February 18, 2007

The Atkins Diet Is not For Everyone

Written by Derek Miller

The Atkin’s Diet is the brainchild of Edward Atkins but has its antecedents in the thinking of one Dr. Banting as long ago as 1863. This eating program advocates upping protein intake and decreasing, if not eliminating, carbohydrate consumption. This advice flies in the face of nutritional hinking as advocated by the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Guide Pyramid.

The US Government revised some of its recommendations by updating the “Pyramid” in 2005,but still insists that carbohydrates like bread, pasta and potatoes provide 20% of the calories in the US diet. The Atkins advocacy to the contrary has fuelled a lot of controversy, with some medical experts branding the “Atkins Diet” as downright dangerous.

A recent editorial in prestigious “Nature” Magazine outlines the problem. The carbs break down to form sugars and these can pose a problem for people with high triglyceride levels, which is in itself a marker for insulin resistance. It is people in this category who will benefit and lose weight thanks to the Atkins Diet. That means the weight loss program is not ideally suited for everybody.

Insulin resistance is frequently a precursor to late onset diabetes and thanks to poor eating habits, an ever-increasing percentage of the Nation’s population enters this category. A recent study carried out by Manny Noakes and Peter Clifton of the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) adds weight to this swelling body of evidence. They took 100 overweight women, half of whom were placed on a high protein-eating regime and the other half followed a high carbohydrate eating management system. The results were surprising. Both groups lost the same amount of weight on average, but once again the study showed it was those who exhibited signs of insulin resistance who benefited the most from eating a diet mainly comprising protein.

How do you know you are insulin resistant? You can of course have it checked out by a health care professional but an invariable tell tale sign is the tendency to put weight on in the stomach area. So if you are developing a bulging belly, it might make sense to cut back on your carbs.

All this makes perfect sense to Chicago based Medical practitioner Dr. Joe Mercola; the author of the “No Grains Cook Book”. Dr Mercola emphasizes the growing problem of a population that staggers increasingly towards diabetes, an illness that is growing in epidemic proportions. To counter this he suggests ways to eliminate grains and other carbs from the daily diet and strive towards fitness. He has had success by turning diabetes around by merely changing the diet.

Oh, yes there is one more thing about which all these authorities agree and that is the need to take more exercise. That is always a sure fire way to reduce the flab and insulin resistance to boot!

Interested in this subject? Try this link for more of the same

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February 17, 2007

Low Carb Free Recipe - Just For You!

Written by Olga Graham

When you’re dieting, Identifying relevant sources of information on a variety of low carb free recipe can be a very difficult undertaking. You’ll most likely find that accessing a list of low carb food, will necessitate your having to join one of the many on-line low carb dieting programs, for which you will undoubtedly have to pay. Or that you have to spend money in another way to get at the low carb free recipe information you need.

If you’re embarking on a do-it-yourself weight loss program then this option will obviously not be to your advantage, especially if funds are tight. But what if you could get your hands on an extensive list of low carb food and a low carb free recipe collection that set out all the information you could possibly need, at no cost to you? More on that later!

For now though, lets consider some of the specifics in relation to eating healthy on low carb food diets. The atkins diet is probably the most popular and well- known low carb food diet of all time. This model of carb low food dieting will provide you with a good grounding in carb low diets. You’ll find more on the atkins diet by clicking on the link below.

Before committing yourself to a diet based on low carb food, you might be interested in learning about the concerns that have been highlighted in relation to low carb food diets and in particular, the atkins diet risks. Do remember, before you rush into acquiring that all- important list of low carb free recipe, that knowledge is one of the key ingredients to your success with your weightloss goal.

Work on your development skills by ensuring you gain all the information you need, prior to making a start. For example, you might want to learn more about the atkins diet risk and the implications for you personally. That way, any decision you make - will be an informed one, making your success all the more assured. Don’t decide on a carb low diet just because there’s a promise of a list of low carb free recipe, or because your friends are doing it, or even because it seems to be the ‘in thing’. You must ensure that your choice is a healthy one for you and that all your nutrition needs are going to be adequately met. You will also need to carefully Weigh up the pro’s and con’s, for instance:

1. How practical will it be to follow a diet based on your newly acquired list of low carb free recipe or free atkins recipe?
2. How easy or difficult will it be for you to eat these types of low carb foods at your place of work?
3. What impact will following a low carb free recipe diet make on the rest of the family?
4. How do you feel about the prospect of having to give that little bit more attention to your needs at meal- times or even preparing your own meals in addition to those for the rest of the family?
5. What time constraints have you identified? For instance, if you work long hours - how would this issue be resolved, should you decide on using the low carb free recipe list?
6. What additional health food vitamins will you need to take to supplement your diet, should you decide on following a low carb diet?
7. Where and from whom will you get expert advice on your proposed change to your diet, prior to starting?
8. How will you know that following the low carb free recipe list is a healthy eating option for you?

It is all to easy to jump into a new situation without doing your homework. However, you must ensure you fully research any diet that calls for changes in what you eat and in the way you eat. With knowledge, you can ensure your healthy eating, nutrition and your correct intake of food health vitamins. You can find out how to access your low carb free recipe list by clicking on the link below. In the meantime, stay knowledgeable! Stay healthy! “There is very little difference between one who cannot read and one who will not read” (Jim Rohn)

Olga Graham is a qualified social care practitioner, life coach and founder of:
http://www.health-womens-healthy-living-goals.com A health and Personal Development website for
women, that provides free guidance and goalsetting
tools, enabling women to set and achieve all
aspects of their health goals.

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November 18, 2006

Atkins Diet & Low Carbohydrate Weight-Loss Support

Atkins diet and low carb diet resources for low-carb dieters and all healthy weight-loss seekers: Research, information, support, recipes, success stories, diet tools and tips for all low carbohydrate diet plans.

Visit: Atkins Diet & Low Carbohydrate Weight-Loss Support

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August 7, 2006

Atkins Diet Rules Of Induction

Atkins Diet Rules Of Induction
by Gregg Hall

The induction phase of the Atkins Diet must be followed EXACTLY to ensure success. I cannot stress this enough, if the induction phase which is designed to introduce your body to the Atkins program is not followed correctly it will not work for you and you will see no weight loss. With that said, here are the ten rules you must follow during the initial induction phase:

1. Eat three regular size meals each day or four to five smaller meals, but DO NOT skip meals. Skipping meals causes more blood sugar fluctuations; do not go longer than six waking hours without eating.

2. Eat liberal portions of combinations containing combinations of fat and protein in the form of poultry, fish, shellfish, eggs, and red meats as well as pure natural fats found in things like olive oil, safflower, sunflower and other similar vegetable oils.

3. During the initial induction phase you must eat less than 20 grams of carbohydrates per day in the form of salad greens and other vegetables. This is crucial to setting your body up for the rest of the Atkins Diet program.

4. You must stay away TOTALLY from fruit, bread, pasta, grains, starchy vegetables and dairy products other than cheese, cream or butter. Do not eat nuts or seeds during the first two weeks, or any foods that combine protein and carbs such as kidney beans and other legumes.

5. Eat nothing that is not listed on the Atkins Diet acceptable foods list. Do not rationalize and say “just one taste wont hurt”, this can ruin your chances of success with the Atkins Diet.

6. Adjust the quantity of food that you eat to suit your individual appetite especially as your appetite decreases. When you are hungry eat just enough to satisfy you, do not gorge and over stuff yourself. When you are not hungry eat a small low carb snack to go along with your nutritional supplements.

7. Never assume that a food is low carb, read the labels and check the carb count on every package or use the Atkins Diet carb counter.

8. You may eat out as often as you wish but watch out for hidden carbs that can be in gravies, sauces, and dressings.

9. Avoid foods and diet drinks sweetened with aspartame, use sucralose or saccharin instead and count each packet of one of these as one gram of carbs.

10. Avoid coffee, tea, and soft drinks containing excessive caffeine which has been shown to cause low blood sugar, which can make your body crave sugar. In addition Drink 8-10 glasses of water each day to hydrate your body and avoid constipation and flush out the byproducts of burning fat.

Some of the foods you may eat liberally during the induction phase include the following:

All fish including tuna, salmon, sole, trout, flounder, sardines, and herring. All fowl including chicken, turkey, duck, goose, quail, and pheasant. All shellfish including oysters, mussels, lobster, clams, squid, prawns, and crabmeat. All meat including beef, pork, lamb, bacon, veal, ham, and venison. All eggs including scambled, fried, poached, soft boiled, hard boiled, devilled and omelettes.

Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida with his 16 year old son. Get the Atkins products you need at http://www.atkinsdietplus.com

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August 4, 2006

Ancient Olympians Followed Atkins Diet

Ancient Olympians Followed Atkins Diet
by Dana Scripca

Atkins diet was unknown 35 years ago. Though it seems that ancient people - athletes particularly - followed a strict diet which is likewise Atkins basic.
Strict diet and severe exercises for Ancient Greeks

Long before dr Atkins finished his theory about ketosis and established his famous diet, ancient people had undertaken it, without any clue at all. Not only they were eating Atkins-style, but also they were strongly practicing regular exercise, as dr Atkins now recommends. Ancient Greeks spent a lot of time educating their bodies. Gymnastic exercises were very appreciated, children were trained and directed to follow a daily training program. After years of strict diet and heavy gymnastics, Greeks finally admitted that “too much and too strict” is not good for health, because this regimen exhausted the human constitution.
Greek Olympians followed meat-only diet

In fact, we talk about Greek people who ate fruits, vegetables, a lot of fish, breads. This was a regular eating regimen for ordinary Greeks, with the amendment that fish was the most common meat eaten in that seafaring region. Quite interesting is the fact that Greek olympians had a bit different eating regimen, a meat-heavy regimen, like the low-carb Atkins’s (not so refined, of course, no phases at all). The goal was to develop a lot of muscles and meat was enormously necessary. But not any Greek could daily afford meat on the table. Only upper social strata from Greece could afford it. The olympians also ate more rich-protein legumes which their bodies needed to keep a boost of energy.

Moreover, according to food historian Francine Segan, an ancient Olympic runner was put to undertake a meat-only diet. It seems that this tough exclusive diet was a must to win a competition. That works for runners. The fact that runners ate only meat started a sort of meat diet craze, pointed out the historian. Another condition to complete athletes’ diet was to expel bread right before competition, eating dried figs instead. Francine Segan admitted that he discovered that while he was searching information about famous Mediteranean cuisine.

Their diet was directed according to Pausanias. Those practicing heavy exercise ate pork and a particular kind of bread. Also, it seems that beef was later introduced in the ordinary diet of the athletes. Goat meat is mentioned, too, in “A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities”. Meat consumption was highly encouraged, as on the Atkins diet plan. Fats, too, since pork, is a fat meat.

Ancient preoccupation with health, diet and exercise is praiseworthy. A low-carbohydrate daily regimen, along with regular exercise are a simple and efficient scheme for losing weight and shaping the body. The ancient people knew it by trying it only. No theories, no calories, no ketosis, no debates around. Maybe they didn’t need to know how it works. “Mens sana in corpore sana” worked best for them.

Dana Scripca writes for www.dratkinsdieplan.info/ where you can find more information about the Atkins Diet.

Provided by ArticleFeeder.com

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August 1, 2006

How the Atkins Diet Works

How the Atkins Diet Works?
by Paul

Dr. Atkins created the Atkins diet in the year 1972. His main aim was to create a healthy diet so that people live long by following a healthy lifestyle. His formula was:

Low carb = low insulin = ketosis phase = burning fat = losing weight.

If a person reduces the carbohydrate intake to 30-40 grams a day, the body will enter a phase, which is called as ketosis. In this phase the body burns fat and it will affect the production of insulin in the liver. Once you enter the ketosis phase your body will start using fat, as fuel and the desire for carbohydrate products will drop. The logic behind the Akins diet is that when you lower your carb intake the body starts using the excess fat and you begin to lose weight.

The first stage limits/restricts the carbohydrate intake to 20 grams a day. The second stage you increase the carbohydrates and fiber rich foods to 20-25 grams every day. During the second week you increase it to 30 grams and keep the diet continuous until your weight loss stops. After this you start deducting 5 grams of carb every day to stay at that level. The third stage you can increase the carb intake by 5-10 grams per week. In the fourth stage you can add on some good carbohydrate to your existing diet.

Atkins diet has been a success worldwide and many people follow this diet to reduce their weight. It is estimated that nearly 20 million people have followed this dieting technique. Much research has been done on Atkins diet and it has proved to be a safe and healthy diet for people who are obese. There has also been a reduction in “bad cholesterol” levels in people.

Paul has been providing answers to lots of queries through his website on a wide variety of subjects ranging from satellite phones to acne. To learn more visit http://www.askaquery.com

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