| |
| |
|
Weight Loss Information |
|
|
|
The Truth About Low Carb Dieting
Every day you walk down the street it is becoming more and more apparent that the average person is becoming larger and this trend has escalated over recent years. Why are they getting fatter? Here are some reasons... · Less incidental activity · Automated and computerized lifestyle · Longer working hours and less leisure · Increased consumption of processed foods · Our food servings are larger than ever Being overweight, or obese, has now moved from a social nuisance and domestic embarrassment to an official disease. The American Heart Association has announced obesity is a major risk for heart disease. Obesity itself has become a major and dangerous epidemic. More than 70% of US adults are overweight and that figure is rapidly increasing. What do most people do to rid their body of unwanted fat? They diet! Dieting is now a trillion dollar industry and just about every month a new diet is announced. If you do have weight problems how do you find a diet that is safe, effective and sustainable? What you do is try to find a diet that includes a variety of foods that you can live with comfortably. You have to take a long-term view and include plenty of exercise. A good diet is one that supplies all of the essential vitamins and minerals, and is not high in fat or protein. Research on people, who have successfully lost a lot of weight and kept it off long term, shows that the vast majority succeeded by consuming a low fat diet high in fibre coupled with strength training and cardiovascular activity. Be wary of diets that · Ban a specific food group · Promise a quick fix · Replace a balanced meal with a drink or a snack bar · Make recommendations based on single studies · Make recommendations to help sell a single product Excess weight does not appear overnight and nor will it disappear overnight! In fact the faster you lose weight, the more likely you are to pile the pounds back on. Seek out a program that will help you maintain long-term body fat losses by providing attainable solutions such as a program that promotes lifestyle changes, healthy eating and regular exercise. Regular exercise is important (i.e. strength training) as it burns fat, boosts your metabolism and also increases your energy levels. Dietary changes can lead to initial weight loss, but this is only for the short term. Exercise is essential for maintaining weight loss for the long term. Now let's take a closer look at what food is made up of and then you will have a good idea of what to look for in your daily eating plan. Firstly we need a wide range of nutrients to perform various functions for a healthy life. These nutrients include carbohydrates, proteins and fat and are all present in the food we eat on a daily basis. The foods containing these nutrients are cereals, legumes, nuts, vegetables, fruits, milk products and flesh foods (fish, meat and poultry). We need all these nutrients to live and thrive and since we receive them through the food we eat, our food must be well balanced and in the proper proportions. Food is a fuel; the body requires this fuel for energy, which is measured in fats, carbohydrate and protein. Each of these nutrients provides different amounts of energy and these are measured in calories. Nutrient Calories per Gram Carbohydrate 4 Protein 4 Fat 9 Let's look at carbohydrates first, carbohydrates supply energy for our body, they provide fibre for the prevention of disease and taste and texture to food. They are found in cereals, potatoes, fruits and vegetables. They come in two basic forms, simple and complex. Simple carbs are easily identified by their taste and are sweet. Complex carbs, such as potatoes are pleasant to the taste buds, but are not sweet. They are then divided into two groups, high fibre and low fibre. High-fibre foods are the healthiest choices for nutrition and the intake of these foods is associated with a lower incidence of cancer and diabetes. Carbohydrates supply the sort of calories easily burned during cardiovascular exercise. They are often wrongly feared and considered fattening, but the most important factor in weight control is balancing the energy (calories) consumed. Please remember: ENERGY IN is more than ENERGY OUT = Weight gain ENERGY IN is equal to ENERGY OUT = Weight maintenance ENERGY IN is less than ENERGY OUT = Weight loss Different foods affect the ability to exercise at different levels. High levels of exercise (cardio and strength training) require carbohydrate as a fuel source; at lower levels it is fat. A lack of carbohydrate in the diet will lead to fatigue, the inability to exercise effectively, and excess fat consumption. When our food is digested, carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars. These sugars are absorbed by the body and used by the muscles or stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver. As our glycogen storage capacity is limited, carbohydrate needs to be continually topped up by the foods we eat. BUT THE BODY HAS AN UNLIMITED STORAGE CAPACITY FOR FAT! The average person is extremely vulnerable to fad diets and extreme dieting behaviours. The low carbohydrate diet is one of the latest eating plans to hit the streets. This current diet craze is very popular but there are safer and more effective methods based on scientific research, to reduce body fat levels. LOW CARBOHYDRATE DIETING IS SIMPLY WRONG. Why is this? Just as a car runs better on a certain fuel, so does the human body. Unfortunately the latest low-carbohydrate fad diets are not the fuel mix the human body was designed to run on. Carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram, whereas fats contain 9 calories per gram. For weight loss, the priority is to decrease total calorie intake. Reducing the amount of fat in the diet will make the biggest difference in reducing total daily calorie intake and hence weight loss. CARBOHYDRATE INTAKE IS NOT FATTENING. EXCESS CALORIE INTAKE IS FATTENING If you aren't having enough carbohydrates in your diet you will experience: · Fatigue due to low blood sugar levels inadequate intake of vitamins and minerals · Low fibre intake, which may affect bowel movements · 'Bad' breath due to the breakdown products of fats (called ketones) The bottom line for carbohydrates and weight loss is to: · Try to balance carbohydrate intake with activity levels · Maintain energy levels by eating carbohydrate rich foods on a regular basis · Carbohydrate rich foods are normally low in fat and nutrient-rich A real weight loss program includes all the food groups, strength training, and low-level aerobics, a slight decrease in your daily calorie levels and a program that can be followed for life. Above all try to achieve a balanced diet, eating a balanced variety of foods will help you to feel great every day, ensure better long-term health and improve weight control. Gary Matthews is a trainer from "down under" who has been coaching clients from athletes to bodybuilders for two decades. You may contact Gary directly at gary@maximumfitness.com and visit his website at http://www.maximumfitness.com.
MORE RESOURCES:
Weight-Loss - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Go for Scientific Weight Loss Considering the US Center for Disease Control's advice is a very good idea. Fat, although systematically proven useful to the human body, is not only a waste of food. 7 Strategies To Stop Eating Junk Food! FACT: Obesity accounts for 300,000 deaths a year in the U.S. Can I Eat Sugar Alcohols On My Low Carb Diet? "Polyols" or sugar alcohols are a number of different carbohydrates that are neither sugars nor alcohols--and are commonly used as artificial sweeteners in a range of products, from ice cream to chewing gum.While these tasty sweeteners appear to be the perfect solution for both low-carb dieters and low-carb food producers, recent studies of sugar alcohols have painted a somewhat different picture. 7 Reasons Low Carb Diets are Wrong The human body is designed to run best on a certain type and balance of fuel. Unfortunately the latest low-carbohydrate fad diets are not fuel that the human body was designed to run on. Just the Cold Hard Facts About Diets, Weight Loss, Exercise and Losing Fat This is a layman marketer's observations on diets and weight loss based upon selling and working first hand with weight loss products for over 10 years.We avoid the weight loss drugs, we do not recommend them as they can be dangerous, however I suppose in some extreme cases with certain obese people the benefits may outweigh the negative side effects. The Milk Diet -- Is it Your Solution for Losing Weight? For sometime now, you've been hearing about the Milk Diet and it's benefit in helping you lose weight. I recently searched on Google for the Milk Diet and could only find vague references to milk as a supplement to help you lose weight. If You Dont Track Your Diet? You Are Wasting Your Time Frankly, I'm puzzled whenever I hear this from somebody who's frustrated with their lack of gains:Me: So what are you eating? How many calories per day and how many do you need?Them: I don't know. I just eat. What Obesity Debate? This is a perfect example of how on-line weight loss "experts" can confuse and harm the American consumer.. Are You Losing Body Fat or Water? "I tried that diet and lost 8 pounds in the first week!""I've gained three pounds in one day! It must have been the cookie I ate or maybe the mashed potatoes!"These are comments I hear so often that I decided it would be a good topic for an article to help people have a better understanding of the fluctuating numbers on their scale. It is important to understand, when we step on a scale, it is measuring every part of our physical being at that moment in time, which means it measures our fat, muscles, organs, tissue and water weight. Tips For Cooking Low Carb If you are committed to the low carb way of eating, but also craving some of your old comfort foods you may still be able to satisfy those cravings with a little bit of creative substitution. Some of the foods that you used to know and love, have a low carb alternative available - the taste might be a little bit different but you will soon get used to that and be well on your way to happier and healthier eating!Here's some tips you can use to make your low carb cooking easier and tastier:1. What Low Carb Dieters Should Know About Nitrates And Nitrites Nitrates and nitrites are preservatives that are added to certain meats to affect a desirable color and prevent the growth of poisons and bacteria. When nitrates and nitrites are exposed to heat and other conditions during the curing process, they are sometimes transformed into nitrosamines, which have been linked to cancer in a number of studies. Weight Loss and Diet Programs - The Real Skinny on What Works Best! Have you ever wondered with all the weight loss programs offered today, why we are on the verge of a diabetic and obesity epidemic? Have you ever thought that maybe doctors and gym owners would rather you not know the right way to lose weight? Think about it? If we did, whose pocket would it hurt? On the other hand, maybe they just are not motivated enough to explain it us? Worse yet, maybe they don't even know how to help us long term?Twenty years of health club management, fifty thousand hours of paid personal training sessions and working with some of the most famous people in the world tell me; we are focusing on the wrong things. What does it take to stay on an exercise and eating program? The answer may surprise you. Weight Loss Methods: Its Advantage - Natural Therapy! Natural therapies uphold the importance of minerals, vitamins and herbs in your day-to-day life. People have popularized weight loss programs like diet plans, pills and surgeries but natural therapy still remains as one of the earliest and effective therapies for weight loss. Slimmer Legs... Stress-Free Well, with the success of my article, "Wrinkle Remover That WORKS!!", I realize that there is a really strong interest in getting information that is going to do something for you, rather than generalities that come under the "same old thing" category. And, as you know if you read the article, we found a great and effective cream that does a knockout job of actually reducing wrinkles. Exercise Resistance! - The Secret Barriers that Prevent Weight Loss Getting started on an exercise program is one thing. Staying on it is the bigger challenge. Rapid Weight Loss Tips - Lose Weight with the South Beach Diet It's the American Dream: "If I could just lose a little bit of weight.. Pick Up Your Pen and Lose Weight! Although every dieter knows that keeping food records is a key to permanent weight loss, few understand the importance of also keeping an "emotional journal." In fact, one dieter lost 100 pounds, thanks in part to the insights gained through daily journaling. 20 Ways to Lose Weight 20 WAYS TO LOSE WEIGHT1. Take it one step at a timeStart by paying attention to what you eat. South Beach Diet - South Beach Diet Plan Information Perhaps you've had them too, nightmares about rice cakes, granola, and eight glasses of water a day. Do visions of diet supplements, green tea and mechanical scales dance through your head? If so, you are not alone. Fat Acceptance With tons of information out there on "Fat Acceptance" does it do more harm than good? Being body positive and body fat are two different topics. South Beach Diet may work for one but not the other.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
