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I was reading through a bunch of my old blog posts last night and noticed a trend among some of them that I wanted to explore a little deeper – How Fiber Helps Weight Loss. From what I can tell, eating enough dietary fiber may be a valuable trick for losing weight that is easily overlooked. Of its many health benefits, fiber helps to curb hunger, suppress appetite, increase the rate of digestion and improve intestinal health.
 Eating enough dietary fiber not only helps weight loss, but is critical for maintaining a healthy digestive system. Fiber is a very important part of any diet and is particularly beneficial for people wanting to lose weight. Because of the many health and weight loss benefits associated with eating fiber, this important food component should never be excluded from any eating plan or diet you may undertake to lose weight. In particular, low-carb diets may be extremely fiber deficient and you should plan on taking a fiber supplement if you cannot get enough fiber from your diet. Without fiber, things are going to be very rough indeed. No matter what your reasons for starting a new diet, whether it be losing weight or controlling a medical condition, make sure you are getting the fiber that you need.
Fiber is something that is generally not digested very well and the good news is that the carbohydrates contained in fiber are not digested very easily either. Fiber, which is long, fibrous threads that are contained in fruits, vegetables and grains, passes through your digestive system mostly undigested. Without a source of dietary fiber, foods will pass very slowly through your digestive system and you will likely become constipated. If you find you are having difficulty going as often as you once did, it could be that you are not getting enough fiber. Luckily, fiber can fit in with almost every diet plan imaginable.
There are two types of dietary fiber: soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and is found in foods such as oat bran, legumes, psyllium, nuts, beans, and various fruits and vegetables. When eaten, soluble fiber forms a bulky gel in the intestine that regulates the flow of waste materials through the digestive tract. Health benefits of soluble fiber include lowering cholesterol levels (see “Diet Changes that Lower Cholesterol“) and stabilizing blood sugar levels (see “Foods that Stabilize Blood Sugar“).
Insoluble fiber does not dissolve in water and therefore cannot be digested by our body. This type of fiber is made up from the cell walls of plants and is most common in cereals, brans and cereals. This type of fiber promotes bowel movements, helps to eliminate waste matter and improves intestinal health.
When following a low-carb diet you are likely not eating enough foods, such as fruits and vegetables, that contain fiber. Broccoli and leafy greens are great sources of fiber, so eat all that you can. You can also take a fiber supplement if you are concerned you are not eating enough dietary fiber, or you are following an extreme low-carb diet, such as Atkins.
One excellent source of dietary fiber is whole grains. There are many cereals on the market that have fiber and some foods that have fiber added for dietary benefit. Not only will your digestive system work better, you are also going to have the benefit of feeling fuller for longer periods of time, and that helps to curb your appetite. When dieting to lose weight, this is one of the best benefits you can get from fiber.
Any type of diet requires nutritional balance. You may remember to take your vitamins and to be sure that you are getting enough calcium. You probably worry about sugar, fats, and how much protein you are eating, but many of us forget about fiber until we find our bodies are not digesting like they used to. Fiber is essential for good health, so never leave it out. Just find the healthiest sources that fit into your diet plans and enjoy your good health.
When dieting one of the nutritional aspects I keep an eye on closely is the amount of fats I am consuming in my foods. This interest in dietary fats has helped me become familiar with reading the food labels of almost every item I choose at the grocery store. When I see a medium to high amount of saturated fats listed on the nutritional label, I almost always put the item back. Saturated fats are deadly if you’re dieting because they are very high in calories. Saturated fats also contain the bad type of cholesterol.
 Olive oil is a healthier option than cooking with hydrogentated oils that contain harmful trans fats.
Saturated fats aren’t the only fats to watch out for when reading a nutritional label. There are also unhealthy types of unsaturated fats called Trans Fats. Trans fats occur when unsaturated fats are hydrogenated. Fats in foods are hydrogenated so that they have a higher boiling point and a longer shelf life. Common examples of foods that contain trans fats include margarine and shortening. Testing has shown that trans fats greatly increase the risk of developing heart problems as well as raising the level of harmful cholesterol.
Despite all the negative aspects of trans fats, they have now become a common feature in modern diets. Due to their high melting point and longer shelf life, they are preferred for baked goods such as doughnuts, pizza, cookies and other packaged snacks. Trans fats are also feature prominently in fried foods, which are mostly cooked with semi solid hydrogenated vegetable oils. However, it should be noted that not all trans fats are as a result of manufacturing processes. In some cases, trans fats occur naturally in dairy products and other animal-based foods. Some liquid oils such as soybean, canola and certain oils have trans fatty acids but are sources of essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
Scientists recommend that a person’s daily diet should contain less than one percent of tans fat of their calorie intake. This means that if intake is 1000 calories per day then trans fat intake should be less than 10 calories. Trans fats are known to lower the good cholesterol in the body known as HDL, while increasing bad cholesterol called LDL. This greatly increases the risk of heart complications including heart disease, heart attacks and strokes and is linked to type 2 diabetes. Trans fats also over-stimulate the immune system, which may lead to other chronic conditions.
Unlike non-hydrogenated, unsaturated fats that are beneficial to the body when eaten in moderation, trans fats and saturated fats add no dietary value. A person should therefore be careful when buying food products that have these types of fats listed in their ingredients. It is advisable to study the nutritional facts on labels and choose food with the lowest amount of saturated fat and cholesterol. If the label says ‘hydrogenated’ or ‘partially hydrogenated’ oil, then it contains 5 grams or more of trans fats and it is better to leave it out. All food manufactures of packaged food products are required by law to display the nutritional facts of their products.
It is preferable to choose products with zero grams of trans fats and if the product has even a minimal amount of trans fats, then one should consume vey small portions of the food. With cooking, it is not advisable to use shortening, margarine or other semi solid oils, which contain a high trans fat content unless they are trans-fat free varieties. Preferable alternatives include canola oil, soybean, sunflower oil and olive oil. For more information, please read our article about Healthy Cooking Oils. To reduce trans fat intake, people should keep away from fried foods while cooking at home and dining out.
Having a lean look without dieting can prove to be an elusive goal for most individuals who have questionable taste when it comes to fashion. With so many fashion options to choose from, finding a style that is both comfortable and flattering can be quite a challenge for those of us who are “larger boned”. The good news is that while you plug away at dieting and losing weight there are ways to start looking slimmer right now. Here’s what I have found to be the best fashion tips for looking thinner.
 A loose fitting, vertical-striped top can help slim a more robust frame. These pictures were taken from this great clothing website for women www.great-women.com Some of the major fashion elements to consider before settling for a specific style include textile color, design patterns, texture size and body types. When it comes to color, using dark fabrics that have an appealing texture and stylish looks like cashmere, silk or suede can make one appear slender and taller than they really are without attracting attention to their body size. For individuals who like dark colors they can use black or dark brown to give them the elegance of a trim and tall look. However, in case they prefer to put on two different colors that blend, the lighter tone should be on the top while the darker tones at the bottom give you a lean look in terms of balance.
Pants with a pin-stripe or vertical-stripe pattern are very slimming. A dark pant with narrow pin-stripes is probably the best way to appear like you have just dropped a bunch of weight without having to hit the gym once. Blouses and jackets with vertical stripe patterns also have a slimming effect for the upper body. Of course, wearing striped pants with a striped shirt and jacket can be a tricky thing to pull off well, so if you’re not sure what you’re doing, just stick with one or the other. Also, just so we’re clear here, horizontally-striped garments have the opposite effect and can make you look larger than you really are.
In terms of body types, wearing narrow bottoms or straight pants with hidden pockets gives the illusion of a slender look. On the other hand, women can wear well-hemmed short, straight skirts to give them a youthful and thin look. Both men and women can achieve a thin appearance by getting themselves single breast or long straight jackets that have no visible pocket. Fashion challenged individuals also need to be aware that the use of belts and pleats on pants or skirts gives the illusion of weight gain around the waist.
Speaking of around the waist, a big NO-NO is to wear jeans or pants that are too small for you. If you are naturally pear-shaped or if you are shaped more like a snowman (that’s me), you want to choose jeans and other pants that are loose fitting and not clingy. If you have to spend five minutes sausaging yourself into a pair of old jeans, stop yourself. Not only is this effort killing your self-esteem by being a cruel reminded of thinner days in your past, it is also going to end up making a fashion statement of the most horrible kind. Also, if you have rolls of fat overflowing the top of your pants, the worst thing you can do is wear a tight-fitting top.
As for clingy tops, there are some good and bad kinds to choose from if you are trying to hide a few extra pounds. A top that is snug around the chest with a plunging neckline, but then flares out over the stomach area can be very flattering and will give you room to breath. However, a clingy shirt from top to bottom is going to leave very little to the imagination, so is not going to have a very slimming effect. Another great fashion tip for looking thinner is to wear a loose-fitting, shear blouse with a camisole underneath.
For those of us who would like a slimmer looking face here’s a great tip – avoid collars and turtle necks. For a slimming facial look, wear tops with a v-shaped neck, boat neck or undo the top couple of buttons on your dress shirt. As well, for women a nice necklace that draws the eyes down away from the chin area can be a nice touch. Also, wearing your hair up instead of down around your shoulders can have a very slimming effect on the face and neck areas.
People with visibly big feet and thick legs or calves that are too shy to show them off can give the impression of lean limbs by wearing pants and shoes of the same color. In addition, individuals need to work on giving their bodies the right posture because it can go a long way in showing a visible reduction of pounds.
The best fashion tip for looking thinner that I can give you is this – feel good about yourself and display confidence. We spend so much time trying to cover up the parts of our bodies that embarrass us that sometimes we overlook the parts of our bodies we should be flaunting. Everyone can find at least one thing they like about their body and you should be proud to show it off. An air of self-confidence and happiness with your body will always draw more positive attention from other people than the clothes you are wearing.
My husband and I went in to our family doctor last week for our yearly physical. Everything checked out alright so we thought, but the test results of my husband’s blood test came back today and it turns out his total cholesterol level is 238, which is in the moderate risk category. This was a bit of an eye opener for him. He has been watching me diet from the sidelines and now he is finding himself in a position where he has to make changes in the way he eats and lives too. This is going to be interesting.
It’s funny that it seems I’m more concerned about his test result than he is. He just went off to work merrily this morning, meanwhile I have been scouring the internet for information about diet changes that lower cholesterol. It’s actually very interesting that many of the principles for losing weight are the same for lowering cholesterol levels. From what I can tell, many cases of high cholesterol can be improved just by making changes in your diet.
 Adding more fish to your diet is one of the diet changes you can make to lower cholesterol levels. The mere mention of the words ‘cholesterol levels’ at most times leave many people short of breath because of the health implications associated with it. Nevertheless, very few people can precisely describe how this term amounts to serious health risks. The liver makes all the cholesterol required by the body, but feeding on a cholesterol-rich diet like red meats, ice cream or eggs supplies individuals with excess cholesterol that increases health risks. The most common health implications associated with a buildup of cholesterol in the blood are stroke and heart attack.
As it turns out, not all cholesterol is bad for your health. There are two main types of cholesterol: high-density lipid (HDL) and low-density lipid (LDL). LDL cholesterol is the one that is considered to be healthy since it helps the body get rid of extra cholesterol. LDL’s mostly come from plants and white meats. On the other hand, HDL cholesterol normally comes from animals and mass processed products like red meats, junk foods and hydrogenated cooking oils. The HDL”s are the bad cholesterols because they are the ones that accumulate to dangerous levels. For more indepth information, please see Cholesterol Levels.
The most important elements to consider when understanding your own cholesterol levels is age, gender, genetics, tobacco use and body weight. When it comes to body weight, overweight men and women with high cholesterol have the greatest risk of heart attacks and strokes. As for age and gender, most women have lower cholesterol than men until they reach menopause. Following menopause, there is very little difference and women should begin testing their cholesterol levels from time to time. Genetics also plays a big role in high cholesterol. Some people are genetically prone to this condition and may require medications to help lower their cholesterol levels. Smoking can also exasperate health problems associated with high cholesterol levels.
Everyone wishing to live a long and healthy life should monitor their eating habits and lifestyle choices anytime their total cholesterol count is more than 200, since this implies that their exposure to cholesterol-related health conditions is borderline to high risk. At present, some of the suggested diet options that lower cholesterol include cutting down on high cholesterol foods or saturated fats, eating foods high in fiber, consuming low cholesterol foods and eating small portions of a balanced diet. In addition to this, regular exercise in combination with a low fat, sugar and salt free diet is encouraged to lower and maintain healthy cholesterol levels. In the end, diet and lifestyle changes really benefit a lot to lower one’s cholesterol level.
There are a number of foods that should be part of your diet to lower cholesterol. Here is a brief list of some of them:
- Oat cereal
- Cereals containing flaxseed or psyllium
- Whole grain cereals
- All types of fruits, especially currants, grapes, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, citrus fruits, apples
- Pecan nuts, walnuts, olives, soy nuts
- Dried or canned beans, peas and lentils
- Corn, fresh, frozen or canned
- Soybean products
- Whole wheat bread
- All vegetables, especially onion, watercress, leeks, spinach, carrots, artichokes, avocado, broccoli, kale, brussels sprouts and cauliflower
- A variety of flavourings, herbs and spices, especially fresh garlic
- Lean meats and chicken
- Salmon, swordfish, tuna and trout
- Canola, olive oil and margarines made from these oils
There are also a number of foods you should avoid if you have high cholesterol. For more information about these foods, please see High Cholesterol Foods.
It is now week 8 of my goal to lose 30 pounds in 90 days. Last week was also a pretty regular week of eating and exercising. I did go out on Saturday night, but I wasn’t in the mood for drinking and that was a blessing. I did allow myself some french fries at the pub we were at, but I committed myself to going for the longest walk I could manage the next day. Sunday morning at 9am I sprang out of bed and headed out while my husband still sawed logs. I managed to walk 4.5 miles in a big loop around my neighborhood. When I got home the hubby was lollygagging around the house with a hangover and I felt exhausted but amazing. I was pretty proud of myself for following through on the commitment to go walking.
At this morning’s weigh in my weight was…
213 lbs
Yes! Another two pounds down and only 6 more to go to reach my goal. I really can’t believe I’m losing weight like this. I have never had such good, consistent results. However, I have never been so consistent or good on a diet before either. I guess that is what makes all the difference.
 Losing weight is never easy, but you have the best chance at success when you set realistic goals and then follow through with your weight loss commitment as best you can. As I have said many times, losing weight is not complicated really – you need to eat less and exercise more. There are millions of people around the globe who are overweight or obese and desire to lose weight, but have very little success at it. Why is this?
It is true that there are some health conditions that will really impede your weight loss efforts. Conditions such as insulin resistance, depression and hormone imbalances just to name a few. But there is also a greater number of people who are overweight or obese simply because they can’t muster up the motivation and commitment to make the changes in their lives they need to for losing weight.
When people ask me about losing weight I put on a brave face and tell them the facts. Change your diet in this way, exercise regularly, try these vitamins, etc. Honestly though, losing weight for me is a daily struggle and it has taken a lot of emotional strength and energy for me to get this far. Even though I do what I can nutritionally to curb hunger, I find that controlling emotional eating, which is my achiles heel, is extremely difficult to do. I guess, what I’m trying to say here is that sometimes it may seem like weight loss should be easy, but the truth is that it is never easy. If losing weight were a simple thing to do then most of us would be thin and healthy instead of struggling to shed even a few pounds a week.
If you are working at losing weight like I am then keep up the efforts and don’t get discouraged, no matter what happens. In this whole process I have realized the importance of making a weight loss commitment to myself and then following through with it. My commitment of losing 30 pounds seemed like a reasonable one and I am set on reaching this goal. I guess that’s why it is so important to set yourself realistic weight loss goals. If I had set my goal at losing 50 pounds I may have given up because that goal seems like scaling Mount Everest for me. Commit yourself to reaching a realistic goal, even if it’s only baby steps at first, and then stick to that commitment. If you fall, get back up immediately and keep going. Don’t punish yourself for your failures, just celebrate your successes.
I was reading up this weekend about how to stabilize blood sugar levels because I feel that this has been a problem of mine in the past. I’m sure everyone is familiar with a sugar crash that happens after you eat something sweet. You feel full of energy at first, but then about an hour afterward you are dragging your feet and need a nap. Unfortunately, a nap is rarely an option for most of us and the only other way to fight the feelings of a sugar crash is to eat more sugar. So starts the blood sugar roller coaster ride that has contributed to many of the pounds of body fat that I now seek to rid myself of.
 Walnuts are high in omega-3 fatty acids and low in carbohydrates, which makes them an excellent food for stabilizing blood sugar levels. Eating foods that help stabilize blood sugar levels can be an excellent way to curb hunger and stabilize your moods. Few people appreciate the need to balance blood sugar levels in their bodies in order to live healthy and lose weight. Research has shown that chronically high levels of sugar in the blood can inflict damage to the body since excess sugar combines with collagen, proteins and enzymes thus causing a reaction with cellular DNA. When left unchecked, chronic high blood sugar levels can also result in insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Given the dangers of high blood sugar levels, what foods can help stabilize blood sugar?
Most dietitians recommend the use of the artificial sweeteners saccharin and Splenda for balancing blood sugar levels. Both saccharin and Splenda, which is made of sucralose, pass through the digestive system without being digested, and therefore do not contribute to an increase in blood sugar levels. These sweeteners are particularly good choices for diabetics who need to balance their insulin and blood sugar levels, but still want to sweeten their foods and beverages. The negative aspect of using saccharin as a sweetener is that it may have carcinogenic properties.
Related to sweeteners is honey that also helps balance blood sugar levels. Honey is generally a good sugar substitute that has a different taste from other sweeteners. It is recommended as a food to stabilize blood sugar levels in the body and it is suitable for preparing sugar free desserts and sweetening beverages. Honey is not only a food that helps to balance blood sugar levels, but it contains 22 amino acids and a variety of minerals that are essential for increasing metabolism.
There are many foods other than sweeteners that help to stabilize blood sugar and many of them have two things in common: they are high in protein and high in fiber. Some of the best recommendations for foods that help to stabilize blood sugar are the following: quinoa, avocados, hummus, millet and lentils.
Some nuts are also extremely effective at balancing blood sugar levels while helping to satiate hunger. One of these foods is almonds. A study that was published in the International Journal of Obesity showed that people whose diet was rich in almonds were more successful at weight loss compared to those who were on a high carbohydrate diet that contained the same calorie content. Almonds, which are high in fiber and healthy fats, help to satiate hunger without causing a dramatic increase in blood sugar levels. Walnuts are also a great source of food for anyone wishing to balance blood sugar levels. Walnuts are naturally high in omega-3 fatty acids that naturally curb hunger, while being a food that is low in carbohydrates. Eating peanuts is also helpful for these reasons (see the post “Weight Loss for Peanuts?“)
As I was preparing dinner last night I was thinking about all of the great tips and substitutions for cooking that I have learned over the years that help me to make my meals healthier and lower in calories. Keep in mind that I am by no means a great cook, so these tips and substitutions are pretty basic, but that is what makes them great. As my dinner simmered away I jotted down all the cooking tips for weight loss that I could think of. I’m sure there are lots more and I encourage others to share their secrets with us.
 There are many simple cooking tips and substitutions you can use to make the meals you prepare at home healthier and lower in calories. With a focus on losing weight, the majority of us will spend more time preparing our own meals instead of buying restaurant food and eating out. Learning how to prepare your meals in a healthy and low-calorie way can really help propel you in the right direction for losing weight. Also, these cooking skills will come in very handy for years to come as you work to maintain your weight once you’ve dropped the pounds.
There are some ingredients commonly used in daily cooking that can be simply substituted with healthier options. Also, the method by which you prepare your food can determine whether your meals are going to make or break your diet. Cooking for weight loss is not difficult and can be easily done by even a beginner cook.
Some of the best cooking substitutions for weight loss are the following:
- Use applesauce in the place of butter or oil in baking recipes
- Use olive oil cooking spray instead of butter to grease pans for baking and frying
- Use cornstarch to thicken sauces instead of a roue (butter and flour)
- Use low-fat dairy (milk, yogurt, sour cream) instead of the whole varieties
- Use a banana to substitute for 2 eggs in baking recipes
- Use soy cheeses as a substitute for milk cheeses
- Use artificial sweeteners, honey or fruit juice concentrate instead of refined white sugar
- Use olive oil or flax oil for salad dressings instead of vegetable oils
As I mentioned above, how you prepare your food is as important as what you put into it, especially when you’re trying to keep your calories low. There are many cooking tricks that people use to reduce fats and calories in homemade meals. Below are a few of the best.
Cooking Tips for Weight Loss
- Rinse cooked ground beef – Once ground beef has been browned, it should be rinsed with hot water then drained in a colander. This removes quite a bit of fat that is contained in the meat without affecting the flavor. Once the beef is drained, continue the recipe as normal.
- Chicken broth instead of butter – Chicken broth can be substituted for butter in some recipes. This works best in pasta, stuffing and rice.
- Oil-free marinade – Marinades can be prepared without oil either by just omitting it all together or substituting it with red wine, fat-free Italian salad dressing or concentrated fruit juice.
- Fat-free cottage cheese for casseroles – Fat-free cottage cheese when baked in a casserole becomes bubbly and gooey just like other cheeses. This substitution works best in cheesy casseroles like lasagna and tuna casserole.
- Bake or broil instead of deep-frying – There is no reason to deep-fry your food when baking and broiling are so simple and much lower in fat. If you are really craving a deep fried taste, then brush your food with some beaten egg and roll it in a mixture of crushed corn flakes, salt and pepper. You won’t believe how closely this healthy option resembles fried food, particularly when used to make fried chicken.
- Make just enough for controlled portions – This last cooking tip for weight loss is one I think is very important. When preparing a meal, you should make just enough to give a controlled portion size to each person. This helps to prevent overeating, which can occur when you make a huge amount of food and you can just keep eating and eating. If you want to make more so that you have left-overs for lunch or dinner the next day then separate out the portion for left-overs before you bring the food to the table. Also, if you are using a recipe that states it makes four servings, but you are only cooking for two then reduce all of the ingredients by half so that you prepare just enough.
I was walking back to my desk yesterday and passed by my co-worker’s cubicle that is a couple doors down from mine. I looked into her office briefly and said hello. As we were exchanging stories about our weekend adventures I happened to glance into her waste paper basket and was startled to see that it had become a grapefruit graveyard. I mean there must have been 10 empty grapefruit rinds in there. I asked her if she really loved grapefruit because she must eat a lot of it. She laughed and told me she was trying the Grapefruit Diet, which has her eating one-and-a-half grapefruits a day. I asked her if the diet worked and she just shrugged and said “I’m not sure yet. But I’m really getting sick of grapefruit.” We both had a good chuckle about that.
 The Grapefruit Diet is a popular fad diet that is extremely low-calorie and is not suitable for long-term weight loss. I really love grapefruit and eat it a few times a week. I know that there have been some studies that support that eating grapefruit helps with weight loss (I wrote a post about it here: Eating Grapefruit Helps Weight Loss), but I didn’t realize that there was an actual Grapefruit Diet.
As it turn out, the Grapefruit Diet appears to be quite well known in the weight loss world and is one of the most popular ways to drop a few pounds quickly. The Grapefruit Diet has been around for many years. In the 1930’s it became a wildly popular fad diet that was very similar to the Atkins diet, but had you eating half a grapefruit with every high-protein meal.
Dieters who use this plan lose weight quickly, however they are not able to stay on the diet for too long because of the lack of caloric intake. While many dieters link the amount of weight lost to the grapefruit, it is more likely due to the drastic amount of calories restricted from a daily eating schedule. While on the Grapefruit Diet, calories consumed hover around 800, almost 400 less than any nutritionist would suggest for long periods of time.
Despite the name of the diet, grapefruit is not the only thing eaten on this diet program. A typical diet plan includes incorporating the grapefruit into meals such as two pieces of bacon, two eggs and a grapefruit for breakfast, unlimited protein, half a grapefruit and salad for lunch, and additional protein, red or green vegetables, salad and half a grapefruit for dinner. After dinner, 8 ounces of fat free or skim milk is also suggested.
Despite there being no scientific reason for grapefruit to have the ability to burn fat, dieters still use it as a source to lose weight. The weight being lost, however, is mostly water weight that returns as soon as the individual begins to eat regular foods again. The low-calorie, high-protein diet typically lasts for twelve days, with a promised weight loss of 10 pound loss after the diet has been completed. Of course, this diet cannot promise anything of the sort, but an extreme low-calorie diet such as this will definitely have you losing weight.
The pros of the grapefruit diet are that grapefruits are a nutritious and low-calorie food, as well as being a major source for fiber and vitamin C, both which are beneficial for weight loss. Aside from the fact that it does not actually burn fat, grapefruit is beneficial in that it may lower levels of insulin in the body, and helps bring a feeling of satisfaction and fullness to the individual on the diet.
Cons of the grapefruit diet are mostly the fact that there is not much nutritional value in the program as a whole, and a high-protein diet can become unhealthy for long-term dieters. The lack of calories also makes the diet impossible to sustain for longer periods, especially longer than the twelve recommended days. In fact, the calorie intake of the grapefruit diet is so low that you are also at risk of drastically slowing your metabolism. If this happens, when you begin to eat normally again, you will gain weight quickly.
The cost of the Grapefruit Diet is affordable, since you only needs to incorporate the fresh fruit into your diet. Therefore, the cost of grapefruits is the only expense an individual needs to shell out while on the Grapefruit Diet. Overall however, I think the Grapefruit Diet is not good for anything other than short-term weight loss. Perhaps if you only have a few pounds to lose it would be good to try. But for people like myself who have much more weight to lose, the Grapefruit Diet would not be a realistic or healthy option.
I went to visit with a friend of mine last night who I haven’t seen in a couple of months. As soon as I walked in the door she gasped and told me how good I looked. I was surprised by her reaction and it felt really good to know that maybe my weight loss is showing. I have, after all, lost over 22 pounds since I saw her last.
As we visited she drilled me about the diet I’m on and what I’m doing to lose weight. As I tell everyone who asks, losing weight is not rocket science, it just takes determination and dedication to eat healthier and get more exercise. The diet program I follow is self-structured. I try to keep my diet as balanced as possible, with lots of vegetables and fruits and a moderate amount of lean meats. The one food group I really try to limit is the amount of carbohydrates I eat. I am by no means following an Atkins diet, but I do limit my carbs. Foods such as pastas, potatoes and white sugar I have completely eliminated from my diet.
 Although limiting carbohydrates in your diet is a good idea if you are trying to lose weight, extreme low-carb diets can harm your health. I am a firm believer that if you are going to find a diet that you can stick with for years to come, it is going to have to be nutritionally balanced and not too restrictive. Some programs out there are extreme low-carb, and for me that would be an impossible diet to follow. Not only that, but I have found that eating a limited amount of carbohydrates in the form of whole grains, fruits and vegetables gives me more energy, especially for exercise.
I think that many people who are dieting are concerned about eating carbohydrates. Although it is important to limit your consumption of these foods, eating some carbohydrates can actually help you burn more energy while you exercise (see Carbohydrates Help Burn Fats). So to clear up some confusion, lets explore why you need carbohydrates in your diet.
Carbohydrates, or “carbs” are types of starches and sugars, which are responsible for production of energy in the human body. Sugars are known as simple carbohydrates because they are easily digested and used for energy. Examples of these include cookies, candy and other sugar-based foods. Most fruits are also a good source of simple carbohydrates. Starches are referred to as complex carbohydrates because they take longer to be broken down and absorbed during digestion. They include whole grains, rice, pasta, potatoes and bread. To produce energy for immediate use, the body takes in these carbohydrates and through a chemical process, turns them into glucose. This glucose is transported in the blood vessels to cells in the body where it is used for energy. This energy is then able to power all activities of the body.
Since not all the energy in form of glucose can be used at once, the cells are able to save it for later use. The liver and muscles store the glucose in form of a substance known as glycogen. When the liver and muscles cannot accommodate all the excess glycogen, then it is distributed around the body and stored as fat. Glycogen and body fat can be utilized later as a source of quick energy when required.
Scientific studies show that a human adult’s diet should consist of up to 40% carbohydrates though this figure has not been officially established. What is evident though, is that the body requires a given amount of carbohydrates to function at optimal level. The absence of carbohydrates in one’s diet may result in certain symptoms such as tiredness, poor mental functions and muscle cramping. Some of these signs are apparent during prolonged periods without food as well as after an intense physical workout.
Several reports have publicized the ‘low carb’ diet as the healthiest but when overdone, this kind of diet may be unhealthy and dangerous to the user’s well being. Low carbohydrates should not mean no carbohydrates, so whichever diet one decides on, it is necessary to eat the required amount of carbohydrates to keep the body adequately energized. Certain carbohydrates greatly improve the process of digestion by producing healthy nutrients required in the gut and aid the movement and breaking down of food. Carbohydrates further improve calcium levels in the body by promoting calcium absorption during digestion.
An innovative method of building reserves of energy using carbohydrates is currently popular with sports personalities and those involved in endurance training. The technique known as carbo-loading involves total depletion of glycogen reserves in the body immediately followed by consumption of a large portion of carbohydrates. According to this concept, the body is expected to build up an increased capacity to store energy. This stored energy can then be utilized fully during sporting activity. This method is reported to greatly increase performance and endurance of athletes. However, carbo-loading should only be carried out under the guidance of a qualified nutritionist. Carbohydrates are essential and are a required source of fuel for the body.
Is it that time again? It is now Week 7 of my goal to lose 30 pounds in 90 days and this morning was the weekly weigh in.
This past week has been rather uneventful. I didn’t have any birthday parties to set me back and I exercised five times last week. I have noticed that my weight is not dropping as quickly as it was in the beginning, but I am starting to feel “thinner”. My pants and shirts are definitely looser, so I know I’m losing inches even if my body weight isn’t dropping as noticeably. My weight as of this morning was…
215 lbs
I tell you I was really, really happy with losing 4 pounds over the past week. I did a victory dance in the bathroom and I feel so good today. I have lost 22 pounds in seven weeks and I am now only 8 pounds away from my weight loss goal. Yippee!
 There are many ways to easily cut 100 calories daily, such as using smaller dinner plates to help with portion control. As I was on my way to work on the bus this morning I saw an advertisement for 100 calorie servings of these tasty looking cookies. I think that this new trend of snack foods being packaged into 100 calorie servings is really helpful for those of us who are trying to lose weight and it got me thinking of all the ways that you could easily cut 100 calories daily from your life. Here are the top 10 that I came up with.
10 Ways to Cut 100 Calories Daily:
- Substitute the milk and sugar in your morning coffee – Instead of drinking coffee that contains sugar and whole milk, use non-fat skim milk and artificial sweeteners.
- Drink water instead of sodas and juice – Sodas and juices contain many calories that can quickly add up over a day. Drinking water instead of sodas and juices can easily reduce your daily calorie intake by 100 calories or more.
- Follow serving sizes on nutritional labels – Nutritional labels on packaged foods show the number of calories per serving. There are many products that appear to be low calorie until you realize that you have just eating three times the serving size. Avoid eating extra calories by limiting yourself to just the serving size that is recommended on the package.
- Remove the skin from chicken – Chicken skin alone adds a large number of calories to an otherwise lower calorie meal. Remove the skin before eating chicken or turkey to easily lower the calories of your meal.
- Limit your daily bread – No matter which way you slice it, bread is high in calories and carbohydrates. If you like to eat bread, then limit yourself to one or two slices a day at most daily. Eat whole grain breads instead of white or whole wheat as they contain higher fiber and will keep you feeling full longer.
- Pack a healthy lunch – Many people are forced to rush out and grab some food at their lunch hour and many of these food choices are higher in calories. Easily control your lunch hour calories by packing your own lunch either the night before or in the morning. Healthy lunch ideas include vegetable salads, fruit salads, soups and Lean Cuisines.
- Roast and bake food instead of deep frying – Deep fried foods are extremely high in calories. Avoid eating deep fried foods and prepare your meals by either roasting or baking your food instead of deep frying.
- Use a fat-free salad dressing – Many salad dressing are surprising high in calories. Buy salad dressings that are fat-free or very low calorie for use at home. When you eat at a restaurant, always order the salad dressing on the side and drizzle it sparingly at your table.
- Drink “lite” alcohol substitutes – In many households, a daily drink is not that uncommon, but the calories from even a couple alcohol beverages can really add up. To cut 100 calories or more daily, substitute your regular drinks with lite beers and wine spritzers.
- Buy smaller dinner plates – Most dinner plates these days are very large. A large plate is easily overfilled with food and makes portion control that much more difficult. By using smaller dinner plates, or even using dessert plates for your main meals, is a great way to reduce your portion sizes and your daily calories.
As you can see, there are many ways to cut 100 calories or more daily from your diet. I’m sure there are many more substitutions you can make that I haven’t listed here and I encourage people to list their own ideas here too. By cutting only 100 calories each day, in a year you will have helped yourself lose over 10 pounds of body fat.
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