Low Carb Tips

When most people want to lose weight the first thing they usually do is start a diet. And a diet to most people means “stop eating”.

Wrong!

A healthy diet should consist of eating less of the foods that contain calories from simple carbohydrates (sugar and processed flour) and more whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and good sources of protein. This is the basis of a good low carb diet plan.

As a matter of fact, a good diet should have you eating more instead of less! Not more food, but more often.

The body’s a wonderful mechanism. It’s geared towards one important goal. Survival. When your body feels threatened by the lack of food it automatically assumes that you’re starving.

To combat this condition the body will start breaking down muscle to use as energy and saves its fat stores for the last ditch effort to save itself from what it thinks is immanent death.

This is bad on two fronts.

First, by using muscle tissue for energy you’re losing precious lean mass which is metabolically active. This means that you need energy to support muscle which helps to keep your metabolism running at a higher pace. Higher metabolism means more calories burned even in a resting state.

Fat, on the other hand, doesn’t need any energy to support it. It’s simply “dead” weight.

Secondly, the body will start storing more fat because it’s preparing itself for the worst. Your survival is your body’s most important concern so it’ll do whatever it can to stay alive.

So what can you do if you want to eat less without starving yourself and sending your body into this defense mode?

Eat smaller meals more often throughout the day.

This works on two levels.

By eating more often you won’t get hungry as quickly and your metabolism will stay raised because you’ll be digesting food more often. Digesting food uses calories just like any other physical activity.

So here’s the plan. Eat four or five meals a day. Not what most would consider a meal (main course with two sides and dessert!), but a small portion of protein along with some fresh fruits and veggies.

This can be accomplished with a little planning and preparing in your spare time.

Cook your weeks worth of meals - skinless chicken’s an excellent source of protein and can usually be purchased in a big pack or value pack from your local grocery store - and refrigerate it in separate packages, one for each meal.

Egg whites are a very good source of protein too. By mixing three or four whites with one yolk and tossing it into the microwave for approximately 90 seconds, whipping it and tossing it back in for another 60 seconds, you can have some nice fluffy scrambled eggs practically anywhere. Without all the cholesterol!

Buy your produce and clean it, separating it too into meal size portions. All this can be done in a few hours on the weekend.

Buying some disposable storage containers can help keep things convenient and organized.

Try to eat every three hours or so to keep your metabolism and energy up. This’ll help you stay away from those snacking binges too.

Also, drink lots of water. Water will help to cleanse your body and make you feel full.

So you see, with a little planning and by adhering to a low carb diet plan sometimes eating more can be better!

About the author:

Find out more about Diet and Nutrition at healthandfinesse.com

Written By: Nicky Pilkington

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The revolution is here. Weight Loss as we know it has changed forever because of one diet:

One diet that has reached beyond the weight loss program boundaries and invaded areas heretofore unknown: areas like beer commercials and even the all sacred fast food menus.

There was even a recent report on how this diet has taken a huge revenue chunk out of the bread and flour industries. Now that’s power.

You know which diet I’m talking about of course.

The big LC - LOW CARB

(also known as lo carb, Atkins, protein diet, Adkins, no carb, etc.)

The low carb diet isn’t new. In fact it’s been around for years (long before Atkins wrote about it). And yet it just keeps pressing on, affecting our food choices and popular culture.

So what is it about the low carb diet that makes it so popular? Here are 3 reasons:

#1 You can eat as much as you want (of certain low carb foods)

While the type of food is restricted to low carb or no carb, you don’t have to restrict how much food you eat (in theory).

This fact makes the low carb diet popular with those of us who have been starved and deprived by low fat diets for years.

It’s a kind of ‘have your cake and eat it too mentality’ (as long as the cake is low carb!) Essentially the low carb diets says ‘Eat all you want and STILL lose weight’

Hey, sign me up.

#2 You can eat ‘bad’ food.

Human nature being what it is, we love to break the rules, step over the line, tempt fate, and do something ‘bad’.

We’ve been told for years that low carb foods - foods like eggs bacon, cheese, cream cheese, butter etc, are bad for us. With low carb diets we can lose weight while breaking all the low fat rules we’ve come to resent.

#3 People feel out of control with carbs

You’ve seen the plethora of new books and articles surfacing regarding carbohydrate addictions or cravings. Many people have bought into the mentality that they are ‘addicted’ to carbs (much the same way we get addicted to cigarettes or caffeine).

They feel that when they eat carbs, their cravings get out of control and instead of having one brownie for example, they can’t stop the cravings and they eat the whole tray. So for some, low carb foods become the safe territory where they can eat and not feel out of control.

Those are several reasons why low carb diets are so popular; but do they work?

That depends on which study you read. There have been mixed reports, some say they work, some say they give you the same results as a low fat diet.

But to break it down to an individual level, here’s my take:

For the low carb diet to be successful, you have to approach it as a life change (and that’s a big life change).

You have to be dedicated to getting over the transition period (often called carb withdrawal) which can feel pretty lousy.

You have to dedicate yourself to finding new low carb ways of eating, new low carb recipes and products. It can be done - but you’d better be willing to put the work in.

However for those just looking for a chance to eat all the ‘bad’ food they want and still lose tons of weight in 2 weeks - save yourself the pain, the carb withdrawal and the keto-strips and just cut down your portion sizes.

About the Author

Kathryn O’Neill is a health writer for Diet and Weight Loss Reviews. For more free weight loss tips and diet reviews, visit http://www.freetobethin.com.
Reprint Rights: Author Bio must be included and ALL LINKS MUST BE CLICKABLE.

Written By: Kathryn O’Neill

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You’ve read the books, you’ve watched the infomercials, and you’ve tried your best, but you just can’t seem to make the low carb diet thing work for you. Either you forget what you can’t eat and blow your carb allotment or you remember and just can’t find the self-discipline to say no. And, now your weight loss turned into weight gain andwhile you were once optimistic you’re now dejected and feel like a low carb flunky. If this sounds familiar, don’t despair: We have 7 Tips to keep the carbs on the plate and the weight off your hips.

Write It Down

Every day write down what you ate and make a note of what worked, what tasted good, what didn’t work, and how you felt about your diet that day. Most importantly, write down at least 3 things every day that celebrate the choice you’ve made to go low carb. Attitude is everything!

Bumps in the Road: Plan Ahead

Plan out the food in your day before it happens. Know where you’ll be and if you need to pack ahead. There’s nothing worse than ending up unprepared in a high carb zone!

Don’t Waste Time Taking Back Your Waistline

If you start slipping in the land of high carbs, draw the line at your waistline and just say no to high carb foods. Waiting until next Monday or the full moon or you find a lucky penny are not good excuses. Start taking back control of your carbs immediately.

Just Because It Says “Low Carb” Doesn’t Mean You Can Eat 12

Just because something is low carb doesn’t mean that it should be a free-for-all. Be sure to check on cholesterol, saturated fats, sugars, and calories before you start gorging on any low carb treat. Moderation is always the key!

Buy A Cookbook

Got the low carb blahs? Can’t think of anything low carb to make? Want to quit your diet because it’s so boring? Buy a cookbook! There are countless great low carb cookbooks on the market today. Beyond that, you can transform just about any recipe into a low carb version. Don’t give up because you’re bored, buy a cookbook and open up page after page of possibility.

A Loaf of Cabbage and Slice of Lettuce?

Where do those carbs like to hide? That’s right in the bread! But, without bread, how do you keep your burgers bunched, your salami slammed, or your cheese closed? By wrapping it in a leaf of cabbage or lettuce, of course! Not only will it hold your sandwiches together, it gives a great crunch to every bite!

Send It Back

Many low carb dieters fall off the bandwagon when eating out. Feeling that it would be impolite to refuse, they let the complimentary bread and chips fill the baskets, sneak in a side potato with the main dish, and nibble on the dessert “just this one time.” Stand up for yourself when you eat out don’t let the servers fill your plate or table with anything that might tempt you. Ask politely that they remove any breads or chips. Don’t be embarrassed this is your life and their jobs, which is more important to you?

Maintaining a healthy, exciting low carb diet is not only possible, it’s important. Believe in yourself and your health and you’ll have no problem keeping on the down low.

About the Author

Sylvie Charrier is the author of the revolutionary new book “Living La Vida Low Carb: The Vegetarian Way”. As a busy work-at-home mom, she discovered simple ways to get more results from her low carb diet. She shares her recipe makeovers and health tips on her website http://www.VegetarianLowCarb.com/7-Secrets.html

Written By: Sylvie Charrier

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What is protein?

Millions of different proteins occur in nature. Protein is made of chains of amino acids held together by peptide bonds. There are about 20 amino acids that can be bound together in various combinations to make the millions of different proteins. There are two groups of amino acids: non-essential amino acids, which are made by your body and essential amino acids, which have to come from your food.

Why does my body need protein?

Protein is an important part of muscle fibre, cell walls, skin, nails and hair. You are losing protein all the time as you shed dead skin cells, nails and hair and it has to be replaced. At times your body needs more protein, like when you’re growing, when you’re pregnant or breast-feeding, or when wounds are healing. Protein is a source of energy for your body and the amino acids are used to make things like adrenaline and antibodies to fight disease.

How does my body digest the protein I eat?

When you eat protein, your body’s digestive system breaks it down into its component amino acids. These are absorbed into your bloodstream through the walls of your small intestine and your liver. Your body puts the amino acids together in whatever combinations it needs, e.g. to make hair protein or new skin cells. Proteins include nitrogen molecules and one of the byproducts of digesting proteins is ammonia. This is converted into urea which is filtered by the kidneys and passed as urine.

How much protein does my body need?

Health authorities in the U.S.A., Canada and Australia recommend a daily intake of 0.75 - 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of bodyweight. If you weigh 80 kilograms, that’s 60 grams of protein a day. High protein (or low carbohydrate) diets will recommend more.

Can my body store protein?

No. You need to eat the protein your body needs every day. Any excess protein is converted into urea and passed as urine.

Are all proteins the same?

Different proteins are made up of various combinations and amounts of amino acids. Proteins from animals, fish, poultry, soy and Amaranth contain all of the essential amino acids and are they are easily digestible. Proteins from plants and grains do not usually have all of the essential amino acids and you need to eat a selection of them to get all the amino acids you need.

What if I don’t eat enough protein?

Most people eat more than enough protein. If you don’t eat any animal products, you should eat a wide variety of plant and cereal foods. Some symptoms of protein deficiency are: poor growth, weight loss, muscle wasting, iron deficiency, swollen feet and ankles.

Is it dangerous to eat too much protein?

There are risks associated with following a high protein diet for a long time. Your kidneys have to collect and filter more toxic byproducts. This may affect the function of your kidneys, particularly if you have diabetes. It is possible for calcium to be lost from your body. If animal products are your main source of protein, you should avoid those that are high in saturated fats and cholesterol because they will increase the risk of a number of diseases including heart disease.

About The Author

Rita Preece enjoys preparing and eating good, nutritious food and intends to live a long and healthy life. For some simple steps you can take to manage your health and wellness, visit http://www.healthywealthyandhappy.com.

Written By: Rita Preece

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The further on your read, you’ll begin to understand that everyone needs energy and the best source of energy is from carbohydrates. Roughly 50%-80% of your nutritional intake should come from carbohydrates! (not including any special needs cases if a person was carbohydrate sensitive). Similar to amino acids, when you link various simple sugars together you get carbohydrates with different properties and effects on the body’s blood sugar levels.

Carbohydrates are classified into three categories:

Monosaccharides (glucose, galactose, fructose) are the sugars found in milk and fruits.

Disaccharides (sucrose, lactose) might be found in table sugars and milk sugars. They are a combination of a two simple sugars.

Polysaccharides (complex carbs, starches, fibers) come from whole grains, vegetables, nuts, some fruits and legumes. These are your complex carbs.

When you link different kinds of sugars together, you will get different kinds of products. For example when you combine glucose and fructose you get sucrose (table sugar).

You’ll read a lot about essential amino acids and essential fats but what you won’t read about in any fitness manuals or hear from any fitness experts is the essential carbohydrate. That’s because there is no such thing. There are just different carbohydrates with different properties that affect your energy levels.

Here’s a fact for you: Our bodies can only absorb monosaccharides (simple sugars).

[STOP and realize that complex carbs are just a series of 3 or more simple sugars bound together. As mentioned, complex carbs go by the alias, polysaccharides.]

This means if you eat a complex carb, your body will break down that complex carb into simple sugars and ultimately into blood sugar which can be used for many different functions. Depending on the carbohydrate you just ate and other factors, these carbohydrates will have different effects on blood sugar levels. Specifically how fast they rise and fall.

This ability of a carbohydrate to to raise blood sugar fast or slow is called the glycemic index (GI). The GI was created to track various foods effects on blood sugar at different rates.

The GI’s importance is related to the body’s blood sugar effects on insulin levels. Insulin is the primary hormone responsible for fat storage (along with many other functions). The GI was originally invented with the diabetic in mind because insulin levels can mean the different between life and death in such instances.

If you are still reading, you should at this point understand that complex carbohydrates have a more leveling effect on insulin and longer term energy. Because complex carbs are not continually ’spiking’ the insulin levels, you’ll send less signals to store fat.

Eating the right carbs will give you longer term energy and help to fight body fat storage!Your probably wondering if there’s a simple example of this so you can skip today’s brief science lesson.

The starch in whole grains is an excellent example of a more complex carb compared to the monosaccharides like refined white flours or table sugars. This is why you always read about “staying away from refined and processed foods” as much as possible.

Now keep in mind that complex carbs require a prolonged digestion time (enzymatic process) and thus provide a slow, even and ideal flow of energy. This avoids any fluctuations in glucose (blood sugar) levels which can affect energy. Complex carbohydrates contain more nutrients and fiber.

Here’s a better overview of where you can find various carbohydrates in foods:

Complex carbohydrates, often referred to as “starchy” foods, include:

breads

cereals

starchy vegetables

legumes

rice

pastas

some protein drinks

Simple carbohydrates that contain vitamins and minerals occur naturally in:

fruits

milk and milk products

vegetables

Simple carbohydrates are also found in processed and refined sugars such as:

candy

table sugar

syrups (not including natural syrups such as maple)

regular carbonated beverages

refined flours

some processed foods

Bottom line: You want to get most of your carbohydrate energy from complex sources so that you have a long term energy flow. After a workout, it’s ideal to take in simple sugars to quickly replace glycogen stores.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Everything you need to know about complex carbs and when to take simple carbs for optimal workout recovery is in the Beginner’s Guide to Fitness and Bodybuilding http://www.beginning-bodybuilding.com

Written By: Marc David

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The underlying principles of low carb diets are based on the role of insulin in our body. There are three basic units the body uses for energy: Fats, Proteins, and Carbohydrates.

All three can be converted to blood glucose. However, while fats and proteins are converted slowly, carbohydrates are converted quickly causing quick spikes in the bodys blood sugar levels. These spikes in blood sugar levels cause the pancreas to create and release insulin until the blood sugar level returns to normal.

Meanwhile, insulin, a hormone produced in the pancreas that lowers our bloods glucose levels is released into the blood as soon as the body detects that blood sugar levels have risen above its optimal level.

Insulin is a very efficient hormone that runs the bodys fuel storage systems. If there is excess sugar or fat in the blood insulin will signal the body to store it in the bodys fat cells. Insulin also tells these cells not to release their stored fat, making that fat unavailable for use by the body as energy.

Since this stored fat cannot be released for use as energy, insulin very effectively prevents weight loss. The higher the bodys insulin levels, the more effectively it prevents fat cells from releasing their stores, and the harder it becomes to lose weight. According to many authorities, over the long term, high insulin levels can lead to insulin resistance and cause serious health problems like obesity, accelerated aging, increased food allergies and intolerances, overworked immune system, heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer.

Carbohydrates, especially simple carbs like sugar and starch, are quickly turned into sucrose by the body entering the blood stream quicker thereby causing the release of large amounts of insulin. The fewer carbs are eaten, the less insulin is produced by the body, and the fewer calories are stored as fat. Less fat storage equals less weight gain and fewer carbs eaten equals less insulin in the blood and the body using its fat stores for fuel.

The premise behind every low-carb diet plan is that a body that produces less insulin burns more fat than a body that produces lots of insulin. Some plans encourage a period of extremely low carbohydrate intake so that the body will enter a state of ketosis and more quickly burn fat stores.

These are usually called induction periods. The length of extreme carb control varies from seven days to however long it takes you to reach your ideal weight. After this period of extremely low carb dieting, maintenance levels of carb consumption are followed to prevent weight gain. The amount of carb you can safely eat will depend on your unique body system. And you will probably have to experiment to find out what level of carb intake is best for you.

No matter what your carb intake, it will be lower than the norm and you will still eliminate white flour and white flour products and certain other sugary and starchy foods. This is why these diet plans are known as low-carb lifestyles.

Low-carb success requires that you be willing to give up simple carbs for the long-term.

About the Author

For more low carb information and a FREE copy of the ebook “30-day Low Carb Diet Ketosis Plan”, please subscribe to our ezine Low Carb eGazette. This article is for informational purposes only. You should consult with your physician before starting any diet.

Written By: Jun Lim

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Want to surprise your loved ones with a party, or do you simply wish to celebrate a special family occasion? Organize a party for them in a steakhouse for a very memorable experience. Sunday is the perfect day to organize such a party, simply because Sunday clears away the rust of the entire week. After all you will love to see your guests relax and enjoy the occasion. There are many steakhouses which organize private parties on Sunday for their customers.

Organizing a party for your family and friends is really very simple. All you will need to do is find the best steakhouse in your city. Many steakhouses have provision for organizing private parties as demanded by their customers. I am sure finding such a steakhouse in your locality will not at all be difficult. There are many steakhouses that will arrange the party for you. Private parties in steakhouses are ideal if you want to celebrate a special occasion with your loved ones. It can be an anniversary, a reunion, a business meeting or simply a family gathering.

Before you go about actually making arrangements for the party it will be better if you chalk out carefully what things you will actually need for the party. First of all draw up a guest list. If it is a family gathering make take care not to leave out anybody from the list. This done decide on a menu for the party. After you have planned out everything, get in touch with the steakhouse where you have chosen to have the party.

Tell them in details whatever your requirements are for the party. Provide them with the exact number of guests for your party and also the date when you want to have the occasion. Tell them what menu you need for your party and also what type of drink you would like to serve to your guests. Make sure to include the special type of steak for which the steakhouse is famous. Your guests will simply love this. Make sure to ask the party organizers to have provisions for any extra guest who may drop unexpectedly or someone whom remembered to invite in the last moment.

Be in constant touch with the people who are organizing to see if all the arrangements are moving smoothly or not. If you have any sudden change in plans, let the steakhouse people know about this in advance. This will give them ample time to make any changes which may be necessary to accommodate your demand.

A perfectly organized party in a steakhouse will be loved and enjoyed by all your guests. You can book for your party through the internet or just give a call to the steakhouse to register your booking. After booking meet with the concerned person and talk to him about your requirements. Ensure that the arrangements made by the steakhouse if lawless. Your family and friends are very important, so they need special treatment.

About the Author:

Mark Joseph holds a Masters Degree in Hotel Management. He loves good food and arranging private parties. He is working for Markjosephsteakhouse. To book for Sunday private parties and enjoy tasteful food visit #1 Rated Steakhouse in New York http://www.markjosephsteakhouse.com

Written By: Mark Joseph

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