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Posts Tagged ‘Calories’

Do Low Carb Diets Really Work?

September 24th, 2009
low carb diet
Dorrie Ruplinger asked:


Sure.

But, from my experience and from the experience of every person I know who has gone on a low carb diet and successfully lost weight, that weight doesn’t stay off unless all but a tiny amount of carbs are always avoided.

A few years ago when low carb diets were incredibly popular, I went on one just like millions of other people. I lost 40 pounds in a little over four months.

But as soon as I started eating a normal amount of carbs again I gained the weight back very quickly. Every person I know that did a low carb diet had the same experience – successful weight loss but weight gain as soon as they resumed normal consumption of carbohydrates.

I’m sure there are people who have gone on a low carb diet, lost the weight, and kept it off. I just don’t happen to know any of them so I can’t personally recommend a low carb diet as a way to lose weight and keep it off for good.

But, low carb dieting did have its pluses for me:

• I didn’t have to count calories, just carbs, which was much easier

• I never had to be hungry. On my low carb diet, there was always something I could eat. It might not have been something I was particularly hungry for, but I never had to deal with it being 5 pm and not having any more calories left for the day and having to be hungry the rest of the evening. Even if I had eaten my allotment of carbs for the day, there were always no carb foods like some cheeses and some raw vegetables that I could have.

• I lost weight fairly quickly and steadily.

• I was able to break myself of my perpetual cravings for high carb junk foods like potato chips.

But, there were cons too:

• The biggest con is that I was unable to keep the weight off.

• Carbs, even healthy ones like fruit and whole grains, were very limited on my low carb diet so I didn’t feel like I was eating a healthy balance of foods every day.

• My low carb diet didn’t limit the types of protein I could have so I was able to eat way too much high saturated fat foods like bacon, especially during the first two weeks of the diet. I know that wasn’t healthy.

If you want to try a low carb diet, do research to find one that doesn’t limit your carbs too severely. A lower carb diet that emphasizes healthy carbs and lean sources of protein is now recommended by many health professionals. And, when you have successfully lost the weight, be careful when you start introducing more carbs into your diet so that you don’t gain the weight back that you worked so hard to lose.



Advice , ,

Hoodia Gordonii Diet Pills - How To Increase The Effectiveness Of Your Weight Loss Supplement

January 4th, 2009
energy pills
Jennifer King asked:


Hoodia Gordonii diet pills have become a massive diet sensation over the last few years. The African Cactus plant where the supplement comes from has a molecule ( P 57 ) which tricks the brain into thinking that your stomach is full. This suppresses your appetite so you’re not hungry, or not as hungry. This is how the pill helps you to lose weight, but you can speed up the weight loss by changing other parts of your lifestyle.

Taking something that suppresses your appetite is definitely a step in the right direction if you’ve put on too many pounds due to the way you’ve been eating. Losing weight like this is not good in the long run though because as soon as you stop taking the Hoodia Gordonii diet pills you’ll start putting the weight back on again. There are ways in which you can maximise the effect of the tablets, and help yourself keep the weight off when you stop taking them.

Changing your diet to one filled with healthy nutritious food is going to increase the rate you lose weight. Not only that, but the healthy food you’ll be eating will make you feel better, and give you more energy. You’ll start feeling like a new person as well as looking like one.

When you start getting more energy you’ll be in the mood for some exercise. Exercise will boost your metabolism so the pounds will drop off a lot faster. Your body will be toned so it will naturally start burning more calories even when you’re resting. As the muscle to fat ratio of your body reverses your metabolism will increase because muscle burns more calories every day than fat does.

You’re not going to end up looking like a body builder if you start exercising, you’re just going to look toned which is a lot different to looking muscular. Many women avoid lifting weights because they think they’re going to end up looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger, but that isn’t the case. You have to train hard to look get anywhere near looking like a body builder. Resistance exercise with light weights will just increase the rate your body burns calories, and you’ll just get toned.

Many people just carry on eating the same foods and don’t exercise when they start taking Hoodia, but eating less of a poor diet and not exercising doesn’t make you any healthier, and you could end up with less energy.

Apart from suppressing your appetite, Hoodia also suppresses your thirst so it’s important to drink plenty of fluids everyday. This is even more important if you are exercising regularly.

Hoodia is an excellent supplement to take to lose weight, and if you apply these two tips to your lifestyle your body won’t become reliant on it to keep the weight off forever. You shouldn’t look at taking this diet supplement long term. It should be something that springboards you into a healthier lifestyle. Once you’re at your desired weight you should naturally keep your body there, and try not to rely on supplements to do it for you.



Supplements And Vitamins , ,

Diet for Idiots — a Plan That Will Work for You-dieting Secrets-dieting Tricks-diet Hand Book

November 2nd, 2008
dieting
Josh Green asked:


With so many different ideas about dieting currently on the market, it can be very confusing and difficult for people who are trying to find a diet plan that will work for them and meet their specific needs. If they keep trying over and over with diets that work for other people, but that don’t work for themselves, it can become very discouraging.

The main concept behind dieting is that we should begin to eat a healthy diet consuming the correct foods in order for our bodies to still function but not excessive in order to create a surplus of calories and sugars that are turned into fat and stored in the body.

In order to do so, people must eat healthier diets whilst exercising sufficiently and maintaining those diets. There is no perfect cure-all diet that can work for everyone in every circumstance. This was the main motivation behind the diet for idiots. The diet for idiots is a diet plan promoting weight loss for idiots/ This plan combines different diet styles in order to achieve easy fat loss for idiots.

The main reason that the diet plan works time and time again is because it utilizes diverse eating styles and rotates them, so that a person receives all the nutrients he or she needs in order to be healthy and yet not be bored by the diet. This is a gread diet plan that really works!

Perhaps the best diet plan is one that actually incorporates parts of other diet plans to create a balance where the other separate plans usually stress overeating one type of food while not eating enough of another type of food. Low-carbohydrate diets are an example of this.

By contrast to the omission diets, the excessive diets encourage people to overindulge on higher amounts of a certain type of food than a normal person would typically eat. For example, in a high protein diet, a person is encouraged to eat protein in excess instead of other types of foods.

A cure-all diet does not exist but a healthy diet that works emphasizes reduction of fat stored in the body and reduction in calories consumed. The diet for idiots focuses on eating healthier foods and exercising sufficiently. It promotes weight loss for idiots by combining the best features of many diet plans. By having the aspects of different eating styles, the plan allows the body to get the needed nutrients. This plan can also be called as fat loss for idiots because it does not prohibit foods containing carbohydrates nor does it encourage high protein diets. It creates a healthy balance and thus becomes easier to follow for a longer period.



Wellness , ,

Top 7 Super Foods That Make you Think Before you Eat

July 18th, 2008
acai berry
Rone de Beauvoir asked:


Scientists all over the world have been searching for some sort of evidence that certain foods – most of which you already know; while some will be new – contain protective properties and can help ward off cancer, diabetes and other diseases. To give you a sound base idea and send you running for the nearest super market, I’ve listed seven top super foods that really will make you healthier and happier while building relationships.

1. Cutting calories with Spinach

According to new research from biochemists at Lunds University in Sweden, Eating a spinach salad with your lunch you will automatically eat less food for the remaining part of your day. They discovered that “thylakoids” in spinach – tiny membranes in the leaves coat theft in your food, making it harder to digest. As a direct result the food stays in your intestinal tract longer, thereby making you feel full several hours after you’ve finished eating. For those who don’t care for spinach, no worries; one day these researchers while hard at work today, will succeed at a thylakoid supplement that you’ll be able to enjoy at every meal.

2. Cut colon cancer in half with Flaxseed

Would you believe that Dutch scientists have discovered that taking in lots of plant lignans, which are found in huge abundance in flaxseed, can cut your risk of colorectal cancer literally by 50 percent by reducing growths that can lead to the Cancer. According to Author Dr. Anneleen Knijsten, the more lignans you eat, the greater the benefit. Why? Flaxseed contains the most plant lignans, but other foods, which have high concentrations, include whole-grain cereals, berries, fruits and vegetables.

3. Want to see Better? Try Red Wine

In France it s normal to have Red Wine everyday if you so desire, as it is a part of the culture, but millions of Americans drink red wine to protect their heart. Perhaps you are one such American drinking red wine to protect your heart, and yet have no real idea why it’s good for you. Just let me say this, if you are such a person, scientists say wine a grape-derived drink may be protecting your eyes, too. According to a five year study at Reykjavik Eye Study in Iceland, drinking at least two glasses of re wine per month to three glasses per day can slash your risk of developing cataracts by 50 percent, compared to non drinkers, heavy drinkers and beer drinkers. During the study researchers didn’t examine why red wine protects the eyes, past research shows it may be due to the flavonoid resveratrol, which has already been shown to help prevent macular degeneration, a progressive eye disease that affects mostly elderly people and can lead to blindness.

4. Your heart and Camellia Tea Oil

Most people think olive oil is the healthiest cooking oil around, you maybe surprised to learn that there’s an even healthier one. Camellia tea oil virtually unknown in the United States, comes from the seeds of the camellia plant, a cousin of green tea – has been a longtime favorite among the Chinese and Japanese chefs who love enjoy it for its versatility and heart-boosting benefits. Proud boosting of no trans fat, this virtually tasteless oil is rich in vitamin E, Omega 3 fatty acids and monounsaturated fats – all shown to help reduce the levels of LDL “bad” cholesterol. Use it to fry foods, as a salad dressing or in your favorite recipes.

5. Keeping young with Vegetable Soup

Was your mother swift to sense you needed vegetable soup whenever you got sick, or to prevent you from getting sick just because she had a hunch? Turns out as you now know, mother’s hunch was right; according to scientists from Tufts University Nutrition Research Center on Aging. In a recent study, they found that, in just two weeks, two cups of vegetables soup a day produces a 22 – percent increase in vitamin C in your blood. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant that helps lower your risk of heart disease, cancer, stoke, dementia and other age – related illnesses. As you may or may not know the basic ingredients of vegetable soup – tomatoes, cucumbers, green bell pepper, onion, garlic and olive oil – are all healthy just by themselves. But the researchers found that, when you combine, the health benefits become a super charge, turning your soup into an age-defying food you should not go without.

6. Fighting Cancer cells with Açai Berries

Many Scientists suspected that a delicious Brazilian berry called Açai (pronounced ab-SAH’-ee) would be a cancer-fighting powerhouse, and now they’ve discussed they were right. Why? Because it has up to 30 times more anthocyanins – the cancer – killing antioxidants that give grapes their violet color than seen in red wine. Would you believe during a study, the first ever of its kind, researchers at the University of Florida have proved it. When using an extract of the acai berry in a lab test, the team found that the fruit may bigger up to 86 percent of human leukemia cells to self-destruct. The berries taste like a cross between cherries with just a tiny hint of chocolate. They can be found in health – food stores in juices smoothies’ extracts or supplements.

7. Diabetes and a Citrus peel

Did you know a daily supplement of an extract made from the dried peel of citrus fruits might prevent diabetes by restoring insulin sensitivity, according to a study at the University of Hawaii. This health – boosting compounds in the extract, “polymethoxylated flavors” are antioxidants from plant pigment, that give flowers and food their yellow, orange or red colors

There you have it! My top 7 Super Foods that make you think, before you eat for healthier more romantic relations.

While each of these foods may appear to be simple and non-important, they are each very powerful in their own right. Each of these foods is essential in maintaining good health, and of course energy to burn in a manner that you choose.

If you’re still not convinced ask yourself these questions:

1. Are you efficient enough in your daily activities?

2. Do you overcome stress easily?

3. Can you work all day and still have enough energy left to enjoy the evening?

4. Do you collapse in front of the TV?

These are all questions that are intimately related to your state of health yet they are seldom if ever discuss during medical examinations. Remember Doctor’s and specialists are trained to treat only the diseased part of your body.

They do not take the holistic view. Alertness, endurance, energy, and resistance to daily stresses and the ability to relax easily are all symptoms of good health, so think before you eat.



Self Help , ,

Fad Diets Why Are They Bad - Ten Hoaxes Spotted In These Diets

March 15th, 2008
dieting
Garen Arnold asked:


Fad diets why are they bad? Fad diets seem to offer “quick weight losses” in diminutive amounts of time; however, the consequences from these fad diets are anything but attractive. Sure they might appeal to the typical dieter by attacking weight loss with complicated health jargons or even provide phony testimonials. You should avoid fad diets. Why are they bad; let me go further in detail about the reasons why they should be avoided, and common hoaxes they utilize to hook you?

If something sounds too good to be true, than more likely it’s just a hoax. Fad diets, why are they bad? Here are ten widespread hoaxes that fad diets often present.

Hoax 1- Skipping Meals

Skipping meals actually helps you lose weight. Actually, this is one of the most counterproductive things you can put your body through. I would recommend that you never fall into the habit of skipping meals. This slows down your metabolism and prohibits you from losing weight. It is recommended that you eat five small meals a day in order to achieve optimum weight loss. Many of these fad diets don’t allow you to eat a well balanced diet and merely cause your body to crash in order to lose weight.

Hoax 2- Nighttime Metabolism

Your metabolism slows down in the nighttime. Actually, this is a misunderstanding; people often believe that you eat more calories in the evening, which is true in many cases. The result that is drawn from this hoax is that while you sleep your body’s metabolism slows down and fat is built, overnight. The truth is that your body’s metabolism does not change it’s really a matter of your caloric consumption that determines how much fat is built up. There is no need to spend your time worrying about metabolic changes overnight because they’re a hoax.

Hoax 3- Carbohydrates Scare

Another common problem is that carbohydrates are thought to equal weight. Carbohydrates will enable you to gain substantial amounts of weight. Actually carbohydrates are your body’s most significant source of energy. The Adkins diet is a prime example of this carbohydrates scare. There are good carbs and bad carbs which many fad diets seem to attack, religiously. The truth is that if you do not have the required amount of carbohydrates you body will become irritable and wrestles.

Hoax 4- Lack of Nutrients

Fad diets are bad in a variety of ways. Depriving your body of your favorite foods isn’t the most productive way to lose weight. Eating should be enjoyable, if your diet prohibits enjoyment it’s a “fad diet”. Fad diets take a profound toll on your body that you will forfeit later in your lifetime. They deprive your body of significant nutrients that your body requires in order to function correctly and go forth living a vigorous lifestyle. Mixing vegetables and drinking cranberry juice or tea for five days is not a balanced approach to dieting.

Hoax 5- Fats, Fats, Fats

Fad diets, why are they bad? The misconception of low-fat labels on the bottle gives you no right to consume a bulky amount of these foods. The truth is most of those so called low-fat products are jam-packed full of sugar which is a substitute for the lack of fat that they don’t contain. As a result, they are just highly saturated in calories and the sugar turns into fat. This does not result in adequate weight loss, and often proves to be counterproductive to shedding unwanted weight.

Hoax 6- Snacks

Lots of popular fad diets prevent snacks. Snacks can actually be incorporated in a healthy dieting plan. However, if you consume 5 meals daily your body won’t require additional snacks. The truth is that they so are called “bad snacks” and they will prevent you from overeating and causing you to become motivated throughout your day.

Hoax 7- Good Fat, Bad Fats

Another hoax that fad diets pose is that fats are the devil. At a glance this seems to make sense, but actually fats are required for part of your body’s natural functions. However, bad fats increase your risk of heart complications; there are “essential fatty acids” that expatiates your body’s efficiency of burning fat. The underlines truth is that you need to identify which fats are essentially bad and good for you. Every day millions of people rush to the store to purchase omega-3 and omega-6 to get their recommend daily consumption of fatty acids. Fats can aid you in losing weight.

Hoax 8- Cholesterol

The cholesterol debate is much like the fats debate, a common misconception. Saturated fats are in meats, cheeses, cream, butter which help raise LDL (low density lipoprotein) “bad cholesterol.” However, HDL (high density lipoprotein) is good cholesterol that transfers cholesterol away from your arteries and back to your liver. Many people do not know the difference between good and bad forms of cholesterol. This is why so many fad diets appear to weight loss prone seekers. I would steer clear of this group or minimize your daily intake.

Hoax 9- Dairy Products

Another common fad dieting hoax is that dairy products will ultimately causes you gain lots of unwanted weight. Merged with a daily calorie intake, a dairy-rich diet can double body-fat reduction and aid weight loss in the long run. Dairy products have a lot of vitamins and minerals that your body essentially needs to live a healthy lifestyle. Dairy products contain the hormone calcitrol, which promotes healthy bones and relays a message to fat cells to transfer less sugar to fat and burns more fat.

Hoax 10- Crash Dieting

Short crash dieting are an ineffective way to lose weight. Your body is not geared to simply crash and this has been proven to be highly counterproductive. The myth is that you will lose weight pain free, but in reality you will hate dieting and find yourself irritable and troubled. Nearly all of the fad diets people often feel irritable and lifeless as a result to the strict guidelines. Crash diets deplete your body of essential nutrients and vitamins and your lose water weight as a result. Simply, depleting your body for seven days is not a healthy approach to dieting.

Starving yourself to lose weight is not enjoyable and takes the fun out of eating. Eating should be enjoyable not stressful. I would advise against falling into these popular trends; they don’t work and can do a substantial amount of physical and emotional harm to your body. They all seem to attack weight loss in a different way. They are much to harmful to your body.



Health , ,