South Beach Diet & Other Weight Loss

Ethan Miller asked:


The Dr. Atkins low-carb diet thumps traditional diets in weight loss research. The study by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev pitted the low-carb diet against Mediterranean and low-fat diets. Low-carb was declared the winner in helping the most people lose the most weight.

The research produced even bigger news. The low-card diet improved cholesterol levels more than the other diets.

The study lasted for two years, which was much longer than most diet studies. In addition, 85% of the 322 people who began the test stuck with the plan for the entire two years.

Most of the participants in the study were men and both men and women get roughly equal amounts of exercise. The average weight loss for people in the low-carb group was 10.3 pounds at the end of the two year study.

The Mediterranean diet group come in a close second as the average weight loss per person was 10 pounds. The low fat dieters finished in third place with 6.5 pounds of average weight loss.

The low-carb diet provided a big surprise for researchers when it was found that the diet also provided an important reduction in the level of cholesterol. That included an improvement in the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL. HDL is considered the “good” cholesterol.

The diet study was done in a controlled environment in Israel. The participants were employees of an isolated nuclear-research company. There were few sources of food nearby, so the study group took all of their meals in the facility’s cafeteria. To maintain control of the study appropriate foods for each diet were identified by colored dots. Participants had their choice of foods marked with the color of their diet plan

The low-fat diet was designed to allow consumption of no more than 30% of calories from fat. In addition it restricted the intake of calories and cholesterol. It controlled that intake by focusing the diet on low-fat grains, vegetables and fruits.

With the Mediterranean style diet the food emphases was on poultry, fish, olive oil and nuts.

The low-carb diet plan limited consumption of carbohydrates, but set no limits for calories or fats. It was suggested that participants in that group choose from vegetarian sources of fat and protein.

Someone with total cholesterol of 200 and an HDL of 50 would have a ratio of 4 to 1. The American Heart Association recommends an optimum ratio of 3.5 to 1. A low ratio reduces the risk of hardening of the arteries. For those on the low-carb diets the ratio declined by 20%, 16 for the Mediterranean diet and 12% for those on the low fat diet.

Research published last year shows a low-carb diet wins again when it comes to blood pressure. It was found that overweight women on the Atkins low-carb plan had slightly better blood pressure and cholesterol readings when compared with women on the Zone diet and Ornish diet.

Yes, anyone who is serious about losing pounds, maintaining good cholesterol and controlling blood pressure, can have high hopes with the Atkins low-carb diet.

Dado Baric asked:


Low carb diet devised by Dr. Atkins continues to be probably one of the most accepted low carbohydrate diets in the world today. Low carb, high protein diet attractiveness has helped spark several look-a-like diets who employ the identical principles of high-protein, low-carbohydrate eating diet. These days overweight people have several low carbohydrate diets to select from.

Tests have made known the fact that high protein, low carb diet has lots of beneficial influences as well as create major loss of weight with no necessity to restrict your calorie intake. Many folks who use the Atkins diet have for a long time been reporting this effect. Many medical studies have reported that high protein eating improves triclycerides, lowers blood glucose for diabetics and people with beginning diabetes and boosts helpful cholesterol (HDL). Low carbohydrate regime has been medically proven to improve insulin sensitivity, reduce blood pressure and lower blood insulin levels. When we contrast it against low-fat diets, low-carbohydrate, high-protein dieters also lose a smaller amount of muscle size.

While it is not scientifically proven, there are lots of different positive consequences reported by dieters using high protein, low carb diet invented by Dr. Atkins. Several of these effects are additional energy, lower craving for sugar, better attentiveness, better mood and reduction of depression type of symptoms.

But there are also a few benefits that are specific to the high-protein, low-carbohydrate Atkins diet. If you have tried a low fat diets previously you will like eating all previously forbidden foods that once you could not even think off. Butter, cream and steak are a ordinary element of low carb, high protein diet devised by Dr. Atkins. There is a undeniable satisfaction that goes along with consumption of food that was once forbidden to you. People on low carb, high protein Atkins diet are encouraged to consume as much as they want of meat, oils, cheeses or fats.

Diet invented by Dr. Atkins is also undemanding to apply if judged against several other high protein, low carbohydrate diets on the market. Naturally there are a few of simple carbohydrate food calculations that you will need to learn, but following that, you are going to be free to have a meal of any kind from the suitable food listing.

Dr. Atkins also underlined the significance of discovering your own individual carb level. Different people have unique amount of carbohydrate acceptance. While some people put on weight with as little as only 90 carbohydrate grams a day, other people can eat up to 120 grams of carbs daily. All through your continuing dieting phase and pre-maintenance period of the low carbohydrate diet, you are going to discover your individual carbohydrate count that will help determine your carbohydrate objective from now on.

The popularity of low carb Dr. Atkins diet can actually make it harder on anyone trying to lose weight. Because there is plenty of tips offered about the high protein Dr. Atkins diet, all of that makes it simple to find resources and help, but can also divert you from your goal. Since the day Atkins diet was introduced there have been numerous Atkins books written and also there are scores of sites on the internet that provide you with tips, information and group support. However nearly everyone you know has heard of diet devised by Dr. Atkins and almost has a outlook about it. You need to be aware that there are many misconceptions out there regarding the nature of the Atkins diet, and you will, no doubt, have to stand up for your newly discovered eating system from time to time.

There are also some of the other downsides to using the low-carbohydrate, high-protein Dr. Atkins diet. You do have to count carbs in your every meal to be confident that you are staying within your own carb range. Furthermore, there is the question of Induction, the most fervently contested phase of the diet devised by Dr. Atkins. Induction can often be hard to get through if you have tried a diet that concentrates on sugar and carbohydrates. Also, a lot of individuals try Induction and incorrectly think that this is the way that the whole diet is going to be. They end up quiting without even starting the real diet by Dr.Atkins.

Now and then although if it does not occur very often, individuals are going to live through a carb crash frequently during the 3rd and up to 5th day of the diet devised by Dr. Atkins. That kind of reaction is a result of their body experiencing the ketosis stage or burning fat for fuel as a replacement for carbohydrates. The effects are short-lived nevertheless lots of people trying to lose weight have quitted on low carbohydrate diets exclusively because of this small happenstance.

Generally, with the several lesser downsides considered, protein high Dr. Atkins diet remains to be one of the most used high protein, low carb diets because of one reason. It works. Many individuals have lost weight with the high protein Dr. Atkins diet and the low carbohydrate, high protein manner of eating.