The Promise

The Pritikin Program for Diet and Exercise, which hit the best-seller list in 1979, is the granddaddy of diet books.

Its ideas -- that eating low-fat, high-fiber foods and getting regular exercise can stave off or even reverse heart disease and help people stay at a healthy weight -- were considered downright shocking.

Now, those ideas are considered standard.

Level of Effort: Medium to High

Much of this advice may be familiar. But it is a low-fat plan that limits oils and doesn't give you much room for favorite indulgences.

Limitations: Fast food and soda are no-nos. Processed foods, alcohol, and red meat are limited.

Cooking and shopping: The diet centers on readily available fresh foods, so its easy to plan, shop for, and cook meals. If you're not comfortable cooking, you'll have a learning curve, since convenience foods are not recommended on this plan.

Packaged foods or meals: No.

In-person meetings: No.

Exercise: The authors recommend walking daily, and adding strength training, stretching, and more cardiovascular exercise to your weekly routine.

Does It Allow for Dietary Restrictions or Preferences?

Vegetarian or vegan: This diet can easily work for vegetarians, as it recommends plant protein sources more frequently than animal sources. If you're vegan, you can swap dairy for soy milk or other nondairy beverages. Still, modifying some of the recipes may be tricky.

Low-fat diet: It emphasizes filling up on healthy foods like salads, soups, fruits, fish, and whole grains, so the Pritikin approach is low in fat. Most food recommendations and recipes have little saturated fat.

Gluten-free: The diet suggests many gluten-free carbohydrates, like quinoa and oatmeal. So you could modify it to be gluten-free. Youll have to read food labels carefully.

What Else You Should Know

Cost: If doing it on your own, none beyond your shopping. A 14 Day Pritikin Meal Plan is available via the website.

Support: You can do this diet yourself. Pritikin has a free newsletter you can sign up for and also offers online support -- including private online journals, prerecorded workshops, and consultations with dietitians. Dieters are strongly encouraged to visit the Florida-based Pritikin Longevity Center + Spa, where prices range from $4,000 a week in the summer to $6,000 a week during the winter.

Meals are available for purchase. Individual meals are available for purchase and range between $6-$12. Meal packages are also available and range in price according to the kind of meals you order. Ten lunch and dinners cost around $100.

Does It Work?

Yes, it can help you lose weight. The Pritikin diet is low in fat, high in fiber, and mainly features healthy foods.

It's also heart-healthy. A Washington University School of Medicine study found that the Pritikin Program lowers many risk factors for heart disease, including weight (measured by body mass index, or BMI) and blood pressure. Other studies have shown the same thing.

Is It Good for Certain Conditions?

Studies show the Pritikin diet can help reverse heart disease, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and result in weight loss. Many people following the plan have been able to cut back on medications and use the diet and exercise program to help manage their condition.

Consult your doctor before starting the plan, and don't cut back on any medications without your doctor's approval.

The Final Word

This very structured plan is ideal for anyone with heart disease who is willing to make most of their meals and get regular physical activity.

The diet is not practical for many people. One of the biggest limitations is feeling satisfied and sticking to this very low-fat diet.

Red-meat lovers, exercise haters, anyone with a sweet tooth, and people who like fatty foods will have a hard time on this plan. A glass of wine at dinner is about the only allowable splurge.