Many people struggle with weight problems, but some of the weight loss techniques touted to provide quick results are downright ineffective, if not unhealthy and even dangerous.
The Dissociated Diet, on the other hand, encourages you to consume different foods without mixing them. Under this system, you still need to eat everything healthy, but not at the same time of the day. According to the program’s creators, the system preserves health since it complies with biological function of food digestion and assimilation.
Eating by the dissociated method is not the same as being on a diet, but rather it is a way of constructing your meals.
Categories Of The Dissociated Diet
Under the dissociated diet, food is divided into these categories:
Carbohydrates
Rice, pasta, bread, legumes, potatoes, etc.
Proteins
Meat, nuts, fish, and milk products.
Fruits
Lemons, oranges, strawberries, kiwis, apples, watermelon, pineapple, tangerines, etc.
Neutral Food
Milk, vegetables, butter, vegetable oils, and raw or smoked fish.
How It Works
The concept is based on the assumption that it is not the food you eat that increases your weight, but rather it is the combination of foods.
Combining food from different categories in a single meal leads to the conversion into fat because the digestive system won’t be able to assimilate the different food groups, and is why the creators recommend that you eat them separately in order to increase the speed of weight loss.
Indeed, it has been proven that the human digestive track can‘t assimilate proteins and carbohydrates at the same time because it cannot achieve the levels of alkalinity and acidity required for digestion at the same time. Physiologically, ingesting food from the two groups together disturbs the digestive system.
As a result, undigested carbohydrate residues remain in the intestines to cause fermentation and the formation of gas, so that it becomes easier to store fat rather than to metabolize it.
How to combine food while on the Dissociated Diet:
Fruits do not combine well with other groups, which means we have to consume them separately. For best results, eat them as a mid-morning or an afternoon snack. Avoid eating nuts with other foods. You shouldn’t mix different types of carbohydrates. Avoid mixing carbohydrates and fat.
Forget sugar and instead replace it with different natural sweeteners. Vegetables and legumes can be eaten together. Carbohydrates (rice, pasta, and legumes) do not go well with proteins. Never eat them at the same time. Eliminate alcohol and soft drinks altogether.
Ways To Implements The Dissociated Diet
That being said, there are three ways of implementing the dissociated diet:
The Antoine Method
This dissociated diet regime is based on non-lipid association and carbohydrates. It involves the exclusive consumption of food from one category on a daily basis. For instance:
Monday carbohydrates, Tuesday proteins, Wednesday fats, and so on. This means that you will be consuming a balanced diet throughout the week while limiting your calorie intake to about 1500 calories each day.
The Shelton Method
This regime is based on the separation of food consumed on a single day. Every meal involves food from a single category, but in unlimited quantities. Do remember that fruits and milk should be consumed alone.
The Montignac Method
This is based on the principle of excluding food items with a high glycemic index while prohibiting the combination of a few foods during the same meal. The carbohydrate-lipid duo forms an association that has to be avoided during the same meal. It also encourages the combination of legumes and animal protein.
Foods To Avoid On The The Dissociated Diet
While trying to lose weight using the dissociated diet, you should avoid eating any fast foods, canned foods, and pre-cooked foods.
If you are lactose intolerant, avoid milk altogether. Canned foods, pre-cooked foods, and fast foods mix carbohydrates with proteins, which means they are not ideal for anyone looking to lose a larger amount of weight. For the best results, it is recommended that you reserve a single day in your week to drinks fluids and avoid all solid foods.
Ideally, this day should be Saturday or Sunday since you need not work and spend a lot of energy. You can spend this day relaxing at home. Not mixing carbohydrates also makes it easy to prepare meals, and they would be a lot tastier.
Advantages Of A Dissociated Diet
- The biggest advantage of dissociated diets is that they can lead to substantial weight loss without causing the health problems associated with most fad diets. The concept behind them is simple, easy to follow, effective, and satisfying.
- The dissociated diet shapes your metabolism.
- You need not consume other foods apart from those you usually eat; this means that you won’t incur any extra costs from following the diet.
- The diet allows you to eat to your fill and still lose weight. As long as you respect the food combinations, you won’t ever have to feel hungry to achieve results.
- The diet eliminates most of the bloating symptoms most people experience, since you will be combining foods that can be digested more easily.
The Disadvantages Of A Dissociated Diet
- If you do not select the food items carefully, you could end up consuming an unbalanced diet, resulting in vital nutritional deficiencies.
- Your muscles and organs could grow weaker on days when you have to consume fruits and vegetables due to lack of protein.
- Children or active people may not benefit from the diet since they require maintaining a high calorie intake every day and at every meal.
The Dissociated Diet Final Words
It is important to avoid mixing foods from the groups outlined above if you are going to follow this regimen.
That being said, you should still comply with 3 meals per day as normal and ensure that you space them out by at least 3 hours to give your body time to absorb the nutrients. Some experts have warned that your metabolism could suffer while on this diet. Counter this by including spirulina into your daily meal plan.
When combined with light physical exercises such as jogging, walking, and biking, the spirulina will help shape your body. You should also avoid drinking fluids before or during meals since they may dilute the gastric juice, thereby slowing down digestion.
