Posts Tagged ‘Diet Plan’

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The Secret to Low Carbohydrate Diets

Saturday, August 29th, 2009

My mom and I have been arguing how low carb diets work for years. She insists that the only way to lose weight is to expend more calories than you eat. I tell her that she must consider that insulin regulates the way your body stores and uses fats and sugars. So, if you know how your body works, you can use that to your advantage to lose a few pounds.

Here’s How Low Carb Diets Work:

1. You reduce your carbohydrates – i.e. bread, rice, pasta, high-starch veggies, sugar, fructose, honey, fruit, ketchup, salad dressing, gum & baked beans. Instead, you eat low-starch veggies, plus protein and fat – things like lettuce, peppers, turkey, eggs, cheese, olive oil, chicken, fish, seafood, beef & pork. This depletes your body of sugar in about two days.

2. The fewer carbs you eat, the less insulin you make. Note: Insulin is produced when your blood glucose levels rise. It controls sugar levels in your blood stream (otherwise you have a build-up of sugar in your blood, i.e. diabetes). Insulin also acts as a hormone to condition your body to store carbs as fat in case of starvation and it tells the cells not to release stored fat.

3. When you’re not producing Insulin, you go into a state of “ketosis”. Ketosis is when your body primarily uses fat as fuel since there is no fast-burning fuel (glucose) available. If you’re not burning sugar, you start burning fat and thereby lose weight. If you’re always eating candy, white bread, potatoes & pasta, plus the fat, your body continues to burn only the carbs and stores the fat. That makes you fat.

Talk to your doc before starting any diet plan. I have, and as directed I only significantly reduce my carbs for short periods of time, then re-introduce high complex carbs a little at a time (whole grains, quinoa, brown rice, sweet potatoes), always trying to avoid white rice, white breads, potatoes and refined sugars (especially high fructose corn syrup).

Go ahead and splurge on that wedge salad with blue cheese, a char-broiled steak with sauteed mushrooms, creamed spinach and grilled asparagus once in a while. Enjoy every bite. It’s all low-carb or no carb. If you’ve burned off the sugars from previous meals your body will burn the fat as energy. Yeah!

BUT, if you add a roll or two, or some potatoes, a glass of wine or dessert, your body will convert the carbs to glucose, release insulin, use the glucose as energy and store the fat. You will have consumed a gazillion calories that will stick to you like glue. That’s the danger of going off and on the carb wagon without knowing what you’re doing.

Other things that help the release of fat is drinking plenty of water and upping the cardio.

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Which Low Carbohydrate Diet Is Best For You?

Thursday, August 27th, 2009

We’ve heard that diet plans don’t work the same way for everyone, even if they collectively claim that they can reduce the amount of “bad” carbohydrates in our bodies. But if that’s the case, how are we supposed to know which low carbhoydrate diet plans would work best for us as individuals? The answer lies in careful study. Look into the requirements and benefits of each diet plan, and based on what you’ve learned, decide on the plan that would give you the best returns, in terms of time, money and effort.

Here are three of the more popular low carbohydrate diet regimes. Check them out and see how each one relates to your lifestyle and routines:

1. The Atkins Diet – This is currently the most popular patented diet plan in the market. The creator of this plan, Dr. Robert C. Atkins, is known as “The Father of Modern Low Carb Diets.” This diet promotes cutting back on carbohydrate intake, but stresses that different people have different nutritional needs, and therefore the diet plan must vary from person to person. The Atkins books contain information on a “carb ladder,” which details the amount of carbohydrates a person may introduce into the body, based on one’s glycemic load. The books also advocate balancing Omega-3 fatty acids and Omega-6 fatty acids. All this means you need to pay close attention to the amount of food you eat when you’re on this diet.

2. The South Beach Diet – This diet scheme, recently patented by Dr. Arthur Agatston, is thought of as a modified Atkins diet, with a few significant changes: while both Atkins and South Beach promote the elimination of “bad carbs,” the South Beach diet actively discourages eating the dark meat or butter of poultry, as they are fraught with saturated fat that produces “bad carbs.” Atkins poses no such restriction.

4. The “Caveman” Diet – This low carbohydrate diet advocates a return to our ancestral roots, in a liberal sense; it simply promotes the elimination of artificial processed foods from regular meals. In this diet you can eat pretty much anything except foods that contain sugar, salts, and seasoning. Most dairy products are not allowed either, as they are often found in processed form in this modern age. Meat, eggs, fish, fruit, most vegetables, and nuts are okay. This may seem somewhat permissive, but it is still a rather tough call if you live in a country like the United States, where it isn’t easy adhering to an all-natural organic diet scheme.

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What are the building blocks of a healthy and nutritious diet?

Thursday, August 20th, 2009

So your looking to eat healthy? Well one fo the best ways to get started is to get the balance of carbs,(carbohydrates), proteins and fats right first. The reason is, these are the essential foundations of any diet plan and everything from there is just a question of balance and adjusting to suit your likes and dislikes.

With around 4 calories being produced by one gram of protein it is not suprising that we are encouraged to eat plenty of protein rich foods such as eggs and dairy products (which of course also contain fats), red meats fish and steaks.

When looking at carbs like protein we find that calorifically around 1g of carbohydrate will produce about 4 calories of energy. However when comparing carbs it is much harder as they are more complex and in addition to being food in nature than can also be found in food that is manufactured.

Carbohydrates which are found in nature include rice,some pulses (such as beans),potato’s in various different guises, and oatmeal but this is just the tip of the iceberg a wider range of man made carbs are found in cookies, candies, and cakes plus a whole slew of other processed foods.

I am guessing you have probably worked out by now that I was saving the best (or worst in this case until last) .That’s right a single gram of fat creates a massive 225% more energy at 9 calories (that’s more than twice the amount of protein and carbohydrate). Is it that simple?

But of course as I am sure you know there is more than one type of fat they are classed as good fats (mono unsaturated fats and poly unsaturated fats) and bad fats (saturated fats) and the less widely know very bad (trans fats or trans fatty acids to give then their full name)

To maintain a healthy body you need to get a balance of all 3 of these in equal proportion but avoiding large amounts or unsaturated fats and avoid when at all possible all tran fats.

If you choose to have a diet which has a high level of fat or indeed a high level of carbohydrate (especially man made carbs) you increase your chances dramatically to having problems with your weight.If you continue this way may end up extremely obese or as doctors use the term morbidly obese.

Since fat has substancially more calories per gram than both protein & carbohydrates, just ensure the bulk of your diet is a balance of the first two food groups with some healthy fats thrown in for good measure.

We will examine the different types of fat individually.

Mono Unsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFA’s).. Mono unsaturated fats are found at room temperature normally in the form of vegetable oils,nuts and seeds.

Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (Polyunsaturated Fats):- These are are most commonly found in vegetable oils, fish and seafood. They are liquid or soft at room temperature.Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids are types of Polyunsaturated fats and are considered essential fatty acids because our bodies need them but don’t make them, thus they must be obtained through the diet. Some times referred to as PUFA’s.

Saturated Fats (Saturated Fatty Acids) are usually solid at room temperature and are found mainly in foods from animal sources like meat, dairy products and butter. Some vegetable oils such as coconut, palm kernel and palm oil are also full of saturated fatty acids.

Trans Fats (TFA’s):- These are manufactured vegetable oils which have been specially processed to become solid at room temperature by the addition of hydrogen. You may have heard them called hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils or fats. They have been used in some margarines,junk foods and processed snacks which the manufacturers claim enhances their flavor and shelf life.

A guide is if it comes from a plant it is usually better for you than if it came from animal. Animal fats are found in butter, pastry and shortening as saturated fat. But fats from plants such as Olive Oil, sun flower oil and some margarines (read the label) are unsaturated fats. Unsaturated fat is better for you but will still make you fat.

Just remember when it comes to eating healthy keep the balance right

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How To Lose Weight From A Low Carbohydrate Diet Plan

Sunday, August 16th, 2009

With the sudden boom of dieting in the country, different diet programs have been introduced in the country. Although many experts believe that proper exercise and not only diet can lose those pounds in a healthy way, many people still believe in the power of diet programs and diet plans. One of the most controversial kinds of diet plans is the low-carbohydrate diet program, which focuses on the reduction of carbohydrate consumption in the body.

According to the theory, when carbohydrates are no longer being taken in, the body will be forced to use fats and water as alternative sources of energy; thereby helping to shed off those unwanted pounds.

Fats, unbeknownst to many, can actually be converted to energy. The body just doesn’t use it as the first priority because it is more complex in structure and therefore, harder to break down and convert into energy. Among the popular low carbohydrate diets in the country is the Atkins diet.

Despite arguments from its critics, low carbohydrate diet has proven its effectiveness in terms of losing that extra weight. To date, it counts millions of followers not only in the country but also outside America.

Actually, cutting down on carbohydrates in the diet is a practice that people have been doing for years. When people cut down on their rice or bread or do not eat rice at all, they are reducing their carbohydrate intake. Of course, because it is not an official diet plan they are not really restricting themselves completely. When you are under a diet plan, you are not allowed to eat any kind of carbohydrates.

One of the advantages of low carbohydrate diet is the fact that it can actually increase the levels of good cholesterol in the body. This is really good news to people who have a heart problem. This is perhaps the reason why Atkins diet was used for cardio patients. This diet plan can also reduce the amount of triglycerides in the body. Triglycerides can be dangerous when combined with a high level of LDL or bad cholesterol. Both can increase the risk for heart attack and heart disease.

Low carb diet plans are also found to be good in balancing mood swings. They will not be prone to extreme lows such as depression or extreme high. People who are under the program are found to have fairly stable energy levels unlike those with high carbo levels.

LOW CARB DIET 101

Indeed, a lot has been said about various diets and how these work for some people. There’ s the Atkins Diet, the South Beach, the After-Six Diet plan and so on goes on the list of diet crazes that swept the western world and even Asian regions. Among all these, one type of diet has become popular than the others it’s called the Low Carb Diet.

Basically, low carb diet actually emphasizes cutting down on from a person’s daily food intake. This diet allows the dieter to take in all foods except those that have carbohydrates. Although there are many testimonies that prove that low carb diet really works, you must be very knowledgeable first about its pros and cons before deciding to go with the hype.

People who have tried low carb diets say that its advantages include:

1. Faster and quicker weight loss compared to fasting.

2. The diet may result to higher protein intake and absorption.

3. It stabilizes blood sugar levels and is extremely beneficial to those who suffer from diabetics.

Experts say that the disadvantages of low carb diets may include:

– High cholesterol levels due to the lack of protein-rich and fatty foods that has saturated fats.
– Increased blood pressure due to elimination of whole grains products that help lower blood pressure.
– It can lead to osteoporosis because there will be no enough supply of calcium.
– In some cases, this diet can lead to diarrhea, constipation, and severe headaches.
– Low carb diets increase the possibility of lower mental acuity.
– Instead of losing weight, this diet can lead to weight gain.
If you are planning on taking low carb diet, here are some helpful tips to keep you in track:

1. Make sure to drink lots of water to avoid dehydration and constipation.

2. Consider taking in more fiber and vitamin supplements.

3. Cease from consuming products that has sugar.

4. Cut down on taking in products that contain caffeine.

5. Monitor your daily carbohydrate intake.

6. Don’t mind calories, they are allowed in this diet.

7. Acquire a carbohydrate counter to keep you updated.

8. Do regular physical activities and exercise to reach ketosis easily.

9. Brace yourself for diarrhea that may last for a couple of days.

10. If possible, avoid eating foods that have saturated fats.

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You Can Easily Use Low Carb Diets to Boost Your Metabolism

Monday, August 10th, 2009

The low carb diet craze that is going on right now is an industry that is gaining momentum and demand every day and is showing no signs of slowing down. This is an amazing accomplishment for Dr. Atkins, whose book was immediately labeled potentially dangerous when it first hit the shelves years ago and again after he died. Now, every individual who considers himself overweight, and some others are hitting the supermarkets looking for the best high protein and low diet foods that they can find.

The impact of low carb diets can be felt in just about every industry.

The thousands of success stories has people going to the gym at a record rate. They know that the Atkins and the South Beach Diet will help them lose weight, but they want to keep that weight off for as long as possible and so they automatically begin to get more active as well.

The major players in the grocery industry are now making even more space on their shelves in order to accommodate the low carb foods. Last, but not least, the low carb food manufacturers continued to thrive as their sales continue to improve at record levels. The low carb diets are even starting to have an effect on the menus at fast food restaurants. The wraps are actually very good.

No matter where you look, low carb foods are available for sale at reasonable prices. There is no simpler way to lose those unwanted pounds and keep them off. Low carb diets are here to stay. It’s up to you about whether or not you should try the low carb diet, but if you do, it has never been easier than it is now.

You know that a diet plan is in demand if places like Subway and McDonald’s is starting to accommodate it. Ever since they led the way, most other chain restaurants are now doing it as well. Some of the restaurants that offer low carb meals include: Applebee’s, Arby’s, Wendy’s, Chi Chi’s, and Boston Market

Dieting with low carb intake will help to boost your metabolism but only if you stick with it as a permanent lifestyle change. And that is the truth of it. It is simply safer that if you choose this method that you try to avoid taking any diet pills with it. All diets serve their purpose, but the low carb diet has been known to cause harm with certain people, so be sure to consult your doctor before committing to any of them.

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