Diet Program Review: The South Beach Diet

by Zach Bashore
The South Beach Diet was developed by the cardiologist, Arthur Agatston, who was practicing in the Miami, Florida area at the time. The diet first appeared in a book published by the Rodale Press titled "The South Beach Diet." This diet emphasizes eating right, becoming healthier, and claims to create a weight loss of ten to fifteen pounds in as little as two weeks.
The South Beach Diet was developed by the cardiologist, Arthur Agatston, who was practicing in the Miami, Florida area at the time. The diet first appeared in a book published by the Rodale Press titled "The South Beach Diet." This diet emphasizes eating right, becoming healthier, and claims to create a weight loss of ten to fifteen pounds in as little as two weeks. The South Beach Diet works in phases. The first two use a specific timeframe and the third phase is used for life. With this method, you stop weighing food portions, stop counting calories, and stop feeling that you are being deprived of great tasting foods. With the South Beach Diet, you eat three normal sized meals and two snacks each day. The meal plans are designed to be flexible so that you can eat a variety of different foods. The negatives of this diet is that the carbohydrate restriction in the first two weeks require a tough willpower and may leave you feeling weak and tired. You also may not be getting an adequate supply of vitamins and minerals in phase one because this phase does not emphasize the five fruit and vegetable servings that your body needs. Eliminating all carbohydrate foods during this phase means that you will be selling yourself short on quality fiber, iron, B vitamins, zinc, and calcium. Nutrition experts generally favor diets that are based on the Glycemic Index. The South Beach Diet only requires serious willpower for the first two weeks and it can seem very restrictive at first. Losing up to fifteen pounds in such a short period of time is very unhealthy. However, once you get past the first phaseFeature Articles, there are fewer dietary restrictions than with most other diet programs. No major food groups are eliminated and this diet follows the basic principles of eating healthy with the end result providing you with plenty of nutrients that you need to stay healthy.

http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/diet/south_beach_review.htm

http://weightloss.about.com/cs/diets/a/aa060403a.htm

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

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Diet Red Flags

by Michael Lewis
The cabbage diet! The rice diet! The blood type diet! Atkins! South Beach! No carb! Low carb! Which is the right diet?

People who want to lose weight are a very vulnerable group because they're very frustrated. Weight loss is hard, and everybody is looking for a silver bullet. They need to understand that the "silver bullet" does not exist.

But how can you discern which weight loss claims are true or false? Here's some advice from the Federal Trade Commission:

Does the diet promote rapid weight loss?

That's a clear signal it's unrealistic. When you start a diet, water weight is the first to go. If you lose much more than two pounds a week, you are drawing from both fat and muscle mass. That is not good, because muscle is a big factor that controls your metabolism. If you lose muscle mass, your metabolism will slow down. That is how the "roller coaster diet cycle" begins, and that is one reason why some diets just don't work.

The FDA recommends losing weight slowly and gradually, so you are losing one to two pounds per week. You need to tap into stored fat more efficiently, instead of burning water and muscle.

Does the weight loss program involve eating just one food, or eliminating whole food groups?

If so then you are setting yourself up to fail. No one can stick to a diet that is constrictive. Most people who are overweight got that way from overeating. Constricting someone who has overeaten for years will rarely work.

Now, most people can do something short term, but there will be a time when the mind can't do it anymore and your body's cravings will overtake your will-power. That is when binge eating occurs and often all the progress that was made is erased.

Does the program help you change long-term eating habits?

If not, you will just get caught up in a never-ending lose-gain cycle, also known as "roller coaster" or "yo-yo" dieting.

Most diets are short-term fixes for a long-term problem. People who get slim and stay that way have changed their eating habits and attitudes toward food.

Does it involve exercise?

If it doesn't, you will gain the weight back. Research shows that individuals who exercise on a regular basis have much greater success at losing weight and keeping it off. Exercise is critical to weight loss success.

You need an hour of aerobic exercise, at least five times per week, if you seriously want to lose weight. Also, you need strength training two times a week to build muscle. Lifting weights or working with rubber tubes helps maintain and can also increase the level of lean body mass, which helps your metabolism burn calories.

Two-thirds of the calories a person burns over the course of a day are from resting metabolism. If you are on a restricted diet by decreasing calories and nutrients, and you are not doing resistance training to build muscle, it is not uncommon to see resting metabolism decrease, which results in NO WEIGHT LOSS.

Is there sound research behind the weight-loss program?

Not all studies are created equal, and there are plenty sponsored by companies to get the answers they want. So a fair amount of skepticism is in order," says Zelman.

If the study involves small numbers of people the the results are less meaningful. Use caution when making any decisions based on the finding. Also, if claims only involve anecdotes and testimonials, beware.

Is the weight-loss program compatible with your lifestyle?

"If it's asking you to eat every three hours, to buy special foods and prepare them specially, it might be more trouble than it's worth and you won't do it," says Zelman.

Does it sound easy?

Diets or supplements that tout "no dieting or exercise needed" or "permanent weight loss, even if you stop using the product," are bogus, says the FTC. If you rely on supplements or too-strict diets you're wasting your time, Zelman explains.

Likewise, don't put much weight in the negative-calorie food diet. The theory there is that when you eat lettuce, celery, and other near-zero calorie foods, your body burns more calories simply digesting them. Give me a break, says Zelman. "You may burn a few calories, but so what?"

Sure, some diets work and they're healthy, Zelman says. "The Atkins and South Beach diets both have merit," she says.

Also, "protein and calcium are showing great promise as weight loss enhancers, but they're not miracle foods; you still have to eat a low-calorie dietArticle Submission, and you still have to exercise."

Source: WebMD

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Diet Program Review: Atkins

by Zach Bashore
The Atkins diet is a popular diet that emphasizes a high fat, high protein, and low carbohydrate approach. The diet promises that you will not be hungry, you will lose weight, and have better health and wellness benefits that are in no other diet. The Atkins diet is based on the opinion that overweight people consume too many carbohydrates and by reducing these carbs and eating more protein and fats, our bodies will burn fat more effectively.

The Atkins dieting plan allows you to eat foods that most dieters have only dreamed about eating. This diet allows you to eat eggs, meat, cheese, bacon, cheddar cheese omelets, and even steaks. However, you cannot eat carb rich foods on Atkins because of the effect it will have on fat`s digestion, making you fat. On Atkins, traditional carb sources such as white flour, white rice, sugar, and even milk must be avoided if the diet is to be done correctly. Atkins sets a "twenty grams of carbs daily" rule which can only come from fibrous rich food sources such as vegetables. As for short term weight loss results, the low-carb option is the way to go. Atkins is the perfect diet for people who favor the low carb method over any other diet. However, if one is looking for long term results and want to keep themselves sane by eating carbs, then Atkins should be avoided. Studies have shown that increased protein consumption without an adequate amount of carbs can cause severe kidney problems. Another problem with the Atkins diet is that an increased fat intake can lead to high cholesterol levels, leaving you with an increased risk of a heart attack There are so many different good/bad reviews for the Atkins diet that it is impossible to tell you if Atkins is right for you. My suggestion would be to give the diet a try and track how your body responds to a low-carb diet. Track how you feel, what you eat, how well you sleep, how your social life is improving or declining because of the diet. If you don`t like it, then simply switch to a diet more suited for you. Until next timeComputer Technology Articles, later!

http://www.cuy.net/atkins/

http://www.lowcarb.ca/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atkins_diet

http://www.atkinsexposed.org/

http://www.webmd.com/content/pages/7/3220_136.htm

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How Do I Diet

by Rob Cooper
The question How Do I diet can be answered in various ways depending on your goals or your desired outcome. You may want to know how to diet in order to lose 10 pounds in the next few weeks or months for some important event like a wedding, a graduation or to get ready for the beach. How do I diet should be answered, in my humble opinion, on the basis of health. The word diet is synonymous with starving oneself and I don’t advise you do that.

The question How Do I diet can be answered in various ways depending on your goals or your desired outcome. You may want to know how to diet in order to lose 10 pounds in the next few weeks or months for some important event like a wedding, a graduation or to get ready for the beach.

How do I diet should be answered, in my humble opinion, on the basis of health.

The word diet is synonymous with starving oneself and I dont advise you do that. In fact, what I recommend is to eat as healthy and as clean as possible and use the principle of substitution instead of starving yourself.

Your first priority should be to learn about health and nutrition and stop asking how do I diet. Ask yourself, what could I possibly not know about foods that are keeping me from my goal?

Youll want to learn about the Power of Protein, good carbohydrates, the importance of water in your diet and the power of your mind to achieve success. Youll want to learn about good fats to add to your diet to help you achieve your goals.

How do I diet should be thought of as how do I exercise. Exercise goes hand in hand with your goals of weight loss, if you've got 10 pounds to lose, or losing those last 10 pounds (or first 10 for that matter). Never ever consider dieting without the thought of exercise.

ok, so you want to know how to diet. Heres some thoughts from myself, a guy who dropped nearly 300 pounds of fat (so I should know a little bit about what Im talking about)

Learn about foods Learn all you can from a variety of sources and never consider any one thing as gospel. Continue to learn, apply what you learn and try new things. Experiment with food.

What do I recommend for a starting point?

Substitute water for pop.

Substitute Herbal teas for Coffee

Substitute a mid afternoon snack for your muffin, candy bar or other snacks - Make a small meal out of your mid afternoon munchies. Think lean chicken, some rice and a salad.

Begin eating breakfast - Have an egg white omelet with a small serving of oatmeal and some vegetables. Substitute conventional sugar laden cereals with whole grain oatmeal.

Begin eating fruit - Have no more than two pieces of fruit per day and have them on an empty stomach.

Begin exercising How do I diet? should be replaced with How do I do cardio?. Begin walking at least 20 minutes every day. Morning is best as it helps raise your metabolism early on in the day. Begin some sort of weight training routine to help you not only build muscle but also to help your body to maintain its lean muscle tissue when you change your diet. Muscle burns fat and cardio helps muscle be more efficient at burning fat.

Drink more water. Water is your life and the better your waterPsychology Articles, the better your life. Drink more and use it to replace other non nutritional beverages.

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Diet Program Review: The South Beach Diet

by Zach Bashore
The South Beach Diet was developed by the cardiologist, Arthur Agatston, who was practicing in the Miami, Florida area at the time. The diet first appeared in a book published by the Rodale Press titled "The South Beach Diet." This diet emphasizes eating right, becoming healthier, and claims to create a weight loss of ten to fifteen pounds in as little as two weeks.
The South Beach Diet was developed by the cardiologist, Arthur Agatston, who was practicing in the Miami, Florida area at the time. The diet first appeared in a book published by the Rodale Press titled "The South Beach Diet." This diet emphasizes eating right, becoming healthier, and claims to create a weight loss of ten to fifteen pounds in as little as two weeks. The South Beach Diet works in phases. The first two use a specific timeframe and the third phase is used for life. With this method, you stop weighing food portions, stop counting calories, and stop feeling that you are being deprived of great tasting foods. With the South Beach Diet, you eat three normal sized meals and two snacks each day. The meal plans are designed to be flexible so that you can eat a variety of different foods. The negatives of this diet is that the carbohydrate restriction in the first two weeks require a tough willpower and may leave you feeling weak and tired. You also may not be getting an adequate supply of vitamins and minerals in phase one because this phase does not emphasize the five fruit and vegetable servings that your body needs. Eliminating all carbohydrate foods during this phase means that you will be selling yourself short on quality fiber, iron, B vitamins, zinc, and calcium. Nutrition experts generally favor diets that are based on the Glycemic Index. The South Beach Diet only requires serious willpower for the first two weeks and it can seem very restrictive at first. Losing up to fifteen pounds in such a short period of time is very unhealthy. However, once you get past the first phaseFeature Articles, there are fewer dietary restrictions than with most other diet programs. No major food groups are eliminated and this diet follows the basic principles of eating healthy with the end result providing you with plenty of nutrients that you need to stay healthy.


Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Diet Red Flags

by Michael Lewis
The cabbage diet! The rice diet! The blood type diet! Atkins! South Beach! No carb! Low carb! Which is the right diet?

People who want to lose weight are a very vulnerable group because they're very frustrated. Weight loss is hard, and everybody is looking for a silver bullet. They need to understand that the "silver bullet" does not exist.

But how can you discern which weight loss claims are true or false? Here's some advice from the Federal Trade Commission:

Does the diet promote rapid weight loss?

That's a clear signal it's unrealistic. When you start a diet, water weight is the first to go. If you lose much more than two pounds a week, you are drawing from both fat and muscle mass. That is not good, because muscle is a big factor that controls your metabolism. If you lose muscle mass, your metabolism will slow down. That is how the "roller coaster diet cycle" begins, and that is one reason why some diets just don't work.

The FDA recommends losing weight slowly and gradually, so you are losing one to two pounds per week. You need to tap into stored fat more efficiently, instead of burning water and muscle.

Does the weight loss program involve eating just one food, or eliminating whole food groups?

If so then you are setting yourself up to fail. No one can stick to a diet that is constrictive. Most people who are overweight got that way from overeating. Constricting someone who has overeaten for years will rarely work.

Now, most people can do something short term, but there will be a time when the mind can't do it anymore and your body's cravings will overtake your will-power. That is when binge eating occurs and often all the progress that was made is erased.

Does the program help you change long-term eating habits?

If not, you will just get caught up in a never-ending lose-gain cycle, also known as "roller coaster" or "yo-yo" dieting.

Most diets are short-term fixes for a long-term problem. People who get slim and stay that way have changed their eating habits and attitudes toward food.

Does it involve exercise?

If it doesn't, you will gain the weight back. Research shows that individuals who exercise on a regular basis have much greater success at losing weight and keeping it off. Exercise is critical to weight loss success.

You need an hour of aerobic exercise, at least five times per week, if you seriously want to lose weight. Also, you need strength training two times a week to build muscle. Lifting weights or working with rubber tubes helps maintain and can also increase the level of lean body mass, which helps your metabolism burn calories.

Two-thirds of the calories a person burns over the course of a day are from resting metabolism. If you are on a restricted diet by decreasing calories and nutrients, and you are not doing resistance training to build muscle, it is not uncommon to see resting metabolism decrease, which results in NO WEIGHT LOSS.

Is there sound research behind the weight-loss program?

Not all studies are created equal, and there are plenty sponsored by companies to get the answers they want. So a fair amount of skepticism is in order," says Zelman.

If the study involves small numbers of people the the results are less meaningful. Use caution when making any decisions based on the finding. Also, if claims only involve anecdotes and testimonials, beware.

Is the weight-loss program compatible with your lifestyle?

"If it's asking you to eat every three hours, to buy special foods and prepare them specially, it might be more trouble than it's worth and you won't do it," says Zelman.

Does it sound easy?

Diets or supplements that tout "no dieting or exercise needed" or "permanent weight loss, even if you stop using the product," are bogus, says the FTC. If you rely on supplements or too-strict diets you're wasting your time, Zelman explains.

Likewise, don't put much weight in the negative-calorie food diet. The theory there is that when you eat lettuce, celery, and other near-zero calorie foods, your body burns more calories simply digesting them. Give me a break, says Zelman. "You may burn a few calories, but so what?"

Sure, some diets work and they're healthy, Zelman says. "The Atkins and South Beach diets both have merit," she says.

Also, "protein and calcium are showing great promise as weight loss enhancers, but they're not miracle foods; you still have to eat a low-calorie dietArticle Submission, and you still have to exercise."

Source: WebMD

Source: Free Articles from ArticlesFactory.com

Diet Program Review: Zone Diet

by Zach Bashore
Many people opt to lose weight by using the Zone diet. This diet is different from diets such as Atkins and South Beach Diet because of the fact that Zone emphasizes a ratio which consists of the three main nutrients (carbs, proteins, fats). Is this diet the one you want to follow or is it just another fad diet that will disappear after another year or so?
The basis for the Zone diet is that if a person eats the right amount of carbs, proteins, and fats, then the person will improve their health drastically. This diet calls for a ratio of 40/30/30 (carbs, proteins, fats) because certain hormones will be balanced to give you the body of your dreams. The founder of this diet, Ph.

D Barry Sears states, "The American public is overweight due to a high intake of carbohydrates, and that this style of eating causes an overproduction of insulin. The solution is to eat a lower carb, higher protein, and moderate fat diet to balance these hormones within the preferred zone." So how does the Zone diet compare with other diets? The Zone diet is quick to point out that this diet works primarily because of its low calories, not their magic ratio of macronutrients. This diet does not prohibit any foods, but restricts foods that are high in fat and carbs such as starches, grains, and pastas. Other diets either emphasize a low carb or low fat option, the Zone diet simply uses both nutrients, just in a smaller percentage. This diet is actually not bad compared to some of the lower carb diets available. The Zone diet does have its weak areas considering some of the recipes are full of nutritional misinformation. Another problem Zone has is that it suggests impractical food combinations such as beer and cottage cheese in one meal. Despite these prolems, go ahead and try Zone for yourself and find out if it works for you. Until next timePsychology Articles, later.

http://www.goaskalice.columbia.edu/0924.html

http://onhealth.webmd.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=52012&page=2

http://www.bestdietforme.com/TR/ZoneDiet.htm

http://www.mhhe.com/hper/nutrition/nutriquest/phys4.mhtml

http://www.weightlossresources.co.uk/diet/lighter_life_diet.htm

How to manage the important Pre-Diet diet

by Mike Taperell
Suddenly starting a diet can be a substantial shock to the system and considerably reduce your chances of success. Get it right first time by creating a Pre-Diet diet to get used to healthy eating and diet ideas then, when the day comes to start, you will sail smoothly into your diet and never look back.
Dieting can be a considerable shock to the system, especially if this is a first time, and that is why many people never get past the first week. To help prepare you and your body here are five quick and easy tips to get you ready to take on a diet.

Try them for a month and at the end of the month get ready to start your diet. The tips will suit most diets but are not suitable for a low carb 'Atkins' or 'South Beach' type diet.

BreakfastThis is the most important tip, eat something for breakfast and it is better if the breakfast is a good one. Most diets insist on a proper breakfast and so it is a habit you will need to get into.

If you already have a breakfast then check the diet, make any changes and just carry on. If you have not chosen your diet yet, just have a bowl of cereal and a glass of juice or, if you want something more substantial, try grilled bacon and reduced-sugar baked beans on wholemeal toast.

If you read that and thought: "No, I've tried breakfast and it's just not for me," make a slight concession and eat a banana first thing and maybe have a cup of tea. Bananas are easy to eat, highly nutritious and will usually make you hungry soon after eating. The most important thing is that it is a start and you will soon find that you are ready for food in the morning.

Five-a-dayYou know the recommendation, we should all eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day but five portions is a minimum. If you don't eat this much already (or if you don't know how much you eat) this can sound a lot but try and get up to speed with this as soon as you can.

When you are there, or if you already eat this much, try to increase this to seven or more portions.

To help you, you can take advantage of the tremendous snackability of most fruit. They are tasty, fun and quick to prepare, so keep some fruit ready to eat in the fridge so that they are the first thing you see as you open the door.

As well as this, have a bowl of dried fruit not too far away, as I do, for a tasty snack and, for top health, add a few nuts to the fruit.

Most diets (but not Atkins style low-carb diets) recommend large amounts of fruit and vegetables and it is sometimes hard to suddenly subject your body to this so increasing vegetables like this will help prepare your body for most diets.

The whole of the grainYou have heard it all before: throw out the white and only eat brown! So eat plenty of wholemeal rice, wholemeal pasta, wholemeal bread and brown potatoes.

Brown potatoes? Yes, that is my name for potatoes cooked with their skin because a lot of nutrient is trapped just below the skin and peeling tends to remove it.

Don't worry, by the way, if you have heard that wholegrains are fattening. What is fattening is eating too many calories, wholemeal food in a diet is highly nutritious and an important staple.

If you are not sure how much to serve, try covering a third of the plate with pasta or rice or potatoes and leaving a third (plus a little) for vegetables and whatever is left for chicken or fish.

Don't be a sweetieYes, it is hard to cut down on sweet things but we all know that they are loaded to the hilt with calories so you will have to make an effort. All diets (Atkins's diets included) will not let you eat candies and chocolate and a whole host of other things so now is the time to get your body used to not eating sugar.

In fact, reducing sugar intake is a good thing to do whether you are on a diet or not but if you are one of those people who simply cannot resist something sweet and if you know that this is your downfall then you will have to be drastic.

Giving up sugar is easy, simply choose a day next week and on that day stop eating anything that contains sugar and make it a decision for life. I know it sounds hard but if you are serious you can do it and your body will thank you for it for the rest of your life.

Change the main courseOK, this is the main recommendation, change your main course for something that is healthy. Of course, this is easy to say but I know it is a lot harder to do so make the change a gradual process.

To drive the point home, stop a minute and think, or jot on a piece of paper, what you normally eat in a week or what you ate last week.

Your goal is to change your diet so that you reduce the processed meals to a minimum and put in their place either fish or chicken or a vegetable option.

Changing what you consider to be the main part of the meal is not easy because you can feel very lost but it is an important change.

Both fish and chicken (without the skin) make delicious meals and both will run rings around normal processed food for health so see what you can do.

Your ultimate goal is to be ready to eat the food that your diet recommends so try using one or two of the suggested meals in place of your normal meal. If you have not yet chosen, have a look at a few diet books or articles and get some idea of main courses and begin with these.

This is also useful since it gives you an idea of the cost of your diet.

Once you have done all this and put these tips in place for a month you will be ready to start your diet and the change to diet food will not be so great. Not only will you be on more familiar ground but your chances of making a success of the diet will be all the greater.