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.

 

Make Your Body More Flexible and Curvy With the Help of Meridia

Because of an unorganized life style and unhealthy eating habits many people are losing control over their weight. Crave for hunger when combined with high calorie food is the path leading to obesity. Obesity has now become the formula for disaster. It leads to cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes and other serious health problems which can have drastic impacts. Apart from determination something more is required to wrestle this conflict of bulge. Nowadays, the pharmaceutical industry has come into the picture of weight loss. Meridia emerges as an effective weight loss drug in the deserted anti-obesity market.

 

Meridia is also known by the name of reductil. It is the brand name for sibutramine. It is recommended for the people who are seriously obese and not for those who want to lose just a few pounds. Meridia falls in the same class of various other anti-depressants. It works on the chemicals present in the brain. By increasing the levels of serotonin, nor epinephrine, and dopamine in the brain, it decreases the appetite and helps reduce weight. Cautions should be taken while consuming this medicine as meridia has been shown to considerably increase the blood pressure in some patients. 

 

Meridia is available in 15mg and 30 mg. It is usually taken once in a day with a full glass of water. One should avoid taking the medicine during late hours in the day as it may cause insomnia. In case you miss a dose, do not double it. It can affect your health.

 

Medical studies have proved that meridia when taken with a low-fat diet and regular exercises, helps reduce weight faster. Losing around four pounds during the first month of taking meridia is a good indication.

 

Before consuming meridia, one should always consult a doctor. Your doctor will be able to judge better whether meridia is suitable for you or not.

 

Some of the common side-effects associated with the intake of meridia are

 

• Dry mouth

• Headache

• Constipation

• Trouble sleeping

• High blood pressure

• Increased heart rate

 

Meridia is not advisable for people who have heart disease, gallstones, glaucoma, liver disease or kidney disease.

 

Avoid taking any other medicine during the time you are consuming meridia. It may react with other medicines and result in a condition called serotonin syndrome. Such a condition would require immediate medical attention. The symptoms of serotonin syndrome are anxiety, restlessness, unconsciousness, fever, poor coordination, sweating, weakness etc. Consult your doctor before taking any other weight loss product, anti-depressants, cough suppressants or migraine medicines.

 

The field of technology has made it easier for you to purchase meridia sitting in any corner of the world. One can purchase it online without having any personal contact with the seller. Just an online form including your personal details and medical history has to be filled up. The pharmacist will ship the medicine in lesser time.

 

Losing weight has been made easier and simpler through meridia. Follow your weight loss plan and feel the change in yourself.

Make Way For A Healthy Life With Phentermine

Phentermine diet pills are so friendly to our body that it can be brought to use at any time of our life time. It suppresses our appetite and decreases the unnecessary obsession that human beings have towards food. A balanced health routine with a dose of Phentermine is very result oriented. However check a doctor for the proper dose of Phentermine before adding it to your lifestyle.

 

Gaining weight abnormally is a sign of an unhealthy health. It is a sign that a body is preparing to suffer from various health factors like heart disease, diabetes high blood pressure etc. On the other hand adjusting our life style with a heavy body can hampers our daily life a lot. We may tend to get tire out soon and fell like resting all the time. So it is very necessary to keep a check on our increasing weight and try to get keep fat at bay from our body.

 

Obviously, there are ways to keeps our health fit and free from overweight. A daily routine of balanced diet and a bit of work out in a gym can help us a lot in the long run. But following a right routine is a very tedious affair and keeping oneself attached to it daily is not always possible. This type of irregularities in a balanced health routine creates trouble in our body and fails to protect our body from being overweight and fatty. To overcome this type of problems effectively and with positive results, medical science proved that if a diet pill is added to one’s life daily, the problem of overweight can be solved to a larger extent. On that pretext, Phentermine diet pill proved to be very productive. Satisfactory results are discovered from its users. Thus FDA trails approved it as an appetite suppressant way back in 1959.

 

Phentermine diet pills stimulate the hypothalamus gland in our brain and inhibit those neurotransmitters that urge us to have food at any time. Thus help us to suppress our appetite for a longer period. So that’s why it has been proved that much more improved results can be achieved if added it to one’s daily health routine.

 

As any other drug, usage of Phentermine also shows a few side effects. Headache, dizziness, dry mouth is common among them. But clinical trials proved that body gets used to it after a few days of its usage. It a doctor’s prescription drug and hence recommended to check a doctor for a proper dose and course 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.