"Cookie Cutter" Low Carb Diet Plans Explained

by Jenny Mathers

Most diet plans, including low carb diet plans are best taken with a grain of salt, because although one may work for your best friend, it may not work for you. For those with serious weight problems and have co-existing issues such as hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar levels) or like some of us hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar levels) etc., the popular diet plans usually will not be able to cater to individual needs.

We are all individuals and as such we need to feed ourselves as individuals, having said this some diet plans will be more beneficial for the general population that others.
To assess which particular diet plan will be beneficial, you can follow these guidelines. They are very much common sense points, and provide a good framework which many nutrition professionals would broadly follow, and within which you can divide the scammy diet plans from those that can offer you safe and healthy diet ideas.

1. Diet offers sufficient balance and a variety of carbohydrates, protein and fats.
   
2. Diet does not exclude one particular food group, and encourage excessive consumption of another.
   
3. Diet encourages exercise to complement sensible eating habits.
   
4. Diet encourages awareness of portion sizes.
   
5. Diet does not encourage unrealistic quick weight loss.
   
6. Diet is backed up with medical research data.
   

In addition to these points, I've broadly outlined the low carb diet plans, which seem to be occupying the minds of dieters and researchers alike, as well as the research for and against pertinent to the low carb diet plans.

Low Carb Diets

A lot of the diet plans these days center around the low carb diet plans. These low carb diet plans are considered by some diet fads, others consider it the new wave in healthy eating. Diets such as The New Atkins Diet Revolution maintain that obese people are insulin sensitive and carbohydrates make them gain weight. Low carb diet plans such as The Zone lay down specific proportion of carbohydrates, protein and fats that should be consumed in order to lose weight and while fats are reduced, the main source of energy comes from the consumption of protein.

Low carb diet plans such as Sugar Busters, believe that sugar is your body's most heinous weight loss enemy and since carbohydrates are the foods that are processed into sugars – carbohydrates should be limited. The Scarsdale Diet also is a low carb, high protein diet and offers a 2 week crash dieting plan.

Popular diets such as the South Beach Diet and the Carbohydrate Addicts Diet are also low carb diet plans that have become popular with dieters who have tried and failed at the Atkins diet. All these diets see themselves as the worlds answer to the obesity problem.

To be fair, there are significant and many research papers that support and argue against the low carb revolution, as yet the wider medical community has not fully made it's mind up as to whether the diets are something that is favourable in the long term.

Recent research by Layman et. al., and Saris have found that the low carb and high protein diets provide little benefit to dieters. Researchers found that when protein was moderately increased and carbohydrates proportionately decreased, insulin levels stabilised but no significant weight was lost. Saris in his review concluded that it is probable that a low carb, high fat diet will increase the likelihood of weight gain.

While there is a lot of evidence against the low carb philosophy, there is also a lot of evidence to support it. Research published in May, 2004, found that when patients on a low carb diet were compared with patients on a low fat diet, those patients who had consumed a low carb diet had a greater weight loss, decreased triglyceride levels and increased levels of HDL's - in other words their cholesterol levels had improved. To put the icing on the cake research has just been published to support the www.savvy-fat-burning-food.com low-carb.html?>http://www.savvy-fat-burning-food.com/low-carb.html">long term efficacy of eating a low carb diet.

Despite the evidence to support low carb diet plans, mainstream medicine still does not recommend them. The main points of contention with the low carb, high protein diets is that they don't offer balance and variety and could prove dangerous for people at risk of heart disease. Particularly with low carb diet plans such as the scarsdale diet, they are not realistic and cannot be maintained in the long term causing yo-yo dieting and no one wants that !

References:

Wim HM Saris Sugars, energy metabolism, and body weight control Am J Clin Nutr 78: 850S-857S

Donald K. Layman, Harn Shiue, Carl Sather, Donna J. Erickson and Jamie Baum Increased Dietary Protein Modifies Glucose and Insulin Homeostasis in Adult Women during Weight Loss www.nutrition.org

You Can Lose Weight on a High Carbohydrate Diet

You Can Lose Weight on a High Carbohydrate Diet By: David Snape

A startling fact is that carbohydrates are not responsible for making people fat. Don't feel too badly though, you are not the only person who was sold on the idea that a high protein, low carb diet was the only way to lose weight. Here is a simple way to demonstrate this fact. Think about the vegetarians you know, are there any overweight problems among them? The high protein diets rely on a lot of animal fats and proteins, but these vegetarians don't eat them. Startling indeed, isn't it? Maybe you don't know any vegetarians. They certainly are hard to find, especially in the Midwest, where I live. You may wonder about the science involved here. After all, many of those folks promoting the low carb diets are medical doctors, aren't they? Being a medical doctor doesn't mean that you don't ever make any mistakes. Besides, the same science that supports the low carb diet also supports the high carb diet. They didn't get it wrong, they just didn't consider the whole story. That might sound like a contradiction, but it isn't. I'm going to explain why in just a moment. Fist, let me give you the science on this. You most likely are not a biochemist or a physiologist and neither am I. But I have studied the subjects a bit. Don't focus on the technical jargon in the next paragraph, just try to grasp the overall point. You don't need to be a scientist to use common sense and basic reasoning skills. Ready? Consider this bit of biochemistry. Malonyl -CoA exists in high amounts when there is plenty of metabolic fuel present. Thus, carnitine acyltransferase is inhibited and this in turn prevents acyl-CoA from crossing into the cell's mitochondria. Another enzyme is inhibited by the presence of NADH and Thiolase is also inhibited by the presence of Acetyl-COA. In short, when a lot of glucose is present, fatty acid metabolism is inhibited. It is the last sentence that clues us in here. Basically, a cell will not convert fats into energy if there is glucose present. When the cell has carbs and sugar to work on, it will not convert the fat to energy, thus the fat gets stored. This is why the low carb diets work, with little to zero carbohydrates and subsequently glucose to work on, the fat will be used for energy. This is exactly why the high carb diet works too. When no or little fat is present, it won't be stored as fat. In addition to this, it is important to realize that it costs the body quite a bit of energy to take carbs and store them as fat. This alone is actually a positive. There really needs to be some form of fat present to make it easier. This should help you understand that whatever your diet consists of, if you want to remain or get thin, you need to avoid mixing fats and carbs together. A fat consists of a fatty acid head and a carbohydrate tail. This means when you mix your fat and carbs together you are asking for trouble, assuming you care about weight, that is. So now it should be clear why so many people in North America have a weight problem as the NIH was happy to point out a few weeks ago. Think about the typical American diet. It generally consists of lots of combinations of fat and carbs. As Dr. Neal Barnard points out in his book, "Foods That Cause You To Lose Weight", It is fat that makes people fat. Don't want to be a vegetarian? I don't blame you. Really, you don't have to be one. Just quit mixing your proteins/fats and carbohydrates together. Don't overlook the obvious, there is ton of candy and desserts out there that are a mixture of fat and sugar. Meat and potatoes - perhaps this classic is a serious blunder in seperating proteins/fats and carbs. Armed with this knowledge, you can probably come up with dozens of examples of potentially fattening mixtures of food on your own. This article is for information only. It is not intended to prescribe, treat or diagnose any health problem. Consult your physician before changing your diet.

The TIME Diet, for women who love baked potatoes

The TIME Diet, for women who love baked potatoes By: Helen Laxton

Like most women I have been on diet after diet, I loose weight I gain weight and am on this continual rollercoaster road of size 12 to size 16. I deceided that all I really needed was a habbit change rather than life changing diet. So who am I, your usualy curvy early thirty something. I love food especially my baked potatoes, italian pasta dishes and creamy sauces. I enjoy cooking, eating out and cannot stick to anything except watching my favouite soap 3 times a week! Here's how I lost 2 stone in 6 months thats a size 16 to size 12 still curvy but much happier when I go shopping or out for an evening. BTW 2 stones in 6 months a more realistic weight loss which allows you to maintain the future weight. Diets which promise more drastic results are usually about cutting calories too far so you have little energy and enjoyment eating! Welcome to the TIME Diet - In Summary. Body Timing.. Start to programme your body so it knows when it will be getting food. This is hard to do but is essential to the process. Eat in the morning between 7 and 9am, Eat at lunchtime 12.30 to 2pm (1.30pm if you have a family with young kids) Eat in the evening around 7pm (6.30pm if you have a family with young kids) These times should fit most households and lifestyles. I have provided timings for those of you with a young family where it is essential to eat as a group and train your kids good habbits from an early age. Eat Snacks throughout the day, but these should only be fruit or vegetables. Dont take pre pepared fruit or veg, prepare and peel as and when you want to eat it but no more than 3 pieces a day (wow a diet that tells you not to eat endless fruit and veg). Food timing... After 1.30pm or 2pm you cannot eat those supposed bad carbs, normally potatoes, white pasta and rice & bread. This is easy people, heres a sample diet: Breakfast: 2 slices multigrain toast with marmite, glass or orange juice and mug of tea/coffee. Snack 1: apple with small box raisons Lunch: Baked Potato (no larger than your hand) with margarine, chilli and cheese Snack 2: clementine and small banana Evening meal: Grilled chicken breast marinated in lemon, garlic and greek low fat yogurt, grilled vegetables including aubergine, tomato, onion, mushroom and pepper. For desert you swap your large dinner plate for a small plate and for this example I had some peach sorbet. Snack 3: grapes If you have a 2 course meal, allow at least 20 minutes before courses. This will allow your stomach to start digesting the first meal and give you a better perception of your hunger. Drink timing... You must drink at least 1.5 litres of water in a day, fill up your bottle so you have a target, however drink throughout the day. Alcohol, well I don't know aout you but I usually need a glass of wine in the evening. Weekdays Monday-Thursday drink no more than 1 1/2 glass Weekends Friday and Saturday night this can be extended to no more than 4 glasses Weekends Sunday, try not to have anything today, if you are tempted only in the day not after 7pm There are good and bad drinks, however this diet is about timing so ideally you will drink white wine, white spirits if you can with diet mixers such as tonic or soda water. White wine spritza may well be an 80's fashion drink but makes your allowance last much longer. For every glass of wine have a large glass of water, plus a large glass of water before you go to bed this also helps reduce the hangovers. Every night have a mug of hot water with slice of lemon Portion control... I found I cooked double portions compared to perhaps a meal I would get in a restaurant. Portion control is easy, take a normal size dinner plate, for breakfast and lunch you should see at least 1/3 of the plate empty. The height of you food should be no more than 2 CM. For desert you should have a smaller plate probably 1/3rd of the size of the dinner plate. Please do this approx, remember this is about a life change not controlled diet experiment! Fitness control... You need to work out 3 times a week for at least 40 minutes allowing for a 5 min warm up and 5 min stretch warm down. Monday, Wednesday and Friday work well. Dont worry about going to a gym I workout from home. My living room with all the furniture pushed back makes for a good dance studio. In the first month, you need to enjoy working out if it becomes a hasle you have broken all chance of loosing weight. Put all your favouite up tempt songs onto one cd and time if for 30 minutes. Your warm up should be stepping, lunges and a few squats basically you are warming up the mussels. For 30 miuites dance your heart out! move your legs with perhaps some kicks to the front, side and back, use your arms to punch forward and out to the side. Squat to the sound of the music generally work up a sweat dancing keep moving and dont stand still if you are out of breath at least step on the spot with some arm movements. After your dance work out do at least 50 stomach/ab crunches sets of 10 with 30 seconds rest will be good for beginners. After your first month invest in a kick boxing DVD workout video, you should now have a good basic fitness level. Kick boxing with dance will allow you to start toning all areas of your body with a maximum fat burn. Note this is for someone of around 13/14 stone, the larger you are the longer you need e.g. 16 stone you need 2 months minimum and 18 stone 3 months minimum of dancing before you get into a dvd workout. I am accounting that you will be doing light housework through the week, if you dont add at least 20 minutes into your sunday which could be a long but brisque walk. Walking the dog during the week doesn't count as your exercise this is a little bonus! Top Time Diet tips! Hear that tummy rumble, every day you should hear your tummy rumble if you dont cut back on the portions of food! Well thats it in summary, change your lift and the diet will just happen!

The Mediterranean Diet Full Flavored Foods Help You Lose Weight

The Mediterranean Diet Full Flavored Foods Help You Lose Weight By: Allison Preston

For everyone who's been on a diet themselves or knows someone who's been on a diet, you know how bland the food can be sometimes. With foods like rice cakes it's no secret why you lose weight, if the foods taste like carboard. For everyone who's had this experience there is hope. You should look at the Mediterranean Diet. The Mediterranean Diet isn't a new fad or quick loss weight scheme, in fact it's been around for over 40 years. However it's taken science that long to fugure out what it was and why it works. The Mediterranean is a diverse region that is made up of 16 countries along the Mediterranean Sea. Countries like France, Spain, Italy and Greece have diverse and different cultures. While the foods are different on a nutritionally level they share many similarities. They contain lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. Wine is consumed in moderate amounts daily. Eggs are consumed in moderate amounts, and foods like poultry, fish and dairy are consumed on a limited basis. However as many nutritionists and scientists are discovering one of the keys to the Mediterranean Diet is the oils. Plant based oils are extensively used throughout the region, with olive oil being the most popular. Olive oil is a monounsaturated fat, which means it's good for the body and does things like lower your cholesterol. Do to the rich fats in the foods and those used in the cooking the foods of the region are known for the full rich textures and flavors that they have. In fact it's these fats which give the foods a luxurious "mouth feel". However eating foods rich in fats is not without some sacrifices, as fats have more than double the amount of calories of similarly sized portions of protein or carbohydrates. Learning to manage and control your portions is a key aspect of anybody who wants to follow the Mediterranean Diet. © Copyright Fitness-Web.com, all Rights Reserved. http://www.articledashboard.com

The GI Diet Explained

The GI Diet Explained By: Mavis Barton

The latest 'hot' diet to hit the market is the 'GI Diet' or 'Glycaemic Index' diet. Used by stars such as Kylie Minogue and Helen Porter, the GI Diet was invented in 1981 by Dr David Jenkins and is actually well respected by qualified nutritionists too, so it's not just the latest 'celeb fad' diet. Dr Jenkins based his ideas on his observations into how different carb-rich foods affect human blood sugar levels in diabetics. What he found amazed him and us here at http://www.supadiet.com" target=_blank>www.supadiet.com too - namely that there are some starchy foods that affect blood sugar levels dramatically, while some sugar-heavy foods actually have little effect. This is, of course, in direct contrast to all the perceived medical wisdom. The culmination of Dr Jenkins' work is a scale called the Glycaemic Index, ranking foods on the basis of how they affect your blood sugar levels. Starting with glucose which has a GI of 100, the GI scale goes all the way down to zero. By comparing how various foods raise blood sugar levels when we eat them, each food can be positioned on the GI scale relative to glucose. A high GI value means the food causes a fast and large rise in blood sugar levels, while a low GI value means the food has only a slow, low effect on blood sugar. Foods that have low GI values are supposed to release sugar into the blood slowly, over a long period, providing constant energy thru the day, meaning that hunger pangs are less likely to strike. High GI value foods, in contrast, flood the body with sugar fast, but the effect wears off just as quickly meaning you get hungry again. This is why a candy bar often seems such a good idea when we are starving, yet rarely satisfies. Keep that kind of snacking up, and you end up pumping far more calories into your system than you actually need, because the falling blood sugar levels make you body think you are hungry again. A recipe for weight gain, in fact, as several researchers at http://www.supadiet.com" target=_blank>www.supadiet.com have found to their cost! So the gist of the GI diet is to focus on low GI value foods, as these are the ones that will keep you going for longer without hunger rearing it's ugly head! A 'low' value is generally thought to be below about 55 on the GI scale, while 'medium' foods are between 56 and 69. Above 70, and the food is a high GI value. Obviously, on the GI diet, you focus on low GI value foods, keeping your blood sugar at a constant level and holding hunger pangs at arms length. You should generally cut down on fat-laden foods too, even if technically they are 'low' GI foods. Milk, chips and chocolate are examples of this. You have probably already spotted the main problem with the GI diet - it can be hard to tell what the GI value of an entire meal is, given that a meal has several component foods. Unless you are careful, you could end up following what looks like a good GI diet, but is actually packed out with fat and salt - hardly healthy! This is why meal plans are essential on the GI diet.On a good GI diet plan, you should expect to lose 1 or 2 pounds a week, and this is a pretty sustainable level to aim for, according to leading nutritionists. A GI Diet may also (although the research is not conclusive yet!) help ward off certain types of diabetes, and heart disease too. Like all diets, you should check with your doctor first, to make sure you aren't running any health risks unnecessarily. A typical 'good' GI diet plan for a day might look something like this (more detailed plans are, of course available at http://www.supadiet.com" target=_blank>www.supadiet.com ). Breakfast Oat porridge with skimmed milk and sweetened and a piece of fruit. Elevenses A low fat fruit yoghurt and another piece of fruit. Lunch Lentil soup, whole-meal tuna sandwich and some fruit. Dinner Whole-meal pasta with bolognese sauce (extra lean mince) with salad.

The GI Diet Explained

The GI Diet Explained By: Mavis Barton

The latest 'hot' diet to hit the market is the 'GI Diet' or 'Glycaemic Index' diet. Used by stars such as Kylie Minogue and Helen Porter, the GI Diet was invented in 1981 by Dr David Jenkins and is actually well respected by qualified nutritionists too, so it's not just the latest 'celeb fad' diet. Dr Jenkins based his ideas on his observations into how different carb-rich foods affect human blood sugar levels in diabetics. What he found amazed him and us here at http://www.supadiet.com" target=_blank>www.supadiet.com too - namely that there are some starchy foods that affect blood sugar levels dramatically, while some sugar-heavy foods actually have little effect. This is, of course, in direct contrast to all the perceived medical wisdom. The culmination of Dr Jenkins' work is a scale called the Glycaemic Index, ranking foods on the basis of how they affect your blood sugar levels. Starting with glucose which has a GI of 100, the GI scale goes all the way down to zero. By comparing how various foods raise blood sugar levels when we eat them, each food can be positioned on the GI scale relative to glucose. A high GI value means the food causes a fast and large rise in blood sugar levels, while a low GI value means the food has only a slow, low effect on blood sugar. Foods that have low GI values are supposed to release sugar into the blood slowly, over a long period, providing constant energy thru the day, meaning that hunger pangs are less likely to strike. High GI value foods, in contrast, flood the body with sugar fast, but the effect wears off just as quickly meaning you get hungry again. This is why a candy bar often seems such a good idea when we are starving, yet rarely satisfies. Keep that kind of snacking up, and you end up pumping far more calories into your system than you actually need, because the falling blood sugar levels make you body think you are hungry again. A recipe for weight gain, in fact, as several researchers at http://www.supadiet.com" target=_blank>www.supadiet.com have found to their cost! So the gist of the GI diet is to focus on low GI value foods, as these are the ones that will keep you going for longer without hunger rearing it's ugly head! A 'low' value is generally thought to be below about 55 on the GI scale, while 'medium' foods are between 56 and 69. Above 70, and the food is a high GI value. Obviously, on the GI diet, you focus on low GI value foods, keeping your blood sugar at a constant level and holding hunger pangs at arms length. You should generally cut down on fat-laden foods too, even if technically they are 'low' GI foods. Milk, chips and chocolate are examples of this. You have probably already spotted the main problem with the GI diet - it can be hard to tell what the GI value of an entire meal is, given that a meal has several component foods. Unless you are careful, you could end up following what looks like a good GI diet, but is actually packed out with fat and salt - hardly healthy! This is why meal plans are essential on the GI diet.On a good GI diet plan, you should expect to lose 1 or 2 pounds a week, and this is a pretty sustainable level to aim for, according to leading nutritionists. A GI Diet may also (although the research is not conclusive yet!) help ward off certain types of diabetes, and heart disease too. Like all diets, you should check with your doctor first, to make sure you aren't running any health risks unnecessarily. A typical 'good' GI diet plan for a day might look something like this (more detailed plans are, of course available at http://www.supadiet.com" target=_blank>www.supadiet.com ). Breakfast Oat porridge with skimmed milk and sweetened and a piece of fruit. Elevenses A low fat fruit yoghurt and another piece of fruit. Lunch Lentil soup, whole-meal tuna sandwich and some fruit. Dinner Whole-meal pasta with bolognese sauce (extra lean mince) with salad.

South Beach Diet - US vs. World

South Beach Diet - US vs. World By: Laura Ciocan

Diets concern especially Americans as they do have a "national weight problem". So it would only be natural that dieting issues be so over proportioned in the US. Also, "miracle diet recipes" are very popular and make way rapidly into people's minds. This also happened with the South Beach Diet – the diet that will not only allow you get rid of a lot of weight rapidly without starving but will also help you improve your health condition. Being so popular, diets have even gained the power of influencing the food commerce and industry. If you wonder how, well, food producers that have been educated for a while to flexibly follow the demands of the market in order to be competitive, came out with their offer of diet-friendly product versions, attracting customers in their yard. It seems that in countries outside the US, although people have heard of the diet, generally they are not very anxious to give up their eating habits in favor of a not so very well studied diet. Yet, Dr. Agatston's "South Beach Diet" book is said to have been sold to more than 20 countries. In Canada, low-carbs diets have gained some popularity but not to the extent they have in the US. And this happens only at mass level. The federal department Health Canada will issue new labeling rules and regulations to prevent manufacturers from making low-carb claims for their products, as the official opinion is that popular low-carbohydrate diets are nutritionally unsound. Well, the question is whether the European and Asian countries, that have a food history and tradition will be influenced by the this low carb craze. And it seems that they have no reason to be as they are doing very well on their traditional eating. Most likely to "enroll" are the British that have begun to face the same obesity problem. Popularization of the diet is being made in India, as well. The low-carbs matter is hardly known in countries as France, Italy or Germany where French baguettes, Italian pasta and potatoes are almost sacred. From the European countries the healthiest diet that is being practiced is the Mediterranean diet that basically resembles the South Beach diet, only it is much older.

How I Easily Lost 21 lbs. in Just Weeks- Without Getting Hungry!

How I Easily Lost 21 lbs. in Just Weeks- Without Getting Hungry! By: Katrina Kern

"When I stepped on the scale, I started to cry..." For this 56-year-old grandmother, every weight loss plan had failed. Now- finally- she reveals her 10 simple steps for weight loss success ___________________________________ I was shocked. I started to cry... After the holidays, I stepped on the scale and discovered I was 30 pounds heavier than I had ever been in my life. I'm a 56 year old grandmother (somebody please tell me how that happened) and it occurred to me that this time, I might not be able to lose those extra pounds. Luckily, my health is good. I decided to do a little research into the problems and causes of obesity. While searching for information on weight loss surgery, I happened on a study from Japan on apple polyphenols. It said that animals given these apple phytochemicals lost almost 30% of their organ fat after only three weeks. In addition, these lab rats also increased muscle strength. "Wow," I said to myself. I wondered if it might work for me too. It occurred to me that the apple chemicals might be "rejuvenating" the lab animals, since organ fat increases with age. Other studies said these polyphenols were very safe. So I went to the health food store. "Apple polly what?" said the sales clerk. I knew I had to look elsewhere. Finally, I found a web site that had it for sale. I started taking it every morning. Immediately, I felt a new surge of energy and clarity of thought. So far, so good! Then, I set about changing a few of the items in my diet. First, I cut out refined sugar, and substituted diet colas and sugar-free candy to satisfy my sweet tooth. (There really have been some great improvements in the taste of sugar-free choices in the last few years. My favorites are diet Mug root beer, and Russell Stover sugar-free candies.) I also added 5HTP to my daily supplement regimen, to help curb my carb cravings. I stopped cooking with unsaturated oils, and switched to virgin olive oil. I limited my carb intake to ½ cup per meal, while keeping my body satisfied with plenty of beef, turkey, chicken, fish and cheese. I ate as much as I cared to of protein, wholesome fats and unrefined carbohydrates, and gradually felt my body align to a healthier balance. Then, I began to slowly make my portions just a little smaller, one teaspoon at a time. I hardly noticed the difference! To ensure that I was not denying my body adequate nutrition, I take a very good multivitamin formula. To this, I added extra calcium daily, in citrate form- the most absorbable. Since I'm getting older, I also began taking DHEA for hormone balance. And, to stabilize my blood sugar and promote weight loss, I added konjac glucomannan to my pill routine. In just 11 weeks, I have lost 21 lbs. on this program, and I have never been hungry. And there are added benefits that I didn't expect. My skin is softer and smoother. My hair is growing thicker and faster, and my energy level is more like a 30 year old. My fingernails are healthier and stronger than they've ever been, and the "ridges" in my nails have smoothed out. And the best part, besides losing the weight, is this: the embarrassing age spots on the backs of my hands are also going away. Most importantly, I am not starving myself. I don't feel deprived. I have simply substituted some healthier eating habits, in a gradual way, so as not to shock my body. This is a way of eating that I can sustain, unlike most diets I've tried. I can easily do this for the rest of my life, and continue to allow my body to find its own perfect weight. My fat and weight loss is gradual and consistent, right in line with my doctor's recommendations for safe weight loss- about 2 pounds a week. I am well on my way to my ideal weight, just by following these few simple steps. Only 9 more pounds to go for my target! My simple 10 point weight loss program is working perfectly for me. And the full details, including dosages of the supplements, are available at the web site link at the end of this article. If you sensibly and gradually make small changes to the way you eat, and use some of the wonderful supplements now available, you too can be a much slimmer, healthier and more attractive person- at any age.

Blood Tytpe & Diet

Blood Tytpe & Diet By: Sam Stevens

Eating right to suit your blood type" is a subject that is come up a lot in the chat rooms lately, so as promised, here is more information about the topic. First of all there are two bibles on this subject written by Dr. Peter J. D'Adamo. The first is "Eat Right 4 Your Type" and the second, "Cook Right 4 Your Type". If you are really interested in pursuing this lifestyle, I STRONGLY recommend you buy both of these books and read them from cover to cover to see if these diets are for you. For those of you who have cancer, low blood sugar, are on medication or are diabetic, check this plan out with your doctor before embarking on any new diet. Below I have summarised the basic principles behind the Eat Right 4 Your Type, which is intended to spiritually and physically heal people by feeding the body's blood the "right" foods. D'Adamo's theory is that certain blood types represent an older strain of mankind. Your blood type, which you can find out from your doctor, can represent a certain stage of evolution and also indicate how much ancestral history you are carrying in your DNA People with Type O blood were thought to be the earliest humans on earth and were mainly carnivorous cavemen. Type O dates back to the ascendance of the Cro-Magnons and is still the most common blood type in the world. People with Type O blood are thought to have extremely high acid content in the stomach, which enables them to digest protein-heavy foods. Red meat is the most recommended source of protein for Type O's followed by chicken and fish. Eggs and dairy are considered to be a poor source of protein for the Type O. Olive oil is the cooking medium of choice but they gain a lot of weight if they eat nuts. They do not digest beans and vegetables well and are allergic or intolerant to wheat or other grains. Vegetables from the cabbage family cause digestive distress for Type O's, as do melons, cantaloupes and citrus. Corn causes them to become overweight or diabetic. Good fruits for the Type O are plums, and figs and optimum vegetables are the leafy green ones such as kale and spinach. Type A blood type did not evolve until about 25,000 B.C. These humans were cultivators who mainly thrived on a diet of plants, grains and fish. They were different than the Type O hunters who needed red meat to keep their bodies in optimal working order. The Type A blood human being could convert plant material into protein much easier. Type As can't digest meat very well, so soy and fish should be the main sources of protein. Most of them can't tolerate dairy products at all, only small amounts of yogurt. Type A's should avoid corn or safflower oils as it raises their cholesterol. Type A's are big seedeaters and thrive on almonds, walnuts and peanuts. They also tolerate beans and grains well. All vegetables are a crucial part of the Type A diet with the exception of potatoes and peppers which aggravate their digestive system. They can also tolerate any kind of fruit, except persimmons and pomegranates. Humans with Type B blood did not begin appearing until about 10,0000 B.C. This is one of the best blood types to have, as they are basically the hybrid blood type created by the mixing of both Type A and Type O blood types. This blood type, which is known as the nomads thrives and survives eating just about anything. Type B's take well to any kind of protein; except for chicken and that can lower their immune systems. They should also avoid shellfish. Type B is the only blood type that can fully enjoy all dairy products, as the lactose in the milk is the primary sugar that supports their blood nutritionally. They should avoid corn oil and avoid eating nuts and seeds, which can interfere with their blood sugar levels. They should avoid all beans except for kidney or navy beans. Type B's should avoid wheat and rye, which causes them to gain weight and stick to rice and oats. They should also limit soy. They can eat any vegetable except for the tomato and any fruit except for pineapple Approximately ten centuries ago, a new, rare blood type emerged called AB. This is the evolution of Type A and Type B bloods through evolution and people with this blood type are thought to have strong immune systems but weak digestive systems. The primary sources of protein for AB should be seafood and tofu, except they are to avoid the lighter coloured fishes such as halibut and cod and shellfish. Dairy products are not agreeable to this blood type at all can make them very sick with illnesses such a asthma. They are to avoid nuts, which causes gallstones for them. They are usually allergic to wheat and corn. Lentils are an important cancer fighting food for AB's. They tolerate every vegetable except for the tomato and avoid all tropical fruits and stick to grapes, plums and berries to alkalinise their acidic blood. For those of you who are interested in pursuing this further please remember to read D'Adamo's books first and check this plan out with your doctor before embarking on any new diet. About the Author Sam Steven's metaphysical articles have been published in many high-standing newspapers and she has published several books. You can meet Sam Stevens at http://www.psychicrealm.com

3 Secrets Your Diet Book Won’t Tell You

3 Secrets Your Diet Book Won't Tell You By: Amy Grant

Are you wondering why you're not losing weight? If you're like me, you've tried every fad diet imaginable, and nothing seems to work – at least not long-term. I've personally tried Weight Watchers (that worked great until my schedule changed and I was no longer able to attend meetings), Atkins (not easy to follow for someone who travels a lot and loves to dine out), and crazy fad diets like the cabbage soup diet, the grapefruit diet, juice fasts, and countless others. I was hungry all the time, and I wasn't able to sustain any substantial weight loss because there are three secrets that NONE of those diets told me. First, diets don't work, PERIOD. Any plan that's highly restrictive, structured or specialized is unrealistic for long-term maintenance. Plus, any diet that requires you to totally eliminate foods from your diet is a recipe for disaster. Personally, I don't care for chocolate. However, when someone tells me I can't or shouldn't have chocolate, it's amazing how I suddenly crave it! When someone takes away a choice, the average person wants that choice back – even if it didn't mean much when the option was available in the first place. Additionally, most diets don't work for everyone, and you won't know if a diet works unless you try it. Trying many diets without seeing results can lead to "dieter's frustration" which, in many cases, just packs on more pounds. The second point that most diets fail to mention is that you must eat frequently to regulate your metabolism and burn fat. Extreme low-calorie and tiny "portion-control" diets put your body into starvation mode, which means your body clings to food because it doesn't know when its next meal is coming. This explains how you can actually eat less food and consume less calories, and still not lose any weight. If your diet makes you feel hungry all the time, that's definitely not a good sign. The best nutrition plans require that you eat five or six small meals per day, no more than four hours apart. Finally, diets are lying to you when they say you must be "patient" and expect to lose only one to two pounds per week. For someone like me, who had fifty pounds to lose, this information was devastating. If you have a lot of weight to lose (50 pounds or more), it is not unhealthy to drop three to five pounds per week, particularly in the beginning. In my experience, the greatest motivator is early results. When you can see the fruit of your efforts, you are much more likely to press onward when the going gets tough. Early results can help you maintain focus and keep your determination alive. An excellent all-natural supplement such as NiteTrim (http://www.NiteTrimDirect.com" target=_blank>http://www.NiteTrimDirect.com) can jump-start your results from other weight-loss efforts. Supplements such as NiteTrim can also help you break through the dreaded "plateaus." Once I discovered these three secrets, I realized that the best way to get in shape and maintain a healthy body is through proper nutrition, regular exercise and appropriate supplementation. By far the best program I've found is a combination of Bill Phillips' Body for LIFE (http://www.BodyForLife.com"

"Cookie Cutter" Low Carb Diet Plans Explained

by Jenny Mathers

Most diet plans, including low carb diet plans are best taken with a grain of salt, because although one may work for your best friend, it may not work for you. For those with serious weight problems and have co-existing issues such as hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar levels) or like some of us hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar levels) etc., the popular diet plans usually will not be able to cater to individual needs.

We are all individuals and as such we need to feed ourselves as individuals, having said this some diet plans will be more beneficial for the general population that others.
To assess which particular diet plan will be beneficial, you can follow these guidelines. They are very much common sense points, and provide a good framework which many nutrition professionals would broadly follow, and within which you can divide the scammy diet plans from those that can offer you safe and healthy diet ideas.

1. Diet offers sufficient balance and a variety of carbohydrates, protein and fats.
   
2. Diet does not exclude one particular food group, and encourage excessive consumption of another.
   
3. Diet encourages exercise to complement sensible eating habits.
   
4. Diet encourages awareness of portion sizes.
   
5. Diet does not encourage unrealistic quick weight loss.
   
6. Diet is backed up with medical research data.
   

In addition to these points, I've broadly outlined the low carb diet plans, which seem to be occupying the minds of dieters and researchers alike, as well as the research for and against pertinent to the low carb diet plans.

Low Carb Diets

A lot of the diet plans these days center around the low carb diet plans. These low carb diet plans are considered by some diet fads, others consider it the new wave in healthy eating. Diets such as The New Atkins Diet Revolution maintain that obese people are insulin sensitive and carbohydrates make them gain weight. Low carb diet plans such as The Zone lay down specific proportion of carbohydrates, protein and fats that should be consumed in order to lose weight and while fats are reduced, the main source of energy comes from the consumption of protein.

Low carb diet plans such as Sugar Busters, believe that sugar is your body's most heinous weight loss enemy and since carbohydrates are the foods that are processed into sugars – carbohydrates should be limited. The Scarsdale Diet also is a low carb, high protein diet and offers a 2 week crash dieting plan.

Popular diets such as the South Beach Diet and the Carbohydrate Addicts Diet are also low carb diet plans that have become popular with dieters who have tried and failed at the Atkins diet. All these diets see themselves as the worlds answer to the obesity problem.

To be fair, there are significant and many research papers that support and argue against the low carb revolution, as yet the wider medical community has not fully made it's mind up as to whether the diets are something that is favourable in the long term.

Recent research by Layman et. al., and Saris have found that the low carb and high protein diets provide little benefit to dieters. Researchers found that when protein was moderately increased and carbohydrates proportionately decreased, insulin levels stabilised but no significant weight was lost. Saris in his review concluded that it is probable that a low carb, high fat diet will increase the likelihood of weight gain.

While there is a lot of evidence against the low carb philosophy, there is also a lot of evidence to support it. Research published in May, 2004, found that when patients on a low carb diet were compared with patients on a low fat diet, those patients who had consumed a low carb diet had a greater weight loss, decreased triglyceride levels and increased levels of HDL's - in other words their cholesterol levels had improved. To put the icing on the cake research has just been published to support the www.savvy-fat-burning-food.com low-carb.html?>http://www.savvy-fat-burning-food.com/low-carb.html">long term efficacy of eating a low carb diet.

Despite the evidence to support low carb diet plans, mainstream medicine still does not recommend them. The main points of contention with the low carb, high protein diets is that they don't offer balance and variety and could prove dangerous for people at risk of heart disease. Particularly with low carb diet plans such as the scarsdale diet, they are not realistic and cannot be maintained in the long term causing yo-yo dieting and no one wants that !

References:

Wim HM Saris Sugars, energy metabolism, and body weight control Am J Clin Nutr 78: 850S-857S

Donald K. Layman, Harn Shiue, Carl Sather, Donna J. Erickson and Jamie Baum Increased Dietary Protein Modifies Glucose and Insulin Homeostasis in Adult Women during Weight Loss www.nutrition.org

You Can Lose Weight on a High Carbohydrate Diet

You Can Lose Weight on a High Carbohydrate Diet By: David Snape

A startling fact is that carbohydrates are not responsible for making people fat. Don't feel too badly though, you are not the only person who was sold on the idea that a high protein, low carb diet was the only way to lose weight. Here is a simple way to demonstrate this fact. Think about the vegetarians you know, are there any overweight problems among them? The high protein diets rely on a lot of animal fats and proteins, but these vegetarians don't eat them. Startling indeed, isn't it? Maybe you don't know any vegetarians. They certainly are hard to find, especially in the Midwest, where I live. You may wonder about the science involved here. After all, many of those folks promoting the low carb diets are medical doctors, aren't they? Being a medical doctor doesn't mean that you don't ever make any mistakes. Besides, the same science that supports the low carb diet also supports the high carb diet. They didn't get it wrong, they just didn't consider the whole story. That might sound like a contradiction, but it isn't. I'm going to explain why in just a moment. Fist, let me give you the science on this. You most likely are not a biochemist or a physiologist and neither am I. But I have studied the subjects a bit. Don't focus on the technical jargon in the next paragraph, just try to grasp the overall point. You don't need to be a scientist to use common sense and basic reasoning skills. Ready? Consider this bit of biochemistry. Malonyl -CoA exists in high amounts when there is plenty of metabolic fuel present. Thus, carnitine acyltransferase is inhibited and this in turn prevents acyl-CoA from crossing into the cell's mitochondria. Another enzyme is inhibited by the presence of NADH and Thiolase is also inhibited by the presence of Acetyl-COA. In short, when a lot of glucose is present, fatty acid metabolism is inhibited. It is the last sentence that clues us in here. Basically, a cell will not convert fats into energy if there is glucose present. When the cell has carbs and sugar to work on, it will not convert the fat to energy, thus the fat gets stored. This is why the low carb diets work, with little to zero carbohydrates and subsequently glucose to work on, the fat will be used for energy. This is exactly why the high carb diet works too. When no or little fat is present, it won't be stored as fat. In addition to this, it is important to realize that it costs the body quite a bit of energy to take carbs and store them as fat. This alone is actually a positive. There really needs to be some form of fat present to make it easier. This should help you understand that whatever your diet consists of, if you want to remain or get thin, you need to avoid mixing fats and carbs together. A fat consists of a fatty acid head and a carbohydrate tail. This means when you mix your fat and carbs together you are asking for trouble, assuming you care about weight, that is. So now it should be clear why so many people in North America have a weight problem as the NIH was happy to point out a few weeks ago. Think about the typical American diet. It generally consists of lots of combinations of fat and carbs. As Dr. Neal Barnard points out in his book, "Foods That Cause You To Lose Weight", It is fat that makes people fat. Don't want to be a vegetarian? I don't blame you. Really, you don't have to be one. Just quit mixing your proteins/fats and carbohydrates together. Don't overlook the obvious, there is ton of candy and desserts out there that are a mixture of fat and sugar. Meat and potatoes - perhaps this classic is a serious blunder in seperating proteins/fats and carbs. Armed with this knowledge, you can probably come up with dozens of examples of potentially fattening mixtures of food on your own. This article is for information only. It is not intended to prescribe, treat or diagnose any health problem. Consult your physician before changing your diet.

The TIME Diet, for women who love baked potatoes

The TIME Diet, for women who love baked potatoes By: Helen Laxton

Like most women I have been on diet after diet, I loose weight I gain weight and am on this continual rollercoaster road of size 12 to size 16. I deceided that all I really needed was a habbit change rather than life changing diet. So who am I, your usualy curvy early thirty something. I love food especially my baked potatoes, italian pasta dishes and creamy sauces. I enjoy cooking, eating out and cannot stick to anything except watching my favouite soap 3 times a week! Here's how I lost 2 stone in 6 months thats a size 16 to size 12 still curvy but much happier when I go shopping or out for an evening. BTW 2 stones in 6 months a more realistic weight loss which allows you to maintain the future weight. Diets which promise more drastic results are usually about cutting calories too far so you have little energy and enjoyment eating! Welcome to the TIME Diet - In Summary. Body Timing.. Start to programme your body so it knows when it will be getting food. This is hard to do but is essential to the process. Eat in the morning between 7 and 9am, Eat at lunchtime 12.30 to 2pm (1.30pm if you have a family with young kids) Eat in the evening around 7pm (6.30pm if you have a family with young kids) These times should fit most households and lifestyles. I have provided timings for those of you with a young family where it is essential to eat as a group and train your kids good habbits from an early age. Eat Snacks throughout the day, but these should only be fruit or vegetables. Dont take pre pepared fruit or veg, prepare and peel as and when you want to eat it but no more than 3 pieces a day (wow a diet that tells you not to eat endless fruit and veg). Food timing... After 1.30pm or 2pm you cannot eat those supposed bad carbs, normally potatoes, white pasta and rice & bread. This is easy people, heres a sample diet: Breakfast: 2 slices multigrain toast with marmite, glass or orange juice and mug of tea/coffee. Snack 1: apple with small box raisons Lunch: Baked Potato (no larger than your hand) with margarine, chilli and cheese Snack 2: clementine and small banana Evening meal: Grilled chicken breast marinated in lemon, garlic and greek low fat yogurt, grilled vegetables including aubergine, tomato, onion, mushroom and pepper. For desert you swap your large dinner plate for a small plate and for this example I had some peach sorbet. Snack 3: grapes If you have a 2 course meal, allow at least 20 minutes before courses. This will allow your stomach to start digesting the first meal and give you a better perception of your hunger. Drink timing... You must drink at least 1.5 litres of water in a day, fill up your bottle so you have a target, however drink throughout the day. Alcohol, well I don't know aout you but I usually need a glass of wine in the evening. Weekdays Monday-Thursday drink no more than 1 1/2 glass Weekends Friday and Saturday night this can be extended to no more than 4 glasses Weekends Sunday, try not to have anything today, if you are tempted only in the day not after 7pm There are good and bad drinks, however this diet is about timing so ideally you will drink white wine, white spirits if you can with diet mixers such as tonic or soda water. White wine spritza may well be an 80's fashion drink but makes your allowance last much longer. For every glass of wine have a large glass of water, plus a large glass of water before you go to bed this also helps reduce the hangovers. Every night have a mug of hot water with slice of lemon Portion control... I found I cooked double portions compared to perhaps a meal I would get in a restaurant. Portion control is easy, take a normal size dinner plate, for breakfast and lunch you should see at least 1/3 of the plate empty. The height of you food should be no more than 2 CM. For desert you should have a smaller plate probably 1/3rd of the size of the dinner plate. Please do this approx, remember this is about a life change not controlled diet experiment! Fitness control... You need to work out 3 times a week for at least 40 minutes allowing for a 5 min warm up and 5 min stretch warm down. Monday, Wednesday and Friday work well. Dont worry about going to a gym I workout from home. My living room with all the furniture pushed back makes for a good dance studio. In the first month, you need to enjoy working out if it becomes a hasle you have broken all chance of loosing weight. Put all your favouite up tempt songs onto one cd and time if for 30 minutes. Your warm up should be stepping, lunges and a few squats basically you are warming up the mussels. For 30 miuites dance your heart out! move your legs with perhaps some kicks to the front, side and back, use your arms to punch forward and out to the side. Squat to the sound of the music generally work up a sweat dancing keep moving and dont stand still if you are out of breath at least step on the spot with some arm movements. After your dance work out do at least 50 stomach/ab crunches sets of 10 with 30 seconds rest will be good for beginners. After your first month invest in a kick boxing DVD workout video, you should now have a good basic fitness level. Kick boxing with dance will allow you to start toning all areas of your body with a maximum fat burn. Note this is for someone of around 13/14 stone, the larger you are the longer you need e.g. 16 stone you need 2 months minimum and 18 stone 3 months minimum of dancing before you get into a dvd workout. I am accounting that you will be doing light housework through the week, if you dont add at least 20 minutes into your sunday which could be a long but brisque walk. Walking the dog during the week doesn't count as your exercise this is a little bonus! Top Time Diet tips! Hear that tummy rumble, every day you should hear your tummy rumble if you dont cut back on the portions of food! Well thats it in summary, change your lift and the diet will just happen!

The TIME Diet, for women who love baked potatoes

The TIME Diet, for women who love baked potatoes By: Helen Laxton

Like most women I have been on diet after diet, I loose weight I gain weight and am on this continual rollercoaster road of size 12 to size 16. I deceided that all I really needed was a habbit change rather than life changing diet. So who am I, your usualy curvy early thirty something. I love food especially my baked potatoes, italian pasta dishes and creamy sauces. I enjoy cooking, eating out and cannot stick to anything except watching my favouite soap 3 times a week! Here's how I lost 2 stone in 6 months thats a size 16 to size 12 still curvy but much happier when I go shopping or out for an evening. BTW 2 stones in 6 months a more realistic weight loss which allows you to maintain the future weight. Diets which promise more drastic results are usually about cutting calories too far so you have little energy and enjoyment eating! Welcome to the TIME Diet - In Summary. Body Timing.. Start to programme your body so it knows when it will be getting food. This is hard to do but is essential to the process. Eat in the morning between 7 and 9am, Eat at lunchtime 12.30 to 2pm (1.30pm if you have a family with young kids) Eat in the evening around 7pm (6.30pm if you have a family with young kids) These times should fit most households and lifestyles. I have provided timings for those of you with a young family where it is essential to eat as a group and train your kids good habbits from an early age. Eat Snacks throughout the day, but these should only be fruit or vegetables. Dont take pre pepared fruit or veg, prepare and peel as and when you want to eat it but no more than 3 pieces a day (wow a diet that tells you not to eat endless fruit and veg). Food timing... After 1.30pm or 2pm you cannot eat those supposed bad carbs, normally potatoes, white pasta and rice & bread. This is easy people, heres a sample diet: Breakfast: 2 slices multigrain toast with marmite, glass or orange juice and mug of tea/coffee. Snack 1: apple with small box raisons Lunch: Baked Potato (no larger than your hand) with margarine, chilli and cheese Snack 2: clementine and small banana Evening meal: Grilled chicken breast marinated in lemon, garlic and greek low fat yogurt, grilled vegetables including aubergine, tomato, onion, mushroom and pepper. For desert you swap your large dinner plate for a small plate and for this example I had some peach sorbet. Snack 3: grapes If you have a 2 course meal, allow at least 20 minutes before courses. This will allow your stomach to start digesting the first meal and give you a better perception of your hunger. Drink timing... You must drink at least 1.5 litres of water in a day, fill up your bottle so you have a target, however drink throughout the day. Alcohol, well I don't know aout you but I usually need a glass of wine in the evening. Weekdays Monday-Thursday drink no more than 1 1/2 glass Weekends Friday and Saturday night this can be extended to no more than 4 glasses Weekends Sunday, try not to have anything today, if you are tempted only in the day not after 7pm There are good and bad drinks, however this diet is about timing so ideally you will drink white wine, white spirits if you can with diet mixers such as tonic or soda water. White wine spritza may well be an 80's fashion drink but makes your allowance last much longer. For every glass of wine have a large glass of water, plus a large glass of water before you go to bed this also helps reduce the hangovers. Every night have a mug of hot water with slice of lemon Portion control... I found I cooked double portions compared to perhaps a meal I would get in a restaurant. Portion control is easy, take a normal size dinner plate, for breakfast and lunch you should see at least 1/3 of the plate empty. The height of you food should be no more than 2 CM. For desert you should have a smaller plate probably 1/3rd of the size of the dinner plate. Please do this approx, remember this is about a life change not controlled diet experiment! Fitness control... You need to work out 3 times a week for at least 40 minutes allowing for a 5 min warm up and 5 min stretch warm down. Monday, Wednesday and Friday work well. Dont worry about going to a gym I workout from home. My living room with all the furniture pushed back makes for a good dance studio. In the first month, you need to enjoy working out if it becomes a hasle you have broken all chance of loosing weight. Put all your favouite up tempt songs onto one cd and time if for 30 minutes. Your warm up should be stepping, lunges and a few squats basically you are warming up the mussels. For 30 miuites dance your heart out! move your legs with perhaps some kicks to the front, side and back, use your arms to punch forward and out to the side. Squat to the sound of the music generally work up a sweat dancing keep moving and dont stand still if you are out of breath at least step on the spot with some arm movements. After your dance work out do at least 50 stomach/ab crunches sets of 10 with 30 seconds rest will be good for beginners. After your first month invest in a kick boxing DVD workout video, you should now have a good basic fitness level. Kick boxing with dance will allow you to start toning all areas of your body with a maximum fat burn. Note this is for someone of around 13/14 stone, the larger you are the longer you need e.g. 16 stone you need 2 months minimum and 18 stone 3 months minimum of dancing before you get into a dvd workout. I am accounting that you will be doing light housework through the week, if you dont add at least 20 minutes into your sunday which could be a long but brisque walk. Walking the dog during the week doesn't count as your exercise this is a little bonus! Top Time Diet tips! Hear that tummy rumble, every day you should hear your tummy rumble if you dont cut back on the portions of food! Well thats it in summary, change your lift and the diet will just happen!