Low Carb Diet

While a solid Phase 2 carb Blocker such as CarbCruncher is perhaps the simplest and one of the fastest weight loss supplements available, we also want you to have some good general ideas for taking off those unwanted pounds.

Making the best choices in a weight loss program are not always easy, so here are some tips to help you maintain a healthy weight and diet.

**Control your portions. Read the serving sizes on nutrition labels and adhere to them.

**Choose healthy cooking styles. Frying or coating with butter and oil can turn a healthy food into fat and calories.

**Eat three meals a day, including breakfast.

**Get plenty of rest.

**Eat at the table.

**Do not watch television while you are eating.

**Choose whole grains such as wheat breads, oatmeal or brown rice.

**Keep washed and cut vegetables at eye level in the refrigerator.

**Select a variety of fruits and vegetables so you do not grow bored.

**Shop from a list, and do not shop when you are hungry.

**Eat just half of your meal in restaurants.

**Space your meals four to six hours apart.

**Eat smaller amounts of food at one time and eat more often.

**Maintain a supply of low fat, low sugar snacks such as yogurt, rice cakes, sliced vegetables or popcorn at home, in your purse and at work.

**Be active and balance activity with the calories you consume. Take a walk, dance, ride a bicycle, take the stairs, etc.

**Use fats and oils sparingly.

**Lower your stress. Many people tend to eat when they are under a lot of stress. Help yourself avoid that pitfall by reducing the amount of stress in your life.

**Seek support from family and friends.

**Expect setbacks and forgive yourself.

Lose weight fast!

Have you met some of the same people that I have - you know the type: they seem to describe most things, be they people, situations, life, society, culture or politicians (oh wait, politicians are evil) as either evil or ungodly. I mean the type of folks who seem to have no middle ground - either you are this OR you are definitely THAT! Now picture those same types of people as they describe weight loss. They are the ones who will latch onto something, take it to the extreme and then expect everyone else in the world to agree with them. And while there IS right and WRONG in the world, good and evil, moral and immoral, godly and ungodly, NOT everything is that cut and dried - especially when it comes to the foods we eat or the foods we don't eat when we are attempting to lose weight.

So allow me to remind everyone yet again about carbohydrates:
Low carb diets are common and popular - and while carbs are caloric, they are not evil, nor ungodly.

In order to lose the weight you need to lose, feel better, and lower the risk of disease, you just need to make sure you are eating the RIGHT carbohydrates. Keep in mind that, Carbs are not worse for you than fat or proteins. They are the main energy source for the majority of the body's vital organs, including the brain, central nervous system, kidneys and heart. If your body doesn't get sufficient carbohydrates, it starts to break down muscle and other tissue to produce glucose. This leads to a construction of waste products called 'ketones'. 'Ketosis' is common for people who are starving, suffering from anorexia nervosa or who have insulin-dependent diabetes. Ketones make the blood acidic, in some cases Ketosis can be fatal, particularly for pregnant women, unborn babies, and for people who have diabetes.

The point is, that if you were to stop eating carbohydrates altogether, it would simply not be good for you.

Whether calories come from carbohydrate, protein or fat, your weight gain is caused by consuming too many of them. A diet containing good carbohydrates such fruits and vegetables, whole grains and moderate in fat and calories, will lead to the better weight loss. In today's world, with new weight loss innovations, you can eat either good carbs or splurge occasionally on the less nutritious carbs like chips, and still maintain a diet by using phase 2 carb blockers. Thus returning to an earlier point that carbs are not evil - especially when you have control of their calorie count. We'll come back to this in a moment...

A diet with good carbohydrates will also help fighting hunger pangs as they are slowly realized to the body.
As to simple and complex carbohydrates they both are broken down into glucose, or blood sugar, which is after then utilized by the body for fuel. Not immediately used glucose is accumulated in the muscles as glycogen. But if your body has too much glycogen, it is transformed into fat.

Foods made from white, brown, powdered and raw sugar, honey etc are simple carbohydrates that supply few nutrients but extra calories. The processing of whole grain into fine flour removes fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals. Using these simple refined carbs increases blood sugar levels, which leads to the pancreas to release insulin. This, on its turn, reduces blood sugar again, triggering hunger pangs.

A diet high in refined carbs can cause weight gain, because it makes you hungry fast leading to overeating.
Using refined carbs also makes your pancreas to function harder producing insulin that increases blood sugar levels. This can cause insulin resistance and then diabetes. Too much insulin increases triglyceride levels, i.e. amount of fat in your blood and reduces your HDL (good cholesterol) raising the risk of blood clotting. And this can damage your heart.

As for complex carbohydrates - they are loaded with nutrients and are slow to digest and fight hunger pangs, by making you feel full for longer period. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are perfect sources of carbohydrates and are a rich source of many vitamins and minerals.

So what is the low carb diet solution? What if you could
lose weight fast by using a weight
loss supplementthat allowed you to, eat enough carbohydrates to keep your body going strong without overeating them? And while we're NOT promoting pure indulgence on potato chips for example, it is a wonderful relief to be able to lose the weight we need to lose while also enjoying our favorite "comfort carbs"!

Earlier, I mentioned Phase 2 carb blockers which are natural weight loss supplements that use the white kidney bean as an absorption or neutralizing agent, literally neutralizing up to 60% of the calories from carbohydrates. Read more about CarbCruncher here...it has been called, The Ultimate Low Carb diet WITHOUT the Low Carbs!

Are weight loss supplements the best solution? Losing weight requires discipline no matter what your approach. But many people have created a bit of a "rut" for themselves - a rut in their eating patterns and their mental approach to staying fit. In addition there are other causes of obesity such as hereditary or genetic, environmental, life style and food habits. When that happens, the best approach is to "jump start" the weight loss process. What do I mean?

Latest scientific research and medical studies have proved that obesity is mainly caused by over consumption of food i.e. high calorie intake. There is a scientifically developed index that helps doctors to decide whether a person is overweight or obese. To use prescribed weight loss pills, you'll need a diagnosis from a medical professional. But there are also over the counter weight loss supplements that are very effective and do not require a doctor's supervision.

When are diet pills the best solution?

Effective weight loss is predominantly about diet and exercise. If you could exercise enough, you WOULD lose weight but if you are like most of us and want to exercise but find that your time is limited, then keeping active while you reduce your calorie intake works well. No surprise there. The question is can you reduce your calories, exercise and use weight loss supplements to improve your weight loss results? We believe the answer is a resounding YES. Of course eack diet supplement company is convinced that their supplement is better than the next company, but to be frank, there are many good ones.

Consider these as you choose a weight loss supplement
When looking at website describing a weight loss "pill":

@@ What do they say are the past results? Can you reasonably verify the results? Do the results seem plausible or are they bigger than life?

@@ Do they describe any side effects?

@@ Who manufactures the supplements? Are they considered pharmacy grade weight loss supplements?

@@ Do they offer a guarantee?

@@ Consider the information thoroughly, and determine your needs and what they offer and choose accordingly.

There is no reason why you can't have a slim, fit and very healthy body! Weight supplements can be a very good addition and a boost to your results. Start soon, be consistent and your results will follow.
If you like to eat carbohydrates but fear the calories, try neutralizing the carbs with a
phase 2 carb blocker!

There are many great recipes for a low carb diet, and I've provided one below. I certainly recommend this one and others like it. But here's an additional thought as well. If you use a Phase 2 Carb Blocker you can eat higher carb desserts and meals and still lower your carbs. What's the point, well, if in some cases, the food does not taste as good if you lower the carbohydrates, then use a normal recipe and then use the carb blocker (linked below) to lower the calories from the carbohydrates. OR, alternatively, use the recipe below with the carb blocker and lower the carbs even further. HMMM. now we're really getting somewhere with this Low Carb diet idea.

The Ultimate Low Carb Diet without the Low Carbs!

Low Carb Diet - Peaches and Blueberries Recipe
Low Carb Food Nutrition Fact - Serves 6
Per Serving
Protein 9.5g
Fat 23.5g
Carb 19.6g

Low Carb Recipe Ingredients
Fruit
Butter for the baking dish
4 ripe peaches, Peeled and slice
1 pint blueberries
2 1/2 oz Canderel spoonful
Dash of cinnamon
Crunchy topping
10 oz almond
3 1/2 oz Canderel Spoonful
Pinch of salt
1 large egg white
2 teaspoon cornmeal, optional

Low Carb Cooking Recipe
Preheat the oven to 375 F/ 190 C/ Gas mark 5.
Butter a 9 inch baking dish.

Mix the fruit ingredients together in a bowl, then arrange them in a baking dish. Bake the fruit for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, chop the nuts in a finely food processor. Combine in a bowl with the sweetener and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg white until it's quite foamy, then pour the dry ingredients into the beaten white and mix well, stirring in the cornmeal if you are using it. Rub the topping through the fingers to be sure it's thoroughly combined. Spread the topping on a large plate and let it sit at room temperature until you are ready to use it.

After the fruit has cooked for 15 minutes, remove the dish from the oven and spread the topping evenly over it.

Bake on the lowest oven lowest shelf for another 25- 30 minutes, or until the fruit is bubbling hot.
Cool on the rack at least 10 minutes before serving.

Carbohydrates are incredibly tasty - no argument there! Potatoes, breads, pasta, and all the toppings that go on top of each one. My mouth waters just thinking about...Apple-Banana Bread, Blueberry and Oat Bran Muffins, Chewy Pizza Bread, Bagels, Spaghetti, Fettuccine Alfredo, Lasagna, Fried Garlic Pasta, Potato chips (so many great flavors to choose from), Baked Potatoes with lots of sour cream, bacon bits, cheese and chives...and of course Mexican Refried Beans, Fried Rice (all grains), and Chinese Chow Mien Noodles, do I need to go on?

Wow! Those are some extremely tasty high carb foods and I only mentioned a few...

Needing to lose even a few pounds can be so overwhelming - an even depressing endeavor - We look at ourselves in the mirror and we just don't like what we see - what we've become in terms of our weight and fitness level.
It's so easy to simply NOT start because we're afraid to fail. Can you relate to that? If so, join the crowd!!!
Carb addiction knows no boundaries - men, women, athletes, businessmen, you name it - Carbs are just plain hard to resist...and if not controlled, they'll quickly "pack on the pounds"!

But before we go any further, let's be realistic here - Carbs are not the devil! But they do need to be controlled whether you want to lose weight or you simply want to enjoy eating carbs AND still maintain your current fitness level.

Typical indicators that Carbohydrates are a factor in your weight gain?

(Important Note: A carbohydrate addict is someone who could be pre-diabetic)

** You are overweight but do not feel that you eat too much.
** You have tried low calorie and low fat diets to the letter but still have not lost weight.
** Others in your family are also overweight.
** You will lose several pounds in a week, but then gain them all back in one day. You are hungry shortly after having what you consider a normal meal.
** You crave sweet foods.
** You have mood swings or feel uncontrollably angry at times.
* You eat when you are stressed or emotional because it makes you feel better.
** You sometimes feel very tired. Especially in the afternoon.
** On the days that you skip breakfast, you feel shaky later in the day from not eating.
** You tend to have certain foods that you "can't live without".
** You often wake up often from a deep sleep for no reason.

If you answered yes to more than half of these questions you could be a carbohydrate addict.

Now what do you do?

Is it possible to beat Carbohydrate cravings and lose weight- while still enjoying Carbs? You CAN with CarbCruncher - the Phase 2 carb blocker!

Myth: Fast foods are always an unhealthy choice and you should not eat them when dieting.
Fact: Fast foods can be part of a healthy weight-loss program with a little bit of know-how.

Tip: Avoid supersize combo meals, or split one with a friend. Sip on water or fat-free milk instead of soda. Choose salads and grilled foods, like a grilled chicken breast sandwich or small hamburger. Try a "fresco" taco (with salsa instead of cheese or sauce) at taco stands. Fried foods, like french fries and fried chicken, are high in fat and calories, so order them only once in a while, order a small portion, or split an order with a friend. Also, use only small amounts of high-fat, high-calorie toppings, like regular mayonnaise, salad dressings, bacon, and cheese.

Myth: Skipping meals is a good way to lose weight.
Fact: Studies show that people who skip breakfast and eat fewer times during the day tend to be heavier than people who eat a healthy breakfast and eat four or five times a day. This may be because people who skip meals tend to feel hungrier later on, and eat more than they normally would. It may also be that eating many small meals throughout the day helps people control their appetites.

Tip: Eat small meals throughout the day that include a variety of healthy, low-fat, low-calorie foods. For more information about healthy eating, read the Weight-control Information Network brochure Healthy Eating and Physical Activity Across Your Lifespan: Tips for Adults.

Low carb diets are everywhere these days, and the information needed to begin such a plan is available for little to no cost. The Internet is a rich source of low carb information, low carb meals, and even free low carb recipes. Low carb diets like Akins and South Beach diet have been all the rage, and while they may help the average individual lose weight, they aren't recommended for athletes. In the June issue of the Physician and Sports Medicine , sports nutrition expert, Nancy Clark, MS, RD, says the recent studies won't change her recommendations to active patients. The big question with the "severe" low carb diets such as Atkins, is not if they can help you lose weight, but if they can do so in a safe way. A more recent and much less radical approach to low carb diets is the use of
phase 2 carb blockers. They are designed to block calories from carbs, which allows the dieter to eat a more normal diet, but still reduce the calories.

For the average person, carbohydrates should make up less than 10 percent, and in some cases, less than 5 percent of daily calorie intake. Carbohydrates are the body's ideal fuel for most functions. They supply the body with the energy needed for the muscles, brain and central nervous system. Carbohydrates - including bread, pasta, rice, cereals, milk, most fruit and any sweets - usually provide over half of people's daily calories. On a low-carb diet, however, carbohydrates are limited or avoided, thus leading to a significant reduction in calorie intake. Protein plays a major role in maintaining muscle (not only on our bones but also internal organs such as the heart) and fighting infections. A function that is vital for those with diabetes and loss of kidney function.

One of the purposes of a low carb diets is to prevent blood sugar levels from spiking and causing the overproduction of insulin-a hormone that helps convert carbohydrates to body fat. In the "radical versions" (Atkins, etc), the first carbohydrates you need to add back to your diet when you move beyond Induction are more vegetables, then seeds and nuts, then berries and then-if you are still losing-legumes and grains. If you are using a a weight loss supplement to lower your carbohydrate intake, you simply eat a balanced meal and add the supplement.

The bottom line is that, carbohydrates do make people fat, but then again, so does protein if consumed in excess. It's all about numbers. Low carb diets are an effective diet choice, and carb blockers are the simplest (though may not be the fastest) and most safe version of a low carb diet. To consider the details for a medical
quality phase 2 carb blocker, go here.

The Importance of Weight Loss and Measuring Cholesterol

The Basics of Cholesterol
More than half of Americans, and according to American Heart Association figures, most of them have less than desirable cholesterol levels. What this means is that every other person walking down the street is at risk for some sort of heart disease. But how do we know how grave those risks are when we are looking at ourselves? These numbers help the average person make cholesterol levels and risks understandable and because of this it can also make establishing achievable goals easier. Actually achieving them, of course, is something else altogether, but I digress.

Measure your own Cholesterol Levels
There are actually five different ways to measure for a complete reading on your own cholesterol levels and they are: total, HDL, LDL, total/HDL ratio, LDL/HDL ratio. These measurements are actually categorized as desirable, borderline, and of course, at risk. Measurement units are milligrams per deciliter. It is extremely misleading to consider any of them on their own. Consult your health practitioner to best understand your cholesterol levels and what, if anything, to do about them or how to maintain them properly.

Here is how it really works in the numbers. Total desirable is below 200 mg/dL, total borderline level is 200 to 240 and total risk above level 240. HDL ideal level is above 45 mg/dL, HDL borderline is 35 to 45 and HDL at risk below 35. LDL ideal level is below 130 mg/dL, LDL borderline is 130 to 160 and LDL at risk above 160. Total/HDL ideal ratio is below 4.5, total/HDL borderline is 4.5 to 5.5 and total/HDL at risk is above 5.5. LDL/HDL ideal ratio is below 3, LDL/HDL borderline is 3 to 5 and LDL/HDL and at risk is above 5. Whew! That is a lot of numbers!

What all of that shows is that one very important set of numbers that you will want to bear in mind as you face your own cholesterol levels is that every milligram per deciliter makes a very large difference: with a 10 mg/dL drop in your overall cholesterol comes an approximate 40 percent decrease in risk of heart disease. Isn't that a good enough reason for you to want to do something about it?

When it comes to actually doing something about your cholesterol levels, a balanced diet, combined with a good fitness regimen is your best bet in combating high cholesterol. You have to be both active and eat right to maintain the right balance. You can look to the my pyramid charts as a means of being sure that your eating habits are balanced. Supplements of vitamins will not be able to compensate for your poor eating. You have to eat whole foods for any of this to be effective, and you must lay off of heavy fatty foods and junk food to keep your cholesterol balanced.

Lower Cholesterol: 4 Ways to Lower Cholesterol Quickly!

According to experts, there are four basic ways to get your cholesterol where you want it:
** Eating a healthy diet.
** Exercising
** Losing weight
** Taking medicine -- in some cases

While each of these works, some people have more success with one than another. Many need a combination of approaches.

Reducing fat in your diet is a great start. For overall weight loss, try a low carb diet using CarbCruncher - the Prescription grade Phase 2 Carb Blocker. CarbCruncher is excellent due to its ability to neutralize carbohydrate calories, thus helping you to reduce your weight pretty quickly.

Exercise and a thoughtful approach to your diet are all part of the process of keeping your cholesterol at manageable levels.

CarbCruncher the Carb Blocker: Don't Diet - Neutralize it!.