Weight Loss Information

Weight Loss – With The Atkins Diet

What if I told you you’d able to eat all the juicy steaks, succulent seafood with butter and bacon and cheese omelettes and still lose massive quantities of weight? What if I also explained to you that you wouldn’t necessarily have to exercise to lose this weight? If I’ve got your attention and you’re willing to take the plunge, let me introduce you to the Atkins diet. The Atkins diet is known as a Standard Ketogenic Diet. The term ketogenic refers to the fact that your body must enter ketosis in order for this diet to work. Ketosis is when your body and more so your brain stops using glucose (sugar) to function and now adapts to using ketones. Is it safe? Well it’s a diet that has been used as far back as the 60s by bodybuilders to shed unwanted fat. The mistake most people make is assuming that this is a fairly new diet while all that’s really happened is that it’s become more main stream in the last decade or so. Many studies have been done not only on the long term effects but also on the overall efficiency of this diet and they all conclude that it does indeed work and there are no apparent short term health risks.

Before taking the Atkins diet for a test run you should contact your personal physician and talk it over with them. The initial stage of the Atkins diet is the hardest as it is the time when your brain tries to adapt to using ketones. Most people encounter a sort of brain fog where they feel a little lethargic and may encounter headaches. After the first 2 weeks this will subside and you’ll feel even better then you felt before. The first thing you’ll need to buy is ketone sticks. They sell them at most pharmacies and they are a vital part of your diet as they are the only indication of if you are in ketosis. The first stage of the Atkins diet is the induction phase and it last 2 weeks. This is where you will see the most significant weight loss while on the diet. After this phase is through you’ll evaluate if you’d like to stay in this phase or if you’d prefer to add some carbohydrates back into your diet and taper off the massive weight loss. First let’s look at how to get you into ketosis.

Both entering into and maintaining ketosis is amongst the most misunderstood aspects of the Atkins diet. Many people have a difficult time getting into ketosis and while in it they don’t quite understand what it is they’re doing to be knocked out of it. The ratio of protein to fat is what causes this confusion and the lack of explanation on this critical issue is why most people never succeed on this diet. When attempting to enter ketosis you must keep your daily protein intake at no more then 20%. Your fat intake must be at no less then 80% while your carbohydrate intake must remain at 0! Yes that is correct you can’t have any carbohydrates at all until you have successfully entered ketosis. This initial stage usually lasts 2- 3 days. After you have entered ketosis in order to remain in ketosis you must change your ratios to approximately 5% from carbohydrates, 30% from protein and 65% from your fat intake.

In the induction phase you will be relegated to eating mostly cheese, eggs and meat but as you progress to the next phase you will be able to add vegetables and even the occasional fruit back into your diet. As I stated before the initial phase of this diet lasts 2 weeks and now you’re faced with the decision of continuing the induction phase or moving on to more of a maintenance phase where you’ll gradually increase your carbohydrate intake, until you’ve noticed you’re being knocked out of ketosis. At that point you will have determined how many carbohydrates you can handle while still being in ketosis. The Atkins diet is definitely not for everyone but if you do feel you can handle it you’ll be able to lose sizable amounts of weight with a minimal effort. You will experience energy levels that you never knew you had and most importantly you’ll never feel hungry or deprived.

Three Most Popular Weight Loss Diets

Losing weight and dieting has become the order of the day in the world we live in.

It’s either some one wants to lose weight or is on a diet for various reasons. People are nowadays using different diets to lose weight in a short period of time. Of the many that are available, only a few weight loss diets have effective results.

There are a lot of diets that are popular either because of the problems associated with them or because they actually work. Here we will look at 3 weight loss diets, with positive popularity, created by different people. The, which is in no particular order, list stands to be corrected as there are thousands of them out there that are also effective.

South Beach Diet: this is a popular diet by Dr. Arthur Agatston of Mt. Sinai Hospital, South Florida. The diet was initially meant for overweight patients with heart illnesses. The diet was not only helping patients in their general well being, but it also contributed in their weight loss.

Ever since, the diet has been adopted by many people to assist them in weight loss as they eat food they like. The diet includes chicken, fish, healthy fats and whole grain meals. The diets uses three phase which are; phase one or the induction, for two weeks, phase two which is the reintroduction of foods limited in the first phase then phase three which is leaning how to live around the diet in phase two. The only limitation in this diet is the high prices of some food items.

Hollywood Cookie Diet: it is another popular weight loss diet that replaces your daytime meals with special cookies. The cookies have the essential nutrients you need in your body. The diet works on a principle of low carbohydrates as it recommends less than twenty grams of carbohydrates to be consumed in a day. Cheese and meat are not restricted but vegetables, pasta and bread are either limited or restricted because of their high carbohydrates content.

The Zone Diet: this is among the easy diets to follow. It is based on a balanced intake of 40% carbohydrates, 30% fat and 30% proteins. The diet is aimed at controlling the insulin produced in the body and differs from other diets because it allows the consumption of unrefined carbohydrates and fats like those contained in nuts, olive oil and avocados.

Different diets will work for different people but these seem to have a massive following. A lot of people are in search of a working diet to lose weight, if you are such, feel free to choose from these three and see whether they will work for you. Be patient and follow the diet‘s plan or you will not get the desired results.

10 Weight Loss Statistics

On the surface, weight loss sounds like a simple concept: eat fewer calories than you burn, and you’ll lose weight.

But our world’s growing obesity problem has completely changed the way we view weight loss, leading to some truly desperate measures and shocking statistics.

Here are ten of the most startling facts about weight loss:

1. The whole world needs to lose weight.

According to the World Health Organization, 1 billion of the world’s inhabitants are overweight. (That’s almost equal to the number of people who are malnourished in the world.)

Globally, over 22 million children under the age of 5 are considered overweight. This epidemic is largely due to increased consumption of processed foods high in calories and saturated fat, and a decrease in physical activity.

2. Nearly two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese.

The World Health Organization estimates that nearly two-thirds of all American adults are overweight. The National Center for Health Statistics recently found that 34% of Americans are clinically obese.

3. 50% of American women and 25% of American men are currently on a diet.

With numbers like the ones above, it’s no wonder most Americans feel the need to count calories.

However, society’s obsession with thinness comes at a price: Chronic dieting and emerging eating disorders are becoming more common among elementary school children.

4. America’s top three killers are linked to obesity.

National Geographic published some eye-opening facts about mortality in the USA.

They found that the top three most statistically likely causes of death were heart disease (with a 1 in 5 chance), cancer (with a 1 in 7 chance), and stroke (with a 1 in 24 chance). All of these have been linked to excess weight.

5. Surprisingly, America isn’t the world’s fattest nation.

The World Health Organization gives that dubious honor to Samoa, where more than 93% of the population is overweight or obese. The Pacific isle of Kiribati comes next, with an 82% obesity rate.

America rounds out the top three, but is closely followed by Germany (66.5%), Egypt (66%), and Bosnia-Herzegovina (63%).

6. The weight loss industry is fat and happy.

The obesity epidemic might mean misery for some, but it’s certainly padded the pockets of the weight loss industry.

In 2007 alone, the American Diatetic Association found that Americans spent billion on weight loss products. Considering that obesity has gone global, you can imagine how lucrative the weight loss industry must be.

7. Over half of the diet industry’s claims are false.

As with any booming industry, there are plenty of unscrupulous sellers trying to prey on people’s weight loss dreams. The Federal Trade Commission published a study in 2002 which found that 55% of all weight loss claims “strained credibility”.

The American Diatetic Association concurs, pointing out the fact that most weight loss products focus on atypical success stories instead of real chances of success.

8. Bariatric surgery doesn’t always work.

Discouraged by multiple failed attempts at weight loss, more people than ever are turning to bariatric surgery. However, there is no evidence that gastric bypass or banding result in permanent weight loss.

The University of Virginia conducted a study that revealed gradual weight regain after 6 years post-surgery.

9. Diets don’t work either.

The National Institute of Health has estimated that dieters can expect to regain two-thirds of their lost weight within a year of completing their diet plan. These dieters can expect to regain all of their weight, and possibly more, within 5 years.

10. Fortunately, there is a perfect recipe for lasting weight loss.

The National Weight Control Registry tracks 3,000 people who have lost more than 30 pounds and kept it off for more than a year.

They have found that most of the successful dieters have four behaviors in common: they keep a food journal and monitor their weight; they never skip breakfast; they get an hour of exercise almost every day; and they eat diets consisting of 24% fat, 56% carbs, and 19% lean protein.

You can follow that perfect weight loss recipe for yourself and enjoy better health for years to come.

Weight Loss and Cholesterol – Diet Tips For You

If you have high cholesterol and also want to lose weight, you have two problems that can be addressed at the same time. Lowering your cholesterol levels and reducing your weight is something that can make you healthier. Let’s see how weight loss and cholesterol are related.

There are many foods that increase cholesterol levels and you should avoid them as most of them are also bad for your figure. For example, butter and similar fatty products we use for cooking. These products have a high concentration on fat that together with other fat we take during the day can increase the total fat levels very much. Your body will have trouble burning the fat and your heart will also have to increase cholesterol to store it. Excess fat is very bad for the body in general. Weight loss and cholesterol lower levels can be achieved if you reduce them. Ice creams and meats that contain a lot of fat also have the same result. However, you should not stop eating any kind of fat as there are many vitamins that need fat to be absorbed. You can use olive oil in cooking and in salads. Olive oil ha many benefits and can be used frequently. You can also eat some dried fruit and nuts as they are also filled with vitamin E and good healthy fats. Keep them limited however, as they have calories. A handful of raisins and almonds is enough for you.

Fish is another food you can include in your diet. Weight loss and cholesterol can benefit significantly from the use of fish. Fish has healthy fats called omega 3 fatty acids that are good for the body. They are the best way to get the fat you need and lower cholesterol levels. The best thing with this food is that it actually lowers cholesterol. It is not simply that it doesn’t increase it. You can ask your doctor to tell you how much you can eat, but in general doctors suggest having two meals a week. Salmon and sardines are the best fish to have for this case. Weight loss and cholesterol can also benefit from oat. Oat has fibers that can lower what we call bad cholesterol and help you lower your cholesterol in general. Fibers also have the advantage that reduce the feeling of hunger and keep you full for a longer time. This is also good for your diet to lose weight as you will not feel hungry all the time. So try including it in your every day diet.

Last thing you can do is to try the food that can help you and decide on the ones that actually help you and you can include them in your diet. Then, it is very important to maintain your program. Healthy eating will only have beneficial results in weight loss and cholesterol levels if it is done regularly. So find food that is tasteful to you and you will certainly achieve your goal.

Weight Loss – The Blood Type Diet

This diet is considered a fad diet and was developed and outlined by P. D’Adamo in his book “Eat Right for your Blood Type” and presumes that one of the most important factors in a healthy diet is your blood type.

The developer claims that the lectins found in different foods can cause different reactions in people with different blood types. These lectins react to a person antigens and some of them can be smooth and productive while others are incompatible and harmful to the person consuming them. This leads to his theory that it is important to match what you eat with your blood type.

What are lectins – you ask?

These are carbohydrate-binding proteins and found in most plants, eg: seeds, tubers such as cereal crops, potatoes, and our all time favorite, beans (legumes). Traditionally used as histology and blood transfusion re-agents we now find that lectins may be toxic, inflammatory and resistant to cooking or digestive enzymes.

Lectins can cause changes in the function of the digestive tract and may be related to some common diseases such as colitis and IBS, and some not so common such as Crohn’s disease and Coeliac-Sprue. Due to the damage that lectins can cause to the digestive tract, other proteins can get the ability to pass into the body undigested, thus causing possible allergic reactions within a persons body.

Matching specific foods with your blood type

We all know there are 4 different blood groups out there, and the developer of this diet has listed them and the types of food they should eat as seen below.

Type O

He believes this group were part of the early humans who hunted and thrived on a diet of meat and therefore need to have a diet rich in meat.

Type A

Classified by the developer as cultivators/farmers, this group should avoid red meat, reduce the intake of meat overall and eat a diet rich in vegetables.

Type B

Classified as nomads by the developer, it is suggested that this group have the attributes of a strong immunity system and a fairly well developed and flexible digestive tract. Eating a diet of mainly dairy products is advised for this group.

Type AB

Grouped together with the same attributes of A and B blood these people usually do very well on a diet consisting of a low meat intake and a high dairy and vegetable intake.

Try to remember this is a fad diet and may not benefit you. Some die hards have lost weight on this type of diet but most health professionals and critics in this industry deride this diet as there is no scientific proof to prove that this diet indeed works.

Is Quick Weight Loss Diets Effective?

Weight loss process is not a quick one. If anyone told you about quick weight loss diets just remember they can be termed as fad diets. At the end of this article, I will you where to find “diet and weight loss programs” which are safer and effective.

Before you go for any diet plan program or purchase any diet program make sure the program does not offer any of these.

A. No Exercise needed:

Diet plans that claims that “no exercise are required” are fake ones. Exercise plays major role in proper blood circulation and other human body activities. Also, both exercise and diet should go hand in hand.

B. Skipping meals

If the diet plans requires you to skip meals then run away from it. These diet plans are fad diets and is not a healthy one. It will lead to serious problems or complications. Skipping meals may lead to hypoglycemia.

3. Continuous dawdling

To start losing weight you should act now. Delaying will only make your problem worse. So avoid diet plans which suggest a certain time frame for your start.

Patience is a virtue. The same way it took your body time to gain all that weight, think about it as the time your body will have to exert just to get rid of it. Therefore the diet plan you choose will lead eventually to a more healthy life and a more fruitful living without extra pounds and extra fat

Also remember that benefit acquired from losing weight is huge.

A High Protein Diet Plan For Healthy Weight Loss

High protein diet plans have always been popular with athletes and are now increasing in popularity among regular dieters.

While normal people who do not exercise can eat moderately high amounts of protein foods, athletes and people on muscle building diets should eat at least 1 gram per lb of bodyweight in order to build muscle. A high protein diet plan is followed by bodybuilders. Bodybuilding athletes always include a high protein food source in their daily diet.

Whether you need to lose weight or want to build muscle, a diet plan with plenty of protein will help you achieve your goal. Consuming high amounts of protein and low amounts of carbohydrate allow for a slow burning of energy and maintain stable blood sugar levels. This maintains a healthy pancreas and assists in maintaining healthy weight. Whereas diets high in carbohydrates have been linked to obesity, low-carb, diets with plenty of protein have been found to support weight loss.

Protein is the fuel for muscle building. During weightlifting and intensive training, muscle tissue breaks down. In order to rebuild that tissue we need to be on a high protein diet plan. If your goal is fat loss, a high protein diet is also very important. Most high protein diets are also low in carbohydrates and saturated fats. To accelerate weight loss, you need to reduce carbohydrates and lower the calorie intake. A high protein diet plan can help you to do this. The total amount of protein consumed should be spread over 5 to 6 meals throughout the course of a day.

The times of day you eat protein foods is important. Eat protein foods at breakfast, before a work out and for your evening meal. A good higher protein diet plan will include a good, breakfast high in protein. Immediately after a work out drink a protein shake or drink to assist with quick muscle repair. A protein meal (slow digesting form of protein) before bed, might seem strange but it provides a slow release of high quality amino acids while you sleep.

General Motors Weight Loss Diet

The General Motors Diet was actually created for employees of the organization but the diet soon became very popular worldwide. The diet is perfect if you’re looking for a fast weight loss plan.

This diet is not the original diet plan. It has been modified to include healthier food options, which will not make you feel feverish or weak.

According to the diet, the following things need to be kept in mind:

- complete abstinence from alcohol

- you must take 10 to 15 glasses of water everyday

- you may consume water flavored with lemon, club soda and black coffee, without any cream, substitutes or sugar

If you feel weak during the course of your diet, supplement it with multivitamins like vitamin tablets. You can also have cabbage soup on all 7 days.

DAY ONE:

The first day will prepare your body for the following week. Your diet should include only fruits, preferably cantaloupe (also called musk melon) only. No bananas. Ideally, a cantaloupe diet on the first day will help you lose 3-4 lbs on the first day itself.

DAY TWO:

Eat vegetables of your choice in any quantity, they can be raw or cooked. Cooked vegetables does not include vegetables made in curry or with spices. Take steamed or lightly sauteed vegetables with a little butter or salad dressing. You may choose to have a baked potato in breakfast but you should take zero calorie, high nutrition vegetables for the rest of the day. Eg: Boiled spinach, carrots, peas.

DAY THREE:

Take fruits and vegetables in any quantity. No bananas or potatoes. Day 3 will prepare the system to start burning excess pounds.

DAY FOUR:

Take 8-10 bananas and 3-4 glasses of milk. This is done to make up for lost sodium and potassium.

DAY FIVE:

You can have a small portion of lean meat. Vegetarians can replace meat with tofu or cottage cheese. You also need to eat 6 whole tomatoes. You may make a sandwich from these two in brown bread. Increase your water intake by 25%. Meat & cheese give the body iron and protein while tomatoes provide fiber, water helps cleanse the system of toxins.

DAY SIX:

Eat unlimited amounts of fish/chicken/tofu/cottage cheese.

DAY SEVEN:

Eat brown rice, fruits and vegetables. By Day 7, you will be feeling lighter from the cleansing. You can also use pulses as a protein substitute.

The GM Diet plan should only be followed once a month. Do not curb your hunger during the course of your diet.