1. Illustrate the weight that you wish to lose

If you think that you are over weight and want to lose some weight, you could try to illustrate those extra pounds that you want to lose. For example, take a bag of potatoes or rice that weigh as much as you want to lose and lift the bag and feel how much it weighs. When you are lifting the bags you will get an immediate illustration on the additional weight that is affecting your heart and that may cause muscle and joint pains. This realization may serve as a wake up call.

2. Eat before dinner

The critical period, if you want to lose weight, is when you come home from work. You are probably hungry and a mistake is to start making dinner right away. With an empty stomach you are tempted to taste the food that you are preparing and before you know it you have eaten an entire meal. After that you still have to eat the meal you just prepared. So before you even start to prepare your meal it is better to have a fruit or eat some raw carrots. In that way you you will control your hunger.

3. Start with a salad

Don’t eat the salad together with the meal. Instead, make the salad the first course, and your dinner as the second course. Eating raw vegetables before your meal is very healthy and it is a  good recommendation from the food pyramid guidelines. If you don’t like grated carrots or other traditional raw food salads, you can shred a cucumber or serve crunchy cauliflower bouquets or even test new salad varieties.

4. Eat regularly

It is easier to lose weight if you eat at regular times. This habit keeps blood sugar on an even level which means that you will not be tempted to eat unhealthy foods. Experts recommend breakfast, lunch and dinner and two healthy snacks. It is better to eat less, but do not skip any meals. Missing meals does not lead to weight loss; instead you will find yourself eating too much unhealthy foods later that day.

5. No night snack

According to studies, people who are overweight tend to eat more in the afternoon and evening than people with normal weight. People with serious weight problems can stay up all night eating. If you know that you have this problem, the best thing is to determine a time when you will stop eating. For example, decide for yourself that you are not going to eat anything after 7 pm, not even a biscuit.

6. Learn to say “No”

Anyone who wants to lose weight has to learn how to say “No”. This also applies when you are attending a party or gathering of some sort. One tip is to take a small portion of everything that is being served. Say “No, thank you” when you are being offered a second round. If you think it’s hard to take a small bite it is better to say “No, thank you” the first time you are being asked. The hard part is not to say “No” when other people offers a snack, it’s your own cravings that are more difficult to resist. Learn to say “No” to your unhealthy cravings and then quickly look for a healthier alternative. You can only learn to say “No” by practicing!

7. Take a different route

Do you pass a candy shop or bakery on your way home from your work, tempted to go inside the store to buy something? Or, do you go to that special hot-dog stand to grab a bite during your lunch break? Then it’s time to take a different route. Select new walking routs that are bakery free and free from fast food stands. If you absolutely must pass them on your way home from work, then make sure to bring an apple with you to avoid the temptations of the unhealthy food choices.

8. Consider your health

Obesity is becoming a major widespread disease in Western countries and obesity is now classified as an epidemic by the World Health Organization. To be overweight means an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Pain in joints, such as knees, can be alleviated or can even disappear when you get rid of the excess weight. In the USA, Canada, Europe and Australia, 15-20 percent of the population today are overweight and obesity now counts as a medical risk.

9. Reward yourself

Set up goals for yourself and break down your goals into milestones. If you have lost weight and reached your milestone, then you are really worth a reward. Your reward should not have anything to do with food or drinks; instead you could treat yourself with a new CD, cinema visit, massage or beauty treatment etc. This type of encouragement will help you to continue with your weight loss program. If you have lost a lot of weight, then nothing is as fun as shopping for new clothes, in one or more sizes smaller!

10.  Don’t give up!

It’s not easy to change eating habits, but it’s necessary. Changing your eating habits is the only way if you want to be slimmer. You should know that it takes at least one month before a new eating habit becomes natural, so don’t be discouraged when you get tempted and simply can’t resist that chocolate cake, or that cheese sandwich. Just don’t give up and don’t be too hard on yourself when this happens. Instead, tell yourself that it was just a stupid one-time event and go back to the healthy road. Little by little, in time, it will get easier and before you know it you will have changed your eating habits. You will succeed!

During the Stone Age the diet consisted of berries, fruits, vegetables, root vegetables, fish, eggs and wild meat. People lived close to the nature and were healthy. But then, people began cultivating the land and were getting farm animals. This meant that the eating habits changed and that milk, grain, corn, beans, lentils and peas became the ingredients in the everyday meal. Today, these very same ingredients are causing people health problems.

It’s not necessary to follow a strict Stone Age Diet to stay healthy. If we find out what is bad with the way we eat today and how we can correct it, we can come to a middle ground and still be just as healthy.  Let’s talk about the food products that we have added into our diet since the Stone Age: milk, grain/corn, beans, lentils and peas.

Milk: Followers of a strict Stone Age diet don’t drink any milk at all, but milk is very nutritious and is also rich in protein and calcium which help build the muscles. One glass of milk provides nutrients that a child needs daily. But not everyone can drink milk because it causes problems such as colic, cramps and diarrhea. It has also been said that milk is connected to other illnesses such as iron deficiency anemia and allergies. If you don’t have any problems with milk than continue with your milk intake, but do it moderately, or try soy milk. Soy milk is high in protein, and because it is made from beans it also contains considerably more fiber than cow’s milk.

Grain/Corn: Followers of a strict Stone Age diet don’t eat any grain/corn at all, but it’s more important that you eat the healthier whole grain than skipping it all together. If you have too much of the grain/corn in your diet your carbohydrate level will be high. Other problem with eating grain/corn is the gluten which many people suffer from. To minimize the side effects, you should eat moderate amount of whole grain instead, or if you have problem with gluten, try gluten free products. Whole grain is very nutritious and has a low GI, which is good for your blood level. Another benefit with whole grain is that your stomach will feel full for a longer period of time.

Beans, Lentils, Peas: are not included in a strict Stone Age Diet, but these food products are good for you. They contain proteins, fibers and carbohydrate with a low Glycemic Index (GI). You don’t have to exclude beans, lentils and peas from your diet if you make sure that you prepare and cook them the right way.

Now we know how to correct some of our “new” eating habits. Let’s continue our path to a healthier life style by finding out why we should eat more of the food products that were on the menu during the Stone Age.

Fish: has always been important to the human diet and was very appreciated during the Stone Age. Fish is a great source of protein, vitamins and nutrients. It contains a lot of the healthy omega 3 which has many positive effects on the brain and heart. According to studies, you may prevent cardiovascular diseases if you eat a lot of fish.

Berries: During the Stone Age, people lived very close with the nature and ate whatever the nature supplied them with and berries were one of the earth’s many wonders. Berries are amongst the healthiest you can eat because they are filled with vitamin C and antioxidants. Eat as much berries as you can.

Fruit: was also offered by the nature and was very much enjoyed during the Stone Age. Fruit contains carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals and a lot of antioxidants. Don’t peal the fruit because the peal contains most of the nutrition.

Leaf: Salads and other kinds of leafs, such as spinach, contain a lot of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. Something to be aware of is that the more colorful your salad is the healthier it is.

Eggs: The human race has always eaten all kinds of eggs. Eggs have a lot of proteins. One egg provides about 10% of the daily protein needs where half of the protein in an egg comes from the egg white, while the other half from the egg yolk. The calories provided from eggs contain variety of important nutrients, so the calories you get from eggs are “good” calories and not “empty” calories that you find in snacks. If you eat eggs you will also get a lot of Carotenoids that are excellent antioxidants and protect the eyes from free radical damage originating from ultraviolet rays of the sun. Eggs are an important source of vitamin E and they are rich in folate, iodine and selenium. Eggs also contain iron and zinc.

Onions: are one of the healthiest plants and can protect you against heart- and cardiovascular diseases, cancer and asthma. You can choose any kind of onion, they are all good, but don’t overcook them or all the good qualities will go wasted.

Root vegetables: are low in calories and have virtually no fat. They contain fiber and some root vegetables also provide vitamin C, potassium, folate and iron. The deeper the root vegetable’s color, the more it contains antioxidants. Health problems such as heart disease, macular degeneration, diabetes and cancer, are all contributed by oxidative damage and can be prevented with antioxidants in root vegetables. Purple potatoes are loaded with anthocyanins, pigments that act as antioxidants. Carrots are well known for their beta carotene (which forms vitamin A) and ruby red beets deliver phytochemicals that is good for the liver. Root fruits contain some amount of poison, but this is destroyed when you cook them.

Mushrooms: It is believed that people ate mushrooms at times during the Stone Age. They are low in fat and high in fibre. Mushrooms are rich in B vitamins, selenium and they are a powerful antioxidant.

Nuts: contain proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. They also contain unsaturated fatty acids, which is a healthy type of fat. Nuts are very good for your heart since it lowers the cholesterol level in the blood and reduces the risk of developing blood clots that can cause a fatal heart attack. Nuts are simply the perfect snack.

Red meat: The scientists believe that people during the Stone Age only ate red meat at occasions. Red meat contains a lot of iron and protein and is good if you suffer from iron deficiency. If you don’t suffer from iron deficiency, you shouldn’t eat red meat more than a couple of times a week. If you suffer from heart- or cardiovascular problems, rheumatoid arthritis or cancer you should not eat red meat at all.

Long-term program

If you want your weight loss to be successful you should avoid a quick fix. A long-term program for your diet and weight loss is a much more successful approach. If you have a long-term program with your diet and training, you should be able to reduce your weight by 1-2 lbs (0.5-0.9 kg) a week.

Your successful diet should be compounded so you are able to:

• keep the diet for longer than a couple of days
• lose weight and then keep the new weight
• feel full the whole day instead of feeling hungry
• feel happy and energetic instead of being irritated and tired

How to obtain a successful diet:

• Your diet should give you enough energy so your fluid balance doesn’t get disturbed.

• Your diet should reduce the fat mass while maintaining the muscle mass.

• If you can’t skip eating unhealthy food then try to add vegetables, root fruits, fruits and berries in your diet. After a while your craving for unhealthy food will vanish or at least decrease. Try to fill half of your plate with vegetables. By just following this rule you will automatically lose weight.

• Eat smaller meals and stop when you are full. If you are still hungry then eat more of the vegetables and finish with a fruit.

• Eat three meals and two healthy snacks a day. Since you are eating smaller meals you should spread the meals throughout the day. This way you never feel hungry and you will have an even and high digestion. If you skip meals your body will think that you are starving and its respond will be a slower metabolism. Your blood sugar level will also fall and the temptation for chocolate or some other unhealthy snack will increase. Fruit is a good choice for the two daily snacks.

• Reduce the fat intake by switching to products with less fat: eat low fat butter and cheese, use olive oil instead of margarine in your cooking.

• Drink water and avoid soft drinks.

• Avoid alcohol since it has many calories. The stronger your drink is, the more calories it contains. There is also a big risk that you will have an unhealthy snack to go with your drink.

This doesn’t seem too hard, wright? Well, that’s the whole point. Begin with these small changes and see how it goes. Good luck!

]]> http://www.foodpyramid.com/diet-weight-loss/weight-loss-with-permanent-success/feed/ 1 http://www.foodpyramid.com/diet-weight-loss/health-and-weight-loss-test/ http://www.foodpyramid.com/diet-weight-loss/health-and-weight-loss-test/#comments Wed, 13 Jan 2010 11:03:54 +0000 admin http://foodpyramid.com/?p=1519 With what should you substitute the meat in a vegetarian diet in order to get enough nutrients?

• A:   Fruits
• B:   Beans and leguminous plants
• C:   Bread

When you are a vegetarian you will need more protein than you would get from fruits or bread. Correct answer is B: Beans and leguminous plants.

How large portion of your energy (in percent) should come from sugar?

• A:   25%
• B:   50%
• C:   10%

Not more than 10% of your energy should come from sugar. This is important for your body as well as for your teeth. Correct answer is C: 10%.

Which nutrient has the most energy value?

• A:   Carbohydrates
• B:   Fat
• C:   Protein

Fat is the nutrient that contains the most energy. It contains more than twice as much energy, as carbohydrates and protein. One gram of fat contains nine calories, while both carbohydrates and proteins only contain four calories per gram. This means that fat is more energy rich than both carbohydrate and protein. Correct answer is B: Fat gives you the most energy.

What type of fat is best for your health?

• A:   Saturated fat (in meat)
• B:   Monounsaturated fat (in cooking oil, olive oil)
• C:   Polyunsaturated fat (in fish)

Too much of saturated fat can increase the risk of diseases involving heart- and bloodvessels (Cardiovascular diseases). Monounsaturated fat is somewhat better than saturated fat, but polyunsaturated fat is the best alternative for your health. Correct answer is C: Polyunsaturated fat is best for your health.

What is Functional Food?

• A:   It is any fresh or processed food claimed to have a health-  promoting and/or disease-preventing property beyond the basic nutritional function of supplying nutrients.
• B:   It is a nutritional food that is fast to prepare and cook.
• C:   It is food that can be replaced by ordinary medicine.

Functional Food is any fresh or processed food claimed to have a health-promoting and/or disease-preventing property beyond the basic nutritional function of supplying nutrients. Correct answer is A.

How much fruits and vegetables should we eat every day?

• A:   1 daily cup of fruits and vegetables
• B:   5 daily cups of fruits and vegetables
• C:   2 daily cups of fruits and vegetables

Two cups of fruit and 2½ cups of vegetables per day are recommended for a reference 2,000-calorie intake (with higher or lower amounts depending on the calorie level) is recommended for good health. This will reduce the risk of getting cardiovascular diseases. Correct answer is B: 5 daily cups of fruits and vegetables.

Is chocolate healthy?

• A:   Yes, chocolate is very healthy.
• B:    No, among the worse things you can eat.
• C:    Yes, in moderate amounts

Chocolate consists of calcium, protein and has an anti depressive effect, but you should not eat chocolate that has a lot of fat and sugar. Correct answer is C: Chocolate is healthy in moderate amounts.

Which of the following products have the lowest GI (Glycemic Index)?

• A:   Sugar, soft drinks
• B:   Vegetable, apple, pear, orange, strawberry, leguminous plant, whole meal bread
• C:   White bread, juice, mashed potato

Vegetable, apple, pear, orange, strawberry, leguminous plant and whole meal bread are products with the lowest GI (Glycemic Index). Correct answer is B.

According to nutrition expert Debra Waterhouse we burn 150 extra calories during PMS. A study made by University of Adelaide in Australia, shows that we burn up to 30% more fat during period.

The problem is that women instinctively eat unhealthy food during PMS. We reach out of the food pyramid an look for junk food. Sugar, refined carbs, chocolate, cookies or ice cream are some of the things we crave. This unhealthy food only makes us feel worse because its quick upswing in blood sugar levels is followed by a rapid decline. The result is that the hunger strikes again.

If you want to take advantage of the benefits during PMS and lose weight faster, you should try and eat healthy foods. If you eat right you will ease your PMS symptoms and thereby lose weight faster.

Here are some tips on how to eat during PMS:

• Avoid salt some days before your period – it helps reduce bloating and fluid retention
• Drink a lot of water – it helps reducing PMS bloating
• Cut back on sugar and fat
• Eat wholesome carbohydrates, rich in nutrients and fiber – makes you feel full longer
• Eat some lean protein and healthy fat to slow down the absorption of carbohydrates – keeps the cravings at bay
• Eat small healthy frequent meals – it keeps your blood sugar stable and you will avoid cravings
• Cut back on caffeine and alcohol – affects your sleep, mood and appetite
• Stay physically active – burns calories, is a stress reducer and mood enhancer
• Eat calcium (1200 mg) and vitamin D (400 mg) every day – split your calcium dose for better absorption. Vitamin D helps the body to absorb Calcium. A Turkish study on PMS symptoms in adolescent girls found that higher milk consumption was associated with reduced bloating, cramps, and food cravings. A study made by the Columbia University showed that, women with moderate to severe PMS who took tablets every day containing 1200 mg calcium, showed a 48% reduction in PMS symptoms. According to Archives of Internal Medicine a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D showed a 40% lower risk of developing PMS.
• Try flaxseed if you have breast pain during PMS. According to studies at the University of Toronto reported much less breast pain when eating 25 grams of flaxseed every day.
• Some studies suggest you take magnesium, vitamin B6 and vitamin E to help reduce PMS symptoms. Further research is needed on these therapies.

We burn 150 extra calories during PMS, according to nutrition expert Debra Waterhouse. Another study made by the University of Adelaide in Australia, shows that we burn up to 30% more fat during period . “Women burned about 30 % more fat for the two weeks following ovulation to about two days before menstruating” says study coauthor Leanne Redman.

Two weeks before the menstrual period women produce more estrogen and progesterone hormones, which speeds up metabolism. The body’s increasing metabolism is affected by the release of the hormones. An increasing metabolism means that our bodies convert food into energy faster and this is why we can lose weight faster during this period.

The sad thing is that our craving for unhealthy food increases. We often eat more of the unhealthy foods during this period. For many of us, PMS is not a happy time. PMS occur between ovulation and at the end of the menstrual period and can affect your mood and give physical symptoms such as headaches, bloating and abdominal cramps.

If you keep a healthy diet, the PMS symptoms will ease. The benefits will also include a faster weight loss because of the increased metabolism during this period.

Try to remember to eat healthy foods during your PMS and you will ease the PMS symptoms and lose weight automatically.

You can easily apply these tips in your own life since they are cheap and will not take any extra of your time. Why not try some of them today?

Brush your teeth or take some Mints

The mint taste signals to your brain that you are full. Breath-freshener will also do the trick by stopping you from eating between meals as the taste on your tongue will numb your taste buds. Celebrity actor Matthew McConaughey carries his tooth brush with him to restaurants. If it feels strange to bring along a toothbrush when you go out, you can always bring mints or liquorices.

Carry vials of Grapefruit Oil

Expose yourself to grapefruit scent. This will reduce your appetite. Studies show that animals exposed to grapefruit scent for 15 minutes three times a day, had a reduction in appetite and body weight. Grapefruit oil gives off an aroma that affects liver enzymes and promotes weight loss. Celebrities like Jennifer Lopez and Carmen Electra carry vials of grapefruit oil with them.

Eat on Blue Plates

To reduce your appetite, serve your food on blue plates. Many celebrities know that the color blue is the least appetizing color. This is why so many of them are eating from blue plates.

Drink more water

By drinking plenty of water you will get rid of toxins and maintain muscle tone. Actress Eva Longoria drinks at least three liters water per day! You should drink about half your body weight in ounces each day. So if you weigh 120 lbs (54 kg), drink 60 ounces (1.7 l) or about 8 cups. Flavor you drinks with slices of lemon, orange, strawberry or cucumber.

Drink Green Tea instead of coffee

With Green Tea you still get your caffeine, but you will drop your insulin levels (coffee raises your blood sugar, insulin). By switching to Green Tea, your body fat will fall rapidly. Green

Tea boosts your metabolism and cuts cravings. If you want this effect you should get the “Matcha Green Tea” like the celebrities. Matcha is a concentrated form of tea. One cup of Matcha is the equivalent of eight to ten cups of green tea! Matcha is not only use by the celebrities. The tea has been used for many centuries in the Japanese tea ceremony. You can also try the Wu Yi Diet Tea as Oprah suggests.

Add some Cinnamon to your tea

Another weight loss tip is to use Cinnamon in your diet.  In Chinese medicine, cinnamon is widely used to aid circulation and digestion. The Cinnamon can lower levels of cholesterol and blood sugar, and relieves gas. You can sprinkle some cinnamon in your tea, just like the celebrities do.

Skip the diet drinks

Experts believe that diet drinks makes you eat more, because you think that you are being virtuous with your drinks. There are studies that suggest that diet drinks nearly doubles your risk of being overweight. Actress Jessica Alba and Paris Hilton believe that you shouldn’t have diet drinks if you are trying to lose weight, and according to studies they may be on to something.

If you don’t take your coffee black – add regular sugar and soy milk

If you can’t stay off the coffee and you don’t take it black, than at least think of what you’re putting into your coffee. This will help making a difference if you are trying to lose weight. Instead of adding artificial sweeteners, which can contribute to obesity, you should rather take a small amount of real sugar. Substitute your regular milk with unsweetened almond or soy milk which has fewer calories than regular milk. This is how the celebrities take their coffee, if you hadn’t figured that out. My guess is that Ashley Olsen, a serious coffee drinker at Starbuck, pays attention to these things. At Starbucks you can get your coffee with soy or nonfat milk. Furthermore, at Starbucks home page you will find a nutrition fact table to keep track on those calories. Perhaps that’s why so many celebrities choose Starbucks?

Take your bath with Epsom Salt

By taking your baths with Epsom Salt, you can actually-soak away some pounds. The magnesium sulphate in the salts will draw the fluids out of your body. Celebrities, like Heidi Klum, take these baths before a picture session. The good thing is that Epsom Salt is quite cheap. You can get 2 lb (0.5 kg) for less than 2 dollars!

Don’t eat carbs before going to sleep

Your biggest meal should be your breakfast. You should eat to get energy so you can get through certain activities during the day. Carbs are the first fuel to get burned, so filling up on carbs gives you quick immediate energy release. Having lots of carbs at dinner time is not necessary since you exert very little energy at this time of the day. Don’t eat carbs before going to sleep. Kate Beckinsale’s trainer insists that she shouldn’t eat carbs at night time.

Add some prunes to your burgers

According to Hollywood nutritionists, you will cut the fat by 40 per cent if the burger is made of 4 percent prune puree with a bit of soy. The great thing is that you won’t even taste the difference. Other positive benefits with prunes are their antioxidants and laxative effect. So next time you are making burgers, add four chopped prunes into the minced beef.

Eat more sushi

Sushi is low on calorie and the vitamin-rich seaweed can lower cholesterol. The Japanese Nori seaweed is high in protein, contains carbohydrates and almost no fat. It is rich in vitamins A, B2, niacin, B12, plus C and D. Jennifer Aniston and Angelina Jolie have one thing in common (…not that), they both LOVE sushi.

Day 1

The first day is all about clearing the system and that means drinking a lot of water, herbal teas or fresh fruit juice. You should not drink any alcohol or coffee during these three days. To avoid headache that can arise if you cut of the coffee too quickly, try to decrease the coffee intake some days before. After your dinner, you should go for a long walk.

• Breakfast: Porridge topped with banana, raisins and sweetened with honey.
• Lunch: Vegetable soup with oatcakes.
• Dinner: Brown rice with stir fry vegetables in olive oil. Stir fry onions, mushrooms, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts, bok choy, garlic and ginger in olive oil.

Day 2

Keep drinking a lot of water and herbal tea. No alcohol and coffee is allowed. Don’t forget your daily enjoyable walk.

• Breakfast: Muesli served with natural yoghurt.
• Lunch: Jacket potato mixed with sweet corn and natural yoghurt, topped with salad and tuna (in water).
• Dinner: Rice noodles with stir fry vegetables in olive oil. Stir fry onions, mushrooms, peppers, courgette in olive oil and let it cook for a while. Then add prawns, canned tomatoes, tomato puree, black pepper and tuna (in water).

Day 3

The last day of your detox diet. Drink a lot of water and herbal tea. No alcohol and coffee is allowed. Now your daily walk has become a routine. Enjoy your walk and feel good about yourself.

• Breakfast: Fresh fruit with natural yoghurt, sweetened with honey.
• Lunch: Avocado and prawn salad with salad, balsamic vinegar and lemon juice.
• Dinner: Baked salmon with jacket potato and steamed vegetables.

Now, that wasn’t too hard? You probably feel so good about yourself afther this 3-day detox diet plan that you don’t find any reason to stop this healthier lifestyle. Remember that small changes can lead to big results in time, so keep up the good work and chose a healthier life style!

The diet makes you stop craving for sugar and sweets and at the same time you don’t have to go hungry. You can follow a diet rich in meat/protein and still lose weight. When you eat protein you will feel full much faster and the consequence is that you will then eat less.

But what are the effects if you follow a high protein diet in the long run? Let’s see what 4 different studies have to say about that:

1. According to a study published in ”Archives of Internal Medicine”, the Atkins follower had lost 7.27 lb (3.3 kg) more than the ones with diets counting fat and energy intake. The Atkins diet was more effective on a short period of time, but after one year the difference was erased. The study was too short to prove that the diet has a negative affect on the heart and cardiovascular system or diabetes but there have been many discussions on this subject.
2. There has been a study on 50,000 women between the years of 1993- 2004. 40% of the women had a traditional low fat diet while 60% didn’t have any restriction on what they could eat. In 2004 the study showed that the persons who followed a diet with little fat had on an average lost 4.85 lb (2.2 kg). There was no clear weight loss on those who didn’t have a restricted fat. According to this study it was shown that the persons reducing their fat intakes was the one losing most weight during this period: 1993-2004.
3. According to a study on 42,000 women in Sweden, during a 12 year period, it has been found that the more of the total calorie intake they got from the protein, and the less calorie intake they got from the carbs, the higher was the mortality amongst theses women.
4. The studies on the effects with high protein diet are not congruous. According to a French study on rats, it shows that those rats that was on a diet with a lot of protein had less body fat, had lower insulin- and blood sugar level and their weight was 18 percent lower than rats on a normal diet. The study on the rats didn’t show any negative signs on the affect on the liver- and kidney functions.

The American Heart Association does not recommend high-protein diets for weight loss. An increasing meat intake without regard to dietary levels of saturated fat could cause cholesterol and heart problems. There are other factors to be aware of.  In the high protein diet the vegetables are reduced, because they are counted as carbs, and that can lead to vitamin- and mineral deficiencies. It is recommended that you add Vitamin B and D as well as several minerals if you follow a high protein diet. The diet puts the body in “starvation” and ketone bodies is set free which can give you ache in the stomach and bad breath. The ones suffering from diabetes should not follow this diet because it could be harmful for them.

Although there is no clear evidence on the effects with a high protein diet on the long run, you should never the less be observant and careful, as you should with any kind of diet. A compromise could be that you go on a protein diet but not as extreme as the Atkins. Try to eat a lot of fruit and vegetables and eat different kinds so you get all the nutrition. Here is a compromise on how you can lose weight with a compromised and safer protein diet:

A SAFER PROTEIN DIET:

• EAT: Protein and fat – meat, fish, chicken, legumes, milk, butter, oils, nuts
• EAT SOME: Carbs with low GI – spinach, cauliflower, paprika, broccoli, strawberry, peach
• DON’T EAT: Pasta, potatoes, rice, bread, vegetables with high GI such as cooked beetroot, carrots

Don’t forget to exercise – it might save your life.

The exercising may save your life. The Maasai, Nomads from Kenya and Tanzania, live on a diet that is very rich on animal meats and fats (proteins) and poor in carbohydrates, but they rarely have any heart- or cardiovascular diseases.  According to a study, made by “Karolinska Institutet” in Sweden (one of Europe’s largest medical universities), the secret may have to do with the fact that they walk a lot, around 12.4 miles (20 km) every day!

The low GI Diet works for everyone

The low GI Diet, which is based on the Glycemic Index system, is one very healthy diet to follow, and it has many positive aspects to it. If you happen to be eating healthy and you’re feeding a family as well, this system works well for everyone.

It’s not a “diet” – It’s a change in your eating habits

The GI Diet is not actually a “diet” in the traditional way – it’s more a change in your eating habits. This plan teaches you to cut out foods that will enter your bloodstream quickly. You will thus eliminate high-processed, refined foods, so you are left with natural foods that make up a healthy diet.

It’s important that if you use this plan, to use it as an eating plan and not a diet. Select food choices based on it, but don’t count the numbers for your children, unless your healthcare provider has instructed you to.

Children are not immediately receptive to healthy diets. They want what tastes good, whether it’s good for them or not. Introduce the healthy foods gradually. After they are accustomed to the new taste, it won’t be an issue anymore. Eating healthy should be something you do naturally, not something to become obsessed with.

Substitute processed foods with wholemeals

In setting up a low GI Plan for your family, switch from current fads to old-fashioned ways of eating. Remove the processed foods, with their refined flours and added sugars. Select breakfast cereals with low or no sugar, made with bran, barley and oats. Use whole grain breads instead of white. Wholemeal bread with seeds is a healthy choice. Try wholegrain flour pancakes and wholemeal pitas. Eat pasta and rice instead of potatoes. Eat lots of vegetables, salads and fruits. Select these foods and you have made a healthy diet choice.

Feel full longer with a low GI Plan

The foods in a low GI Plan are excellent for school age children, since they tend to be released more gradually into their bloodstream. This enables them to be able to concentrate more fully at school. And they will feel full longer, too. If your children are hyperactive or display an inability to concentrate, don’t load down their systems with refined sugar products. Keep them on a healthy diet, and the low GI Plan will benefit them a lot.

Know the difference between bad and good fats

When you think about a healthy diet, you would assume that means no fats. But this isn’t always the case. Many fats are part of a healthy eating program. So, you’ll need to know the difference between bad and good fats. Fried foods are generally bad fat, and they don’t have a valid place in a healthy diet. Even oils that are not refined, like olive oil, are bad when they are heated.

Use raw food into each meal

Incorporate raw food into each meal, to help add up to a healthy diet. Your appetite for raw food will grow after you’ve been eating it, and it is a good part of healthy eating.