Do they Work?
What can you eat?
What can’t you eat?
How else could Iose weight fast without threatening my life?
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Recommend South Beach………yes it works. Eat healthy foods and feel great. Basically avoiding white products like flour & sugar or anything made with these. I heard something interesting on TV and it basically said to stay on the outside parameter (fruits, veggies, meats, dairy) of the grocery store and stay out of the isles. Outside isles are usually fresh/healthy and the inside isles are processed and junk foods.
Additional Info: Seven Myths About Low Carb Diets
From Laura Dolson,Your Guide to Low Carb Diets.
About.com Health’s Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board
The Most Common Low Carb Misconceptions
Anti-low carb information often draws an image of people eating very unhealthy diets, with no vegetables or fruits, guzzling cream and eating bacon dipped in butter all day. We are supposedly courting heart disease, and are on a dangerous road to poor health.
The truth is that low carb diets focus on nutritious, healthy food, and research into reducing carbs continues to show more and more positive results.
Here are the MYTHS about low carb diets I hear most often.
1. Low Carb = No Carb
This misconception is the idea that a “low” carb diet must be really really low in carbohydrates. You will read that low carb diets attempt to “eliminate carbohydrates,” for example.
Fact: Not one low carb diet author advocates this.
Even Atkins Induction, which is very low in carbohydrates, is not “no carb,” is only meant to last two weeks, and actually can be skipped altogether, according to the Atkins Web site.
Fact: Diet authors who recommend reducing carbs have all sorts of different ideas about carb levels.
Fact: The carbohydrate level should be adjusted to the individual.
Fact: Over the years, the “nutritional establishment” has been gradually lowering the range of recommended carbohydrate in the diet, at the same time condemning reduced-carb diets, some of which may be recommending the lower end of the new “accepted range,” or close to it. Example: Dr. Dean Edell, a prominent media physician, once stated that the Zone Diet, a 40 percent carbohydrate, low saturated fat diet, “could be dangerous” because it is too low in carbohydrates. Recently, the National Academy of Sciences began recommending a range of 45 to 65 percent of the diet to be carbohydrate, depending upon the individual.
See:
* What is a Low Carb Diet?
* What is a “No Carb” Diet?
* Finding the Right Carb Level
2. Low Carb Diets Discourage Eating Vegetables and Fruits
Because vegetables and fruits are mainly carbohydrate, people believe that they are not allowed on low carb diets.
Fact: The opposite is true – non-starchy vegetables are usually at the bottom of the low carb pyramids meaning they are the “staff of life” of the diet (replacing grains in that role) and people who follow a low carb way of eating almost always eat more vegetables than the general population. For the most part, vegetables and fruits ARE the carbs eaten when following a low carb way of eating.
See:
* Study: Low Carb Dieters Eat More Vegetables
* The Most Common Low Carb Misconception: Vegetables – includes suggestions for working veggies into your diet[/link]
3. Low Carb Diets Have Inadequate Fiber
The reasoning goes that since fiber IS carbohydrate, a low carb diet MUST be low in fiber.
Fact: Since fiber remains undigested (in fact, it lessens the impact of other carbohydrates on blood sugar), it is encouraged on low carb diets. Lots of low carb foods are high in fiber, and on diets that encourage carb counting, fiber does not enter into the calculation.
See: Low Carb, High Fiber
4. People Eating Low Carb Are Courting Heart Disease
Fact: In study after study, blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, and other markers for heart disease risk decline on low carb diets. Also, in one large long term study, even low carb diets with a lot of animal fat and protein did not raise the risk of heart disease.
See:
* Study: Low Carb Diets Do Not Raise Risk of Heart Disease
* 20 Benefits of Low Carb Diets
* FAQ: Low Carb Diets and Cholesterol
* Study: Low Carb Diets Improve Cholesterol Even Without Weight Loss
5. Low Carb Diets Will Damage the Kidneys
The reasoning here is that because people with kidney disease are usually encouraged to eat LOW protein diets, a diet that is higher in protein will CAUSE kidney disease.
Fact: This has never been shown to be the case, and, in fact, a low carb diet is often not higher in protein than the latest recommended levels.
6. Low Carb Diets Will “Suck the Calcium Out of Your Bones”
Again, this is based on the idea that low carb diets are always high in protein. People on higher protein diets tend to have more calcium in their urine. But this turns out to be a red herring.
Fact: it turns out that protein, rather than cause bone loss, actually protects our bones.
See: FAQ: Low Carb Diets and Bone Loss
7. Atkins “Died of His Own Diet”
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this one – and I am STILL hearing it.
Fact: Robert Atkins, originator of the Atkins Diet, died from head injuries resulting from a fall. See his death certificate. Also, he was not fat when he died, but took on a lot of fluid in the hospital while in Intensive Care after his injury. More about Atkins’ Death
The Truth About Atkins’ Death
Years after his death in 2003, the rumor that Dr. Robert Atkins “died of his own diet” persists. The falsehoods concerning his death are mainly propogated by the vegan group the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and related groups and individuals. However, even the mainstream media is not blameless. In March 2007, Newsweek magazine published an opinion piece by Dr. Dean Ornish which contained the same untruths, which were later retracted by the magazine*.
Here are the facts as I have been able to ascertain them.
How long was Atkins on his diet?
Dr. Atkins was a cardiologist who first developed his diet in the early 70’s, after becoming convinced that an excess of carbohydrate was having negative effects on his patients’ health and weight. He published his first book, Dr.
Atkins Diet Revolution in 1972, and stated that he followed his plan himself many times over the years. He was very public, appearing on television many times and having many photos taken. By all accounts he was healthy and fit for most of that time.
Cardiomyopathy
In 2000, Dr. Atkins developed cardiomyopathy, an incurable heart condition which has quite a few different causes. His was thought to be from a viral illness, and his physician stated at the time that there was no evidence that his diet contributed to the condition. His coronary arteries were reported to have been checked at that time and found to be free of blockages.
Cardiomyopathy makes it more likely that a person will have a cardiac arrest (heart stopping), which happened to him two years later. Again, the cardiac arrest was not thought to be diet related. His cardiologist stated that (other than the cardiomyopathy), Atkins had “an extraordinarily healthy cardiovascular system”. News report about that incident.
Was Atkins Overweight?
William Leith, an writer who interviewed him around the time of his cardiac arrest stated that “he looks to be just under 6 feet tall and around 200 lbs – not skinny, not thin, but definitely not fat.” A report from Atkins Nutritionals states that he played tennis competitively and that his weight was frequently checked, and in the years before his death was below 195, and six feet tall. And a medical report at the time of his admission to the hospital, which was later made public by his widow, states that he was 195 lbs on admission to the hospital.
Atkins’ Death
On April 8, 2003, at age 72, Dr. Atkins slipped on the ice while walking to work, hitting his head and causing bleeding around his brain. He lost consciousness on the way to the hospital, where he spent two weeks in intensive care. His body deteriorated rapidly and he suffered massive organ failure. During this time, his body apparently retained an enormous amount of fluid, and his weight at death was recorded at 258 pounds. His death certificate states that the cause of death was “blunt impact injury of head with epidural hematoma”.
Following this, a Nebraska doctor known to be anti-Atkins, and associated with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, requested Dr. Atkins’ medical records, which should not have been released, but which mistakenly were sent. The Medical Examiner’s report had a hand-written note that Atkins had a history of myocardial infarction (heart attack), congestive heart failure, and hypertension (written “h/o MI, CHF, HTN”). The above Committee made much of this and began the rumor that Atkins had “died of his own diet”. The misconceptions remain to this day.
The year following his death, his widow released a statement taking what she called “unscrupulous individuals” to task for spreading falsehoods about her husband.
Apparently, those individuals are still having a measure of success.
* In March 2007, Newsweek magazine published a correction stating, “An earlier version of this story contained an inaccurate account of events surrounding the death of Dr. Robert Atkins. Newsweek regrets the error.”
Updated: July 28, 2007
Thing on February 26th, 2010 at 10:44 am
My educated advice- DON’T DO IT!!! Low carb diets are VERY bad for you. Most people know that Dr. Atkins died but the usual story is that he slipped in the ice, fell, and hit his head. Yes that is true but that’s not what caused his death. What the media doesn’t want you to know is that he actually fell and his his head because he had a heart attack and passed out….he had the heart attack due to his own diet! Since he wasn’t eating carbs, he had to eat something else to survive. The only other things left are protein and fat. The problem was that he didn’t realize that you can’t just eat any meat and fat and expect to still be healthy. So he ate a lot of saturated fat which caused his heart attack.
Believe it or not but your body relies on carbohydrates as its primary source of energy. Your brain and your red blood cells REQUIRE carbohydrates in order to function. A healthy diet should be about 50% carbohydrates (choose complex carbs such as whole wheat bread rather than simple carbs like candy, 15% protein (lean proteins), and less than 30% fat (choose unsaturated fats such as canola or olive oil).
People have told me that they’ve lost weight from low carb diets. I never said it didn’t work….its just that it’s very unhealthy and can do permanent damage to your body. Here is a list of the many things that can happen to you (if not now, then later…it will catch up with you) when you cut out carbs from your diet (and i’m serious about this):
Constipation
bad breath
heart disease
stroke
high blood pressure
decreased renal (kidney) function
Increase in total cholestrol
Increase in LDL levels
Incrase in triglycerides
Decrease in HDL levels
poor blood sugar management
liver inflammation
muscle cramps
insomnia
depression
mood swings
arthritis
osteoporosis
…and the list goes on (I did not make this list up)
The myth that carbs are bad for you comes from people not understanding the difference between complex and simple carbohydrates. You should avoid the simple carbs such as sucrose, which is table sugar. Table sugar obviously is just empty calories (no nutritional value). On the other hand, you want to eat complex carbohydrates (basically the “good carbs.”) That includes whole grains such as whole wheat bread/pasta, oatmeal, bran cereal, popcorn (of course without the butter and excess salt), barley, brown rice, etc. These are all very healthy for you. Actually, whole grains are the best thing to eat when you’re trying to lose or maintain your weight because they are high in fiber. High fiber foods (this also includes fruits and vegetables) swell up in your stomach when they’re combined with fluids, so it takes up more volume in your stomach. Therefore, you don’t have to eat as much to get full. Your body doesn’t have enzymes to break down fiber, so it takes longer for it to get through your system, so it keeps you satisfied longer. Also, high fiber foods are generally low in calories. So what i’m saying is that eating fiber will help you lose weight since you still get full without eating a lot. You should eat 25-35 grams of fiber per day. That’s the best thing to eat when you’re trying to lose weight.
It’s also important to count calories because that’s how your body works….you lose weight when you burn off more calories than you eat. Calculate your BMR to figure out how many calories you need. If you’re not sure how, look it up online…there’s tons of BMR calculators on the internet that will calculate it for you. To lose weight, you can subtract 500 calories a day (through exercise and food) from your calorie needs.
You should also eat lean proteins (soy protein, chicken/turkey breasts, fish, legumes) and unsaturated fats (preferably heart healthy monounsaturated fats such as canola and olive oil or nuts). Of course, always eat your fruits and vegetables! (Aim for at least 5 servings a day with a variety of different things) As you can see below, it’s not hard to get 5 servings a day because servings aren’t very big…
Keep in mind:
1 piece of medium fruit= the size of a tennis ball
1 serving of fresh fruit/vegetables or fruit juice= 1/2 cup
1 serving of dried fruit= 1/4 cup
1 serving of protein/meat= 3 oz (about the size of a deck of cards or your palm)
You don’t have to completely eliminate food groups to lose weight. You actually want to include all food groups to ensure you’re getting all the proper nutrients your body needs to function properly. If you want, you can even have a bite of cake/cookies or whatever your favorite junk food is about once a week or less. It won’t hurt you- it’s all about portion sizes and moderation. If you deprive yourself of something completely, after a while, you will really crave it and there’s a high chance you’ll give in and indulge like crazy. Next thing ya know, you could be off your diet and back to your normal habits. That’s not something you want. So its ok to treat yourself every once in a while. Just don’t do it all the time.
Make sure you drink plenty of fluids (choose water, nonfat milk, fresh squeezed juice and not juices with added sugar, soymilk, etc).
I forgot to tell you- Set reasonable goals for yourself that you can actually accomplish. Don’t say things like, “I want to lose 30 pounds this week” because it’s not humanly possible…nor would that be healthy. A healthy weight loss is no more than 2 pounds per week. Not only is it healthy but at this rate, you’re more likely to burn off fat and not muscle mass and water weight which is what often sheds off when people lose large amounts of weight in a short time period. I’ve lost 20 pounds before through diet and exercise and at first I didn’t realize I was losing weight since it was so gradual. I didn’t notice til I was 10 pounds less! It’s the best feeling in the world. Remember that a scale isn’t always the best indicator of your progress. If you’re doing really well, you’ll be able to notice it in the mirror and how your clothes fit and look.
Lastly, exercise at least 3 times a week doing both cardio and weight training to burn fat, increase lean muscle mass, and to speed up your metabolism.
Anyway, good luck! Email me if you have other questions.
One more thing I wanted to add- any diet that works is working because it has a reduce amount of calories! With that being said, you don’t need a fad diet to lose weight. Just choose healthy foods from all food groups.
Recommend South Beach………yes it works. Eat healthy foods and feel great. Basically avoiding white products like flour & sugar or anything made with these. I heard something interesting on TV and it basically said to stay on the outside parameter (fruits, veggies, meats, dairy) of the grocery store and stay out of the isles. Outside isles are usually fresh/healthy and the inside isles are processed and junk foods.
Additional Info: Seven Myths About Low Carb Diets
From Laura Dolson,Your Guide to Low Carb Diets.
About.com Health’s Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board
The Most Common Low Carb Misconceptions
Anti-low carb information often draws an image of people eating very unhealthy diets, with no vegetables or fruits, guzzling cream and eating bacon dipped in butter all day. We are supposedly courting heart disease, and are on a dangerous road to poor health.
The truth is that low carb diets focus on nutritious, healthy food, and research into reducing carbs continues to show more and more positive results.
Here are the MYTHS about low carb diets I hear most often.
1. Low Carb = No Carb
This misconception is the idea that a “low” carb diet must be really really low in carbohydrates. You will read that low carb diets attempt to “eliminate carbohydrates,” for example.
Fact: Not one low carb diet author advocates this.
Even Atkins Induction, which is very low in carbohydrates, is not “no carb,” is only meant to last two weeks, and actually can be skipped altogether, according to the Atkins Web site.
Fact: Diet authors who recommend reducing carbs have all sorts of different ideas about carb levels.
Fact: The carbohydrate level should be adjusted to the individual.
Fact: Over the years, the “nutritional establishment” has been gradually lowering the range of recommended carbohydrate in the diet, at the same time condemning reduced-carb diets, some of which may be recommending the lower end of the new “accepted range,” or close to it. Example: Dr. Dean Edell, a prominent media physician, once stated that the Zone Diet, a 40 percent carbohydrate, low saturated fat diet, “could be dangerous” because it is too low in carbohydrates. Recently, the National Academy of Sciences began recommending a range of 45 to 65 percent of the diet to be carbohydrate, depending upon the individual.
See:
* What is a Low Carb Diet?
* What is a “No Carb” Diet?
* Finding the Right Carb Level
2. Low Carb Diets Discourage Eating Vegetables and Fruits
Because vegetables and fruits are mainly carbohydrate, people believe that they are not allowed on low carb diets.
Fact: The opposite is true – non-starchy vegetables are usually at the bottom of the low carb pyramids meaning they are the “staff of life” of the diet (replacing grains in that role) and people who follow a low carb way of eating almost always eat more vegetables than the general population. For the most part, vegetables and fruits ARE the carbs eaten when following a low carb way of eating.
See:
* Study: Low Carb Dieters Eat More Vegetables
* The Most Common Low Carb Misconception: Vegetables – includes suggestions for working veggies into your diet[/link]
3. Low Carb Diets Have Inadequate Fiber
The reasoning goes that since fiber IS carbohydrate, a low carb diet MUST be low in fiber.
Fact: Since fiber remains undigested (in fact, it lessens the impact of other carbohydrates on blood sugar), it is encouraged on low carb diets. Lots of low carb foods are high in fiber, and on diets that encourage carb counting, fiber does not enter into the calculation.
See: Low Carb, High Fiber
4. People Eating Low Carb Are Courting Heart Disease
Fact: In study after study, blood pressure, cholesterol, triglycerides, and other markers for heart disease risk decline on low carb diets. Also, in one large long term study, even low carb diets with a lot of animal fat and protein did not raise the risk of heart disease.
See:
* Study: Low Carb Diets Do Not Raise Risk of Heart Disease
* 20 Benefits of Low Carb Diets
* FAQ: Low Carb Diets and Cholesterol
* Study: Low Carb Diets Improve Cholesterol Even Without Weight Loss
5. Low Carb Diets Will Damage the Kidneys
The reasoning here is that because people with kidney disease are usually encouraged to eat LOW protein diets, a diet that is higher in protein will CAUSE kidney disease.
Fact: This has never been shown to be the case, and, in fact, a low carb diet is often not higher in protein than the latest recommended levels.
6. Low Carb Diets Will “Suck the Calcium Out of Your Bones”
Again, this is based on the idea that low carb diets are always high in protein. People on higher protein diets tend to have more calcium in their urine. But this turns out to be a red herring.
Fact: it turns out that protein, rather than cause bone loss, actually protects our bones.
See: FAQ: Low Carb Diets and Bone Loss
7. Atkins “Died of His Own Diet”
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard this one – and I am STILL hearing it.
Fact: Robert Atkins, originator of the Atkins Diet, died from head injuries resulting from a fall. See his death certificate. Also, he was not fat when he died, but took on a lot of fluid in the hospital while in Intensive Care after his injury. More about Atkins’ Death
The Truth About Atkins’ Death
Years after his death in 2003, the rumor that Dr. Robert Atkins “died of his own diet” persists. The falsehoods concerning his death are mainly propogated by the vegan group the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and related groups and individuals. However, even the mainstream media is not blameless. In March 2007, Newsweek magazine published an opinion piece by Dr. Dean Ornish which contained the same untruths, which were later retracted by the magazine*.
Here are the facts as I have been able to ascertain them.
How long was Atkins on his diet?
Dr. Atkins was a cardiologist who first developed his diet in the early 70’s, after becoming convinced that an excess of carbohydrate was having negative effects on his patients’ health and weight. He published his first book, Dr.
Atkins Diet Revolution in 1972, and stated that he followed his plan himself many times over the years. He was very public, appearing on television many times and having many photos taken. By all accounts he was healthy and fit for most of that time.
Cardiomyopathy
In 2000, Dr. Atkins developed cardiomyopathy, an incurable heart condition which has quite a few different causes. His was thought to be from a viral illness, and his physician stated at the time that there was no evidence that his diet contributed to the condition. His coronary arteries were reported to have been checked at that time and found to be free of blockages.
Cardiomyopathy makes it more likely that a person will have a cardiac arrest (heart stopping), which happened to him two years later. Again, the cardiac arrest was not thought to be diet related. His cardiologist stated that (other than the cardiomyopathy), Atkins had “an extraordinarily healthy cardiovascular system”. News report about that incident.
Was Atkins Overweight?
William Leith, an writer who interviewed him around the time of his cardiac arrest stated that “he looks to be just under 6 feet tall and around 200 lbs – not skinny, not thin, but definitely not fat.” A report from Atkins Nutritionals states that he played tennis competitively and that his weight was frequently checked, and in the years before his death was below 195, and six feet tall. And a medical report at the time of his admission to the hospital, which was later made public by his widow, states that he was 195 lbs on admission to the hospital.
Atkins’ Death
On April 8, 2003, at age 72, Dr. Atkins slipped on the ice while walking to work, hitting his head and causing bleeding around his brain. He lost consciousness on the way to the hospital, where he spent two weeks in intensive care. His body deteriorated rapidly and he suffered massive organ failure. During this time, his body apparently retained an enormous amount of fluid, and his weight at death was recorded at 258 pounds. His death certificate states that the cause of death was “blunt impact injury of head with epidural hematoma”.
Following this, a Nebraska doctor known to be anti-Atkins, and associated with the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, requested Dr. Atkins’ medical records, which should not have been released, but which mistakenly were sent. The Medical Examiner’s report had a hand-written note that Atkins had a history of myocardial infarction (heart attack), congestive heart failure, and hypertension (written “h/o MI, CHF, HTN”). The above Committee made much of this and began the rumor that Atkins had “died of his own diet”. The misconceptions remain to this day.
The year following his death, his widow released a statement taking what she called “unscrupulous individuals” to task for spreading falsehoods about her husband.
Apparently, those individuals are still having a measure of success.
* In March 2007, Newsweek magazine published a correction stating, “An earlier version of this story contained an inaccurate account of events surrounding the death of Dr. Robert Atkins. Newsweek regrets the error.”
Updated: July 28, 2007
My educated advice- DON’T DO IT!!! Low carb diets are VERY bad for you. Most people know that Dr. Atkins died but the usual story is that he slipped in the ice, fell, and hit his head. Yes that is true but that’s not what caused his death. What the media doesn’t want you to know is that he actually fell and his his head because he had a heart attack and passed out….he had the heart attack due to his own diet! Since he wasn’t eating carbs, he had to eat something else to survive. The only other things left are protein and fat. The problem was that he didn’t realize that you can’t just eat any meat and fat and expect to still be healthy. So he ate a lot of saturated fat which caused his heart attack.
Believe it or not but your body relies on carbohydrates as its primary source of energy. Your brain and your red blood cells REQUIRE carbohydrates in order to function. A healthy diet should be about 50% carbohydrates (choose complex carbs such as whole wheat bread rather than simple carbs like candy, 15% protein (lean proteins), and less than 30% fat (choose unsaturated fats such as canola or olive oil).
People have told me that they’ve lost weight from low carb diets. I never said it didn’t work….its just that it’s very unhealthy and can do permanent damage to your body. Here is a list of the many things that can happen to you (if not now, then later…it will catch up with you) when you cut out carbs from your diet (and i’m serious about this):
Constipation
bad breath
heart disease
stroke
high blood pressure
decreased renal (kidney) function
Increase in total cholestrol
Increase in LDL levels
Incrase in triglycerides
Decrease in HDL levels
poor blood sugar management
liver inflammation
muscle cramps
insomnia
depression
mood swings
arthritis
osteoporosis
…and the list goes on (I did not make this list up)
The myth that carbs are bad for you comes from people not understanding the difference between complex and simple carbohydrates. You should avoid the simple carbs such as sucrose, which is table sugar. Table sugar obviously is just empty calories (no nutritional value). On the other hand, you want to eat complex carbohydrates (basically the “good carbs.”) That includes whole grains such as whole wheat bread/pasta, oatmeal, bran cereal, popcorn (of course without the butter and excess salt), barley, brown rice, etc. These are all very healthy for you. Actually, whole grains are the best thing to eat when you’re trying to lose or maintain your weight because they are high in fiber. High fiber foods (this also includes fruits and vegetables) swell up in your stomach when they’re combined with fluids, so it takes up more volume in your stomach. Therefore, you don’t have to eat as much to get full. Your body doesn’t have enzymes to break down fiber, so it takes longer for it to get through your system, so it keeps you satisfied longer. Also, high fiber foods are generally low in calories. So what i’m saying is that eating fiber will help you lose weight since you still get full without eating a lot. You should eat 25-35 grams of fiber per day. That’s the best thing to eat when you’re trying to lose weight.
It’s also important to count calories because that’s how your body works….you lose weight when you burn off more calories than you eat. Calculate your BMR to figure out how many calories you need. If you’re not sure how, look it up online…there’s tons of BMR calculators on the internet that will calculate it for you. To lose weight, you can subtract 500 calories a day (through exercise and food) from your calorie needs.
You should also eat lean proteins (soy protein, chicken/turkey breasts, fish, legumes) and unsaturated fats (preferably heart healthy monounsaturated fats such as canola and olive oil or nuts). Of course, always eat your fruits and vegetables! (Aim for at least 5 servings a day with a variety of different things) As you can see below, it’s not hard to get 5 servings a day because servings aren’t very big…
Keep in mind:
1 piece of medium fruit= the size of a tennis ball
1 serving of fresh fruit/vegetables or fruit juice= 1/2 cup
1 serving of dried fruit= 1/4 cup
1 serving of protein/meat= 3 oz (about the size of a deck of cards or your palm)
You don’t have to completely eliminate food groups to lose weight. You actually want to include all food groups to ensure you’re getting all the proper nutrients your body needs to function properly. If you want, you can even have a bite of cake/cookies or whatever your favorite junk food is about once a week or less. It won’t hurt you- it’s all about portion sizes and moderation. If you deprive yourself of something completely, after a while, you will really crave it and there’s a high chance you’ll give in and indulge like crazy. Next thing ya know, you could be off your diet and back to your normal habits. That’s not something you want. So its ok to treat yourself every once in a while. Just don’t do it all the time.
Make sure you drink plenty of fluids (choose water, nonfat milk, fresh squeezed juice and not juices with added sugar, soymilk, etc).
I forgot to tell you- Set reasonable goals for yourself that you can actually accomplish. Don’t say things like, “I want to lose 30 pounds this week” because it’s not humanly possible…nor would that be healthy. A healthy weight loss is no more than 2 pounds per week. Not only is it healthy but at this rate, you’re more likely to burn off fat and not muscle mass and water weight which is what often sheds off when people lose large amounts of weight in a short time period. I’ve lost 20 pounds before through diet and exercise and at first I didn’t realize I was losing weight since it was so gradual. I didn’t notice til I was 10 pounds less! It’s the best feeling in the world. Remember that a scale isn’t always the best indicator of your progress. If you’re doing really well, you’ll be able to notice it in the mirror and how your clothes fit and look.
Lastly, exercise at least 3 times a week doing both cardio and weight training to burn fat, increase lean muscle mass, and to speed up your metabolism.
Anyway, good luck! Email me if you have other questions.
One more thing I wanted to add- any diet that works is working because it has a reduce amount of calories! With that being said, you don’t need a fad diet to lose weight. Just choose healthy foods from all food groups.