The Shangri La Diet

The Shangri La diet is simply ruining the taste buds. If the taste buds are in no mood for food, the appetite follows suit. This is the Shangri La diet theory on taste-calorie relationship.

Here's a diet that manipulates our appetite by upsetting our taste buds and the caloric program in our bodies. Called the Shangri La Diet, it is a brainchild of psychologist Seth Roberts.

It has a lot to do with the so-called "taste-calorie association." The theory is that the body's craving for calories can be controlled or changed by frustrating the taste buds. Shangri La diet is not controlling the amount of our food intake, nor is it the careful scheduling of all-natural foods to eat. It is simply refusal to pamper the taste buds.

There is a "set point" that serves as a basis to control appetite. It's like a thermometer; if the mercury goes beyond 37. 5 we have a slight fever. If it goes lower, we have normal temperature. With Shangri la diet, as we go lower than the set point, our bodies will naturally dislike eating. We go over the set point our bodies will naturally crave for more.

So the thing is to keep our appetites below the set point so our bodies would naturally dislike calories. How? With a Shangri La diet this is done by simply eating intolerably tasting foods high in calories before you start your main meals. For instance, right before dinner or a banquet, eat a serving of pure and spice-less boiled potato (mash or bake it if we like) before the dinner, enough to kill the appetite.

Or, eat almost ripe bananas or unsweetened rice cake. Or eat mouthfuls of strange and tasteless foods you normally would not touch. This kills the appetite and makes the stomach full. Hence, we eat less of delicious foods, especially those high in fat and calories. Another excellent Shangri La diet appetite killer is eating lots of boiled corn (without taste enhancers like salt and butter) in between meals.

Taking spoonfuls of coconut virgin or olive oil before a meal will also do the trick. Sweet potatoes, pure and unsweetened cereals, oatmeal, lots of water, and whole wheat bread are also good examples for our Shangri la diet. Lots of fresh pineapple can temporarily ruin the taste buds. After we have stuffed our tummies with these appetite upsetters and feel that our food craving has gone below the set point, we may eat anything during a meal.

It would be helpful to incorporate the Shangri La diet with swimming or light exercises like brisk walking, stretching, and aerobic exercises. Discipline is, of course, a key in all these. Another tip would be to drink lots of water between meals, water is a great filler which helps quench the feeling of hunger. The next time we smell temptingly mouth-watering cuisines make sure to upset the taste buds first before we sit down to dine. Once you are in to this slimming plan you will be very happy to see the results.