Need Practical Weight Loss Tips?

 

The fastest way to losing those few extra pounds is the most basic of all weight loss tips: cut down your consumption of food. I know. That is easier to say than to do. Most weight loss tips about food consumption focus on slightly changing your eating habits. If you need the snack break, do it. The other class of weight loss tips is exercise. Studies have shown that people who walk faster tend to maintain their weight better than people who walk more slowly. If excess weight is a serious concern for you, the best of the weight loss tips is to consult with a qualified weight loss management expert.

 

Weight loss is something almost everyone struggles with sooner or later. "How to lose weight" is not the only question you should be asking. Make self-acceptance just as equal in importance to weight loss. Going for true self-worth gets you to stare the problem right in its eyes. It is strongly advised you get help if many wounds are surfacing. There are many great books and resources on weight loss self-esteem, body image, and true self-acceptance that will take you in new directions.

 

What I am saying here is that the real problem is not how to lose weight, or what to eat, etc. the real problem is self-judgment. Our society today certainly struggles with a weight epidemic. When it comes to our weight and health, a reasonable diet and sufficient exercise always prove superior. Fortunately there is diet information everywhere we turn.

 

Understanding your body and how it functions is key in forming a good diet. If you watch television, then you've surely been bombarded with diet information from some fitness guru. A great place to begin your search for diet information is online. Many diet plans offer a variety of meals that contain low amounts of fat, carbs, and calories. The key to dropping weight is eating healthy and acquiring a daily exercise routine.

 

Whether you're looking to start that new celebrity diet, or simply desire some diet information, you will find it on the World-Wide-Web. With proper diet and fitness benefits, your body will soon transform into that size six you crave. It's time to live healthy, and rid yourself of that burden, which too often destroys your confidence, as well as your body.

 

There is no quick fix when it comes to weight loss, but if you make gradual improvements across a number of areas, the combined effect will put the brakes on the obesity snowball and have your weight loss snowball rolling before you know it.

Metabolism - What is it and How Can I Control It?

Many of my clients were initially overweight, not all, but most were. In fact, more than 60% of my clients came to me to help them lose weight. The other 40% is a mixture of people who want to live longer, who want to look sexier, who want to add muscle to their physique, or who just want to live a healthy, energy-rich life.

 

Today, I'm going to focus on helping those people who want to lose weight, not because I think that the topic of weight loss is more important than other topics I could cover, but because I think I need to clear up a few false ideas that are circulating in the industry.

 

First and foremost, if you're overweight, there's a very good chance that you have a low metabolism! I know that might not be shocking to you. You may have already thought that you had a slow metabolism, but here's why I'm re-stating it...

 

Having a slow metabolism means that you can eat 'only a little food' and still gain more weight than your neighbour who eats far more than you every day of his or her life.

 

Your metabolism is basically a bunch of organs and glands that are responsible for regulating how your body burns food for fuel and how it converts that food into energy. These include the thyroid, pancreas, stomach, small and large intestines, and the colon.

 

When you have a slow metabolism there's a good chance that one of more of these systems is out of balance or just plain not working properly (and that's almost always due to improper living, disease, drugs, or a severe accident).

 

But there are more causes for being overweight other than having a low metabolism. You see, overweight people tend to eat when they're not hungry, they tend to have a larger appetite, they tend to eat "diet foods" more often (which are rarely conducive to weight loss as the label suggests), they tend to eat before they go to bed, and worst of all they tend to see themselves as being overweight.

 

Now you can clean up almost all of this mess by living a healthy lifestyle, or if you've read any of my books or listened to any of the audio programs my company has out, then you already know all the basics associated with living a lean, healthy lifestyle.

 

But the underlying problem that can never be cleared up simply with your actions, is the way you see yourself when you close your eyes.

 

My studies at the National Metabolic and Longevity Research Center have taught me that overweight people constantly think about their weight in a negative way, thus creating the undesired effect. It's true that you become what you think about, and if you constantly see yourself as being fat, you'll never be thin!

 

Here's a tip... for the next 30 days (it takes 28 - 30 days to change how you subconsciously think of yourself) take a few minutes in the morning and picture a great looking, tight, sexy body from head to toe - then put your face on that body. 

Do this exercise again in the mid-afternoon, and then again right before you fall asleep at night.

 

Do this for 30 days and I guarantee that you'll experience a dramatic change in the way your body looks.

Mediterranean Diet Information

Mediterranean diet is basically the dietary traditions followed by the people of Greece, Spain and southern Italy who live around the Mediterranean Sea. It has been studied by an American Dr Ancel Keys when he landed in Greece in 1945. He discovered that the people of Greece and Spain had longer life expectancy and didn’t have any major health problem.

 

Their diet mainly consists of lots of food from plant sources freshly eaten minimally processed, locally grown, and seasonal and very little food from animal sources

 

Foods mainly are fresh fruits, vegetables, sea fresh fish, herbs, bread, grains, nuts and seeds, non-refined oils like olive oil which is 25% to 35% of fat consumed and low consumption of saturated fats, moderate consumption of cheese and yoghurt, honey and fresh fruits for desserts, lots of fresh fish and non-refined cereals. 

 

Vegetables consumed should be at least 1 pound and red meat consumed sparingly only. Lots of physical activity and consumption of wine if taken should only be 1 glass for women and 2 glasses for men daily with meals.

 

Fruits are mainly grapes, raisins olives, avocado, strawberries, raspberries, currant, blue berries grapes, black olives, orange, apple, pear, figs, pomegranates, dates, passion fruits, cherry, apricot, grapefruit, peach, prunes, quince, bergamot and plums.

 

Vegetables are spinach, lettuce, cauliflower, broccoli, white peach, bell pepper, carrot, beetroot, tomato, onion, shallots, scallions, green onion, celery, eggplant, capers, cucumber, lemon, Zucchini, white and red cabbage, mushroom, grapevine leaves, artichokes, potatoes, sweet corn and gherkin.

 

Grains are mainly pasta, couscous, rice, polenta, bulgur etc.

 

Legumes are carob, peas, beans, lima beans, chickpea and lentils.

Herbs and spices used are anise, basil, bay leaves, borage, peppercorns, garlic, chilies, chamomile, chervil, chives, dill, fennel, lavender, marjoram, mint, nutmeg, oregano, parsley, sesame seeds, rosemary, sage, savoury, sorrel, tarragon, and thyme, vanilla, mahaleb, red saffron, masticha, cinnamon, clove, coriander, cumin and caraway.

 

Cheese used are mainly from sheep and goats milk - bocconcini, edam, feta, halloumi, kasseri, kefalograviera, kefalotyri, roquefort cheese, mozzarella, mitzithra, manouri, manchego, peciino toscano , mascarpone, parmesan, and pecorino, anthotyro, xynotyri, ladotyri, anevato and batzos.

 

Nuts are almonds, fennel, poppy, sesame, pistachio nuts, peanuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, pine nuts and chestnuts.

 

Fish and fillets are herring, salmon, trout, tuna, anchovies, sardines, mackerels, cod, and carp. Sea foods like octopus, clams, mussels and squids are also eaten. A wide variety of these foods consumed daily has been found to be very good for the heart as well.

 

Low-Carb High Protein Diets

This type of diet became very popular as of recently due to the promotion of the ever-popular Atkins Diet Craze. This diet is very popular because there is no calorie counting involved, and many foods that many people love to eat are allowed on the diet. Further, the Atkins diet is a high-protein diet, which means that weight lost during this diet will not result in lost muscle mass, since protein is the main nutrient needed for maintaining healthy muscle tone. This diet basically eliminates carbohydrates, which are simple sugars or foods that break down into simple sugars. These serve as empty calories in your diet, providing no nutrients yet many calories. 

 

While we won’t cover the Atkins diet here, we can give you basics of the high-protein, low-carb diet. First let us identify carbohydrates. Sugar, including powdered sugar, granulated white sugar, brown sugar, or any type of sugar you can think of, is the main carbohydrate that you would need to eliminate. All types of pastas count as carbohydrates, meaning all noodle and spaghetti products must be eliminated. Starches of any type, such as white rice, potatoes and potato chips, need to be eliminated. Cereals are mostly carbohydrates and should be avoided entirely during the diet phase. Because of the low-carb craze, there are many low-carb options of sodas, milk, ice cream, bread, beer, and wine available in the average supermarket. If you do consume these, be sure to do so only occasionally and in moderation, even if it is a low-carb type. Otherwise, the aforementioned foods should be eliminated entirely when not of the low-carb type. Beware of foods that contain hidden sugars, like bacon, barbeque sauce, ketchup, salad dressing, cough syrup, and fruit juice. As strange as it may seem, fruits and fruit juices should be eliminated while in the weight loss phase of this diet, as they are nearly pure carbohydrates. Anything made with flour needs to be eliminated during the weight loss phase, since as mentioned earlier they are high in carbohydrates. 

 

Now what can you eat? Well, the good news is that you can eat all meats, fish, poultry and seafood, except prepared meats like bacon and honey baked ham, which are high in sugar. Skip the bread and have meat and salad, or meat in your salad. Eggs are very low-carb friendly, but be sure to skip the mayonnaise or salad dressing unless it is low-carb type mayonnaise or dressing. Any type of vegetable is fine, but be sure to realize that when making that salad that tomatoes are actually a fruit, and you want to limit your consumption of them at least during the weight loss phase. Choose brown rice as your starch replacement, as it is low in carbohydrates comparatively to potatoes, bread or white rice. Cheese is good in limited amounts, as this is a high-protein, low-carb food. Butter and cream can be used, but should be consumed in limited amounts. One complex carbohydrate that is good is fiber, as it does not break down into simple sugar, and helps the body with elimination. Further, fiber fills you up quickly without adding significant calories, so hunger pangs are fought off successfully. 

 

Finally, make sure you are drinking at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day minimum in addition to any other liquid you may consume. Dehydration often masquerades as hunger and causes overeating. Of course, again exercise is a necessary and vital part of your diet plan, which we will cover in the next section on exercise. 

 

Once you lose the weight that you set out to lose, the weight loss phase of your diet is over. Of course keep in mind that you are making lifestyle changes, not going on fad or binge diets. This means that you will not go back to your old eating habits. Instead you will introduce certain foods back into your diet in moderation. For example, you may add a couple of strips of bacon once a week to your meal plan. You can enjoy small portions of deserts of any kind, simply in moderation. It is best to avoid soft drinks all together, or opt for the low-carb type permanently. If you do introduce any other carbohydrate-laden foods, be sure to do so only at one meal, and in small portions. Reducing carbohydrates will become a lifestyle to you when following this plan, one is very likely to boost your overall energy level and help you keep the weight off.

Low-Carb Diet, Should I or Shouldn't I?

It's no wonder that confusion reigns when it comes to the worth and reliability of low-carb diets after all the conflicting studies and confusing interpretation of the information. It seems like debates are popping up everywhere! 

 

No matter if it's Atkins, South Beach or some other low-carb plan, there are approximately 30 million Americans are on a low-carb diet. 

 

Supporters contend that the large amount of carbohydrates in our diet has led to increased problems with obesity, diabetes, and other health situations. On the other hand, some attribute obesity and related health problems to over eating of calories and lack of physical activity. They also express concern that without grains, fruits, and vegetables in low-carbohydrate diets may lead to deficiencies of some key nutrients, including vitamin C, fiber, folic acid, and many minerals. 

 

It is already known that any diet, whether high or low in carbohydrates, can produce meaningful weight loss during the early stages of the diet. Keep in mind, the key to a diet being successful is in being able to lose the weight on a permanent basis.

 

Let's see if we can expose some of the mystery about low-carb diets. Following, is a listing of some related points taken from recent studies and scientific literature. 

 

Point 1 - Some Differences Between Low-Carb Diets 

 

There are many famous diets created to lower carbohydrate consumption. Lowering total carbohydrates in the diet means that protein and fat will take up a proportionately greater amount of the total caloric intake. 

 

Low carbohydrate diet like the Atkins Diet restrict carbohydrate to a point where the body becomes ketogenic (a high-fat, low-carbohydrate diet that includes normal amounts of protein). Other low-carb diets like the Zone and Life Without Bread are less confined. Some, like Sugar Busters announce only to eliminate sugars and foods that elevate blood sugar levels excessively. 

 

Point 2 - What We Know about Low-Carb Diets 

 

• Close to all of the studies to date have been small with a diversity of research objectives. Carbohydrate, caloric intake, diet duration and participant characteristics are wide-ranged greatly. Most of the studies to date have two things in common, none of the research studies had people in the study with a average age over 53 and none of the controlled studies lasted more than 90 days. 

• The results on older adults and long-term results are scarce. Many diet studies fail to keep track of the amount of exercise, and therefore caloric use, while people in the study are dieting. This helps to explain the variances between studies. 

• If you lose weight on a low-carb diet it is a function of the calorie intake and length of the diet, and not with reduced amount of carbohydrates. 

• There is very little evidence on the long-range safety of low-carb diets. Even though the medical community has concerns, no short-term bad effects have been found with cholesterol, glucose, insulin and blood-pressure levels among the people in the study on the diets. Because of the short period of the studies the adverse effects may not show up. Losing weight typically leads to improvement in these levels, and this may offset an increase caused by a high fat diet. The over-all weight changes for low-carb and other types of diets are similar. 

• Most low-carb diets can cause ketosis. Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and confusion are some of the potential consequences. When first starting a low-carb diet some fatigue and constipation may be met and these symptoms usually disappear quickly. 

• Some report that you can have more calories when on a low-carb diet. Remember a calorie is a calorie no matter what you intake. When the study is not closely supervised variations will result by people cheating in the study on many factors of the study.

 

There are three important factors I would like to re-emphasize: 

1. The over-all success rate for low-carb and other types of diets are similar.
2. Small amount of information exists on the long-term efficacy and safety of low-carb diets despite their huge popularity.
3. Dieters usually experience boredom with a strict version of the low-carb diet and are not able to stay on diets of low carb food.

 

After observing the subject, a more severe and controlled study are needed on a long-range basis. The ketosis produced is abnormal and stressful metabolic state. The results may cause more problems than it solved.

 

By picking a reliable diet you will benefit over a lifetime of proper eating and not a weight loss quickie.

 

An excellent rule of thumb is look at the diet long-range and see if you can see yourself still on that diet after a couple of weeks. However, by following a diet with fat, carbohydrates, protein and other nutrients in moderation may be the best way to go and a little more exercise won't hurt either.

Low Glycaemic Index Diets Are Better Than High Protein Diets

Australian research team lead by Dr. Jennie Brand-Miller at the University of Sydney conducted a trial in which 129 overweight subjects ages 18 to 40 were randomly assigned to one of four weight-loss diets for 12-week. All four diets were comprised of reduced fat (30 percent of total energy intake) and held daily calories to 1400 kcal for women and 1900 kcal for men. 

 

This was the first clinical trial comparing the effects of glycaemic index and high-protein diets on weight loss and cardiovascular risk. 

 

The diets varied in target levels of carbohydrates, proteins, and glycaemic load (i.e., glycaemic index multiplied by the amount of carbohydrate, divided by 100) as follows:

 

Diet 1: carbohydrates comprise 55 percent of total energy intake, protein 15 percent of total energy intake, high glycemic load (127 g) 

 

Diet 2: similar to diet 1 except a lower glycemic load (75g) 

 

Diet 3: protein comprises 25 percent total energy intake (based on lean red meat), carbohydrate reduced to 45 percenttotal energy of intake, and high glycemic load (87 g) 

 

Diet 4: Similar to diet 3, except low glycemic load (54 g).

 

Brand-Miller and her team report that the diets resulted in similar reductions in weight (4.2 percent to 6.2 percent of body weight), fat mass and waist circumference.

 

However, in the high-carbohydrate diets, lowering the glycemic load doubled the fat loss. The investigators also found that total and LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels increased with diet 3 and decreased in diet2. 

 

In the short term findings suggest that dietary glycemic load, and not just overall energy intake, influences weight loss,

 

Foods with a low degree of starch gelatinization, such as pasta, and those containing a high level of viscous soluble fiber, such as wholegrain barley, oats, and rye, have slower rates of digestion and lower glycemic index values.

 

Without any drastic change in regular dietary habits, one can simply replace high glycemic index grains with low glycemic index grains and starchy vegetables with less starchy ones and cut down on softdrinks, that are often poor in nutrients yet high in glycemic load.

 

Low Fat Diets - How Effective Is The Low Fat Diet Plan?

Are low-fat diets effective? Personally, I would say no. While this still doesn’t give license for everyone to dust off the deep fryer, it simply means that fat doesn’t play quite so large of a role in harboring diseases as previously thought by researchers.

 

According to a 10 yearlong study of 49,000 postmenopausal women nationwide, low-fat diets had virtually no effect on the incidence of heart disease, colorectal cancer, stroke, or breast cancer as opposed to the higher fat content of a “more standard” American diet. This news has certainly come as a shock for many since the exact opposite was touted. If we, as a society, were to eat less fats then the occurrence of heart disease and various cancers would surely plummet.

 

What has also shocked many is that eating a high-carb, low-fat diet will not raise triglycerides, or elevate chances of developing diabetes. And even though fat has over double the calories per gram as protein or carbohydrates, eating a low-fat diet will not help those needing to lose weight.

 

One piece of evidence that does happen to coincide with past assertions is that this same study also illustrated the fact that diets high in saturated fat and trans-fat do greatly elevate cholesterol levels and raise one’s chances of getting heart disease. Thus, it is still my opinion that the healthiest way to eat is to find balance in your diet.

 

Next, it would be well advised not to eat more fats than are generally recommended by doctors and don’t eat less fats than is recommended. For active folks, a common estimate for one’s daily fat requirements should equal roughly 20% of one’s total calories.

 

For the heavier set, I wouldn’t cut any lower than 15%. So, if you were to eat a diet high in saturated fat, then you could potentially develop heart disease due to the elevated cholesterol levels. This is a fairly common occurrence for the strict adherents of the Atkins diet model. While they may lose some weight, they are often left with soaring blood cholesterol levels.

 

On the other hand, if one were to eat a strict low-fat diet then they could also be increasing their chances for heart disease due to their diet’s lack of essential fatty acids. So, it is indeed important that balance is achieved when nutrition and your health is at stake. If one becomes too lax or too restrictive, then you will be unintentionally sabotaging your heart amongst other things and that could eventually cost you your life.

Low Carb Fad Diets Revealed

With all of the conflicting studies and open interpretation of advice, it's no stunner that disorder reigns when it comes to the value and safety of low-carb diets. Whether it's Atkins, the South Beach or another low-carb set up, as many as 30 million Americans are doing a low-carb diet.

 

Advocates swear that the elevated quantity of carbohydrates in our diet has led to increasing problems with obesity, diabetes, and other health conditions. Critics, on the contrary, attribute obesity and associate health conditions to over-consumption of calories from any source, and shortage of physical movement. Critics also contend that the shortage of grains, fruits, and vegetables in low-carbohydrate plans may lead to deficiencies of some key nutrients, like fiber, vitamin C, folic acid, and several minerals.

 

Any plan, either low or high in carbohydrate, can generate substantial weight loss during the primary stages of the diet. But bear in mind, the key to prosperous dieting is in being capable to part with the weight for good. Put another way, what does the scale reveal a year after going off the diet? Let's see if we can debunk some of the mystery around low-carb diets. Further down, is a listing of some relevant points taken from latest studies.

 

Differences Between Low-Carb Diets

 

There are several popular diets designed to reduce carbohydrate intake. Reducing total carbohydrate in the diet means that protein and fat will represent a proportionately larger quantity of the whole caloric intake. Atkins and Protein Power diets limit carbohydrate to a point where the body becomes ketogenic. Other low-carb diets like the Zone and Life Without Bread are less restrictive. Some, like Sugar Busters assert to remove only sugars and foods that raise blood sugar levels excessively.

 

What We Know about Low-Carb Diets

 

Just about all of the studies to date have been small with a broad range of research objectives. Carbohydrate, caloric consumption, diet length and participant characteristics have varied greatly. Most of the studies to date maintain two things in common: Not one of the studies had participants with a mean age above 53 and Not one of the controlled studies lasted longer than three months. Findings on older adults and long-term results are scant. Several diet studies fail to monitor the amount of exercise, and consequently caloric expenditure. This helps to explain discrepancies among studies.

 

The weight loss on low-carb diets is a business of caloric restriction and diet length, and not with reduced carbohydrate intake. This discovery suggests that if you desire to lose weight, you should eat fewer calories and do so over a prolonged duration. Little data exists on the long-range safety of low-carb diets. In spite of the medical community concerns, no short-term adverse effects have been established on cholesterol, glucose, insulin and blood-pressure levels amongst participants on the diets. Adverse effects may not be exposed because of the short period of the studies. Researchers have found that losing weight typically leads to an improvement in these levels anyway, and this may offset an increase caused by a high fat diet.

 

The extended range weight difference for low-carb and other types of diets is comparable. Most low-carb diets invoke ketosis. Some of the potential consequences are nausea, vomiting, abdominal discomfort, and confusion. During the first stages of low-carb dieting some fatigue and constipation may be encountered. Usually, these symptoms go away quickly. Ketosis may also give the breath a fruity odor, somewhat similar to nail-polish remover (acetone).

 

Low-carb diets do not permit the consumption of more calories than other types of diets, as has been frequently reported. A calorie is a calorie and it doesn't matter whether they originate from carbohydrates or fat. Study discrepancies are likely the effect of uncontrolled circumstances; i.e. diet participants that cheat on calorie intake, calories burned during exercise, or any number of other factors. The drop-out rate for rigorous low-carb diets is somewhat high.

 

What Should You Do?

 

There are 3 significant points I would like to re-emphasize:

 

• The long-range success rate for low-carb and other types of diets is comparable.

• Despite their acceptance, little data exists on the long-term efficacy and safeness of low-carbohydrate diets.

• Rigorous low-carb diets are generally not sustainable as a routine way of eating. Boredom most often overcomes willpower.

 

It is clear after reviewing the subject, that more, well-designed and controlled studies are required. There just isn't a lot of satisfactory information available, especially regarding long-range effects. Strict low-carb diets generate ketosis which is an unusual and potentially stressful metabolic state. Under some circumstances this may cause health related complications. The diet you choose should be a blueprint for a lifetime of better eating, not just a hasty weight loss plan to reach your goal. If you can't see yourself eating the prescribed foods longer than a few days or a week, then chances are it's not the proper diet for you. To this end, following a somewhat low fat diet with a healthy balance of fat, protein, carbohydrate and other nutrients is beneficial.

 

If you do resolve to follow a low-carb arrangement, bear in mind that certain dietary fats are associated with reduction of disease. Foods high in unsaturated fats that are free of trans-fatty acids such as olive oil, fish, flaxseeds, and nuts are preferred to fats from animal origins. Even promoters of the Atkins diet now say men and women on their system should curb the amount of red meat and saturated fat they eat. Atkins representatives are telling health professionals that just 20 percent of a dieter's calories should come from saturated fat (i.e. meat, cheese, butter). This switch comes as Atkins faces contention from other popular low-carb diets that call for less saturated fat, such as the South Beach diet plan.

 

Another alternative to "strict" low-carb dieting would be to give up some of the bad carbohydrate foods but not "throw out the baby with the bath water". In other words, foods high in processed sugar, snacks, and white bread would be avoided, but foods high in complex carbs such as fruits, potatoes and whole grains, retained.

Low Carb Diets: Just How Safe Are They?

Whether you’re in a grocery store, a restaurant or just watching the commercials on TV during your favorite show, you are bombarded with ads and special menu’s singing the praises of the virtues of the low carb diet. This low carb craze has virtually swept the western world and has dieters everywhere seeking out low carb this and low carb that with many reporting weight loss as a result!!! 

 

This is great news right? Finally, an easy diet plan that makes you lose weight and you can eat lots of food as long as they have almost no carbs in them!!! But have we really struck gold, or have we simply struck fools gold? Is the idea of eating a low carb diet for weight loss really a good idea or are there any side affects that may come with these diets that adversely affect our health? 

 

Consider this, many people want something for nothing and this way of thinking also applies to those looking to lose weight but unfortunately there is no miracle substitute to good sound nutritional practices. Our society is one that values “quick fixes” which is why the low carb diet plan is a perfect fit for this society’s way of thinking. This is what makes it so appealing. 

 

It is true that a large amount of weight will be lost as glycogen (stored carbohydrate) depletes in the muscles and liver, but this weight is from water, not fat loss which is not good for body composition or overall health. It is also true that the body will rely on free fatty acids for fuel when muscle glycogen is depleted, but the body will rely much more on amino acids (protein) from the breakdown of lean (muscle) tissue as well so while you may burn fat, you will also burn more muscle as well and remember, your heart is also a muscle! In addition to this, those on a carb-restricted diet have lower energy levels and shorter time to fatigue during physical activity which means any activity will likely be in shorter durations.

 

The fact is you need carbohydrates for your brain, heart, and muscles as well as other vital organs. The main fuel of the brain and central nervous system is glucose, which is obtained most easily from carbohydrates. If carbohydrates remain unavailable for several days the body tries to conserve protein by producing an alternate fuel source known as ketones from the partial burning of fatty acids. As this breakdown continues, these ketones build in the blood causing a condition known as ketosis. Initial weight loss is not from fat but from water from the kidneys trying to rid the body of excess ketones.

 

Low carb diets make the blood more acidic, causing potentially serious and unwanted side effects like headaches, bad breath, dizziness, fatigue and nausea. Also when carbohydrate stores are depleted in the body, the rate at which fat is metabolized is reduced meaning that carbohydrates are necessary for the ability to metabolize fat effectively. And keep this in mind, carbohydrates do not make you fat, calories in general make you fat so the most effective weight loss plan is simply to adjust your calorie intake to be in the right range for your own individual needs with the proper balance of nutrients.

 

The fact is, just because you seem to notice a loss of overall body weight in the initial stages of a low carb diet doesn’t mean it is a good solid safe means of going about embarking on a weight loss venture. There is no substitute and there will never be a good substitute to a good sound nutritional plan coupled with a moderate exercise plan and making that plan a lifetime venture.

Low Carb Diet - Is It A Good Way To Lose Weight?

It is a true fact that the people following a low fat diet loose weight drastically. But the recent clinical studies prove that people reducing carbs steadily, loose weight still rapidly. Look at the negative and positive aspects of the diet before committing to it.

 

There are different kinds of diet introduced by the medical experts such as Atkins diet, South Beach Diet, the Zone Diet, Sugar Busters, and Protein Power diet etc which aim at reducing the consumption of fatty foods. The two main ingredients that increase your weight rapidly are the refined flour and sugar. They increase the glucose levels in the blood, and helps pancreas to produce more excessive insulin. Due to the excessive amount of insulin the carbs are easily converted into fats. When your food comprises of low carbs, the pancreas produces less of insulin. The unnecessary storages of fats are burnt and you swiftly start loosing weight. When you stick to the low carb diet the level of glucose in the body is less and you are less prone to diabetes. 

 

Due to the increased level of insulin production, hormonal changes take place and you develop blocked pores in your skin. These problems later lead to skin diseases like acne, pimples, whiteheads etc. 

 

Some people cannot simply desert the carb rich foods because they are strongly accustomed to the taste. Such people must use substitutes like breads with wholesome grains. You can continuously enjoy with your favorite dishes while reducing your weight. 

 

Apart from abiding to a particular diet pattern, it is also important to plan an exercise routine. As far as possible, keep a track of your weight and gradually increase your exercise duration. Make sure that you are strictly following your diet pattern you have chosen. 

 

Low carb diet is a very good way to lose weight.

Low Carb Diet Plans

Word “Diet” actually refers to what a person eats or drinks during the course of a day and our body weight is the result of what and how much we eat and drink. Therefore, for maintaining a healthy body and to look good we must follow a proper Diet Plan.

 

For a diet to be ideal, it must be nutritionally balanced, i.e., it must include wide variety of foods with enough calories and nutrients. And a Diet Plan should be easy to follow so that one can maintain the consistency following it throughout his life. Nutrition plays a great role in your health.

 

As we all know that negligent and mismanaged eating habits lead to the health problem called Obesity, people are affected with it globally. It is the major cause for diseases like diabetes, heart attack, different types of cancer, osteoarthritis etc. Hence, a suitable diet plan will play a vital role to escape from Obesity. 

 

Low carbohydrate or Low Carb Diet is a diet with less assemblage of carbohydrate with increased proportion of protein and fat. It is recommended to the people who are obese and diabetic, with high cholesterol level, high blood pressure and hypoglysemia. Excess intake of carbohydrate results in weight gain because it allows body to produce and release high amount of insulin, resulting high blood pressure, that damages blood vessels by raising the level of triglycerides which is a fat present in the blood and it lowers HDL cholesterol level that protects against heart diseases.

 

Moreover, low carb diet is beneficial as it promotes decreased amount of insulin production and allows consumption of fat as energy source. 

 

Various components of a low carb diets are saturated fat like stearic acid found in beef and other fats including coconut oil, olive oil, butter, cheese, lard, fish oil, tallow, palm kernal oil, peanut oil, and flaxseed oil with unlimited amounts of meat, limited amount of green vegetables can be taken, with a good supplement of vitamin and minerals. 

 

Before taking “Weight Loss” sessions one must know the actual requirement of Weight Loss Supplements. If you need to burn more calories throughout day, you may need thermogenic supplements. If you need to control your overeating habit, then you may need appetite-control supplements. 

 

With a boom in the weight loss industries, we see plenty of weight loss products everywhere. Weight loss supplements includes pills from Herbalife and Metabolife, fat-burners, stackers and other diet or sports supplements.

 

When we come across word “Herbal,” we feel that it is all safe to consume it, but it was reported that herbal pills containing Ephedra have shown many side effects similar to weight loss drugs. So, manufacturers are now trying to make weight loss supplements Ephedra free.

 

As the saying goes “slow and steady wins the race.” Accordingly, if anyone follows a diet plan thoroughly without any break and without taking help from weight loss supplements, result will be permanent, health friendly and more satisfying.

Low Carb Diet Plan - When More Is Better

When most people want to lose weight the first thing they usually do is start a diet. And a diet to most people means "stop eating".

 

Wrong!

 

A healthy diet should consist of eating less of the foods that contain calories from simple carbohydrates (sugar and processed flour) and more whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and good sources of protein. This is the basis of a good low carb diet plan.

 

As a matter of fact, a good diet should have you eating more instead of less! Not more food, but more often.

 

The body's a wonderful mechanism. It's geared towards one important goal. Survival. When your body feels threatened by the lack of food it automatically assumes that you're starving.

 

To combat this condition the body will start breaking down muscle to use as energy and saves its fat stores for the last ditch effort to save itself from what it thinks is imminent death.

 

This is bad on two fronts.

 

First, by using muscle tissue for energy you're losing precious lean mass which is metabolically active. This means that you need energy to support muscle which helps to keep your metabolism running at a higher pace. Higher metabolism means more calories burned even in a resting state.

 

Fat, on the other hand, doesn't need any energy to support it. It's simply "dead" weight.

 

Secondly, the body will start storing more fat because it's preparing itself for the worst. Your survival is your body's most important concern so it'll do whatever it can to stay alive.

 

So what can you do if you want to eat less without starving yourself and sending your body into this defense mode?

 

Eat smaller meals more often throughout the day.

 

This works on two levels.

 

By eating more often you won't get hungry as quickly and your metabolism will stay raised because you'll be digesting food more often. Digesting food uses calories just like any other physical activity.

 

So here's the plan. Eat four or five meals a day. Not what most would consider a meal (main course with two sides and dessert!), but a small portion of protein along with some fresh fruits and veggies.

 

This can be accomplished with a little planning and preparing in your spare time.

 

Cook your week’s worth of meals - skinless chicken's an excellent source of protein and can usually be purchased in a big pack or value pack from your local grocery store - and refrigerate it in separate packages, one for each meal.

 

Egg whites are a very good source of protein too. By mixing three or four whites with one yolk and tossing it into the microwave for approximately 90 seconds, whipping it and tossing it back in for another 60 seconds, you can have some nice fluffy scrambled eggs practically anywhere. Without all the cholesterol!

 

Buy your produce and clean it, separating it too into meal size portions. All this can be done in a few hours on the weekend.

 

Buying some disposable storage containers can help keep things convenient and organized.

 

Try to eat every three hours or so to keep your metabolism and energy up. This'll help you stay away from those snacking binges too.

 

Also, drink lots of water. Water will help to cleanse your body and make you feel full.

 

So you see, with a little planning and by adhering to a low carb diet plan sometimes eating more can be better!

Losing Weight Without Forgetting About Fasting Health

Because nutrition is becoming more artificial these days and because people have the tendency to become physically inactive in the way they live their lives, the problem of putting on weight is unavoidable for most people. Solutions are everywhere, but are they the correct ones? If you choose to keep in mind that Fasting Health has more priority than the Fasting Miracle everyone wishes for, then yes. You’ve made the right decision.

 

Because most people are looking for ways to lose weight quickly and without many changes in life style, specialized companies have appeared on the market trying to make a profit out of this. Their recipe for success is to come up with something that can be called a Fasting Miracle. What is a Fasting Miracle? When you watch an ad about a diet product, you will usually be introduced to a Fasting Miracle meaning a person that has lost something like twenty pounds in three days with practically no effort, just by swallowing the three pills that are advertised. 

 

There is no television channel that does not run at least one ad including a Fasting Miracle. And then, there are all sorts of stories about movie or pop stars that have gone through such a Fasting Miracle themselves. They claim they have lost a lot of weight without making too much effort. They just drank this or that tea or took an amazing pill. 

 

What we don’t think about is that such a Fasting Miracle is more the result of the money invested in the story than the result of the efficiency of the product. The company that produces the diet product will pay the star a lot of money to talk on all the TV channels about their Fasting Miracle. Whether you as a viewer choose to believe in a Fasting Miracle or not, is entirely up to you, but it can have serious consequences on your health. 

 

What you must know when you begin a diet is that there is no such thing as a Fasting Miracle. Any diet that works takes effort and patience. You usually have to begin with something that is called Detox Fasting. In this case you do not actually lose weight, but your body eliminates all the elements that are not useful and act as a slow and effective poison. You will have to drink a lot of liquids and stop eating some of the things you are used to, so you will have plenty of time to understand that a Fasting Miracle is a lie. The mere fact that there are people who have to go to a Fasting Retreat to diet under supervision is also a sign that a Fasting Miracle does not happen in real life. 

 

Sometimes, when people want to get Fasting Information, they will go to a Fasting Forum on-line. People connect to these networks because they are looking for a Fasting Miracle. They hope that one of the other persons from the forum will tell them the story behind the Fasting Miracle. They hope to be convinced and to give them courage to do it themselves. What actually happens is that on the forums you will find out that a Fasting Miracle never happens. You may hear many stories about the people who were trying to make a Fasting Miracle happen and instead they just damaged their health. You will also hear of those who succeeded by choosing the right method and by persevering (with a lot of effort) in their goal. Perhaps it is better to join a Fasting Forum, because, even if it does not appear to be the most attractive solution, it is the one that will give real results to your personal search.

 

It is advisable to learn and study accurate information on Fasting Health even before you start a diet or fast. A good question with which to approach other members on the Fasting Forum or your natural hygienist doctor is, “What is Fasting Health?” Many people who have gone through a successful diet will be able to tell you the basic principles of Fasting Health. And they will also tell you that the biggest mistake you can make is to ignore Fasting Health while seeking a Fasting Miracle.

 

So what does Fasting Health entail? Fasting Health means not trying to lose too much weight overnight. Fasting Health means that you will take good care of your nutrition and understand very well why you are eating THIS and not THAT food. Fasting Health means that you are basically not starving yourself, but learning to carry out a water or juice fast in the correct manner.

 

A doctor will tell you that Fasting Health means keeping the proper hours of the meal, eating well, but eating right. It is important to eat well in the morning and lunch to be able to have a light dinner, instead of starving the entire day and ending up eating more than necessary at night. The busy life of the 21 century can really make you forget how things should really be. 

 

You will also be told that Fasting Health means complementing the lack of certain food with vitamins to keep a balanced diet even if you eliminate certain foods from your diet. Fasting Health means that you get rid of what is bad, not of everything or the foods that are absolutely necessary for you. Fasting Health means also not relying only on nutrition in order to lose weight. It’s all about regaining the natural program of life that busy people forget about. Fasting Health involves a good physical exercise associated with the diet. It is after all everyone’s wish to lose weight and look good at the same time. Respecting only the diet, your muscles will look just as poorly as they did before and your skin doesn’t recover either. Because the body is in such a close relation with the mind, Fasting Health also means trying to sleep well and being stressed as little as possible. 

 

As you can see, Fasting Health is a complex notion that involves some effort and understanding on your behalf as well. Dieting is a lot about the brain, perhaps more about it than the body. So it should start with a positive attitude and with determination. Fasting Health can be attained by a patient person who is ready to lose weight and grow healthy slowly, but intelligently. The priority is to stay healthy, and then look good. Do not forget that.