August 5th, 2008 — carbohydrates, fiber, healthy eating, nutrition
Out of every food on earth, in the past few years, there has been no other food as demonized as the ones that contain carbs. There are so many fad diets that focus on completely removing carbs from your life - but is this a smart solution? The simple answer is no - it's not smart. You do need some carbs in your life, it's just a matter of finding the right kind of carbs.
So, let's look at a few examples of bad carbs and good carbs and find ways to lose weight, eat healthy and not feel deprived. That is probably the worst part about a no carb diet, since many of those foods are so filling and low calorie. By replacing bad carbs with good carbs, you'll be able to feel full and you'll still lose weight.
Bad Carb -
White refined flour. This is a bad carb simply because the foods made with this are so high in sugar. Even if they are low in overall calories, those little sugar grams really add up. Americans especially eat so many foods that contain this flour that it is really hard to completely get rid of them. If you like sandwiches in particular, this can seem like a death sentence.
Good Carb -
Whole grain flour. The sugar content in whole grains is much lower and you'll get the benefit of having more fiber in your diet, which can help flush fat from your system. Instead of completely getting rid of bread, try replacing it with whole grain bread. It may take a little time to get used to, and the taste will be a little different. However, after a few weeks, you may find that you're actually starting to appreciate the taste and you'll be able to make more substitutions.
Bad Carb -
Breakfast cereals made with wheat and corn. Most of us don't think of cereal as fattening or bad for us, but it is highly processed and can be a big contributor in weight gain if you eat too much of it. In addition to the natural sugars present in the grains, you're dealing with the sugar added by the manufacturer. This is a bad combination.
Good Carb -
Oatmeal. This is by far one of the best foods you should be eating. Not only is it good for weight loss since oat fiber definitely does bind fat and flush it out of your body, you can also lower your cholesterol and your blood pressure. Oats are really the ultimate food and they taste good too. Try eating at least one bowl of oatmeal every day, but skip the sugar toppings. Instead, use fresh fruit or a small amount of honey. You'll feel a lot more full and you'll be doing your body a big favor.
Some carbs are very good for you and it is important to find that balance. With this, you can get on the path towards healthy weight loss.
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June 20th, 2008 — Book Review
Few names are as well known in the fashion world as Karl Lagerfeld, but unbeknownst to many people, Karl has had a problem with his weight for many years. He finally sought help for his issue and once he successfully lost the weight, he decided to develop a new diet plan based on his regimen. Although the fashion industry is synonymous with unhealthy weight loss and body issues, this diet is actually quite refreshing and grounded in good principles that address several facets of losing weight.
While those interested in nutrition may have room to quibble, the book delves heavily into the mental reasons why some people have an addiction to food. It's always nice to see a book that addresses this problem and helps people overcome the reasons that they are overweight. All the best nutrition information in the world isn't going to do you any good if you are not addressing the reasons why you are overweight. This book was really a breath of fresh air and quite unexpected.
The main premise of the diet is to simply lower the amount of calories you're taking in and exercise more. That's really the magic formula when it comes to losing weight and keeping it off and although the book may not offer any groundbreaking techniques it is grounded in good diet principles that really do work. More than 100 recipes are provided in the book and all were selected on the basis of taste and the fact that they were very low calorie.
We were pleased with the selection since many of the foods were actually quite good. Too many diets focus on deprivation and food that is rather unappetizing and this makes it even harder to stick to a diet and lose weight. The Karl Lagerfeld diet aims for foods that are delicious as well as being good for you and dieters should have no problem sticking to this regimen.
The results take a little longer than most diets, but again, this is due to the fact that it is a very sensible diet that focuses on the long term and getting mentally fit as well as physically fit. If you're looking for a quick fix fad diet, this one isn't for you, but if you truly want to make that lifestyle change and get healthy over the long term, this is the perfect diet.
We highly recommend this book due to the fact that it is incredibly comprehensive. In addition to great diet tips it also contains information on skin care and how to stop smoking. This really helps you feel better about yourself and shifts the focus away from unhealthy weight loss methods. Lagerfeld has been able to keep the weight off and his diet is incredibly useful for anyone looking to lose weight, whether it's ten pounds or more than one hundred. It's an easy and fast paced read that will leave you wanting more and energized to start on your road to a new you.
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June 19th, 2008 — Meals, alternative ideas, healthy eating, nutrition
All of us know that we need to start eating healthier and get more fruits and vegetables into our diets. The hard part is actually doing it. For many people, it's just hard to get past the taste. However, there are ways that you can easily add more servings of fruit or vegetables to your diet with little effort. We'll show you ways to cheat and still enjoy your food.
1. Start with salsa substitution.
If you eat a lot of dips, you're adding a whole bunch of useless calories into your daily rotation. Put away that dip and bring out the salsa. It contains numerous vegetables and fruit and the taste is terrific. Better yet, it's fat free and extremely low calorie. You can use salsa on just about anything to make it taste better and you're getting the benefit of adding more servings of these important foods to your diet with little effort.
You can use it with chips, or tortillas, on eggs or pretty much anything. If salsa is not really your thing, try experimenting with a couple of different brands or you can even try to make your own with vegetables you like. Fruit salsa is surprisingly good when combined with cottage cheese or other low fat dairy products. This is probably the easiest way to get more fruit and vegetables into your diet with little effort.
2. Add one more serving of vegetables or fruits with every meal.
At breakfast, have some low sodium tomato juice or a sliced apple. At lunch, you can add in some delicious corn or a pear. With dinner, try experimenting with a tossed salad with low fat dressing. This makes it easy to get at least three more servings of fruits or vegetables into your diet without any effort at all. What's more, these servings will help you fill up faster and avoid overeating other foods that are less healthy.
3. Retrain your palate.
Some of us simply just don't like fresh fruits or vegetables. The key here is to retrain your palate and make your brain think that you actually enjoy them. Start small and add low fat sauces or little things to make the vegetables taste better. For example, you can spread a little bit of peanut butter inside a stalk of celery. Suddenly, that tasteless stalk actually tastes good and you're getting the added benefit of more protein. This makes a great afternoon snack. Just don't overdo it on the peanut butter or you won't be getting any benefit.
Simple things can make vegetables and fruits a lot better. However, you can also try experimenting a little. Just because you don't like one fruit or vegetable doesn't mean you may not love another. Get creative and go outside your usual routine with new vegetables you've never tasted before. You can actually have a lot of fun by trying out all sorts of new foods and seeing which ones you enjoy.
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