Tag: Carbohydrates

Categories
Weight Loss Exercise

Low Carb Diet Plan Right For You?



I would assert that without a doubt, the low carb diet plan is the most heavily debated weight loss program ever created. In fact, the intensity with which both sides of the argument are expressed is truly incredible. This article will discuss the pros and cons of the low carb diet lifestyle, weighing in on both sides of the argument and helping you determine if this is the best way for you to reach your goals.

What is  Low Carb Diet?

As most of us are well aware, the “king” of this type of eating plan is the Atkins Diet. On this diet, you go through a series of three phases that gradually increase the amount of carbohydrates you are permitted to include in your diet on a daily basis. The first of these phases is called induction, which limits you to virtually no carbs whatsoever. You are permitted to eat all the animal protein you care to consume, but no bread, pasta, potatoes, sweets, or anything else containing carbs are allowed to pass your lips.

Low Carb Diet Plan Right For You?

low carb diet

Supporters of this program claim that the induction phase is where the magic happens, while its opponents will tell you that it’s suicidal insanity. This phase is dependent upon your body being thrown into a state of ketosis, where ketones are being expelled in the urine, indicating that your body’s fat is now being used as its preferred source of energy. The result of this is extremely rapid weight loss, healthy or not.

I can tell you from personal experience that this diet is effective. I lost 18 pounds my first 14 days on this program. And I experienced both the positive and negative effects that both sides of the issue continually argue.

Despite what some people may say, I found that my energy levels and overall sense of well-being were improved. I was eating steak, eggs, cheese, and bunless burgers constantly… and my feelings were not those of death that opponents of the low carb diet try to scare you with. I felt good. But I was really bored with my diet, which I thought was a fair trade-off given the weight loss results I was enjoying.

They also say that carbohydrates are the primary fuel source used by the brain, yet I felt no mental or emotional consequences of this diet. What I didn’t enjoy about the diet was the heaviness of the food. Meat, cheese, eggs, cheese, and meat. It was enough to bring a PETA representative to tears! I guess in my soul, it didn’t feel like the right thing to do.

So here’s my conclusion. If you want to lose a crazy amount of weight in a very short period of time, keep yourself energized, and don’t mind being a straight up carnivore in every sense of the word, then a low carb diet may be right up your alley. There are more lenient variations a person can consider, as well. The South Beach Diet is another popular low carb diet that may be easier for you to stick with. If you are interested in a low carb diet then try it out first for a week and see how you like it.

Related Blogs

Categories
Weight Loss Exercise

Jump Start Your Weight Loss Plan With a Colon Cleanse



Colon cleanse has been used for centuries to detoxify the system, bringing health back to the digestive and immune systems. Now, there’s a new reason for using colon cleansing ? obesity. The statistics are overwhelming about how we’re mainly a nation of overweight and unhealthy adults, not just because of overeating, but because of what we eat our body systems have become sluggish and toxic.

Starving and Diet Pills are Not the Way

Diet pills and stringent diet plans only make matters worse. Most dieters gain back the weight they lost soon after the plan ? and put on a few more pounds besides. When dieters begin a weight loss plan, they usually want quick results without starving themselves, but most diets work by “deprivation,” which means that we quickly tire of it.

When your digestive system is working properly, there’s no need to deprive yourself of the foods you want. Of course, you don’t want to overdo it by eating lots of sugar and carbohydrates that will only clog your system more. When you use colon cleanse on a regular basis to adjust your immune and digestive system, you’ll eventually restore it to a normal state of being ? and eating foods that are healthy for you will keep it that way.

The Problem of Constipation

Jump Start Your Weight Loss Plan With a Colon Cleanse

Colon in Digestive System

Constipation is a way of life for some people, and when it occurs we usually reach for a quick fix like a laxative pill that makes our systems even more toxic. A complete cleansing of the colon, however, reaches the core problem of the constipation – cleansing our system of the bacteria that caused the problem in the first place and letting the colon start over with a “clean slate.”

As we binge on unhealthy foods such as pizza, lots of salt and fried foods, our colon becomes a haven for dangerous substances such as mucoid plaque. If the colon isn’t cleansed on a regular basis (most proponents of colon cleanse recommend at least twice a year) the colon becomes clogged and bloating and unwanted pounds appear as a result.

Advantages of Colon Cleansing

Colon cleansing on a regular basis doesn’t only help you lose weight – your immune system will also improve, helping you fight off diseases more easily. Your sleep patterns will improve, getting rid of insomnia and late night trips to the refrigerator. As a result of the colon cleanse, you’ll also enjoy a renewed energy level and be able to exercise without feeling that you’re on your last lap.

There are many colon cleansing products on the market today. If you’re considering the colon cleansing method for losing weight and restoring your digestive and immune systems, lots of online research is readily available.

Keep in mind that colon cleanse isn’t a one-time, quick fix for losing weight. How often you cleanse mainly depends on your eating habits (healthy or not) and how long it takes to restore your system to normal.

Categories
Weight Loss Exercise

Protein in your diet | protein in diet




Protein is one of the basic building blocks of the body so it is an essential part of your diet and can influence your strength but probably not your energy. Your muscles are built with protein and in fact protein is made up of 20 amino acids. Amino acids are the building blocks of protein and 9 are essential, they cannot be created and must be eaten meaning the other 11 amino acids can be created by our body.

Many times we hear that you need to eat steak for energy but in actual fact as we learned earlier carbohydrates are the body’s favored energy source. I always think of muscles as being made out of protein but really muscles are mostly water and protein so if you think about how people tend to diet they will cut out things like steak and carbohydrates so the body is not getting as much protein and carbohydrates as it needs to burn for energy so it will tend to burn protein and fat in equal parts to get energy. This is great for losing weight and good for losing fat but it is really bad to lose muscle. One of the ways to stop your body from burning muscle for energy is to do a fair amount of exercise, especially weight training to increase your muscle mass on a consistent basis.

So what kind of foods contain protein and how much do we need? Full proteins are found in steak chicken and fish and non-full proteins (those without all of the essential amino acids) are contained in lentils, beans, corn, peanuts. A can of Tuna has 20-25 grams of protein and if you look around you can probably get about 80 grams of protein a day comfortably.

One critical thing to look out for is the amount of protein that you eat at each meal. Your body can only metabolize about 25-30 grams of protein at a meal which is only about 4 ounces of steak or chicken. In the past I had taken digestive enzymes with my main meals to help to metabolize more but I now think that this may be a bit of shaky science behind it.

Some bodybuilders will eat 250-500 grams of protein a day but realistically if you have protein in a couple or three of your meals you are doing pretty good. One of the things to concentrate on is drinking a lot more water when you are eating a lot of protein, a lot of water is needed for your body to break down protein so if you are increasing your protein intake drink more water to help take the load off of your kidneys.


Protein in your diet

Related Blogs

  • Related Blogs on 20 Amino Acids
  • Related Blogs on Basic Building Blocks