish allows is a small amount of fish oil.

each day because some research has shown it to be beneficial and may help prevent heart attack.

Foods that are encouraged include nearly all fruit and vegetable products. Especially recommended are leafy greens, soy products, and whole grains. Whole grains contain many vitamins and minerals that are removed when these grains are processed. Whole grains include things such as brown rice, oat bran, and wheat bran. They are broken down by the body more slowly than processed grains, meaning that energy is released more slowly and is available for a longer period of time.

A portion of food made up of processed foods and animal products usually contains many more calories and fat than a similarly sized portion consisting mainly of vegetables, whole grains, fruits, and soy. This means that a person can eat a larger quantity of food while still consuming fewer calories and fat if the foods are chosen correctly. This is the key to the idea that on Dr. Ornish’s diet a person may be able to actually eat more and still lose weight. Eating more foods low in caloric density (calories per quantity) means the stomach is fuller and helps prevent feelings of hunger.

Dr. Ornish’s diet does not just focus on food. It also makes recommendations for other lifestyle changes. He recommends moderate exercise of 20 to 30 minutes daily of at least a moderate walking pace. Dr. Ornish also suggests making small changes throughout the day to get more exercise, such as parking a few spaces further from the door, or even just walking up or down the stairs instead of taking the elevator. This kind of daily exercise adds up and is recommended over working out strenuously only occasionally.

Stress-reduction techniques are an important part of the total lifestyle plan. Dr. Ornish contends that doing even a few minutes of yoga, deep breathing, or meditation each day can have many positive effects on both the body and mind. Dr. Ornish also highly recommends that individuals quit smoking.

The Hollywood 48 Hour Miracle Diet is probably the best known of the various Hollywood products. It is an orange colored drink that is intended to be a complete food replacement for a 48 hour period. Dieters are instructed to shake the bottle well and then mix four ounces of the drink with four ounces ofwater (bottled water is recommended) and sip this mixture over the course of four hours. This is to be repeated four times each day. The dieter is instructed to drink eight glasses of water each day while on this diet.

For the two days that the dieter is following the Hollywood 48 Hour Miracle Diet, the drink mixture and water are all that the dieter is allowed to consume. The dieter cannot eat or drink anything else. This restriction even includes drinks that have no calories, such as diet sodas and chewing gum. During this time the dieter is told that for optimal results he or she cannot have any caffeine or alcohol while on the diet, and cannot smoke.

The Hollywood 24 Hour Miracle Diet is largely the same as the 48 Hour formulation, except that is intended only for one day use. The same restrictions about food, caffeine, and alcohol intake apply, as does the ban on smoking. The website recommends that dieters use one version of the diet or the other at least one time per month, and says that it many people choose to do the 48 Hour Diet once a week.

Both Hollywood diet formulations are made mainly of fruit juice concentrates. They do contain a significant number of vitamins. The 24 hour version of the diet contains 100% of the daily recommended value of vitamins A, B₆, B₁₂, C, D, and E, as well as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folic acid, and panto-thenic acid in each four ounce serving. The 48 hour formulation contains 75% of the daily required value of these vitamins and nutrients. Both formulations contain 25 grams of carbohydrates, 20 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams of sugar, and no protein ineach four ounce serving.

Each four ounce serving of the Hollywood diet contains 100 calories. This means that if a dieter follows the diet’s instructions and drinks four four-ounce servings over the course of the day, he or she will be ingesting 400 calories. Because no other food or drink products are allowed during this diet this means that anyone following it will only consume 400 calories per day. This qualifies the diet as a very low calorie diet. Very low calorie diets are usually used to treat extremely obese patients with more than 30% excess body fat, and are only administered under the supervision of a doctor or other trained medical professional. If either Hollywood diet formulation were to be used regularly or for an extended period of time this would be considered a traditional very low calorie diet and would require medical supervision.

The Hollywood diet website also includes an alternative diet plan that is more comprehensive than either the 48 or 24 Hour diets. This diet plan is called the 30 Day Miracle Program. It suggests that this program be followed to help the dieter maintain the positive results achieved during the 48 or 24 Hour Diets.

The first step of the 30 Day Miracle Program is for the dieter to do the 24 or 48 Hour Diet. After this diet is finished, and the dieter returns to eating solid foods, the second step is to replace one meal per day with another Hollywood Product, the Hollywood Daily Miracle Diet Drink Mix Meal Replacement. It is suggested that the dieter replace dinner for the most successful outcome. The dieter is also encouraged to avoid foods that are high in fat or salt, that contain sugar, and to avoid dairy products, red meat, and diet sodas.

The diet also recommends that the dieter take another Hollywood product, Hollywood Meta Miracle, twice each day. This product is supposed to be able to help dieters not feel hungry, boost their metabolism, and give them more energy. The other supplement recommended by the diet is the Hollywood Mega Miracle 75 nutritional supplement. The diet instruct that it be taken twice every day. This product supposedly contains 75 different nutrients needed by the body for good health.

The diet also suggests that dieters eat a healthy breakfast and lunch, do not eat after six pm each day, and eat fruits and vegetables as snacks. The diet recommends that a dieter take a brisk walk for 30 minutes or more each day. The final instruction of the diet is to repeat either the Hollywood 48 Hour Diet or the Hollywood 24 Hour diet on a regular basis. Once a month or each weekend are suggested.

The low cholesterol diet is designed to lower an individual’s cholesterol level. Cholesterol is a waxy substance made by the liver and also acquired through diet. Cholesterol does not dissolve in blood. Instead it moves through the circulatory system in combination with carrier substances called lipoproteins. There are two types of carrier-cholesterol combinations, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or “bad” cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein or “good” cholesterol.

LDL picks up cholesterol in the liver and carries it through the circulatory system. Most of the cholesterol in the body is LDL cholesterol. When too much LDL cholesterol is present, it begins to drop out of the blood and stick to the walls of the arteries. The arteries are blood vessels carrying blood away from the heart to other organs in the body. The coronary arteries are special arteries that supply blood to the heart. The sticky material on the artery walls is called cholesterol plaque. (It is different from dental plaque that accumulates on teeth.) Plaque can reduce the amount of blood flowing through the arteries and encourage blood clots to form. A heart attack occurs if the coronary arteries are blocked. A stroke occurs if arteries carrying blood to the brain are blocked.