Low Carb Priciples For Dieters

Posted on October 31st, 2006 in Low Carb by admin

So you are fresh to a low carb way of dieting are you? If so, there is no doubt that you have many queries about how the low carb plan works, what to eat and not to eat, and about the low carb rules. Well, the best recommendation that I can give you to read on and note every significant thing about the low carb in your head.

The low carb in general is often mistaken as a short term diet fad. The truth holds that low carb is not a short term and a quick fad diet, where you just follow a formula for a few weeks and then lose a few weights then in the end go back to your old eating routines.

With that, it is then necessary to consider that when you deal with low carb, you are dealing about a lifestyle change. In the principle of this one of the latest diet fads, you need to acknowledge how the foods make your body feel and how to feed it properly. Engaging in this diet fad is not just about eliminating sugar and starchy foods. It also means replacing all those carbohydrates that you eliminate with high quality and nutritious proteins as well as quality fats as well.

Essentially, the low carb way of eating is considered to have given several benefits to the dieters health and thus aid them in losing weight. So in line with such great news that this form of dieting contributes to the conditions of its followers, it is a common knowledge that when dealing with the low carb, a knowledge that many people cannot eat large amounts of carbohydrate foods such as sugar and starches without making and storing body fats is greatly expected.

Speaking of this latest diet fad, it is also interesting to know that under its principle, all the carbohydrates, except for the dietary fiber, are absolutely broken down into simple sugars molecules and is done through the digestive process. Also considered under the low carb principle is that the body will not burn fat for fuel unless a steady supply of easy-to-burn is there.

The low carb dieting also holds the principle that when the blood sugar remains stable after the process for following the low carb diet, the dieters will no longer be able to feel for food longing and the since the ketones are produced through the low carb dieting, the presence of the ketones are then vital for controlling the hunger. Thus the dieter will be able to lose fat and eventually lose weight.

About the Author:

Check out our low carb recipes site. Feel free to redistribute this article as long as there is an active hyperlink pointing to our site. Enjoy.

Written By: Sarah Williams

Low Carb Madness - Three Traps to Avoid

Posted on October 27th, 2006 in Low Carb by admin

Sign on a pizza restaurant:

Get Your Carbs Here! Low Carb everything!

I could see the value in reducing carbs LONG before it became the latest craze.

The fact that new products are being developed is a good thing. Manufacturers have been forced to make changes, such as increasing fiber in breads and pastas. (I am still waiting for low-carb fettuccini alfredo ;-).

Reformulating products to contain less sugar and still taste good generally seems like a positive change.

There are, however, some things to watch out for:

1. Artificial sweeteners have long been controversial and associated with negative side effects. Some people say they increase appetite and thirst, and stimulate the insulin response. People often report that using products with artificial sweeteners slows weight loss.

I recently bought some “light” orange juice, only to discover later that it was only 60% juice and contained artificial sweeteners.

All the more reason to read labels carefully to make informed choices.

When one ingredient is removed, something else has to replace it. Is it something you want?

Next time I want “light” juice, I will dilute it myself and leave out the artificial sweeteners.

2. One of the biggest traps for the low carb era is to avoid what happened when low fat diets were popular.

When we were advised to eat low fat, we did NOT snack on celery and carrots.

We munched on “low-fat” cookies, pasta, and bread, thinking that we were saving fat and calories, but ended up eating more. “It’s low-fat, I can eat all I want.” (Remember this logic?)

Same with carbs - it is easy to think that because something is low carbs, the quantity doesn’t count.

3. Yet another trap is the fact that restricting ANY category of food can stimulate the urge for that food like nothing else.

Not eating carbs anymore? Gotta have ‘em!

It becomes the ‘forbidden fruit’ (for more on this, see Lose Weight Now . . . Stay Slim Forever, page 8).

While as you know, I do not count ANYTHING, I try to avoid the traps. It’s still smart to pay attention internally and LISTEN what your body is telling you.

The body doesn’t lie.

With love, Carol

About the Author

Carol Solomon, Ph.D. is a psychologist and personal coach who specializes in helping people who want to lose weight and eliminate food and weight issues.

She is the author of “Lose Weight Now Stay Slim Forever,” a practical “how-to” manual for learning to lose weight without dieting.

Go To: Lose Weight Now to get your FREE copy of SLIM FOREVER.

Written By: Carol Solomon, Ph.D.

Draw Backs With Low Carb Diets

Posted on October 23rd, 2006 in Low Carb by admin

There are a lot of low carb diets out there such as the very famous Atkins diet. Low carb diets have been the most popular form of diets for a few years now. But are there any drawbacks to consider.

The basic idea behind low carb diets is that you should force your body to burn fat from the bodies fat depots for energy. This is done by restricting the calorie intake making sure that the body doesn’t get enough carbs to cover the bodies energy demand. The process of burning fat for energy in the body releases something called ketones into your bloodstream. The ketones are then later expelled from your body with your urine. The process of expelling the ketones from your blood increases the strain on your kidneys. This might lead to kidney problems in the long run.

Other draw backs with a low carb diet includes the fact that your body doesn’t get all the nutrients it needs which can cause problems if a low carb diet is kept over a longer period of time. A low carb diet excludes too many food types and nutrients to be a suitable long time diet option.

A low carb diet may also cause your body to burn protein that it takes from muscle tissue. It is for this reason very important to train your muscles regularly if you keep a low carb diet. Muscles can count for a large percentage of your weight loss during a low carb diet if you don’t train during the diet.

Low carb diets also often causes you to expel large amounts of water which can account for a large percentage of the weight loss during a low carb diet. Water weight that you lost during your diet will quickly return after the diet has ended.

A low carbs diet can also make you feel that you have less energy (which you in fact have) and it can therefore be hard to perform more intensive training. The muscles don’t have their best fuel to work with, carbs. You might therefore be forced to train less intensive during a low carb diet. This makes low carb diets less suitable for those who are used to intensive training especially in the long run.

Low Carb diets has several draw backs but can be a very good diet form in the short run and can be used to help get you started on your way to a more slender body. It is however not suitable to be used over long periods of time. The good old way to lose weight is best in the long run, a stable diet and training.

About the Author

A good diet is important for permanent weight loss and a good part of such a diet is Tilapia fish. Tilapia is low fat, low calorie and easy to cook. Tilapia can be cooked in a number of ways, all tasty like for example grilled Tilapia

Written By: William Berg

Carbohydrates - Good Or Bad?

Posted on October 19th, 2006 in Low Carb by admin

Happy Birthday Zanya :)

Carbohydrates have gotten a lot of bad press in the past few years with the advent of low carb diets, but the truth is that not all carbohydrates are bad and, in fact, your body needs carbs to survive.

Many people mistakenly believe that eating bacon, eggs and steak will set them on the road to a thinner body with increased energy and good health, but this is not the case. While cutting out the simple carbohydrates found in processed foods is a healthier way of eating, neglecting the complex carbs found in fruits and vegetables can be hazardous to your health.

Fruits and vegetables are packed with enzymes, vitamins, minerals and fiber. All key ingredients to your health. They also contain antioxidants which can help your body fight disease and may even help ward off certain kinds of cancer.

Picking The Best Carbs

The old saying you are what you eat has a lot of truth to it. You get the energy that your body uses as well as your nutritional needs such as vitamins, minerals and fiber from the foods you eat. Doesnt it make sense, then to eat foods that will provide your body with the best fuel possible?

You want to avoid foods that are processed. Im sorry to say that most foods that can be found in packaged in your supermarket like cookies, cereals and even white bread are filled with bad carbs. These foods are often processed to taste better and all the nutrients are stripped out in the process. Then chemicals are added in to prolong shelf life and add to color and taste. Your body has no use for these empty calories so when you eat these foods it is a big drain on the body to digest them and try to salvage any nutritional value from them.

The fruits and vegetables, on the other hand are filled with nutrients. When you eat these, your body gets lots of high energy fuel that it can use to keep up your energy levels and help your body fight off disease. In addition, the enzymes found in the fruits and veggies aid your body in the digestion process, thus freeing it up for more important activities.

So, in reality, carbohydrates are both good and bad. It is up to you to make sure you fuel your body with more of the good carbs for optimum health. A good rule of thumb when shopping is to stick to the outside aisles of the grocery store and avoid the middle. Buy as many fresh fruits and veggies as you can (organic if possible) and frequent your local farmers market to purchase locally grown produce if you are lucky enough to have one near you.

About the Author

Confused about carbs? Visit http://www.carbzine.com to find out more about carbohydrates and your health.

Written By: Lee Dobbins

Who Said Low Carb Diets Ever Meant NO Carb??

Posted on October 15th, 2006 in Low Carb by admin

A little information if often a dangerous thing… and many people trying low carb diets failed miserably in the long-run because they took the concept to its extreme figuring that if low-carb diets were good, then no-carb diets must be better? Wrong!

One of the primary reasons why low carb diets are so successful for a lot of people is that it forces them to remove the nutrient-deficient junk food from their daily food intake. In the last 20 years the average North American diet has become so polluted with refined foods, sugars, and unhealthy fats that the average American is now clinically obese!

Low carb diets owe their success to common sense more that any diet revelation. When was it ever acceptable to consume donuts, soda pop, Big Macs, deep-fried French fries and pizza on a daily basis? As peoples lives became busier the advent of fast food and convenience food grew by leaps and bounds. This was all very convenient for busy families trying to get food on the dinner table in time, but only now are we realizing the true cost of this convenience.

Processed and refined foods alter foods from their natural complex state, grinding them into fine powders that are easier to handle, store, preserve, and use in the manufacturing process. The unintended consequence of this refining process is that it makes it much easier for your body to absorb the carbohydrate glycogen energy from these foods, and creates large spikes in blood glucose levels. This in turn puts additional strain and stress on your bodys internal processes as they try to compensate for these glucose spikes, and in the process tells you body to store the energy as additional fat! In general, carbohydrates that are consumed in their natural state take longer to breakdown in your body, and the glucose release is dampened, leading to lower overall blood glucose levels.

The success of low carb diets lies more in the fact that it forces you to eliminate most refined carbohydrates, to eat foods in their natural state, and eat foods that have a low caloric density, which ultimately forces you to consume less calories!

If you’d like more ideas on how to incorporate delicious low carb foods into your lifestyle you can search the recipe database at:
http://www.mylowcarbdietrecipes.com/myrecipes.asp

About the Author

S.A. Smith is a freelance writer, correspondent, and contributing editor of My Low Carb Diet Recipes resource site and can be reached at http://www.mylowcarbdietrecipes.com

Written By: S.A. Smith

The Good And The Bad About The Carb

Posted on October 11th, 2006 in Low Carb by admin

The obsession with health rages on in our country and around the world. People are consumed by counting their calories and by getting in an extra few minutes at the gym. We want the bodies that Hollywood tells us are not only possible but easy to have. Much of our pursuit of health is actually a pursuit of physical perfection and a level of beauty that we will probably never attain. We hear a lot lately about the carb and about how we should cut the carb out of our diet as much as possible.

The thing about the carb - or carbohydrate - is that there is a good side and a bad side to it. Let’s start with the good side of the carb. Anyone who has ever chased a toddler around for an afternoon knows that life takes energy to make it through each day. Especially as we get older, we need more energy to make it through the days. The carb is a great source of energy that can help us stay awake and maintain high energy levels throughout our days. All of these fad diets that teach us to cut out all of the carbs from our diets are seriously mistaken and they don’t take into account the fact that we need energy to live! So don’t be sucked into a fad diet that requires you to go no-carb. It just isn’t healthy.

On the other hand (there is always another hand in health), don’t allow yourself to go carb crazy either. You cannot live long or live well by consuming any kind of food you want whenever you want it. Anyone who is halfway interested in doing something good for their health should carefully watch the amount of carbs they consume. A short appointment with your physician or with a dietician can be a great way to get on the right path to health.

The carb is great because it gives us energy, but it can be bad when it is overconsumned because it turns into sugar and hence into fat if the energy is not burned off. So the key with the carb is balance. Don’t eat so few that you don’t have the strength or energy to make it through your day, but don’t eat so many that you have excess sugar that turns to fat.

Take your health seriously and make an appointment to talk with an expert before your health gets any further out of hand. Take control of your health by learning the truth about the carb.

About the Author:

Hallidae Thomason is a dietician that loves to reveal the truth about the carb and the need for balance. See www.carbhelp.info for more about important health facts.

Written By: Hallidae Thomason

Food Intolerance And Low Carb Diets

Posted on October 7th, 2006 in Low Carb by admin

Food intolerance is a pharmacological reaction to the consumption of certain foods. In many cases, food intolerance may appear to be the side-effect of pharmacological drugs, but in fact, it is generally caused by the consumption of natural foods products, additives, or the combination of both.

The majority of food products that commonly cause food intolerance are high-protein.

As a low carb dieter, you will have abnormally- high exposure to high-protein food, including dairy products and meats, which means your chance of experiencing food intolerances (if you have any) will increase.

In contrast to food allergies, which are easily identifiable because they affect an almost instantaneous reaction of hives, shock, and a range of other symptoms, food intolerances are somewhat harder to identify.

Food intolerance generally has milder affects, such as minor headaches, general irritation, upset stomach, restlessness, and a loss of sleep. This makes it much harder to identify and treat.

If you are new to your low carb diet, you may have already experienced some of these symptoms, but attributed them to something other than food intolerance.

If you have been exhibiting these symptoms for less than three days into your low carb diet, they are more than likely related to withdrawals from caffeine or carbohydrates. They could also be related to dehydration. Conversely, if you have been exhibiting them for more than three days, they are more than likely the result of a food intolerance.

You should immediately start the process of weeding out foods that could be causing the intolerance.

The following is a list of foods you may be consuming on your low carb diet that are likely perpetrators: eggs, nuts, milk, fish, shellfish, pork, bacon, chicken, cheese, and tomatoes.

You should try to remove one of these from your low carb diet at a time. If you cannot solve your intolerance problem within a week, it would be wise to get off of your low carb diet and contact a physician to determine the source of your intolerance.

This article is for informational purposes only, and is not intended as substitute for medical advice. Before embarking on any diet or fitness program, consult your physician.

About the Author

Benji Paras runs http://www.list-of-low-carb-food.com, specializing in the benefits of the low-carb lifestyle. The site contains a treasure trove of information for losing weight, and includes a list of low carb foods along with informative articles and the latest low-carb headlines.

Written By: Benji Paras

The Best Way to Use Low-Carb Control

Posted on October 3rd, 2006 in Low Carb by admin

The benefits of low-carb dieting are easy to see and make clear why so many are choosing a low-carb way of life. For example, there isn’t any counting of calories or measuring portions. In addition you do not have to cut out all the food you enjoy. You can continue eating burgers, cheese, and bacon. Putting yourself on an eating plan for most people is generally complicated and yet the low-carb diet plan is simple enough for anyone. Cut your carbs down and watch the pounds fall.

No more waiting around for your diet to show results. You will be able to see the results right away. Because of the very simple fact that the amount of calories you consume does matter, by cutting down on your carb intake you will be at the same time cutting out a large amount of calories without trying directly.

Keep yourself in check. As you are minimizing the amount of carbohydrates you are eating you want to make sure that your body is getting enough nutrients. When you are following your low-carb regime here are a few things to keep in mind:

First, make sure you maintain a good fiber intake. You can do this while still sticking to your low-carb plan. Keep away from those bad carbs, such as the ones consumed from sugars. Have the low levels of carbohydrates that you do eat come from whole grains or vegetables. In fact these good carbs that you do choose to eat also aids in weight loss, this is a bonus. Your plan might change names from the low-carb eating plan to the low-carb/good-carb eating plan.

Second, try to minimize the amount of saturated fat you consume. Some low-carb plans you may find are high in saturated fats, one of the worst kinds of fats. They raise your LDL cholesterol levels, which may put you at risk of heart disease.

While eating your low-carb diet, you can reduce your saturated fats by choosing leaner protein sources such as poultry, seafood, and lean pork and beef. Make sure you cut away all visible excess fat on meets. Choose low fat or nonfat dairy products. You should also replace butter with vegetable oils such as olive or canola oil. Try to eat smaller portions of all these foods.

All in all, be smart with your food choices and it will be to your benefit.

About The Author

Melissa “Granny” White is a Low-Carb Diet fan and has been making delicious Low Carb recipes for years. You can get all 800 of her delicious recipes at: http://www.grannys-low-carb-recipes.com.

granny@grannys-low-carb-recipes.com

Written By: Melissa White