dieting

Vegetarian Diet Plan

2012-02-15T09:41:00.000-08:00

When someone is in a vegetarian diet plan how can they stay healthy when they don’t eat meat? Aren’t they missing out on proteins whenever they avoid it?

The truth is, there are a lot of ways a vegetarian can prevent deficiencies, and being in a no-meat diet can be one of the best ways to stay healthy. However, contrary to what most people know, when someone is a vegetarian it doesn’t mean they repel meat altogether. One can still eat meat and still can be called a vegetarian.

A vegetarian diet plan has several categories. A “far” vegetarian is someone who eats meat except red ones. A quasi vegetarian avoids both poultry and red meat. Lacto-vegetarians exclude food that contains meat, poultry, eggs, and fishes; they eat dairy products though, like cheese, milk, butter and yogurt. Those who are in a lacto-ovo vegetarian diet allow dairy products in their meals too, as well as eggs; they exclude meat, poultry and fish. A vegan, for me, is the most extreme amongst all types of a vegetarian diet plan – they exclude all animal produce or products from their diet and that include eggs and dairies.

If you are highly considering a vegetarian diet because of its health benefits but is apprehensive at the same time because you might think it extremely limits your food options, it doesn’t. A vegetarian’s recommended diet in one day includes at least six servings of grains, four servings of veggies, five servings of nuts and legumes, two servings of fruits, four servings of veggies, one to two servings of sweets and even two servings of oils and fats. This totals to six groups of foods and eating from this variety every day won’t make you feel you’re really missing a lot, will it?

A vegetarian diet plan is recommended to people of all ages, even for breast-feeding moms or pregnant women. But like all kinds of diet plans out there, it’s always best to consult your physician first before going through one especially if you are clueless on what type of a vegetarian diet is good for you. A registered dietitian can also help if you don’t know how to create a well-planned vegetarian diet.

If you are not ready to give up meat right away, which I also understand, don’t force yourself into becoming a full vegan yet. Start with a flexitarian or semi-vegetarian diet first. It’s foremost a plant-based diet that includes meat, fish, poultry, eggs and dairies but in small quantities only. So start from there then work your way up to becoming a full-pledge vegan.

Special K Diet Plan

2012-02-15T09:39:00.000-08:00

For last few months there has been a cereal company promoting their own diet plan. Kellogg’s, yes, you read it right; the famous cereal company has produced a diet that will help their consumers lose weight though the special K diet plan. It been years since the special K diet plan was created but it is only this time that Kellogg’s been promoting it. Called the Special K Diet Challenge, consumers will have the change to lose weight while creating their personalized diet plan.

Kellogg’s claims that through result of scientific studies conducted at leading universities, 3 out of 4 dieters lost six pounds in a matter over two weeks.

Primarily, a participant needs to accomplish the plan itself. You will have the option to choose your meal, by planning it according to the foods allowed by the special K diet.

The basic of the special k diet plan is eating two serves of special K cereals a day and ½ cup low fat milk for breakfast and lunch or dinner. A nutritionally balanced low fat meal should be the third meal. Snacks may include fruits, vegetables and or a Special K bar. Alcohols are restricted. Water and diluted fruits are recommended.

To get started, you need to visit the special k website and you’ll find four different special K challenge plan. The four plans are the Classic, Mix it up, On the go and Chocolate lover’s plan. After choosing the plan you desired, you’ll then give a starting date for the plan. Once you have chosen, you’re meal will be automatically laid out for the entire 2 weeks of the Special K diet. You’ll also have the chance to customize the meal plan according to preference.

Classic Plan – This plan is designed for people who love essentials and the classic.

Mix it up – Designed for people who loves to try new things; people who love foods and its varieties.

On the go – The plan that works for the busy person.

Chocolate lovers – The plan that lets you taste the sweetest food in the planet: chocolates!

The good thing about special K diet plans is there is no calorie counting needed like most of the other diet plans do. Though there is no calorie count, you’ll be amazed that you’re actually cutting down to 27% calorie intake a day. It is also healthier for people to eat cereals for breakfast rather has eggs or eat nothing. Thus, it is simple and easy to follow. The downside, however is it lacks variety of foods to choose.

If you think of it, the Special K diet plan is a Kellogg’s marketing strategy for consumers to buy their product. Since the diet plan has proven to be effective, guess Kellogg’s strategy went very effective.

Low Carb Diet Plan Low Carb Diet Plan

2012-02-15T09:35:00.000-08:00

For those who can’t afford to go through an expensive diet program like the Medifast Diet or the South Beach Diet but want the same remarkable results, a low carb diet plan is the one for you. A low carb weight loss program employs minimal carbohydrate intake.

If your are finally set to take on a low carb diet plan, the first thing you need to do is to familiarize yourself with the three types of carbohydrates. They are your fibers, sugars and starches. All these three are energy sources of your body and they work with the other nutrients to help keep your body function efficiently. But, of course, not all types of carbs are beneficial to our health.

When there’s a sudden increase of blood sugar in your system, that is often due to bad carbohydrates. When a person has high blood sugar, it can result to serious complications if not taken care of immediately, such as kidney failure, blindness, and weakening of the immune system.

Although a low carb diet plan is an inexpensive type of weight loss program, it doesn’t mean to say that it is also the easiest. We’ve relied so much on high carb foods ever since we were kids that falling off the diet plan can be just too easy. So make sure that you can control your cravings especially on the early stage of your diet. One sure way to suppress your appetite is not to skip any meals especially breakfast. You can even eat meals five times a day in minimum servings so that you won’t easily get hungry in between these meals.

So what foods are you allowed to eat when in a low carb diet? Definitely not beans, fruits, milk, bread, nuts, potatoes, pasta, corn and grains on the first 2 weeks of your diet plan. However, on the second phase of the program, you can already eat some of those foods you were not allowed to eat during the first week. When your are already close to your targeted weight then that is the time you can be allowed to eat whole grain products, along with potatoes and corn. I would personally recommend you avoid huge quantities of foods that have refined sugar and flour even if you’ve already reached your goal weight.

Do not ever think that when you’ve reached your desired weight it is already safe to go back to those foods you were deprived of when you were still starting. Remember that those types of foods are the culprit in making you bloat then. Knowing what you can and cannot eat is just part of the process in losing weight. If you really want long term results, you need to make some alterations in your lifestyle too. Keep it healthy by doing regular exercise and a regular intake of 8 glasses of water every day. In any kind of weight loss program, it would be best that once you’ve reached your target weight, change your goal to healthy living after.

Should You Take Weight Loss Pills?

2012-02-10T22:35:00.001-08:00

With so many people looking for quick weight loss options to their weight problem it is easy to be attracted by a weight loss program that uses diet or weight loss pills. In our society this concept is very attractive; pop a few pills and watch the fat fall away. Unfortunately though, weight loss pills [...]

There are two different types of weight loss pills. The first is medicinal. These are strictly regulated by the FDA (and similar drug agencies around the world). These pills try to affect the hormonal balance in your body and have to undergo rigorous trials and test before they are approved. The other type of pills are advertised as herbal weight loss pills. These are not regulated because they contain no active ingredients that could cause potential harm. While it’s much easier to get hold of herbal weight loss pills the problem is that there is no clear cut evidence that they work. In fact, because they are herbal, the same ingredients in your weight loss pills could also be used in a herbal acne pill!

One well known fact is your hunger is regulated by various hormones in your body. The idea behind medical weight loss pills is to control your hormones, like serotonin, which affects your appetite. However, because there are a large number of side effects associated with these pills they can only be prescribed by a doctor and usually only if the benefits outweigh the side effects. Someone who is overweight would not be prescribed weight loss pills like Meridia or Xenical because the side effects of high blood pressure, risk of heart disease, interference with other medication and inability to control bowel movements outweigh the benefits of losing a few pounds.

If your weight loss program includes taking weight loss pills it shouldn’t be seen as an easy solution to your weight problem. For long term health you need to put yourself on to a healthy weight loss diet plan and exercise regularly to reduce your body fat. Only by taking this type of multi-faceted approach will you see fast results.

As mentioned earlier, herbal weight loss pills are not regulated, This means that anyone with the right ingredients and equipment can create some pills and label it as weight loss pill. Some companies go one step further and claim that their herbal pills can somehow magically ‘melt away’ the fat from your body or ‘burn fat’ while you are sleeping. While it’s very easy to be excited by these claims – who wouldn’t want to burn fat while sleeping in a cozy bed! – there are often no clinical trials to back up these claims and usually a few dubious testimonials explaining how the person lost lots of weight by taking the pills. So remember the old saying – buyer beware!

Wil Dieck is the founder of Total Mind Therapy a combination of hypnosis and NLP and a number of e-courses including a “Weight Loss Secrets” program that you can have for no charge or obligation

http://weightlosshelpblog.com/should-you-take-weight-loss-pills/

Why Weight Loss Using Crash Diets is Ruining Your Metabolism

2012-02-10T22:34:00.001-08:00

Crash diets seem to be one of the best weight loss options – or are they? When you first start a crash diet – and literally stop eating – you might notice that you lose a fair amount of weight, but the truth is that the weight you are losing with this program is mostly water and muscle mass. Because it’s difficult to break down, body fat is notoriously difficult to get rid of, so when your body doesn’t have enough energy coming in from food it will automatically start using energy stored in your muscles. When you use this type of weight loss program you are effectively turning yourself in to a globule of fat!

Your body is a remarkable machine and one of the most advanced chemical factories on Earth. It is also extremely efficient. This is not good news if your weight loss program is simply eating less. Like many people, if you can’t understand why you are putting on weight or not losing any weight then the first thing you might try to do is reducing what you eat.

The problem with simply reducing your food you take in is that your body will soon realize that it is getting less food. This will result in your body slowing your metabolism to compensate. When you start eating normally again (which invariably happens on a crash diet) you’ll find that you end up putting on even more weight than before.

Unfortunately for us humans the only thing we’re slightly less addicted to than death by chocolate is an instant gratification quick fix solution to our weight loss problem. A diet plan which promises to shed 5 pounds a week is always going to sound more attractive than a weight loss program which has been meticulously researched and proven to reduce your weight in a healthy way over a period of months.

You might even think that there is no long term impact on your health if you partake in a crash diet and severely restricting your calorie intake, but unfortunately this type of diet plan has cost some people their lives. When your body doesn’t have enough energy to burn it places enormous strain on your internal organs as they struggle to function without the vitamins and minerals that they require. This strain can be so intense that it can actually lead to organ and heart failure.

It can be very tough to stick to a long term, healthy weight loss plan, especially if a big event like a beach holiday or wedding is coming up, but following a crash course diet will wreak havoc with your metabolism and could cause you to put on even more weight than when you started as your body is used to processing less food and if it suddenly gets inundated with calories it will attempt to grab all of them and store it as fat.

Wil Dieck is the founder of Total Mind Therapy a combination of hypnosis and NLP and a number of e-courses including a “Weight Loss Secrets” program that you can have for no charge or obligation.

http://weightlosshelpblog.com/why-weight-loss-using-crash-diets-is-ruining-your-metabolism/

Is Not eating a good Weight Loss Program?

2012-02-10T22:33:00.000-08:00

When it comes to weight loss, one of the options people think about is to stop eating for a while. Everyone knows that weight gain or loss is simply a matter of math, calories in minus calories out equals weight gain or loss. Your body burns 70 calories per hour even just sitting idle on the couch. If you don’t eat any calories then your calculation is simple and your weight loss should be fast, right? Well yes and no and as simple as it sounds, that idea is fraught with potential problems.

You see, even though you might not be “burning” any calories your body’s systems keep working. When you body is deprived of food it slow down its metabolism. This means you burn calories more slowly. While a no-calorie weight loss program might seem to work at the onset, within a short time your metabolic rate slows down substantially and your weight loss slows with it.

Your body needs energy to stay alive, so at first, it goes after the glycogen stored in your liver and converts it to glucose to burn for the energy it needs. When that store of energy is used up (to a degree), your body will begin to go after the energy stored in the bonds of certain molecules in your fat cells. This process is called ketosis and accounts for why your breath sometimes smells like fingernail polish (made with ketones) after hard exercise.

So far, your no eating weight loss program sounds good. You’re burning calories, reducing body fat and losing weight. That’s what effective weight loss plans are supposed to do, right? Well, yes, but unfortunately this isn’t all your body is doing under these circumstances.

One result of your no eating program is that this method of ‘dieting’ will cause your body to undergo a ‘rebound’ effect. In other words, this kind of weight loss program will cause you to crave food like crazy. This effect will cause you to put on more pounds than you lost. This is because your body is compensating for a radical deficit.

Now if gaining a little extra weight after being able to fit into a dress for a wedding or looking good for a high school reunion was the only ill effect of your no eating weight loss program then you might feel that this option is the one to choose. The real problem is that there are serious health risks to simply starving yourself or going on a long term fast. This wacky weight loss eating plan causes a number of carefully balanced nutrients to become unbalanced.

After not eating for a period of time, your balance of insulin, sugar and a variety of other essential compounds becomes upset. The danger here is that, in addition to regulating your energy levels, they also influence the hormones that regulate your brain and nervous systems.

Unless you compensate with some sort of sports-style drink your concentrations of potassium and sodium will also get out of balance. These can be even more difficult to adjust in the absence of food. These minerals are vital for regulating your heartbeat. They are also found in every cell of your body and in fluids where they participate in an enormous variety of critical tasks.

An imbalance of these can cause fatigue, dizziness and difficulty concentrating. Of course these are only three of the milder symptoms that can result. Dehydration is very likely, since much of the fluid you receive is not just from the liquids you drink but from your food. If the weather is warm and you are even a little active this can easily lead to heat stroke.

Your kidneys will have a more difficult time filtering properly. Since they clean the waste material from the blood they play a role in regulating your blood pressure. They also stimulate your bone marrow to make red blood cells.

In addition, your odds of a heart attack are increased and your brain function suffers. The list goes on and on. Even if the fast is ended long before death, which is about 4 weeks for most people, serious long term physical effects would occur.

So of all the weight loss options you have to choose from the no eating program is definitely not the one you should choose. Instead of fasting, try eating a balanced, healthy diet with a limited number of calories. When you combine this type of weight loss eating with a plan that includes an age and circumstance-appropriate exercise program you are not only setting yourself up for long term success but also maintaining a healthy body. This is the surest way to lose pounds safely, a program that keeps your short term and long term health in harmony. You can lose the weight you desire, just do it in a healthy manner. You’ll be so glad you did!

Wil Dieck is the founder of Total Mind Therapy a combination of hypnosis and NLP and a number of e-courses including a “Weight Loss Secrets” program that you can have for no charge or obligation.
http://weightlosshelpblog.com/is-not-eating-a-good-weight-loss-program/

How to Plan Weight Loss

2012-02-10T22:30:00.000-08:00

How to Plan Weight Loss

How to plan weight loss can be hard. The first step when trying to figure out ways to lose weight is the toughest. Thousands of people are trying to trying to figure out how to plan weight loss for the year.

There are so many ways to lose weight it is hard to find what will work for you. The one thing you can count on is how to plan weight loss system needs to have a few core things. Let’s take a look at what you need when figuring out ways to lose weight.

How to Plan Weight Loss using Aerobic Activity –The good thing about this is you can do what ever you want. You can jog, walk, take boxing classes, using a cross trainer, ride a bike or whatever it is you like to do. How to plan weight loss you need to do this at least 3 to 4 times a week for at least 20 minutes each time.

How to Plan Weight Loss using Weightlifting – Some people may cringe at this one because they do not want to get big. It is actually hard to get really big weightlifting especially for women. The how to plan weight loss system will require you to Add muscle to your body because it is one of the best ways to control weight.

How to Plan Weight Loss Meal Eating –You do not have to quit eating or starve yourself. You need to eat smart by limiting junk or fatty foods while sticking to healthier foods. The how to plan weight loss guide does not tell you to cut out the food you love it says use moderation.

When you are trying to figure out how to plan weight loss these three main areas should be your focus.

How to Plan Weight Loss – How much Weight Should I Lose

When looking at how to plan weight loss a good question is how much weight should I lose?

How to plan weight loss you will need to look at your body type are you small framed or larger framed. This is important because if you are a bigger boned person you will not be able to get to a size 6. When looking at how to plan weight loss your body type will gauge where you need to be. Let’s say you are 6-foot tall women and you are a medium build then getting down to 130 pounds does not make good sense. Your healthy weight may be 150 lbs. or somewhere around there. This is the right way to look at normal weight when you look at how to plan weight loss.

How to plan weight loss as a 40-year-old male. I weigh 183 lbs and I am very muscular so most charts consider me overweight. If you looked at me you would not think overweight but the weight lifting adds muscle and muscle is heavy. I should weigh more like 175 lbs. at my 5’8” height but I am still in good shape and healthy. The how to plan weight loss point is that charts don’t always tell the whole story.

How much weight should I lose question should be taken seriously because you need to be at a healthy weight. This will allow you to feel good and be more active.

How to Plan Weight Loss and Do it Quickly

How to plan weight loss and do it quickly is very tricky. How to lose weight the fastest all depends on your objectives. Do you want to lose a quick 5 pounds or may 20 pounds? The rate at which you can drop weight has many variables and that is needed when you look at how to plan weight loss.

The other thing to think about is what is you idea of how to plan weight loss fast. How to lose weight the fastest could mean you want to lose 5 pounds in 5 days. Losing weight has to be done at a slow a steady pace. If you look at how to plan weight loss right losing weight really quick will make it easier to gain that weight back later.

How to plan weight loss in the fastest way is to drop water weight. You have probably seen a wrestling movie where some one is trying to make weight. This is the weight they are getting rid of to make their weight class is water weight. How to plan weight loss I would not look at just dropping water weight.

Another way you can look at how to plan weight loss and keep it off is by lowering a fat and high calorie diet. Many people eat too much junk food so lower the intake and eat better. You will also need to workout with a cardiovascular program and weight lifting program to lose the weight. A good how to plan weight loss program will help you keep the weight off preventing the yo-yo diet issues.

When looking at how to plan weight loss please do not just quit eating to lose weight. This will work short term but wreck your metabolism and cause you to gain the weight back plus more later. How to plan weight loss and how to lose weight fast are good questions just make sure you find the right answers.
http://howtoplanweightloss.com/how-to-plan-weight-loss-2/#more-290

Weight Loss with your Health in Mind

2012-02-10T22:25:00.001-08:00

Healthy Weight Loss – Some tips on proper dieting

Forget the fads, the pills, the crazy liquid diets; when it comes to dieting and losing weight, there is only one way of doing it – the healthy way. Unfortunately, because of all of these fads and miracle diets, people’s idea of a healthy diet has become a bit fuzzy and corrupted and this has become the norm. Follow these simple guidelines to lose weight the healthy way:

#1 – Plan ahead!

Before starting any diet plan, it is always wise to seek medical advice. This has to do with many things. For instance, your doctor can run metabolic tests to see if there are certain foods you should or should not be eating while dieting, whether it be because they contain something that you have too much of or because you may be allergic. Also, your doctor will take your medical history under consideration when creating a diet program that will be specific to your body. Everyone is built differently, which is why everyone reacts differently to various diets.

#2 – Follow the plan!

Sure, it may be tempting to cheat every once in a while, but in the end, the only one truly lacking in benefit is you. Studies have shown that even a weight loss of five to 10 pounds can greatly reduce your risk for heart disease and other chronic conditions. If your plan includes 1200 calories a day with no more than one small serving of sweets, enjoy the small serving when you have it. Whether you are losing weight to fit into your jeans or to avoid getting Type 2 Diabetes, the benefits far outweigh the hindrance of cheating on your diet.

#3 – Don’t Drink Your Calories!

A wise medical professional once said, and it’s true – your body is made mostly of water, so anything else will go to places you don’t want it to go. Water is your best friend when it comes to healthy weight loss, and it’s not just because your doctor says so; water helps to keep you stay energized, properly hydrated and it makes your skin healthier. So not only does it help you lose weight, it helps you to look good while doing it.

#4 – Exercise, Exercise, Exercise

The dreaded word…I myself hate to exercise, but let’s face it, it is what I call a “necessary evil”. Exercise doesn’t have to be evil, though, and I know many, many people who love to do it. It can be a fun, relaxing way to lose weight. Some people jog, others go to the gym, some even dance or do yoga. Talk to your doctor about what options he or she recommends, particularly for your body type and condition, and exercise away! It will help you shed pounds and you will be able to feel like you’re experiencing the results right away.

Following these simple rules, you can be sure that the last celebrity diet is the last fad you will ever join. There is nothing more satisfying that losing unnecessary and potentially harmful weight. How much more rewarding will it be to do it the right way?

For even more healthy diet tips – be sure and visit your local CareNow provider.
http://blog.carenow.com/2011/04/29/weight-loss-with-your-health-in-mind/

Fruits and Vegetables are mostly best for Diet

2012-02-10T22:22:00.000-08:00

Summer is the most appropriate season for starting a detoxifying diet because now fruits and vegetables are mostly available. We all should consider having a detoxifying diet at least once a year because during the cold season our body gets filled with toxins, waste elements and compounds that are not at all beneficial for us. Toxins in our body can only make us feel weighty and lumpish, lacking energy and will to enjoy life. Our physical

moves and actions become slower, clumsier, as well as the brain activity which is blocked by the waste in our organisms.

A diet consisting in vegetables and fruits is the most recommended in the hot season firstly because it supplements our bodies with the vitamins and nutritive compounds it needs for functioning properly and secondly because the heat outside makes it heavier for us to digest heavy meals.

One of the most effective methods for detoxification is the one in which raw fruits and natural fruit juices are used. The fruit nutrition is an excellent remedy for excess organic toxicity because it redresses the alkaline state of the body, eliminates acidic chemicals in our organisms and helps us lose weight by providing us with a lot of energy at the same time.

People that use the fruit diet usually remove all the dead cells, fat excretions and other unhealthy element from their bodies. When eliminating the toxins, our body will make use of all the ways in which it can do this: urine, excrements, skin, mouth, sinus.

However, the colon will be the most required part of our body during the detoxification period, because it will be the medium through which more than 70% of the waste in the organism is eliminated. The digestive tract processes the meals we eat and when filling it with unhealthy products from junk food, it will become heavy with toxins. These toxins are also released in our body through the walls of the colon and reach the blood stream. From here, toxins dissipate all through our body and lead to various mild or serious diseases.

Of all the fruits, citrus fruits, especially lemons, grapefruits and oranges, have the most beneficial and powerful effect on the detoxification process. Other fruits that will also enhance waste removal from the body are pineapples. But besides these, note that all fruits intake leads to a healthy way of living and works very well upon the organism.

The fruit diet and toxins elimination will have miracle effects upon our health not only by removing all the waste and poisonous compounds from the blood stream and the rest of the body (colon, liver, heart etc). Eating fruits helps us get rid of allergies, vitalizes and energizes us and leads to a good stamina, improves eyesight, makes our nails, teeth and hair stronger and healthier, our skin becomes radiant and sweet smelling. Also, our cognitive function and mental abilities are stimulated and increased, while emotional disorders such as stress or anxiety are also minimized.

http://alldietsreview.com/fruits-and-vegetables-are-mostly-best-for-diet.html

A balanced fruit and nut diet is not a specific diet plan

2012-02-10T22:21:00.001-08:00

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends including fruits and nuts as part of a well-balanced diet that includes other basic food groups. It is recommended to consume at least four servings of fruits daily. In addition, eat four to five servings in 1 oz. portions of nuts a week. Including fruits and nuts in your diet ensures you are getting a sufficient amount of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals.

Function of Fiber

A fruit and nut diet provides you with a significant amount of dietary fiber, which is a carbohydrate that cannot be digested by enzymes in your intestinal tract. According to “The Wellness Encyclopedia of Food and Nutrition,” this gives you a feeling of fullness, leaving less room for high-fat or high-calorie foods. In “The Nutrition Bible,” a high-fiber diet has been linked to the prevention or control of many diseases and disorders. Examples include constipation, diverticulitis, irritable bowel syndrome, diabetes, colon cancer and heart disease.

Fruits and nuts contain nutrients such as vitamins A, C and E that act as powerful antioxidants. According to the “Nutrition Bible,” antioxidants function by destroying free radicals that cause premature aging, cancer and cataracts. Vitamin A can be found in orange and yellow fruits such as apricots, cantaloupes, peaches, nectarines and mangoes. Citrus fruits, berries, melons, kiwi and papaya are good sources of vitamin C. Vitamin E is found in most nuts such as almonds, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, peanuts, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts. Make sure that you are not allergic to peanuts because this can cause a serious allergic reaction.

Amino Acids

Nuts are a good source of plant-based protein, which is made up of building blocks called amino acids that are used for different activities in your body. Nuts contain two essential amino acids called arginine and tryptophan. According to Thehealthierlife.co.uk, arginine may help boost your immune system and lower blood cholesterol levels. Tryptophan produces the hormone serotonin in your brain. Serotonin might help relieve depression and other anxiety disorders.

High Water Content

High-water-content foods such as fruits can be a positive health benefit in your diet. Sciencedaily.com says eating water-rich foods can help stave of hunger and keep you feeling fuller longer. High-water-content foods are lower in calories, which make them ideal for those trying to lose weight. Examples of fruits with high water content include oranges, berries, watermelons, cantaloupes, apples and pears. Keep in mind that dried fruits such as raisins and currants are more calorie-dense with sugars.

Benefits of Fat

Monitor your portion sizes of nuts because they are high in calories and fat. The fat content is mostly “healthy” monounsaturated fat. In “The Food Bible,” author Judith Wills says monounsaturated fats are beneficial because they help lower blood cholesterol and stabilize blood sugar levels. According to Wills, the fat found in nuts may also decrease your risk of heart disease, obesity and cancer. In addition, a small amount of fat

is necessary in your diet to better absorb nutrients.

http://alldietsreview.com/a-balanced-fruit-and-nut-diet-is-not-a-specific-diet-plan.html

Benefits of Antioxidants

2012-02-10T22:20:00.001-08:00

In “SuperFoods RX,” medical dietitian Steven Pratt identifies nuts and berries as two of the 14 healthiest foods to include in your diet. Nuts are good sources of protein, monounsaturated fats, vitamin E, fiber and folate. Berries contain powerful antioxidants, fiber and vitamin C. Incorporating nuts and berries in a balanced diet offers many nutritional benefits.

Benefits of Fats

Most of the fats in nuts are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Dr. Jonny Bowden associates these healthy fats with lower risks of developing heart disease, high cholesterol and cancer. Nuts are excellent sources of omega-3 fatty acids. According to Steven Pratt, omega-3s help blood flow freely and prevents clots from forming within arteries. For this reason, the fatty acids in nuts promote a healthy heart and improved circulation.

The top nut sources include peanuts, almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts and pistachios. Nuts contain about 6 g of protein in an oz. Different varieties also provide up to 3 g of dietary fiber. In “The Abs Diet,” the author David Zinczenko claims the combination of protein and fiber satiates your appetite by keeping you feeling full longer. Nuts contain almost no carbohydrates making it a perfect snack for diabetics. A low carbohydrate count has a minimal effect on blood sugar levels and controls hunger pangs.

Considerations

You should exercise portion control when consuming nuts. Although they are very healthy to include in your diet, they are also very high in calories. A 1 oz. portion can contain up to 200 calories. You can easily consume too many nuts and contribute to weight gain. The Reader’s Digest Association suggests one 1 oz. serving a day for health benefits. Avoid smoked and salted nuts that are high in sodium and contribute to high blood pressure.

According to Steven Pratt, your body requires oxygen to carry out metabolic functions. The by-products of the use of oxygen are known as free radicals. Free radicals damage your cells and are linked to cancer, diabetes, arthritis, vision problem and premature aging. Antioxidants are your body’s protection system against damaging free radicals. Berries contain antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene, polyphenols, carotenoids and selenium.

Types of Berries

There are several varieties of berries available to include in your diet. Blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, cranberries and raspberries are among the most popular. David Zinczenko identifies raspberries as being good sources of flavonoids that help your eyesight, balance, coordination and short-term memory. Blueberries and strawberries contain soluble fiber that keeps you feeling full longer. Steven Pratt says blueberries contain the highest levels of antioxidants. Cranberries are useful in treating urinary tract infections by preventing harmful bacteria from sticking to the lining of the urinary tract.

http://alldietsreview.com/benefits-of-antioxidants.html

No Diet, Diet Success – Keep a Diet Diary

2012-02-10T14:39:00.001-08:00

Article by Jim Brackin

Assuming that you want to lose weight without avoiding your favourite foods or dramatically changing your eating patterns then to start you must consider keeping a Food Journal. It is a simple archive of what you have eaten and drunk over a specific period of time which gives you an accurate log of what you have actually eaten rather than what you think you might have. Often there is a big difference, which is why most diet experts feel that keeping a diet journal is crucial to successful dieting success.

The no diet, diet focus is on the attitudes, feelings and psychology of weight loss and the first step is to keep a food diary so that you become fully aware of your individual food intake and consuming patterns. Only when you understand these patterns and what motivated you to choose them can you start to replace those old motivations with new ones. A no diet, weight loss program addresses the cause of overeating to enable you to regain control of your weight.

Here are some effective guidelines for keeping a diet diary. The first and most obvious is not to try to keep a diet log on scraps of paper, but to get a proper diet journal on which to archive your eating patterns. A good no diet, diet diary will contain headings that will help you to set small achievable goals.

No diet, diets are successful because they train you to just change one small, little thing about your eating habits on a regular basis. It is the accumulation of these little things that over time amount to big and dramatic changes in your weight. So your diet journal must have space for the area that you wish to change. Typically these will fall into one of the following four areas.

Portion Size.

Supposing that your problem is portions: log the amount you eat and how much you could reduce it without feeling restricted.

A Healthier Diet

You will already know the foods you eat that you should avoid. So assuming that you need to focus on a healthier food record the food types you eat and more importantly what you could easily replace them with to lose weight.

Habit Eating

Do you sometimes eat just because it is time to eat, irrespective of weather you are hungry or not? If so your problem is habit consuming. Then record in your diet diary the time of day, where you are, with whom, and any activity that triggers the habit.

Emotional Consuming.

We all eat to make ourselves feel better, but for some this emotional high takes over. If your eating is emotional start to record your moods, emotions and feelings and how they connect to your eating patterns.

Also your diet diary ought to track the foods that you eat, rather than the calories that they contain. What you are looking for is an overall pattern of eating rather than a detailed record of the calories that you consume. Remember that when you want to lose weight, water is your best friend. Not only does it not contain any calories but it also hydrates the body aiding losing weight and may keep you from feeling hungry.

About the Author

Would you like a free copy of my No Diet Weight Loss food journal? Then click the link or visit jimbrackin.com the talking treatment self help therapy website

http://www.betterweightlossproducts.com/no-diet-diet-success-keep-a-diet-diary/

Learn To Find Dieting Diets That Actually Work Learn To Find Dieting Diets That Actually Work

2012-02-10T14:37:00.000-08:00

Article by Richard Grace

One of the hardest things for people to do is lose weight. If you are looking for dieting plans that will actually help you to lose weight and keep the weight off then I have several resources that can provide you with the absolute fastest, easiest, and best way to diet, lose weight, and choose a dieting plan that will actually work.

Recently, I’ve stumbled upon amazing resources where you can learn unlimited dieting strategies and secrets that has enabled me to find the diets that actually work.

Examples of some of these strategies and secrets…

• Why calorie counting will never work for long term dieting and weight loss and how restricting calories is probably the worst thing you can do to lose weight.

• Why carbs are not your enemy and how to enjoy a healthy fat burning nutrition program that includes all the carbs you need. • Which “so called” health foods are actually making your body store tons of fat.

• Why you must, must, must eat lots of food in order to finally shed the pounds and why many people have been falsely led to believe the complete opposite in other diets.

What I can offer you is truly one of the only, completely FREE resources that delivers real health, diet and nutrition informationthat you can implement right away. In my blog I have several resources that can help you implement the perfect dieting diets and other resources to help you lose the weight that you want and most importantly keep the weight off.

Some other articles that I provide will give you advice on dieting diets that are not only helpful, but safe, nutritious, and provide tips on dieting diets that you should avoid such as fad diets. If you are interested in this article, please find a link at the bottom of this page to my blog.

About the Author

Information just like this will help you to discover tips to dieting and diets you’ll love, and also other dieting diets

http://www.betterweightlossproducts.com/learn-to-find-dieting-diets-that-actually-work/

Reasons Why Dieting Makes You Fat

2012-02-10T05:15:00.000-08:00

There's a right way and a wrong way to do these things

With America leading the Obesity rate of the world at just over 80%, it's very obvious to see why it is that so many people are wanting to go on a diet in order to lose weight. However, most people do not know that dieting is actually not only unhealthy for you, but it also makes you fat as a result! This article includes the five reasons why you're still getting fatter despite being on a diet.

1 Your Body's Metabolism Can't Handle Swift Changes in Diet

Most people tend to jump right into a diet plan, hoping to see results as soon as they possibly can. Because of this, the human body is not able to adapt to such a rapid change. Often, what tends to happen is the person who is on a diet will lose a few pounds, then go off the diet, assuming that he or she successfully lost the unwanted weight. As soon as said person goes back to his or her old way of eating, the weight tends to come back, with a little bit extra as well!

2 Unreasonable Willpower Required

Another reason that your diet isn't helping you lose weight is that you lack willpower. The only way that you are going to be able to lose weight is if you successfully make a lifestyle change to your diet. You can't have a "cheat meal" every day. Once a week, you can have a cheat day, but that's it. If you want to successfully lose weight, after you've lost the weight that you want to lose, you are going to have to continue to eat the same way you did while you were on your diet.

3 You Aren't Exercising

Most of the time, we assume that if we utilize the power of healthy eating habits, we will be able to see a positive change that will last forever. While it is true that you will be able to see weight loss that is lasting if you utilize diet alone, the reality is that you will not see even 1/4th of the results as you would if you were utilizing exercise and diet together. Even just fifteen minutes per day where you jog and do a few push ups can make a huge difference in achieving your weight loss success.

4 It's Not A Lifestyle

Most diets give you the 'quick fix' in terms of weight loss. They'll give you what you need to know if you want to lose weight fast. However, most of these fast changes are not sustainable. You can't continue to eat in such a 'quick fix' type of way, and because of that, when you start to eat 'normally' once again, you'll find that you're going to be gaining most, if not all, of your weight back.

5 It's Not Permanent

As stated in each point before: the changes that a 'diet' has you make will not be permanent. If you aren't combining exercise, diet, and will power, then you will not see results. If you want to see the results that you are looking for, as well as make sure that those results are not temporary, then you are going to have to stop looking for a quick fix. Losing weight is hard. However, if you simply just change your dietary habits right now to be just a little bit healthier, than you will see results. Combine that with exercise, positivity, and will power and there's no way you that you won't be able to succeed.

Conclusion

The best way to go about losing weight would be to find out what fitness models and bodybuilders are doing. Not because you want to be a fitness model or a bodybuilder. But because these people have learned how to master their bodies composition. They can literally choose how much they want to weigh. They have mastery in 'physique' instead of sports. And there are many things you can learn from them that anyone at any age can use. Check out Yourfitassist.com to learn more.

http://nickhart.hubpages.com/hub/5-Reasons-Why-Dieting-Makes-You-Fat

Do Low-Fat Diets Make People Hungry?

2012-02-10T05:13:00.000-08:00

Today's Los Angeles Times has a series entitled "What's Making Us Fat?", looking at a few of the theories about this. One of them is that "Maybe Low Fat Foods Made Us Eat More". They go on to look at the pros and cons of this theory.

This hypothesis squares very well with the experience of many of us for whom a low-carb diet is helpful in turning down our appetites. We tend to be hungrier on high-carb diets (low-fat diets are usually high in carbs).

One of the opponents, Barry Popkin of the University of North Carolina, says, "there's plenty of evidence that a variety of dietary patterns will sustain weight loss -- low-fat and high in complex carbs; low-carb and high in lean proteins; diets higher in fat. "The issue is cutting calories...".

It's pretty clear by now that people who have issues processing glucose are probably the ones for whom cutting carbs (all of which break down into glucose in our bodies) works the best. If cutting carbs makes it easy to cut calories, then that is an extremely important factor which is often overlooked.

A point in the article brought up by David Ludwig of Harvard is that a diet with a low glycemic load tends to lower our fat setpoints, and that people are less hungry on them. This also resonates with many of us. My weight, though higher than I wish it was, is very stable at about 20-25 lbs lower than when I went on a low-carb diet for the last time about 7 years ago. Year in and year out, I can wear the same clothes! Whee! Also, my blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose, etc, are now normal and stable (although HDL, the "good cholesterol" actually keeps going higher). I wish my setpoint was lower, but I'll take "healthy", thanks!!

http://lowcarbdiets.about.com/b/2008/07/14/do-low-fat-diets-make-people-hungry.htm

Do high-fat diets make people stupid and lazy?

2012-02-10T05:11:00.000-08:00

Rats fed a high-fat diet show a stark reduction in their physical endurance and a decline in their cognitive ability after just nine days, a study by Oxford University researchers has shown.

The research, funded by the British Heart Foundation and published in the FASEB Journal, may have implications not only for those eating lots of high-fat foods, but also athletes looking for the optimal diet for training and patients with metabolic disorders.

“We found that rats, when switched to a high-fat diet from their standard low-fat feed, showed a surprisingly quick reduction in their physical performance,” says Dr Andrew Murray, who led the work at Oxford University and has now moved to the University of Cambridge. “After just nine days, they were only able to run 50 per cent as far on a treadmill as those that remained on the low-fat feed.”

But little attention has been paid to the effect of high-fat diets in the short term…

The Oxford team set out to investigate whether rats fed a high-fat diet for just a few days showed any change in their physical and cognitive abilities.

While this research has been done in rats, the Oxford team and Andrew Murray’s new group in Cambridge are now carrying out similar studies in humans, looking at the effect of a short term high-fat diet on exercise and cognitive ability.

The results will be important not only in informing athletes of the best diets to help their training routine, but also in developing ideal diets for patients with metabolic disorders such as diabetes, insulin resistance or obesity. People with such conditions can have high levels of fat in the blood and show poor exercise tolerance, some cognitive decline, and can even develop dementia over time.

http://eideard.com/2009/09/05/do-high-fat-diets-make-people-stupid-and-lazy/

Raw Foods Diet Weight Loss

2011-11-10T06:05:00.001-08:00

There are many good reasons why thousands of people all over the United States and the world are using different Raw Foods Diet Weight Loss methods to lose a tremendous amount of weight. However, going through the raw foods diet weight loss system is not only about losing weight, it is about a lifestyle choice that is focused around eating better to make yourself much more healthier in general, in addition to increasing your immune system to fight against sickness and other to prevent health problems that could plague you later in life. Many people ask how does eating only raw foods makes the person lose weight so quickly? The reason why eating only raw foods works so well in losing weight is that you are eating only natural foods, and this means cutting out unnecessary ingredients such as various fats, sugars, and carbohydrates.

How The Raw Foods Diet Weight Loss Process Works

The most important factor to remember when going on a raw foods diet weight loss plan is to only eat raw foods and to stay away from foods completely that are not. It doesn’t matter if you are a birthday party or you are going for a snack, if you are serious about losing weight fast, you must STRICTLY ONLY EAT RAW FOODS! There are tons of excellent and tasty foods you can eat that are raw foods and will help you live a healthier life.
The following foods are all part of the raw foods diet weight loss plan:

Any types of fruits and vegetables – These are the staple foods of the raw foods diet, however, it is important to remember to not heat up the vegetables or fruit using a stove or microwave, as these methods kill many of the valuable nutrients needed in this diet and to lose weight.
Raw Nuts – These are a great way to get the protein in your diet that you body desperately needs, but remember to only eat raw nuts and not flavored ones as these have unnecessary calories and fat. Also, it is better to eat nuts in their shells, as these are ripe with the nutrients necessary in partaking in the raw foods diet weight loss program.
Various Seeds – Seeds such as sunflower seeds are a great snacking food that is great for the raw foods diet.
Seaweed – Seaweed is a great snack and can be found in many supermarkets and Asian markets. This healthy snack not only tastes great, but is a great addition to any meal plan that is on the raw foods plan.

Videos of Individuals Who have Used The Raw Foods Diet Weight Loss To Great Success

Below are several videos that show off the dramatic changes your body will take when partaking in eating only raw foods. Because you are getting only the essential nutrients, you will cut out a ton of calories and fat from diet which will cause your body to shed pounds at an accelerated pace. Scott Jackson’s story of how he lost over 100 pounds going through the raw foods diet weight loss system is just one of the many success stories about normal people who have simply tried eating only raw foods for a few months and after they have had such massive success, they have incorporated eating only raw foods into their daily life.

If you are serious about losing weight, than going on a raw foods diet weight loss program is a great way to lose weight fast, and in a healthy manner. However, you must stick to eating only raw foods, and not indulge in eating sweets and other foods if you want the raw food diet weight loss plan to work, however, you will be pleased with how you look and feel after you have completed your diet. If you want to lose weight safely, and healthy try the raw foods diet weight loss method of eating healthier and you will like the results, you can count on it.

Food Combining Diet

2011-11-10T06:04:00.001-08:00

The Food Combining Diet is based on the theory that different food groups can be digested optimally when eaten in certain combinations. The concept was introduced by Dr. William Howard Hay in the 1920s. Another similar theory was introduced by Gary Martin in the 1970s.

Proteins and starches should be eaten at separate meals and fruits should be eaten alone. Starches are best absorbed when eaten alone or with vegetables because the pH of the digestive tract is alkaline.

However, the digestion of proteins requires more acid and when proteins and starches are combined, the digestive environment is neither acid or alkaline for these groups of food to be well absorbed.

The Food Combining diet has been successful in Europe for many years.

It is mostly directed towards weight loss, increasing your metabolic rate and facilitating the removal of toxins from the body. A wide variety of foods is allowed but the principles of combining food have to be followed.

Examples of foods that should not be combined are potatoes with meat or fish, bacon and eggs with bread. There are a lot of neutral foods that give you a wide range of choices and there are no forbidden foods.

The theory behind food combining is that you can easily digest carbohydrates and proteins if you eat them separately, the body will eliminate toxins better, the metabolic rate is increased and the body will store less fat.

A balanced diet plan combines food so as to provide an optimal supply of all the important nutrients. Fruits and vegetables are alkali forming foods, meat, game, fish, eggs or cheese are acid forming in their final end products in the body and the same is true for starches and carbohydrates. One of the major factors that contribute to weight gain is incomplete digestion of food. Incomplete food digestion can affect the nutrient absorption and result in fat and cholesterol build up in our bodies.

The food combining diet restricts the specific food you are eating at certain times in order to stimulate your metabolism to burn fat quickly.

Separating specific foods and consuming them in the right concentration and combination helps you digest them better and achieve fast weight loss.

Diabetes Diet

2011-11-10T06:03:00.000-08:00

Creating a Healthy Plan

A diabetes diet is a healthy-eating plan that controls the blood sugar. With a little help to get started, anyone can learn how to plan a meal based on an exchange list and counting carbohydrates. A diabetes diet is also known as medical nutrition therapy, but what it really means is eating a wide variety of nutritious foods in moderate amounts and adhering to regular meal times. Many people assume that it is necessary to restrict when they hear the word “diet.” However, a diabetes diet is based on eating foods high in nutrients and low in fat and calories. There is a major emphasis on whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. Actually, a diabetes diet is the ideal eating plan for nearly everyone with or without diabetes.

What is the Purpose?

People who have diabetes or are prediabetes should speak with their doctor or a dietition to help control the blood sugar level, also know as glucose level, and manage their weight. When the body receives excess fat and calories, it responds by creating an unhealthy rise in the blood glucose. If this is not checked regularly, it can lead to serious complications. These may include chronic problems, such as kidney, nerve, and heart damage. Losing weight can help those with type 2 diabetes to control their blood glucose far more easily in addition to the other health benefits that accompany getting down to a healthy weight. A diabetes diet can make losing weight an easier task than it usually is. Choosing healthy food and tracking eating habits can make a great difference in helping to manage the blood glucose level in order to keep it within a safe range.

Details Of A Diabetes Diet

Recommended Foods:

It is recommended that those with diabetes speak with a registered dietitian to help put together a meal plan based on the individual’s needs, goals, and lifestyle. They can even take into consideration each person’s unique tastes so that the diet is easier to follow. On the diabetes diet, quality is farm more important than quantity, so it is necessary to make each calorie count with these recommended foods.

Healthy Carbohydrates

Sugars, also known as simple carbohydrates, and starches, also known as complex carbohydrates, are broken down into blood glucose during the digestion process. While carbohydrates seem to have gotten a bad name over the years, there are healthy ones that should be eaten regularly. These include whole grains, vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy products, and legumes, such as beans, peas, and lentils.

Fiber-rich Foods

Dietary fiber includes that parts of plant foods that the body is unable to digest or absorb. A healthy amount of fiber can decrease the risk of heart disease and help to control the blood sugar levels. Foods that are high in fiber includes nuts, legumes, fruits, vegetables, wheat bran, and whole-wheat flour.

Heart-healthy Fish

It is recommended that everyone eat fish at least twice a week as it is an alternative to high-fat meats. For example, cod, tuna, and halibut have less total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol than other meants and poultry. Salmon, herring, and mackerel have a high amount of omega-3 fatty acids. These promote heart health by lowering the fat in the blood, also called triglycerides. However, fish that is fried or high in mercury should be avoided. Tilefish, king mackerel, and swordfish should be kept to a minimum to avoid the levels of mercury.

Good Fats

It is a myth that all fat is bad. There are good fats, and these are foods that contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. They can be found in foods that are naturally fatty, such as avocados, walnuts, almonds, pecans, and certain oils (canola, olive, peanut). Unsaturated fats can help to lower cholesterol levels. However, they should be eating sparingly because they are high in calories.

Foods to Avoid:

Just as there are many foods that should be incorporated into a diabetes diet, there are also many foods that work against the goal of a healthy heart. As diabetes increases the risk for heart disease and stroke by accelerating the development of clogged and hardened arteries, heart-healthy foods are essential for well being.

Saturated Fats

A diabetes diet will often dicatate that the individual gets no more than 7 percent of their daily calories from saturated fat. This often cuts out high-fat dairy products and animal proteins, such as beef, sausage, bacon, and hot dogs.

Trans Fats

Trans fats are unhealthy for everyone, but they are especially bad for a diabetes diet. They are found in processed snacks, baked goods, margarine, and shortening. These foods should be completely avoided.

Cholesterol

Individuals with diabetes should have no more than 200 milligrams (mg) of cholesterol per day. Sources of cholesterol include high-fat dairy products and high-fat animal proteins. Avoid egg yolks, shellfish, liver, and other organ meats.

Sodium

High levels of sodium increases the blood pressure. People should try to have less than 2,000 mg of sodium per day by purchasing low sodium products and avoiding extremely salty foods.

Creating A Plan

Type 2 Diabetes Diet

There are a couple different approaches to putting together a diabetes diet that keeps tha blood glucose level within a normal and healthy range. One or a combination of methods may be needed.

Counting Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates may have the greatest impact on the glucose level because they are what breaks down into glucose directly. It is important to time when to have carbohydrates and the amount that is necessary.

The Exchange System

With the exchange system, goods are grouped into categories. One serving in a group is known as an “exchange” and has the same amount of carbohydrates, fat, protein, and calories as a serving of every other food in the same group. Each exchange will have the same effect on the blood glucose based on what is needed for that specific meal or snack.

Glycemic Index

The glycemic index measures foods based on the increase in blood sugar that comes from that food. A high glycemic index will increase the blood sugar more than a food with a low glycemic index. However, those that use this system need to be careful as a food with a low glycemic index are not necessarily healthier.

Results

Embracing the diabetes diet is the best way to keep blood glucose level under control and to prevent complications from diabetes. In addition, the diet offers many other benefits. It can reduce the risk of heart and other cardiovascular diseases, certain types of cancer, and low bone mass in the future. The diabetes diet can work wonders in the health of those with or without diabetes.

The Basics of a Healthy Diabetes Diet

2011-11-10T06:00:00.001-08:00

Contrary to what you may have heard, there is no “diabetes diet,” per se — and that’s good news! The foods recommended for adiabetes diet to control blood glucose (or blood sugar) are good for those with diabetes — and everyone else. This means that you and your family can eat the same healthy foods at mealtime. However, for people with diabetes, the total amounts of carbohydrates consumed each day must be monitored carefully. Of the different components of nutrition – carbohydrates, fats, and proteins — carbohydrates have the greatest influence on blood sugar levels. Most people with diabetes also have to monitor total fat consumption and protein intake, too.

To keep your blood sugar levels in check, you need to make healthy food choices, exercise regularly, and take the medicines your health care provider prescribes. A dietitian can provide in-depth nutrition education to help you develop a personalized meal plan that fits your lifestyle and activity level, and meets your medical needs.

Is Your Type 2 Diabetes Under Control?

Learn the ABCs of a Diabetes Diet

The goal of nutrition for people with diabetes is to attain the ABCs of diabetes. The A stands for the A1c or hemoglobin A1c test, which measures average blood sugar over the previous three months. B is for blood pressure, and C is for cholesterol. People with diabetes should attain as near as normal blood sugar control (HbA1c), blood pressure, and healthy cholesterol levels.

Alcohol and Diabetes

Use discretion when drinking alcohol if you have diabetes. Alcohol is processed in the body very similarly to the way fat is processed, and alcohol provides almost as many calories as fat. If you choose to drink alcohol, only drink it occasionally and when your blood sugar level is well-controlled. It’s a good idea to check with your doctor to be sure drinking alcohol is acceptable.

Diabetes and Glycemic Index

For years, researchers have tried to determine what causes blood sugar levels after meals to soar too high in those with diabetes. Potential culprits have included sugar, carbohydrates, and starches, among other foods. The glycemic index is a ranking that attempts to measure the influence that each particular food has on blood sugar levels. It takes into account the type of carbohydrates in a meal and its effect on blood sugar.

Foods that are low on the glycemic index appear to have less of an impact on blood sugar levels after meals. People who eat a lot of low glycemic index foods tend to have lower total body fat levels. High glycemic index foods generally make blood sugar levels higher. People who eat a lot of high glycemic index foods often have higher levels of body fat, as measured by the body mass index (BMI).

Talk to your doctor, a registered dietitian, or a diabetes educator and ask if the glycemic index might work to help gain better control of your blood sugar levels.

The glycemic load takes into account the effect of the amount of carbohydrates in a meal. Both the type of carbohydrate and the amount have an effect on blood sugar.

Eating Right With Diabetes

If you have diabetes, it’s important to eat right every day to keep your blood sugar levels even and stay healthy. Here’s some easy tips:

Be sure to eat a wide variety of foods. Having a colorful plate is the best way to ensure that you are eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, meats, and other forms of protein such as nuts, dairy products, and grains/cereals.
Eat the right amount of calories to maintain a healthy weight.
Choose foods high in fiber such as whole grain breads, fruit, and cereal. They contain important vitamins and minerals. You need 25 to 35 grams of fiber per day. Studies suggest that people with type 2 diabetes who eat a high fiber diet can improve their blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Similar results have been suggested in some studies in people with type 1 diabetes.

Serving Sizes and Diabetes

Be sure to eat only the amount of food in your diabetes meal plan. Excess calories result in excess fat and excess weight. In people with type 2 diabetes, excess body fat means less sensitivity to insulin. Weight loss in overweight and obese people with type 2 diabetes helps improve blood sugars and reduces those risk factors which lead to heart disease. Your dietitian can help you determine the appropriate serving sizes you need, depending on if you need to maintain your weight, gain weight, or lose weight, and if you have high or low blood sugar levels.

In women with gestational diabetes, it’s important to eat multiple meals and snacks per day as recommended.
Do not skip meals.
Eat meals and snacks at regular times every day. If you are taking a diabetes medicine, eat your meals and take your medicine at the same times each day.

Note: If you are taking some of the newer diabetes drugs, some of these tips may not apply to you; ask your health care provider the tips you should follow.

The Sweet Truth about Food and Diabetes

You might have heard that, as a person with diabetes, you shouldn’t have any table sugar. While some health care providers continue to promote this, many — realizing that the average person lives in the real world and will probably indulge in a bit of sugar every now and then — have adopted a more forgiving view. Most experts now say that small amounts of sugar are fine, as long as they are part of an overall healthy meal plan. Table sugars do not raise your blood sugar any more than similar amounts of calories from starches, which is found in many foods that we consume. It is important to remember that sugar is just one type of carbohydrate.

When eating sugar, keep these tips in mind:

Read food labels. Learn how to determine how much sugar or carbohydrates are in the foods that you eat.
Substitute, don’t add. When you eat a sugary food, such as cookies, cakes, or candies, substitute them for another carbohydrate or starch (for example, potatoes) that you would have eaten that day. Make sure that you account for this in your carbohydrate budget for the day. If it is added to your meal for the day, then remember to adjust your insulin dose for the added carbohydrates so you can continue to maintain glucose control as much as possible. In other words, readjust your medications if you do add sugars to you meals.
Sugary foods can be fattening. Many foods that have a lot of table sugar are very high in calories and fat. If you are watching your weight (and many people with diabetes must), you need to eat these foods in moderation!
Check your blood sugar after eating sugary foods and talk to your health care provider about how to adjust your insulin if needed when eating sugars.
Ultimately, the total grams of carbohydrates — rather than what the source of the sugar is — is what needs to be accounted for in the nutritional management of the person with diabetes.

Diabetes Diet Myths

Before you start a diabetes diet, get the facts. So many people believe that having diabetes means you must avoid sugar and carbohydrates at all cost, load up on protein, and prepare “special” diabetic meals apart from the family’s meals. Wrong! Most individuals with diabetes can continue to enjoy their favorite foods, including desserts, as long as they monitor the calories, carbs, and other key dietary components and keep a regular check on their blood glucose levels.

Get the facts and start enjoying the foods you love on a diabetes diet.

What Is the TLC Diet for Diabetes?

People with diabetes who have abnormal cholesterol levels will likely be placed on a diet known as a “TLC” diet. The TLC diet will help reduce the intake of cholesterol-raising nutrients. As part of this diet you may be asked to lose weight and increase physical activity levels — all of these are components that will help lower bad LDL cholesterol. Looking at food labels will help you become more knowledgeable about your intake of fats and cholesterol.

Specifically, the TLC diet calls for the following:

Total fat consumption should be 25%-35% or less of total calories eaten per day.
Saturated fats should be less than 7% of total calories eaten in a day.
Polyunsaturated fats (from liquid vegetable oils and margarines low in trans fats) should be up to 10% of the total calories per day consumed.
Monounsaturated fats (derived from vegetable sources like plant oils and nuts) should be up to 20% of total calories per day eaten.
Carbohydrates should be 50%-60% of total calories per day eaten
We should eat 20-30 grams of fiber per day. These can be derived from oats, barley, psyllium, and beans.
The amounts of protein in the diet should equal about 15%-20% of total calories eaten per day.
Cholesterol content of the diet should be less than 200 milligrams per day.

How Much Fat Is Acceptable on a Diabetes Diet?

People with diabetes have higher than normal risk for heart disease, stroke, and disease of the small blood vessels in the body. Controlling blood pressure and limiting the amount of fats in the diet will help reduce the risk of these complications.

Limiting the amounts of saturated fats, increasing the amount of regular exercise, and receiving medical treatment can lower bad LDL cholesterol. This has been repeatedly shown in medical studies to help people with diabetes reduce their risk of heart disease and reduce the risk of death if a heart attack does occurs in a diabetic person.

Artificial Sweeteners and Diabetes

Artificial sweeteners can be added to a variety of foods and beverages without adding more carbohydrates to your diabetes diet. Using non-caloric artificial sweeteners instead of sugar also greatly reduces calories in your favorite foods.

Artificial Sweeteners and Diabetes continued…

Keep in mind that foods with artificial sweeteners are not necessarily zero carbohydrates foods. Many have carbohydrates; therefore, you must read the food labels to determine the gram amounts per serving that these have in order to take into account the effect that these carbohydrates have on your glycemic control. Foods labeled with artificial sweeteners can affect your blood sugar.

As long as you are aware of the content of carbohydrates you can adjust your meal or medication to maintain blood sugar control. “Sugar free” means no sugar has been added, but you must remember these foods still contain carbohydrates which does affect your blood sugars.

Examples of artificial sweeteners you can use include:

Aspartame
Acesulfame-k
Saccharine
Sucralose
Other non-nutritive sweeteners

Pregnant or breastfeeding women should avoid saccharine, and people who suffer from phenylketonuria should not use aspartame. People with phenylketonuria are unable to metabolize phenylalanine, an amino acid that’s a common part of many proteins.

Some artificial sweeteners — such as xylitol, mannitol, and sorbitol — have some calories and do slightly increase blood sugar levels.

The American Diabetes Association cautions that eating too much of any artificial sweetener can cause gas and diarrhea.

The Real Reason Dieting Is So Hard, and Why It Matters for CEOs

2011-10-13T15:00:00.000-07:00

What does dieting have to do with running a business? Apparently, quite a bit.

According to a fascinating NY Times Magazine article entitled ‘Do You Suffer From Decision Fatigue?, researchers have recently discovered a paradox that helps to explain why dieting is so challenging:

In order not to eat, a dieter needs willpower.
In order to have willpower, a dieter needs to eat.

As we all know (and most of us have experienced at some point), dieting involves making a series of decisions to resist the temptation of eating food that you’ve committed not to eat. Over the last several years researchers have discovered that (1) we have a finite store of mental energy for exercising self-control and making rational choices, (2) each decision we make depletes that store of mental energy (causing ‘ego depletion’), and (3) the amount of glucose in our body directly impacts that store of mental energy.

Study 1: We actually have a limited amount of willpower
In one study mentioned in the article (also highlighted in the insightful book Switch by Chip and Dan Heath), researchers randomly assigned subjects into two groups – A and B, and told them they were undergoing a study of ‘taste perceptions’. Both groups sat around a table which had on it one bowl of freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies and one bowl of radishes. Group A was told to please eat the radishes and to please not touch the cookies, as they were for a different experiment (which, as you can imagine, requires a great deal of willpower). Group B was told the opposite, to please eat the cookies and not touch the radishes (not so much willpower required for that one). Each group was then asked to complete a set of extremely challenging geometry puzzles. Here’s what they found: Subjects in Group A spent nearly 60% less time trying to solve the puzzles than subjects in Group B (8 minutes v. 19 minutes). Subjects in Group A had depleted their finite store of mental energy for exerting self-control, and simply didn’t have as much left over to devote to the geometry puzzle as those in Group B did.
Study 2: Each decision we make depletes our willpower and ability to make decisions
A more recent study showed that the same effect occurs when people have to make a number of decisions, rather than resist temptation.
According to the article’s description of the study: “a nearby department store was holding a going-out-of-business sale, so researchers from the lab went off to fill their car trunks with simple products … of sufficient quality to … appeal to college students. When they came to the lab, the students were told they would get to keep one item at the end of the experiment, but first they had to make a series of choices. Would they prefer a pen or a candle? A vanilla-scented candle or an almond-scented one? A candle or a T-shirt? A black T-shirt or a red T-shirt? A control group, meanwhile — let’s call them the nondeciders — spent an equally long period contemplating all these same products without having to make any choices. They were asked just to give their opinion of each product and report how often they had used such a product in the last six months.

Afterward, all the participants were given one of the classic tests of self-control: holding your hand in ice water for as long as you can. The impulse is to pull your hand out, so self-discipline is needed to keep the hand underwater. The deciders gave up much faster; they lasted 28 seconds, less than half the 67-second average of the nondeciders. Making all those choices had apparently sapped their willpower.”
Study 3: Glucose (sugar) directly impacts our willpower and decision-making ability
In a third study, researchers ran a similar set of tests to the one described in the first study with the chocolate chip cookies, in which students are asked to perform tasks requiring willpower. In this study, the two groups were given the same tasks requiring the same amount of willpower, but one group was given lemonade mixed with sugar and the other group was given lemonade mixed with a diet sweetener. While both lemonades tasted the same, the sugar provided a burst of glucose while the sweetener did not. Study after study showed that the sugar restored the willpower, while the artificial sweetener had no effect. “The glucose would at least mitigate the ego depletion and sometimes completely reversed it.”
Conservation of Energy
In Dr. Dan Siegel’s fascinating book Mindsight, he describes the mind as an “embodied and relational process that regulates the flow of energy and information.” Essentially, these studies are showing that we only have so much mental energy and that impacts our ability to process information. Our limited mental energy begins to be drained from the moment we wake up as we (1) resisting temptation (which we do all day long when we work instead of play, eat a balanced diet, and avoid falling asleep at our desks), (2) make decisions and (3) use up the glucose in our bodies.
When our mental energy is drained, our brains start to conserve the energy normally used to think through consequences, leading us to (1) act impulsively, or (2) do nothing. With our capacity to think through consequences diminished, we’re more likely to blow up at colleagues and family members, buy junk food and pick fights. And we are more likely to choose the status quo and avoid making choices that require significant thought or that imply significant change.
So What?
In a study of character strengths surveying more than 1 million people around the world, self-control came in dead last. Yet, self-control is one of the most important factors in your team’s ability to work well together, focus and get things done, and make good decisions. Your goal is not for your people to just physically to show up everyday, but to be able to harness their minds to the fullest extent possible toward achieving the company’s objectives.
So, here are some practical, tactical implications for CEOs, executives and managers to maximize how you use your and your team’s limited store of mental energy:
For Yourself:

Conserve your willpower by developing habits and routines that reduce the number of decision you have to make each day. This could include everything from a fixed rotation of outfits to eating the same meal for breakfast to planning and structuring your day in advance. Notice how brushing your teeth requires approximately zero willpower; once you create new habits and routines, you’ll free up mental energy for other decisions and goals.
Eat breakfast. Yet another piece of evidence that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Filling your brain with glucose (ideally slow-releasing glycogen in whole grains) at the beginning of the day will help to maximize your brain functioning.
Eat small meals throughout the day. To continually fill your stores of mental energy, try eating small meals and healthy snacks every few hours. Avoid making important decisions on an empty stomach when you’re less likely to have the energy to fully think through them.
Make your most important decisions first thing in the morning. If you know you have important decisions to make, it’s best to make them first thing in the morning (ideally after a nutritious breakfast) before your mental energy has been depleted by other decisions and temptations resisted throughout the day. Avoid making big decisions at the end of the day. In their insightful HBR article entitled ‘Manage Your Energy, Not Your Time’, Tony Schwartz and Catherine McCarthy recommend the following: “Every night, identify the most important challenge for the next day. Then make it your first priority when you arrive at work in the morning.”
Don’t make too many important decisions in a row. Since each decision depletes your ability to think clearly, try not to make too many decisions in sequence or even in one day.

For Your Teams:

Create clear rules, routines and processes that reduce the number of trivial decisions your team members need to make each day. While it’s important to give your team the autonomy to make key business decisions within their scope of responsibility, reducing the number of other, more trivial decisions they make throughout the day.
Serve breakfast. May employees roll out of bed and rush into work, without having a chance to eat breakfast. Serving breakfast at work can help fill your team’s stores of mental energy.
Keep your team well-fed throughout the day (ideally with healthy, slow-release glycogen-rich foods like whole grains). This is critical to optimal performance and decision-making, not just an employee perk. Have healthy snacks and consider providing nutritious meals.
Create organizational processes and routines that lead to big decisions being made early in the day by people who have full stomachs. When planning on-going meetings that require your team’s best thoughts and decision-making, try to schedule them toward the beginning of the day, and provide food if people haven’t eaten.
Minimize tempting distractions. To the extent possible, encourage your team members to keep only one window open on their computer and to shut down email, news sites and other non-relevant webpages while they’re working on a particular task. By eliminating the constant temptation to check that new email or news story, team members will be able to conserve the energy they would otherwise spend resisting these temptations.

Summary
Like dieters struggling to resist the temptation to eat without the fuel that would energize them to do the resisting, workers are increasingly being asked to work longer hours while having to make more and more complex decisions. Leaders will be well served to remember that (1) we have a finite store of mental energy for exercising self-control and making rational choices, (2) each decision we make depletes that store of mental energy, and (3) the amount of glucose in our body directly impacts that store of mental energy. With this in mind, what will you do to start making better use of your and your team’s limited mental energy?

Yo-Yo Dieting Alters The Way We Handle Stress

2011-10-13T14:57:00.003-07:00

Published:December 3rd, 2010 Yo-yo dieting can change the way our body handles stress and can cause us to overeat, according to a new study published in the December 1 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience. The findings of this study show that moderate diets can influence the way our brain responds to stress and crash diets can make us more susceptible to weight gain.

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania had examined the hormone levels and behaviour of laboratory mice that were fed on limited diets. The mice lost 10 to 15% of body weight after three weeks of a fewer calorie diet similar to human diets. Previous studies showed that mice that have a lifelong calorie restricted diets live 50% longer than well-fed mice. Quick-fix diets led to an increased level of the stress hormone corticosterone and to depression like behaviour.

Several genes that are important in regulating eating and stress have changed, according to the researchers. Experiences that can alter the form and structure of DNA fall into the domain of epigenetics. Such epigenetic changes were reported to last even when mice started to be fed back to reach normal weights.

Results suggested that dieting not only increases stress, but it can also reprogram the way our brain responds to future stress and emotional drives for food. Future weight loss drugs should target such stress related molecules.

Want To Losing Weight : Follow Ten Golden Rules of Dieting

2011-10-02T09:29:00.001-07:00

Modifying our Diet is one of the keys to losing weight.

But the statistics on Diet successes aren’t angelical and only a real flyspeck proportionality of dieters reach indissoluble weight sum.

To amend you become one of those that do achieve abiding unit sum from dieting, here are Ten Auspicious Rules to Fasting that you can wish to helpfulness you lose those unclaimed inches and pounds.

Rule 1: Never Skip Breakfast

The old saying that ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the day’ is certainly on the money when it comes to dieting.Nothing gets our metabolism going faster than breakfast after a good night’s sleep.Sleeping causes our metabolism to slow right down and breakfast kick-starts it again for us.

But always remember that just as important as having breakfast itself, it’s also important to choose healthy breakfast options like wholegrain cereals and breads, low-fat dairy products like milk and yogurt, and fruit or fruit juice.

Rule 2: Drink Plenty of Water and Get Plenty of Sleep

Drinking plenty of water and getting enough sleep are critically important when we are dieting.As well as helping to keep us healthy, drinking sufficient amounts of water can help us when dieting because it helps keep us feeling full and stops us from feeling hungry, and when we drink plenty of water we usually drink less soda, coffee and alcohol, all of which can add significant amounts of calories to our daily intake.

New links to the importance of sleep to weight loss are being uncovered all the time.One case in point was a series of studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association which showed that sleep loss can make weight loss far more difficult than it needs to be.So to make sure your weight loss doesn’t encounter any hidden barriers to success, drink lots of water and get plenty of sleep.

Rule 3: Count your Calories

Do you know how many calories you need to maintain your current weight and do you know how many calories you therefore need to consume in order to lose weight?

Once you know these things, you also need to keep track of how many calories you consume each day so that you can compare them to your target and make any necessary adjustments.Writing down your calorie consumption after each meal will help you realize how much of an effect the little piece of candy here and the occasional cookie there has on your weight.

Writing down your calorie consumption needn’t be hard, most of us eat the same things week in week out so chances are you’ll only need to get to know the energy values of a relatively small number of foods and drinks in order to keep track.

Rule 4: Don’t try to lose weight quickly

Gaining significant weight usually takes years and so should losing a significant amount of weight.Our bodies don’t like sudden and significant change; in fact it is built to resist it.

This resistance has a scientific name called homeostasis.When our body heats up to a temperature above its preferred level what happens?We sweat, which is an automatic response designed to cool us down to the preferred level again. That’s homeostasis at work.

When we lose weight too quickly, what happens?Our body automatically slows down its metabolism, that is, the rate at which we burn energy to survive and function. That’s homeostasis at work again.

In addition to keeping our body from fighting against us on the weight loss front, losing weight too quickly doesn’t work because early rapid weight loss usually results from losing body fluid and muscle tissue which is not healthy nor helpful in our battle to lose weight.

Rapid and significant weight loss from dieting alone is usually indicative of a very calorie restrictive diet which is also counterproductive because for most of us it is unsustainable.

Rule 5: It’s not just what you eat that counts

Weight gain isn’t a sign that we have been eating the wrong food; it is a sign that we have been eating too much food.The great news about this is that we don’t need to all start eating lettuce to lose weight; we just may need to cut down a little on the foods we enjoy each day.

Rule 6: Keeping your metabolism up

Muscle and activity keep our metabolism up which is why weight training to build or maintain our muscle mass and aerobic activity like walking, jogging, cycling and swimming are so important to those of us wanting to lose weight

Dieting alone is not the best route to weight loss and to staying in an ideal weight range.To lose weight safely and keep it off for as long as possible, always combine dieting and exercise.

Rule 7: You won’t continue to eat foods you don’t like

Most diets fail because they require us to eat plenty of foods we don’t actually like.If we don’t like what we’re eating we’re not going to stick with our diet for more than a week or two.

The key to successful dieting is to reduce the amount we eat and introduce healthier and lower calorie options of the foods we like gradually into our diet over time.

Rule 8: Watch what you drink as well as eat

Almost everything we drink, except water, has calories in it.Drinks highest in calories are typically sodas, colas and alcoholic drinks.If we typically drink a lot of any of these high calorie drinks, it may be them and not what we’re eating that is causing us to get fat.

This being the case, for many of us simply reducing these drinks or eliminating them altogether from our diet may be all that is necessary for us to lose a significant amount of fat and weight.

Rule 9: Avoid extremes of any kind

Balance is not only the key to a happy, healthy life; it is also the key to a healthy diet and dieting.Be very weary of any diets that completely cut out some foods or food groups or severely limit some foods or food groups, for example very low or no-carb diets.

Diets that are extreme in one way or another are likely to be very unhealthy at best and very dangerous to our health at worst.If you’re ever considering such a diet, which will probably promise very rapid and significant results, remember what we said about rapid weight loss and how our body is designed to maintain the status quo.

Rule 10: Seek help

If you have a lot of weight to lose, you’ve got a better chance of success if you get help.

If your weight is affecting your health to such an extent that it is or is becoming life-threatening or is leading to you suffering from weight related diseases like type-2 diabetes, seek medical help from a doctor or professional help from a dietician or another suitably qualified health care professional to lose weight immediately.

Even if your weight isn’t directly affecting your health now, it is a great idea to get help in your battle against the bulge from professionals like dieticians, personal trainers, gyms, psychologists (overeating is often caused by emotional factors) or weight loss program providers and other weight loss specialists.

In addition to getting professional help, non-professional help, support and encouragement is also vital in improving your chances of dieting success.For this type of help turn to friends, family and the support of other people with similar weight related goals, such as those that can be found on weight loss forums.

Good luck with your weight loss and remember that if you keep in mind the ten golden rules of dieting you are sure to be a dieting success story in the making.

The Mediterranean Diet Pictures

2011-10-02T09:28:00.001-07:00

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Starving and Dieting Don’t Go Hand In Hand

2011-10-02T09:17:00.001-07:00

Dieting in itself is a way to lose weight and attain the body that one always dreamt of. It is also one way of avoiding diseases in the long run. But there are some individual who think that starving during a diet will further help them in losing weight. That is surely not the case; in fact such a thing will only lead one to get a malnourished body. It is enough to eat right, exercise and stay active during a diet. In other words, we can say that starving while dieting is completely unhealthy for an individual.

Starving while dieting not only affects the body but the brain as well leading to emotional stress and irritability. Not only that a person’s concentration gets hindered and disturbed too and not to mention the lack of nutrients that a body needs. One can eat less amounts of food at different times of the day. These food items can include fruits, vegetables and high fiber items that does not make on gain weight. This will help the body’s metabolism as well. Taking advice from a dietician will also help one understand the importance of eating right in a diet and not starving.

Dieting helps in staying away from diseases and health problems but adding starving to it will only attract health problems. The immunity of a body is greatly affected by starving. So it is not recommended by anyone to starve while dieting.