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Is A Low-Carb, High Protein Diet really Effective for Weight Loss?

Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:34:00 +0000

You may have heard that to increase muscle and to lose weight you need to increase your protein intake. When I first heard that I thought…wait a minute the same thing that is going to make you bigger is supposed to make you ’smaller’…I asked the trainer this question and he looked at me dumbfounded but it left me to thinking…”besides sounding absurd, will this method actually be safe?” Although we all know we require a certain quantity of protein every day to be healthy and because of propaganda to this effect, a lot of people view the daily consumption of high-protein foods such as meat and dairy as highly beneficial. However, judging from the failure of most if not all the people I have personally known attempting to lose weight on a high-protein, low carb diet, it may be time to revise our ideas about protein. From what I have seen (upwards of six cases I have been able to observe among friends, family and co-workers) it will be safe to answer the question heading this article with a simple No! Not only is a diet high in protein NOT the best at all for weight loss, according to many naturopaths, such a diet may even be detrimental to ones overall health. Because of its complexity, excessive protein along with fatty foods are the most difficult foods to digest and tend to leave one tired all the time. Moreover the common putrefaction of protein while being digested creates many acids in the body and has been known to lay the foundation for cancer. This is not to say that proteins and fats must be avoided, quite the contrary, what should be the goal in consuming these foods should be taking in exactly what the body needs and no more. The Max Planck institute has proven that, considering that the body recycles most of its protein for its own needs, 25g of protein a day is more than enough. According to T.C. Fry, a well known Naturopath and pioneer in drugless healing, there are several cultures such as the Caribbeans, who subsist on a Manioc-based (root-vegetable) diet and get about 12 g of protein a day. Quite similarly, an aboriginal tribe living in the Mountains of Hagen was discovered to live on about 80-90% of their diet being Sweet Potatoes, the rest mostly leafy veggies, bananas and the like. While I lived in Nigeria for 17 plus years, most people hardly ever even consumed milk or cheese (they were too expensive) and families strictly rationed the consumption of animal flesh to about the size of medium size lemon per person every other day. All these groups of people, with their root vegetable diets are obviously in great health, accomplishing great physical work. Moreover, Mother’s milk, which for a time is a baby’s perfect food, has about 1-2 % protein content. (Only fruits and veggies resemble it in their composition) Any reasonable person will be able to deduce that a growing baby needs more protein than a full-grown adult, yet human babies, just like with our distant cousins: the Apes in the wild, do just fine on breast milk and on the subject of apes who share about 98% of our DNA, do you know the Gorilla, the strongest primate, has been known to bench press upwards of about 4000 pounds! What does this creature live on? According to Dr. George Schaller and Dian Fossey, two great primatologists, this powerful relative lives on mostly fruits and leaves. Now, considering all the factors above, when it comes to the right diet for weight loss, I would recommend a Mucus-less or Mucus-poor (raw and cooked fruits and veggies) over any other mere fad in the quest of attaining fitness and health. Of course, if the consumption of animal flesh must be continued, I would also advise that it be done at a minimal quantity and only one kind of animal flesh every so often. In my opinion, consumption of fresh home-made salads, mono-meals of fruits, snacks on dried fruits such as dates, a few nuts and maybe even a short juice fast, as a choice for a diet (along with some form of exercise) will be the best path to attaining safe and healthy weight loss.

Getting There: Setting Goals For Your Health and Fitness

Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:42:00 +0000

In reality, a goal is simply a destination on a map. It is a place we want to be in the future. Imagine driving your car without a destination. You do not know where you might end up, right? It is the same with health and fitness, in that if you do not have a specific goal or destination, you could wind up anywhere on that map. As you draw your map and your future, observe the following rules for writing goals. Do not write goals in negative terms. Have you ever noticed the way we phrase things in terms of health and fitness goals? “I want to quit smoking.” “I want to lose weight.” These goals are written in negative terms. Written this way, even when you accomplish your goals, you are either a quitter or a loser! Write your goals with a positive spin. Goals should be attainable. Let’s face it – not all of us can be as fit as Lance Armstrong or have the physique of a supermodel. Make your goals realistic. If you remember a time when you felt pretty slim and healthy at a certain weight, make that your goal. And you may not be able to completely stop taking your medications for cholesterol, diabetes or blood pressure, but it is realistic to possibly reduce your need for them somewhat as you become more fit. (Never stop taking any medication unless directed to do so by a physician.) Goals need to be measurable. “I want to be thin” is not measurable. What does “thin” mean? Instead, think in terms of how much weight do you want to lose and by when? Or what size clothing you would like to be and when? Giving yourself a deadline or a finish line creates a sense of urgency and importance. Goals need specific motivation. This is the tangible reason for why you want to achieve this goal. We do not much care what the number on the scale says. It is just a number and there is not much emotion attached to it. Tying your goal to a meaningful event such as an upcoming reunion or vacation where you would like to look and feel your best gives your goal meaning and a sense of purpose. Here are some examples of goals written with the above rules in mind: 1. I will build up to exercising 5 days a week by July 31 of this year so that I need less insulin. 2. For the next 30 days I will get into the habit of eating at least three servings of vegetables a day so that I will live to see my children grow up. 3. I will be at my ideal weight by May 31 of next year so that I can fit into size 8 clothing. Get started by setting goals and mapping your future and you will be at your destination in no time at all! By Dr. Jennifer D. Wetmore (copyright 2006)

Why Walking is the New Running

Sun, 18 Apr 2010 23:47:00 +0000

There is a word that most overweight people dislike, it is a word that turns people off and makes their mind switch to another channel to avoid thinking about it. Unfortunately it is a key part to weight reduction and something that when done correctly can be the cause of your success. The word is…………….. Exercise! Now stay with me here, switch your mind back on to what I am saying stay, in this same frame. The reason most overweight people do not like the ‘E’ word is because they have set up in their mind that in equals pain and like most people they will do anything to avoid pain. There is a better way and you can find the better way when you begin to understand that there are different ‘types’ of exercise (hey, don’t disappear – stay with me now) At the lowest level there are 2 forms of exercise, these are; · Aerobic and · Anaerobic Aerobic exercise causes your heart and muscles to work very hard, pumping blood round your body at a high rate to get the oxygen to the muscles in order for them to keep working. A side effect of this is that it produces acid in your muscles, lactic acid to be precise. It is this lactic acid that causes you muscles to stiffen up after you have finished, causing you pain. Lactic acid also stays in your system for a long time as your body finds it hard to break it down. If your body cannot break the acid down it wraps it up and stores it as fat! The main type of aerobic exercise that people do on a regular basis is running, yes this helps build fitness but if you want to reduce your weight you can only concentrate on building fitness once you get down to a sufficient weight. What you should concentrate on to start with is reducing your weight and nothing else, fitness comes later. This is where anaerobic exercise comes in. Anaerobic exercise causes the heart to work harder than normal which still pushes the blood and oxygen around the body but does not work the muscles as hard and therefore does not create lactic acid. Further more anaerobic exercise helps in releasing stored fat and acid and helps it into the waste system so that the body can get rid of it. Remember you cannot ‘burn’ off your weight. The phrase ‘burning off calories’ is a myth! The weight you get rid of has to leave your body somehow and it is through your waste system that this happens. So, what is the best form of anaerobic exercise? I hear you ask Well, as the title of this article suggests it is walking. My suggestion to you is that you walk for 1 Ѕ hours at least 3 times per week and that should be broken down into the following; · 15 minutes warm up walking at a pace slightly faster than your normal walking pace · 60 minutes walking at a high pace that gets your heart pumping · 15 minutes warm down walking at your normal walking pace. If you cannot manage that to start with find your own level and start there and slowly build up to this level. Remember the warm up and warm down though as this is vital. Enjoy your walking. Yours truly, Graham Nicholls

Why Whey Protein?

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 18:54:00 +0000

With all of the recent negative press given to body supplements, it makes good sense to be cautions about using different nutritional supplements as a part of your body building efforts. Whey protein has been lauded as a safe, natural and simple supplement. It’s use has become popular for those genuinely interested in good health through physical fitness and body building. The importance of adequate protein levels in the body cannot be ignored. Since protein is used up when exercising, body builders must prevent muscle deterioration by maintaining protein levels. Naturally, building additional muscle mass will also require adequate levels. Whey protein is a substance that is drawn from milk. That’s right, plain old cow’s milk. Whey is known to be a byproduct of cheese and, until the recent discovery of its health qualities, was discarded. In fact, scientists now know that what was once considered junk is actually rich in the amino acids which help build muscles and promotes good health. As we know, protein is found in other basic foods such as meat, vegetables and grains. But, thanks to the research that has been done, we now know that whey protein is accepted by the body better. As a result body builders and other athletes can usually expect better results from whey protein than from other sources of protein. This high quality and natural product is also useful for other people who may be on special diets, whether they are for weight loss, food allergies, or even for diabetics. Remember, high quality protein is essential for optimum health…not just for body building. Use of whey protein can help others heal quicker and recover from illness quicker. As always, be sure to check with your health professional before implementing whey protein or making any other changes in your diet or routines. Like anything else, too much of a good thing can be harmful, so be sure to use it in moderation.

Stop Exercising And Start Playing

Wed, 24 Mar 2010 11:30:00 +0000

Have you ever berated yourself because you didn’t exercise yet again today? Have you felt that creeping guilt in the back of your mind when you climb into bed knowing you didn’t follow through on your workout plan? Well, it’s possible that you are not at fault. You may just be acting like a normal human being. Take a moment to imagine how it feels to be… 1) In a hot, sweaty gym full of people who are grunting through their routines, sweating all over the equipment, and strutting their bodies around in front of the mirrors. OR 2) Rounding a curve in the trail with a light breeze gently caressing your skin in the soft evening air. How about the difference between… 1) Running around an oval track gasping for air and feeling your lungs burning. OR 2) Racing up and down a soccer field fully challenged by the game and having a blast with your friends. It’s not difficult to decide which choices would be more enjoyable to most people. Our culture has taught us to suffer as we exercise. “No pain, no gain” has been the mantra for years. The only problem is that for most people, “pain” is not a daily choice we’re willing to make. The natural human tendency is to do things that are fun, things that feel good. Forcing ourselves to do miserable exercise routines goes directly against our own nature. An easy way out of that trap is to play more. Find ways of moving the body that are wildly fun or rewarding to the soul. Dance around your house. Take a nature walk. Fly a kite. Go to the park with the kids and play some tetherball. Make the choice to move every day because it’s fun and feels great. Choose to move because it make you feel healthy and strong and vibrant. You’ll find you’re getting a lot more “exercise” without even thinking about it in that way. Life is meant to be an enjoyable journey not an endless round of suffering. Choose to have more joy and you’ll feel the difference in your body and in your spirit.

Why Core Fitness Is Important

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 23:23:00 +0000

If you’ve listened to the buzz around the fitness world lately or perused the latest workout books, you’ve probably heard the experts referencing core fitness in some shape or form. Traditionally, strength training has been dominated by exercises focused on isolating the muscles of the arms and legs. In fact, if you look at many of the weight machines that have become popular in modern gyms, you’ll notice that they require you to sit or recline while you use them. While these machines will effectively help you build the muscles that they target, the problem is that, in real life, we don’t use our muscles that way. We lift a box from the floor to a shelf, swing a golf club, push our children on the swing set, or climb a rock wall. In fact, the vast majority of the things we do require all of the muscles in our bodies to function together and be coordinated through our mid-sections, or our “core.” While those activities may make the use of core muscles seem very obvious, this area, made up of the muscles of our midsection, are actually responsible for quite a few of the more subtle functions as well, including posture, balance and stability. A weakened core will often result in poor posture and stability, yet we don’t necessarily feel the results of it in areas that show us a direct cause and effect correlation. For example, poor posture, due to a weakened core, might allow our hips to slip out of alignment resulting in knee pain. In fact, quite a few of the chronic muscle and joint pain issues that Americans are suffering with today stem from a weakened core. It is no wonder, then, that exercise science has taken a dramatic shift in recent years to include the core in strength training regimes. Now, rather than using a machine to first exercise your legs and then your arms, trainers are suggesting that their clients use free weights or bands to combine exercises such as a squat to overhead press. By linking the two, people are forced to transition the exercise movement through their core, and the core muscles in turn help to maintain good posture throughout the exercise. The end result is that we are exercising in a fashion that mimics the movements that we use in everyday life, while creating better posture and increasing our stability and balance.

Why Is Weight Loss So Hard?

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 05:31:00 +0000

Weight loss is a common problem millions of Americans today struggle with. Very few Americans have been successful at losing a desired amount of weight. The main problem is that most cannot stick to the designated program. For instance, a general weight loss program includes both diet as well as exercise. Most of the time an individual trying to lose weight will at least attempt one of these. Often times what happens is that the exercise may be too strenuous for that person since they must have lacked exercise for so long going back to why they are in such shape. Another perspective is the diet. Most people looking to lose weight are usually in this pandemic because of eating not only food with high amounts of sugars and fats, but also food in high quantities of these fats ans sugars. This becomes a significant problem because changing old habits for anyone is such a difficult process especially in America since you can’t walk two feet out your door without seeing a McDonald’s. So in the end dieting or weight loss in general is such a difficult process because of the extreme new “way of life” you would have to adapt to. A recent statistic said that of those who fail to reach an ideal weight goal in a diet actually gain more weight trying the diet rather then losing. The reason for this is once you “give in,” you start “binge eating” meaning you eats almost everything in site with no restrictions. This is a one negative impact of dieting viewed by many. Of course most researchers/doctors say diet and exercise are essential for a healthy life, whether losing weight or not.

Why Staying Fit And Trim Means Occasionally Letting Yourself Go

Sun, 24 Jan 2010 16:03:00 +0000

Sticking to resolutions is probably the hardest thing we all have to face (at least) once every year. And sticking to a healthy diet probably ranks as one of those “temptations” we all can’t seem to resist or overcome. But who says we have to? In a time of extremes, xtreme sports, xtreme make-overs, etc, xtreme diets (even according to the experts, may not be extremely helpful or healthy for that matter. In fact, experts agree that a fulfilling and occasional urge to “splurge” is okay (and recommended), as long as you can maintain a healthy balance. Tasty treats as a “reward” is fine and can vary from individual to individual, but while experts say you shouldn’t (always) deny your cravings and your (), you “should” try to replace food with other healthy reward alternatives. For instance, instead of treating yourself to coffee and dessert, consider treating yourself to a new outfit, a day at the spa, or a new doo. The occasional indulgence is okay, again, as long as you can set and stick to limits and parameters. Remember, you can easily reverse all you’ve accomplished in just a few days (let’s face it it’s a lot easier to put on pounds than to shed them). Experts note that even dining out, having your cake and a buttered role is fine as long as you don’t do it every time, or all at once. With regards to satisfying your sweet tooth, you may be able to “splurge” more than once a week. Go ahead, have that piece of candy or chocolate but don’t have the entire box. Also, you may want to try some healthier, low-fat or fat-free alternatives to boot. Another suggestion is applying the 90/10 rule. Be extremely conscious of what you do 90 percent of the time, but let your hair and your guard down the other 10 percent (of the time). After all, say dieticians and nutritionists alike, food “should” be tasty and enjoyable. They suggest designating a time or day or two a month were you relax your rules, or regiment, but add that you need to exercise this practice with caution so that you don’t find yourself falling completely off the wagon. Furthermore, experts assert, that mastering the art of eating (even some of your “not-so-healthy” favorites) can help keep you feeling deprived and ( ) by ultimately overindulging. They key is planning ahead for “splurges” and not losing site of portion size. Remember, a successful plan means something you are comfortable with and can live with over the long haul.

Keeping Your Brain Healthy And Smart: Keep Active And Learn New Things

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 14:58:00 +0000

For years fitness enthusiasts have suspected that exercise positively affects the brain as well as the body. But while it seemed logical that an active lifestyle would help the brain, the scientific evidence was lacking. Now several biological studies indicate that working out does benefit the brain. The reasons to get moving are greater than you think. Now researchers are finding biological evidence that exercise benefits specific brain mechanisms. And, it even contributes to growing new neurons! While we used to think that the brain loses cells as we age, we now know it is not true for those people who keep active and learn new things. Much of the new research suggests that exercise positively affects the hippocampus, a sea-horse shaped brain structure that is vital for memory and learning. In one recent study, researchers found that adult mice doubled their number of new brain cells in the hippocampus when they had access to running wheels. The fact that the mammalian adult brain can increase its number of brain cells is surprising in itself. This is good news for aging adults. It was once thought that the brain stopped producing new brain cells early in its development. And presumably brain power dimmed as cells died over the years. But in the past decade, researchers have found definitive evidence that the brain continues to generate new brain cells throughout life, even in humans. Studies indicate that challenging environments, which include a number of components, such as pumped-up learning opportunities, social interactions and physical activities, are key to boosting the growth of new brain cells. What does this mean for humans? We can keep our brains healthy by entering into new situations, new games, and new social group activities. And if we can keep learning new things, and engage in physical activities, we can continue growing new brain cells. We can redefine “senior moments,” if we take advantage of opportunities to learn and move. No more excuses for forgetting things for the older population.

If you want a healthy body

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 21:44:00 +0000

The main reasons for this is that once we reach the age of 30, the muscles in our body begin to shrink because they are not being used correctly. Also our bones become much less dense over time. In some cases this may actually lead to a person suffering from osteoporosis. Unfortunately as our muscles begin to shrink so our metabolic rate also begins to slow down as well. its hard to keep the muscles and a flat body you had, However there are things a person can do when they reach the age of 40 which can help to prevent them losing muscle mass and keep their metabolic rate working at a good level. You have to follow the right kind of diet and use a good exercies. below here you can find some tips wich are usefull. Tip 1 It is important that you have a good well rounded set of exercises in your workout program. You need ones that are going to flex and stretch your body and also include some cardiovascular exercises as well. By including such a good set of exercises into your workout program the less likely you are to suffer from any kinds of injuries. Tip 2 Never carry out the same routine each day, instead mix it up a bit. So one day go and do a session in the gym and another just go for a walk or bike ride instead. If you mix up your exercise regime more then the less likely you are to get bored with doing it and so the less likely you are to quit. Also by varying your workout routines the less likely you are to suffer any kind of injury because you are not overworking any sets of muscles too much. Tip 3 Before you start any sort of workout it is vital that you carry out the right kinds of stretching exercises first. If you start working out whilst your muscles are still tight can spell disaster for you. Remember as you get older your muscles are not as elastic as they were when you were younger. Therefore by stretching before working out or just generally through out the day will help your muscles to regain and retain the elasticity in them. These tips is the begin to getting fit again. and maintain that healthy body. But as I said this is just the basic