"Goals...
...and resolutions."
Yes, it's that time of the year again.
Why is it that every time Jan 1st comes around, everyone starts to think about their new resolutions for the year? Or perhaps "new" isn't the correct word -- perhaps "recycled" is more apt? After all, isn't it true that for most people, "resolutions are made to be broken?"
Goals are a wonderful way to inspire us towards getting the things in life that we want, but more often than not, they simply end up unattained and we get frustrated (again) at the end of the year.
But it doesn't have to be so.
Really.
You can attain your goals or resolutions, but only IF you know how to go about setting them up correctly in the first place. And I'll give you a few useful pointers to help you get started on the right track...
- Begin with the end in mind. What's the end result you want to achieve? Do you want to lose weight? Or do you want to drop 1 dress size instead?
- Get specific and be realistic. It's not enough to just say "I want to lose weight." How much do you want to lose _exactly_? By when? A better goal is to say "I want to lose 11 pounds in 3 months."
And make sure your goal is realistic. If you want to drop 27 pounds, it's not realistic to say you want to do that within the next 7 days, not to mention that it's not healthy to do that! Or if you've been putting on the weight slowly over the last 10 years, it's not quite realistic to say you want to go back to your weight 10 years ago within a month.
- Break it down into smaller and easier "baby steps." Let's say you want to lose 20 pounds. That seems like an insurmountable task, but it becomes easier to manage if you look at it as losing an average of 1 pound per week, over a course of 20 weeks. Now's that manageable! For you to lose a pound a week, you only need to create a calorie deficit of about 500 calories per day by controlling your diet and increasing your amount of exercises.
- Okay, now for the big "secret" -- the missing key to achieving your goals: Write down your "Why" i.e. what are you doing this for? Most people skip this step, and it's a primary reason why they never seem to achieve their goals. It's absolutely critical for you to write down the reasons why you want to achieve each specific goal. for example eight.
And here's another tip: Make it "personal and emotional." The more "emotional" the reason, the more likely you'll be driven towards the goal. So, let's say you've got kids. An example of a good "reason why" is "I know being overweight is a leading cause of many health problems -- I will lose the 20 pounds and get healthier so that I will not be a burden to my children, and be able to stay healthy long enough to attend my daughter's wedding and be there to carry my grandchildren." A ssuming all these things are important to you, of course. :-) But I'm sure you get the picture.
- "Write it down and put it up!" It's usually not good enough to just think of the goals in your head. You need to write down all your specific goals and the "reasons why," and then paste it up where you will look at it every day. Don't write it down on a notebook and chuck that inside the drawer. Instead, paste it up on your dressing table mirror, or anywhere else that is in plain sight. Remember, "out of sight, out of mind!"
- Do not be too ambitious. Aim for a loss of 1-2 pounds per week, at the max! Losing more than that amount is bad for you. And it'll most probably be caused by a loss of water and/or muscle, rather than your unwanted excess body fat.
- Be realistic and "go with the flow." The pounds didn't come on overnight, so don't expect them to disappear in a jiffy too. And sometimes the weight loss isn't as fast (or as much) as planned. But don't get stressed out, because stress will only add on the pounds.
It's important that you don't think of the weight loss process as "all or nothing." Instead, think of it as "slowly but surely." The weight may go up a little sometimes, but if you stick to your plan, you'll still be delighted at the end of the year!
Use these simple steps and make a positive difference to your life this year! Best of luck!
Copyright 2006 Tracy Lee
Monday, November 28, 2016
Monday, November 21, 2016
Liquid vitamins have been taking the vitamin supplement spot light
Liquid vitamins have been taking the vitamin supplement spot light. Questionable facts and liquid vitamin claims have plagued the minds of many. The vitamin absorption truth has finally arrived.
The most controversial liquid vitamin myth has to be vitamin absorption superiority. Pill form vitamins offer up to 30% absorption rates while liquid vitamins boast a 90% absorption rate. It is time to prove or disprove this fact in a visual manner.
ORGANIC LIQUID MORNING MULTIVITAMIN by MARYRUTH (Raspberry) Highest Purity Organic Ingredients, Vitamins A B C D3 E, Minerals & Amino Acids to Provide Natural Energy All Day 100% VEGAN & Gluten Free
The fact testing approach performed involves a very simple experiment. The experiment began with a theory. For a nutrient to be absorbed into the blood stream, it will have to be completely simplified before passing through the body’s membranes; the villi in the small intestine or the mucous membrane. With this in mind, a pill must be simplified before any nutrient absorption can take place.
This will limit the pill form vitamin to basically one pathway of entry into the blood stream; the small intestine.
Liquid vitamins fortunately increase the number of entry pathways into the body which allows for a better absorption rate. A liquid vitamin is already in simplest form. As you drink the liquid vitamin, absorption is already taking place in your mouth’s mucous membrane as well as through tissue in your esophagus.
Now, vitamin absorption has to be more than theory. Visual proof of the vitamin supplements ability to pass through a very small membrane has to be possible. With a few items from your kitchen, visual proof is finally possible. A coffee filter can simulate the permeable membrane nutrients must pass through in our bodies. Lemon juice has a pH level comparable to stomach acid. Stomach acid pH levels can range from 1 to 3 depending on conditions in the stomach. Lemon juice has a pH level of 2.3. Two vitamins were chosen based on high popularity and availability but will be kept anonymous to preserve the universal nature of this experiment.
With the vitamin absorption experiment planning complete, the experiment was performed leaving only visual vitamin absorption facts behind. All components were weighed before and after the experiment. Both vitamins spent equal time in the stomach acid equivalent as well as filtering through the coffee filter. The experiment time frames were meant to simulate digestion as closely as possible which takes approximately 2-4 hours in the stomach.
After the filtering process was complete, the vitamin absorption facts were finally visually displayed.
The weight analysis revealed 0.2 of an ounce filtered from the liquid vitamin supplement and 0.8 of an ounce filtered from the pill form vitamin. This coincides with the absorption rate facts put to the test. Visual proof of the liquid vitamins ability to absorb approximately 3 to 4 times more efficiently than a pill form vitamin resides in the coffee filter.
Copyright 2005 Daniel Weigum
ORGANIC LIQUID MORNING MULTIVITAMIN by MARYRUTH (Raspberry) Highest Purity Organic Ingredients, Vitamins A B C D3 E, Minerals & Amino Acids to Provide Natural Energy All Day 100% VEGAN & Gluten Free
The most controversial liquid vitamin myth has to be vitamin absorption superiority. Pill form vitamins offer up to 30% absorption rates while liquid vitamins boast a 90% absorption rate. It is time to prove or disprove this fact in a visual manner.
ORGANIC LIQUID MORNING MULTIVITAMIN by MARYRUTH (Raspberry) Highest Purity Organic Ingredients, Vitamins A B C D3 E, Minerals & Amino Acids to Provide Natural Energy All Day 100% VEGAN & Gluten Free
The fact testing approach performed involves a very simple experiment. The experiment began with a theory. For a nutrient to be absorbed into the blood stream, it will have to be completely simplified before passing through the body’s membranes; the villi in the small intestine or the mucous membrane. With this in mind, a pill must be simplified before any nutrient absorption can take place.
This will limit the pill form vitamin to basically one pathway of entry into the blood stream; the small intestine.
Liquid vitamins fortunately increase the number of entry pathways into the body which allows for a better absorption rate. A liquid vitamin is already in simplest form. As you drink the liquid vitamin, absorption is already taking place in your mouth’s mucous membrane as well as through tissue in your esophagus.
Now, vitamin absorption has to be more than theory. Visual proof of the vitamin supplements ability to pass through a very small membrane has to be possible. With a few items from your kitchen, visual proof is finally possible. A coffee filter can simulate the permeable membrane nutrients must pass through in our bodies. Lemon juice has a pH level comparable to stomach acid. Stomach acid pH levels can range from 1 to 3 depending on conditions in the stomach. Lemon juice has a pH level of 2.3. Two vitamins were chosen based on high popularity and availability but will be kept anonymous to preserve the universal nature of this experiment.
With the vitamin absorption experiment planning complete, the experiment was performed leaving only visual vitamin absorption facts behind. All components were weighed before and after the experiment. Both vitamins spent equal time in the stomach acid equivalent as well as filtering through the coffee filter. The experiment time frames were meant to simulate digestion as closely as possible which takes approximately 2-4 hours in the stomach.
After the filtering process was complete, the vitamin absorption facts were finally visually displayed.
The weight analysis revealed 0.2 of an ounce filtered from the liquid vitamin supplement and 0.8 of an ounce filtered from the pill form vitamin. This coincides with the absorption rate facts put to the test. Visual proof of the liquid vitamins ability to absorb approximately 3 to 4 times more efficiently than a pill form vitamin resides in the coffee filter.
Copyright 2005 Daniel Weigum
Saturday, November 19, 2016
"How To Get Fit And Slash Your Health Insurance Costs"
Okay, before we start, let me explain the purpose of this article. I want you to get so healthy, you'll never need to make a health insurance claim. You'll save money by increased fitness. You'll save money with a long no-claims insurance history. And you'll look and feel much better.
Get Fit, Stay Fit
There's three sides to your maximum health and fitness. Diet, and Exercise. But that's only two ! Let me split Exercise into Aerobic exercise and Aneorobic exercise.
Get all three right. Get the right balance. And you'll get as fit and healthy as your body and genetics will allow.
Whole forests of paper have been filled with advice on each of these fitness factors. Just go into your local bookstore, and see shelves of diet advice. Shelves of exercise advice.
Funny how so much contradicts itself, especially for diet e.g right next to each other on the shelf, you'll find a book advocating low carbs & low fat; another saying high fat is okay if you keep the carbs low. Yet another focuses on high protein, and says carbs don't matter...
* Diet
Let me give you this simple diet advice. Stick to low fat, low carbs and high protein. Many medical and weight loss studies over the last 10-20 years prove this approach. Many other diet myths come from way back in time, and look just plain wrong when analyzed with modern methods.
* Aerobic Exercise
Couch potatoes don't realize how easily they can start feeling fit and healthy. Just walk somewhere 3-4 times per week, for around 20 minutes each time.
Ideally, do some more demanding aerobic exercise. I do a lot of cycling, because it's great low-impact exercise. And I get to see beautiful scenery while I ride.
Running provides even more intensive aerobic exercise, but careful of your joints. Maybe you prefer hiking, to see the local countryside ? Or take up a sport like rowing or tennis. You also get to meet new friends by taking up exercise as a sport.
* Anaerobic Exercise
Many people work on their diet. Many people take aerobic exercise. But many people ignore anaerobic exercise, or weight training.
What makes weight training so important ?
As you get older, muscle mass decreases. Muscle burns fat. So as you lose muscle, it gets harder to keep the fat off. Equally important, weight training can reshape your body.
No matter how much aerobic exercise you do, you'll still be a pear shape (a smaller pear shape) if you started out a pear shape.
Using weights you can flatten your stomach, tone your thighs, bulk up your chest and shoulders, and reshape your body any way you want.
Weight training is incredibly beneficial to your general skeleton strength and conditioning. Older women can reduce the effects of osteoporosis, and older men can maintain their strength and agility.
This short article can do nothing more than provide an introduction to the three keys to your health.
Follow these and you shouldn't need to make a health insurance claim.
Slash your health insurance costs with a long no-claims bonus. Slash your health insurance costs with any insurer who rates your fitness.
Get Fit, Stay Fit
Get Fit, Stay Fit
There's three sides to your maximum health and fitness. Diet, and Exercise. But that's only two ! Let me split Exercise into Aerobic exercise and Aneorobic exercise.
Get all three right. Get the right balance. And you'll get as fit and healthy as your body and genetics will allow.
Whole forests of paper have been filled with advice on each of these fitness factors. Just go into your local bookstore, and see shelves of diet advice. Shelves of exercise advice.
Funny how so much contradicts itself, especially for diet e.g right next to each other on the shelf, you'll find a book advocating low carbs & low fat; another saying high fat is okay if you keep the carbs low. Yet another focuses on high protein, and says carbs don't matter...
* Diet
Let me give you this simple diet advice. Stick to low fat, low carbs and high protein. Many medical and weight loss studies over the last 10-20 years prove this approach. Many other diet myths come from way back in time, and look just plain wrong when analyzed with modern methods.
* Aerobic Exercise
Couch potatoes don't realize how easily they can start feeling fit and healthy. Just walk somewhere 3-4 times per week, for around 20 minutes each time.
Ideally, do some more demanding aerobic exercise. I do a lot of cycling, because it's great low-impact exercise. And I get to see beautiful scenery while I ride.
Running provides even more intensive aerobic exercise, but careful of your joints. Maybe you prefer hiking, to see the local countryside ? Or take up a sport like rowing or tennis. You also get to meet new friends by taking up exercise as a sport.
* Anaerobic Exercise
Many people work on their diet. Many people take aerobic exercise. But many people ignore anaerobic exercise, or weight training.
What makes weight training so important ?
As you get older, muscle mass decreases. Muscle burns fat. So as you lose muscle, it gets harder to keep the fat off. Equally important, weight training can reshape your body.
No matter how much aerobic exercise you do, you'll still be a pear shape (a smaller pear shape) if you started out a pear shape.
Using weights you can flatten your stomach, tone your thighs, bulk up your chest and shoulders, and reshape your body any way you want.
Weight training is incredibly beneficial to your general skeleton strength and conditioning. Older women can reduce the effects of osteoporosis, and older men can maintain their strength and agility.
This short article can do nothing more than provide an introduction to the three keys to your health.
Follow these and you shouldn't need to make a health insurance claim.
Slash your health insurance costs with a long no-claims bonus. Slash your health insurance costs with any insurer who rates your fitness.
Heat Up" New Year Weight Loss with an IR Bodywrap
Did you know you could lie down, breath deep & burn 900+ calories?
Neither did I…
Inch Loss Body Wrap Kit
And it sounded too good to be true so I did some research on my own to find out about this seemingly wonderful bodywrap treatment.
First I had to try it. Let’s face it if it doesn’t feel great and get results it isn’t worth doing all of the research on finding out how it works and all the rest. So I dressed up in my cotton sweats and drove up to Ventura California to try it out. Hydrating and drinking my water as I headed up highway 101.
Before the bodywrap, I measured the circumference of my upper arms, ribcage, waist, hips and upper thighs before the first treatment and kept it as a reference. I was really skeptical, but you never know unless you try it. I didn’t expect to have any change.
I laid down on a table and 6 large warm pads were wrapped around my upper arms, waist, hips and thighs. Then I was covered with a blanket and padded with towels where it was appropriate and it was that easy. I could hear relaxing music and actually it was wonderful to do a breathing meditation and actually take an hour for myself.
Now I’m sort of a lizard – I love the heat – so the pads got warmer and warmer and I broke put is a good sweat. I continued to sweat, a lot. I hadn’t sweat that much since the dance classes I had loved back at Broadway Dance center a few summers ago in New York City and I knew I would love this treatment. I had been busy building a business and going back to school so I had not been keeping myself in shape like I did before. I had a thought that this bodywrap thing might be a good way to start to get myself back on track.
After an hour, I was drenched – and very happy. I re-measured myself and lost 3 inches total. Not much, but the treatment felt so good it didn’t matter too much and I drove home drinking another huge bottle of water. The gentleman who helped me with the treatment said that the process would continue overnight after the bodywrap had finished and the more fluids the better so I took his advice and planned to measure myself again in the morning.
To my surprise, after measuring myself the next morning I had lost 13 inches total! Wow! I called them up and they said that this was more than average – maybe because I have a good diet and stayed hydrated – but regardless I was psyched. I had to learn more…
So how does this Infrared BodyWrap Work?
Inch Loss Body Wrap Kit
Infrared light, which we feel in our bodies as heat is an abundant form of energy we receive from sunlight. We as humans radiate infrared heat every second of every day (The army uses infrared binoculars for night vision – to see humans in the darkness). It is part of our human biology. I would discover that FAR Infrared treatments are used worldwide by medical practitioners as they are one of the most resonant (closely matched) forms of heat for the human body.
Radiant Heat or Infrared energy is a form of energy that is part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Everything can be described by electrical principles after all we are all electrons protons and neutrons arranged in different patterns. The infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum happens just below red light waves and is not visible to human eyes but can be felt as heat. (This explains the night vision binoculars example above). The sun produces most of its energy in the form of infrared energy, our atmosphere allows it in and the earth radiates it back – living out in nature we are daily surrounded by infrared waves. But not so - in these days of indoor living, SPF sunblock and hiding away from the sun.
Our bodies, on average, radiate infrared energy at about 9.4 microns. The internal production of infrared energy that normally occurs within us is associated with a number of healing responses and may require a boost to assist the fullest healing response to assist homeostasis, metabolism and tissue under repair.
As related to Oriental / Chinese Medicine, when our circulation is impeded (described as Blocked Qi flow in Chinese Medicine) our body’s healing capacity, metabolism, and daily functioning are diminished. By enhancing circulation, the infrared therapeutic treatment is helping to unblock the Qi and increase energy and improve body function. Moxa, cupping, Infrared lamps and gua sha are related but different methods of achieving the same result in an Oriental Medicine Treatment.
Because of this special nature of the wavelength, when applied as a treatment, FAR Infrared heat therapy (i.e. bodywrap) activates a more thorough and extensive stimulation of local circulation which positively impacts enzymes, metabolism & immune function. The IR therapy helps the body get at toxins & cellulite trapped in the tissue through this increase in circulation and metabolism. The bodywrap treatment I had received had “super charged” this process.
So how does all this calorie burning happen?
The amount of sweat an infrared treatment can induce is 2-3 times that of a conventional sauna without creating that claustrophobic feeling, without drying out the sauna or causing undue stress on the cardiovascular system. I know I can barely stay in a regular sauna for 10 minutes – I lasted easily 1 hour in this bodywrap treatment.
The best research on this type of infrared treatment has described “Its regular use may be as effective as a means of cardiovascular conditioning and burning of calories as regular exercise.” in the Journal of the American Medical Association 8/7/81. In fact, NASA in the early 1980’s concluded that infrared therapy would be an ideal way to stimulate cardiovascular function during long space missions.
Someone not used to saunas can easily sweat 500 grams and consume 300 kcalories which is the equivalent of jogging for 30 minutes. The bodywrap is a great in between workouts way to ease the stiffness and once becoming acclimated to the sauna - burning up to 900+ calories are achieved each session. But remember – Hydration is very important you need to constantly replenish the fluids to see results.
The benefits of Infrared Therapy are impressive. Research from Sweden, Japan, Finland, China and Germany cite an impressive list of conditions that can be treated, including:
Inch Loss Body Wrap Kit
Neither did I…
Inch Loss Body Wrap Kit
And it sounded too good to be true so I did some research on my own to find out about this seemingly wonderful bodywrap treatment.
First I had to try it. Let’s face it if it doesn’t feel great and get results it isn’t worth doing all of the research on finding out how it works and all the rest. So I dressed up in my cotton sweats and drove up to Ventura California to try it out. Hydrating and drinking my water as I headed up highway 101.
Before the bodywrap, I measured the circumference of my upper arms, ribcage, waist, hips and upper thighs before the first treatment and kept it as a reference. I was really skeptical, but you never know unless you try it. I didn’t expect to have any change.
I laid down on a table and 6 large warm pads were wrapped around my upper arms, waist, hips and thighs. Then I was covered with a blanket and padded with towels where it was appropriate and it was that easy. I could hear relaxing music and actually it was wonderful to do a breathing meditation and actually take an hour for myself.
Now I’m sort of a lizard – I love the heat – so the pads got warmer and warmer and I broke put is a good sweat. I continued to sweat, a lot. I hadn’t sweat that much since the dance classes I had loved back at Broadway Dance center a few summers ago in New York City and I knew I would love this treatment. I had been busy building a business and going back to school so I had not been keeping myself in shape like I did before. I had a thought that this bodywrap thing might be a good way to start to get myself back on track.
After an hour, I was drenched – and very happy. I re-measured myself and lost 3 inches total. Not much, but the treatment felt so good it didn’t matter too much and I drove home drinking another huge bottle of water. The gentleman who helped me with the treatment said that the process would continue overnight after the bodywrap had finished and the more fluids the better so I took his advice and planned to measure myself again in the morning.
To my surprise, after measuring myself the next morning I had lost 13 inches total! Wow! I called them up and they said that this was more than average – maybe because I have a good diet and stayed hydrated – but regardless I was psyched. I had to learn more…
So how does this Infrared BodyWrap Work?
Inch Loss Body Wrap Kit
Infrared light, which we feel in our bodies as heat is an abundant form of energy we receive from sunlight. We as humans radiate infrared heat every second of every day (The army uses infrared binoculars for night vision – to see humans in the darkness). It is part of our human biology. I would discover that FAR Infrared treatments are used worldwide by medical practitioners as they are one of the most resonant (closely matched) forms of heat for the human body.
Radiant Heat or Infrared energy is a form of energy that is part of the electromagnetic spectrum. Everything can be described by electrical principles after all we are all electrons protons and neutrons arranged in different patterns. The infrared part of the electromagnetic spectrum happens just below red light waves and is not visible to human eyes but can be felt as heat. (This explains the night vision binoculars example above). The sun produces most of its energy in the form of infrared energy, our atmosphere allows it in and the earth radiates it back – living out in nature we are daily surrounded by infrared waves. But not so - in these days of indoor living, SPF sunblock and hiding away from the sun.
Our bodies, on average, radiate infrared energy at about 9.4 microns. The internal production of infrared energy that normally occurs within us is associated with a number of healing responses and may require a boost to assist the fullest healing response to assist homeostasis, metabolism and tissue under repair.
As related to Oriental / Chinese Medicine, when our circulation is impeded (described as Blocked Qi flow in Chinese Medicine) our body’s healing capacity, metabolism, and daily functioning are diminished. By enhancing circulation, the infrared therapeutic treatment is helping to unblock the Qi and increase energy and improve body function. Moxa, cupping, Infrared lamps and gua sha are related but different methods of achieving the same result in an Oriental Medicine Treatment.
Because of this special nature of the wavelength, when applied as a treatment, FAR Infrared heat therapy (i.e. bodywrap) activates a more thorough and extensive stimulation of local circulation which positively impacts enzymes, metabolism & immune function. The IR therapy helps the body get at toxins & cellulite trapped in the tissue through this increase in circulation and metabolism. The bodywrap treatment I had received had “super charged” this process.
So how does all this calorie burning happen?
The amount of sweat an infrared treatment can induce is 2-3 times that of a conventional sauna without creating that claustrophobic feeling, without drying out the sauna or causing undue stress on the cardiovascular system. I know I can barely stay in a regular sauna for 10 minutes – I lasted easily 1 hour in this bodywrap treatment.
The best research on this type of infrared treatment has described “Its regular use may be as effective as a means of cardiovascular conditioning and burning of calories as regular exercise.” in the Journal of the American Medical Association 8/7/81. In fact, NASA in the early 1980’s concluded that infrared therapy would be an ideal way to stimulate cardiovascular function during long space missions.
Someone not used to saunas can easily sweat 500 grams and consume 300 kcalories which is the equivalent of jogging for 30 minutes. The bodywrap is a great in between workouts way to ease the stiffness and once becoming acclimated to the sauna - burning up to 900+ calories are achieved each session. But remember – Hydration is very important you need to constantly replenish the fluids to see results.
The benefits of Infrared Therapy are impressive. Research from Sweden, Japan, Finland, China and Germany cite an impressive list of conditions that can be treated, including:
Thursday, November 17, 2016
"Cookie Cutter" Low Carb Diet Plans Explained
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.
Diet offers sufficient balance and a variety of carbohydrates, protein and fats.
Diet does not exclude one particular food group, and encourage excessive consumption of another.
Diet encourages exercise to complement sensible eating habits.
Diet encourages awareness of portion sizes.
Diet does not encourage unrealistic quick weight loss.
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 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 Nutrition.org
Yamashita T, Sasahara T, Pomeroy SE, Collier G, Nestel PJ. Arterial compliance, blood pressure, plasma leptin, and plasma lipids in women are improved with weight reduction equally with a meat-based diet and a plant-based diet. Metabolism. 1998 Nov;47(11):1308-14.
Yancy WS Jr, Olsen MK, Guyton JR, Bakst RP, Westman EC. A low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-fat diet to treat obesity and hyperlipidemia: a randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med. 2004 May 18;140(10):769-77. Copyright © 2004 Jenny Mathers. All Rights Reserved.
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.
Diet offers sufficient balance and a variety of carbohydrates, protein and fats.
Diet does not exclude one particular food group, and encourage excessive consumption of another.
Diet encourages exercise to complement sensible eating habits.
Diet encourages awareness of portion sizes.
Diet does not encourage unrealistic quick weight loss.
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 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 Nutrition.org
Yamashita T, Sasahara T, Pomeroy SE, Collier G, Nestel PJ. Arterial compliance, blood pressure, plasma leptin, and plasma lipids in women are improved with weight reduction equally with a meat-based diet and a plant-based diet. Metabolism. 1998 Nov;47(11):1308-14.
Yancy WS Jr, Olsen MK, Guyton JR, Bakst RP, Westman EC. A low-carbohydrate, ketogenic diet versus a low-fat diet to treat obesity and hyperlipidemia: a randomized, controlled trial. Ann Intern Med. 2004 May 18;140(10):769-77. Copyright © 2004 Jenny Mathers. All Rights Reserved.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)