Recipes offered: 1999
A-Types are stocky, with “tucked” rear ends and potbellies without pronounced waists. Type-As crave meat and salty foods, which over-stimulate their adrenal glands. The Body Type Diet for As emphasizes parsley tea, carbohydrates, light dairy products, vegetables, and caffeine (if desired). By eating like this, they stimulate their thyroid glands and bring their hormones into balance, leading to a “lighter, more flexible metabolism.” A light breakfast and lunch with more calories in the evening meal is their ideal schedule.
G-Types carry their weight below their waists – in their rear ends and “saddle bags” on their thighs. They crave spicy and creamy foods, which they should eliminate in favor of fruit and light dairy. They should eat light breakfasts (or skip them), light lunches, and a big meal at night with red clover tea.
T-Types are naturally slim and lithe, and when they gain too much weight, it goes to their hips and thighs. They crave sweets, caffeine and starches, but they should eliminate those as well as fruit. Their “plenty foods” are raspberry tea, eggs, poultry, and fish, and their ideal schedule is three meals in even amounts of calories.
P-Types have small feet, a childlike appearance, and soft “baby fat.” Since the pituitary gland is most active in the day, they should eat a big breakfast with meat, a moderate lunch, and a light supper. They crave dairy products, especially ice cream, which they should avoid. Their “plenty foods” are organ meats, poultry, and red meat, and they should only eat carbohydrates and fruit in moderation. Their tea is fenugreek.
Each type has a list of “eat plenty of foods, eat in moderation foods, and eat rarely foods,” as well as a special herbal tea, a recipe for a Body Type vegetable soup; special times of the day to eat; and an exercise plan.
There are three different diet plans for each body type. To lose five pounds, you do the Basic Plan for one week and then the Last Five Pounds diet for a week. To lose five to fifteen pounds, you do the Basic Plan for two weeks, and then the Last Five Pounds diet for one week and repeat. If you have more than fifteen pounds to lose, you use the Last Five Pounds Diet every fourth week. Once you reach your ideal weight, you take up your Body Type Maintenance Plan.
Dr. Abravanel’s book has been a best-seller since its first edition in 1983 and is still widely imitated.
BASIC WEIGHT LOSS DIET FOR TYPE A
BREAKFAST One cup plain yogurt or one cup low-fat cottage cheese or one cup whole-grain cereal with ½ cup skim milk; coffee or parsley tea (WAIT FOUR HOURS)
LUNCH Large green salad with diet dressing, ½ cup either beets, carrots, cauliflower, peas, turnip, pumpkin, or squash; choice of one cup plain yogurt or one cup low-fat cottage cheese or four ounces low-fat hard cheese, or four ounces fish (no shellfish); choice of an apple, two apricots, ½ banana, cup of berries, ¼ cantaloupe, 10 cherries, two figs, ½ mango, 1 nectarine, a peach, a pear, ½ cup pineapple, two plums, or a cup of watermelon or strawberries; coffee or parsley tea (WAIT SIX HOURS)
DINNER Four ounces chicken, turkey, fish, or two eggs; as much as desired of zucchini, green pepper, snow peas, spinach, tomatoes, or celery; 2 tsp. vegetable oil, 1 cup skim milk, choice of same lunch fruits or two chocolate cookies; parsley tea
BASIC WEIGHT LOSS DIET FOR TYPE T
BREAKFAST Two eggs, any style; ½ slice toast, 1 tsp. butter; decaffeinated coffee or raspberry tea (WAIT FOUR HOURS)
LUNCH Large green salad with diet dressing (no spice or cream); 1 tsp. butter, four ounces poultry or fish; choice of 1 slice whole-grain bread, ½ cup of either bulghur wheat, brown rice, or millet; 1 cup skim milk, raspberry tea (WAIT SIX HOURS)
DINNER Four ounces chicken, fish, turkey, lamb, organ meat, or lean beef; raw or steamed vegetables; choice of 1 slice whole-grain bread, ½ cup of either bulghur wheat, brown rice, or millet; 1 cup skim milk, raspberry tea
BASIC WEIGHT LOSS DIET FOR TYPE P
BREAKFAST Four ounces beef, pork, poultry, lamb, liver, kidney or heart; choice of ½ cup brown rice, bulghur wheat, or millet, or 1 cup whole-grain cereal or 1 slice whole-grain bread; decaffeinated coffee or fenugreek tea (WAIT FOUR HOURS)
LUNCH Large green salad with clear diet dressing; ½ cup either beets, carrots, cauliflower, peas, potatoes, pumpkin, or squash; four ounces tuna or shellfish; 1 piece whole-grain bread; choice of an apple, two apricots, ½ banana, cup of berries, ¼ cantaloupe, 10 cherries, two figs, ½ mango, 1 nectarine, a peach, a pear, ½ cup pineapple, two plums, or 1 cup watermelon or strawberries; fenugreek tea (WAIT SIX HOURS)
DINNER Four ounces poultry, fish, or two eggs; fresh or steamed vegetables, one fruit (same choices as lunch); fenugreek tea
BASIC WEIGHT LOSS DIET FOR TYPE G
BREAKFAST Choice of an apple, two apricots, ½ banana, cup of berries, ¼ cantaloupe, 10 cherries, two figs, ½ mango, 1 nectarine, a peach, a pear, ½ cup pineapple, two plums, or 1 cup watermelon or strawberries; red clover tea or coffee (WAIT FOUR HOURS)
LUNCH Large green salad with clear diet dressing; ½ cup either beets, carrots, cauliflower, peas, potatoes, pumpkin, or squash; choice of one cup plain yogurt or one cup low-fat cottage cheese or two ounces low-fat hard cheese or one egg; 1 slice of whole-grain bread; 1 glass skim milk; 1 fruit (breakfast choices); coffee or red clover tea (WAIT FIVE HOURS)
DINNER Four ounces chicken, turkey, fish, or two eggs; 1 tsp. vegetable oil, steamed vegetables; choice of 1 slice whole-grain bread, ½ cup of either bulghur wheat, brown rice, or millet; 1 glass skim milk; 1 fruit (breakfast choices); red clover tea
SAMPLE OF LAST FIVE POUNDS DIET (TYPE A)
BREAKFAST One cup plain yogurt or one cup low-fat cottage cheese or one cup whole-grain cereal with ½ cup skim milk; coffee or parsley tea (WAIT FIVE HOURS)
LUNCH Type-A Vegetable soup* (as desired); 1 slice whole-grain bread; choice of one cup plain yogurt or one cup low-fat cottage cheese or four ounces low-fat hard cheese, or four ounces fish (no shellfish); choice of an apple, two apricots, ½ banana, cup of berries, ¼ cantaloupe, 10 cherries, two figs, ½ mango, 1 nectarine, a peach, a pear, ½ cup pineapple, two plums, or 1 cup watermelon or strawberries; parsley tea (WAIT SIX HOURS)
DINNER Four ounces chicken, turkey, fish, or two eggs; choice of 1 slice whole-grain bread, ½ cup of either bulghur wheat, brown rice, or millet; 1 tsp. butter or vegetable oil, Type-A Vegetable Soup*; parsley tea
*Type A Vegetable Soup
Green pepper Chinese peas
Zucchini Tomato
Celery Celery tops
Use equal quantities of vegetables. Chop them coarsely and place in large pot with water or fat-free broth, bring to a boil, cook 5-10 minutes, and season with pepper (no salt).