Posts Tagged ‘diets’
Fad Diets - Do They Work?
When someone is considered “obese” it is referring to an excessive amount of body fat. Odds are you have experienced the frustrations of dieting a minimum of once in your life, if you have troubles with your weight. Ninety-five percent of the millions of Americans that succeed at losing weight on a diet, gain it back within five years. Worse, a third will gain back even more weight than they lost, in danger of “yo-yoing” from one fad diet to another. If a personchooses to lose weightwith a fad weight loss diet or by using appetite suppressant pills, they may perhaps gain added weight and have the additional weight of ill health.
Today, an estimated sixty-five percent of all American adults are obese or overweight. We all live in a culture that values staying thin, though the whole nation is growing bigger, but this isn’t only about vanity. Obesity is established to be a foundation to countless devastating health conditions such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, osteoarthritis, and gallbladder disease. Obesity contributes to as many as 375,000 deaths each year. In addition, the public health expenses for obesity are stunning. According to researchers at Harvard University, obesity is a factor in 19% of all cases of heart disease with annual health costs projected at 30 billion dollars; it’s also a factor in 57% of diabetes cases, with health costs of $9 billion each year.
Set Realistic Goals:
No doubt you have fallen for one or substantially more of the weight loss weight loss schemes over the years, promising sudden and simple weight loss. Numerous of these popular diets are not great for your health and they sooner or later end up in disillusionment when the weight is regained. Popular or sudden weight loss diet schemes normally exaggerate one type of food. They disregard the original principle of great nutrition - to keep healthy one must eat a balanced diet, that contains a variety of foods. Harmless, healthful, and lasting weight reduction is what is really lost amongst the thousands of popular weight loss programs..
Some of the weight loss diet programs reign supreme momentarily, only to fade out. While some wane from recognition due to being unproductive or unsafe, some basically lose the public’s interest. Examples of such fad diets include the South Beach Diet, Atkins diet, the Grapefruit diet, Cabbage Soup diet, the Rotation diet, Beverly Hills diet, Breatharian, Ornish Plan – the file goes on and on. These fad weight loss schemes advocate a specific method (such as eliminating a specific food, or consuming just specified combinations of foods) in conjunction with the basic knowledge that the body’s systems makes up the difference in energy by breaking down and using some part of itself, in effect converting matter into energy. This self-cannibalism, or catabolism as it is referred, typically begins with the breakdown of stored body fat.
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Which Diets Program Are Recommended?
By now, you’re familiar with all the prepackaged diets from Nutrisystem and South Beach to Slim-Fast and Jenny Craig. But which of these healthy diet proponents really works, if any? Many people get stuck on the idea of buying convenient, easy weight loss solutions, without assimilating the real life lessons of portion control, calorie reduction and enlightened snacking. Many people who are dieting can only last on these restrictive or expensive fads for so long before abandoning them. Instead of using a quick fix diet, here is some more information about the popular programs out there.
For people who are severely overweight, it sometimes takes a special weight loss program to keep them disciplined and motivated. After all, when you’re used to living a certain way your whole life, the switch to fewer calories and a more varied diet, without the fat, can be overwhelming. One of these popular plans is the Weight Watchers program, which is $20 to join and costs about $9/week. The diet nutrition plan emphasizes strict calorie control, flexibility in food choices, exercise and a positive attitude. Proponents of Weight Watchers attend group meetings and weigh-ins and are not mandated to buy prepackaged food. Instead, they learn about what choices they can make based on a “points system,” as outlined in the Weight Watchers manual. Some critics say the points system does not necessarily lead to healthy eating, but the diet has fared well in clinical studies. Additionally, because it is cost-effective and flexible, participants are more likely to stick with it.
Another of the latest diets you may have heard of is the Dean Ornish Diet. In his book “Eat More, Weight Less,” Ornish looks to reverse heart disease by advocating a high-fiber, low-fat vegetarian diet to help you improve health and lose weight. He says with a combination of diet and exercise, rather than strict caloric restrictions, you can transform your body into an effective fat-burning machine. In his book, he recommends eating the following foods whenever you’re hungry and until you’re full. The list includes beans, legumes, fruits, grains and vegetables. Non-fat dairy products (yogurts, milk, cheese, sour cream, egg whites) and low-fat commercial products (ice cream) can be eaten occasionally, in moderation. The following foods should be avoided completely or consumed as little as possible. This list includes meat, oils, salad dressings, avocados, olives, nuts, seeds, full-fat dairy, sugar, honey, syrups, alcohol and commercially prepared food. Eating a lot of little meals and incorporating thirty minutes of exercise a day or an hour three times a week, along with managing stress through meditation, massage, therapy or yoga, is the key to success. Neal Barnard, MD, president of the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, says: “His diet is one of the only popular diet plans that is firmly rooted in science. It not only brings weight loss without counting calories, but it also brings good overall health. It reverses heart disease, cuts the risk of cancer, makes diabetes and hypertension more manageable, and sometimes even makes them go away.” Yet others, like Frank Hu of the Harvard School of Public Health, say that Ornish doesn’t distinguish bad fats from good fats, which can have some proven heart benefits too.
Fad diets will come and go, but the truth is simply to reduce your caloric intake and you’ll lose weight. Dr. Frank Sacks from the Harvard School of Public Health says that the problem with most weight loss plans is that people get hungry and quit. “It’s very difficult to reduce your calories enough to really sustain a lot of weight loss,” adds Catherine Loria of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Research suggests that it’s not simply the healthy eating that facilitates weight loss, but also community initiatives and support networks. Martjin Katan, professor of nutrition at Amsterdam’s VU University, points to a small town in France that reduced its childhood obesity rate to 8.8% (compared to 17% in neighboring towns) just by building outdoor sports facilities and outdoor spaces, as well as creating community programs that focused on dieting and healthy cooking. In one of Dr. Frank Sacks’ studies, he found that overweight people who attended at least two-thirds of the counseling sessions lost thirteen pounds more than other study participants.
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Bringing Food And Heath Together
The consumption of processed food and the increasing dependence on processed food has changed lifestyles. It has also contributed significantly to obesity. The food industry is powerful enough to determine what food is produced, how it is produced and processed. The industry also influences what are consumed and how it is consumed. It influences the whole agricultural sector including government policies. Concerns for health are hardly a priority in this profit driven industry. There is more profit in selling processed food than fresh food. The shelf-life of processed food is also more. The consumer has to choose between short shelf-life costlier nutritionally richer fresh food and the longer shelf-life cheaper nutritionally poorer processed food. Processed food is also easier to purchase, store, and prepare. It also makes life easy for the harried and rushed for time urbanite.
The food industry influences what the consumer likes and buys. The consumer really has not much of a choice except to choose from what the industry provides. This is invariably the situation in most cities and towns. The main focus of food processing is how to make sure that the food has a longer shelf life. This is carried out through the use of various technologies as cooling, drying, pasteurization, separation of various components, autoclaving and salting. Cooling is the most often used method to keep the food fresh. The fresh food is processed, packed and made available through your neighborhood store. Food processing no doubt also keeps the bacteria away making it safer from infection. But there are other problems with processing.
Processing reduces the nutritional value of the food. That is why processed food is found to be enriched with additional nutritional ingredients. Processed food may also contain harmful acids and fats. Consumption of beverages too has increased adding to carbohydrates and sugar intake. Together with fast food, these contribute to the overweight problem. Along with this the weight loss market has been booming. There are a variety of weight loss guides and programs available for you to know the causes and how to manage them. Guides such as HCG Guide , Lose Your Belly Fat, and Low GI Diet offer you a choices for shedding excess fat.
You need to check out about the programs in the market before you can decide what you will like to go in for. It is better to seek professional guidance. You can ensure better health if only you can take better nutrition by modification in diet.
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Packed Perfectly For Perfect Nutritional Fit
All organisms contain proteins. The cells require protein to carry out all its functions. Proteins are organic compounds. They are formed by amino acids through the process of digestion of food in the stomach. Proteins are decisive for metabolism. Proteins, carbohydrates and fat are the main source of energy. Energy is expressed as calories that are contained in food items. The main source of protein that we take as food includes meats, nuts, eggs, legumes, grains, and dairy products like cheese and milk. The body breaks down the food particles continuously from which protein is derived. The enzymes in the stomach then break down protein through digestion. Men are estimated to need 56 grams of protein every day. Women need lesser protein per day estimated to be 46 grams. Consumption of protein below this level leads to protein deficiency.
A number of health problems can be caused due to protein deficiency. It may even prove fatal in extreme cases. A protein deficiency disease is Kwashiorkor which exhibits the symptoms of diarrhea, fatty liver, edema of the legs and belly, failure to grow, inactivity, flaky skin and apathy. Protein deficiency is also known to be one of the causes of mental retardation. Poor people who face chronic hunger or are malnourished or take food low in protein are prone to protein deficiency. There are also known instances of people who are on to weight loss dieting becoming deficient in protein. Older people who are not taking a balanced diet are susceptible to protein deficiency. This might also be the condition of people who are just on their road to recovery from trauma, surgery or ill health. An intake of protein rich food can actually offset such a condition.
Dietary supplements are a growing business in health business. They contain carbohydrates, proteins, fat, minerals and vitamins. The main source of protein in these products is soy, casein and whey. Flavors are added for taste. They come in the form of energy drinks and energy bars. There are energy bars which have protein as the main ingredient. Pure protein Protein Bar is one such protein rich supplement that comes in a variety of flavors.
Besides protein, they are also rich in calories. Proteins enter into the body system along with other nutrients.
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Fats, Carbs and Sugars and the Diet Connection
There are always changes in the world of nutrition. In the past it was fat that was blamed for weight gain and then the blame shifted to carbs.
No one thing should be totally taken away from your diet. You need fats as well as carbohydrates to be healthy. When you have too many of these is when problems result.
Fats
Now, we are told that fats are ok, as long as the right types of fats are eaten, and in moderate amounts.
Moderate amounts of trans and saturated fats are okay. They are often present in chips, cakes, and cookies, as well as many other processed foods. These ca be okay every so often.
Fat has a special significance for dieting. Take for instance the free diet plans that allow and encourage fats such as the Atkins diet plan. With Atkins meal plans the body starts to burn stored fat for weight loss. It is very effective but even the Atkins diet supports eating leaner fats and proteins.
Fats are beneficial for body energy. Fat aids in metabolism and other body processes.
Although having some fat in your diet is necessary, too much fat can lead to heart disease, high cholesterol, and some forms of cancer. The Fat percentage of the daily diet calories should stay at 10-20%. Eating too much fat is bad for the body and its functions.
The fats that are bad for the body are trans fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol. These should be avoided especially for those with healthy risks. Obesity is said to be linked to high fat consumption.
In order to make the best food choices, you need to read all labels on the foods that you buy. This will give you all the nutritional facts and how much fats and carbs are present. This will make for better meals and nutrition for the whole family.
Avoid processed foods, and high fat meats. Make sure that what you are eating will benefit your body, not hurt it.
Carbohydrates
The body must have carbs as well. They give the body energy, and are found in breads, cereals, fruits, vegetables, grains, milk, and other dairy products. There are two different types of carbs, the bad and good.
For many carbds are more difficut to understand. While all bread and cereal contain some carbs, bread that has whole grain is better for you than white bread, and the same can be said for cereal.
Salt and sugar should really be limited in the diet. The country has a big obesity problem due to high levels of sugars and fats in many people’s diets. Bad foods contribute to heart disease, stroke and cancer. When we can take the time to learn about the good and bad of different foods, we can do more to live a healthy lifestyle.
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Improve Diet Willpower and Lose Weight
What an elusive substance! Of course, I mean the intangible substance known as willpower for diets.
One day you are researching your new diet,. You can logically see it being successful. You feel great. You just know you will see it out. You visualize yourself eating the recommended foods. You are excited…
Perhaps the first few days, the first week or so goes well, you are feeling good. At this point you still have strong intentions and youre feeling positive for sticking to the diet so far.
… However… Something happens… Perhaps you step on the scales and you are the same weight. Perhaps you get invited out and have one meal you are not supposed to. Perhaps you have a bad day at work and want some comfort food? Plenty of comfort foods?
We have all been there, sticking to a diet can be tough. It is just one little thing that causes you to slip up, and this leads to another, and another cheat on your diet. Before you know it all your hard work is ruined. If only we could stay motivated in these extreme situations.
Well, yes it can. You see, it doesn’t really matter whatever the trigger is that causes the beginning of your downward spiral out of your diet. Whatever the trigger is it gives the same result. And that is that something changes deep inside your mind. Your thought processes change, your willpower and motivation bend, and you go back to your original thinking habits.
The difference is when you can keep your dieting willpower strong, and no matter what temptations get in your way you can stay strong against them. This works in 2 ways. First of all it stops you from cheating. Secondly; if you do happen to find yourself in a situation where you eat some food you shouldnt then your willpower still be there. This stops you from cheating and keeps you in control.
There are several ways you can strengthen your diet motivation and willpower. Strengthening your subconscious mind is the best way forward, it will keep you firm and ensure you stay on track towards your goals and intentions. The simplest way to do this is with subliminal messaging, self hypnosis, or positive affirmations.
Subliminal messages are our speciality, and if you are interested to hear more about increasing your diet willpower with the use of subliminal mp3s and cds then view our diet willpower album today.
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Diets - 3 Popular Weight Loss Methods
With over two-thirds of the American population being classified as overweight or obese, it’s no wonder the diet and weight loss industry is a multimillion dollar enterprise. But, how do you choose which diet to use? Most of it depends on the lifestyle and discipline you can adapt to.
Here is a quick rundown of some of the more popular diet plans. There are many free diet plans available to suite most any lifestyle and food interests. It is also a good idea to eat fat burning foods, that help to control fat storage in the body, and keeo you looking lean and fit.
Weight Watchers Diet:
Since the early 1960’s, Weight Watchers has been the touted as the gold standard for weight loss programs. There are many reasons behind the success of this program, but the most compelling one is science.
There are no foods that are restricted on this diet. Instead, the program focuses on teaching you strategies in which to avoid common pitfalls associated with traditional dieting and how to control appetite. Weight Watchers individually tailors a custom, calorie controlled eating plan that allows dieters to still indulge in “forbidden foods” while providing an overall nutrition-focused eating strategy. The support system is the cornerstone of the Weight Watchers diet success. You are never alond on Weight Watchers even if you do not attend the group meetings. For motivation and to stay on track there is a great member forum and a tight knit online community. If you really just want to lose a quick few pounds, then check out the many rapid weight loss diets that are drastic but do produce quick weight loss results.
South Beach Diet:
While South Beach diet resembles Atkins in carbohydrate control, there are significant difference. South Beach bans unhealthy fats but strongly promotes healthy ones and South Beach dieters don’t count carbs. They evaluate the impact of the amount of sugar in each carbohydrate gram and measure the resulting blood sugar levels.
The South Beach diet is regimented in that in each phase, you are given a list of the do’s and don’ts, which works very well for people who need to overhaul their entire eating lifestyle. Even though it is far more restrictive than Weight Watchers it has an additional bonus. Weight loss is significantly faster than with Weight Watchers. There is a lot of motivation in this rapid weight loss. Plus, as an added benefit, blood chemistry has been show to normalize quickly and other health conditions such as chronic heartburn, or acid reflux is reduced significantly.
Slim Fast Diet Plan:
There is a lot more to Slim Fast than weight loss shakes. They have expanded their choices to include soups, pasta, meal in one bars, and snacks—all based on the idea that calorie control can be achieved by the meal replacement strategy. If yuo stick to the plan you can lose upto 10% of your body weight in six months. This is backed by years of research. Many agree and recommend portion control as the best weight loss method.
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5 Hidden Diet Traps
You keep track of the food you eat. You skip the sweet treats, use portion control, and exercise more. But you find it difficult or impossible to lose the excess weight.
Well, you’re not alone. This is a very common problem. Studies show that 95% of dieters fail to lose weight and keep it off. That’s very discouraging. After trying over and over again, many simply give up. Don’t let this happen to you. When you understand the things that cause dieters to fail, you can avoid those thing, and be successful in losing weight and keeping it off.
1) The lack of support from the people around you can be very discouraging at times. There always seems to be someone you know who remains slender, no matter how much food they eat. They tempt you at work or at home with calorie-dense snacks. They don’t appreciate the difficulty of your task. Ask them to help by not eating the junk or snack food when you are around.
Your environment works against your diet success. It’s hard to resist fast food and coffee shops, huge restaurant portions, unhealthy snacks and all of the advertisements. You must learn to control your environment as much as possible. Try to avoid going anywhere that you may be tempted. Take a look at the nutrition labels before you eat, so that you will know the actual food portion sizes. Packages can be misleading. Always carry a healthy snack (an apple or raisins, a few nuts, etc. And try using one of the new portion plates for your meals.
2) Diets don’t take into account your own body, metabolism, habits and lifestyle. They offer a single approach, with no room for individual variations. You can improve your chance of success by working out a personalized program. A dietician or nutritionist can help. It is easy to find one near by, if you check the phone book or library, or search the internet. A dietician can set up a personal diet plan for you, and also become your diet coach and mentor, providing feedback and encouragement.
3) Many common foods contain hidden calories. Even foods you think are healthy; for example, fruit juices and many “low-fat” products still have a lot of calories. Surprisingly, a frappuccino coffee can have up to 600 calories! Keep an eye on these hidden sources of calories that may be sabotaging your diet.
4) You must not give up, because that will surely result in diet failure. Making good progress in your dieting efforts requires minimizing the number of times you ‘cheat’ and being persistent. Aim for slow, steady weight loss. It is much healthier to lose weight gradually. And it takes time. Don’t get discouraged and stop your diet too soon.
5) 95% of people who diet to lose weight will regain all of it within two to three years. Don’t let that happen to you. Being successful at losing weight and keeping it off requires that you change your lifestyle and attitude. It will be necessary to break your old habits, and develop new eating behaviors. Find a diet program that works for you. A portion control plate can not only help you loose weight, but can be used to help keep the weight off.
It is easier to succeed if you find the right diet plan, since everyone’s needs are different. Doctors and nutritionists agree that there are several key elements in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight. You CAN be successful, if you pick healthy foods, use portion control to limit consumption, exercise regularly and never give up.
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