Carbohydrate Cravings and the Atkins diet

Tuesday, September 8, 2009 10:33
Posted in category Atkins Diet, Weight loss

Carbohydrate cravings are difficult to deal with, especially when you are trying to maintain a low carbohydrate way of life. However, carbohydrate cravings are not just a matter of will power. As Dr. Atkins points out in his book, carbohydrates produce a flood of insulin and a rise in blood sugar. There is indeed a physical trigger for carbohydrate cravings, and it is one of the reasons that it is so easy to develop a high-carbohydrate, low protein way of eating.

There are many signs of physical carbohydrate cravings. You will experience a compelling hunger for carbohydrate rich foods. Overtime, you will develop a growing need for starches, snack foods and sweets. Additionally, you may experience cravings and weight gain after using some of the carbohydrate act-a-likes such as sugar substitutes and alcohol.

High carbohydrate foods are everywhere, which makes the cravings even harder to overcome. Eating the high-sugar, refined starch foods will feed your cravings and create more, much like a drug habit. In fact, high levels of carbohydrates produce high levels of the brain chemical seratonin, which is the chemical found in Prozac and other anti-depressants. So eating high levels of carbohydrates is self-medicating. People with low levels of seratonin are prone to using carbohydrates like a drug. Read the rest of this entry »

Atkins and Unprocessed Foods

Friday, August 28, 2009 8:53

weight_loss_diet_atkins_180When you first start on the Atkins program, you may be tempted to take advantage of many of the low carbohydrate products on the market today. There are a wide variety of packaged items that are specifically manufactured to be low-carb. These include low-carb snacks, low-carb baking products and low-carb substitutes (like pasta or bread). While it may be enticing to fill your shopping cart with all of these goodies, it’s best for your diet and for your health to use them sparingly.

One of the key things to remember about the Atkins diet is its focus on raw, unprocessed foods. The center of diet, as shown by the Atkins diet food pyramid, is fresh vegetables and fresh meats. Added into the mix are natural cheeses, a selection of fruits and, eventually, whole unprocessed grains. There aren’t any packaged meats, canned vegetables or instant anything.
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Atkins Criticism

Wednesday, August 26, 2009 8:53
Posted in category Atkins Diet, Dieting

The Atkins diet is very popular, but it also comes with a lot of criticism. Health experts, doctors and diet specialists come from all different opinions when it comes to the Atkins diet and other low carb diets. Some believe that it is dangerous, some say that it is a healthy method to lose weight and others say that it works on a short-term basis.

However, there are also thousands of individuals who have found success with the Atkins diet. They can speak from personal experience and know that the diet works and it is an effective means of keeping weight off. There are thousands of testimonials that tout the benefits of the low carb way of living.

There are many typical criticisms of the Atkins diet. One of the first is that the diet it too high in fat. The butter, oil and fatty meats that are used in the Atkins diet are a far cry from the low-fat diet fad that recently swept the nation. For many people, the low fat mindset has prevailed and they cannot fathom eating real butter or cream with their meals. It seems like too much fat at first glance. However, those that pay close attention to Dr. Atkins guidelines and follow the program closely know that the diet focuses on good fats. Extra virgin olive oil and other helpful fats are emphasized. The proper use of these oils is important to brain function and mood management.
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Muscle and Fitness Magazine: Are There Really Truth on It?

Friday, August 21, 2009 10:27
Posted in category Fitness & Bodybuilding

10 rules of fat lossThe Muscle and Fitness Magazine, the contents here has never failed to fascinate its readers. For this reason, many are purchasing it, wishing they might also get the same body shapes of the personalities featured inside of it.

But how credible are the contents of these magazines really? There are some people who are claiming that the magazines’ features are merely lies. That instead of guiding people to the appropriate fitness exercise they needed, they mislead them.

According to these people, the muscle and fitness magazines only lure the readers to aim for physical perfection. Read the rest of this entry »

Body Fitness: Putting It First Into Your Lives

Wednesday, August 19, 2009 10:22
Posted in category Fitness & Bodybuilding

fitness-man-and-woman-thumb4415594The human body is considered fit if its mental and physical health are good, it strictly follows proper habits, diets, and exercises, and can handle and deal with everyday stresses.

You should nurture your body with proper nutrition to function well and stay healthy. Important minerals, vitamins, and foods must be provided to achieve overall fitness. Keep in mind that good spiritual, mental, and physical health is the real meaning of fitness. Read the rest of this entry »