The Controversies Involved With Detoxification Diets

Detoxification or starvation?

Diets for detoxification have come under immense scrutiny over the months that have passed. There are numerous claims that only weight that can be lost is the weight of water from the start of the fasting period and the subsequent loss of weight due to the reduction of caloric intake. A detoxification diet can be quite restrictive, and can go as far as being called as a starvation diet. A lot of articles made by "experts" explain that a detoxification diet is hazardous to people, saying that it is just a "yo-yo" diet, creates a wrong impression on many food groups and can even lead to some eating disorders.

We are also aware of the fact that most of these "experts" making these articles are working or are related in the field of health and weight loss which are people like health program supervisors, nutritionists, weight loss counselors, and common people who have great interest and knowledge on fitness and health. Although I am not saying that anyone of these people are just making up their statements or may be fabricating the truth regarding this matter, I am just saying that usually a person of this education level will have a hard time seeing things on a different perspective. This may be because they only believe in what they have learned or experienced, and may not be ready to accept facts other than what they had. Like for example, when a nutritionist enters college and has been educated with the teaching that green beans can cause cancer, this same person will finish college with the belief that this food is bad for people's health. This will also cause him to share this information with his clients and other people he comes in contact with. And when after a few years, a particular person gets in the picture and debates that green beans does not cause cancer, do you think it is possible for the nutritionist to believe what this current person is stating?

This kind of anomaly is not only related to nutritionists and other related fields in health and fitness. It can happen in other fields as well. Being a writer, I learned that you must never communicate in double negatives. It is just a simple ethical consideration I apply each and every day. If someone would approach me and did everything to convince me that what I have learned before is now different, whether right or wrong, I always see to it that I don't speak in double negatives. And if I make criticisms on this current idea without first making my own investigation and revisiting my knowledge of basic English and grammar, then I am simply only just depending on my former knowledge to debate on this issue.

So why don't we deviate away from conventional nutritionists and just discover what detoxification diets have to offer from a completely blank slate. No, I am not a nutritionist, I'm just a writer who is curious and wants to learn if a detoxification diet really is a healthy method of body cleansing, or is it just a kind of starvation diet that does no good for the body besides just losing some water while making people believe that it makes them feel better. I have gathered 3 people who have undergone a detoxification diet and another 3 who did not. This population may not comprise a huge percentage, but I am not getting these people as guinea

pigs, I just want to get information based on their experience in order for me to confirm or negate the detoxification diet statements from both dieticians and those who are subjects of a detoxification diet.

Fasting and purity

People have relied on fasting for centuries in order to be purified. If we backtrack through ancient writings, we will discover that fasting was not only done as a means of purification of the spirit, but also for physical purification. Those fasting for purity experienced significant loss of energy, but regains strength after the period of fasting, usually within a period of 36 hours. This statement can easily be debated upon, since those people might have felt that their body has been cleansed because of their spiritual inspiration from the fasting process. The three persons I have invited to undergo fasting were not looking to be spiritually enlightened, and stated that they felt very weak after being deprived of food for a while, although they began to feel better and cleaner before the second day ended. Also, none of the three said they experienced starvation, but instead felt the fasting process did give them some level of physical purity.

In the science of medicine, there are instances wherein physicians will advise you to fast. Setting aside pre-surgical procedures, most fasting methods are done in order to prepare or cleanse the body for something. Take the case of people taking diets like the ketogenic diet, which requires a period of fasting prior to starting it in order to better treat illnesses.

Those criticizing the detoxification diet plan state that headaches and other undesirable symptoms show up on the first stage of the diet program due to the food deprivation. But advocates of the detoxification diet program argue that the headaches and other symptoms are only temporary and due to the body being accustomed to the new process it is going through. The three persons I invited to undergo a detoxification diet program all had the same result in the quality of their urine and bowel excretions; they look clearer and had less odor. And although they did feel some level of headaches and fatigue, they did not attribute this to the fasting process.

I also did some research online and found 11 dieticians who disagreed undergoing a detoxification diet. Each individual debated that headaches were due to the fasting process, but in essence, they are also recommending some form of detoxification diet. Interesting enough, their versions of special diets included some form of fasting as well. Their version was just different in a few things, like just eating only some varieties of fruits and yogurt. Most detoxification diets actually don't have a complete fasting period.

People who don't agree with getting into a detoxification diet are not really happy with the weight loss results that it offers. They argue that it is only the weight of the water lost during fasting, and will easily get back to what it originally was the moment normal eating regimen is resumed. The weight loss benefits of detoxification diets actually come from different sources. Like when you are undergoing an overall body detoxification, some of the weight lost from the body has already been flushed down the toilet (if you know what I'm talking about that is). You might be surprised to know that two of the people I invited to take a detoxification program even called for a plumber because of the surplus waste they excreted. The weight they lost in the process has been maintained as well, and two of these individuals have started with the program more than 6 months before this article was even written. The weight they lost has been maintained simply because they made smarter eating choices. Although they resumed with their normal eating routine, they did not go back with consuming lots of junk and processed foods. They all stated that they have learned how to keep their body's toxin levels low after undergoing the detoxification diet and it has gave them a better overall health.

So is this just another diet craze?

Critics of the detoxification diet that this new trend in dieting, similar to others that had the "diet" word with them, is no different than its predecessors, particularly in its effectiveness. Every time a new diet craze comes in the market, a lot of people rush to the scene, saying that it does them no good. In reality, not all diet programs are suitable for everyone. I myself have tried Atkins diet for quite some time and my efforts proved to be futile, although a friend of mine swore that it worked wonders for him. Apparently, the Atkins diet is not made for those who are not significantly overweight, as most critics say, and my own body as well. So can we now conclude that the detoxification diet is beyond everyone's standards of a regular diet craze, or is it just a hyped-up failure just like everyone claims it to be? Of the 3 individuals who had undergone detoxification, 2 state that it is not a diet craze. They say that is an effective procedure of cleansing the body, in which most diet programs fail to do. The third person states that it is just a trend in diet, but since it is effective for him, then he does not really care about it.

Diet crazes and trends usually do not really have much inside them. They are actually just ideas made to convince you that this particular diet trend is the best and most effective, and they can allow you to lose weight and keep it from coming back. Detoxification diets aims for something beyond all this, which is why I really exerted some effort to find out the truth about this diet program. I simply had to find out.

There is a huge amount of data that proves that Americans and Canadians have the worst health condition in general, considering the health support readily available. The health support available in our area is supposed to make us one of the most physically fit and healthiest countries in the world, but unfortunately it is the opposite. A lot of doctors state that this can be attributed to the kind of food people take in nowadays, which are usually filled with toxic substances from too much processing. And even with the wide range of healthy options available to us, we are still at the top of the list on cancer rates, including diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Not surprisingly, we also rank high on the list of countries with the most number of overweight and obese people.

The detoxification diet intends to address the growing problems regarding the overall health of American citizens, which will go beyond just their waistlines. The diet trends that we have seen in the past have only focused on shrinking people's waistlines, but did not even touch how to improve overall health. So is this detoxification diet just another trend in dieting? Technically speaking, a diet trend simply means any new program introduced in the market, which promises a lot of good stuff and gains a lot of new followers as well. If this is how we define it, then yes. But by another standard, this may also not be considered a diet trend. This is because this was not designed like the usual diet trends that came before it.

Both overweight and slim people can benefit from undergoing a detoxification diet. In fact we can say that everyone can enjoy the benefits that this diet program has to offer. This program was not made to induce weight loss; it was made in order to encourage people to live a healthier lifestyle. Losing weight is just a side effect of the program. This diet program strives to achieve a long-term optimum health condition. After being cleansed and detoxified, your body will surely feel a lot better, more energized and rejuvenated. It will also help you keep you in the right track and you will find out that you never want to get back to your unhealthy lifestyle again.   

Beyonce Knowles recently announced on the Oprah Winfrey talk show that she had lost a massive 20 pounds on the Master Cleanse detox diet! Compare the best detox diets used by the Hollywood's superstars!

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By Holly Vera

You Should Know How Your Diet is Supposed to Work

The vast majority of people start dieting in order to lose weight. Losing weight can be accomplished in a number of ways. A diet is simply a specific method for accomplishing that task.

When one decides that they need to lose weight, the first thing that must be considered is the reason for wanting to lose weight. Is the weight loss going to be directed at a way to gain better health or is it more of a vanity reason? The reason for dieting is as important as the method used to lose the weight.

If attaining a more healthy lifestyle and striving for better health is the reason, it should not be of any concern how long the dieting takes to achieve the weight loss goal, if in fact there is a goal. If good health is the main objective, length of time should not be an issue because the diet should simply be a part of a life-style change in which the dieting change would be a long-term part of the life-style anyway.

If, on the other hand, vanity is the reason and the dieting person is hell bent on losing a significant amount of weight in a short period of time in order to fit into an object of clothing or simply to look great at the class reunion in a month, the method chosen for dieting will be completely different and, most likely, quite unhealthy.

Long term lifestyle type diets are usually of the type that occur in small increments of weight loss and continue as exercise is slowly increased and more healthy food, in smaller portions is consumed. These are usually quite simple diets that don't cause a significant amount of suffering as long as the dieting person is committed to the long-term goals.

The vanity type diet is usually a quick but very self-denying diet in which the dieting person eats very little or eats foods that do not tempt the pallet as far as taste or attractiveness go. Often, very large amounts of water are incorporated into these diets and most people do not drink enough water to begin with. When they are confronted with the need to increase their water intake significantly, they hesitate or they are not very compliant. Water, when one is not thirsty, simply does not taste very good.

The vanity diet also usually requires a substantial increase in activity in the form of exercise and most people have a strong aversion to that form of activity.

There are also diets that are not in either the lifestyle change nor the vanity dieting lists but are really a forced lifestyle change that is completely necessary for the dieting person to continue to live. Once such diet is the diabetic diet. If one ignores their diabetes and continues to eat large amounts of carbohydrates, as most Americans do, they will eventually suffer serious health deterioration. So, the necessary-for-life diets are not the ones we are really concerned with in this article.

There are a number of different diets available for each of the non-necessity diets. The basic lifestyle change diet has already been described though some of the latter day fad diets are also appropriate for long-term dieting if the person doing the dieting is indeed dedicated to the lifestyle change. Some specific fad diets that would work for this person are the Atkins or low-carb diet, The Zone diet or the South Beach diet.

The extreme vanity diet person can also use the low carb diet for fast weight loss or they can try starvation or if they really want to lose weight fast and suffer a bit more but at least retain some type of decent health, they can attempt the Lemonade Diet.

The lemonade diet is highly effective but is more a fast than a diet and a special mixture of water, cayenne pepper, lemon juice and syrup are required. One must be highly dedicated to losing weight for this diet to work as no food is allowed for a period of at least ten days and the Lemonade dieter will feel worse before they feel like a million dollars. The diet is extremely effective for losing ten pounds or more in ten days though. The added benefit of this diet is that it does a thorough job of cleaning the colon.

Each one of the above mentioned diets should be highly suspect and not just accepted for it's reputation or the current fad. One who is considering dieting should, at the very least, buy the book that is written about the diet in order to learn how the diet works with the body and effects the different body systems. Each of the authors has a lot of information included in their book about these concerns.

The main point of this article is to point out to anyone who is considering dieting that they should be very careful and choose a diet that meets their goals and health concerns. Don't blindly go into any diet without knowing how it's supposed to effect you, what you're supposed to eat while on the diet, how much weight you are expected to lose in a specific period of time and what are the benefits and health concerns that attach to that diet.

In fact, it is a very good idea to discuss any diet plans with your health care professional prior to starting or even considering one of the above diets.

Gary Vaughn is a Masters level RN and has studied and written about nutrition and dieting for quite some time. He has been published both professionally and online. He is the owner of Repair My Weight Loss, an information rich website about popular diets, diet myths, diet solutions and diet reality. The website can be found at [http://www.repairmyweightloss.com]

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By Gary Vaughn 

Is a 3 Day Diet Plan a Fast Weight Loss Diet?

The 3 Day Diet programs are making another comeback around the diet arena, once more being presented as a brand new rapid weight loss concept. They are again becoming rather fashionable as the latest fad quick weight loss plan. Regardless of their popularity, many are asking if it is safe to experience fast weight loss, are the 3 Day Diets a healthy approach to losing weight, and do they actually work?

First of all, the majority of 3 Day Diet programs which have currently been turning up all over the weight reduction market are nothing new. The current attention these diet plans are receiving will eventually lessen over time. Then after a few years of quiet they will then rise again becoming available with brand new names.

For example, I've witnessed the 3 Day Cabbage Diet, the 3 Day Cleveland Clinic Diet (or whatever medical center - choose one), the 3 Day Tuna Diet, the 3 Day British Heart Foundation Diet, the 3 Day Cardiac Diet, the 3 Day Heart Diet, the 3 Day Egg and Grapefruit diet, the 3 Day Fruit Diet ( pick a fruit) as well as the 3-Day G.I. Diet (pick a military diet branch). Those happen to be just a small example of the countless names which have been chosen regarding the 3 day diet plans. The names these weight loss programs are given is only altered to make the dietary plan seem to be the most recent, completely new, scientifically researched, weight loss program. In reality they are just a slightly altered version of any old 3 Day Diet that has not been clinically research by any well known medical clinic, hospital or foundation.

At this point in time, there isn't actually a great deal of variance between these kinds of 3 Day Diet programs created to lose weight quickly. The changes may include a protein change, or possibly a nutritional dietary fiber swap. A few of the 3 Day Diets will vary the kind of fresh fruit or fresh vegetables to include in the diet. In particular, the 3 Day Mayo Clinic Diet plan specializes in consuming quantities of grapefruit. Remember, this diet was NOT created, or approved by the Mayo Clinic.

At couple of the 3 Day Diets that I know of include a dessert indulgence, while yet another may eliminate sugar products entirely (everyone ought to quit over-indulging in sweets as well as eliminating soft drinks altogether, particularly if they genuinely wish to be in charge of your own personal overweight health issues). Other diet plans are going a little further by calling their diet programs a 5 Day Diet or a 7 Day Diet Plan.

Decreased calorie consumption, reduced carbohydrates along with large amounts of dietary vegetable fiber are the fundamentals of the 3 Day Diet. The low calories (it is around a 1000 calorie diet) along with low carbohydrates, will raise the body's metabolic rate, while the higher dietary fiber along with drinking lots of water will boost the body's elimination function.

This process of speeding up the body's elimination process explains the rapid reduction in weight loss achieved by using these kinds of diet programs. In actuality, this weight loss is almost all water, and not permanent weight loss. As long as individuals are actually exercising as well, they will additionally shed a couple of actual pounds of body fat, in addition to loss of water weight.

It won't hurt a healthy individual to use this type of weight loss diet plan intended for simply three to five days. The 3 Day Diets are generally meant for people who only want to lose 6 to 15 pounds fast in order to maybe squeeze into a pair of skinny jeans for that live concert next week, or to fit into a new prom dress, or possibly to fit back in the wedding gown which was custom fit last month but is a bit too snug right now. Remember that the actual inches lost is merely a short-term remedy due to the substantial excretion of water from your system.

You should not, on the other hand, carry on with this 1000 calorie diet any more than five days. Continuing on with eating only a 1000 calorie diet, it is possible to induce critical harm to your body's internal organs if you do so. You will also begin losing muscle tissue instead of fat. Also, please remember to never fail to check with your own private medical professional prior to going on any diet regime.

When involved in a 3 Day Diet plan, or any diet plan for that matter, it is advised that you take into account the kinds of nourishment you eat, and also to focus on the physical exercise which will promote additional calories being used up. Only put in your mouth something that is healthy to fuel the body.

Women tend to be the ones that will often forget to incorporate physical exercise in the 3 Day Diet game. Because of their hectic agendas associated with raising children, while running a full time career, they will often be so bogged down with activities that they drop into the pitfall of imagining they are receiving sufficient physical exercise. They might not really want to work out once the strain connected with the stress of the day wears them down. However, incorporating an effective exercise regime within their hectic agenda will certainly help to make virtually any 3 Day Diet a success.

Yet another pitfall both males and females fall under because of their hectic agendas will be missing meals. These people believe that this can take that extra weight off faster, while the truth of the matter is that it actually decreases the fat burning because their bodies transfer in to starvation mode through slowing down ones metabolism. Women tend to be much more likely to forget to eat in order to get more work done, while males are more likely to stop working in order to actually eat.

Meals CANNOT be missed in any 3 Day Diet program if you want to drop pounds fast. These kind of eating plans accelerate the calorie burning metabolic process, along with triggering the water elimination only if the dietary plan is actually implemented by the meals being eaten. Generally, most people will actually consume far more food in the next mealtime, if they have missed the prior scheduled meal. This merely defeats the objective of the fast 3 Day Diet.

Drinking a great deal of water as well as no sugar fruit juice (no low calorie sweeteners either) are a major element of these types of diet programs. The liquid replacement is essential to get the metabolic rate to work appropriately. Including a piece of fresh lemon into the water will improve the procedure of the diet. You need to make sure to drink a large glass of drinking water, 6 to 8 times each day. Herbal teas and black coffee (no sugar or sugar substitutes) can also be included in between the water consumption.

Avoid purchasing dessert sweets or high sodium snack foods along the lines of potato chips as well as frozen snack foods, while shopping at the supermarket. As an alternative heap on the fresh natural vegetables and fruits. The children shouldn't be consuming these types of unhealthy food stuffs, anymore than you should, but it is a good idea to keep these foodstuffs out of the house while dieting.

Planning natural wholesome meals for your own household is a sensible way to keep on course and stick with the 3 Day Diet, while at the same time introducing healthier ingredients into the home. Presenting these kinds of wholesome choices are something you are able to perform with the family long-term, even after the 3 Day Diet has ended. Although I do advise carrying on with eating fresh fruits and veggies as part of your daily eating habits, I do not advise continuing the 3 Day Diet for a session longer than 3 to 5 days.

What is the bottom line?

If you want to drop even more than 15 pounds, any 3 Day Diet plan is simply not for you personally. Altering to a new much healthier way of life is actually what you need to be accomplishing. Understanding how to eat properly as well as exercising is vital to achieving success in burning fat.

In the event that you are looking for merely dropping a couple of pounds instantly for a special function or perhaps to be able to start looking more desirable at the beach, here are a couple of points to bear in mind:

Exercise! A good every day exercise regimen for the busy lifestyle is equally as essential in a 3 Day Diet plan as it is for your own regular daily life. Focus on a different body area each time you workout. Make sure to try to get no less than half hour per day; 60 minutes each day is better. The amount of time may be divided over the course of the day however you would like which is suitable for your own individual routine.

Don't Skip Meals! Keep in mind to continually eat your planned foods. Do not miss any one of them, particularly in the morning at breakfast time. Quit consuming sugars as well as drinking soda pops. Replace health robbing, highly processed foodstuff with fresh fruits along with vegetables.

Stay Hydrated! Drink plenty of water along with a slice of lemon. Drink 100% fruit juice or herbal teas, replacing the soft drinks. Water is probably the greatest component known to aid the body's metabolic process with burning body fat as well as eliminating harmful toxins from the system.

Sleep! This is precisely what our bodies require to restore, replenish and metabolize. When you are asleep, the body is actually continuing to use calories from fat as it performs ones body maintenance. Among the restoration functions occurring in the course of your sleep is the manufacture of a particular hormone called Leptin. This hormone's purpose is to notify the brain that you don't require any food. The less sleep you have, the less Leptin ones body will generate. The less Leptin ones body generates, the hungrier you will certainly feel, hence the more you will end up eating.

To see samples of 3 Day Diet Menus, please visit Do 3 Day Diets Work? Find simple exercise routines to work into our busy life at Your Busy Life

June Tanner was born and raised in Hawaii where she studied and practiced natural healing, lomi lomi massage, alternative medicine, organic gardening and nutrition for over 30 years. She is currently living in New York where she works as a free lance writer for various publications, a website designer and as an Information Marketer.

This article may only be used in it's entirety, with the author's Resource Box attached. All links must remain included and no changes may be made to the article without the author's prior permission.

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By June Tanner 

Diets - Handling Failure

How many diets have you "failed" at?

If you're like most of us, more than one. Maybe many more than one.

But, it's not if you fail or how many times you fail that counts.

It's how you handle failure that matters in the long run.

The Same Coin

Failure and success are two sides of the same coin.

Think of just about everything in life. You almost never have success without failure.

You learned to walk by falling down 100's if not 1,000's of times. But you never felt like a failure and were never labelled as a failure.

Mom and Dad kept encouraging you and you kept getting up and trying repeatedly until you got it right.

You learned to read by messing up your alphabet enough times to finally get it right. By messing up writing out the letters 'till you got them right. By misspelling and misreading the words until you got them right. The mistakes were plentiful. But you were never a failure - you were just learning.

Same with riding a bike, driving a car, playing a sport, dating, for gosh sakes. Choosing a career or a mate, perhaps.

Life is a trial and error process where failure and success are two sides of the same coin.

What's Different About Dieting?

In some ways dieting is the same and in some ways it's different from most other things.

It's the same because failure and success should go hand in hand - 2 sides of the same coin.

It's different because, let's face it, you don't really want to diet in the first place. And you probably have negative thoughts and feelings about dieting.

Everyone wants to walk, read, drive a car, and have a great career and a great mate. No one wants to diet.

"Dieting" connotations are negative.

And so, when you fail or slip from your diet, since you start the diet with negative thoughts and feelings in the first place - conscious or subconscious - you tend to blow those failures out of proportion looking for an excuse - conscious or subconscious - to quit.

And when you do quit your diet, you inevitably think of yourself as a failure, get down on yourself, and take a blow to your ego, self-confidence, and self-esteem.

After a while the pain of that failure goes away.

That's when you're ready to try the next popular diet that comes along. Recent statistics indicate that dieters "try" an average of 4 new diets per year.

This is where the really big difference about dieting lies. This is the problem.

You don't learn how to diet any better from your past mistakes. You'll approach and go on your next diet exactly the same way you went on your last failed diet. And the one before that and the one before that.

Sure, you change diets. You change from low-fat to high protein to low carbs to heart healthy and on and on.

But you don't change how you go about dieting.

It's an interesting phenomenon. You learned to walk by falling down lots of times and each time you fell you learned something from the fall and were a bit better at walking the next time.

But as many times as you fall down at dieting and get up and give it another try, you don't get any better at it the next time. Or the next.

Although every failure in life provides valuable feedback for our minds and bodies to learn to make changes and give us tougher mental skills for the next try, it doesn't seem to work in dieting.

Why Failure Doesn't Work In Dieting

There are several reasons why failure at dieting doesn't work to help you learn to diet better the next time.

1. You would never give up learning to walk, read, drive a car, etc. You would never voluntarily "quit" trying those things, and so you never gave yourself the opportunity to be a "failure" at them. You never took a blow to your ego, self-esteem, and self-confidence over them. You were absolutely determined to get them right, failure or quitting was never an option, and so you had to learn by your mistakes.
2. You see those other life events as the ends. Dieting is never an end...it's the means to the end...so it's entirely different. You allow yourself to give up on "this" diet knowing there's always going to be another one around the corner. The end is...well...whatever it is for you: looking and feeling lean and sexy; getting the job you've been longing for; regaining your pride and self-confidence; wearing a bathing suit or swim trunks without embarrassment; playing with your kids without getting winded; impressing your friends at your high school reunion; long-term health...you name it. Besides, if you quit or fail at dieting, you can (and do) always blame the diet. "Oh, that diet doesn't work or didn't work for me." But you can't blame the car if you keep failing your driver's test.
3. You've never learned how to diet correctly - using all of the natural strengths you have that can help you diet successfully. You were encouraged and taught how to walk and read and all the other things we've mentioned. But no one has ever taught you your personal Dieting Compatibility Style™ so you end up taking on a difficult task (dieting) without the knowledge, skill, and support needed to do it right.

Putting It All Together

Failure is a teacher. It is nothing more than a teacher.

In most areas of life you're able to use every failure as a learning step in the process of achieving your goals. Failure teaches you and toughens you.

But since dieting is never your goal or end game - it's only the means to the end - you are actually never deeply motivated to diet.

You probably confuse dieting with your real goal - that sexy body, for example - but at some level you know it's not.

So it's easier to give up the diet than other things in life and yet, when you do quit another diet, you still suffer and feel the pain of failure without getting the valuable learning experience from it.

You're left beating yourself up for another diet failure while still longing for your sexy body and being no better prepared for the next diet than you were for the last one.

There are scientifically based ways to diet correctly - regardless of the diet you choose - using your natural strengths and approaching your diet emphasizing those strengths and bending your approach to your diet to use those strengths to your advantage.

A first step is to find out what your personal Dieting Compatibility Style(tm) is and how to use it.

Although you think dieting should be intuitive and all the ads make you believe it's going to be easy this time, your experience and the experience of about 75 Million American adults who are on diets right now and are going to fail at them proves over and over again that it's neither intuitive nor easy.

Dieting effectively is a skill that you need to learn and apply in order to be successful at it. It's not a difficult skill to learn. But successful dieting without the dieting skill is virtually impossible - as most of us have proven time and time again.

Success and failure are 2 sides of the same coin.

It's time to put dieting in the right perspective, learn from your past mistakes, and use the knowledge to make your next diet your last diet.

It can be as easy as walking or driving your car if you do it right.

Copyright 2011 - Dexter Godbey - All rights Reserved

Click here for instant access to a FREE, Unique, Personalized, Online Temperament And Dieting Compatibility Style™ Analysis and Profile: http://www.DietingLaws.com. It takes less than 2 minutes to discover your personal dieting style.

Uncover your unique Dieting Compatibility Style™. Learn how use your Dieting Strengths with any diet of your choice to help make your next diet easier and more successful than ever before - guaranteed - and make your next diet your last diet. http://www.DietingLaws.com

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By Dexter Godbey 

Diabetes and the Paleolithic Diet

What is the Paleo diet, what does it represent. Who should go on the Paleo diet? Does the Paleo diet really work? Where can you get access to examples of the Paleo diet? All these questions and more I shall be answering in the article below.

So what exactly is the Paleo diet? The Paleolithic or Paleo diet represents modern man's attempt to return to the supposed diet of his ancestors premised on the belief that these while living on such diets did not experience many of the modern day diseases of today.

Thus diseases like high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, heart disease and the like was either rare or next to non-existence in their time. Of course they had other conditions to grapple with, but the point is that this fortunate circumstance bears witness to our forebear's healthy diet. And so the expectation is that if we want to reverse some of these conditions or at the very least enjoy better health, then we must certainly make its adoption part of our health strategy. This diet would essentially have been made of lean meat, nuts, seeds and berries. Also known as the Paleolithic or caveman diet, it has been in the light of the modern day clamoring for it, termed a fad diet.

As regards the diet, the period of our ancestors under consideration is essentially the Paleolithic era (hence the name of the diet) -a period lasting about 2.5 million years and which ended around 10,000 years ago with the beginning of animal domestication and agriculture.

The underlying basis for the theory is evolutionary discordance hypothesis, itself a subset of evolutionary medicine. The seeds of the hypothesis is to be found in the 1970s work of Walter Voegtlin, the gastroenterologist.

Its basic premise is that man is genetically adapted to the nutritional needs of food to be found in the Paleolithic period. These needs have not changed and remained adapted to the diet of the said ancestors. Despite the availability of a wide variety of relatively new foods like legumes, grains, dairy, and high in calorie processed foods -the main stay of much of our modern day diet, human metabolism the hypothesis claims, remain maladjusted to them. The result is these foods improper breakdown and assimilation by the body, leading to the health conditions- heart disease, high blood pressure, and yes-diabetes, earlier spoken of.

The answer to this was the Paleolithic diet. One man-Loren Cordain set out to let the world know this. He wrote his book-"The Paleo Diet" in 2002, popularized the diet and in fact being so recognized as an authority on it was by 2009 able to successfully trademark the term "Paleo Diet". By the late 2000s, the diet had gained in popularity riding on the back of several steeds, namely that of an appeal to nature and efficacy.

That said, the logic behind the diet has come under fire. First it has been criticized on the premise that there is no concrete evidence to show exactly what human beings ate during the Paleolithic period. Secondly, that evidence shows that Paleolithic man did in fact eat legumes and grains. Thirdly, that the surmise having humans adapted to specific local diets is

unproven. Further, that humans are capable of greater nutritional flexibility than the diet gives them credit for and finally, that the Paleolithic period was an extremely lengthy period which saw human existence in different geographies offering different foods.

In addition it is argued that Paleolithic man did not suffer from diseases of affluence; diabetes, etc. because he hardly ever lived long enough to develop them. More convincing however is the argument that the underlying cause of such diseases is excess food energy in contrast to energy used, rather than the uptake of specific foods.

This makes sense especially if one considers that being foragers, our hunter gatherer ancestors were constantly on the move and were want in that process to burn off if they had any, their excess food energy. This lifestyle has been eliminated in modern day society and replaced by in by and large a sedentary one, where the opportunities providing ease and convenience for getting goods and services has resulted in less and less physical activity and as such a mismatch between the energy we consume and the energy we actually need. This excess energy then, deprived of avenues for dissipation, transcribes to fat, clogged arteries, stressed organs and consequently the diseases of affluence we see today.

So what then does the diet comprise? Let's look at that in detail. We have already stated that it is essentially constituted of lean meat, nuts, seeds and berries whilst eschewing grains, dairy products and refined processed foods. But in what quantities and ratios, one may ask should these foods be taken? Well because the claim is that protein comprises 19%-35% of the calories in hunter-gatherer diets Cordain stipulates that the diet calls for a similar amount, meaning more proteins and meat.

This is greater than that of the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention which advises the derivation of 10-35% of calories from protein. In addition to this, proponents of the diet stipulate that the Paleolithic diets fat content is higher than that of modern day diets. However such fat should comprise mostly polyunsaturated and monounsaturated and omega-3 fats but avoid omega -6 and trans- fats.

In this diet, the main source of carbohydrates is to be non-starchy fruits and vegetables which will comprise essentially 35-45% of daily calories. It will also have a high fiber content but this is to be derived from the non-starchy vegetables and fruits not grains. However it should be noted that calcium is lacking in the Paleolithic diet and as such must be supplemented in order to prevent bone mineral loss.

On the obverse food groups which in the proponent's opinion were hardly or never eaten during the Paleolithic age are barred from the diet. These are gluten containing foods-essentially grains for instance like barley, wheat and rye; processed oils, salt, refined sugar, dairy products, legumes like beans and peanuts. Again, it should be noted that coffee and alcohol are not regarded as Paleo as our ancestors could not produce these.

But the arguments and counter arguments aside, is the Paleo diet really effective to prevent or counter the effects of diseases like diabetes? Let's see.

In 2007 a study was made by Lindeberg on 29 diabetic patients with either glucose intolerance or type two diabetes. Common to both though was the incidence of ischemic heart disease. These individuals were divided into two groups and placed on either a Mediterranean or Paleolithic diet. A Mediterranean diet comprises basically whole grains, low-fat dairy products, vegetables, fruits, fish, oils, and margarine. Similar to a Paleolithic diet excepting that a Paleolithic diet doesn't contain dairy products or grain. The results were interesting. They showed that although there was a marked improvement in glucose tolerance in both groups, the improvement was far greater in the group on the Paleolithic diet.

Further in 2009, a study was carried out by Jonsson and his colleagues to determine the health benefits of the Paleolithic diet on Type 2 diabetics. It involved the assessment of the Paleolithic and diabetes diet. The results once again favored the former with patient's on the Paleolithic diet reporting lower mean values of hemoglobin A1c, body mass index, diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides, weight, and waist circumference, with higher mean values for high-density lipoprotein.

Other studies; O'Dea's study of the effects of a Paleolithic diet on 10 northwest Australian Aboriginal type 2 diabetes patients in the 1980s equally attests among other benefits to the Paleolithic diets, blood sugar lowering qualities.

Supporting evidence can equally be adduced from Osterdahls uncontrolled 3-week study of a Paleolithic diet in 14 healthy subjects which showed that even short-term consumption of a Paleolithic type diet improves blood pressure and glucose tolerance, increases insulin sensitivity, decreases insulin secretion,, and improves lipid profiles without weight loss in healthy sedentary humans.

As such though vaunted that any regime for a Paleolithic diet should be supplemented with vitamin D and calcium in which it is deficient, and that more controlled study needs to be made before a more concrete statement can be put out on its health benefits, with the foregoing said, it is obvious that in considering a diabetic diet, evidence does suggest that the Paleolithic diet is a viable candidate diet for diabetics.

The Paleolithic or Paleo diet represents mans attempt to get back to the diet of his ancestors. A diet which saved his ancestors from many of the diseases of affluence-Diabetes included, man suffers from today. For more information on a proven program that effectively enables a diabetic permanently stabilize his blood sugar level and avoid diabetes related complications visit http://www.diabetesreversals.blogspot.com

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By Robert Barron

Best of the Best Diabetes Diet - Biggest Loser and DASH Diet Compared

So we have in our winners.

In a list of 35 popular diets for a study carried out by US News and World Report magazine the expert opinion of assembled experts gave us the verdict of The Biggest Loser diet and the DASH diet as being the best diet for diabetics, in both helping individuals to prevent the disease or for those who already have it, reversing it. But is there really a best of the best? Amongst these two champions, is there yet a champion still? I decided to do a step by step comparison in order to find out.

I compared two sample menus used by the panel assembled by and used by the US News experts. Whereas the Biggest Loser diet provided for Breakfast, snack, Lunch, Snack and dinner, the DASH diet only provided for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

A comparison of their nutritional values shows that while the Biggest Loser diet provides 1,489 calories as against the recommended daily intake of between 1600 and 2000 (depending on age) for women and between 2000 to 2400 calories (also depending on age), the DASH diet provides on its 1500 calories and 2300 calories diet 2037 and 2062 mg respectively.

An assessment of which diets calorie provision places it closest to the recommended benchmark allotted to each age grade puts the DASH diet clearly ahead of the Biggest Loser diet. As such, the first point goes to the DASH diet. For the Biggest Loser diet whilst it provides about 25 percent of your days calories, the DASH diets 26 and 27 percent respectively for its 1500 mg and 2300 mg versions. This is against the recommended daily amount of between 20 to 35 percent on these scores.

Saturated fat, both diets have down to about 5 percent, although the DASH diets 2300 mg edges further with an additional percentage (at 6 percent). These both fall within the borders of the below 10 percent recommendation. On fats therefore, I score them evenly.

Both satisfy the requirement for total carbohydrates to make up between 45 to 65 percent of daily recommended caloric intake. The Biggest Loser diet at 50 percent whilst the DASH diet at 56 and 55 percent respectively. On that note I score these diets evenly also. Both in most part equally meet the standard for fiber, although the Biggest Losers 31g falls short of the 34g recommendation for men ages 19 to 30 years old.

Further since, a fiber rich diet has been noted as a key factor in the prevention and reversal and management of diabetes, the DASH diets higher figures-36 and 37 g to the biggest Loser 31 g in my opinion places the DASH diet on this score, ahead of the Biggest Loser diet.

For protein the recommended benchmark is between 10 to 35 percent of daily caloric intake. Both diets make the grade. The Biggest Loser diet at 30 percent whereas the DASH diet at the lower end of the mark at 18 percent. The reason for this latter figure pertaining to the DASH diet may be because of the avowed design of the diet to stop hypertension and thus the reduction of red meat. Nevertheless, one should note that red meat is not the only source of protein. There is white meat and protein rich legumes like beans. In addition, since a diabetic no matter which of the diet s/he is on, to make it effective, will need to complement that diet with exercise, a diet that assisting strength training through muscle health would be more advantageous. In this regard, point... goes to the Biggest Loser diet.

On Sodium or salt, the recommendation is under 2300mg and under 1500 mg for persons older than 51 years. Unfortunately, the Biggest Loser diet falls far short of this mark by being at 2904 mg clearly exceeding the limit. The DASH diet however meets it quite well at 1507 mg for its 1500mg menu and 2101 mg for its 2300 mg menu. On that score, the point in this category is awarded it.

Next considering Potassium. The Biggest Loser diet fails to meet the recommended daily amount of at least 4700 mg. It stands at 3460 mg as against the DASH diets 4855 mg (1500 mg diet) and 4909mg (2300mg diet). Once again, the DASH diet wins the category.

With regards to Calcium intake the Biggest Loser diet performs better. Slightly edging out the DASH diets performance of 1218 mg and 120 mg for its 1500mg and 2300 mg diet versions respectively, with its own of 1128 mg. However since they both make the grade and the Biggest Losers figure is only slightly better than that for the DASH diet, they shall be awarded even scores for this category.

For vitamin B-12 too, both diets meet the mark. The Biggest Loser diet with 6.3 mg to the recommended daily amount of 2.4 mg whereas the DASH diet 4.4 mg and 6.7 mg respectively as it pertains to that diets 1500 mcg and 2300 mcg diet.

With regards to Vitamin D however, both diets apparently fail to satisfy the daily recommended amount of 15 mcg. Thus whilst the DASH diet comes in at 11 mcg, the Biggest Loser diet edges it ever so slightly at 11.4mcg. However this is not enough for us to award the Biggest Loser diet a win for this category, especially since it did not meet the recommended daily amount.

As concerns recommended daily amounts, it should be noted that this appellation applies to adults 19 years and over and that it assumes them a sedentary lifestyle.

Nevertheless, the results are now all in. Having it that the DASH diet bests the Biggest Loser diet in the categories recommended daily caloric intake, provisions for fiber, sodium and potassium and the BIGGEST Loser diet only winning in the protein category and both being awarded even scores in the rest, it can clearly be seen that the DASH diet has carried the day. Furthermore, it can honestly be said to be not only the best diabetes diet but all things considered, premised on studies made and the fact that it was actually designed to help stop hypertension, it may just be for now, the best general purpose diet out there.

However having said this, it cannot be over-emphasized that diabetics and others should take care to consult their doctors first before embarking on any diet regimen or exercise.

On a final note, for Type 2 diabetics, since being overweight is a risk factor for developing diabetes and the BIGGEST Loser diet has an excellent track record for assisting people to lose weight it is my recommendation here that dietary standards of the DASH diet be coupled with the exercise regimen of the Biggest loser diet. As such the best aspects of these best popular diet programs can be synthesized into a program excellently suited for Type 2 diabetics and people in general.

To learn more about managing diabetes and the steps you can take to effectively start reversing your diabetes today, visit http://www.diabetesreversals.blogspot.com for more information.

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By Robert Barron 

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All Diets Types and Their Explanations - How to Navigate and Choose the Best One For You

Atkins Diet

"The Atkins Diet is a high-protein, low-carbohydrate weight loss diet developed by Robert Atkins, M.D., during the 1960s. In the early 1990s, Dr. Atkins brought his diet back into the nutrition spotlight with the publication of his best-selling book "Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution".

The Atkins Diet severely restricts the consumption of carbohydrate-rich foods and encourages the consumption of protein and fat. The diet is divided into four phases: Induction, Ongoing Weight Loss, Pre-maintenance, and Maintenance. During the Induction phase (the first 14 days of the diet), carbohydrate intake is limited to no more than 20 grams per day. No fruit, bread, grains, starchy vegetables, or dairy products (except cheese, cream, and butter) are allowed during this phase. During the Ongoing Weight Loss phase, dieters experiment with various levels of carbohydrate consumption until they determine the most liberal level of carbohydrate intake that allows them to continue to lose weight. Dieters are encouraged to maintain this level of carbohydrate intake until their weight loss goals are met. During the Pre-maintenance and Maintenance phases, dieters determine the level of carbohydrate consumption that allows them to maintain their weight. To prevent weight regain, dieters are told to maintain this level of carbohydrate consumption, perhaps for the rest of their lives. According to Dr. Atkins, most people must limit their carbohydrate intake to no more than 60 grams per day to keep lost weight off. In addition to the dietary restrictions discussed above, Dr. Atkins recommends regular exercise and nutritional supplementation as part of his weight loss program.

Note: The dietary recommendations issued by various organizations, including the United States Department of Agriculture, the National Institutes of Health, and the American Heart Association, encourage a daily carbohydrate intake of approximately 300 grams. To stay healthy, you will need to consume five times more what Atkins prescribes in his diets. Can a human being last long enough on this diet without experiencing any side effects? If the dieter dares to cheat on this program, the result can be detrimental and the weight can be regained easily, twice as much as what has been lost during the diet. The quick weight gain brings about eventual depression and the dieter will eventually reach his original weight before the weight loss.

What is so attractive about the diet that so many individuals have taken the time and effort to apply?

High-protein diets are the fad regimens of the moment. Their theory for weight loss consists of eating lots of animal proteins and skipping carbohydrates such as breads, rice and pasta. The theory behind these diets is that if you load up on animal proteins, you will feel fuller faster, so you'll end up eating less.

The Atkins Diet is attractive to dieters who have tried unsuccessfully to lose weight on low-fat, low-calorie diets. Atkins dieters can eat as many calories as desired from protein and fat, as long as carbohydrate consumption is restricted. Consequently, many Atkins dieters are spared the feelings of hunger and deprivation that accompany other weight loss regimens.

The underlying premise of the Atkins Diet is that diets high in sugar and refined carbohydrates cause weight gain, and ultimately lead to obesity. Such diets increase the production of insulin (a hormone secreted by the pancreas). When insulin levels are high, the food we eat is quickly and easily converted into fat, and stored in our cells. By restricting the consumption of carbohydrates, the production of insulin is moderated. In addition, the lack of available carbohydrate (the body's preferred fuel source) forces the body to burn stored fat as energy.

What do the critics say?

Many nutrition experts disagree with the basic premise of the Atkins Diet - the notion that high-carbohydrate, low-fat diets cause obesity. For evidence of the implausibility of the Atkins Diet, some nutritionists point out that the traditional Japanese diet is very high in carbohydrates, low in protein, and very low in fat; however, before the introduction of high-fat and high-protein Western foods, being overweight was rare in Japan. Such findings make sense because ounce for ounce, carbohydrates contain far fewer calories than fats (4 calories from carbohydrates versus 9 calories from fat). These critics blame the over-consumption of calories (from any source) and lack of physical activity as the primary causes of obesity.

One concern about a high-protein diet stems from all the saturated fats one eats - those fats that we're told cause high cholesterol, clogged arteries and, eventually, heart disease. Critics also express concern about the impact of the Atkins Diet on the overall health of the dieter. Depending on the foods chosen by the dieter, the diet may contain a large amount of saturated fat and trans fat, putting those at risk for heart disease in danger. Recent research has found that high-protein diets speed up the progression of arteriosclerosis, the main cause of heart attacks. Moreover, contrary to Atkins' claims, extremely low-fat diets have been found to reverse heart disease. In addition, the lack of grains, fruits, and vegetables in the Atkins Diet may lead to deficiencies of key nutrients, including dietary fiber, vitamin C, folic acid, and several minerals. Finally, high protein diets may increase the risk of osteoporosis and accelerate the rate of deterioration in kidney function associated with aging.

Critics concede that Atkins dieters often experience significant weight loss during the initial stages of the diet. However, these critics argue that the diet has a diuretic effect and that the initial weight loss is due to water loss, not fat loss. Eventually the body restores its water and sodium balance, and the rate of weight loss declines. Critics also note that there is no evidence showing that the Atkins diet leads to greater weight loss than do other diets that provide more carbohydrates, yet the same number of calories.Critics also note high-protein diets can lead to dangerous imbalances - bone loss and kidney problems - because too much protein can overwork the kidneys.

Dr. Atkins was the first person who brought a low-carbohydrates diet to major prominence in the U.S. and I credit him for defying "the system" and offering a weight loss plan that works for some people. He presents scientific fact, but for the most part his recent book provides anecdotal information from many of his patients.

Dr. Atkins claims that some people have a condition of "hyper-insulinism", in which they produce excess amounts of insulin when they eat carbohydrates, which in turn causes fat storage, diabetes, and a craving for more carbohydrates. This theory is scientifically logical but has not been accepted as proven by the medical community.

In Dr. Atkins' "maintenance phase", he advises that persons increase their carbohydrate intake to the point where they do not gain or lose weight.

All that is great, however, how can we understand the whole concept behind his diets and why do people truly believe in it? How does it actually work?

Insulin is a hormone, which is a substance that travels through the body and stimulates chemical reactions. The human body has mechanisms to regulate how much of each hormone is produced, so that their effects can be controlled. With insulin, however, there is no "shut-off" switch as there is with other hormones. The digestion of carbohydrates produces insulin, and there is no way to stop its activity once it is present in the bloodstream. There is also no way to prevent it from being produced when carbohydrates are consumed, even if these are in excess of what the body needs for fuel.

So, the more carbohydrates you consume, the more insulin the pancreas will produce to help digest the sugars of the carbohydrates. The more insulin that is being produced, the more stored fat will be sent to the cells, especially to those around your waist.
I believe Dr. Atkins' diet may be useful for persons who are very sensitive to carbohydrates and have extremely slow metabolic rates.

Dr. Atkins' diet does not restrict protein intake, which is the correct approach. However, his advice to add carbohydrate grams for the maintenance phase so that continued weight loss does not occur is not scientifically sound. There is no indication that a person will continue to lose weight below his ideal bodyweight, taking in consideration his body type and metabolism. Your body is predisposed to a certain weight, even though you interrupt carbohydrates consumption from your diet, the body will still maintain the same weight. After that phase, you will simply need to maintain it and be happy with it.

Extreme dieters will need to understand that all the information mentioned above and below these lines is to make you realize some facts that you've never taken the time to research. When a diet becomes popular, people jump on it without researching in more detail what it can do for their bodies or if the diet fits their standard. It is not because "John Doe has lost some weight on this specific diet" that you will have a similar result. The same goes for diet pills: be careful with them. If they work temporarily for some people, it doesn't necessarily mean they will have the same effect on you.

As for me, experiencing my own programs enabled me to lose weight, maintain it and still eat as much as I want of the right foods. I eat and exercise plenty.

Remember that moderation is important. If you want to eat something that is not healthy, go ahead and eat it. However, make sure to moderate the rest of the day with the right food. The following information should be helpful when it comes to moderation regarding a well-balanced diet.

Here are some good reasons to avoid high-protein diets:

1. They violate almost every known fact about nutritionally balanced eating. For some dieters, these diets can even be life threatening.
2. Popular high protein diet foods are high in cholesterol and saturated fat, which are now established as major culprits in heart attacks and strokes.
3. They overload you with protein, which results in loss of calcium from your bones, which may lead to osteoporosis. Protein overload also pressurizes your kidneys as they try to eliminate large amounts of urea, a by-product of protein metabolism.
4. They forbid foods known to lower the risk of heart disease and many cancers.
5. They deprive you of carbohydrates, the nutrient group most readily converted to energy. Even moderately active people will notice this lack during exercise.
6. They deprive your brain of glucose, which it needs for normal functioning. The result is a slowdown in thinking and reaction time.
7. They deprive you of the enormous benefits of fiber, which is a form of carbohydrate (cellulose).
8. They are deficient in essential vitamins. Indeed, some high protein diets even require you to take vitamin supplements for the sake of your health.
9. They cause potentially dangerous changes in your body chemistry.

10. They deliver temporary weight loss. However, a large part of it is water weight and lean muscle mass - not fat. (You lose water because your kidneys try to get rid of the excess waste products of protein and fat, called ketones, that your body makes.)

Note: Weight gain is usually rapid when you go off the diet.

11. Finally, it's worth knowing that while your body burns up 23 calories for every 10o carbohydrate calories it digests, it only burns up 3 calories for every 100 "fat" calories it digests. Therefore, a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet makes it easier for you to stay fat!

FYI (For Your Information):
The average Western diet contains TOO MUCH FAT.
That's why an estimated 1 in 3 American children are overweight!
That's why heart disease is the No. 1 killer in America and Europe.
We should be eating less fat, not more.

High protein diets encourage high-fat eating and - for this reason alone - should be avoided.
What are those medical miracles that are being publicized to consumers for their rapid weight loss programs? The magazine Self, in March of 2002 investigated some of the programs that are simply bogus.

"Healthy weight loss" is not a particularly sexy marketing slogan. It is quite impossible to sell these types of slogans to Americans: "Drop pounds by eating fewer calories and increasing physical activity!" Instead, manufacturers of weight loss concoctions resort to selling their products with dubious promises of magically speedy results. Thankfully, separating fact from fiction is easy.

Try to separate bogus slogan from reality:

o "Lose 30 pounds in just 30 days" - Very tempting, isn't it? However, it is physically impossible to lose so much weight in such a short time. Moreover, it is not healthy. You could only hurt your health throughout the process and I can reassure you, you will gain back the weight faster than a speeding bullet.

o "Lose weight while you sleep" - Yeah! Heard that one before. If all you have to do is sip a magical potion or swallow a miracle pill, the product is as likely to be as real as your "wet dreams" at night.

o "Lose weight and keep it off for good" - The only permanent weight loss plan involves changing your diet and exercise regimen. It is all about burning more calories than you are consuming. It's all about simple mathematics. You burn more than what you ingest.

o "John Doe lost 90 pounds in just six weeks". Yes, and I am Superman! As I said previously, it is very dangerous to try to lose that much weight in such a short period. Let's analyze this slogan. We'll have some fun!

One pound equals 3,500 calories. You will need to reduce your diet by over 315,000 calories (90 pounds x 3,500 calories) during that 6-week period. Now how is that going to happen? Let's say your body needs 2,000/day calories to function. That equals 14,000 calories weekly, right? Multiply that by 6 weeks. That equals 84,000 calories for 6 weeks. Now, I am not a rocket scientist, but do you get my point? You will actually need to fast for 6 weeks in a row, and still have to burn an extra 231,000 by exercising. What are these morons thinking when they try to advertise these slogans to the American people? I would suggest that they go back to school and retake elementary math. It seems they can't even do a simple calculation.

Bottom line, ladies and gentlemen. There is NO MIRACLE DIET. Quit being triggered to spend your money by these bogus slogans.

Low Carbohydrate Diets

We all love carbohydrates. Pasta, bread, rice and potato are America favorite foods, to say the least. However, we all know that they contain ingredients that can lead to what we are most afraid of: being overweight. The problem with carbohydrates is that they cause the body to produce insulin. However, insulin turns carbohydrates into sugar, and whatever sugar we don't use right away gets stored in the body as fat.

On the other hand, a lack of carbohydrates tricks the body into thinking it's starving, at which point it flicks on an internal switch that causes the body to burn its own fat. This is called ketosis. We did mention that if the body doesn't use the extra sugar produced by the intake of carbohydrates, it would be stored in fat. Hmmm, now what about exercise? Have we thought about that?

After studying in depth the way the human body's nutritional processes work, and considering the type of diet these processes evolved with, I must conclude that consuming carbohydrates in limited amounts (not eating a whole pizza, loaf of bread, or a pound of french fries) is the most natural and healthy way for us to eat, not just for weight loss but for ongoing weight and health maintenance - even for people who do not have a weight problem. The "low carb diet" has become extremely popular in the United States in the past few years and continues to have a large following despite the frequent criticisms by various diet experts. Although many of them are without scientific validity, some of them are on target, especially when considering the calorie intakes of some of the formulas presented.

There is a major issue here with all of these plans - that is whether the diet is being used merely for weight loss, or for long-term weight maintenance. As a weight loss diet, any of these plans can work. However, if they are then discarded and previous eating habits are restored, it is likely that any weight lost will be regained, as with any short-term diet. Eventually, going off the low carb diet can definitely promote weight gain in excess of that which was lost, due to metabolic changes that occur. The only sensible way to use a low carb diet for weight loss is to remain on this type of diet on an ongoing basis afterward. The question then asked, "Is it safe for weight loss" and "is it safe for ongoing use as an eating plan?"

Americans now eat more carbohydrates than ever - 50 more pounds per person, per year, than a decade ago (ABC.NEWS). Carbohydrate-related diseases have also reached a peak. After decades of being warned away from fats, many people have turned to carbohydrates instead. At the same time, obesity levels in the country are greater than ever.

Is there a connection? Do carbohydrates lead people to become obese? Experts in the field have different opinions.

The Zone

Biochemist Barry Sears, author of the best selling low-carbohydrate diet book The Zone, believes carbohydrates do cause people to gain weight. He has developed a controversial theory that suggests that people who eat a lot of carbohydrates get caught up in a cycle of overeating because carbohydrates can be addictive in a way other foods are not. People who critique Sears' theory have various problems with it, including some of his basic premises that carbohydrates lead to weight gain or that carbohydrates are more addictive than other foods. Zone dieting is designed to avoid ketosis, which the author claims causes one to lose muscle weight even with high protein diets. The author also claims that high levels of protein in a meal cause high insulin levels, which converts the protein into fat.

The concept of The Zone is that food should be treated like a prescription drug that is designed to promote the desired hormonal response throughout the day. The hormones in question are insulin, glucagon, and eicosanoids. Insulin and glucagon are well known hormones, and their functions are described accurately.

Sears says eating lots of carbohydrates triggers a flood of insulin. Because there is so much insulin, sugars are cleared from the blood so quickly that people feel hungry again after a very short period. Therefore, carbohydrates drive the sugar level up and then the insulin drives it down. The obesity crisis in America is a result of "carbohydrate hell." Sears suggests that eating a lot of carbohydrates triggers a biological mechanism that lowers the blood sugar level and leads people to need a sugar boost and therefore to crave more carbohydrates. He says the cycle of eating and craving keeps them hooked on carbohydrates and causes overeating.

"You eat a big carbohydrates meal at 12. By 3 o'clock you're hungry again. You eat more carbohydrates. By 7 you're hungry again," Sears says. His theory accepts some of the basic principles about how the body processes carbohydrates and takes them a step further. The basic principle is that carbohydrates turn into sugars that trigger the release of insulin. The insulin routes the sugars to our muscles for energy and stores the rest as fat.

To reach the "Zone", one must consume foods in a protein-to-carbohydrate ratio of 0.75, which is 3 grams of protein for every 4 grams of carbohydrate, at every meal and snack, and without allowing more than 5 hours between meals or snacks. The author converts grams into blocks of protein and carbohydrate and provides food lists and meal plans for these. He distinguishes between carbohydrates with high versus low glycemic indexes, which is a measure of how fast the carbohydrate is digested for each food type. In addition, he adds fat "blocks" to his meal plans and distinguishes between various types of fats, recommending against saturated fats and favoring monounsaturated fats, due to their effect on eicosanoid production. Protein requirements in the Zone are based on lean body mass and level of physical activity (the same method that is used in Protein Power). Lean body mass is calculated using standardized charts that use height, hip, and abdomen measurements in women and weight, wrist and waist measurements in men.
The calculated protein requirement is not to be exceeded, and is to be spread throughout the day to avoid increased insulin levels caused by protein digestion. Therefore, a person would end up with a calorie limit on their total daily intake, since protein has a maximum value, and carbohydrate and fat intake are measured by protein intake.

The second half of the book is a description of how Zone dieting can improve numerous health conditions, primarily based on the eicosanoid activities.

In this program, the author provides excellent scientific explanations for how too many carbohydrates in a diet cause fat storage. The entire design of the Zone diet is also explained in a very scientific fashion, however, it is greatly lacking in scientific evidence to support it. The concept that providing higher levels of carbohydrates would avoid ketosis, which is a condition that may be hazardous over the long term is correct, however, because of a restriction on the intake of protein, carbohydrates, and fat, it is likely that insufficient calories and carbohydrates will be available for most people to avoid ketosis. In other words, the ketosis that results from starvation - getting too few calories to meet basic needs - can easily occur in many persons based on their calculations for daily intakes. There may also not be enough protein in the diet to prevent loss of muscle mass.

Dan Amzallag Mission Possible: Eat MORE 2 LOSE more: Combating obesity epidemic in America http://www.fitnesstrainersnetwork.com Top accredited fitness and personal trainers network for USA and Canada To register as a trainer, please visit our site. For clients looking for accredited trainers, this is the right site to be: http://www.fitnesstrainersnetwork.com

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By Daniel A Amzallag