Recent studies have shown that more people are getting overweight every year. This happens not only to adults but even to kids who have just started in school. A lot of factors cause this to happen such as genetics, overeating, the type of food taken into the body and as people age, the metabolism slows down making it harder than before to burn the food that was just consumed. There are many ways to solve this problem. Some have decided to undergo surgery, while others have decided to change the dietary intake and exercise. Since this takes time and most people can’t wait to get rid of the extra weight, these people have decided to take the fastest way out which is through the use of weight loss drugs.In the 1950’s until the late 90’s, doctors prescribed drugs for weight loss. The drug works by increasing the serotonin levels in the brain that makes the brain believe that the stomach is already full and thus, increases the person’s metabolic rate.It was only after scientists discovered that these drugs had side effects and were related to cause heart valve disease that these were taken off the shelves. Later on, new drugs were developed and prescribed by doctors and many of which are still waiting for FDA approval. Most people have known friends or family members who have tried using diet pills and have seen tremendous improvement. The idea that a simple drug can change everything without the need to change the diet or sacrificing anything is very tempting. This has made consumers spend millions of dollars every year and has given drug companies a lot of money making and selling the drug. Diet pills can be purchased either over-the-counter or prescribed by a doctor. Even with the advances in medical technology, these drugs can still cause a lot of health related problems which can be unpleasant such as diarrhea and vomiting, harmful such as tightness in the chest and urinary tract problems and fatal such as a heart attack or a stroke.An overdose of the diet pills can cause tremors, confusion, hallucinations, shallow breathing, renal failure, heart attack and convulsions.The side effects vary depending on the lifestyle and health of the person and can be minimized as long as one consults the doctor first before buying it.Should one decide to stop using the drugs, studies have shown that there are also side effects. These include noticeable mood swings, hyper-activity, and pain in the stomach, insomnia and nightmares, severe irritability, extreme fatigue, depression, nausea, vomiting and trembling.A lot of clinical tests will show that the drugs taken to lose weight really work. But this can only work if it is done with a low calorie diet and an exercise plan. A good diet should have food from all the food groups. This should have vitamins, minerals and fiber. A lot can come from oats, rice, potatoes and cereals. The best still come from vegetables and fruits since these have phytochemicals, enzymes and micronutrients that are essential for a healthy diet. A person can jog every morning or sign up and workout in a gym. Just like taking any medicine, one should first consult the doctor before undergoing any form of exercise.The best exercise plan should have cardiovascular and weight training exercises. This helps burn calories and increase the muscle to fat ratio that will increase ones metabolism and lose weight.
Get Slim With Atkins Diet Plan
The Atkins’ diet has been a craze for a couple of decades. Here’s how you can gain from it.
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All of you who are reading this article right now have definitely been on a diet at some point or the other of your lives. The battle of the bulge is an ongoing problem and we are always on the lookout for various means to win this war.
Along with exercise, our diet and nutrition also plays an important role in reducing our weight. Hence, this obsession persists in all of us to undertake some form of dieting. But going on a diet is definitely not an easy thing. What to eat and what to stay away from is always a perennial problem.
One of my friends told me that she ate the normal menu which she cooked for the family, but her weight loss recipe is “portion control.” This is a really simple diet plan. In this plan, you cut down on the portion of food you consume. For example, if you usually have two pieces of toast for breakfast, you should eat only one piece. If you normally eat two cups of rice for lunch, cut it down to one cup. In this way, you are automatically reducing your calorie intake by half.
Another popular method of dieting is to stop all intake of fatty foods and sugar. In this diet, you cut down on your oil, butter and ghee intake which automatically reduces your fat deposits.
While I was leafing through a magazine, I read about one of our Hollywood celebrities following the Atkins’ diet. This immediately aroused my curiosity about the diet. Though I have heard about the diet many times, I had no inside knowledge about it. So, I immediately set to work on it and found out certain basic facts’ about the Atkins diet which I want to share with my readers.
The Atkins’ diet made its first appearance in 1972 and was invented by its namesake, Dr Atkins. According to him, this method enables us to lose weight by inducing a change in metabolism. Our body burns both fat and carbohydrates to provide energy. If we reduce the intake of carbohydrates significantly, our body starts burning only fat to provide energy. This method is called “lipolysis”, which in turn induces ketosis. In ketosis, our body burns fat as fuel. Atkins also felt that ketosis will affect insulin production which will result in less fat being formed. And, once your body enters ketosis, your cravings for carbohydrates will reduce significantly which, in turn, will reduce your body weight.
The major difference between Atkins’ diet and other types of diet is that, while most diets restrict calorie, intake, the Atkins’ plan encourages us to eat more. While most of the diets recommend low fat, high carbohydrate intake, Atkins’ does just the opposite. Instead of carbohydrate and sugar, this diet wants us to consume plenty of fat and protein.
The core principle of the Atkins’ diet is that, by limiting carbohydrates, our body is forced to burn its stored fat, rather than carbs for fuel.
The Atkins’ diet has a four carbohydrates stage plan induction, ongoing weight loss, pre-maintenance and lifetime maintenance. With the help of these four stages, you can reduce as well as maintain your weight throughout your life.
Induction – phase 1: This phase lasts for two weeks, by the end of which you can obtain significant results. Another point is that, in this diet plan you can begin at any of the phase. But it is recommended to start with induction. As you cut back on your carbohydrates significantly in this phase, you will jump start your weight loss programme. In this phase, only 20 gm of carbohydrates are allowed and hence your weight loss is significant. As you drastically cut down on carbohydrates your body shifts into high gear and starts burning fat. This takes about 48 hours to occur and you may feel hungry and irritated for the first three-four days. But don’t worry, as soon as your fat starts getting converted to fuel, you will feel fit as a fiddle. Induction will strengthen your immune system and also improve our long-term health.
Ongoing Weight Loss (OWL) phase 2: In this phase, the weight loss pace slows down as you add nutrient-rich carbohydrates to your diet. During this period, you will boost your body’s ability to burn fats as well as understand your body better. You will find the right amount of carbohydrates which you can consume and still lose weight. Your body will also prepare itself for permanent weight management. The amount of carbohydrates which you can eat is increased to 25 gm per day for the first week and increased in five gm instalment for the next few weeks. If your weight loss is significant, you can increase your carbohydrate intake. A person has to be on OWL till he or she is within three-five kg of their goal weight.
Pre-maintenance – (phase 3): Pre-maintenance is a practice run for lifetime maintenance. In this phase, you are fast approaching your target. As long as you continue to lose weight, you can increase your weekly allotment of carbohydrates by another 10 gm. You will be in this phase till you reach your goal and stay on it for one month. The ultimate goal here is to achieve a state of balance called Atkins’ Carbohydrate Equilibrium (ACE). The ACE is your individual level of carbohydrate intake wherein you neither gain nor lose weight.
Lifetime maintenance phase 4: In this phase, you have to focus on your individual ACE and strive to stay within two kg of your ideal weight for the rest of your life. By following a sensible eating plan, you gain energy, better health and confidence in yourself.
By following these four phases, you not only achieve your dream weight but are also able to maintain it throughout your life. You can learn more about this diet by reading the book, Dr Atkins’ New Diet Revolution. But, as with any other diet, this plan also has its pros and cons. The good point is that this diet recommends exercise as a vital part of the weight loss programme. Another point to be noted is that you cannot start on carbohydrates after you lose weight as this will result in your gaining back all that you have lost.
Medical experts advise that people who have gout, kidney problems, diabetes or are pregnant women should not follow this diet plan. As this diet is very stringent, do consult your doctor/dietician for proper advice.
Your dietician will provide you with a proper menu chart as to what should be eaten, in what quantities, etc, based on your eating habits and general lifestyle.
Happy dieting and hoping to see slimmer and fitter readers.
Eating Healthier as a Means to Losing Weight
Healthy eating as a means to dieting isnt supposed to be about restrictive diets, its really about having more energy, feeling fantastic about yourself and keeping the body as healthy as possible. Studying nutrition basics is the fastest way to weight reduction success. The key to understanding this concept is learning how to change habits that are ingrained into a person.
Planning a healthy diet, and sticking to it, is really a healthy consuming habit to propel a person to success. Dont measure portion sizes or count calories. Instead, as crazy as it may sound, think of a diet in terms of color, freshness and selection. Healthier diets can be discovered by discovering simple recipes that contain the foods you love also as adding fresh ingredients. Actually, it’s suggested that you start slowly changing your diet. In the event you dont you’ll cheat and you will rebound to overeating. Usually, the healthiest foods are discovered around the perimeters of the grocery store.
Silly as it may sound, thinking of exercise as a daily food group can make you much more inclined to exercise. Food moderation is important to any weight loss endeavor. Dont leave favorite foods out, just eat less of them. Listening to your body, consuming breakfast and taking time to appreciate your food will certainly be beneficial to losing weight.
Eating more healthy carbs and entire grains can fill a person up faster but unhealthy carbs break down into quick burning sugars, making a person much more likely to feel hungry sooner. An easy tip to healthy dieting would be to check a package for entire grain or 100% whole wheat as being the initial ingredient for a carbohydrate food, like bread. Avoiding anything else can help you to eat better carbs.
Healthier consuming may be a great way to begin losing weight. The diet solution may be as easy as changing the way you eat instead of what you eat.
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