Health and Diet Articles

Posts Tagged ‘low carb diets’

Ten More Reasons to Avoid Low Carb Diets

Monday, February 2nd, 2009

DietLow carbohydrate diet programs that are high in fat and proteins can actually cause weight gain in the majority of dieters that choose to undertake the weight loss program. These types of diets are considered to be fad diets and can wreak havoc on the body of the dieter. There are many processes that occur within the body when this type of program is followed – many of which can be detrimental to the bodily processes.

Here are the reasons that low carbohydrate diets should be avoided:

1. Bad breath can result from the increase of acetone levels within the body. Acetone breath can result from these increases and is a major side effect of a diet that is low in carbohydrates.

2. Constipation can occur because of the lack of fiber that is being ingested in the low carbohydrate diet. These fibers often come from whole grains such as oats and bran and are an essential part of proper digestion. Animal products have no form of fiber within the food and these fibers are only found in plant matter and whole grains.

3. Fat is not burned efficiently throughout the low carbohydrate diet. The body enters a state of ketosis and therefore fats are not used efficiently within the body.

4. Dieters that do not consume adequate levels of carbohydrates are often at increased risk of developing disorders of the bone, such as osteoporosis.  It is important to maintain the levels of carbohydrates to maintain the density within the bones.

5. Too much fat is consumed within these low fat diets. Foods such as bacon, sausage and other meats which are often cooked using high fat oils or contain high levels of fats. It is important to maintain low fat diets to regulate cholesterol and glucose levels within the body.

6. Cholesterol levels are known to skyrocket when dieters participate in a low carbohydrate diet. This can be dangerous and have drastic effects on the heart.

7. Muscle is lost on low carb diets, rather than fat. When muscle deteriorates within the body it can lead to a lower metabolism – which cannot burn fat within the body effectively. A low carb diet can reduce the amount of calories that the body can burn.

8. Dieters that are following a low carb diet program have a higher instance of gaining weight back that has been lost through the diet program. Yo-yo dieting can have negative effects on the health and should be avoided.

9. It is easy to become tired when following a low carbohydrate diet. Fatigue occurs when the body is unable to process or does not have access to nutrients. When the dieter loses energy they may find it hard to exercise – which can actually lead to weight gain!

10. When you follow a low carbohydrate diet, your skin can begin to lose the tone that is within it. Sagging skin can be a result of a low carb diet that the dieter has been following for even a short while.

How Does the South Beach Diet Work?

Wednesday, January 14th, 2009

south-beach-diet1The South Beach diet became popularized as a healthier version of the popular low carbohydrate Atkins diet. Although a cousin of the Atkin’s diet how does it work? The South Beach diet focuses on eating the right type of carbohydrates rather than avoiding them. The majority of the energy in your body comes from carbohydrates therefore depriving the body of this component will not lead to permanent weight loss.

The South Beach Diet was created by Dr. Arthur Agatston in the 1990’s which was loosely based on the American Heart Association’s low fat diet. Comparable to the Zone, the diet focuses on healthy blood chemistry levels by lowering the blood cholesterol level and stabilizing the amount of insulin which is created by the pancreas and flowing into the blood stream.

When you follow the South Beach diet, there are many advantages that come with it, besides healthy and permanent weight loss. The South Beach diet allows you to lower your risk of developing a variety of disorders, such as; diabetes, heart problems, thyroid abnormalities, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

There are three phases to the South Beach diet:

1. Carbohydrates are avoided through the introduction to the diet. This assists in elimination of the cravings that you have for complex carbohydrates. This two week phase allows you to remove the unhealthy foods which you consume on a regular basis. This jump start for weight loss can see as much as ten pounds being shed through this phase which is similar to the “induction” phase of the Atkins diet program. This phase is meant to control and stabilize the blood sugar which will lead to ongoing weight loss.

2. Carbohydrates are slowly introduced into the diet and ongoing weight loss can be seen through this phase. Experts recommend starting in phase two if you have less than ten pounds to lose throughout the entire process.

3. Maintenance of the weight loss is consumed through the next phase of the diet which will be continued throughout the lifetime of the diet after lessons have been learned which can bring you through the most tempting of meals without gaining back the weight.

Throughout the diet, there is little emphasis placed on counting the amount or weight of food which is being consumed. It is important that the dieter learn to eat healthily, making healthy choices of good carbohydrates and vegetables that are high in fiber.

It is important to combine your new diet regimen with regular exercise. There are many exercise programs available through the program which can assist in the fat burning and muscle building process. Exercise is an essential part of any weight loss program and should not be ignored.