Macrobiotic Diet

The word 'macrobiotic' originates from a combination of two Greek words: macrowhich means large or long, and bios which means life. The reference of this word can be found in the works of Hippocrates, the great Greek physician. However, in modern era, the word was used again by Christopher W. Hufeland in his bookMakrobiotik, The Art of Prolonging Life.

This diet lays significance over following a simple, balanced intake of natural foods, and avoiding the intake of processed foods. It advocates the philosophy that food, its quality, and its environment, largely affects our lives. Throughout history, people have adopted this natural diet with the traditional style of cooking, in search of health, happiness, and prolonged life.

Earlier, it was known as the 'Unique Principle' in Japan. George Ohsawa, the Japanese philosopher introduced this methodology to Europe in 1920. He propagated the theory, as he believed that the simplicity of natural and traditional foods hold the key to optimum health. Later, one of his pupils Nishibata Manabu brought this theory to America. With help of Michio Kushi, he expanded the theory to bring forth its present version.

The Underlying Philosophy
The diet is based on the Chinese philosophy which states that there are two extremely opposite forces governing and enveloping all aspects of life. These two forces are better known as Yin and Yang. While Yang represents the centripetal force of life, Yin denotes the centrifugal movement. Thus Yin symbolizes expansion while Yang denotes contraction. Yin is cold while Yang is hot. Yin is said to be sweeter, and Yang is said to be saltier. Ohsawa's theory signifies the perfect balance between Yin and Yang sources of food. In no condition, extreme Yin or extreme Yang foods are allowed.

The foods are classified into Yin and Yang based on numerous parameters including the location of the food (the area or region), origin of the food (from roots, stem, fruit, etc.), the color, the flavor (sweet/salty), the shape, the moisture content, etc. Such parameters are:
1. Time of preparation of food in the year - The preparation of macrobiotic dishes used to change according to summer, winter, autumn, spring seasons.
2. Time of preparation of food in the day - Preparation changes in the morning, noon and evening.
3. Existence of five colors - Five colors mainly red, white, blue, yellow, and black should be present in the recipe.
4. Existence of five tastes - Food carrying tastes like sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and sharp should be included in diet.
5. Sum of Yin and Yang properties - As foods will strike out the balance between Yin and Yang the sum of such properties should be either zero or very close to zero.

The Constituents
The writings of Ohsawa recommended the following constituents of such a diet.
1. Whole grains- These should make 50-60% of daily foods, and include brown rice, whole wheat, barley, oats, corn, millet. Though great emphasis is laid on whole grains, small amount of food items made from flour is permitted.
2. Fresh vegetables- They should make 25-30% of daily food. Cauliflower, cabbage, onion, broccoli, mustard greens, kale, collards, turnip greens, radish, pumpkin, acorn squash, and butternut squash are highly recommended. Vegetables should be cooked with help of light steam and unrefined cooking oil.
3. Beans and sea vegetables- They should account for 5-10% of the standard diet. Garbanzo beans, tofu, lentils, and sea vegetables like Kombu, nori, wakame are highly recommended as they serve as a rich source of minerals.
4. Soups - They must comprise 5-10% of the diet. Soups of miso, soy, vegetables and beans can be included.+
5. Foods carrying extreme Yin values like eggs and dairy products should be avoided. Foods carrying extreme Yang values like sweets, chocolates, coffee should be avoided.
6. Processed food with artificial flavors and colors are not allowed.

Advocacy
This diet is low in fats, high in fiber, and rich in vegetables and soy products. It is characterized by the presence of phytoestrogen, which is supposed to serve as a preventive measure against cancer. A predominantly vegetarian diet comprising whole grain and vegetables claims to support the cure of many diseases.

Critics
Many nutrition experts discard this theory, as strict implementation of macrobiotic diet can lead to nutritional deficiencies. A person can suffer from the deficiencies of calcium, Vitamin B12, Vitamin D, etc. The claims of curing diseases like cancer have not been substantiated, and are not supported by significant scientific evidence.

If the diet is followed with certain exception of supplementary foods to make up for the deficiencies, it may help to remain healthy and reduce the risk of several diseases.

Macrobiotic Diet Menu

Most people are of the view that a macrobiotic diet is less of a diet and more of a lifestyle change. Of late, the word 'diet' seems to have become synonymous with sudden erratic changes in eating patterns, often eliminating major food groups, that are more concerned with losing weight than promoting health. A macrobiotic diet follows the principle of eating foods that will enhance not only physical health, but also spiritual and mental health. Essentially derived from a Japanese style of life, a typical macrobiotic menu will include mainly cereals, grains and vegetables along with small amounts of fish. People following this lifestyle will typically avoid processed and refined foods, and use macrobiotic menu natural foods wherever possible. To understand the principles governing this diet and its menu, the following are some guidelines.

BASICS

Food Group Proportions
Carbohydrates: Include carbohydrates in the form of whole grains like brown rice, wheat, barley, millet, rye and corn among others, to make up 50 to 60% of each meal.
Vegetables: Make up 25 to 30% of each meal. Vegetables are to be eaten raw, steamed, baked or boiled.
Soup: Made from macrobiotic ingredients, especially miso and shoyu, one to two servings a day.
Beans: No more than 5 to 10% of your daily food intake. Most menus of this diet incorporate the use of soybeans and other soy products, like tofu.
Fish: Fish and seafoods are eaten in small amounts, several times a week. On the whole, all other forms of meat and poultry are avoided.
Fruits and Nuts: Locally produced fruit is to be consumed several times a week, especially fruits such as apples, peaches, pears, berries, grapes and melons. Nuts in small portions are also permitted.

Cooking Styles
In general, a macrobiotic diet will emphasize cooking styles which permit low (or no) oil content like pressure cooking, boiling, steaming, sautéing and so on. Although it does not completely restrict other styles of cooking, people on this diet are advised to avoid deep frying, roasting and pan frying. This is the main reason why this diet is beginning to gain popularity among the masses.

Beverages
The consumption of any aerated, caffeine containing drinks, or those containing artificial sweeteners, as well as alcohol should be avoided. You can drink macrobiotic tea, or kukicha twig tea as an accompaniment to a macrobiotic breakfast, as well as in between your meals.

PRINCIPLES

Balance
The macrobiotic diet works on the principle of balance, derived from the Chinese philosophy of yin and yang - the two opposing forces that together maintain life's balance. Applying this principle to all aspects of life, and incorporating it in the meals you eat promotes holistic and spiritual well-being. Yin is the female force, dark, tranquil, cool and calm, while Yang is the male force, active, alert, warm and energetic. The macrobiotic way of life advises combining both forces to balance all aspects of life. The principles of yin and yang are also applied to food, to achieve a balance of all flavors - sweet, savory, bitter and sour.

Seasonal Changes
When planning a menu, it's also important to keep in mind that cooking styles and foods should change according to the time of year or season. In spring for instance, when there is freshness, light, macrobiotic recipes reflect these seasonal variances and use fresh produce and light cooking styles. In winter, on the other hand, use heavier foods with a more concentrated taste and strong flavors.

Ecologic sustainability
One of the strengths of the macrobiotic diet is its emphasis on the use of locally grown produce, to encourage ecologic sustainability. It encourages eating, organic foods, that are grown in the area where you reside, stressing that foods that are imported from different places are meant for people who reside there. A case in point would be eating tropical fruits (which this diet advises against) in regions with temperate climates.

Restrictions
Although the macrobiotic way of life has dedicated followers for whom the high-fiber low-fat diet works well, this plan is inadvisable for children, adolescents, pregnant women and lactating mothers. Some nutritionists also feel that it may give rise to vitamin deficiencies and low energy levels due to low protein content.

Once you understand the principles to keep in mind, planning a macrobiotic diet menu will not seem as difficult as it may appear. It is a healthy diet to follow, one that you can incorporate into a lifestyle change. Leading a 'macrobiotic life' can be a holistic experience, promoting health and happiness for both you and your family!

Macrobiotic Diet For Weight Loss

A macrobiotic diet for weight loss is not just a diet, but a way of life. The term "macrobiotic" has Greek origins and essentially means "great life" or "long life". The macrobiotic diet and philosophy were developed by a Japanese educator named George Ohsawa. Ohsawa's theory was further expanded by another educator, Michio Kushi.

The macrobiotic diet is based on a Chinese philosophy of balancing the forces of yin and yang. Certain foods are classified as yin foods and are considered to be overstimulating. They can exhaust the mind and body, and include: sugar, alcohol, coffee, chocolate, very hot spices, milk, soft cheese, cream, refined flour products and chemicals and preservatives. Yin represents expansion, coolness and passiveness, and are cold, sweet and passive. On the other hand, some foodstuffs are classified as yang and they are considered strengthening but heavy and dense. These include: poultry, meat, hard cheeses, eggs and refined salt. Yang foods are hot, salty and cause aggression as well as stagnation if over consumed. The macrobiotic diet tries to reduce the influence of both yin and yang foods, and propagates foods that create balance such as whole grains, vegetables, beans, fruits, nuts, seeds and sea vegetables.

Composition of the Macrobiotic Diet

The macrobiotic diet is based on the philosophy that people should eat natural, unprocessed, organically grown foods which are native to their region, climate and area. It is a predominantly vegetarian diet and consists of low-fat, high-fiber foods. However, this diet allows fish occasionally. Its general composition is as follows:

• Whole grains comprise 50% of this diet. These include brown rice, barley, millet, wheat, corn, rye, buckwheat, and rolled oats. Small quantities of whole grain breads and pasta are allowed.
• Fresh, seasonal vegetables account for 25-30% of the diet. The highly recommended veggies include broccoli, cauliflower, green cabbage, carrots, parsnips, daikon radishes, watercress, collared greens, bok choy, onions, parsley, and kale. Vegetables to be avoided are eggplant, potatoes, tomatoes, spinach and beets.
• Beans, legumes and occasionally, fish account for 10% of the diet. Beans to be included are chickpeas, lentils and azuki. Tofu and tempeh are also to be included for proteins.
• Sea vegetables form 5% of the diet. These include nori, wakame, kombu, hiziki and arame.
• Remaining 10% of the diet is made up of 5% soups made with regular or sea vegetables or miso soup, and 5% fruits, nuts and seeds. Fruits should be the locally produced ones and can include apples, pears, peaches, apricots, grapes, berries and melons. Fruits to be avoided are mango, pineapple and papaya.

Macrobiotic Diet and Weight Loss

The macrobiotic diet is low in saturated fats, provides all the essential fats and prevents the consumption of processed foods, deep-fried snacks or excessively fried foods, meat, alcohol, sugary soft drinks, etc. Thus, weight loss is aided by the macrobiotic diet as calories consumed by the individual declines. This diet needs to be aided by regular exercise to produce the desired results. Its composition will vary depending on various factors like your age, body weight, medical condition, level of activity and also, other factors like your geographical location, climate and season.

However, it is a generally accepted belief that this diet is not followed only for weight loss but for other benefits like inner well-being. It improves your physical, psychological and spiritual health. By balancing the forces of yin and yang, it creates balance and harmony in your life. Macrobiotic diet propagates consumption of natural, organically grown foods, chewing food well, avoiding television and computers while eating, avoiding food prepared with microwave and electricity. These practices can bring you closer to nature and promote a holistic, healthy way of life.

Possible Side Effects of the Macrobiotic Diet

Side effects of this diet are few and can be prevented. Since this diet is very restrictive, it might lead to deficiency of protein, vitamin B12, iron, magnesium and calcium. Inadequate protein and other nutrients leads to a lack of energy. In spite of these negatives of the macrobiotic diet, fitness of a person doesn't get affected.

From the above, it can be concluded that a macrobiotic diet will serve many other purposes apart from just weight loss. It has the potential to enhance and improve your overall mental, physical and spiritual health significantly, which is why health conscious people are adopting it in a major way.

Macrobiotic Diet Plan

Macrobiotic translated in English stands for 'long life'. Hippocrates is said to have used the word for the first time, in this essay called 'Airs, Waters and Places'. However, the macrobiotic diet became well-known, because of a Japanese military doctor called Sagen Ishizuka. Like is the case with almost all the diets, in the macrobiotic diet plan, there is no place for processed and refined foods. Stress is placed on eating as much as natural foods.

What is Macrobiotic Diet?

The principle of the macrobiotic diet is that, foods should be taken in conjunction with the season. This helps in balancing the potassium and sodium with acid and alkali in the body. The physical, spiritual and planetary health is the focus of this diet. It is essentially a vegetarian diet, but seafood is allowed. The diet is high in fiber and low in fat. A lot of emphasis is laid on whole grains and vegetables.

Macrobiotic Diet Menu

When you designing a diet plan, which adheres to macrobiotic diet remember 50 to 60% of the meals should consist of whole grains. Beans make up about 10% of the diet, while 25 to 30% of the diet is made up of vegetables. In other words, it is a high fiber diet. Of the total vegetables consumed, about 35% of the vegetables should be eaten in raw format. About 5 to 10% of the diet is made up of miso soup or beans soup. Seaweed also form an important part of the diet. Soy chunks, tofu and other soy products can also be included. While designing a diet plan, it is important that you tailor it to individuals preferences. The following sample plan will tell you that you should lay emphasis on the locally grown natural foods. At the same time, lay emphasis on cooking methods like baking, steaming, sautéing or boiling the foods, as far as possible. Once in a while, you can also include fish in your diet. As far as possible, stay away from meat in any form. If you must have meat, then have lean meat. Having said that let's take a look at the free diet plan, which can also be a good macrobiotic diet for weight loss.

Breakfast: One bowl of whole grain cereals. These can either be mixed with soy milk or can be eaten by cooking it in water. You can have a locally grown, in season fruit along with the cereal.

Mid Morning Snack: A combination of salad vegetables about half bowl. Cucumber, tomatoes, carrots, beetroot, etc. can be consumed. Although it is best to have them without any dressings, however, you can use lime juice and some herbs.

Lunch: A bowl of either miso soup or bean soup. Along with the soups you can have a couple of whole grain crackers. Since the soups are rich in fiber, you will not feel hungry soon after lunch.

Late Afternoon Snack: Here you have an option to choose between a fruit or salad vegetable. However, have just half to 1 bowl of the same.

Dinner: You can make brown rice by combining it with different vegetables. Soy chunks need to be added to the rice for the necessary protein enrichment. If you are not fond of soy chunks, then you can have half a bowl of miso soup.

For macrobiotic diet plan for cancer, it is best to talk to your health care professional. He will be in a better position to prescribe the right diet in your case. At the same time, note that this diet plan may not always be rich in calcium. Therefore, you will have to ensure that you balance your diet accordingly. Make sure you use different combination of food to bring in variety in your diet. If during the day, you are hungry include soy milk in the diet along with the little snacks you will have. Take care of the portion size, if you are on a weight loss diet.

Macrobiotic Diet for Cancer Patients

A macrobiotic diet mainly includes vegetarian food with a small proportion of non-vegetarian food that is said to have nutrients which can help prevent or cure cancer. There is no evidence that macrobiotic food can do away with cancer, however, there are certain nutrients in them that can help a person battle the disease. Although the name suggests a presence of fixed set of food products with a macrobiotic tag, the fact is that a macrobiotic diet may vary within different communities based on their staple food.

Nature of the Diet
A recommended macrobiotic diet usually contains foods prepared from grains in their whole form. Normally, the macrobiotic diet is high in fiber and low in fat. There may be plentiful use of fresh vegetables, fruits, and nuts in the diet. However, I wish to highlight that the food should neither be over-processed nor should they contain a high proportion of preservatives. However, one may use natural preservatives like salt and sugar in accurate proportions. It is recommended that one should avoid foods that are refined or directly sourced from animals such as red meat. Most of the foods that form part of macrobiotic diet are said to be high in vitamin A, B and D, zinc, iron, protein, and riboflavin.

Recommended Macrobiotic Diet
As per a standard macrobiotic diet regime, the nutrition is divided as below:

• Whole cereal grains up to 60%
• Fresh vegetables up to 30%
• Beans and underwater plants up to 10%
• Soups 5%
• Freshly cooked food 5%

Under these circumstances, one may include foods prepared from brown rice, whole wheat and cereals, oats, barley, millet, rye, fresh raw vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and fish. Additionally, light natural seasonings such as lemon juice, crushed celery, dried oregano, cinnamon powder, etc may be used. Some natural taste-makers may also be used. The diet permits consumption of some non-stimulating beverages. As a rule, spicy food and sweetened food should be used sparingly in this diet. This diet stresses on consumption of organically grown local vegetables and fruits. It is usually said that the staple diet of a culture is the best diet to suit a person's dietary needs albeit with minor corrections.

This diet regime prohibits consumption of foods such as potatoes, peppers, eggplant, beetroot, tomatoes, avocado, spinach, red meat, poultry, refined salt, eggs and egg products, chemical preservatives and extremely spicy foods. A cancer patient opting for this diet might need to considerably decline consumption of sugar, coffee, chocolates, white bread, vanilla, honey, alcohol, refined flour, cheese, yogurt, colored tea and vegetable oil products.

Seasonal Diet
It is recommended that food consumed in springs and summers should be lighter and high in water content. The food may include plenty of green leafy vegetables, fermented foods, fresh seasonal fruits and whole grains. Ideally, food cooked at this time of the year should be steamed.

However, you will notice a stark contrast between food cooked in autumn and winter as against summers. The cold climate demands that the food be more concentrated in nature. It may include root vegetables, beans, cereals, fresh vegetables, sweet rice, oil, and salt.

Macrobiotic Styled Cooking and Consumption
Many nutrition experts say that macrobiotic is not a particular form of diet, but a way for consumption of food. It can be seen that our cooking style has undergone a change on account of modern appliances such as microwaves. Similarly, there has been a gradual transition in the materials used for manufacturing the cooking utensils. Here is what one needs to remember:

• Macrobiotic styled cooking requires use of traditional cookware made from stainless steel, wood, ceramic, glass, etc.
• It prohibits heating of food with the help of appliances such as microwaves which are likely to emit harmful rays which destroy the basic nutrients in fresh food. As such, food should be cooked and heated the natural way without usage of electricity for heating purposes.
• The cooking techniques should avoid the use of highly processed foods, frozen and canned foods, vitamin and nutrition supplements as well as aromatic and stimulating herbs.
• Food should be cooked and consumed in a peaceful environment.
• While eating, the patient is recommended to chew each morsel of food at least 32 times.

This diet restricts consumption of foods that are a major cause of cancer. e.g. alcohol, tobacco, red meat, etc. However, I need to tell you that it is not a foolproof way to eradicate the disease. At times, long-term consumption of diet may help you to prevent cancer. On the other hand, it has lots of restrictions on food consumption which might deprive the cancer patient of certain essential nutrients which a normal diet can easily provide. With both the sides of the coin being made visible to you, I hope I have been able to throw some light on the facts about adoption of a macrobiotic diet when suffering from cancer.

Atkins Nutritional Approach

The Atkins Nutritional Approach involves cutting down on the carbohydrate content, which in turn results in a process called ketosis. When a person follows a low-carbohydrate diet, the body uses the stored fats to meet the energy requirements, thereby leading to weight loss. The Atkins diet focuses on health and lifestyle goals, based on a simple philosophy. It involves intelligent carbohydrate intake with high fiber and low sugar, adequate protein consumption, optimal intake of vitamins and minerals, and a balance of natural fats. The goal is to achieve better nutrition, better health outcomes, and increased energy performance by providing nutrition for the body while limiting the carbohydrate intake.

Unrecognized Factors About Western Eating Habits

Atkins claimed that there are two unrecognized factors about Western eating habits. Firstly, obesity is attributed to the consumption of refined carbohydrates (mainly sugar flour and high fructose corn syrups). The proponents believe that the claim of consumption of saturated fat being a major nutritional problem is overrated. In this diet, the consumption of trans fat from sources such as hydrogenated oils needs to be avoided. Dr. Atkins asserted that the tremendous increase in the intake of refined carbohydrate is responsible for the rise in metabolic disorders of the twentieth century, and that the focus on the harmful effects of dietary fats has actually contributed to obesity by increasing the proportion of insulin-inducing foods in the diet. He proposed a low carbohydrate diet that improves the metabolism of the body. The concept of net carbohydrates results in controlled blood sugar. He also recommended the use of nutritional supplements that are high in proteins, fats, and 24 essential nutrients, and fiber.

The essential fatty acids are also provided through supplements like Atkins juice, shakes, and bars, which provide nutrition while reducing the risk of coronary heart disease and blood pressure. Excessive insulin can also be controlled with this diet.

Four Principles

The Atkins Nutritional Approach is based on four principles. These include:

• To lose weight
• To maintain weight loss
• To achieve good health
• To attain a permanent foundation for good health

The 4-phase diet plan is combined with the use of vitamin and mineral supplements and regular exercise. According to the proponents, it is possible to lay the foundation for a lifetime of good health by following this diet. The 4-phase plan allows selecting food knowledgeably, based on the need to achieve weight loss and weight maintenance, enjoying good health, and preventing diseases.

The Four Phases

Phase I - Induction
During this phase, the carbohydrate consumption is restricted to 20 grams daily. The dieter obtains carbohydrate primarily from salad and other non-starchy vegetables.

Phase II - Ongoing weight loss
In this phase, carbohydrates are included in the form of nutrients, which are dense and fiber-rich. The carbohydrate intake is increased to 25 grams daily in the first week, 30 grams in the second week, etc. to know how many carbohydrates you can consume till you continue to lose weight.

Phase III - Pre-maintenance
This is a phase wherein carbohydrate intake is increased daily by 10 grams each week, as long as gradual weight loss is maintained.

Phase IV- Lifetime maintenance
While controlling carbohydrate intake, select a variety of foods to ensure weight maintenance to lay the foundation for good health.

The Atkins diet was and is controversial and many questions have been raised about its efficiency. However, some of the claims by Dr. Atkins, which were initially scoffed at, have been found to be true.

Atkins Diet Menu

It was in the 1970s that Dr. Atkins, an American heart specialist, came up with the Atkins Diet Plan. This diet involved a multi-phased program for losing weight, maintaining the weight loss, disease prevention and good health. Based on solid nutritional and medical fundamentals, this diet plan, which comprised high protein, high fat, and low carb meals, is said to be very effective. This is because, when high protein foods are eaten, it results in stabilizing the blood sugar levels. It also keeps one more satiated, and hence, less likely to binge on sweets or high carb foods. The diet basically recommends eating more protein and fat like meat, fish, eggs and cheese, while restricting the consumption of foods that are high carb, especially refined or processed carbs like pasta, bread, cereal, and starchy vegetables, as well as fruits that are very sweet. The diet restricts high carb foods because Dr. Atkins believed that the more you eat of them, the faster you get hungry.

Devising a diet menu plan involves more than simply checking out the food list in the Atkins Diet. Of course, the food list helps in being a source of information about what should or should not be eaten, however, it doesn't help in creating a diet plan that is varied and interesting enough to help you to stick with it over the long haul. Given below are the diet plans for each of the four phases of the diet, as well as some additional plans which will give you a better idea about the diet.

The Four Phases

There are four phases in the Atkins Diet, with each phase being slightly different. As progression is made through each phase, there is an increase in the carbohydrate allowance, although they comprise mainly high fiber carbs, like leafy vegetables. The first two phases are the ones that are the most restrictive as far as carbs are concerned. This is when the body has to get into the fat-burning mode, which is why it is so restrictive initially. The four phases are as follows:

Induction Phase

The induction phase is the first phase of the diet, and is typically followed over a period of two weeks. This is considered to be the most restrictive phase of this diet. It allows the dieter no more than 20 net grams of carbs each day. The dieter is allowed foods like green salads, fruits and vegetables, fish, poultry, meat, butter, olive and vegetable oils. But it completely restricts the consumption of alcohol and caffeine. When combined with daily exercise, the induction phase shows highest weight loss. Here's the diet plan for this phase:

Breakfast

• 4 bacon slices
• 8 ounces decaf coffee
• 2 scrambled eggs

Lunch

• A bacon burger (2 slices) filled with cheese
• 1 ounce American cheese
• Tossed salad without the dressing
• 6 ounces ground beef patty
• Seltzer water

Dinner

• 1 cup clear consommè
• 6 ounces T-bone steak
• 3 ounces of shrimp cocktail with 1 tbsp. mustard and 1 tbsp. mayonnaise
• A tossed salad with Russian dressing
• A cup of sugar-free Jell-O with 1 tbsp. whipped cream

Ongoing Phase

The ongoing weight loss phase (also known as the OWL phase) is when the dieter increases the intake of carbohydrates. Hereafter, the carb intake increases by 5 grams each week. The main objective of this phase is to find one's Carbohydrate Level for Losing (CLL) i.e. to find how many carbs you can consume while continuing to lose weight. The OWL phase is followed until you are within 10 pounds of your desired weight. The dieter adds vegetables like asparagus, cauliflower and avocado during the first week. With the onset of the second week, the dieter starts following the carbohydrate ladder and adds dairy to his diet. The foods should be added in the following order:

• Vegetables like asparagus, salad, cauliflower
• Cheese
• Nuts and seeds
• Berries
• Alcohol
• Legumes
• Other fruits
• Starchy vegetables
• Whole grains

You can skip a particular food group if you do not wish to add it to your permanent diet, for example, alcohol.

Breakfast

• A Western omelet made using 2 eggs, 2 ounces cheddar cheese, 1 tbsp. bell papers, 1/10th cup ham bits, 1 tbsp. butter, 1 tbsp. onion and 3 ounces tomato juice
• ¼ slice crisp bread
• 8 ounces decaf coffee

Lunch

• Chef's salad that has egg, cheese and ham (No dressing)
• 8 ounces of herbal iced tea

Dinner

• ⅔ cup boiled cabbage
• 6 ounces poached salmon
• 1 cup strawberries with 4 tbsp. cream

Pre-Maintenance Phase

In this phase, the daily intake of carbs is increased by 10 grams every week. The objective of this phase is to find the 'Critical Carbohydrate Level for Maintenance'. This is, again, the maximum number of carbs you can eat each day without gaining weight. Later in this phase, you can add some of the restricted carbs back to your diet, limiting them to only once a week, thereby preparing your body for the last phase - Maintenance Phase. The phase can last until you find your Critical Carbohydrate Level.

Breakfast

• An omelet made with 2 eggs, 1 cup spinach (cooked), 2 ounces Gruyère cheese and 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 slice of crisp bread
• 8 ounces decaf coffee

Lunch

• ⅔ cup of steamed broccoli
• 6 ounces roast chicken
• Green salad with a creamy garlic dressing
• Club soda

Dinner

• 1 cup French onion soup
• Salad made using 1 tomato, 1 onion and 1 carrot with oil and vinegar dressing
• 1 small potato (baked) with 2 tbsp. sour cream and chives
• 1 serving of veal chops
• 1 bountiful cup of fruit compote
• 16 ounces of wine spritzer

Lifetime Maintenance Phase

This is the last phase of the diet where the dieter commits to following the habits learned by him/her in the previous phases, for a lifetime. It restricts the dieters from returning to their previous eating habits. They continue to implement fat and protein in their daily diet. Though they can make an exception on a rare event, trigger foods like chocolate, potato chips, and ice cream are a big no-no. The dieter also has to keep in mind not to gain more than 5 pounds above the target weight.

Some More Diet Plans

Plan #1

Breakfast

• 2 scrambled eggs
• 1 slice of bread substitute that is protein-rich
• 3 slices of bacon

Lunch

• A spicy burger filled with cheese
• A tossed salad

Dinner

• Veal chops grilled with butter and shredded sage
• 1 tomato
• 1 yellow squash
• A green salad

Plan #2

Breakfast

• An omelet made with 2 eggs with ham or bacon, some onions, and 2 wedges of tomato

Lunch

• Tuna salad which includes an oil dressing, tomatoes and celery

Dinner

• Baked halibut or salmon
• Steamed broccoli garnished with shredded cheese and pepper

Plan #3

Breakfast

• 2 slices of nut bread with zucchini and 2 ounces of cream cheese

Lunch

• Grilled cheeseburger
• A green salad with 2 slices of tomato

Dinner

• Pork chops made in Cajun style with stir-fried kale and crushed garlic

Plan #4

Breakfast

• Scrambled eggs made with 2 eggs and 2 pork sausages

Lunch

• A Greek salad which includes Romaine lettuce, olives, feta cheese, 2 wedges of tomato, a small can of tuna, along with a dill vinaigrette

Dinner

• Chicken cutlets with a sauce made of green peppercorn
• Sautéed spinach
• A gelatin dessert using sucralose, with a whipped cream topping

Plan #5

Breakfast

• 2 ounces mozzarella cheese, melted, with 2 bran crackers

Lunch

• A vegetable broth with shredded radish
• A shrimp salad on greens

Dinner

• Veal burgers
• Creamy coleslaw made with red cabbage
• Broiled mushrooms sprinkled with sesame oil

Associated Risks

The Atkins Diet, being a high protein, low carb diet, restricts you from having carbohydrates, which are extremely essential for the body. Without carbs, you tend to feel very drowsy and lethargic. Lack of carbs in the daily diet also causes mood swings, insomnia, constipation and weakness. High intake of animal protein increases the cholesterol levels of the body, thereby increasing the person's risk of suffering from a cardiovascular disease. Following a high protein diet also increases water loss in the form of urine. This increases the pressure on the kidneys, which may cause their impairment. Moreover, the Atkins Diet recommends the dieters to eat meat on a daily basis, which increases the person's chances of suffering from colon cancer.

Who Should Not Follow This Diet

• Anyone with a severe kidney disease
• Diabetics
• People who have gout
• Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding

Whether following the Atkins Diet Plan is safe or no, has always been a debatable issue. While its critics claim the lost weight to be just water loss, followers absolutely swear by it. With different sources giving different views and opinions, it ultimately becomes the dieter's decision as to what to choose. So it is best to consult a dietitian who can come up with an even better and personalized diet plan for you.

Weight Watchers Vs. Atkins Diet

Losing weight is an intensely debated topic these days. There are numerous ways to lose weight that the weight loss aspirants tend to follow. With the presence of these numerous types of quick weight loss diets and fad diets, there is a sort of competition amongst the weight loss program creators to prove their individual greatness. The dieters, who follow these diets and attain weight loss with help of these diets, advocate them further more. Talking about debates, one of such ongoing debates is between Weight Watchers vs. Atkins diet. Here is an article that tries to find out pros and cons of both these weight loss diets, by comparing them. But first of all, let's get to know more about both these weight loss programs.

How to Compare Weight Watchers with Atkins Diet

Well, there are a few things that you should know; before you compare both. By comparing all these points you will surely come to know about the best weight loss diet for you. 

Weight Watchers

Disclaimer: The team of Weight Watchers keeps updating the program, according to the requirements/feedback of their members. The program has been updated many times, thelatest one being the Weight Watchers 360° program, which was unveiled on the 3rd of December, 2012. The program teaches members how to manage their food environment, claiming that we tend to eat what we see. It also guides people on ways to control their temptation, and to avoid pleasure eating. Weight Watchers has not increased their rates for this new approach, and all the meetings, eTools, and apps are included in the total fee.

The content in this paragraph explains the Weight Watchers program in detail. The details of the current program are exclusively available to the paid members of Weight Watchers.

Weight Watchers is a company that specializes in various effective weight management products. Weight Watchers diet system is often cited to be one of the most followed methods by the dieters for healthy weight loss. The Weight Watchers foods list is designed on the basis of specific numbers. The lesser the numbers or ratings, the healthier that food is. These points are based on the nutritional value of that food type. The best thing about this weight loss diet is that it is a self observatory diet and you will surely start losing weight if you follow it honestly. Along with the diet, you are also provided with various supports like free counseling sessions and online forums of the fellow dieters.

Atkins Diet
Atkins diet gained real popularity during 1990s. This is basically a low carb weight loss diet that consists of no carb or very low carb foods. Atkins diet is one of the most popular quick weight loss diet plans. Atkins diet is divided into four phases, namely the induction phase, ongoing weight loss, pre maintenance and lifetime maintenance phase. There is a specially designed low calorie diet for each of these diet phases that the dieter needs to follow. Careful follow-up with the Atkins diet plan attains about 10 lbs to 30 lbs of weight loss. Most of the items that are included in the Atkins diet food list are high protein low carb diet foods. There are a lot or vegetables and fruits included in this diet. Still, Atkins is cited as the best weight loss programs for meat lovers. The best thing about this diet is that though it is a restrictive calorie diet, it doesn't restrict you from eating certain foods, which means, you can consume all regular food items. However, the amount of the foods that you want to consume is determine as per as your weight loss goals.

Weight Watchers Vs. Atkins Diet
Since both these weight loss diet programs don't provide the issues of debate would be totally different than Jenny Craig vs. Weight Watchers, Weight Watchers vs. Medifast and Weight Watchers vs. Nutrisystem. For your information, all jenny Craig, Nutrisystem and Medifast provide pre packaged diet meals for weight loss. Now that you are aware of the basic philosophy of both these diet programs, you need to compare cost and restrictions about both Weight Watchers and Atkins diet. There are virtually no restrictions in both these diets. While following the Weight Watchers points system, you can eat any of your food items as far as you are aware about their portion size and Weight Watchers points. While Atkins diet restricts you from consuming high amount of carbs. Both these diets are highly flexible as well, apart from the fact that Weight Watchers demands weekly weight check ups. Last thing that pulls the dieters towards Atkins diet during the comparison is the cost. You need to pay a certain amount of money for registration as well as weight ins of Weight Watchers, while Atkins diet, doesn't require any kind of fees.

Total expected weekly weight loss for both Atkins diet and Weight Watchers is around 1 to 2 lbs, which puts both these weight loss diets on an equal level! However, after considering pros and cons of Weight Watchers points system and Atkins diet side effects and then only select the best one of them both.

How to Plan a Diet on a Budget

Eating healthy is important when you diet. Diet does not mean having to starve yourself, and to eat less. In fact, diet involves eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Also, poultry, eggs and fish are included in a healthy diet. Foods can be made delicious, as well as healthy, with smart buying tips and smart utilization of foods. Many of us think that diet can be an expensive option. Moreover, you may think that eating healthy foods can prove to be hard on your pockets, however, this is not the case. With the help of proper merchandising tips and healthy recipes, you can easily plan your diet on a budget.

Planning a Diet on a Budget

It is true that cooking healthy meals is a daunting task. However, with smart tips and tricks, you can easily follow a good and healthy diet and bring about weight loss effectively. The very first thing you need to do is to cut down on processed foods and juices. The processed foods and juices are unhealthy, as well as expensive. Processed juices have excessive sugar and people on diet must avoid eating sugar as it may not be very helpful in losing weight. Also, there are many artificial preservatives in processed foods which must be avoided when you are on a diet. You will definitely lose weight, if you replace the processed foods for natural and fresh ones. Fresh fruits and vegetables have ample amount of fibers and nutrients which help in losing weight fast.

Another tip for a healthy diet on a budget is that the grocery and food items must be purchased in bulk. Bulk buying can cut down a lot of money, and your food item stock for the month will be filled. Make use of coupons which can save a lot of money. With the food stock filled, you will not have an excuse to eat food outside. When you cut down on eating outside, you will not only save money, but also start eating healthy and lose weight.

Eggs are a good supply of proteins and are an inexpensive option for a healthy diet. Instead of eating meat every day, make it a point to eat meat at the most twice a week. Avoid cooking as well as eating oily foods, and eat fresh foods instead, as oily fried foods are not only high in calories, but also a bit costly. Homemade pasta is a good option to save money and eat healthy. You can add fresh fruits and veggies to the pasta to make it more delicious, as snacking unnecessarily, and that too fried foods and junk foods isn't a very smart thing to do when on a diet.

Drink a lot of water or consume a lot of fresh fruit juices. Remember not to add sugar to the juice as it may increase the number of calories. Drink water to stay hydrated and to excrete all the waste products from the body. This cleansing action can help you lose weight. Also, you will have to avoid aerated drinks which have a lot of calories and make major contribution of calories.

This was all about how to diet on a budget. These were the ways to eat healthy, that too on a budget. But always remember, a regular exercising regime must be followed along with a healthy diet!

How to Diet Successfully

Instead of learning how to diet and lose weight and keep yourself fit in the long run, people go for quick fixes. This is especially true in case of youngsters who are looking for how to diet in college. While diet pills and liquid diets may be a faster way of achieving weight loss, it may not be good for the body in the long run. Hence, it is always better to learn how to diet and exercise. Exercises and a balanced diet help reduce weight and they also help you stay fit.

How to Diet Properly

Weight loss is not easy, make no bones about it. Whether you're looking for a quick fix or not, it requires a good amount of abstinence and patience.

Foods to Eat
When you prepare a weight loss diet plan to reducing weight, you have to bear in mind which nutrients you should have and which you should avoid. Since you can't (and shouldn't) ever go off food completely it is better to know what all is good for you. So design a healthy diet predominantly around lean proteins and fibers. Lean proteins do not add too many calories, while fibers don't add any calories at all. Complex carbohydrates too help lose weight. As the name suggests, they are 'complex' and metabolizing them takes some time. Since it takes a longer time for complex carbohydrates to get digested, the calories release slowly and you feel full for a longer time.

You should avoid foods with sugars and other simple carbohydrates. Restrict the amount of fats to only what is required for performing daily bodily functions. If you must have foods which contain fat, eat food which has a higher quantity of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and little to no saturated fats, So to this end, you can have your diet contain leafy vegetables, oatmeal, boiled/roasted fish and chicken, egg whites etc.

Exercise
When you are reducing weight, you obviously have to clear a substantial backlog of the past. While the food you eat will fuel your daily activities, you also need to see that the exercise will help burn the fat which is on your body. Cardiovascular exercise is known for reducing weight. What most people do not realize is that weight training is also a good bit of work and helps burn calories too. So you could do these two in tandem, which will not only help you lose weight fast, but also help you gain some muscle along the way.

If there is one thing you need more than cardiovascular exercises and high fiber diets, and certainly more than diet pills, that thing is patience. It is very easy to get disheartened in the quest for the perfect body. It is very easy to say that 'I have a tendency to gain weight' and sit and fret about it. It is also easy to steal a bag of chips and say, 'It's just a one time thing'. But you know and I know, that all these excuses are remarkably fruitless. No one really cares about what excuses you are giving. Remember, it is your goal and your diet and your plan. So if you're cheating on your diet, your only cheating yourself. Hard-work is one more thing if you want to lose weight. You're going to have to sweat it out by running in the gym or in the park, or wherever else. Yes, it is indeed a long wait for the perfect hourglass figure. And you need more than a small dollop of patience when you're on a diet.

Remember that along with all the facts for losing weight, you also need a lot of determination and patience.

Diet Tips for Women

The fact is that if you are an overweight woman, you have to lose weight in order to protect yourself from the damage caused to your body due to excess of body weight. When you lose some weight it can make you more confident and you will look more beautiful than ever. When the dieting is done correctly it is bound to work and that too without any side effects. The things that are important for dieting include what to be eaten, what not to be eaten and of course when to be eaten.

Healthy Diet Tips for Women

In this section we have spoken about all those healthy foods that can provide required nutrition to the body without adding any excess calories and also about food items which can lead to weight gain and hence should be avoided.

Fresh Fruits: They have high nutritional values and are rich in vitamins and mineral that can improve the metabolic process of your body and provide energy for a long time. Though it contain sugar, it is not going to add up your body weight. This is because the sugar present in the fruits act differently in our body in comparison to other forms of sugars.

Vegetables: Vegetables also have rich content of nutrition that are essential for women. Vegetables like carrots, tomatoes, celery, lettuce and other leafy vegetables have low calories but high in nutrition. You can eat them in raw form as salads as well as in the cooked form.

Cereals: Whole grains are better in terms of both flavor as well as nutrition. Therefore, eat whole grain cereals like brown rice or buckwheat instead of white rice or any other processed grain foods. Whole grains are rich in fiber.

Protein: Protein is also very important for proper functioning of the entire body. Therefore, high protein food like steaks and beans should be included in the diet. Instead of red meat which has saturated fat one should opt for poultry without skin which will supply essential proteins to the body.

Dairy Products: Dairy foods are rich in calcium and vitamin D. If you eliminate dairy products completely from the diet, you may end up with deficiency of these essential ingredients in your body. Therefore it is advisable to eat dairy foods like milk, yogurt, etc., that are low in fat content.

Water: The most vital diet tip is that if you wish to lose weight fast you have to drink plenty of water. Water flushes out all the toxins from our body and makes the system clean which in turn will give us good health.

Foods To be Excluded: Any processed high carb foods have a tendency to slow down the process of weight loss. So when you are looking for weight loss then you should stay away from foods like white rice, white breads and pasta. Refined sugars are also exceptionally bad and often prevent weight loss. You should keep your hands off all those foods and drinks which contain refined sugars. Eliminate any kind of saturated fats from your diet. Cheese, butter, margarine, salad dressings, ice creams are all rich in saturated fats and hence you cannot afford to have them when you are in a weight loss program. If you want some oil to be use in your food opt for unsaturated oils like olive oil. Most importantly, do not take carbs and fat together as both are rich in calories.

Tips for Diet Plans

Here are some tips which will help you to prepare your weight loss plans in such a way that you will be able to lose maximum amount of weight in a short span of time:

• If you perform work outs in the morning in order to lose weight, you should do it in empty stomach to get the maximum benefits. Of course, you should drink some water before starting for the work out.
• Never skip the breakfast no matter how busy schedule you have. This is one of the most useful diet tips that works invariably. Start your day with healthy breakfast with fruits and fiber rich cereals. It will keep your energy levels high and control body weight.
• Keep six meals of small proportions every day. There should be a gap of two hours between each of the meals. Eating more number of meals will help you in losing extra fat as a large amount of calories are burned out in the process of digestion.
• The quantity of each of the six meals should not be the same. Rather, your breakfast should be the heaviest meal and as the day proceed you have to make your meals lighter with your dinner being the lightest meal.
• Do not eat anything two hours before going to bed. This is because while sleeping very less amount of calories are burned. So if you sleep soon after having your dinner all the calories will get stored up inside the body in the form of fat.

Set some small achievable goals for yourself when you are try to lose weight. If you expect too much from your diet program then you will feel disappointed with the results and may feel like quitting the diet midway.

How to Starve Yourself

Starving is not the correct way to lose weight. It is not a medically recommended concept. And it is not safe. You may think of it as a way to lose weight fast. But it is not easy and moreover, it isn't healthy. Apart from fatigue and lack of energy, starvation leads to digestive problems and nutritional deficiencies that further cause bone loss. Starving yourself for a long time can lead to sleep disorders, depression, reduced concentration, and constant feeling of hunger as also other health complications. We do not, in any way, recommend or advice starving as a method for losing weight. Cutting down on your calorie intake and following an exercise regimen is advisable. This article talks about the dietary changes that can help one lose weight healthily.

People implement many methods for losing weight. One of the most common and popular methods being dieting. Dieting is nothing but controlling the food routine. However, wrong methods of dieting can cause some health hazards.

Starving the body can affect your body as well as your mind. If a person does not get the sufficient quantity of food regularly, he may become annoyed easily. Hunger that is an outcome of starvation can keep a person from concentrating on the work at hand. So, it is necessary that while dieting, you should eat food that does not add to the fat in your body but at the same time it keeps your stomach satiated.

Losing Weight Without Crash Dieting

The best way to lose weight is to give a lot of stress on fruit and fluids in your diet. Most fruits contain fibers that help to clean up the toxicity from the stomach and the juices of the fruits wash out the toxic substances from the entire system. Have fruits like apples, bananas, oranges, watermelon, etc. that are high fiber fruits and get digested easily. Drink a lot of fluids, specially water, to flush out the system better. Drinking lime and lemon juices without adding sugar (you can add honey instead of sugar) will work best. Consuming green leafy vegetables also adds to the fiber and hence should be included in the diet. Cook these vegetables in a simple way, i.e. avoid adding any spices. Drink fluids throughout the day, however, keep a limit on the fruits (one slice each time, 3-4 times a day).

Whenever you climb those scales and do not see any change in the measurements, do not get disheartened. This is one of the main rules of dieting. The Eiffel Tower was not built in one day, same way, you cannot expect to lose considerable amount of weight in a very short period of time. If any of your past attempts at losing weight have failed, forget about them and make a fresh, new start. More than anything, you should have the will power to maintain and carry on with whatever you are doing. Till now, you had programmed yourself to think negatively about your weight issues and gave up as soon as you discovered that there was little or no change in your condition.

First and foremost, visualize an image of yourself that is still the same like before, i.e. one in which you have not lost any weight even after previous attempts. Then, focus on what is the reason behind your thinking. Next, drain and shrink the image from your mind. The next step is to create an image of yourself that has lost the expected amount of weight and is looking slim and exactly the way you want yourself to look. Last step includes feeling the rush of excitement that comes when you think of that image and at that time joining your middle finger and thumb together. These steps are said to reprogram your mind to think in a positive way and encourages you to stick to the diet plans.

Some other minor diet tips to remember are, whenever you feel hungry, get involved in some favorite activity that can divert your mind from food successfully. Keep away from poultry products of any kind, perform light exercises during workout. Just be strong and stick to the plan. Wish you all the best!

Your Diet and the Holidays

Many people grow more and more concerned about their diet as it comes closer to the holiday season. Thanksgiving is around the corner, and soon after that will be Christmas. All the tempting holiday meals with turkey, ham, pies, cakes, and special cookies, it can be the nightmare of anyone trying to keep their weight down. Don't despair. There is a way to have your cake and eat it, too.

Tips for Dieting on Thanksgiving

Eat breakfast. Starving yourself in the morning before the big Thanksgiving meal will only tempt you to pig out. Have a small breakfast to start up your metabolism. This way your body will burn calories faster than if you had fasted. Not eating in the morning will only slow your body down, and cause it to store calories when you do start to eat again.

Moderation is key. Take a little taste of all your favorite things. You don't have to deny yourself of the foods that you love the most if you cut back on your less favorite dishes. Don't stuff yourself at dinner. Save room for that pumpkin pie! When it comes to dessert, have a small taste. Remember, you can probably get a hold of leftovers and spread the calorie intake throughout the weekend, instead of stuffing down in one afternoon.

Eat slowly. It takes up to 20 minutes for your body to realize that you are full. Savor each bite and chew thoroughly. When you begin to feel full, take a break. If you really want a second helping, wait at least 15 minutes. If you still don't feel full, than grab about half the amount you got the first time. You might decide that you don't really want the second plate of food, and choose to pack some leftovers to enjoy over the weekend.

Tips for Dieting on Christmas

You still have time to drop a pound or two before the end of December. If you have already reached your goal weight, losing an extra pound can help you maintain your goal through the end of the year. Don't overindulge, because it is easier to gain a pound than it is to lose one. You don't want to miscalculate and gain three pounds after only losing one.

When it comes to the Christmas dinner, the same rules from Thanksgiving apply. Have breakfast, use moderation, and eat slowly. Don't forget the possibility of leftovers!

Many families traditionally have special cookies, pies, cakes, and candy every year. Instead of indulging in every last one, choose the one or two that you might enjoy the most. Have only a small serving (one cookie, one slice). You can enjoy yourself without the guilt after enjoying a special treat.

Tips for the New Year

Many people plan to start that new diet January 1st. If you are like most people, the diet did not last you the whole year. The best thing to do during the holiday season is to prepare yourself for a lifestyle change. Losing a few pounds on a crash diet is the least effective way to staying trim. Don't wait for the special New Year's Day to change your habits. Start right away. By the time the New Year comes around, you will be mentally prepared to continue to commit to a healthier lifestyle, and you will have already had some practice in disciplining yourself.

Dieting is overrated. Lifestyle change is how people become successful at maintaining a healthy weight. Becoming more active, eating more fruit and vegetables, and reducing stress are all ways that weight loss can happen and be maintained long-term. With moderation and balance with the types of food you eat, and plenty of exercise, you don't have to 'be on a diet.' You can just be a healthy individual who makes healthy choices.

Proper Dieting Techniques

Seldom do people understand the actual meaning of proper dieting. Dieting does not mean that you should starve and keep yourself from eating all the foods that you really like to. A balanced diet will make you look younger and fitter and will also keep your body healthy and in good shape. Here are some Dos and Don'ts that you should keep in mind before following any diet. Also remember that everyone has a different body type, due to which different techniques work for different people. Due to this reason, always consult a doctor or a nutrition before drafting a proper healthy diet schedule. These techniques will not only help you diet in a healthy manner, but will also tell you which dieting technique to adopt and which one to not opt for.

Proper Dieting Tips and Techniques

DO's

• Motivate Yourself: The first thing you need to do is to motivate yourself regularly. If not, you may plan a lot but never really get down to following a technique.
• Use Alternatives: Instead of pizzas, go for subs, consume whole wheat bread as the fiber in this will kill your appetite faster, consume herbal tea, etc. Substitutes will make it easier for you to follow a proper diet.
• Consume Lots of Water: Water helps in many ways. If consumed before the meal, it will reduce your appetite and keep you full most of the time.
• Hello Proteins and Carbs!:Reduce your intake of fats and fill yourself up with more proteins and carbohydrates. Proteins are the next most important thing to water. Plan a low protein diet for better effects.
• Regular Meals: Instead of stuffing yourself every meal, try eating a meal after every two and half hours. This will keep you filled throughout the day and you'll eat less with very meal.
• Exercise: How much ever you diet, nothing is going to make a difference unless you exercise. Your body needs exercise everyday. It doesn't have to be a heavy workout but at least a jog or some yoga.
• Be Active: Eating less and not being active is going to reduce your metabolism rate which won't make any difference. Exercising too won't really help if you laze around the whole day after that. Be active and keep moving as much as you can.
• Know More: Try knowing as much as you can about diet techniques. Talk to your doctor, your friends, relatives, and find out different ways of doing something. Don't follow something blindly having only half the knowledge.
• Consult the Doctor/Nutritionist Often: Never forget to consult a doctor or a nutritionist before starting to follow a particular diet technique. They know your body better than you do and will tell you things that you should avoid to remain healthy.
• Protein Breakfast: Always have a breakfast that is rich in protein. It not only keeps you strong but also helps in providing other body requirements. Always follow a high protein diet.

DON'Ts

• Don't Drink Alcohol: Alcohol contains a lot of empty calories which do nothing but turn into fat. Try avoiding alcohol and if possible give it up completely.
• Don't Starve Yourself: A proper diet technique will never make you starve yourself. If you stop eating completely, you're going to end up weakened and less immune to all illnesses.
• Don't Eat Before Sleeping: During the night, the body uses less energy to digest the food as metabolism is the lowest then. In this case, the food that is digested gets turned into fat and not energy.
• Don't Overdo It: Don't go to extremes with any of the dieting techniques that you decide to follow. A proper diet technique needs to be followed with the required amounts, nothing more and nothing less.
• Don't Consume Excess Fats: Check for foods that have excess fats and avoid them. They add to unnecessary calories and the technique stops functioning as it actually should.
• Don't Trust Kilos, Trust Inches: Don't check your weight on the weighing scale as it may show no difference since you may also increase muscle. Instead, check for inch loss.
• Don't Change Techniques Often: When you adopt a certain technique and follow it for sometime, your body starts getting used to it. If you keep on changing them often, your body is going to fluctuate accordingly and this might prove to be dangerous.
• Don't Compromise on Health: Do not compromise on your health and adopt techniques that might promise fast results but do your health and body some harm.
• Don't Get Tempted: Good food and slow results might tempt you to cheat once in a while, but don't. Work on your will power and have patience.
• Don't Give Up! Every good technique takes some time to show its effects. Be patient and continue following the pattern you need to.

Keep these proper dieting techniques and diet plans in mind, whenever you plan to start a new diet, or if you are already following one. A proper diet is essential to have a healthy body provided you don't follow it to extremes and keep starving yourself. This will result in many unwanted changes in your body such as loss of energy, dark circles, weakness and reduction in immunity. Make sure you consult someone every time you decide to follow a diet. Hope these techniques help you choose the perfect way to diet and answer your question of how to do proper dieting. Keep it healthy!

Tips for Keeping Holiday Parties from Ruining Your Diet

Studies have shown that the average American usually gains a couple of pounds during the holiday season. In fact, the average holiday diner consumes nearly 4500 calories and 230 grams of fat while eating one traditional Thanksgiving dinner! And those calories don't even include the meals in the remainder of the day - breakfast, lunch, or late-night snacks. The extra pounds people pack on during the holidays often become permanent, so as the pounds continue to add up year after year, the risk of obesity later in life adds up as well. Although not everyone gains weight during the holidays, almost everyone eats and drinks more than usual, and exercises less. The hustle and bustle of festive parties, holiday shopping, and traditional celebrations, healthy eating and regular exercise usually go right out the window.

So how will you be able to enjoy your holidays without risking weight gain? With a little planning, it's not really that hard. If you've been trying to lose weight before the holidays roll around, dieticians suggest that you switch your focus from losing weight to simply maintaining your present weight. The holiday season is already a tough time to maintain weight, and losing weight may be impossible. So instead, allow yourself to have a few treats and just plan on maintaining your weight and not gaining, and then after the New Year you can return to your weight loss regimen without guilt - like taking a short vacation from your diet.

If you are hosting parties and holiday dinners, do what you can to trim out calories without compromising annual traditions or the flavor and quality of your foods. By keeping your dinners at a reasonable calorie level, you'll be helping your guests to enjoy bountiful food without gaining weight. As the experts say, it's much more difficult to lose weight than to gain it, so if you help your guests by not tempting them with a calorie overload, you can feel like you've given them a secret Christmas present.

Plan your menus to include plenty of vegetables, lean meats, whole grains, and low-fat dairy, especially in gravies and sauces where the reduction in fat won't be noticeable. Pay attention to nutrition labels to select foods that are nutritious but lower in fat, sugar, and calories. An easy way to shave off calories is to tread lightly when adding cheese, butter, nuts, and whipped cream to recipes. Also, most appetizers can easily be loaded with high calories, and it's easy to eat too much before the meal. So you can help your guests out by offering appetizers that are light, yet still appetizing, such as reduced-fat cheese with whole wheat crackers, shrimp cocktails, fresh veggies with low-fat dip, or fresh fruit on skewers.

Instead of casseroles or vegetables with heavy sauces, include more simple plain vegetable dishes, lightly cooked or steamed. You'll be filling your guests' plates with healthy fiber, not with tons of calories and fat. But if you are compelled to cook a casserole, use low-fat or low-calorie soup, include more vegetables, and instead of using fried onions or buttered crackers to top it, use a crunchy whole-grain cereal or simple bread crumbs. 

You can create healthier versions of all your favorite holiday foods by simply swapping ingredients to shave off calories wherever you can, and your guests will not even notice. Use chicken stock to cook vegetables instead of adding butter afterward, light Neufchatel cheese instead of cream cheese, fat-free yogurt instead of mayonnaise, and low-fat milk rather than whole milk. In baked goods, use non-fat yogurt applesauce in place of the same amount of oil. Roast sweet potatoes with a spritz of butter-flavored spray and a sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar substitute, instead of making the traditional butter-laden, calorie-packed casserole. For dessert, try a healthy pumpkin pie made with non-fat evaporated milk, topped with fat-free whipped topping.

Remember that the holidays are full of many traditions, but the true meaning of Christmas is spending time with family and friends. If you follow a few simple guidelines for preparing food that is a bit more healthy and lower in calories and fat, then both you and your guests will be feeling as good after the holidays as they did before. And if you do happen to splurge and go on an eating binge, don't kick yourself for the slip in willpower. Just get back to your normal routine of healthy eating and exercising after the new year begins, and start planning to do better next year!

Is it Bad to Starve Yourself to Lose Weight?

There are a lot of people who live under the misconception that they will lose more calories and fat if they eat less. They take the easy but dangerous way out by reducing their daily intake of food and simply starving themselves. This is where the problem starts. While you are starving yourself, you are in actual forcing your body to store up all the stored fat and reduce its metabolism. The collateral damage caused by these two effects leads to faster weight gain, the moment you begin eating again. Let us try to understand why it is bad to starve yourself to lose weight and why you must stop ill-treating your body immediately.

Why is it Bad to Starve Yourself?

Slower Metabolism 
The reason you are overweight is because you are eating more calories in a day than your body needs. However when you are starving yourself you are not giving your body its daily amount of minimum calorie intake. When you look at it this way, both measures are extreme and equally harmful. When your body does not receive its daily requirements, it will shift to the starvation mode. It will begin conserving as many calories as it can. The only bit that will be burned is what the body needs in order to survive and carry out basic functions. Your metabolism will plummet to extreme low levels, making it difficult to lose any weight after a point. You will end up with hardly any weight loss and a lot of weakness. When the metabolism slows down, its activity level decreases by about 45%. This ensures that the weight that you lose is not from stored fats but is because of muscle loss.

Loss of Muscle
Initially, there is a significant amount of weight loss which occurs due to starvation diets. What many people do not realize is that the weight loss is occurring because they are losing muscle. This phenomenon is known as Gluconeogenesiswherein the body is in dire need of energy and is not getting enough supplied to it through external calories. This energy would have under normal situations been extracted from the calories in the food consumed during the day. However since no food is being consumed, the body will look for extracting energy from other sources within the body. The easiest targets are the body muscles which when manipulated produce amino acids. It is this amino acid which the body converts into energy and sustains itself. When you lose the strength of your muscles, you begin to feel weak and a lot more effort needs to be put into seemingly simple tasks.

Loss of Body Water and Low Immunity
When the glycogen supply in the body gets depleted the weight loss observed includes both muscle and essential water loss. This is what creates another recipe for disaster. Since we are mostly water, the weight loss that you observe has very little fat in it and has instead a whole lot of water and muscle. The side effect of this dangerous practice is that the digestive system, the kidneys, and the liver tend to become dehydrated. This can result in many health problems which will take time and treatment. Likewise it is also a known fact, that no treatment is possible without eating proper meals so as to avoid the side effects of the medication being prescribed. The end result will be a weak health, regaining back of all the lost weight and chances of repeated illness due to low immunity. Yes, your immunity will become weaker due to starvation and will not be able to defend the body against common diseases. This means that, you'll be at a greater risk of falling ill for no major reason, thereby catching cold, fever and minor infections.

Faster Weight Gain
The body stores fat predominantly through the enzyme Lipoprotein Lipase, which is produced in lesser quantity when the body is receiving sufficient food. However when the body goes into starvation mode, more of this enzyme is produced. Thus there are reservoirs of fat waiting to be fed, which means that the moment you begin eating again, the body will store all the calories from the new source of food as stored fat. This is a survival technique the body uses because it feels that the body is starving and contingencies must be created in order to save the body from starvation. The end result being, faster and unhealthier weight gain. This weight gain does not require that you overeat; instead it will utilize the calories from whatever you consume, for storing as fat until its satiated.

The best way to lose weight is to indulge in rigorous exercising routines. All you need to do in order to ensure a steady weight loss is to burn half of the total calories you eat. Eat regular and healthy meals, after which you can burn what your body does not require, through workouts. Do not fall into peer pressure and succumb to fad magazines, because the long term ill effects of starvation are far worse than you realize.