Posts tagged quick weight loss

When we start and stop many types of diets it can have an adverse effect on our metabolism. Each time you start and stop a new diet plan, it becomes increasingly difficult. Here’s the reason why:

When you drastically cut calories, your body goes into starvation mode. Your metabolism slows down considerably, because it perceives that there is a period of famine, and it attempts to conserve energy. This makes it hard to lose the fat you desire, because your body is trying to store it. To exacerbate this problem, your body will tend to drop muscle and try to store fat. This occurs because muscle utilizes much more energy than fat. This will result in muscle loss and fat storage, which is the opposite of what you want to do.

We are going to focus here on which are the best foods to consume for your weight loss program. We will review a way to lose weight, by choosing the right foods. Very few of us are going to limit ourselves to eating all of the foods we should all of the time. However, a good knowledge of what we should eat will help us in making the better food choices the majority of the time. Surely, the better our diet, the more likely it is that our weight loss program will have a successful outcome. This applies to any weight loss routine.

Let’s start with a short description of the type of foods we we’ll be talking about:

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are simple and complex sugars that the body uses as energy. Simple Carbohydrate are typically sweet tasting glucose and are quickly metabolized by and converted into energy. Simple sugars need almost no digesting, they enter the bloodstream immediately with no digestion.

Examples are: table sugar, fruit juice, candy, fruit, syrups etc.

Simple carbohydrates are typically high on the glycemic index, so they cause a rapid rise in blood glucose levels. Simple carbohydrates are ideal for energy, but not so good for appetite and blood glucose control.

Complex Carbohydrates or complex sugars are many sugars put together. Because the structure of complex carbohydrates is more complicated than simple carbohydrates the body cannot convert them into energy as quickly as simple carbs. This means complex carbs raise blood glucose levels more slowly which is called a low glycemic food. The most common form of polysaccharide complex carb is starch, which is found in plants.

Common plant-based starchy foods include breakfast cereals, bread, potatoes, pasta and rice.

Good Carbohydrates: The more natural, the better. Fruit , vegetables, yams, and whole grains, such as oats, are all great carbohydrate sources.

Bad Carbohydrates: White flour, enriched products, pasta, and anything that has refined sugar or high fructose corn syrup. To achieve quick weight loss avoid these carbohydrates.

Word of Caution: Consumption of too many carbohydrates will send your blood sugar hormones through the roof! An excess insulin leads to fat storage and subsequently to type II diabetes. The best way to prevent this disease is by not overloading yourself with bad carbohydrates.

Proteins

Proteins are the basic building block needed to build strong muscles, joints and ligaments. They are essential for the body to repair, heal, and grow. Protein has a low glycemic index and won’t cause your body to store fat. Great sources of protein are chicken, turkey, fish and lean red meats. Whey protein is also great. Bad protein sources are those that also contain a lot of fat include hot dogs, cheese, most cold cuts, hamburgers etc¦

Fiber

Fiber has many benefits. Fiber is good for clearing your digestive tract of toxins and also to keep your bowels moving. Fiber helps prevent colon cancer by maintaining a balanced pH in your intestinal tract. Fiber slows stomach emptying time so that sugar is released and absorbed slowly preventing sugar spikes and insulin spikes which causes fat storage. Fiber lowers total and LDL cholesterol and therefore reduces the risk of heart disease, and fills up your stomach reducing your appetite. Fiber can also bind up fatty acids in your digestive tract to assist you in weight loss. As you may have noticed, fiber in your diet is a great way to lose weight and improve your health!

Some great sources of fiber include:

- Green vegetables and lettuce

- All types of dark green leafy vegetables

- Whole grains

- Corn bran

- Seeds and nuts

- Apples and citrus fruits

- Broccoli

- Many types of beans like black beans, kidney beans, chick peas, and many others

- Lentils

- Figs

FATS

Some fat is essential for a human being to survive. There are two essential fatty acids that we cannot live without. The remainder can be made by your body. The essential fats are linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid. The remainder of the necessary fats can normally be made by your body. All the cells of your body need fat. Fats protect and insulate your organs, including the lungs, heart, liver, kidneys, and pancreas. Fats help store and transport fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E, and K). Fats assist in mineral absorption, slow the absorption of carbohydrates thereby helping to manage blood glucose levels and reduce hunger.

A large body of scientific research suggests that higher dietary omega-3 fatty acid intakes are associated with reductions in cardiovascular disease risk. Thus, the American Heart Association recommends that all adults consume fish at least twice a week.

Good Fats:

¢ Omega 3 fatty acids: cold water fish.

¢ Naturally raised grass and vegetable-fed animals,

¢ Flaxseed, almonds, and walnuts.

¢ Extra virgin olive oil (cook with at low heat).

¢ Coconut oil (cook at high heat).

¢ Note: Oils become damaged and go rancid when cooked, causing destructive effects to the body. Use olive oil and coconut oil, because they are stable under heat and won’t become rancid when heated and are healthy to use.

Fats To Avoid:

¢ Omega 6 fats

¢ Hydrogenated oils

¢ Trans fats

¢ Cooking oils (vegetable, nut, seed)