Low Carb Diet vs. High Fat Diet

Is a low carb diet really better for you than a low fat
diet? According to Dr. Jeff Volek from The University
of Connecticut it is.

Dr. Volek states "Low carbohydrate diets outperform
low fat diets on just about every risk factor you can
measure. This includes standard and emerging markers
such as lipid markers, inflammatory markers, vascular
markers, metabolic and hormonal markers, etc."

He also adds "the improvements in metabolic risk
factor on low carbohydrate diets are not dependent of
weight loss, that is, even if you don't lose weight metabolic
improvements persist. However, low fat diets only result
in improvement in risk factors if weight loss occurs."

In his study participants ate a larger percentage of
vegetables as compared to the usual suspects when most
think of a low carb diet.

Dr. Volek says "The main goal is to have subjects restrict
carbohydrates so that they produce ketones in the urine.
The usual breakdown is about 10% carbohydrate, 65% fat,
and 25% protein. There are no restrictions on the type of
fat from saturated and unsaturated sources or cholesterol
levels. Examples of foods consumed by the subjects included
unlimited amounts of beef, poultry, fish, and eggs,
moderate amounts of hard cheeses and low carbohydrate
vegetables and salad dressings, and small amounts of nuts
and seeds."

What other benefits can be derived from a low carb diet
as opposed to a low fat, hgher carb diet?

"The potential problem with low fat/high carbohydrate diets
is that they can exacerbate the features associated with
metabolic syndrome, unless you also exercise or lose weight
as part of the low fat diet. High carbohydrate diets
increase triglycerides, lower HDL-cholesterol, and
lead to greater fluctuations in glucose and insulin.
There is also an emerging concept that carbohydrates tend
to be more pro-inflammatory. To some extent the
over-emphasis on carbohydrates explains why we
have seen such an increase in diabetes." says Dr. Volek.

Click here to read this whole interview.

Personally, as a weight lifter I prefer a higher protein intake
to support muscle growth.

But that's another story!






low carb diet

Not To Be(er)! That's The Answer! (So Far!)

Well, my low carb diet plan officially doesn't include
a beer before bed!

It's been 3 days now since I stopped drinking my
customary beer (or two or three) after work which
just so happens to be right before bed too.

I went to th gym today and...TADA! lost 2 1/2 lbs!

Wow! Just THREE DAYS! Two and a half pounds!

Maybe next I'll try a low carb beer. NAH!

We'll see what happens with still 11 days to go in my
personal challenge.





low carb diet

To Be(er), Or Not To Be(er)! That Is The Question.

A low carb diet has many rewards. Losing weight while
maintaining muscle thus (hopefully) looking better and
FEELING better being tops among them.

BUT, being on a low carb diet also means giving up
some of what possibly may be your favorite foods.

One of my favorites just happens to be a beverage. BEER!

I love a nice cold beer (or two...or three!) when I get home
from a long day of work.

Here's my dilemma.

I work second shift. I also work 10 hour shifts so it's
almost 1:30am by the time I get home. So even if I'm
able to plan my meals at work so that I eat my last
one at say 11:30-12:00 and then abstain when I get
home, I still want a beer (or two...or three!).

An ice cold beer's AWESOME when you're relaxing
and trying to unwind from the day. But, as you may
be aware, beer probably doesn't fit into a low carb diet.

And I'm not talking about those silly light beers either!

I want a full bodied, HEAVY beer with lots-o-flavor
that fills the gut. Heck, I've been drinking water all
day, why would I want my beer to taste like water?

So I checked out what exactly's in a beer, nutrition wise.

Here's what's in a 12oz can of Bud:
calories 145
carbs 11

That's really not a lot! Not in my eyes.

BUT (there's that word again!) if you're trying to lose
weight those calories add up fast.

If I drink only two there's an additional 290 calories
and 22 carbs. Right before bed.

So, in the name of science, I will forth with deny myself
of my favorite beverage for two weeks to see if it
makes any difference in my weight.

I'm starting off at 232lbs. I'll see you in two weeks!







low carb diet

Low-carbohydrate diet in type 2 diabetes

Can a low carb diet be beneficial to people suffering
from diabetes?

According to a recent study published in "Nutrition &
Metabolism" a low carb diet plan can definitely in
maintaining glycemic control and body weight.

"Low-carbohydrate diets in the management of obese
patients with type 2 diabetes seem intuitively attractive
due to their potent antihyperglycemic effect. We
previously reported that a 20% carbohydrate diet
was significantly superior to a 55–60%
carbohydrate diet with regard to bodyweight
and glycemic control in 2 non-randomised groups
of obese diabetes patients observed closely over 6 months. "

This study concluded that "Advice on a 20 % carbohydrate
diet with some caloric restriction to obese patients with
type 2 diabetes has lasting effect on bodyweight and
glycemic control."

So a low carb diet is healthier in MANY aspects. My
thinking is that if it helps those who already suffer
from diabetes it's probably going to help prevent
many from acquiring the disease in the first place!





low carb diet

Low Carb Diet - What About Excercise?

Here's a short article that I thought hit home with
what I like to think's a good combination...that is
a good low carb diet plan along with a regular
excercise routine.

Please note that any sensible diet, whether you follow
a low carb diet plan or not, should be supplemented
with excercise!

Always consult your physician before starting any
excercise program.

FEATURED ARTICLE
================

A few days ago, a customer asked me this question:
"I eat healthfully, and exercise at least an hour every
day, but I've been stuck at 146-150 for a while now.
How can I get over this plateau and keep losing?"

The older I get, I like to tell myself that I'm becoming
smarter - or I may be just becoming lazier. In any case,
I definitely don't work out that much. You can get great
results without training that much. I was able to tolerate
1-hour workouts every day when I was 20 - but not
anymore. I don't know you but there is a possibility that
you are overtraining. The fact that you train for one hour
a day tells me that you have a lot of zeal. Here are the
questions you need to ask yourself so you get over the
plateau:

1) What type of exercise do you do each day? Is it only
aerobic or do you do resistance training as well? If you
are not doing resistance training, replace some of your
exercise time (at least half) with resistance training.
I'm convinced that "normal people" can achieve almost any
weight management goal they have by training properly
with weights for 40 minutes every other day. Get in there,
do your exercises and then getout. You don't need to train
more. You need to train smart. Get your weight training
down. THEN you can add the aerobics if you want.

2) If you ARE doing resistance training, are you getting
stronger every workout? Yes or no? Can you lift more
weight or do more reps with the same weight? Yes or no?
If no, then you may be overtrained or maybe you
are not eating enough protein or sleeping and resting
properly.

3) Did you measure your weight AND fat percentage before
starting exercising? Where are you now? Did you lose
weight? Was that fat? Or did you lose muscle? You can't
improve what you can't measure. If you are losing
muscle, you will just continue spinning your wheels.

4) Exercising can get boring. And the body adjusts to the
"same ol', same ol'" after a while. Try changing up your
workout routine so you don't get bored.

Remember to keep track of your progress. Measure
your weight, fat and muscle once a week on an empty
stomach in the morning. Know how you are progressing
and "fail fast" if need be. If you see a week that you
gained fat and lost muscle (it happens even in the best
families) try to readjust your plan. Don't make the mistake
that many people make and that's following a plan that
doesn't work FOR YEARS. This is called "failing in slow
motion". You want fast results? Measure your progress
then.

If you keep an ultra strict diet for several days, then you
can reward yourself by having a "free day" where you
eat some of your favorites foods like pizza, cheesecake etc.
Don't eat 10,000 calories, ok? But taking a break every
now and then can really help you stay on track for the long
term.

You have much more control over your life that others
would have you believe. Right now, you are overweight
because of some very specific habits you have. Focus on
those habits. As soon as you correct them, you will be able
to start losing weight and fat and looking great.

Forget who you have been all your life. Saying things like
"I'm a fat boy" or "I look like a barrel" don't help you.
Stay away from the victim mentality. Decide who you are
going to be from this point on.

Before you go to bed each night, spend just 5 minutes to
plan the next day. What are you going to do at 8:00 AM?
What at 10:25 AM? Note down your program. What will
you eat? When will you exercise? This will allow you to
"fly" through the next day much easier. Don't just wait
for the next day to come and then just "react" to whatever
comes your way. Remember: Failing to plan is planning to
fail.

Many people say "I can't do weight training (or exercise
at all) because I'm in no physical condition to do so".

This is one of the best examples of the "problem" being
the ultimate solution. START working out now. Take it
slowly. Start gently. Soon you'll be in such unbelievable
shape you'll wonder how you ever lived without eating
right and exercising. Nothing feels like being in great shape
does.

Starting a weight loss program can be challenging or
even scary for some people. We all have fear in at least
one sector of our lives. But you need to realize that the
next step in your personal growth (and weight loss), is
feeling "uncomfortable" . Only when you step out of your
comfort zone will you start to improve. Take it one step
at a time and give it your best shot. Be bold...

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=============

So there you have it. Some good, simple advice on
excercise incorporated with a good low carb diet
WILL work wonders for not only how you look but
your health and how you feel!