Diets Tips

The cro-magnum’s weight loss diet

2012-01-08T22:25:00.000-08:00

Roughly 10,000 years ago the last Ice Age finished. Within a couple thousands years of the ice sheet retreating, farming started up again and new foods evolved to be the mainstay they are in today's weight loss diet. This new weight loss diet, called Neolithic, had an immediate effect on individual health. Skeletons of Neolithic farmers show poor nourishment compared to the previous generations of Neanderthals. They expired younger, were of less stature, had more holes in their smaller amount of teeth and showed the first indication of fatness in need of weight loss.
The problem with the new weight loss diet of the Neolithic period was that we didn't advance to gobble those new foods. The diminutive persons’ digestive territory is exclusive among primates. We have no more than one stomach and a comparatively short large intestine. We are more well-matched to digesting and extracting nutrients from animal protein, fruit, nuts, and some vegetables.

Early civilizations also were more active. By running and lifting heavy objects every day you will build muscle and lose weight. Today we call this exercising vs just surviving in those days.

The Right Vegetables For The Dieter

2012-01-08T22:06:00.000-08:00

With the right vegetables, however, you can eat as many as you want how many times you want it and not gain a pound. Exercise caution, however, by picking the right kinds of vegetables, as not all can keep you slim. This is because there are vegetables that are high in calories while there are also those who are low in calories. What are these low calorie vegetables?

The following are the types of vegetables that are considered to have low calories and are great to eat if you're in a diet or want to lose weight. These include carrots, cucumbers, radishes, fresh green beans, celery, cauliflower, cabbage, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, and lettuce. Clearly, you don’t have to go all green when you’re in a vegetable diet. If you look at the choices, you can gather for yourself that these not only contain the least calories, they are packed with essential nutrients as well.

To be more specific, if you are on a low carbohydrates diet you might have been hearing that munching on vegetables is the way to go. However, just as there are vegetables that contain low and high calories, there are also vegetables that are low and high in carbohydrates. Do not generalize that just because they are vegetables they are immediately low in carbohydrates. Vegetables that are low in carbohydrates include but are not limited to sprouts, leafy greens, hearty greens, herbs, sea vegetables, broccoli, mushrooms, avocado, peppers, summer squash, scallions, asparagus, bamboo shoots, leeks, eggplants, artichoke hearts, okra and more. Of course, low calorie vegetables are also low in carbohydrates so you can take your pick.

To be cautious, here's a list of vegetables that are starchy and are high in carbohydrates. These include beets, corn, parsnips, peas, all types of potatoes, and winter squashes. If you want to experiment on other types of vegetables, as there are many available in the produce section, you can check out their calorie and carbohydrate count on the internet to guide you on your diet.

Other types of vegetables that should be included in your diet list are those full of fiber. Don't be confused by this statement. Though vegetables in general are good sources of fiber, there are certain types of vegetables that contain more fiber than others. Examples of these fiber-rich vegetables include brussel sprouts, carrots, cooked beans and peas, and spinach. Cruciferous vegetables are also good sources of fiber such as cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower. These vegetables are good sources of soluble fiber. Soluble fiber helps keep you feeling full and therefore makes it easier for you to resist eating too much food.

Though vegetables are generally not harmful if you are on a diet, observing the right serving sizes will help accelerate the results you want to see. The National Cancer Institute has recommended certain serving sizes for different types of vegetables. The recommended serving size if you are eating raw non-leafy vegetables or cooked vegetables is half a cup. If you are eating raw leafy vegetables, the recommended serving size is one cup. If cooked beans or peas are what you’re having for a meal, the recommended serving size you should take is half a cup. These serving size recommendations are considered not only healthy but aids in dieting as well. Since all the vegetables enumerated earlier don’t all contain the same amount of carbohydrates, it is still helpful to do a carbohydrate count on those you want included in your diet. A good point to remember when you are calculating carbohydrates is to exclude the fiber count because this is generally not included.

While you are on a vegetable diet, keeping a few tips in mind to be careful is essential. You might have lost weight but you got sick in the process so what’s good in that? When you pick out vegetables, try to go to the organic produce section. If you can’t get hold of organically grown products then exercise caution by washing your vegetables thoroughly. Vegetables that are not organically grown contain pesticides which are harmful to your health.
When you are picking out vegetables, choose the freshest among the lot. You can tell when it’s fresh if it’s brightly colored and are blemish-free or has the least amount of blemishes. In-season vegetables are guaranteed to be fresh so buying vegetables growing in their season is a good idea. You shouldn’t plan on storing vegetables for too long. Buy only the vegetables you plan to be eating in a few days. Other than that you should discard vegetables that have been stored too long. When you eat vegetables, try to leave as much edible skin on them as possible. The skin on vegetables contains their own nutrients which can benefit your health. Eating vegetables raw is also a good idea as cooking them can take away some of the nutrients and add fat from the oil you used.

As you can see, vegetables don’t seem daunting in the very least. These are great, quick and cheap alternatives to fatty foods that bring on the ounces on your weighing scale. As they are low in fat, cholesterol, sodium and calories naturally, it is no wonder that vegetables have been advocated to dieters for such a long time. If recipe is your problem, there are great recipe books or online recipes that show you great ways to make your vegetables tasty without adding unnecessary fat and taking away their nutrients.

Are Herbal Diet Pills Right For You?

2011-10-26T21:18:00.000-07:00

I took a few herbal diet pills in college once on a whim, and I didn’t eat anything for nearly two days afterwards. I also didn’t really get much sleep either. Anything that makes you wired like that and kills your appetite so completely just isn’t good for you.

While they were ‘ephedra free’ and were supposedly totally natural and safe, I don’t think I’d ever felt so polluted and ill in my life. A year later I discovered that the FDA had banned the same herbal diet pills ...

I took a few herbal diet pills in college once on a whim, and I didn’t eat anything for nearly two days afterwards. I also didn’t really get much sleep either. Anything that makes you wired like that and kills your appetite so completely just isn’t good for you.

While they were ‘ephedra free’ and were supposedly totally natural and safe, I don’t think I’d ever felt so polluted and ill in my life. A year later I discovered that the FDA had banned the same herbal diet pills I had taken, and I have to wonder what it was I had put in my body.

Herbal diet pills are very popular these days as an alternative to more traditional methods of weight loss like diet and exercise. Herbal treatments in general are very trendy today, which I find a little worrisome for several reasons.

First of all, just about anything can be in an herbal diet pill. ‘Herbs’ are a kind of loophole in the FDA system, as they are not classified as drugs and therefore don’t have the rigorous standards for testing and safety that drugs normally get.

Make no mistake about it though, herbs can be every bit as potent and harmful as drugs. The difference between medicinal herbs and drugs is really quite vague anyway, as most drugs themselves come from a kind of plant or herb.

Most of the time the ‘herbal’ classification doesn’t last very long; the FDA eventually calls it a drug and brings in the scientists. When that happens herbal diet pills often either become available only by prescription or are banned completely. Snooping around a little from site to site selling herbal diet pills, it is clear that the makers of these things are all too familiar with the FDA.

Many sites even use it to their advantage saying things to the effect of ‘buy it now before the FDA bans it!’. You have to ask yourself, if the FDA is likely going to ban an herbal diet pill you’re interested in, should you be taking it at all?

I took a few herbal diet pills in college once on a whim, and I didn’t eat anything for nearly two days afterwards. I also didn’t really get much sleep either. Anything that makes you wired like that and kills your appetite so completely just isn’t good for you.

While they were ‘ephedra free’ and were supposedly totally natural and safe, I don’t think I’d ever felt so polluted and ill in my life. A year later I discovered that the FDA had banned the same herbal diet pills I had taken, and I have to wonder what it was I had put in my body.

Anyway, just don’t be fooled by the word ‘herbal’ in an herbal diet pill. I would actually trust a regular diet pill that is FDA approved a lot more than some herbal diet pill concoction that has who knows what in it. The words herbal and natural are marketing ploys and should never be confused with the word safe unless there’s been some testing to prove it.

All About The Chinese Diet Green Tea : Good For Diet?

2011-10-26T21:11:00.000-07:00

Did you know that during the Boston Tea Party, the tea that was dumped into the harbor was mostly Chinese green tea? Well, this delightful beverage has been around for thousands of years and has been part of the Chinese diet since the ancient times. Today, it is highly appreciated for its advantages. As numerous studies have found out, the Chinese diet green tea has a significant number of health benefits.
Did you know that during the Boston Tea Party, the tea that was dumped into the harbor was mostly Chinese green tea? Well, this delightful beverage has been around for thousands of years and has been part of the Chinese diet since the ancient times. Today, it is highly appreciated for its advantages. As numerous studies have found out, the Chinese diet green tea has a significant number of health benefits.

As noted, Chinese green tea has been around for thousands of year, approximately 4,000 years. Legend has it that this delightful brew was discovered accidentally by a Chinese emperor. It comes from the same plant, Camellia Sinensis, as traditional black tea and oolong tea. And, for centuries, Chinese medicine has used it to treat headaches, digestive problems, lack of energy, and immune enhancement.

The Chinese diet green tea is actually produced by steaming the fresh tea leaves at high temperatures, leaving a significant part of the nutritional enzyme content intact. Unlike the black and oolong tea, the green tea is never fermented. Instead, its leaves bypass the fermenting process and steamed, baked or pan heated. The leaves are rolled and those tightly rolled leaves have long been considered as a sign of quality.

Chinese Diet Green Tea for Weight Loss

One particular claim that linked the Chinese green tea to diet is its being a miracle tea for weight loss. Well, there is no such thing as a “miracle” weight loss food or drug though, but several indications were revealed that Chinese green tea brings a number of benefits to those trying to lose weight.

It was revealed that green tea extracts are capable of reducing fat digestion by inhibiting digestive enzymes. Other studies have shown that green tea has thermogenic properties, which are probably brought on by the interaction between its caffeine content and catechin polyphenols. As you may know, thermogenesis is the process of the body burning fuel without making chemical energy.

Experts have said that of combined with the other weight loss supplements or techniques, the Chinese green tea could be an excellent addition to your diet.

Other Benefits

There are also other benefits connected with the intake of Chinese diet green tea. One of those is the claim that the polyphenols found in green tea have been shown to inhibit growth of cancer cells. The polyphenols appear to block the formation of cancer-causing compounds, and it is believed that the Chinese diet green tea has the greatest benefit on cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.

The Chinese diet green tea polyphenols are also powerful anti-oxidants. They are even more powerful than vitamin C and vitamin E, and more powerful than that found in many fruits and vegetables. The green tea itself contains vitamin C.

Further researches even found out that the compounds in green tea stimulate immune system cells. In recent years, research has shown that green tea may reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke. It is even good for the teeth as it contain fluoride that helps fight tooth decay.

Having said all these, I think that now is the right time to brew up a bit of Chinese diet green teas for a beneficial break in your day.

How safe is the rapid weight loss?

2011-07-28T11:06:00.000-07:00

You can drop the extra weight as quickly as possible, but the loss is often the longest with a slow and safe.

Tempted by the fad diet that promises 15 or even 30 pounds of weight loss in the first month? Although it would be wonderful if the excess weight safely could melt (ideally before bikini season), rapid weight loss is unlikely, and extended the extreme weight loss is not safe

Weight Loss: Understanding the first drop

"We usually recommend about half a pound to two pounds per week, which is much less than the fad diets promise," said Emily Banes, RD, clinical dietitian at Houston Northwest Medical Center.

Banes recognizes that some people may experience rapid weight loss in the early stages of a new regime, but says it is important to be realistic about what to expect in the long run. "If you have a lot to lose and start a diet and lose more than two pounds a week is not necessarily a bad thing, but I know it will diminish," Banes says, adding that part of the initial weight loss is probably water weight.

Even patients Banes "who had lap band or gastric bypass surgery and losing weight dramatically in the first place will eventually fall to what looks like an exploration, but is actually a rate of healthy weight loss. Banes said she would worry about someone rate of weight loss if they continued to lose five to 10 pounds (or more) per week.

Weight Loss: Safe Strategies, Best Strategies

While not everyone, including Banes, focuses on counting calories, doing the math can help guide you to a safer weight loss. Generally, experts recommend trimming 500 to 1,000 calories from your daily intake by eating less and exercising more.

A pound is the equivalent of 3,500 calories, so if you can cut 500 calories each day for a week, you should lose one pound. Researchers who analyzed data from 1,801 Minnesota dieters over a two-year period found that the more strategies dieters used, the more likely they were to be successful in losing weight at this pace. Strategies that lead to success include:

Counting calories
Increasing daily exercise (aim for 150 minutes a week or more)
Cutting out sweets and snacks
Reducing fat intake to less than 30 percent
Increasing fruit and vegetables
Decreasing portion sizes

The researchers noted that one crucial piece of information lacking from many diet strategies: persistence. Their conclusions support the fact that even though it will take a long time at the pound-per-week pace — longer than many people would like — with a slower approach you are more likely to develop the long-term healthy habits that will help keep the lost weight off.

Weight Loss: When the Rate Becomes Dangerous

If extreme weight loss means you are not getting enough nutrients — the fats, carbohydrates, and proteins needed for your body to function properly — you have entered the territory of unsafe weight loss. You may also be developing an eating disorder focused on your obsession with weight. Some of the warning signs that you may be losing too much weight are:

Thinning hair
Frequently becoming sick
Feeling cold more often than usual
Having fewer or no menstrual cycles

Disappointing though it may be, the reality is that slow and steady wins the weight-loss race. Take it easy and be patient — you will achieve your goal and, more importantly, maintain it.

Is Atkins right for you

2011-07-22T13:13:00.000-07:00

The Atkins diet is very popular, but is it right for you? Before you start down the low carb road, you should take some time to decide whether low carb is the right way for you to lose weight. Just because it has been effective for others doesn’t mean it will be right for you. No specific diet works for everyone, and you may even find that a type of low carb diet that works better for you than another. There are many things to consider before you start the Atkins diet.

First, evaluate your past dieting history. If you’ve been trying to lose weight for a long period of time, you’ve no doubt tried a wide variety of diets. Take note of the different diets you’ve tried over the years. Write down the basics of each diet, what worked and what didn’t. Also, write down why you didn’t stay on the particular diet. Evaluate your experience with high carbohydrate diets. These types of diets include most low-fat and calorie controlled diets. How did you feel while on these types of diets? Were you hungry, obsessed with food or experiencing negative reactions? Or did you feel full of energy and generally good?

If you’ve had experience with low carb diets, write that down as well. Past the negative effects of the first week, how did eating low carb make you feel? Why did you stop using the low carb diet?

The answers to these questions will help you decide whether Atkins is right for you or not. If you’ve had good experiences with low-fat diets and bad experiences with other low carb diets, then Atkins is probably not for you. If other low-carb diets have worked but not without difficulty, then you may have been on the wrong type of low-carb diet and Atkins might work better. If you’ve had bad experiences with both types of diets, then you may have better success with a modified Atkins diet.

Your food and eating behaviors can also give you a clue to whether or not Atkins is a good choice for your weight loss efforts. Carb sensitivities are indicated by a certain set of behaviors. You may be carb sensitive if you feel like eating right after you’ve finished a meal. You will also feel strong urges to eat throughout the day. You may feel dizzy, fuzzyheaded and fatigued without getting a boost from sugar or another carbohydrate. Carb sensitivity is also shown when you feel sluggish after eating. This occurs especially after you eat a meal rich in sugars and carbohydrates. If you experience these symptoms frequently, you may have carb sensitivities. Try paying close attention to how carbohydrates affect you and if you continue to experience these symptoms, try doing a low carb diet.

Your success on the Atkins diet can also be determined by your medical and family history. If you have any pre-diabetic symptoms, or diabetes itself, a reduced carb diet like Atkins may be right for you. Significant weight gain can also be helped by the Atkins diet. Normally, the more overweight you are, the more likely you are to have high blood pressure, high triglycerides and high blood glucose.

If any member of your family has diabetes or is significantly overweight, this can also put you at risk for these conditions. Your tendency toward these conditions on a genetic level can mark a necessity for a low carbohydrate diet like Atkins. The Atkins plan has been shown to improve weight and control blood sugar issues. If these are problems in your family history, then you may want to consider the Atkins diet.

There are a lot of good reasons to try the Atkins diet. Whether you have responded well to other low carb diets in the past or you have a medical history that warrants a controlled carbohydrate diet, the Atkins diet can meet your needs.

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Atkins Snack Choices

2011-07-22T12:43:00.000-07:00

Atkins Snack Choices

Atkins Snack Choices

We live in a society of nibblers. Long gone are the traditional three square meals per day. Today, people eat at their desks, catch a snack in the afternoon and eat late night goodies. Most, if not all, of these snacks are carbohydrate based and full of sugar. This poses a challenge to people who are trying to follow the Atkins plan. Snacking is a necessary part of keeping your blood sugar up, but most packaged snack foods are forbidden on the plan.

Sweet snacks are high in calories, full of empty carbohydrates and offer no nutritional value. But they sure are popular. There is actually a Snack Food Association that tracks sales of packaged snack foods. It is estimated that Americans eat 3.1 billion pounds of chocolate. Snacking has increased more than a third since 1988. Sales of snack foods gross over $30 billion a year.

If you’ve been a snack food junkie you’ve become used to eating carbohydrates of the worst kind. Snack foods are made from highly refined carbohydrates like white flour, white sugar, corn meal and corn syrup. They are high in trans-fats (which is a contributor to clogged arteries). All in all, they are probably one of the worst food choices you could be making.

But there is hope! You can conquer your love of snack foods by making Atkins-friendly snacking choices. Before you can make the switch, make sure to educate yourself. Understand just how dangerous trans fats can be by reading up on them. Then read the ingredients label of your favorite snack foods. You may be shocked to discover how many trans fats, artificial flavorings and preservatives that you are eating.

Next, get rid of all of the snack foods in your house. If its not there, then you can’t eat it. Junk food is not good for anyone in your home so ignore your family’s complaints and do what is best for the health of everyone.

Now you’ll need to replace those snack foods with some better choices. Giving up your snack foods is not the same as giving up snacks. Snacks should be a part of your daily eating plan because it will help you from becoming too hungry and indulging in high-carbohydrate treats.

There are plenty of low carbohydrate snacks that are easy to make and simple to have around the house. String cheese sticks or small cheese rounds are very easy to keep in the refrigerator. Meat snacks are also a good choice. You can buy jerky strips and other meat products that keep well for long periods of time. When you buy cheese or meat sticks, make sure to read the labels carefully for hidden carbs.

There are low carb instant soups available that are very easy to make and satisfying if you are craving something hot. Low carb soy chips and celery can help with “crunchy” cravings. Try adding peanut butter or cream cheese spread to add more protein to these snacks. Also, you can’t beat a handful of nuts for a high-protein, quick snack.

All of the previously mentioned snacks are good for the initial phases of the Atkins diet and beyond. If you are past the induction phase, you can enjoy berries with cream as a snack. There are also many acceptable fruits that make good snacks for the pre-maintenance phase.

Atkins Criticism

2011-07-20T12:01:00.000-07:00

Atkins Criticism

The Atkins diet is very popular, but it also comes with a lot of criticism. Health experts, doctors and diet specialists come from all different opinions when it comes to the Atkins diet and other low carb diets. Some believe that it is dangerous, some say that it is a healthy method to lose weight and others say that it works on a short-term basis.

However, there are also thousands of individuals who have found success with the Atkins diet. They can speak from personal experience and know that the diet works and it is an effective means of keeping weight off. There are thousands of testimonials that tout the benefits of the low carb way of living.

There are many typical criticisms of the Atkins diet. One of the first is that the diet it too high in fat. The butter, oil and fatty meats that are used in the Atkins diet are a far cry from the low-fat diet fad that recently swept the nation. For many people, the low fat mindset has prevailed and they cannot fathom eating real butter or cream with their meals. It seems like too much fat at first glance. However, those that pay close attention to Dr. Atkins guidelines and follow the program closely know that the diet focuses on good fats. Extra virgin olive oil and other helpful fats are emphasized. The proper use of these oils is important to brain function and mood management.

Another popular Atkins criticism is that it focuses too much on food and not enough on exercise. This is an unfair claim because the Atkins books clearly spell out a need for exercise. There is a lot of attention paid to food choices because they are an integral part of the program, and they are different foods than what people are normally used to eating. However, this does not mean that exercise is not an integral part of the Atkins program. Aerobic and anaerobic exercise regimens are encouraged, and both will greatly increase your weight loss efforts.

Many Atkins critics feel that the diet is hard too keep up in the long term. Critics in this category will admit that Atkins is effective in short-term weight loss efforts, but point out that the lifestyle is hard to maintain over time. However, people who have had long term success with Atkins claim it is one of the easiest diets to follow for significant periods of time. The Atkins plan has rich food that is forbidden on other programs, and it has appetite-suppressing effects. When you combine this with the quick weight loss, a motivating factor for many people, Atkins is easy to stick to long term.

The side effects of Atkins, like constipation and bad breath, have also been a topic that Atkins critics are quick to point out. However, these side effects are not as common as critics make them out to be. If they do occur, the side effects normal only last through the first phase of the diet. Additionally, drinking additional water will normally take care of both problems rather quickly.

There are pros and cons to many diets. If you don’t particularly enjoy preparing and eating meat, then Atkins is probably not for you. But if you are considering Atkins, make sure to look beyond the common criticisms for the truth about the diet.

5 Healthy Benefits of Following a Mediterranean Diet Plan

2011-07-09T14:54:00.000-07:00

The Mediterranean diet has been around for centuries, but many people are just now realizing the tremendous benefits of the diet. Here are five excellent benefits of eating Mediterranean style...

The Mediterranean diet has been around for centuries, but if you don't live in countries where this diet is prevalent such as Greece or Italy, you may not realize the many benefits of eating healthy foods "Mediterranean" style. According to studies, the Mediterranean diet encourages healthy weight loss and helps to reduce risks of many life-threatening diseases. Below are five of the top benefits of following this diet.

Fast Weight Loss
One of the key benefits of the Mediterranean diet is fast weight loss. This is not from the results of a diet pill or a crash starvation diet, but from healthy, portion-controlled eating. Weight loss rates will vary, but some have reported losing an average of 10 pounds per month. Delicious diet recipes are often provided when following the Mediterranean diet that help to speed up the weight loss process without depriving you of much needed vitamins and nutrients. Losing weight alone can offer many health benefits.
Good Heart Health
The delicious diet recipes provided while following a Mediterranean diet are all designed to promote good heart health. The Mediterranean diet consists of healthy doses of olive oil, fruits and vegetables, and oily fish. With some participants, a moderate amount of wine is consumed with meals. All these help to lower cholesterol and keep the blood flow to the heart at a normal level, thus, reducing the risk of heart disease tremendously.
Lower Cancer Risks
Having too many toxins in the body can cause some types of cancer, such as breast cancer. Eating the types of healthy foods promoted in the Mediterranean diet such as fruits and vegetables will lower the amount of toxins in the body because these foods are natural antioxidants.
Prevent Gallstones
Those who have fallen victim to gall stones realize how painful they can be. With around 639,000 people being hospitalized per year with gallstones, many studies are being conducted to help find a cause and cure. The Mediterranean diet is rich in nuts, vegetable oil, and fish. Though gallstones are not always diet-related, consuming these foods can help to reduce the risk of gall stones or eliminate them altogether for some according to recent studies.
Lower Blood Pressure
The healthy foods in a Mediterranean diet can also work to lower and regulate blood pressure. Blood cholesterol levels can return to normal when eating less fatty foods and salt, and more healthy vitamins and minerals. Cooking procedures on a Mediterranean diet usually involve roasting or grilling rather than frying, so more nutrients are retained in the food during preparation, and there is much less fat consumption.

These are only a few of the benefits. The Mediterranean diet also offers many other benefits such as reducing the risks of blood clotting, diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome, and other life-threatening diseases. Don't deprive yourself. Start eating delicious diet recipes on the Mediterranean diet for healthy weight loss today.

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Atkins Induction

2011-06-29T00:38:00.000-07:00

Atkins diet foods are easy to find and available everywhere. There are many varieties to choose from, whether you pick prepackaged low-carb diet foods or make your own meals. No matter how you want to do the Atkins plan, there is a solution out there for you.

You’ll need to keep the Atkins food pyramid in mind when you make food choices. The Atkins pyramid looks much different than the USDA Food Guide Pyramid. The base of the pyramid consists of protein sources such as eggs, fish, beef, chicken and tofu. On a daily basis, your diet should consist primarily of these foods. The second tier has low glycemic vegetables like salad greens, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus and spinach.

The third tier is made up of berries and avocado. Fruits should be used on an occasional basis after the initial stages of the Atkins diet. Vegetable and seed oils, cheese, dairy, nuts and legumes are used sparingly and in appropriate portions. While the FDA pyramid has oils and fats at the top peak, the Atkins pyramid places whole grain foods in this spot. Whole grain foods should be used very occasionally and don’t make up the mainstay of the Atkins diet.

When you start the Atkins plan, you’ll need to make sure you understand which foods are acceptable for your stage of the program. The Induction phase is the most restrictive, but it only lasts two weeks.

You owe it to your dieting success to stay within the acceptable foods list. One of the best ways to do this is to follow the Atkins menu plans that are printed within the New Diet Revolution book. There are also Atkins cookbooks and cookbooks that are geared toward other low carb diets that are helpful in formulating meal plans.

It’s a helpful idea to use a cheat sheet of acceptable Atkins foods wherever you go. If you are out and about and hungry, the last thing you want to do is to try to think back in your memory to figure out what you can and cannot eat. Carrying a list of acceptable foods with you will make finding a snack or meal while out on the run easy. You can’t always rely on “low carb” labels to tell you whether or not something is diet friendly. Ever since low carb became the new diet craze, manufacturers have been jumping on the bandwagon to attract Atkins dieters. They label items low carb to sell products and don’t have your health in mind. Relying on foods from your own personal list is the best way to stay on the plan.

Another good resource for keeping track of the appropriate Atkins foods is an online diet program. There are several available. Some are free and some have a small monthly fee. The programs require you to register and then they provide you with personal weekly menu plans based on your needs and your carbohydrate gram level. There are normally printable weekly shopping lists that make picking up your Atkins diet foods from the grocery store easy and quick.
Atkins diet food is easy to find once you know what you are looking for. The books, food pyramid and online resources can help you make better food choices and stay on the diet for the long term.

Atkins and Intestinal Problems

2011-06-06T10:47:00.000-07:00

Atkins and Intestinal Problems

The main complaint of those who use the Atkins diet is the intestinal problems that are associated with reducing carbohydrates. These problems can include constipation and diarrhea. These symptoms can happen to anyone at any time, but those who follow a low carb diet are especially at risk. Very often, diet suffer from diarrhea during the first days of induction. This is the result of the body get rid of excess carbohydrates. It also marks the beginning of the process of ketosis. So, in reality, diarrhea early in the diet is a good thing. This shows that you are on your way to becoming a fat burning machine.

Constipation is a side effect of the lack of fiber in the diet low in carbohydrates. Whole grains, legumes and fruits are the usual sources of dietary fiber, and all are limited in the initial phases of the Atkins diet. You should not be afraid of living low-carb because of these problems.There are no simple solutions and can help prevent these symptoms, and you can continue living in the diet plan.

The first advice is to make sure to include the right amount of vegetables low in carbohydrates in your daily diet.In the induction phase, you can eat up to 20 grams of carbohydrates per day. This is roughly equal to 3 cups of salad vegetables. Some people are tempted to use their carbohydrate grams on cheese or artificially sweetened soda. Eating acceptable vegetables is a vital part of maintaining intestinal health while following the Atkins plan. It’s also important to drink a minimum of 8 eight-ounce glasses of water per day and get exercise. Both of these steps can help with intestinal programs.

If you are experiencing constipation specifically, then there are many methods for relief. When you switch from a diet full of processed and refined sugar products, your body will need some time to adjust to this new way of eating. You’ll need to make sure to up your fiber intake with acceptable vegetables and fruits (certain fruits are allowed after the initial induction phase). You can also try a fiber supplement like sugar-free Metamucil.

Make sure you are eating enough fats and oils. Constipation can be a result of too little fat in your diet. Adding tablespoon of olive oil or flax oil to salads or other vegetables can help your intestinal health. Also, try to incorporate a variety of vegetables in your salad. Pale iceberg lettuce does not have much fiber in it. Try dark green lettuces or have a serving of dark green steamed veggies (broccoli, asparagus or spinach are good choices).

If these tips don’t work, try cutting out all salt from your diet for a couple of days. This includes pickles, mustard, diet soda, ham, bacon and bottled salad dressing. This will decrease your fluid retention and sometimes helps with bowel movements.

Diarrhea should not be a problem after the first week of the Induction plan. However, on rare occasion, it does persist longer. First, analyze your diet. If you are eating low carb protein bars or other sugar free products, eliminate them. They may contain sweeteners like glycerine, sorbitol and malitol which are known to cause diarrhea and gas. Homemade low carb desserts may also be a cause of problems. Most of them use maltodextrin, an artificial sweetener used in baking. Maltodextrin is made from corn and can cause problems for some people.

If you are not used to eating raw vegetables everyday, this may be a cause of diarrhea. Understand that your body will adjust to the vegetables and the intestinal side effects won’t last forever. Make sure you are chewing your raw vegetables thoroughly. Also, using lightly steamed vegetables rather than raw can be a solution to this problem.

Intestinal problems are common during the first portion of the Atkins diet. Keep in mind, however, that these problems will go away within the first few weeks of the new way of eating. If the problems persist, try the previously mentioned tips to get relief.

Atkins and Diabetes

2011-06-06T10:31:00.000-07:00

Atkins and Diabetes

Atkins diet principles lay the foundation for a healthy and balanced eating the standard American diet. The emphasis is on using good carbohydrates in balance with adequate protein. This is in stark contrast to what most Americans eat on a daily basis. The average American eats lots of processed foods have hidden sugars and highly processed carbohydrates. This allowed most Americans on the road to diabetes and prediabetic conditions. What is sad is that diabetes has a predictable series of steps and can be easily recognized.

The road to diabetes has to do with something called the glycemic index. All carbohydrates are classified in this index over the level of insulin reaction they produce. Foods that are ranked high glycemic index causes the pancreas to release insulin to break down a lot the amount of sugars and carbohydrates (which produce large amounts of glucose). Refined carbohydrates and sugars that make up the vast majority of the American diet rank very high on the glycemic index.

We can more easily digest these foods that children, because our bodies function more efficiently in our youth. Many people who are overweight are also insulin resistant. Insulin resistance means that the insulin is not doing its job in removing glucose from the blood stream. The pancreas gets over worked and it releases massive amounts of insulin, sometimes 20 times more than the body actually needs. This results in the blood sugar dropping to extremely low levels. This sets off a chain reaction in the body that leads to a release of adrenaline to correct the blood sugar problem.

With age, blood sugar and insulin difficulties become more aggravated. The condition is called “hyperinsulinism” and is a precursor for type II diabetes. It is normally accompanied by high blood pressure and high triglycerides.

After years of using a high-carbohydrate diet, you will finally become fully diabetic. Insulin is the body’s primary fat creator and extra pounds usually accompany late onset diabetes. Pre-diabetic conditions, if not treated effectively, will lead to diabetes indefinitely.

However, there are easily identifiable warning signs to diabetes that appear early. Your family doctor can perform insulin level tests that will let you know if you are at risk for pre-diabetic conditions, and studies show that low-carb diets like Atkins can help. Controlling your blood sugar is one of the most effective methods to controlling pre-diabetic conditions.

The Atkins diet helps effectively control blood sugar. The combination of proteins, fats and good carbohydrates will keep your body satisfied without the roller coaster effect. Controlling carbohydrates in quantity as well as type will help limit the insulin spikes. This will let your pancreas work in the way that it was meant to be, and it will decrease the likelihood of your developing pre-diabetic conditions. It’s a vicious cycle that, if left unchecked, can lead to diabetes later in life. When the Atkins diet is followed effectively it produces stable blood sugar throughout the day and helps you stay off the road to diabetes.

Atkins and Exercise

2011-06-05T14:35:00.000-07:00

Atkins and Exercise

There are a lot of attention to the Atkins diet plan food and cooking. It 's true that food choices are extremely important in the diet. But many people mistakenly use to ignore. Published recently, the Atkins food pyramid shows the importance of exercise. It shows the increase in food options with greater activity. Exercise is important for the Atkins diet, and it is important for all public health.

Exercise is good for the body, mind and soul.
It has many major benefits, even at limited levels. It not only burns fat but it boosts your metabolism and increases circulation. Daily exercise helps your body eliminate toxins through sweat glands and lymph systems. It is especially important to all low-carb weight loss programs because it regulates blood sugar levels.

Physical exercise is essential for Atkins diet success. Without exercise, your body isn’t configured to process carbohydrates successfully. Research has shown that sedentary individuals have extreme insulin reactions to even moderate amounts of carbohydrates. This means that exercise doesn’t only help you lose weight, it will help you keep it off too. Exercise will teach your body how to process the carbohydrates in your diet. When you exercise regularly, you’ll be able to eat more carbohydrates over time because your body will use them efficiently.

There are two basic types of exercise: aerobic exercise and anaerobic exercise. The best regimen combines these two forms each week.

Aerobic exercise’s primary goal is to increase your heart rate. This causes your body to consume more oxygen and it gives all of your cells a fresh supply of oxygen. If you’ve been without physical activity for a while, many of those cells have been deprived. Aerobic exercise will regenerate them and help you feel better in times when you aren’t exercising.

If you’ve been inactive for a while, it may take some time to get used to your new aerobic workouts. You may want to get some advice from your primary care doctor or a professional aerobics instructor. Make sure to start slowly to give yourself time to adjust to your new movements. It’s essential that you learn how to stretch and warm up correctly in order to avoid muscle strain. Some good beginning aerobic activities include walking, golf, tennis and dancing. These activities won’t cause a lot of strain on your body, but they will get your heart moving. Start slowly and set small goals for yourself. For example, if you are starting a walking program begin by walking four blocks. Then increase your training to five blocks, then six. Your body will respond well to the exercise…after all your body was meant to move!

Anaerobic exercise includes any activity that isn’t technically aerobic. Most of the exercises in this category build muscle mass. Weightlifting and strength training are examples of anaerobic exercises. Working out with weights is an important part of losing weight. As you lose fat, you’ll need to replace it with muscle in order to stay lean. Don’t be afraid of working out with weights. You won’t need to become a bodybuilder. Weight bearing exercises like isometrics and resistance training will help improve your bone density, your posture and your fat burning potential.

If an exercise program is not part of your weight loss efforts, you are setting yourself up for failure. Make a commitment to incorporating exercise into your weight loss efforts and you’ll see the results immediately.

Atkins And Appetite Suppression

2011-04-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

One of the most common effects, and surprising, to follow the Atkins diet is appetite suppression. Many supporters of the report that the level of hunger between meals, they used to experience disappear very quickly. This makes it easier to stay on the diet and continue to lose weight. While other diets have their followers hungry between meals, the Atkins diet offers relief from constant hunger. Atkins diet, with its special combination of foods and ingredients, has powerful effects suppressing appetite.

The first key component is the amount of protein in the Atkins diet. Protein, more so than carbohydrates, has the power to satiate hunger. If you’ve ever eaten a carb heavy meal and then felt hungry afterward, you know that carbohydrates don’t have much staying power. Protein, when combined with a small amount of healthy fats, can keep you feeling full for long periods of time.

One of the most powerful appetite suppressing foods on the Atkins diet are eggs. Eggs are a great form of quick and easy protein. A recent study showed that eating eggs for breakfast would actually stave off hunger pangs through the rest of the day. The research concerned two groups of women. One group ate eggs for breakfast and the other had a breakfast of bagels and cream cheese. The calorie count for both breakfasts was exactly the same. The subjects kept track of what they ate the rest of the day and answered questions about their levels of hunger and satisfaction throughout the day. The results showed that the women who ate the eggs for breakfast felt more satisfied throughout the entire day. They ate less at each meal than the women who were in the bagel group.

Eggs contain about 6 grams of protein each. This helps to even out blood sugar and produces a feeling of satisfaction. Both of these factors help to curb cravings. Egg yolks also contain lutein and xenazanthin. These nutrients have been shown to have incredible effects on eye health. So it’s important to eat the whole egg, and not just the white. Eggs contain choline that is important in brain functioning and memory. These nutrients are just an added benefit to the appetite suppressing qualities.

Broccoli and cauliflower, two of the acceptable vegetables on the Atkins program, also have appetite-suppressing effects. These vegetables are very bulky and they help make your stomach feel full. When your stomach feels full, it will actually create a chemical response in your body. Your body will reduce its appetite because it believes that your stomach is full of high calorie foods. This will happen regardless of what is in your stomach. You can achieve the same results with water and psyllium husk fiber. Both broccoli and cauliflower provide bulk in your diet and are essential vegetables on the Atkins plan.

The Atkins diet focuses on eating small protein balanced meals a few times per day. This will help keep your blood sugar stabilized and avoid carbohydrate cravings. With high carbohydrate diets, you are riding the wave of carbohydrate highs. After you eat, you feel great and full. Then a few hours later, you come crashing down and are hungrier than you were previous to eating the carbohydrate. This cycle continues and, over time, you will eat more and gain weight. The protein, fat and vegetable meals of the Atkins plan put your blood sugar back in balance. They provide just enough of each type of food, with a proper amount of carbohydrates (from the vegetables). The vegetables provide quick carbohydrate energy, and the protein gives the meal staying power. This combination helps suppress your appetite.

The Atkins diet is actually a craving control diet that can help suppress your appetite. If you’ve had a problem with carbohydrate cravings before, this new way of eating will help control those cravings. The more you eat on the plan, the better your cravings will be controlled and the easier it will be to follow the diet.