Does a low carb diet actually work or can it potentially be harmful to you? People who have followed a low carb diet have seen successful results. However, these individuals quickly regained their weight after stopping the diet. This should not be surprising to anyone since no specific diet will work for everyone. Let me go into detail on a few facts and difference of opinion with medical experts out there.
When we think about a low carb diet we draw a conclusion that people are eating an unhealthy diet with no fruits or vegetables and people are following a high fat pork and bacon concept since the popular Atkin’s diet was introduced. Most will validate that this is only promoting heart disease and a short life span for everyone. Now, let me address a few points about low carb diets so you can make your own decision.
1. Researchers have stated that a low carb diet has improved people with high blood pressure and individuals who are diabetic.
2. People think that low carb diets discourage people with eating fruits or vegetables. A matter of fact, fruits or vegetables are the carbohydrates eaten when on a low carb diet.
3. Low carb is often considered no carb with most people. However, most authors have never stated to stay on a low carb diet but temporary for 1-2 weeks the most.
4. I believe the carbohydrate intake should be adjusted to that specific person.
5. A low carb diet will include inadequate amount of fiber. On the contrary and there are low carb foods high in fiber.
Foods that are referred to low empty carbs are foods not rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and other nutrients to make us healthier. Often people follow the quick results of a successful high fat and low carb plan. However, you will regain the weight quickly after you stop the low carb diet. The sensible choice or an adequate plan should consist of lean meats, low fat, healthy fats such as olives, avocados, nuts, and fatty fish. Results will promote more of a successful weight loss .
My thoughts and beliefs on a low carb diet would conclude it to be healthy or unhealthy depending on that person. What I mean is it depends if that person is selecting the right foods going into their body. Does that suggest we eat all beef, meat, or eggs with no fruits or vegetables in our diet? My approach is that you still need to include vegetables like broccoli, spinach, asparagus, leafy greens that contain phytonutrients or fiber that is important for everyone. When following a low carb diet it should include enriched foods rather than hot dogs, bacon, or pork as your protein intake. Choosing the correct foods is the key and eating reasonably through out the day that includes protein, healthy fats, and carbohydrates.
The most important question you need to ask yourself is “am i willing to make a permanent change in my lifestyle”? Making a diet change permanent is following a healthy diet. No diet out there will last if you are not ready to make those changes for yourself. When it comes down to it, the people who are successful or achieving a balanced weight have not only followed a healthy diet but included exercising in their life. So, what kind of exercise routine should I follow? Well lets leave that for another author since its time for me to grab a nutritious meal!
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Carbohydrates are major sources of energy and have some specific roles in the human body. They are the primary sources of fuel for the human brain. Although ketone bodies can supply most of the energy to the brain during a starvation state, the axons cannot use anything but glucose. This makes carbohydrates vital to the function of every single neuron in the brain and in the rest of the nervous system. In addition, carbohydrates are the only sources of fuel that are acceptable to the kidneys and the red blood cells. Now most people will find the necessity of carbohydrates to the red blood cells to be surprising because the red blood cells carry oxygen. However, their job is to transport the oxygen and not to use it up for themselves so they have to derive their energy from anaerobic glycolysis. However, the brain is by far the largest consumer of carbohydrates. The combination of the brain, kidneys, and red blood cells consume an average of about 130 to 150 grams (~500 to 600 calories) of carbohydrates per day.
If the body is deprived of adequate carbohydrates, it will use the processes of gluconeogenesis (making of new glucose) and ketogenesis (making of ketones) to provide energy for vital functions. It is important to note that fats are not good fuels for making glucose because the glycerol group is the only part of a triglyceride that can be used to manufacture glucose. The fatty acids themselves can only be oxidized or converted to ketones.
The major source of raw materials for making new glucose will come from the amino acids in muscle protein. All amino acids have an amine group, a carboxyl (acid), and a side chain which determines the type and nature of the amino acid. The different amino acids are peptide bonded in various combinations to make the different proteins in our bodies.
Whenever the body breaks down protein, the various amino acids are released. Some of these amino acids are suitable for making glucose (glucogenic), some are suitable for making ketone bodies (ketogenic), and some can be used for either purpose. In either case, the body has to remove the amine group from them before it can use them. The removed amine group will join other ions to become ammonia. However, because ammonia is toxic, the body will use the uric acid cycle to convert the ammonia into uric acid. This process takes place in the liver at the same time that the gluconeogenesis and the ketosis are taking place in the liver. Although uric acid is less toxic than ammonia, uric acid can still cause problems such as gout. The kidneys will perform extra work to flush out this uric acid via the urine. Because the kidneys need carbohydrates, they will be low on fuel while performing extra work to eliminate this waste. Loss of lean tissue to supply the amino acids and loss of water due to urine production account for much of the weight loss on low carb diets. Also, fatty acids and amino acids are being converted into ketone bodies to make up for the energy shortage. In other words, of the fat loss that actually occurs, much of it happens because by cutting out carbohydrates, the person is basically cutting calories.
It is important to know that the type of gluconeogenesis due to low carb diets occurs for a different reason and uses different raw materials from the type that occurs between sets of intense exercise. The type resulting from exercise uses lactic acid as the raw material and aerobic lipolysis as the source of energy. The type that results from low carb diets uses deaminated and decarboxylated amino acids as the raw materials, and is a starvation process. In addition, it receives the energy from ketone bodies which result from ketogenesis which is another starvation process. As a result, low carb diets are starvation diets by definition, and they cause the body to cannibalize its own living tissue (muscle) when it is starved of a vital nutrient (carbohydrates). This is consistent with the definition of a starvation diet.
Another interesting fact is that the body will inhibit glycolysis when carbohydrate (glycogen) stores are low. Because carbohydrates (due to glycolysis) produce usable energy (ATP) faster than any other nutrient, this explains the degraded athletic performance and lack of energy experienced by subjects on low carbohydrate diets. It is no surprise that triathletes, marathoners, power lifters, or other high level strength or endurance athletes would perform poorly on low carb diets. Also, the potential risks of low carb diets include overworked kidneys, gout, dehydration, mineral depletion, and hypoglycemia.
In addition to maintaining his career as a professional pilot, Roger has spent much time pursuing formal and self directed studies of the human physiology and metabolism. He is also qualified as a health nutritionist and a fitness trainer. He has written articles for .
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You have heard a lot about various low carbohydrates diets and about the great results from these diets. Now you are considering going on such a diet. That’s ok as long as you know how to start.
The first thing to do is to gather some information about the low carb diets in general. There are many books on the subject and a lot of information in internet. The basic thing to remember is that low carb diets change your body metabolism to make it burn fats instead of carbohydrates. To achieve this you will not be consuming foods that are rich in carbs for specific amount of time and afterwards you will be only consuming foods that have really low carb levels.
Of course you will think about the issue if the results are good. Low carb diets are known for their fabulous results that appear quite quickly. Moreover they will not make you suffer a lot because you will be eating most of the foods that you love. However it is important for you to know that low carb diets have one of the highest yo-yo effect levels among all diets. Moreover they are likely to put a great strain on your kidneys.
The next thing to do is to consult with your doctor. A common mistake that many people make is that they start a diet without asking their doctor. Following someone else diet is not good enough since you do not know what are the specific of your body and if this particular diet is good for you. Some diets can do more harm than good so always check with your GP.
After this consultation your doctor will either give you instructions what to eat and what can be taken out of your menu, or will refer you to a specialist dealing only with diet plans. You will have a diet plan made as well as appointments for regular checks. Although that at this stage you may believe you do not need these checks in fact you do. Your body metabolism will go through a lot of changes and you will not be consuming the required daily dose of some essential vitamins and minerals so it will be best if this process is overlooked.
The final thing to consider is if you can be string enough to obey the diet plan strictly. Being on a diet is hard especially in the beginning. You should be committed and get as much support as possible. You can start visiting some support forums or get advice from people you know and who are or have been on the same low carb diet before.
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Here is a quick recipe for a light, low carb treat to try. It’s like toast with cinnamon and sugar. First the recipe and how to make it, then a couple of additions and changes to expand on the idea to make more use of the ingredients in meals and snacks.
This cool treat works great for low carb and low glycemic eaters.
The Necessary Ingredients:
1 Mission Brand Carb Balance Fajita size Tortilla
These are low carb tortillas. They come in 3 sizes, fajita, soft taco, and burrito. And two varieties, regular white or whole wheat, both have high levels of fiber.
The white fajita size shows 5g net carbs for one tortilla, which is 12g carbs total, but 7g dietary fiber. The whole wheat fajita has 4 net.
Ground cinnamon, any good one will do.
Powdered Stevia
Try Optimum Nutrition Stevia Powder or another good brand. For those not familiar with stevia, it is a plant extract that tastes sweet but has no calories.
Stevia originates in South America, but has spread all over the world. In Japan, for instance, diet beverages use it as a sweetener. It is not a concocted or chemical created sugar substitute, but a plant extract.
It has a slight aftertaste, but comes directly from nature. You could, of course, substitute nutrisweet (aspartame), or Splenda (sucralose) as a sugar substitute. Or even xylitol or sorbitol, which are low glycemic, but not low carbohydrate.
To make the treat:
Fry or butter the tortilla. When frying, stop while the tortilla is still flexible, but has some golden spots on it.
To make this extremely low fat, use that butter spray or just warm the tortilla. As another option, cook the tortilla in a hot frying pan without oil, or even toast it in a toaster for about half the time needed for a slice of bread. But without the oil from frying or the butter or spray, the cinnamon and stevia probably won’t stick.
Sprinkle on some cinnamon, about a quarter of a teaspoon over the tortilla, to taste.
Sprinkle on some stevia, just a little. It is something like 500 times as sweet as sugar, so use it sparingly. About half a teaspoon or less should be plenty.
This makes a nice low carb snack. The tortilla even has 3 grams of protein.
Other Ideas
Use these tortillas for other things as well. Try making tacos and quesadillas.
For quesadillas, just put about one quarter cup of shredded cheese on the tortilla after frying or cooking it, then heat in the microwave for about 30 seconds. This is similar to a cheese sandwich. Eat open or folded. Try putting in a slice of turkey, ham or roast beef, and create a great hot sandwich.
For tacos, just use regular taco fillings, but using the low carb tortilla as a shell and cut down or eliminate the beans – hardly any difference. And they make great low carb chips. Cut them into chip shape and just fry them till crispy. Most salsas have few carbohydrates. These tortillas make Mexican food work great for low carb and low glycemic eaters.
Also, stevia fits into tons of things, for example, homemade lemonade, like this: A glass of water, add about 5-10 drops of stevia liquid, and a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice, to taste. A very refreshing lemonade.
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I went t from 200 lbs to about 180 lbs in about a month. This was the first time I lost some weight, then I gained it all back plus more in ‘Fat Failure’. I’ve now lost it again.
Although Britain is a nation of tea drinkers, we still have a lot to learn about tea. Drinking the right tea at the right time of day has been known to provide substantial health benefits.
You might not think of tea when it comes to trying to loose weight, but research has shown that certain types of teas do:
The brewed tea is dark red, and has a bold, earthy taste. Pu-erh is known to help digest fatty foods, increase metabolism and help to reduce your cholesterol levels. It is perfect to take this tea throughout the day especially after meals.
Oolong Tea (Yamamotoyama: China Oolong Chocolate Mint Oolong, White Peach Oolong, Coconut Mango Oolong, Chrysanthemum; Birt & Tang: Oolong & Raspberry, Osmanthus, Gojiberry, Blueberry, Cardioplus)
Oolongs range from bright green and slightly fermented to dark-leafed and hearty. The greener varieties are less fermented. Oolong tea therefore comes in a wide range of tastes and aromas from teas very close in taste to green tea to those very close to black tea.
Oolong tea burns over 157% more fat than Green Tea – and therefore becoming the most popular teas designed to accelerate weight loss. Drinking two cups of Oolong tea every day not only helps shed stubborn pounds by boosting your metabolism, but also blocks the fattening effects of carbohydrates.
Slimming Tea (Yogitea: Slim & Fit)
When we are fit, our lives flow in an easy, flexible rhythm. This herbal tea has been formulated with herbs thought to support a well functioning metabolism. Pu-erh tea is used worldwide for its beneficial properties. Mate, prized in South America for its valuable nutrients and antioxidants, is a natural energiser. This formula is balanced with rosemary, rooibos and nettle, all of which are known to be rich in nutrients. Enjoy Women’s Slim & Fit Tea throughout the day while following your fasting or fitness program.
Detox Tea (Yogitea: Detox, Birt & Tang: Detox)
This tea contains a combination of herbs and spices, which have been used for centuries in India to support the internal cleansing process and thereby eliminating excess fluids. Purify yourself each day by making Detox a regular part of your diet. Detox is also a great addition to a diet or a fast.
Stomach Ease Tea (Yogitea: Stomach Ease)
This tea is based on a recipe of herbs and spices believed to support the digestive process in breaking down fats and reduce feeling bloated after a meal. It contains fennel, liquorice and peppermint leaf known for their beneficial effect on digestion. Warming herbs such as cardamom, coriander, ginger and black pepper balances this delicious blend. Enjoy a cup during or after a meal.
All Green & White Teas (Tazo: Zen, Numi: Monkey King, Dragonfly: Swirling Mist White Tea, Stashtea: Ginger Peach, Pomegranate Raspberry, Decaf Raspberry White – and many more)
All green and white teas are known for their ‘thermogenic’ properties, whereby the body temperature raises to burn more calories. These teas have traditionally been used in Chinese medicine to refresh, detoxify and bring the immune system into balance.
All the teas discussed in this article can be found at . You can also try a FREE sample before you buy.
Uma Mays
Having been an IT Project Manager for 10 years it was time to do something different and work from home with my young family. To that end I have recently started an online tea business selling and promoting the wonders and benefits of high quality specialist teas.
Interests and Hobbies:
Love the gym, play badminton and tennis. Also ski 2- 3 times a year.
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