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Posts Tagged ‘Healthy Diet’

How Low Carb Diets Work

January 22nd, 2010 AverageWeightForWomen No comments

Many people are confused about how low carb diets work. It doesn’t make sense to them that you can eat more fat and protein than is traditionally called for and still lose weight. A low carb diet plan greatly restricts the amount of carbohydrates you consume, as compared with a traditional North American diet, or even compared with a low fat diet. While our bodies would usually burn stored carbohydrates for energy, low carb eating forces the body to burn more stored fat instead. When this happens, your body produces chemicals called “ketones”. Ketones result when your kidneys convert fat to soluble waste. Getting your body to reach this point is one of the goals of a low carbohydrate diet.There is a scientific reason behind the development of this diet. Dr. Robert Atkins first introduced the concept of eating a low carbohydrate diet in the 1970s. He noticed that primitive people consumed a diet of mostly meat, vegetables and some fruit.

Because this diet was in existence for thousands of years before the development of agriculture, Atkins concluded that the reason most people had difficulty losing weight and keeping it off is that we are eating contrary to the way our digestive system is set up. In other words, our bodies do not support eating wheat, barley and other grains and sugars. In the 1990s the diet seemed to be rediscovered and became known as the Atkins New Diet Revolution. Since the reemergence of the Atkins diet, other low carb diets have been developed that are variations of it. The Zone Diet, the Stillman Diet, the Hollywood Diet, the Ketogenic Diet and the South Beach Diet are all based on the idea of eating fewer carbohydrates. They all advise eating more protein and limited carbs and inducing the body to burn its own fat. Low carb diet plans differ somewhat in the amount of carbohydrates they allow, but all advise cutting out all white or starchy foods. The most strict is the 20 gram per day carb limit of the initial stage of Atkins, plus some of the other diet plans. The 20 grams is generally derived from salads and non-starchy vegetables, plus the trace amounts of carbs in sauces, dressings and cheeses. In the first stages of a low carbohydrate diet, dieters are not allowed to have any milk, fruits, grains, cereals, pasta, breads or “high glycemic index” vegetables such as potatoes, peas, corn and carrots. The missing carbs are replaced with ample amounts of protein. This is a very low amount of carbohydrate when compared with the large amounts of pasta and grains advised by traditional low fat diet recommendations, so this diet has become quite controversial. Butter is also included, which is another reason for the controversy over low carbohydrate eating plans. The butter is recommended because fat slows down the absorption of carbohydrates into the body and helps to maintain an even blood sugar level. The whole idea behind Dr. Atkins original principal is that it we gain weight in our Western world because our blood sugar levels are allowed to go too high by eating too much high starch food. Control the carbohydrate levels and you control weight much more easily. Much research has shown this to be true. Of course opposing research has been done too, so the controversy continues to some extent, although it is generally acknowledged by all now that the high carb recommendations of the past were incorrect. The great difficulty of any severely restricted diet is that most people can end up regaining much of their lost weight because of difficulty adhering to the restrictions over the long-term. This can ultimately result in rebound weight gain and is the reason that the modified versions of Atkins diet have evolved. The Atkins diet itself though, does gradually increase the amount of carbohydrates you consume as you complete your weight loss, to avoid the extremes of losing then regaining weight. Is it right for you?

The Anti Stress Low Calorie Weight Flushing Diet Plan

December 14th, 2009 AverageWeightForWomen No comments

This menu is great for you to feel light all throughout the day while losing weight. You will lose a whole lot of weight while doing this diet plan. Also this diet plan will keep your energy levels high and stress level low. It has all the right nutrients which your body requires. Most diet plans make you feel irritable and hard to follow since you want to cope up with work pressures to try this diet plan. For breakfast have a slice of whole wheat bread this will give you the energy you require.

You can add a glass of orange juice with this. Breakfast is essential for you to lose weight also to give you the energy your fast paced day requires. In winters you can have boiled egg with your whole wheat slice. Mid morning snack could be a glass of fresh fruit or vegetable juice. This will give you the energy while giving your body the minerals it requires. For lunch you should have a large bowl of salad with roasted vegetables or a baked potato.

You can add vegetable soup to the menu or a bean soup. Make sure you have a glass or two of water for lunch time. You add the lemon flavor to your salad or your soup. For mid afternoon snack you can have a cup of green tea since it is full of antioxidants and make you feel relaxed. If you do not want to have that you can have fresh nuts such as brazils, almonds, or walnuts. These will give you the power and energy to deal with all the day’s work. For dinner you can have fish or a huge salad bowl filled with all the green vegetables. Fish and chicken are ideal for dinner time meals. You can also sprinkle some ground sesame seeds or croutons to change the taste. You can also try a home made soup or a home cooked pasta.

Your Weight Loss Diet Plan Should Avoid These Six Mistakes

November 29th, 2009 AverageWeightForWomen No comments

I know you are making these fat loss mistakes because I did too! Based on my experience from losing over 80 pounds and finally keeping it off, here are some tips for avoiding these common dieting mistakes.

YOU ARE TRYING TO DO TOO MUCH TOO SOON

Trying to go from Sedentary Slob to Super Dieter on a Monday morning? Not so smart. It is a great way to ensure you will be back to the couch by mid-day Wednesday. You can’t expect to undo years worth of damage overnight.

If you typically eat three meals per day, start slowly by adding a snack – either in the morning or the afternoon, then work your way to six small meals every 2-3 hours. This approach to fat loss is called kaizen, a Japanese philosophy that focuses on continuous improvement throughout all aspects of life. Making a small change once a day or once a week leads to a constant state of improvement.

YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THE QUICK FIX

I was convinced I had a Loch Ness Monster in my colon and that was making me fat! But the colon cleanser I purchased only left me with a very sore butt, some leafy-looking things in the toilet and not a single pound lost.

Now I was convinced that I needed a super-duper-ultra fat burner – one that would melt away the fat while I sat on my butt doing nothing!

After thousands of dollars and lots of false hope, I realized that the only way I was going to achieve the lean body that I desired was to come up with a solid nutrition and exercise plan, and to add supplements that were backed by solid science.

YOU ARE LETTING OTHERS KNOCK YOU OFF-TRACK

My family is full of enablers – they mean well, but they were not sensitive to the fact that I was serious about staying on track with my weight loss diet. “C’mon a little bit won’t hurt” or “you can diet tomorrow” was all it took to convince me to eat. Within 30 minutes I had eaten myself stupid and undone all of the positive progress that I had spent the past week achieving.

Let those around you know how important it is for you to lose weight and what it means to both you, and them, if you do not achieve your goals.

YOU ARE NOT GETTING BACK “ON THE WAGON” IMMEDIATELY AFTER FALLING OFF

I would usually fall off my diet toward the end of any given week. It was at that point that I rationalized that, since I was “off the wagon” I would wait until Monday to get started again!

This probably won’t come as a big shock, but science now has proven that weekends can wreak havoc on your waistline. That was the conclusion of Washington University researchers, who found that even people on strict diet and exercise programs lose weight more slowly than expected because they eat more on weekends.

The verdict: People don’t need a holiday to eat more; they tend to do it every weekend because human lifestyle patterns can be very different.

There were two key takeaways for me from this:

1.The best time to get back “on the wagon” was at your next meal – do not wait until you’ve done more damage. 2. Do not let the weekends be different than any other day – stick with your plan whether it is a Saturday or a Wednesday

YOU ARE TRYING TO BE PERFECT EVERY DAY

Life is not perfect – and your diet plan shouldn’t be either. You can’t expect yourself to follow your program to the letter every second of every day until you reach your goal. If you do, you will ultimately fail. That is why you need to apply the 90/10 rule to your nutrition and exercise.

The 90/10 rule is very simple – if you are following your weight loss diet plan 90% of the time, then you will not be hurt by the 10% of the time that you are not. Your weight loss diet should include a minimum of 5 meals per day, with 6 meals being ideal. Following the 90/10 rule with 6 meals a day (or 42 meals a week) means that you have 4 meals a week where you can go off your program without halting progress, as long as those meals are reasonable.

Same rules apply to exercise. Let’s say your schedule permits you to work out 4 days per week. So in a month, you have 16 workouts – and following the 90/10 rule, you can miss 1 or 2 workouts without derailing yourself. However, you should save your “skips” for times when you really need to skip – like a poor night’s sleep, illness, or hectic travel schedule.

YOU ARE NOT SETTING REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS

It took you your entire life to get to this point, and you expect to reverse all of the damage in 3 weeks? That is what a lot of diet products would like you to believe.

You absolutely MUST set goals, but they MUST be realistic. What is realistic? one to two pounds of fat per week is a reasonable goal. The more you have to lose, the higher you can set your expectation. But if you are approaching double-digits with your expectations, you are setting yourself up for failure.

100% Proven Diet Plan Lose 5 Pounds in a Week

November 15th, 2009 AverageWeightForWomen No comments

There are hundreds of diet plans out there telling you the same, but they are not as easy to follow as they seem. But this diet plan will not make you starve, if you follow it exactly meaning no cheating, no adding your own food, it is guaranteed you will lose weight. Now how much weight you will lose is up to your body type. You can lose from a minimum of 2 pounds to a maximum of 7 to 10 pounds in a week.. Yes it works so here is your diet plan.

when you wake up you have two glasses of water or a cup of green tea whichever one you prefer but make sure you add lemon to the water and to the green tea. After ten to fifteen minutes you will prepare your breakfast. Now you can not skip breakfast. You will have a glass of low fat milk and bran flakes for cereal. If you truly hate this breakfast then the alternative could be an 1 large apple. But a fiber based breakfast is preferred. For mid morning snack before lunchtime you can have a glass of low fat milk again. Before you start your lunch you will have a glass of skim milk again, and start your lunch. You can not have any water during your lunch meal. remember your lunch has to be completed within 40 minutes and you can not leave out any food from the plan. On days 1, 4 and 7: (this is a seven day menu) for lunch you will have: one bowl of salad, no dressing you can add one teaspoon of vinegar and lemon juice. One slice of cottage cheese, one slice of brown bread, 1 apple or guava, followed by green tea. For mid evening snack you can have a glass of milk again or if you want you can have your favorite green tea For dinner you will have : 4 oz steak (chicken or fish) Baked potato One glass of milk 1 grapefruit 1 cup green tea.

For days 2 and 5 you will have breakfast remains the same for lunch you will have: corn on the cob, one glass of milk, 2 apples, and green tea. Mid evening: a protein bar Dinner: a glass of milk Vegetable soup without corn flour as much as you want make sure you do not add any salt to the soup. And green tea.

On days 3 and 6: for breakfast you will have an egg, but you are suppose to make the egg in the microwave without adding any salt, you can add pepper and little bit of olive oil if you want. Lunch: 1 grapefruit 1 glass of milk 1 cup of low fat yogurt Grilled chicken sandwich in brown bread (you can also have 6 inch subway without the mayo)

Weight Loss After Pregnancy

November 9th, 2009 AverageWeightForWomen No comments

It’s an obvious truth that after giving birth most women’s bodies make considerable adjustments. Broad hormonal changes are common and mood swings are not unusual. But one thing that many women will focus on (sometimes too much) is losing that weight and body fat gained during pregnancy.

 

In order to do that safely and in a way that produces beneficial long-term results, take it slow and steady. Weight reduction and regaining muscle tone after birth takes time.

 

Hype in the media about rapid weight loss after pregnancy is common. Articles are written on celebrity moms that show them making miraculous changes after birth to regain those million dollar figures.

 

But such individuals usually have better than average metabolic systems in the first place. That’s part of what gives them an edge in that profession.

 

They also have very expensive consultants, trainers and money to burn on equipment. The average women could forego a lot of needless guilt by not trying to emulate their results. Instead, focus on what’s normal and average for most new moms.

 

It generally takes up to 6 months for a woman’s body to return to ‘normal’ after giving birth. Normal, here, just means the average metabolic rate and hormonal amounts that were experienced before conception. In some areas, and to some degree, those norms may never return. Motherhood often produces some permanent changes.

 

Calorie reduction should not be an overriding concern during a period of breast feeding. Apart from the still-required (though somewhat less) additional amount of energy, the added stress of worrying about weight is not something new mothers need. Night feeding and continual round-the-clock care for a year or more is difficult enough without unnecessary, self-imposed psychological burdens.

 

For the first few months, the focus should be very much on eating a healthy diet. A 2000 calorie diet that includes 50% carbohydrates, 30% proteins, 10% fat with adequate fiber is a good common sense starting point.

 

Notice the numbers don’t add up to 100%. Every diet should leave some leeway for enjoyment, increase or decrease of the other factors, etc. Going to extremes is the most common mistake most make when considering nutrition.

 

Moderate exercise is good, but here again the keyword is ‘moderate’. New mothers are busy enough without having to worry about whether they are getting that 5-mile run in every morning. The focus should be on gradually increasing stamina, tone and overall fitness. The goals should be mood-elevation and general health, not looking like a movie star.

 

After a few months, the program can be stepped up to desired levels in a graded way. The average gain during pregnancy is between 25-35 lbs and during birth about 12-14 of this is lost immediately. The other 12-21 pounds can be shed over 6-8 months without risk. Take it slow and steady and your results will persist over the long term.

What is the Best Diet Plan for You? – Factors to Consider

November 5th, 2009 AverageWeightForWomen No comments

If you want to drop some fat and can’t decide what is the best diet plan to follow, this article aims to help. There are countless of diets on the market, and unfortunately a lot of them are at best useless, and at worst extremely unhealthy. If you’ve already attempted several diets and not got the results you were aiming for, you’re probably afraid of being ripped off again. So how do you know which plan to select?

Great diet plans – what to look for

If you want to lose weight in a sustainable, healthy way, make sure you go for a food plan that meets these criteria:

The last point is particularly vital – most dieters who slim down eventually gain it back, and fall prey to the miserable yoyo cycle that many are familiar with. So when selecting a diet plan, don’t just go for a quick fix – choose something you can live with over the long term.

Having said that though, be aware that adjusting your eating patterns may be challenging to start with. Overweight people are often in the habit of eating too much unhealthy junk food (or even just too much healthy food). Making better choices and stopping the cycle of overeating means creating new habits, and that can be difficult. So don’t decide that a diet plan isn’t for you just because the initial period is tough. Most people discover that after the first couple of weeks or so, they begin to prefer more nutritious foods and no longer even want to overeat – this is a great place to be at!

So if you want to lose weight and are looking for an effective program to follow, it’s best to stop thinking in terms of ‘going on a diet’ and instead put your focus on making an ongoing change in your eating patterns. When considering a diet plan, do so with the intention that this will be the final diet you’ll ever buy and use – after making this decision, many of the short term diets available in books and online will no longer seem like a good idea, and you’ll find yourself attracted to those which take a more sensible, nutritious approach. With a great diet plan, you’ll be so satisfied with your new eating patterns, and with the results, that you’ll have no need to ‘diet’ ever again.