November 14, 2007

My Atkins Diet Experience

My husband and I went on the atkins diet several years ago. This is the first time my husband has done any dieting. I on the other hand have tried every diet know to mankind. Of course he dropped 10 pounds the first week, and could not understand why I am always saying that weight loss is difficult. I did lose 6 pounds the first week so I had to agree that the diet was working. The first two weeks were difficult to get used to eating only low carbohydrate foods. Once we got past that two week mark we found that it was an easy diet for us to follow. On the atkins diet you eat mostly protein. My husband has always been a big meat eater so that part was easy. It was more difficult for him to give up the potatoes and bread that he ate along with his meat. We needed to find alternative foods that were allowed on the atkins diet.

I bought the atkins diet book which not only outlines the diet but also has recipes. It is amazing how you can eat a lot of food on the atkins diet and still lose weight. The main challenge is getting some variety into your meals. When we first started the atkins diet the dinner meal was very easy to prepare. We would have some type of protein, fish, pork, chicken or beef and a large leafy salad with bleu cheese dressing. This was not that different than what we ate before it was just minus the potato and bread. After a few weeks the lack of variety started to bore us. We were both losing weight, so that helped keep us motivated, but we were getting tired of the same meal each night. Then I discovered some of the recipes in the back of the atkins diet book. Our favorite is mashed cauliflower. It is the same texture as mashed potatoes. The atkins diet book also had a recipe for a salad that has all the same ingredients as potato salad, minus the potatoes. You substitute cooked cauliflower. I was skeptical at first, but it tastes wonderful.

Over the years we have added carbohydrates back into out diet. Initially we both gained some of the weight back, but now we have found the right balance for each of us. Long term with very low carbohydrates did not fit our life style, or taste buds, but the atkins diet was an effective way for us to take off pounds.

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December 12, 2007

Update on the Atkins Diet

There are many low carbohydrate diet options available now to anyone who wants to lose weight and learn to improve eating habits and keep the weight off. The Atkins Diet is one of the most popular low carb diets around, and people who have used it have been very successful in meeting their weight loss goals. Dieting isn't easy for anyone, and sometimes traditional dieting approaches, such as counting calories just isn't enough. Of course, every diet should be accompanied by plenty of exercise to make the weight come off faster and stay off. The Atkins Diet teaches dieters how to eat more protein and fat, and limit starches, carbohydrates, and sugars. The Atkins Diet is also a great way to get off that glucose roller coaster, and keep blood sugar levels more constant without crazy fluctuations.

The Atkins Diet works by strictly limiting carbohydrate intake and increasing protein and fats in the diet. By taking this approach, the body does not have the carbohydrates to burn first, so it burns fat instead. It may seem crazy to some to eat butter and other fats on a diet, but it is really the carbohydrates that keep people from reaching their weight loss goals. The Atkins Diet isn't just a fad diet scam. It has been around since the early 1970s and even though it is controversial, Atkins Diet books have been and remain to be phenomenal best sellers. In addition to the multitude of weight loss success stories, the Atkins Diet is great for disease prevention, weight loss maintenance, and good health. Dieters have a number of food options available to them and the amount of food eaten is not restricted, only the types of foods. No refined sugars are allowed, or white potatoes, white rice, or white flour. Meats, cheeses, fats, and proteins are all acceptable food options on the Atkins Diet.

The first two weeks on the Atkins Diet are the most restricted, in which only twenty grams of carbohydrates are allowed (carbs less grams of fiber). Fruits are not allowed and only a few leafy green vegetables. During this period, the change in biochemical activity is supposed to jump start the weight loss mechanism. Many people see significant results during this time frame, which gives them the added encouragement dieters need to continue with the diet and meet their weight loss goals. Many people have had great results with the Atkins Diet, but it isn't for everyone. If you have any concerns consult your health care provider before beginning this or any restricted diet. For more information on the Atkins Diet visit www.atkins.com.

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December 15, 2007

The Infamous Atkins Diet

Oh the infamous Atkins diet, where did you go? There was a time in our not so distant past that this country was absolutely fixated with the Atkins diet. Since that time, carbohydrates have been the enemy. Breads and pastas everywhere cannot find good homes. Muffins and cookies have been left out in the cold. I won't even mention the cruel fate faced by the cupcakes. Why was this anti-carbohydrate diet so popular? More importantly, why was it so powerful? How did it change our nation and its eating philosophy forever?

Perhaps the Atkins diet appealed to so many dieters because it seemed simple. Many dieters prefer to have strict rules and regulations to guide them through weight loss. Meat is good. Carbs are bad. These mantras were heard all around our country. Restaurants saw dramatic changes in what their customers were ordering. Even bars felt the fad as diet coke and bicardi became a slogan and billboards promoting the diet-friendly cocktail sprung up over cities.

We have lived off of grains and carbohydrates for centuries. Why it did take us so long to realize that they are bad for us? I think that many people gravitated toward the Atkins diet because of its meaty foundation. Americans are meat lovers and we prove it every holiday. We have even invented holidays so that we could spend more time by the grill. Meat, meat, meat as an idea was simple and easy to remember.

The focus of meat in the Atkins diet was much easier to implement and more easily accepted than an anti-meat diet would have been. I cannot imagine a large cross-section of America easily letting go of their barbeque anytime soon. The Atkins diet did come under some scrutiny from those that thought it did not do enough to promote the eating of fruits and vegetables. Others believed that a strict no carbohydrate diet was too much for systems that were used to carbs and had been ingesting them all of their lives.

Whether you follow the Atkins diet or another kind of diet, the bottom line is that weight loss equals eating less and exercising more. Regardless of what you eat, you must eat less in order to shed pounds. Weight loss is all about numbers. You want to take in fewer calories and expend more. I do not believe that dieters, unless they have a specific food allergy or complication, have to give up any type of food in order to lose weight. Moderation is the key and determination is a must.

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November 21, 2007

Carb Diets Craze

Many of the longest lasting diet crazes in recent years have been carb diets. Atkins was probably the most popular, but South Beach and others have gained in popularity. While these are not as popular as they once were, they are still used by many dieters. The basic idea of carb diets is that if you reduce your carb intake, your body will have to resort to using proteins and burning stored fat for energy. This type of diet is said to stop the cycle of storing carbs and sugars as body fat, which is a huge problem for some people.

Carb diets can be dangerous if not done correctly. It is never advisable to start any of the carb diets, or any diet for that matter, without talking to your doctor. There may be risks you may not be aware of, and certain medical conditions may make it impossible for you to follow one of the carb diets without some sort of unhealthy side effect.

When I first heard of Atkins, they advertised all the foods you could eat on their plan. Eggs, steak, and cheese were all foods that you could eat. Many people dove into this diet with great delight, without bothering to read up on the particulars of the diet. As with all carb diets, you have to watch your fat intake. Eating tons of greasy steaks, and foods fried in fat, will clog your arteries. These carb diets don't actually say you can do this, but many don't realize this. In most cases, you need to choose lean meats, watch the grease, and take in carbs in the form of veggies.

You don't have to follow one of the mainstream carb diets in order to benefit from the idea behind them. You can cut carbs from your own diet, and make healthier choices without falling headlong into a fad diet. Take some time to learn the difference between what are considered good carbs and bad carbs. Good carbs include fruits and veggies, and whole wheat breads and cereals. Bad carbs are mostly refined sugars and white breads. Carb diets urge you to take the natural approach, eat more protein and stay away from refined and processed foods. This is good advice for anyone, but you should talk to your doctor about the particulars, and make sure you are healthy enough to follow the diet you have in mind.

Carb diets may never go away, and with good reason. Many have lost weight on them, and continue to keep that weight off. Just remember to get all the information you can, and talk to your doctor before you begin. You may even want to join a community or online weight loss program to keep you motivated and on the right track. The best of the carb diets won't help you if you can't stick with it.

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October 24, 2007

Diet Information

The Internet is chock full of diet information, and much of it is available with the click of a mouse. Many times, you can find valuable information that you can't find anywhere else. You have to be careful, however, because not all diet information you find online will be the best for you. Some sites offer diet information for a fee. Before you decide you'd rather have free information, consider why that site may be charging a fee to be a member. Quite often, these sites offer diet information that is from a qualified dietitian, or a doctor. This might be the very best information you can get.

Some diet information online is geared towards a certain problem. Many with diabetes or insulin resistance won't lose weight on plans that have helped other people. Some articles may be written to get you to try a new diet, and makes no mention of possible medical complications that may arise on that particular diet. Some online sites that offer diet information also offer help and inspiration. They will help tailor a diet plan that is the very best for your lifestyle, and may also have message boards you can use to find new information, and network with others who are also trying to lose weight. This kind of support may mean the difference between success and failure.

There may be many consequences you have to face if you find faulty diet information online. That is why it is always advisable to talk to your doctor if you feel the need to lose weight. Your doctor is not selling anything, and will therefore give you advice that will fit with your lifestyle, and will not harm you if you have medical conditions to consider. You can also find a dietitian to help you. They are often a great source of diet information. They can help you if you want to lose weight, or they can help if you simply want to eat better. They may have menu plans and advice that will benefit your entire family. They can also help you decide if you should take a daily vitamin, or if you can simply change your weekly menu to help with any deficiencies.

No matter where you get your diet information, use common sense. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. There is no real quick fix for being overweight, other than eating right and exercising. Take your time when you are sifting through diet information online, and make your health your number one priority.

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October 4, 2007

How Do You Feel About Diet Pills?

I just got done with taking these horribly huge diet pills for two months now. I have only lost 4 pounds. The advertisements for these diet pills promised me at least 10 pounds a month. I should have lost 20 pounds, not a measly 4. As you can guess, I'm not a happy person and still heavier than what I would like to be. My doctor said that I need to exercise and eat properly while I'm taking diet pills. I suppose it doesn't matter that the commercials and advertisements don't mention that I need to do anything more than swallow the pills. Apparently, we are just supposed to assume that when we take diet pills, we need to exercise and eat healthy. Imagine that.

I wasn't a big fan of the diet pills. For one thing, they were huge and left a strange taste in my mouth. I had some get stuck in my throat at various times and made life pretty uncomfortable for a few hours. Those diet pills also disrupted my life somewhat. I battled constipation or upset stomachs for a few weeks. There was no happy medium. I felt tired at some time and other times I think that the diet pills actually made me jittery. It was not always a comfortable feeling.

My husband thought that I was crazy for having actually ordered diet pills in the first place. He is very much a pessimist when it comes to losing weight. He was not convinced that diet pills actually work and after my tiny weight loss, he remains convinced. I can't say that I don't have my major doubts now as well. I'm only about 20 pounds heavier than I would like to be. My husband isn't complaining but I want to like what I see when I look in the mirror. Right now, I'm too critical of myself and find very little time to exercise. I work a full-time job and a part-time job and junk food has become my comfort. I had this crazy idea that if I made myself take diet pills every time I wanted to give in to a craving, but that didn't last too long. When it comes to food, I am weak. I thought that diet pills would somehow curb my food cravings and enthusiasm for eating. Obviously, that did not work in the least.

I've decided that diet pills simply will not work for me. I will settle for taking the stairs instead of the elevator and parking further away in the parking lot. I will just have to snack on some healthier food throughout my day and not carry any spare change for the vending machines. I will alter my lifestyle and perhaps I won't need to use the diet pills. I can find success without them.

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February 8, 2007

Have You Considered Alternative Herbal Diet Pills

If you are looking to drop those extra pounds gained during the holidays, you may want to consider the new alternative of herbal diet pills. If you are trying to squeeze into that new bathing suit for the vacation trip to the beach, check on what herbs can do for you. Everyone wishes they were a few pounds lighter, and we all wish that the weight would melt away. While this will not happen without diet and exercise, you can assist your body by using herbs.

Herbs have been used for centuries to help people cope with diseases, to help people heal and to keep people healthy. When trying to lose weight, do some research on which herbs will increase your metabolism. Knowing which herb will work for you will enable you to choose the best herbal diet pills for you. No one wants to use something that won’t work, and you must educate yourself about herbs before you will know how to pick the best for your situation.

Herbs can also be used to curb your appetite. This is very important when you are trying to cut back on the amount of food you eat. Anyone can tell you that dieting is very hard work when you are still hungry. Let herbal diet pills help! By using herbs to curb your hunger, dieting will become easier. It’s always easier to say “no” to that chocolate cake desert when you are feeling full. You can also use those special herbs to flavor your favorite meals, so that as you eat, you feel fuller without taking in many calories as you normally would. Dieting becomes much easier!

While there are no “magic” herbal diet pills that will do all of the work for you, you can make weight loss easier by using herbs that will help you. There are many resources available to find the correct herbs for you. Take a trip to your library to go through some books on herbs. Try an internet search on forum groups that discuss herbs. There may even be a local dietician that you can call or set up an appointment with to discuss your desire to use herbs in your weight loss plan.

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