The Atkins Nutritional Approach or Atkins diet is a low-carb diet that restricts the amount of carbohydrates as to covert stored fat to energy. This diet restricts digestible carbohydrates or net carbs that impact blood sugar levels. Preferred foods on the atkins low carb diet are unprocessed foods with a low GI. Some foods with a low glycemic index such as black rice should be avoided. The same goes for white bread, sugar, and other high GI products. The list of allowed foods includes most protein-rich foods such as eggs, seafood, and meats. They have no or little carbohydrates. Most types of cheese contain less than 1 gram of carbs per ounce, but it is important to check labels. Some cheeses have more. You can have cream cheese but avoid farmer’s cheese, cottage cheese, and other fresh cheeses. Adequate fat content is important, and Atkins recommends consuming foods that are rich in natural fats. Trans fats should be avoided. Eat plenty of foods such as cold-water fish and other fish meats that contain omega-3 fatty acids.
You can use grapeseed oil, peanut oil, or canola oil for stir-frying, especially those that are expeller-pressed or cold-pressed. Avoid sunflower, safflower, soy, and corn oil or consume in small amounts. Opt for regular full-fat mayonnaise when choosing mayonnaise. Australian mayonnaise, for example, contains thickening agents, citric acid, flavor enhancers, and sugar. It has macadamia nut oil or other healthy oils, but it is low in fat and high in carbohydrates. The same rules apply when choosing salad dressings. Check labels and watch for added sugars.
Small amounts of lime or lemon juice (2 – 3 tablespoons) are allowed on the Atkins diet. You can have 10 to 20 olives, 1 ounce of sour cream, or 2 – 3 tablespoons of heavy cream. You can also have low-carb snack bars and other controlled-carb convenience foods and half a small avocado.
Finally, you should avoid anything made with grains, including pastries, cakes, and bread. To find the types of foods on the acceptable food list, look for a low carb diet guide with examples of foods, recipes, and meals.
One important question involves the type of diet that is best for you. One way to find out is to use a bmi formula to calculate your body mass index. People with a body mass index over 40 are considered very severely obese, and those with a BMI between 35 and 40 are severely obese.
Showing posts with label body mass index. Show all posts
Showing posts with label body mass index. Show all posts
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
The Sweet Alternative
Sugar alcohol is an artificial sweetener commonly used in frozen foods and replacement meal supplements as a replacement for table sugar. Sugar alcohols are made up of carbohydrates and part of their ingredients also resembles sugar, and in part also has a resemblance to alcohol. You may recognize some of these names on some sugar free items that you purchase; sorbitol, isomalt and xylitol. Sugar alcohols have fewer calories than sugar and when used in combination with foods and sweets with artificial sweeteners it can change the unpleasant taste of some high intensity sweeteners. When heated Sugar alcohols will not caramelize due to the fact they are not metabolized by oral bacteria.
Sugar free chewing gum is a popular choice for people that are low carb dieters or they are calorie conscious. It does not have any calories and although sweet it will not cause tooth decay. For diabetics, Sugar Alcohols are a safer option in comparison to regular sugar. It is misleading to believe that these alcohol sugars are carb free because they are not. However, they are considerably lower in carbs compared to regular table sugar. Sugar alcohol does not completely absorb into the blood stream through the small intestines which means that it has a result of a lower change in the effect of blood glucose levels. Because the sugar alcohol does not completely absorb while still in the bowel it will hold water creating a diarrhea effect, or lose bowels. Many low carb foods have began using sugar alcohol as alternative sweeteners to accommodate the low carb diets that are so popular. When you eating sugar free gum or candy you may experience a cooling sensation. This is the dissolving of the sugar alcohol taking place when it meets a heating solution. The alcohol sugar in combination with the saliva creates a cooling sensation.
You will be able to locate sugar alcohols on the ingredient label if the item has been prepared with it. Although, most sugar alcohols are not as sweet as regular sugar, therefore more is needed to give the desired sweetness that you may be trying to reach. There are different variations of sweetness among artificial alcohol sweeteners and they each have a different impact on the way they affect blood sugar levels. Most people that have adapted to a healthy eating plan but lowering their carb intake have found sugar alcohol as an alternative to having sweets or eating food that requires sugar as an ingredient. Low carb food along with eating healthy food and maintaining a weight loss program can easily be structured with the use of sugar alcohol. It is important to keep in mind that alcohol sugars alone cannot create a weight loss on any level. It is important to adjust to healthy eating and exercise. Doing that in combination with choosing to eat foods with lower carbs can prove to be beneficial in weight loss.
Sugar free chewing gum is a popular choice for people that are low carb dieters or they are calorie conscious. It does not have any calories and although sweet it will not cause tooth decay. For diabetics, Sugar Alcohols are a safer option in comparison to regular sugar. It is misleading to believe that these alcohol sugars are carb free because they are not. However, they are considerably lower in carbs compared to regular table sugar. Sugar alcohol does not completely absorb into the blood stream through the small intestines which means that it has a result of a lower change in the effect of blood glucose levels. Because the sugar alcohol does not completely absorb while still in the bowel it will hold water creating a diarrhea effect, or lose bowels. Many low carb foods have began using sugar alcohol as alternative sweeteners to accommodate the low carb diets that are so popular. When you eating sugar free gum or candy you may experience a cooling sensation. This is the dissolving of the sugar alcohol taking place when it meets a heating solution. The alcohol sugar in combination with the saliva creates a cooling sensation.
You will be able to locate sugar alcohols on the ingredient label if the item has been prepared with it. Although, most sugar alcohols are not as sweet as regular sugar, therefore more is needed to give the desired sweetness that you may be trying to reach. There are different variations of sweetness among artificial alcohol sweeteners and they each have a different impact on the way they affect blood sugar levels. Most people that have adapted to a healthy eating plan but lowering their carb intake have found sugar alcohol as an alternative to having sweets or eating food that requires sugar as an ingredient. Low carb food along with eating healthy food and maintaining a weight loss program can easily be structured with the use of sugar alcohol. It is important to keep in mind that alcohol sugars alone cannot create a weight loss on any level. It is important to adjust to healthy eating and exercise. Doing that in combination with choosing to eat foods with lower carbs can prove to be beneficial in weight loss.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
How to lose weight fast and eat healthy
For about four decades, the Atkins low carb diet has stood for an effective program to reduce their weight rapidly and healthily. It is based on the principle that the consumption of too many carbohydrates results in getting overweight. The simple reason behind that is that the human body uses carbs and fats to secure the supply of energy but carbs come first. If the body cannot burn all the carbohydrates, it stores them in the form of fat that results in weight gain. Excessive weight usually causes sleepiness, fatigue, poor memory, inability to concentrate, etc. So, in order to avoid or prevent such problems, you should limit the carb intake to less than 40 grams of carbohydrates per day.
Low Carb Foods
* The list of the most popular low carb vegetables includes: asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cabbage, celery, cucumber, kale, lettuce, onions, pepper, parsley, pumpkin, spinach, tomatoes, and turnip.
* Fruits that are best for the Atkins diet include: apples, bananas, berries, grapefruits, lemons, kiwis, melons, oranges, pears, pineapples, plums, and tangerines.
* Your diet may also include dairy products (butter, cheese and cream), meat (pork, beef, and lamb), poultry (chicken, turkey, etc.), fishes (salmon, sardines, trout, anchovies, etc.) and eggs.
Keep in mind that some of these foods are rich in fats, cholesterol and calories.
* Some herbs, spices, and oils have no carbohydrates. You may consume pepper, oregano, thyme, dill, sage and turmeric aw well as olive oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, corn oil and canola.
* Water, tea and coffee are totally free of carbohydrates.
Remember that you have to exclude all kinds of soft drinks, beer, wine, vodka, etc. when you are on a diet. Some of these drinks contain no carbohydrates but are high in calories. And one more fact: all alcoholic drinks provoke a healthy appetite.
How to Carry out the Atkins Diet Program
The program of the Atkins diet is based on four phases. During the first phase, your carb intake is limited to 20 grams per day, so consuming more salads and other non-starchy vegetables is recommended. During the next phase, you have to add some carbohydrates in the form of fibre-rich foods and increase the carb intake to 25 grams a day the first week. Increase to 30 grams per day during the second week and keep on in the same fashion until you stop losing weight. Then, reduce your daily carb intake with 5 grams so that you start loosing weight again.
The important transition from weight loss to maintaining healthy weight is made during the third phase. You should increase the carb intake in 10-gram increments each week until the moment when the daily weight loss becomes minimal. The final fourth phase builds the foundation for a lifetime of good health. Now, you can choose between various foods while at the same time, you control the carb intake to ensure that you keep your new weight and say healthy.
Low Carb Foods
* The list of the most popular low carb vegetables includes: asparagus, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, carrots, cabbage, celery, cucumber, kale, lettuce, onions, pepper, parsley, pumpkin, spinach, tomatoes, and turnip.
* Fruits that are best for the Atkins diet include: apples, bananas, berries, grapefruits, lemons, kiwis, melons, oranges, pears, pineapples, plums, and tangerines.
* Your diet may also include dairy products (butter, cheese and cream), meat (pork, beef, and lamb), poultry (chicken, turkey, etc.), fishes (salmon, sardines, trout, anchovies, etc.) and eggs.
Keep in mind that some of these foods are rich in fats, cholesterol and calories.
* Some herbs, spices, and oils have no carbohydrates. You may consume pepper, oregano, thyme, dill, sage and turmeric aw well as olive oil, sunflower oil, peanut oil, corn oil and canola.
* Water, tea and coffee are totally free of carbohydrates.
Remember that you have to exclude all kinds of soft drinks, beer, wine, vodka, etc. when you are on a diet. Some of these drinks contain no carbohydrates but are high in calories. And one more fact: all alcoholic drinks provoke a healthy appetite.
How to Carry out the Atkins Diet Program
The program of the Atkins diet is based on four phases. During the first phase, your carb intake is limited to 20 grams per day, so consuming more salads and other non-starchy vegetables is recommended. During the next phase, you have to add some carbohydrates in the form of fibre-rich foods and increase the carb intake to 25 grams a day the first week. Increase to 30 grams per day during the second week and keep on in the same fashion until you stop losing weight. Then, reduce your daily carb intake with 5 grams so that you start loosing weight again.
The important transition from weight loss to maintaining healthy weight is made during the third phase. You should increase the carb intake in 10-gram increments each week until the moment when the daily weight loss becomes minimal. The final fourth phase builds the foundation for a lifetime of good health. Now, you can choose between various foods while at the same time, you control the carb intake to ensure that you keep your new weight and say healthy.
Monday, November 15, 2010
How much should I weigh
The weight which is just right for your body is determined by several factors, such as sex, age, height, muscle-fat ratio, bone density, etc. However, the ideal body weight depends on ethno-historical, cultural and professional factors, as well. So, if you are neither a fashion model nor a sumo-wrestler, you could use one of the following ways to calculate your ideal body weight: Body Mass Index, Waist-hip Ratio and Body Fat Percentage.
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure that relates your weight to your height. You can calculate it by dividing your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in meters. For example: if you are a woman who is 1.60 meters tall and weighs 60 kilograms, your BMI is 23.44 (1.60 x 1.60 = 2.56; next: 60 divided by 2.56 =23.44).
If you use imperial units instead of metric ones, you should time (703) your weight in pounds and divide it by the square of your height in inches. For example: if your weight is 150 pounds and your height is 65 inches, your BMI is 24.95 (65 x 65 = 4225; 150 x 703 divided by 4225 =24.95).
Your weight is ideal if your BMI ranges between 18.5 and 25. You are underweight if your BMI is less than 18.5, and overweight with a BMI between 25 and 30. People with a BMI over 30 are classified as obese. However, the biggest problem with the BMI is the fact that BMI ignores some factors of great importance, such as bone density, muscle-fat ratio, waist-hip ratio, etc. For instance, people suffering from severe osteoporosis have very low levels of bone density. So, they would have a lower BMI than others of the same height who are healthy. The trained athletes have more muscle tissue and less body fat than will have couch potatoes of the same height. For this reason, athletes have a higher BMI.
Waist-hip Ratio (WHR) is the ratio of your waist's circumference to that of your hips. To calculate your WHR, you need to measure the circumference of your waist (just above the belly button) and the circumference of your hips (at their widest part). Then, you have to divide the first result by the second one. For instance: if your waist is 60 centimeters and your hips are 90 centimeters, your WHR is 0.67.
The WHR determines the ideal weight of a person and the risk of cardiovascular health problems, as well:
For females:* WHR less than 0.8 - low risk
* WHR between 0.8 and 0.89 - moderate risk
* WHR over 0.89 - high risk
For males:* WHR less than 0.9 - low risk
* WHR between 0.9 and 0.99 - moderate risk
* WHR over 0.99 - high risk
The problem with the WHR is the lack of measurement on the muscle-fat ratio, but the WHR is a more effective predictor of the ideal body weight than the BMI.
The Body Fat Percentage (BFP) is the ratio of your body fat divided by your total weight. BFP also indicates the person's storage of fat. The most popular ways of calculating the BFP are: dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, near-infrared interactance, and bioelectrical impendance analysis.
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure that relates your weight to your height. You can calculate it by dividing your weight in kilograms by the square of your height in meters. For example: if you are a woman who is 1.60 meters tall and weighs 60 kilograms, your BMI is 23.44 (1.60 x 1.60 = 2.56; next: 60 divided by 2.56 =23.44).
If you use imperial units instead of metric ones, you should time (703) your weight in pounds and divide it by the square of your height in inches. For example: if your weight is 150 pounds and your height is 65 inches, your BMI is 24.95 (65 x 65 = 4225; 150 x 703 divided by 4225 =24.95).
Your weight is ideal if your BMI ranges between 18.5 and 25. You are underweight if your BMI is less than 18.5, and overweight with a BMI between 25 and 30. People with a BMI over 30 are classified as obese. However, the biggest problem with the BMI is the fact that BMI ignores some factors of great importance, such as bone density, muscle-fat ratio, waist-hip ratio, etc. For instance, people suffering from severe osteoporosis have very low levels of bone density. So, they would have a lower BMI than others of the same height who are healthy. The trained athletes have more muscle tissue and less body fat than will have couch potatoes of the same height. For this reason, athletes have a higher BMI.
Waist-hip Ratio (WHR) is the ratio of your waist's circumference to that of your hips. To calculate your WHR, you need to measure the circumference of your waist (just above the belly button) and the circumference of your hips (at their widest part). Then, you have to divide the first result by the second one. For instance: if your waist is 60 centimeters and your hips are 90 centimeters, your WHR is 0.67.
The WHR determines the ideal weight of a person and the risk of cardiovascular health problems, as well:
For females:* WHR less than 0.8 - low risk
* WHR between 0.8 and 0.89 - moderate risk
* WHR over 0.89 - high risk
For males:* WHR less than 0.9 - low risk
* WHR between 0.9 and 0.99 - moderate risk
* WHR over 0.99 - high risk
The problem with the WHR is the lack of measurement on the muscle-fat ratio, but the WHR is a more effective predictor of the ideal body weight than the BMI.
The Body Fat Percentage (BFP) is the ratio of your body fat divided by your total weight. BFP also indicates the person's storage of fat. The most popular ways of calculating the BFP are: dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, near-infrared interactance, and bioelectrical impendance analysis.
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