A number of popular diets are focused on carbohydrates. Some demonize them. Then warn you against eating any carbohydrates. Others in fact, emphasize a high carbohydrate intake. Here is how high-carbohydrate diet plans treat carbohydrates. (Such as Ornish, Pritikin, and Food for Life)
For years you've been hearing that eating a healthy diet. Means cutting back on the total amount of fat. While eating more complex carbohydrates. Thousands of "low-fat" alternatives now crowd your supermarket shelves.
But is simply cutting back on fat. Then loading up on carbohydrates a healthy way to eat or to lose weight? Current research suggests that it isn't. Just like researchers have learned that not all types of fat are bad. They have also discovered that not all types of carbohydrates are good for you.
It's easy for you to fall into a low-fat trap. Gram for gram. Fat has more than twice as many calories as either protein or carbohydrates. Then it seems logical that choosing low-fat products will help you with your weight loss. However, all too often the low-fat products on supermarket shelves are packed with sugar. And highly processed carbohydrates. Making up for the taste that's lost when fat is removed.
These low-fat alternatives often contain just as many calories as the full-fat versions. Some may even have more! Another problem is that you mistakenly think that because a food is low in fat. You can eat as much of it as you want without gaining any weight.
As far as your body is concerned. Calories are calories. No matter where they come from. Eat too many calories (whether from fat, carbohydrates or protein) and you'll gain weight period.
Aside from weight loss. The popularity of low-fat food has broader implications for your health. Commercially prepared low- fat foods tend to be rich in highly processed carbohydrates. Thus causing big spikes in your blood sugar level. Over time this can increase the chances of you developing heart disease and diabetes.
For example, in a study of 80,000 nurses. Harvard researchers calculated that replacing a given number of calories from polyunsaturated fat. With an equivalent number from easily digested carbohydrates. Increased the risk for heart disease by over 50 percent.
Some other studies have found that a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet. Particularly one high in sugars. Can worsen your blood cholesterol and triglycerides levels. Both of which are risk factors for heart disease.
You can minimize or avoid any diet deficiencies associated with high-carbohydrates diets. When you approach your high- carbohydrate diet as an integrated part of your *-lifestyle-*, not solely an ingredient focus.
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Diet & Exercise Tips
Make your New Healthy Diet a LIFE STYLE!
Stop going on and off your diet! View it as a complete life style change. That way you'll never yo yo diet ever again. And there will be no diet to go off of. And remember it only takes 21 days to develop a habit. Even if you have developed a habit of over eating or eating all the wrong foods for the last 50 years. It only takes 21 days to change it!
Plan the Details
Since the first day will be the hardest, plan every detail possible the day before. For example: outline exactly what your going to eat, where your going to be, and what activities you have planned, for every hour of the day. Keep this outline with you and stick to the plan 100%.
EAT!
Many people make the mistake of thinking they have to stop eating to lose weight. Nothing could be further from the truth. Your body is programmed to speed up your metabolism and burn calories when you eat. The key is to eat healthier and drink plenty of water.
Eat Early!
When you do eat, do it as early in the day as possible. First, eating right when you get up gets your digestive system going. Second, your metabolism slows down as the day goes on. You don't want food sitting in your stomach overnight.
Breakfast
Doctors say that your metabolism doesn't really kick into gear until you eat your first meal of the day. Make it a point to have a good nutritional breakfast to start the day.
The Importance of Exercise
Many dieters mistakenly fail to include exercise as part of their diet plan. Losing weight involves two parts: eating less and exercising more. Make sure you properly plan exercise into your daily life and you will see fast weight-loss results.
Gain Muscle, Lose Fat!
Everyone thinks of Cardio exercise when they think of losing weight, but lifting weights should be part of your program too. Weight lifting builds muscles which makes you look more firm and helps you burn more calories! You don't have to lift heavy or long, just enough to start tiring out your muscles to get good results.
More Than Weight
Don't just use the scale to measure your success, there may be reasons you are gaining weight and still losing fat (such as gaining muscle or retaining water)
Vitamins
Taking a multi-vitamin can help supplement some of the nutrients your body misses, now that your not eating as much.
Cleanup Your Life!
Although they appear unrelated: clean out your car, your home, your desk, etc. As you diet, you are cleansing your body and getting healthy and right along with that comes cleaning out your entire life. From a mental standpoint, you are eliminating all that is dirty and impure and change your lifestyle completely.
And Last but Not Least, Water, Water and Water!!!
You've heard it before and you'll hear it again. Water is the best way to keep your metabolism going and keep your body healthy. Don't underestimate drinking water!
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"Self delusion is pulling in your stomach when you step on the scale."
- Paul Sweeney
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