Weight Loss

Diet Plans for Weight Loss

Posted by Health 1 May, 2009

MAIKEL WOOD asked: Ever since obesity has been termed as an epidemic, it has attracted attention throughout the world. In America weight loss has become an industry. The air is thick with discussions and counter-discussions about various diet plans being proposed by various people.There is a 5-Factor Diet, Atkins Diet, Bob Greene’s Best Life Diet, [...]

diets
MAIKEL WOOD asked:


Ever since obesity has been termed as an epidemic, it has attracted attention throughout the world. In America weight loss has become an industry. The air is thick with discussions and counter-discussions about various diet plans being proposed by various people.

There is a 5-Factor Diet, Atkins Diet, Bob Greene’s Best Life Diet, South Beach Diet, Cabbage Soup Diet, Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet, Anne Collin’s diet and now you have DASH diet and Fat Smash Diet and Size Zero Diet and …. it goes on!

Proponents of each of these diet plans make claims of how much weight you will lose and how rapidly you will lose weight. Some go to the extent of claiming that you will lose up to 10-12 lbs in a week whereas medical experts warn that such claims are ridiculous and weight loss of such proportions can come about only by losing water which is detrimental to the system. Moreover there is always the danger of gaining weight just as rapidly when you stop working on the plan.

Essentially all these plans boil down to a few basics! The body weight is contributed by fat, muscles, bones and water. Excess calorie intake is responsible for increased weight and so cut down the excess intake of calories. Increase metabolism so that stored fat can be burnt off; burn off the fat that is stored in the body by exercises and fat burning food. But do not starve the body of the essential nutrients.

Basically diet plans fall into three broad categories: the “fad diets”, those that are based on specially processed food and those that can be called as “natural diet” plans.

There is no clear definition of “fad diet”; it is very subjective. Fad diet is popularly believed to be a poor weight loss diet. A fad diet generally becomes very popular very quickly and falls out of favor just as quickly. Fad diets quite often claim very quick weight loss. Their claims for efficacy are generally not confirmed by any legitimate scientific studies. Often promoted by parties that publish books about the diet or those that sell some supplements or ingredients that are part of the fad diet, a fad diet may not achieve anything at all or at times may have an adverse effect on health.

The natural diet plan is based on use of food constituents that are normally in your diet; it recommends some of the constituents as being helpful and some others as being harmful from the point of view of weight loss. For example, it may recommend certain fish such as Sardines, herrings, etc as providing beneficial Omega 3 fatty acids or may recommend use of lean meat but not others such as pork; it may recommend low-fat skimmed milk but not the normal fresh milk. Natural diet is based on very clearly understood and recognized scientific knowledge.

The third category of diet plans mentioned above are based on use of specially processed food ingredients or supplements; this category is so highly commercialized that even if it has scientific basis at times lies on the boundary of fad diet plans.



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What are the Top 10 Diets?

Posted by Health 27 Apr, 2009

MAIKEL WOOD asked: Atkins DietThe Atkins diet is the most admired of the top 10 diets. This low-carbohydrate diet encourages the elimination of carbohydrates from your diet. The diet really works and you can munch as much as fats and proteins you want. However, before starting this diet, study a bit to know the suitability [...]

diets
MAIKEL WOOD asked:


Atkins Diet

The Atkins diet is the most admired of the top 10 diets. This low-carbohydrate diet encourages the elimination of carbohydrates from your diet. The diet really works and you can munch as much as fats and proteins you want. However, before starting this diet, study a bit to know the suitability of this diet for your body.

South Beach Diet

This diet is one of the most successful of the top 10 diets to lose weight. It is not a low-fat or low-carb diet. Instead, it focuses on consuming the correct amount of fats and carbs. The diet depends on the glycemic index. It limits the intake of carbs in the initial two weeks and then re-introduces those carbs with a low glycemic index. You need to eat three healthy meals daily, along with some snacks, provided they are healthy enough.

Cabbage Soup Diet

It is also one of the effective of the top 10 diets. The diet contains insignificant amount of calories. You will observe instant weight loss, if you stick to cabbage soup diet for a week. The more soup you consume, more pounds you drop.

Grapefruit Diet

This is the finest weight loss diet for obese people. The advantages of this diet arrive from the addition of grapefruit to a low-calorie and low-fat diet.

SlimFast Diet

This is also one of the superior of the top 10 diets. The diet restores your breakfast and lunch meals, with two SlimFast shakes, and puts ahead for a usual meal for dinner. These low calorie shakes will help you to lose weight.

Other Superior Diets:

Subway Diet

It is also a well-known diet of the top 10 diets. The low fat content in the Subway sandwiches assist you to lose weight.

The Beverly Hills Diet

This diet reaps the benefits of the natural chemical reaction of foods when consumed to lose weight. The diet is quite strict, as protein needs to go with proteins and carbohydrates with carbohydrates only. The diet is exceptionally restrictive, but motivates rapid weight loss.

3-Day Diet

This is also one of best of top 10 diets. The diet can be ideal to lose weight, if you can follow a three-day meal plan without wandering from it.

Apple Cider Vinegar Diet

This is one of the sensitive diets of the top 10 diets. Hence, you need to follow it carefully. It is a low-calorie diet, which stimulates quick weight loss.

Negative Calorie Diet

This is one of the ultimate types of diet among the top 10 diets to reduce weight. It includes addition of healthy vegetables to your diet as much as possible.



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Low Carb Fad Diets Revealed

Posted by Health 25 Apr, 2009

Paul Wolbers asked: 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 [...]

diets
Paul Wolbers asked:


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. Ususally, 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 weather 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.



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Top Ten Fad Diets to Screw Up Your Body

Posted by Health 25 Apr, 2009

Tony Leong asked: You should avoid these top ten fad diets, why? I’ll go further in detail about the reasons why they should be avoided, as these diets are not the best way in the world to lose weight.The phrase fad diets typically refer to diets that promote a restricted eating-plan, which is unhealthy, and [...]

diets
Tony Leong asked:


You should avoid these top ten fad diets, why? I’ll go further in detail about the reasons why they should be avoided, as these diets are not the best way in the world to lose weight.

The phrase fad diets typically refer to diets that promote a restricted eating-plan, which is unhealthy, and lack in sufficient calories. We can be slim and trim as these diets work in the beginning, usually because the suggested eating regimens help you cut calories in one way or other. As soon as you go back to your normal eating pattern, it might double your weight! This formula is just like a get rich quick scheme that offers lot of money in short period.

 The first rule of the top ten fad diets don’t allow you to eat a well balanced diet and merely cause your body to crash in order to lose weight. They suggest skipping meals, its right to skip 2-3 big meals but instead I recommend you to eat 5-6 small meals in order to screw up your body.

Have you heard of 3-day diet plan? Yes, I’ve heard about this fad diet that suggests dieters to be on a diet program and eat some typical foods for only 3- days. Great, lose weight in 3-days!

Top ten fad diets strongly recommend you to consume cabbage soup for seven days, only! Does this soup taste great? I think this taste problem plays an important role in cabbage soup diet plan, hope you understood my point. Naturally you will eat less and lose weight in 7 days.

It is the same case with raw food diet plan that permits you to eat uncooked vegetables, fruits, nuts, and whole grains. This is a vegetarian diet and if you’re non-vegetarian fan you’ll naturally consume less diet and in the process lose weight!

Should I say that Atkins diet is the best fad diet? In this diet plan carbohydrates are severely restricted and you can only eat high protein and high fat foods. Personally I feel this diet plan is insufficient for your permanent weight loss program.

The next amongst the top ten fad diets is the grape diet plan. It’s all right you love to eat grapes, but it’s frustrating if you’re ordered to eat grapes or drink its juice regularly for a long duration.

The negative calorie fad diet plan sounds interesting! This diet involves eating foods that burn more calories to digest than you will consume. Great, but I don’t think there are foods that actually have negative calories!

Can you rely on lemonade diet plan? In this plan you have to stay away from solid foods and even plain water. Thanks; at least you’re allowed to take water with lemon, maple syrup or cayenne pepper. Just keep on drinking glasses of this lemonade mixture daily, if you’re still hungry have another glass, isn’t this so simple!

Generally you’ll not believe on me if I tell you that the ice cream diet is one of my favorite top ten fad diets. Why should you believe? I don’t suggest eating only ice cream but you can eat calorie-controlled meals, salads, and fruits and home made vegetable soup.

Finally, caveman diet plan is becoming one of the more popular fad diets. This diet suggests you to return to the eating habits of the days when humans lived in caves and depend on foods from the land. I agree this fact but one cannot stick to this diet plan for longer period of time, which is when MacDonald’s in sight.

The above listed top ten fad diets will not enable you to lose weight for long term, but you can lose weight for short term. Avoid fad dieting; instead eat a balanced diet that includes foods from all groups. Good eating habits and exercise can lead you to permanent weight loss.



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Diet Tips for Women on the Move

Posted by Health 21 Apr, 2009

The Diet Guy asked: Staying on your diet can be a challenge for anyone, but for a busy working mom the challenges can be especially tough. A busy lifestyle can make it impossible to get to the gym for a daily workout, prepare your meals ahead of time, or even to remember to pack your [...]

diets
The Diet Guy asked:


Staying on your diet can be a challenge for anyone, but for a busy working mom the challenges can be especially tough. A busy lifestyle can make it impossible to get to the gym for a daily workout, prepare your meals ahead of time, or even to remember to pack your lunch for work each day. Being in a rush can make it difficult to stick to your diet when it’s so easy to grab something at the drivethrough. Here’s a collection of hints and tips from other busy women that will help you stay on your diet despite all the temptations.

Don’t try to ’save time’ by eating on the run, or snacking at your desk while you work. No matter how rushed you are, take the time to eat like a civilized human being, to quote my mother. Set the table, put your food on a plate and have a meal. You’ll eat less and feel fuller - and not feel the urge to snack because you ‘haven’t eaten anything all day’. 

Cook just what will be eaten. Ignore all those homemaker articles that suggest that you ‘cook for tomorrow’ to save time. Cook one portion per person at each meal. That way you’ll avoid the temptation to finish off the leftover - and teach your family healthy eating habits. 

Get up early enough to eat breakfast at home. The morning rush to get ready may make it tempting to grab something on the way to work, or skip breakfast entirely. Don’t do it. You’ll end up eating up all that saved time - and a lot more calories - with midmorning trips to the snack machine, or fight off the blahs all morning long. Stock up on easy breakfast foods. A piece of fruit, a container of yogurt and a slice of toast are a healthy, balanced start for your day.

Most diets suggest that you drink at least eight 8 ounce glasses of water a day. If the thought of drinking a half gallon of water makes you queasy, there are ways to make it more appealing. Stock up on flavored bottled water in the fridge at work and keep one icy cold on your desk. At home, float mint sprigs or lemon slices in a crystal pitcher. There’s no added calories, but oh what a difference in presentation and flavor!

Trying to lose baby weight can be frustrating. You want to take it off as quickly as possible - but your body may not be cooperative. Keep in mind that your body is designed to nourish a child for up to a year after you give birth. Putting it on a starvation diet will kick it into survival gear, making it even harder to lose the extra weight. Instead of fighting your body’s natural tendency to store up nutrition for the baby, eat healthy portions and increase your activity level. And if you’re breastfeeding, remember that your body needs up to 1000 more calories a day than usual. Don’t skimp - you’ll just convince your body that it’s starving. 

Employ the buddy system for moral support. Making a pact with a friend to exercise together makes it easier to stick to your resolution. Instead of meeting with friends for lunch, challenge friends to a tennis game, or take a brisk walk in the park together.

Remember that a healthy, active lifestyle and a nutritious diet are the true keys to losing weight permanently. By choosing a diet that makes sense for your lifestyle, you’ll make it easier on yourself to lose weight, and keep it off for good.



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The History of Fad Diets and Losing Weight Fast

Posted by Health 10 Apr, 2009

Garen Arnold asked: The concept of losing weight fast has been around for a long time and so have its consequences. The notion of a fad means short term; it comes and goes with popularity. Food faddism is synonymous with fad diet and refers to a peculiar eating pattern. History reveals strange eating patterns from [...]

diets
Garen Arnold asked:


The concept of losing weight fast has been around for a long time and so have its consequences. The notion of a fad means short term; it comes and goes with popularity. Food faddism is synonymous with fad diet and refers to a peculiar eating pattern. History reveals strange eating patterns from centuries ago, when the Romans would stuff themselves and purge. Fasting has also been around a very long time. People would and still do fast for religious or political reasons.

The notion of a fad came about in the mid 1800s when vegetarianism became popular. It is no longer a fad but it was then. Now this is just another dietary choice, which can be healthy. The word diet used to just mean whatever you ate until the early 19th century. There are different accounts of the very first fad diet. In 1820, the vinegar and water diet came around. This diet swept Europe in the early 1800s. Around that time, men used to weigh themselves on public scales. It was some kind of status symbol as to your will or power.

The inventor of the graham cracker instituted a bland diet in the 1830s. A bland diet of course meant nothing spicy or rich. It sounds like eating spicy foods back then was kind of risque. Both of these diets left people weak and listless.

In 1912, an art importer wrote a book about the weight loss method of chewing your food 35 times. Burning calories while you chew? Next, the grapefruit diet came along in the 1920s and hints of it still linger today. This was an 800 calorie diet which included loads of grapefruit and all the coffee you could drink. With this low amount of calories, losing weight fast was easy and dangerous.

The first national weight loss program came to be in 1948. This was called Take off Pounds Sensibly diet.

The risks of fad dieting were well known by then. In the 1970s, there was a diet called the Last Chance

Diet. It consisted of fasting and a liquid protein drink. Apparently, 58 deaths were linked to this diet or diet or one of its copycats.

The Atkins diet of the 1970s was a spin off form of a diet from a book in the mid 1800s. The book called Letter on Corpulence was written by a British mortician named William Banting. His book endorsed a high protein, low carbohydrate diet. The Atkins Diet is probably the most popular fad diet ever. People liked the notion of consuming as much protein as they wanted. Doctors and Dietitians warned against this approach. It is still around today but its popularity has gone, after the safety and quality of the diet was defeated with medical proof.

Fad diets are often composed of restricting one food for another. Fad diets do not work because we crave variety and carbohydrates. Studies have shown that most people who go on low carbohydrate diets do not stay on them. We have one hundred and fifty years of crazy diets. Fad diets why are they bad is because they do not work and they are very unhealthy. When will we get a clue? People have died from being on a fad diet and losing weight to fast. There is no quick way to lose weight. The real way to lose weight is to eat less and exercise more. Losing weight gradually on a well balanced diet including exercise is the healthy and safe way.



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18 Ways to Lose Weight Without a Diet Plan

Posted by Health 9 Apr, 2009

The Diet Guy asked: To Lose 1lb of body weight you have to drop down 500 calories than Normal. Here is a quick guide to loseing a little weight without going on a diet.1. At breakfast, eat a whole orange rather than drinking a glass of pure orange You’ll save about 45 calories.2. Have an [...]

diets
The Diet Guy asked:


To Lose 1lb of body weight you have to drop down 500 calories than Normal. Here is a quick guide to loseing a little weight without going on a diet.

1. At breakfast, eat a whole orange rather than drinking a glass of pure orange You’ll save about 45 calories.

2. Have an omelette, filling yet good on calories, make it with egg whites plus 1/4 cup egg substitute. Replace regular bacon with low fat/ Canadian bacon to save even more calories.

3. Switch from whole milk to nonfat or lowfat milk. Use sugar substitute instead of sugar in your morning coffee or latte.

4. At lunch, use mustard instead of mayonnaise on your sandwich to save 100 calories (per tablespoon) . Eliminate the cheese and save 100 more calories.

5. Instead of a Big Mac and large fries, go for a plain hamburger and a small french fry and save a whopping 590 calories!

6. Don’t eat potato chips at snack time. Have an apple instead for less calories plus the added benefit of more fiber.

7. Substitute diet cola or iced tea for your usual soda. You’ll save 150-200 calories per drink.

8. Eat every two to three hours with smaller portions. Don’t skip breakfast! Eating small, frequent meals keeps blood glucose levels stable and minimizes the impulse to overeat.

9. Eat more healthy snacks like dried fruits and nuts, fresh fruits, cut up veggies or yogurt.

10. Substitute whole grain foods for white bread, rice and cereals. You will not only cut fat and calories, but whole grains have been proven to reduce the risk of colon cancer by increasing the fiber that your body needs.

11. Saute meat, chicken and vegetables in broth instead of butter. And speaking of butter: replace it with nonfat sour cream on baked potatoes.

12. Instead of Caesar salad, substitute a dinner sald with nonfat salad dressing.

13. Do you love pasta? Have spaghetti with marinara sauce instead of fettuccini with Alfredo sauce. You’ll save at least 500 calories!

14. When you’re going out with friends, watch your alcohol intake. Instead of using Coke or Seven-Up with your drinks, choose tonic water or seltzer.

15. Restaurants are notorious for their huge serving sizes. Eat only half of your dinner and save the rest for lunch tomorrow. Or simply share the meal with a friend.

16. Get moving. Walk to the store instead of driving. Walking is the best exercise you can do to lose weight.

17. Get more walking time by replacing coffee breaks with exercise breaks. Also use half of your lunch break to take a brisk walk with a co-worker.

18. Swim, swim, swim. By swimming for just an hour you can burn 500 calories. You’ll also end up with a firmer, more toned body.

You don’t have to go on a strict diet to lose weight. Change to more sensible eating habits and start moving your body by walking, swimming or bicycle riding. You’ll be rewarded by good health and a fit body.



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Do Low Carb Diets Really Work?

Posted by Health 7 Apr, 2009

Cliff Baker asked: With so many conflicting studies and vague interpretation of information, it’s not surprising that there is a lot of confusion when it comes to the value, safety and efficacy of low-carb diets. It seems like heated debates are everywhere!Whether it’s the South Beach or Atkins, or some other low-carb plan, as many [...]

diets
Cliff Baker asked:


With so many conflicting studies and vague interpretation of information, it’s not surprising that there is a lot of confusion when it comes to the value, safety and efficacy of low-carb diets. It seems like heated debates are everywhere!

Whether it’s the South Beach or Atkins, or some other low-carb plan, as many as 30 million Americans are following a low-carb diet.

Advocates contend that the high amount of carbohydrates in our diet has led to increasing problems with obesity, diabetes, and other health problems. Critics, on the other hand, attribute obesity and related health problems to over-consumption of calories from any source, and lack of physical activity. Critics also express concern that the lack of grains, fruits, and vegetables in low-carbohydrate diets may lead to deficiencies of some key nutrients, including fiber, vitamin C, folic acid, and several minerals.

Any diet, weather low or high in carbohydrate, can produce significant weight loss during the initial stages of the diet. But remember, the key to successful dieting is in being able to lose the weight permanently. Put another way, what does the scale show a year after going off the diet?

Let’s see if we can debunk some of the mystery about low-carb diets. Below, is a listing of some relevant points taken from recent studies and scientific literature. Please note there may be insufficient information available to answer all questions.

Differences Between Low-Carb Diets

There are many popular diets designed to lower carbohydrate consumption. Reducing total carbohydrate in the diet means that protein and fat will represent a proportionately greater amount of the total caloric intake.

Atkins and Protein Power diets restrict 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 claim to eliminate only sugars and foods that elevate blood sugar levels excessively.

What We Know about Low-Carb Diets

Almost all of the studies to date have been small with a wide variety of research objectives. Carbohydrate, caloric intake, diet duration and participant characteristics varied greatly.

Most of the studies to date have two things in common: None of the studies had participants with a mean age over 53 and none of the controlled studies lasted longer than 90 days.

Information on older adults and long-term results are scarce. Many diet studies fail to monitor the amount of exercise, and therefore caloric expenditure, while participants are dieting. This helps to explain discrepancies between studies.

The weight loss on low-carb diets is a function of caloric restriction and diet duration, and not with reduced carbohydrate intake. This finding suggests that if you want to lose weight, you should eat fewer calories and do so over a long time period.

Little evidence exists on the long-range safety of low-carb diets. Despite the medical community concerns, no short-term adverse effects have been found on cholesterol, glucose, insulin and blood-pressure levels among participants on the diets. But, adverse effects may not show up because of the short period of the studies. Researchers note 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 long range weight change for low-carb and other types of diets is similar.

Most low-carb diets cause ketosis. Some of the potential consequences are nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and confusion. During the initial phase of low-carb dieting some fatigue and constipation may be encountered. Generally, these symptoms dissipate quickly. Ketosis may also give the breath a fruity odor, somewhat like nail-polish remover (acetone).

Low-carb diets do not enable the consumption of more calories than other kinds of diets, as has been often reported. A calorie is a calorie and it doesn’t matter weather they come from carbohydrates or fat. Study discrepancies are likely the result of uncontrolled circumstances; i.e. diet participants that cheat on calorie consumption, calories burned during exercise, or any number of other factors. The drop-out rate for strict (i.e. less than 40 grams of CHO/day) low-carb diets is relatively high.

What Should You Do?

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

1)The long-range success rate for low-carb and other types of diets is similar.

2) Despite their popularity, little information exists on the long-term efficacy and safety of low-carbohydrate diets.

3) Strict low-carb diets are usually not sustainable as a normal way of eating. Boredom usually overcomes willpower.

It is obvious after reviewing the topic, that more, well-designed and controlled studies are needed. There just isn’t a lot of good information available, especially concerning long-range effects. Strict low-carb diets produce ketosis which is an abnormal and potentially stressful metabolic state. Under some circumstances this might cause health related complications.

The diet you choose should be a blueprint for a lifetime of better eating, not just a quick weight loss plan to reach your weight 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 right diet. To this end, following a moderately low fat diet with a healthy balance of fat, protein, carbohydrate and other nutrients is beneficial.

If you do decide to follow a low-carb plan, remember 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 people on their plan should limit the amount of red meat and saturated fat they eat. Atkins representatives are telling health professionals that only 20 percent of a dieter’s calories should come from saturated fat (i.e. meat, cheese, butter). This change comes as Atkins faces competition from other popular low-carb diets that call for less saturated fat, such as the South Beach diet plan. Low-carb dieting should not be considered as a license to gorge on red meat!

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 carbohydrates such as fruit, potatoes and whole grains, retained.



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Diet Guide – Exercise, Eat Right, and Add Some Pills to Go Along!

Posted by Health 4 Apr, 2009

The Diet Guy asked: Do you feel stressed and unhappy because you cannot lose weight? Have you tried multiples diets and nothing has worked so far? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, then you better read some of the diet tips presented below and discover for yourself the easy road to [...]

diets
The Diet Guy asked:


Do you feel stressed and unhappy because you cannot lose weight? Have you tried multiples diets and nothing has worked so far? If the answer to either of these questions is yes, then you better read some of the diet tips presented below and discover for yourself the easy road to weight loss. One thing you should always remember: there is no stronger power to help you lose weight than your own inner strength and persistence!

Many people consider that a diet is represented by extreme suppression of food intake associated with a famous slimming tablets and intensive exercise. The truth is somewhere in the middle. If you want to achieve weight loss, then you have to reduce the calories intake, exercise plenty and add some of those slimming tablets to increase the efficiency of the diet. But you never want to exaggerate and most importantly, you should never stress your body too much. Stay away from those diet tips that force you to become an anorexic and do what’s right, what’s healthy.

Successful diet tips always start with the way you eat, the quantity and quality of what you eat. For many people, the weight problems start by eating too much and not necessarily healthy. Learning all about the right eating habits is essential. It ensures a smooth performance of your organism and regular burning of excessive fat. The concept of weight loss is not something that can be achieved overnight. It will take some times before noticeable results appear and you have to discipline yourself in order to maintain the positive effects of the diet. Choose a diet that is rich in fibers, vitamins and not in fats or carbohydrates. Be sure to drink a lot of water and get rid of drinks high in glucose as they contain way too much calories.

Obesity is one of the major risk factors for heart disease and cerebrovascular attacks. As more and more people suffer from this condition, scientists and medical specialists work side by side trying to find more effective methods to promote weight loss. They state categorically the importance of eating healthy and avoiding harmful food, adding physical exercise at the top of the list. As for the weight loss pill, many studies have been made and some of the research results are truly encouraging. Dietary supplements are known to act as appetite suppressants, having effects on the metabolism and preventing fatty deposits from forming. The diet pill can have different results from one individual to another. It is especially effective when associated with the right diet and regular exercise. Under no circumstances should it be taken in higher doses than prescribed and it is not recommended for those who suffer from high blood pressure or diabetes.

The reality is that there are no miraculous solutions for weight loss. It is still up to us to succeed, on our desire to be healthy and decrease the risk factors associated with obesity. In order to make informed diet choices, we need to learn about all weight loss alternatives, follow proper dietary recommendations and establish an exercise routine and stick to it. Most experts agree that losing weight quickly is not healthy as it is a step by step process and they are not wrong. It is important to start with light exercises (wiping the dust counts!), reduce your daily calories intake and choose a diet supplement that fits your needs. It takes courage and persistence to achieve weight loss and you should congratulate yourself for every step you have mastered!



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The Ideal Diet

Posted by Health 23 Mar, 2009

Diets In Review asked: Stress, hectic schedules, and the over hassle of counting calories can get in the way of you reaching your weight loss goals. Hunger pains, poor food choices, and cravings are also common obstacles most dieters face. For many of us, the ideal diet would curb hunger, offer choices, and easily fit [...]

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Diets In Review asked:


Stress, hectic schedules, and the over hassle of counting calories can get in the way of you reaching your weight loss goals. Hunger pains, poor food choices, and cravings are also common obstacles most dieters face. For many of us, the ideal diet would curb hunger, offer choices, and easily fit into our life.

Nutrisystem is an amazing program that includes a wide variety of delicious, prepackaged, calorie counted meals. With plans specialized for vegetarians, diabetics, men, and women, this program offers a solution for everyone. It eliminates the confusion, difficult choices, preparation, and measuring that plague dieters. By simply choosing the food you desire, Nutrisystem brings the healthy meals right to your front door. Instead of starving for hours, the program allows you to eat five meals a day – breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, and a dessert.

Nutrisystem provides meal plan guidelines, exercise information, as well as nutrition professionals available for guidance or support. It also provides helpful suggestions on grocery shopping and additional food preparation at home. This all inclusive weight loss program fits with any lifestyle or schedule.

With foods like pancakes, pasta parmesan, rotini with meatballs, oatmeal raisin cookies, and pizza, there is something for every craving, meal, and snack. All meals are prepackaged and guaranteed to help you reach your goal. Nutrisystem is easy to sit with, provides proven results, and takes the guesswork out of dieting.



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