Showing posts with label diet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label diet. Show all posts

Saturday, May 1, 2010

How To Lose Weight With A Diet For Gout

Have you ever slammed a car door on your fingers? Have you experienced the hot, searing, excruciating pain that shoots through your hand, which radiates through out your whole body, when you do this? If you have then you have a small idea of what gout suffers go through for hours at a time. 

If you are overweight you are a prime candidate to get hit with a sever case of gout. This article will explain how to lose weight with a diet for gout.

By the way the information contained in this article is not medical advice, nor should it be taken as medical advice. It is for informational purposes only. As always with a physical illness you should consult your personal physician right away. Please! read on.

Gout is a type of arthritic illness which occurs in your body’s extremities such as the fingers, elbows, knees and toes. Uric acid is the cause of gout and when there is excessive uric acid in the bloodstream, crystal deposits form in your joints which causes swelling, redness and excruciating pain.

You may be one of the thousands upon thousands of people who thought gout was a thing of the past. However, it is alive and well in today's overweight society. Obesity is one of the primary contributors which can cause this painful attack on your joints.

In the old days gout sufferers used to have to drastically modify their diet to relieve and prevent gout symptoms. However modern day medicine has eliminated this requirement. Regardless of medications however, it will help you to undergo some diet restrictions so as to reduce your weight and the severity of the gout attacks.

Do you eat a lot of meat, especially red meat? If you do it will help you to shed those extra pounds by restricting yourself to 6 ounces of meat per day (preferably chicken or fish). In addition it will reduce the chances of a gout attack occurring. This is due to the purines found in meats. If gout sufferers eat a lot of food containing purines (a chemical) then uric acid can form, leading to gout.

Other foods that are particularly high in purines are:
• Mackerel
• Herring
• dried beans
• dried peas
• liver
• kidney
• anchovies

Where possible these foods should be avoided when following a diet for gout.

There are many other diet tips that can help to minimize the occurrence of gout and help you lose weight while doing so. These are just a couple of suggestion which may help you. Again check with your doctor to make sure it's ok to use these tips.

The avoidance of alcohol is an important factor for you to keep in mind. Excess alcohol affects the removal of uric acid from your body. A gout attack supplemented with alcohol can go bad very quickly, as hyperuricemia can occur. Ideally alcohol should be completely eliminated by all gout sufferers.

Drinking a lot of water can have a positive effect on gout as water helps in the removal of uric acid which is what gout sufferers need. Furthermore, as you know water will help you to digest your food more thoroughly and help too flush the excess from your body.

Weight is an issue that needs to be addressed. Excess weight puts extra stress on the joints and drastically increases the chance of gout and hyperuricemia. Sensible weight loss which avoids excess purines is the correct way for gout sufferers to lose weight without increasing the risk of illness. High protein diets can be dangerous as most protein comes from meat and fish. Also avoid low carbohydrate diets; instead maintaining a balance of various nutrients.

There are many low purine foods that can make up the majority of the diet for gout sufferers and the overweight. These include:

1. Low fibre breads and cereals
2. Vegetables
3. Fruit juice
4. Low fat cheese
5. Nuts
6. Peanut butter
7. Soups (without meat)
8. Strawberries
9. Dark berries

If you are an avid meat eater you may find it hard to adjust to a virtually meat free diet. Consider tofu as a meat alternative. It has a rough texture and is filling like meat.

As you can see a diet for gout is a healthy diet, which can also help you to lose weight.

Friday, April 30, 2010

Why and How Does The Atkins Diet Work?

There is a large controversy about whether the effects of the Atkins diet are positive or negative. There seem to be effects that lean towards being positive or negative in different experiences, and is some cases a person will have positive and negative effects that both affect them equally. People will have positive effects such as weight gain and being able to eat smaller amounts without cravings but may also have negative effects such as muscular problems or making a person feel very faint or extremely weak. 

The reason for both the negative and positive experiences is the same, the way that Atkins diets work. The main point of an Atkins diet is to remove carbohydrates, which is sugar in its simplest form, so that the body will be forced to use another energy source. The nest energy source that your body turns to is your fat, which in turn causes you to loose weight. This can cause you to lose lean muscle, which can not only make you feel weaker but can also make you physically weaker.

Many people feel that their weight is more important then their health, this can be very hard on them and can mean that they without realizing it could hurt their body. Dr. Robert Atkins created this diet for himself so that he would be able to lose weight and this diet was so successful for himself that he let others try and in turn, it was successful for them in many cases. There have not been a lot of research conducted that had to do with the long term effects of the Atkins diet, but some individuals have proven that for them it was a very hard diet and left them with negative effects that outnumbered the positive gain.

There are many advances in diets and research every year, meaning that these side effects could be a worry that is in vain or could also simply be eliminated in the future by small differences in diet. Currently, there are still many positive sides to the Atkins diet such as the recipes that are offered. With the Atkins diet you are completely carbohydrate free for a period of week then you have to gradually find your way back to eating in a balanced matter so that any side effects can hopefully be reversed while you still get to keep the figure that you worked so hard to acquire.

The recipes that are offered are very appealing to many people, and after being carbohydrate free the return trip to a healthy balanced diet can be very enjoyable. Steadily but in steps carbohydrates are added back into your meals, this can help to reverse negative effects if such is possible but is mostly used to make sure that you can then stay constant without further damaging your muscles. Many people have found this diet to be successful for themselves and others who they may have suggested it to.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Weight Watchers Can Help

There may be thousands of diets on the market today but not all of them work. As a matter of fact, studies suggest most don’t which means if you are looking for a way to lose weight you should discover weight wachers. The best diet in the world is not the best diet for you if you do not lose the weight. Even more importantly, the diet that helps you get to a certain size but doesn’t remove body fat is not the diet for you either. The bottom line of dieting is to lose body fat.

If you’ve ever been on a diet before, you know that deciding on the wrong diet can mean weeks or months of deprivation that end up resulting in minimal weight loss and possibly binging from deprivation of so many of the foods you normally enjoy. The beauty of dieting the right way, such as when you discover weight wachers, is that you don’t have to suffer while you diet. When you discover weight wachers, you discover a way to eat the foods you love sensibly so that you can enjoy eating and lose weight at the same time.

Realistically speaking, many people don’t have time to prepare a meal every time they want to eat. Many lifestyles, families, and job commitments place significant demands on our daily living. We simply don’t have time or access to the good home cooked meals we would like to eat. Sometimes the best we can do is to grab a quick bite on the way to a meeting or soccer practice or other obligations. For this reason, to discover weight wachers means providing yourself with a reasonable way to begin losing weight and to maintain that type of eating regimen until your ideal weight is reached.

When you discover weight wachers, you are giving yourself the weight loss advantage that you need. Your daily routines can be stressful enough without adding a diet plan that stresses you further. Eating is a fact of life. We have to eat to live. You shouldn’t have to practice a eating routine that is a big ordeal and difficult to maintain because if you do, chances are you aren’t going to stick with the routine or see any significant weight loss because it’s too much trouble to maintain and too much of a hassle to be involved with.

Knowing that there’s a weight loss plan that will let you continue with your life just as it is right now is important and can be the key to getting started with your weight loss right away. More importantly, when you discover weight wachers you are making an investment in yourself which shows others that you care about your body and want to be around for those that you are about also. So it doesn’t really matter at all whether you want to lose 5 pounds or 100 pounds, you can discover weight wachers and start losing the weight today.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Calorie Reduction Diet Lose 5 10 15 Lbs

No matter how hard we all try to lose weight, no matter how many gimmicks we buy into, no matter how many miracle foods or super foods claim all kinds of weight loss guarantees, just about any family physician will say the same thing when you ask him how to shed a few pounds. Exercise more and eat less. That translates into getting off your butt and move, and following a calorie reduction diet.

The only thing you really need to be concerned about when deciding how you are going to attack your calorie reduction diet plan, is to reduce the number of calories you getting sufficiently enough to make weight loss happen while at the same time getting enough calories (and nutrients) to keep your body from going into “starvation mode.”

We have long known that calories must be cut from most people’s diets if they are going to lose weight, but if you are one of those people who already has a very limited calorie intake and you still find yourself unable to lose weight, you may actually need to eat more calories! This is what happens: Your body is designed to survive at all costs.

That means that, according to your bodily system, if you go eating 800 calories a day all of a sudden, your body system begins to think some tragedy has befallen you and you are unable to find food. So, your body goes into ultra drive to protect you and conserves its consumption of calories so you don’t starve to death. If you have long been eating carefully-counted food as part of a long-term calorie reduction diet and you have stopped losing weight, consult your physician for advice about whether or not to add more calories to your eating plan.

Even though many people find themselves in the above category, most of us still eat more than we can burn off, so we need to follow a calorie reduction diet. The easiest way to do that is to cut out anything we know is “fattening.” It really isn’t all that complicated. If food is naturally occurring, it is likely to be the best for you and most likely to be a good part of a calorie reduction diet.

That means you should be spending ninety percent of your grocery shopping time in the produce and meat sections. Eat lots of raw or steamed vegetables, consume a moderate amount of lean protein, and avoid man-made food as much as possible. Before you put it in your buggy, ask yourself, “Did nature provide this or did man?” If the answer is “man,” leave it in the store.

Examples of man-made items include: bread, pastries, canned vegetables, pretzels, potato chips, cakes, pasta, egg noodles, and so on.

Examples of nature-provided items include: broccoli, green beans, carrots, fruits, lean meats, nuts, and so on.

Along with counting calories, look for God or nature-created foods when choosing how to eat on your calorie reduction diet.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

South Beach Diet Phase 1: Hype or Hope?

Have you been hearing about the south beach diet phase 1? If you are known to frequent health forums or are a member of a dieting or health organization, than you have likely head of this before. The basic idea of the South Beach Diet is too maintain a healthy diet of average food staples while using a progressive form of phases to help phase out the cravings that your body experiences from a unhealthy diet. This has proven to very successful in getting people to shed weight and keep it off. The following guide will walk you through some of the benefits of the south beach diet and more specifically the first phase of the diet.

The benefits of the south beach diet phase 1 are extraordinary. The best part of this phase is that it trains your body without you even realizing it. How it works is by almost tricking your body into having cravings for healthy foods that are good for and at the same time gets rid of some of the cravings that are commonly associated with an unhealthy diet. This is the key to long term weight loss success. The South Beach Diet and specifically phase 1 of the diet have proven to be very successful in doing this. 

Phase #1: The part of the phase is of course the food. The good thing about this diet opposed to others is that it is very easy for most people to make the transition from their old diets. This is because the foods that are recommended during the south beach diet phase 1 are foods that most people already enjoy. Some of these foods that you should consume during the first phase include chicken, beef, fish, turkey, nuts, eggs, cheese, and vegetables. If is also recommended to eat garden salad with only 100% olive oil as a dressing. The diet recommends that during this phase you should consume three meals a day and completely stop eating sugary foods or any other foods other than the recommendations set out by the first phase of the diet.

Perhaps the most important part of this diet is the fact that you are slowly beginning to teach your body to stop having craving for sugary foods and other unhealthy foods. Other diets commonly only cause you to lose weight by depriving the body of food. With the south beach diet phase 1 you are actually doing quite the opposite. During phase 1 you will consume three meals a day as well as a snack in between meals. This is crucial to the success of the diet. You can also drink coffee and tea during this phase.

The big changes that you will making during this phase is cutting out foods such as potatoes, bread, rice, fruit, baked goods, candy, cookies, ice cream, and other foods that contain a high concentration of sugar. As long as you make sure that you follow the south beach diet phase 1 you are guaranteed to be on the path to success and reach all of your weight loss goals.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Atkins diet: Is It Right For You?

There are a number of arguments for the Atkins diet, which center from the developers of the diet and those who are currently following the diet. Many arguments on the Internet also exist, which state that the Atkins diet is a viable diet and should be allowed to be tried by more people in order for them to receive the benefits of this great fat burning diet. Recent studies have also shown potential in the Atkins diet fat burning potential for anyone who wishes to use it. 

However, not all of these arguments are positive and they require further examination. Despite this, the fact still remains the Atkins has proffered forth some valuable services within its diet that does make the user lose weight. To the average person, losing weight would be a boon that he or she could not pass up, and with this diet, nothing is different.

With the Atkins diet, this is one of the best things about this diet – it replaces the bad things that go into your body and makes your body burn fat cells for fuel. There are constantly new diet fads that are going up all of the time, trying to take the place of more experienced diets that are showing themselves to work well for those who try them. For arguments for the Atkins diet, this is a common theme, as it constantly has to fight off other diets wanting to take its place and from those who do not believe it is anything good.

The Atkins diet can also save individuals money as it lessens the amounts and types of food you need to get, thus reducing cost and increasing accessibility. Saving money in an economy that is as in trouble as ours is a must. In addition, with costs skyrocketing, it is far too easy to eat unhealthy foods due to the price change. However, the diet will provide a limited selection of foods to choose from (typically focusing on meat) which will minimize the amount of food needing to be purchased and consumed. This is also beneficial for those who wish to use part of their money for groceries around the house.

Many individuals are not aware of how to best care for their health and make a number of mistakes, which result in problems in the long run. This unfortunate form of ignorance can easily damage a situation or a person’s health. Following the Atkins diet allows each person to start setting goals for his or her health while using the guidelines of the diet.

But while there are many arguments for the Atkins diet, each individual will have to decide if they wish to try it and then decide the results for his or herself. It can be a great plan when used properly with supplements and a healthy exercise program. While the diet may not be for everyone, there are still strong arguments for the use of the Atkins diet.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

4 Essential Foods To Help You With Weight Loss

Do you know that you can lose weight by eating certain foods? Sounds unbelievable, I know. After all, the so-called 'experts' have probably always advised you to starve in order to lose weight. Now, the foods I'm going to tell you about don't contain any special metabolism-boosting chemicals that can help you with quick weight loss. 

The fact is that your body needs to burn a lot of calories in order to digest these 'special' foods. As you might be aware, the more calories you burn, the faster you lose weight!

As we become older, our metabolic rate slows down considerably! Ever wondered why most people gain weight during their middle age? During middle age, a person's metabolic rate becomes low; hence he is not able to burn as much fat as he used to during his youth. Eating these 'special' foods is, however, a good way of boosting your metabolic rate! In this article I will tell you about some of these foods:

1. Green Tea: If you are in the habit of drinking morning tea, replace it with green tea! Ordinary tea is not bad, but green tea is even better! It contains fat burning chemicals which will help you with weight loss. It is no wonder that many of the weight loss supplements available in the market have green tea as a common ingredient!

2. Peanut butter: Peanut butter is a great replacement for the ordinary butter. Unlike the ordinary butter, which is rich in fat, peanut butter is rich in protein and fiber, both of which will help you with weight loss. While protein will help you burn fat by building lean muscle mass, fiber will help in suppressing your appetite for a long time.

Peanut butter is available from any local store but I would recommend that you buy the natural ones and avoid the popular commercial brands. Or if you want, prepare it at home! Peanut butter makes for a great breakfast when combined with wholegrain wheat!

3. Almond: There are two types of fat available: the good and the bad fats. The bad fats should be avoided because they make you fat! The good fats, on the other hand, supply your body with essential nutrients such as fatty acids. Almond is one such food. It is rich in fatty acids and protein. Almond helps you burn fat by boosting your metabolic rate!

4. Beans: How successfully you are able to suppress your hunger will determine how fast you are able to lose weight. Beans make for a great appetite supplement. Since they are rich in fiber, they help to keep your stomach full for a long time.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Three Weight Loss Super Foods to Help You with Quick Weight Loss

How nice it would have been if you could lose weight by eating, right? Well, your wish is about to come true. In this article I will tell you of three such foods that will help you lose weight. Sounds too good to be true? Well, just read this article to understand what I mean!

1. Lean meats: Lean chicken meat is one of the best weight loss foods you can ever have! Why? It contains a lot of amount of protein and very little fat, and as you know, protein will build lean muscles. Lean muscles will help you burn fat by accelerating your metabolic rate!

If chicken proves to be too expensive for your pocket, try turkey breast! In any case, make sure you eat only lean meats and stay away from red meat!

Fishes are also very good for quick weight loss. Fishes such as salmon and tuna contain Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids fall in the category of 'good fats' or unsaturated fats. You gained weight because of a hormone called leptin which stores fat inside your body. Omega-3 fatty acids will cut down on leptin; when that happens, you are bound to lose weight!

2. Olive oil: Replace your fatty oil with olive oil. Olive oil is almost free from the 'bad fats' (saturated fats) and contains a considerable amount of unsaturated fats. These unsaturated fats will not only suppress your appetite but also fight cholesterol. In short, olive oil will keep your cholesterol levels down.

3. Berries: Berries are also good for weight loss. There are several types of berries: blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, etc. All of them will help you with weight loss in one or the other way. Strawberry is especially the best among the berries: not only it tastes good, but also helps in suppressing your appetite. Once you get rid of hunger pangs, you can focus more on your weight loss goals and less on eating!

As you can see, just because you want to lose weight doesn't mean that you have to starve. Many people tend to starve or follow crash diets but nothing beats eating and losing weight. I firmly believe that if you eat the right foods, you will not only lose weight but also become healthy. Plus the foods I mentioned above are also rich in vitamins and antioxidants.
Also remember that these are not the only weight loss super foods that are available to you. Other foods such as nuts, oatmeal, eggs and almonds can also help you with weight loss. Add these foods to your diet and see how quickly you are able to get rid of your fat belly!

Friday, April 9, 2010

Two Reasons Why Low Calorie Diets Don't Work For You

Are you planning to follow a low calorie diet plan in order to lose weight fat! Before you do that, read this article to find out why low calorie diet plans don't work!

I cannot tell you how many people have emailed me saying that they followed certain popular low calorie diet plans for a few weeks only to find out that they haven't lost much weight. As such they felt that weight loss is impossible and therefore, they quit the diet program altogether!

The number one reason why low-calorie diet plans don't work is: when you eat low-calorie foods, your body basically remains malnourished. You feel sick and tired at all times. Forget about exercises, you don't have enough energy to complete even your regular activities. All these things happen because your metabolic rate is low!

If you want to lose weight successfully, you need to keep these two things in mind:

1. Calories are not your enemies: Calories are not what you should avoid; calories are required to supply your body with the necessary nutrition and energy. When your body gets enough food, it'll increase your metabolic rate, which will automatically result in weight loss!

The bad calories are those that are available in junk foods. So while you won't accumulate fat by eating 10 apples per day (even though a single apple contains almost 100 calories), you will surely get fat by eating 10 burgers!

That is the basic difference! You need to avoid empty calories (that is, junk foods) and embrace negative calorie foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Now negative calorie doesn't mean that there is no calorie in these foods; it only means that in order to digest themselves, these foods will force your body to burn more calories than what they provide! This results in calorie deficit which will ultimately result in weight loss!

2. Muscle building is a must: Do you know that in order to maintain themselves, muscles burn a lot of your calories? This in effect means that the more lean muscles you have, the faster you will be able to lose weight! Eating protein-rich foods is a good way of building lean muscles; working out regularly in the gym is another. There is another yet advantage of eating protein-rich foods: you won't feel hungry too often; as such, the possibility of overeating is almost non-existent.

When you eat low-calorie foods, you are not able to build muscles; instead you LOSE muscles. When your body doesn't have enough lean muscles, it is not able to burn fat since your metabolic rate remains at an abnormally low level. So that is one more reason why low calorie diets don't work!

Most of these low calorie diets will only help you lose water and muscles; while you maybe misled into believing that you have actually lost several dozens of pounds, you have not lost the single most important thing that is keeping you from becoming slim: and that is FAT! Unless you lose fat, there is no way you can become fit!