Tag Archives: diet

Don’t Let Diet Plans Confuse You

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If you’re confused by weight loss programs you’re not alone. There are so many different types of diets and programs that it’s no wonder there’s confusion. Some try to convince you that the answer is low fat, low carb, whereas others will preach the opposite.

The important thing to remember is to choose a diet which is correct for your lifestyle.

Each diet or program has some advantages and disadvantages. In a program such as Jenny Craig or NutriSystem, you’re being closely monitored and will eat specific meals designed for your weight loss.

However, if you’re on the Zone or Atkins Diets, you will have to monitor and prepare your own meals. Your choice might also be a financial consideration as well. Most programs such as Jenny Craig or NutriSystem will cost you more than the Zone or Atkins, as they prepare your food for you.

To eliminate confusion on choosing a tailored program or a specific diet, you might first want to consult your physician to discuss what the best options for you might be.

Your physician might ask you to add a fitness program to your diet as well, or may require you to choose a specific diet if you have certain health issues.

Meeting with your physician is especially important before starting a diet, especially if your goal is to lose weight significantly.

Once you’ve decided on either a program or a specific diet, you’ll then be able to tailor your program or diet to meet your lifestyle and achieve the desired results.

John Rifkind is a contributing editor at FitnessHealthArticles.com. This article may be reproduced provided that its complete content, links and author byline are kept intact and unchanged. No additional links permitted. Hyperlinks and/or URLs must remain both human clickable and search engine spiderable.

The Raw Food Diet

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The raw diet, is based on consuming unprocessed, preferably organic, whole plant-based foods, at least 75 per cent of which should be uncooked. Raw and living foods are believed to contain essential food enzymes. It is based on raw nuts, fruits, and various varieties of beans.

People who follow the raw diet for losing weight employ particular techniques for preparing their food. They include sprouting seeds, grains and beans; soaking nuts and dried fruits; and juicing fruits and vegetables. The only cooking that is accepted is via a dehydrator. This equipment blows hot air through the food but never reaches a temperature higher than 116°F. Other techniques required to prepare raw food are blending, juicing and chopping.

What You Need To Go On The Raw Diet

1. Meal plans. Following a raw food diet means that you will have to carefully plan your meals to make sure you do not fall short of essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals.

In some instances it might also be appropriate to consider taking dietary supplements.

2. Equipment. You will need to invest in some appliances so that you’re able to prepare the food.

o A durable juice extractor for your fruit and vegetables
o A blender or a wooden spoon and sieve to crush and blend ingredients
o A food processor or chopper to save you time and effort
o Large containers to soak and sprout grains, seeds and beans
o Glass jars or Tupperware for storing your sprouts

Promoters of the raw diet believe that enzymes are the life force of a food and that every food contains its own perfect mix of them. These enzymes help us digest the food completely, without relying on our body to produce its own cocktail of digestive enzymes.

It’s also thought that the cooking process destroys vitamins and minerals and that cooked foods not only take longer to digest, but they also allow partially digested fats, proteins and carbohydrates to clog up our guts and arteries.

Followers of a raw diet mention numerous health benefits, including increased energy levels, improved appearance of skin, improved digestion, and weight loss. Clearly the raw food diet has many benefits.

John Rifkind is a contributing editor at FitnessHealthArticles.com. This article may be reproduced provided that its complete content, links and author byline are kept intact and unchanged. No additional links permitted. Hyperlinks and/or URLs must remain both human clickable and search engine spiderable.

Healthier Eating Plans

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Late night snacking is an element which can ruin your diet. If your time is structured, you will be less likely to think about food. The question is why are so many people tempted to snack late at night?

The first reason is boredom. When the mind isn’t stimulated, it tends to seek pleasure; and eating is a very pleasurable experience.  Here are tips for eating healthy which will prevent those unplanned snacks that can add unwanted calories.

Do not skip dinner. Skipping dinner will set you up for failure. The temptation to eat junk food or whatever is available will become overwhelming when you are very hungry. You can help your weight loss effort tremendously by simply not skipping meals.

Include a light dessert for your dinner. If you love sweets, any light dessert will do. Desserts which are less than 150 calories can easily be added to your diet to give your sweet tooth a real treat. When you are satisfied, you will be less tempted to snack later on at night.

Watch less television. Weight loss certainly won’t come by way of deceptive infomercials. You will also be surprised at how watching television can cause you to snack and generate “out of control” eating. When your mind is not working, boredom unsuspectingly creeps in. And boredom can cause you to want something pleasurable such as food. Further to that, TV commercials, with their tempting portrayals of food constantly coming at you, are notorious for triggering you to start eating again, especially treats which aren’t healthy.

Plan some fun projects. Take note of some projects that you always wanted to do. Using your spare time to do worthwhile chores can help to keep your mind off food. Projects can include helping your kids with homework, sewing, developing some business plans, playing some family games, 30 minutes on the treadmill or stationary bike.

It is hard to believe, but very true that fun and productive projects can help you lose weight in a very healthy way.

Plan your snacks. If you are the type of person that just cannot avoid snacking late at night, then plan 1 or 2 low calorie snacks. Plan something like some sugar free hot chocolate with some light whipped cream or 1/2 bag of light microwave popcorn at the time when you are most vulnerable to eating snacks. This way, you’ll consume only 70 to 100 calories, and do very little damage to your weight loss efforts.

 

John Rifkind is a contributing editor at FitnessHealthArticles.com. This article may be reproduced provided that its complete content, links and author byline are kept intact and unchanged. No additional links permitted. Hyperlinks and/or URLs must remain both human clickable and search engine spiderable.