A Low Fat Diet Can Lead To A Healthier Lifestyle
There are many different kinds of diet but one of the most successful, effective and healthiest is a low fat diet. There are many advantages to a diet of this type besides helping you to lose weight. Those individuals who suffer from high cholesterol can benefit from eating a diet that is low in fat as can those who are considered to be obese
You do not have to change your diet very much other than be aware of the foods that you are eating. To do this all that you need to do is check the labels on the foods that you buy in the supermarket. You should also be wary of foods that proclaim to be very low in fat and are aimed specifically at dieters. Some foods often have contents which are much higher than normal brands. High fat content can also be hidden in some processed foods with cookies and crackers being the worst and also the oil used when cooking foods.
When it comes to cutting down on the amount of fat and eating a low fat diet then you should consider taking care when choosing food. If you do not want to give up meat then go for the leaner cuts of beef for example. Cutting the skin off chicken and grilling it is another excellent example on how you can cut down on the amount of fat in your diet. Also increase the amount of fresh fruit and vegetables in your diet with the recommended being 5 portions at least per day and increase the amount of fish. You should also aim to include plenty of whole grains, beans and lentils in your diet. Grains and beans are known to be rich in complex carbohydrates and should become the main meal with a small amount of red meat included.
There are many ways that you can move over to a low fat diet without leaving out all the foods you enjoy. For example if you enjoy ice-cream then choose a sorbet or sherbet. Baking, broiling or roasting lean red meat and draining off the juices will allow you to enjoy red meat without adding too much fat to your diet and for a touch of flavour add lemon juice
If you like milk on your cereal and in tea and coffee then switch to 1% milk and then drop down to skimmed milk. After a while you will not notice the difference especially when in a hot drink. When it comes to shopping read the labels in the products before buying, you should avoid foods which contain pal, palm kernel and coconut oils. Also avoid buying products with egg-yolk solids, whole-milk solids or unidentified shortening.
A low fat diet is one of the easiest types of diet to get accustomed to and the transition can be made very slowly. As with any type of diet it is imperative that you make changes slowly over a period of time to allow your body to get used to them and so not miss them.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Thursday, January 10, 2008
3 Great Dinners to Diet For
3 Great Dinners to Diet For by Rosie Peters
What's the hardest part about a weight control diet? It's a trick question, cause you know as well as I do that the answer is basically everything; deciding to lose weight, making a plan and keeping to it, overcoming setbacks, keeping the weight off. Need I go on and on and on?
Yet another difficult thing about weight loss and diet control is wading through what you are going to eat and in many cases subject your family to in the name of healthy living.
I have noticed that very many diet cookbooks aim to attract their readers with fetching photos of scrumptious entrees and deserts as well as a huge variety of main courses. I have also noticed that weight loss magazines often endorse diets that involve you eating something different every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Have these people nothing else to do than slave in the kitchen? Do they expect you to whip up an intricate but low cal soup and an egg white soufflé each and every day? What do they think you are doing with your leftovers?
If you do not get into an easy to prepare and tasty eating pattern it's not weight you are likely to lose, but motivation.
Your time is important. Let's face it, one reason you need to drop a dress size or three (or shirt size guys) is that you can't find the time to plan your meals and to exercise every day. I want to make this easier for you.
You need to sort out what you need to eat and how much of it and stick to this like a chubby little limpet.
You don't need to eat entree. You don't need to create a low cal desert. What you need is to eat something filling and tasty and nutritious so that you can lose weight and keep it off as quickly and painlessly as possible.
Ok, I'd like to share 3 great recipes with you that are tasty, quick to prepare and either leave no leftovers or can be eaten in two distinctly separate sittings.
1. Chicken Fillet Parcels: Chicken fillets are an extremely good source of protein and should only be ignored by vegetarians. Grab a big fillet for each person, marinate it for 30 minutes or more (overnight if you like) in a mixture of ketjap manis or light soy sauce, minced garlic, chilli and ginger to taste (use the bottled variety, you have no time to waste). Oh, and use a plastic bag to marinate the meat in, so the marinade can get up close and personal with all of the surfaces of the chicken. When you have infused some flavour in the chook (some would say unkindly that flavorsome chicken is an oxymoron) wrap each fillet separately in a baking paper parcel and bake it for 20 minutes at 200°C/400° F. Serve it with some brown rice and steamed broccoli (ditch the rice if you are determined to lower your carbs at night).
2. Grilled Lamb Fillets: Again, one fillet per person. Coat your fillets with the spices of your dreams and grill to your desired doneness. Grab a premixed packet salad and tart it up somewhat with some tomato wedges, cucumber slices and a bit of low fat feta. Put some low cal salad dressing on the table if you must and if carbs are the love of your life, boil a few jacket potatoes without butter or cream or any other straight to the hips type extras. Low fat yogurt on potatoes is a great distraction for your taste buds and your body will still respect you in the morning.
3. Pork fillet (or Chicken or Lamb or Beef or Fish fillet or Tofu) Curry: Chop up enough meat/tofu for everyone. Slice an onion or two and grab a packet of frozen beans and a jar of yellow curry paste (or a curry you like better than this one). Dry fry the onion, add the meat (not the tofu) and dollop the paste on top. Fry this for a few minutes till the smell is making your stomach contract in anticipation and the meat is sealed, then add enough light coconut milk to drown the meat (it's a mercy killing). When this is bubbling again add the beans (and tofu if you are boycotting the meat) and go for a good old simmer for about 20 minutes.
In this time, you can be cooking the rice (if you use brown rice, you should start on it before the curry - brown rice must be good for you cause it takes so long to cook). Again if you are a brave and determined weight control dieter, just eat the curry without the carbs.
There you have it, 3 great meals that are tasty, nutritious and versatile.
What's for desert?
Have a go at seasonal fruit or berries in low fat yogurt. A little boy I know said to his new foster mum, "Fruit isn't desert!" to which she firmly responded "It is in this house". The wise little boy ate the fruit and decided to really love it.
It's all a matter of how you want to see it and whether you can make it suit your purpose.
Enjoy your dinner.
What's the hardest part about a weight control diet? It's a trick question, cause you know as well as I do that the answer is basically everything; deciding to lose weight, making a plan and keeping to it, overcoming setbacks, keeping the weight off. Need I go on and on and on?
Yet another difficult thing about weight loss and diet control is wading through what you are going to eat and in many cases subject your family to in the name of healthy living.
I have noticed that very many diet cookbooks aim to attract their readers with fetching photos of scrumptious entrees and deserts as well as a huge variety of main courses. I have also noticed that weight loss magazines often endorse diets that involve you eating something different every day for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Have these people nothing else to do than slave in the kitchen? Do they expect you to whip up an intricate but low cal soup and an egg white soufflé each and every day? What do they think you are doing with your leftovers?
If you do not get into an easy to prepare and tasty eating pattern it's not weight you are likely to lose, but motivation.
Your time is important. Let's face it, one reason you need to drop a dress size or three (or shirt size guys) is that you can't find the time to plan your meals and to exercise every day. I want to make this easier for you.
You need to sort out what you need to eat and how much of it and stick to this like a chubby little limpet.
You don't need to eat entree. You don't need to create a low cal desert. What you need is to eat something filling and tasty and nutritious so that you can lose weight and keep it off as quickly and painlessly as possible.
Ok, I'd like to share 3 great recipes with you that are tasty, quick to prepare and either leave no leftovers or can be eaten in two distinctly separate sittings.
1. Chicken Fillet Parcels: Chicken fillets are an extremely good source of protein and should only be ignored by vegetarians. Grab a big fillet for each person, marinate it for 30 minutes or more (overnight if you like) in a mixture of ketjap manis or light soy sauce, minced garlic, chilli and ginger to taste (use the bottled variety, you have no time to waste). Oh, and use a plastic bag to marinate the meat in, so the marinade can get up close and personal with all of the surfaces of the chicken. When you have infused some flavour in the chook (some would say unkindly that flavorsome chicken is an oxymoron) wrap each fillet separately in a baking paper parcel and bake it for 20 minutes at 200°C/400° F. Serve it with some brown rice and steamed broccoli (ditch the rice if you are determined to lower your carbs at night).
2. Grilled Lamb Fillets: Again, one fillet per person. Coat your fillets with the spices of your dreams and grill to your desired doneness. Grab a premixed packet salad and tart it up somewhat with some tomato wedges, cucumber slices and a bit of low fat feta. Put some low cal salad dressing on the table if you must and if carbs are the love of your life, boil a few jacket potatoes without butter or cream or any other straight to the hips type extras. Low fat yogurt on potatoes is a great distraction for your taste buds and your body will still respect you in the morning.
3. Pork fillet (or Chicken or Lamb or Beef or Fish fillet or Tofu) Curry: Chop up enough meat/tofu for everyone. Slice an onion or two and grab a packet of frozen beans and a jar of yellow curry paste (or a curry you like better than this one). Dry fry the onion, add the meat (not the tofu) and dollop the paste on top. Fry this for a few minutes till the smell is making your stomach contract in anticipation and the meat is sealed, then add enough light coconut milk to drown the meat (it's a mercy killing). When this is bubbling again add the beans (and tofu if you are boycotting the meat) and go for a good old simmer for about 20 minutes.
In this time, you can be cooking the rice (if you use brown rice, you should start on it before the curry - brown rice must be good for you cause it takes so long to cook). Again if you are a brave and determined weight control dieter, just eat the curry without the carbs.
There you have it, 3 great meals that are tasty, nutritious and versatile.
What's for desert?
Have a go at seasonal fruit or berries in low fat yogurt. A little boy I know said to his new foster mum, "Fruit isn't desert!" to which she firmly responded "It is in this house". The wise little boy ate the fruit and decided to really love it.
It's all a matter of how you want to see it and whether you can make it suit your purpose.
Enjoy your dinner.
A Combination of Exercise and Diet
A Combination of Exercise and Diet by Cice Rivera
When it comes to eating and fitness, we need to pay more attention to ourselves. We all want to be fit and lose weight; you can only achieve that on your own terms. One of the questions most asked is 'how can I lose my stomach or get abs?' perhaps you should know that it cannot be accomplished on just working out, it also takes proper diet. If you don't like the word diet perhaps you can modify your calorie intake. (A good calorie low- carbohydrate diet) exercise and cardiovascular are essential. (So forget about having rice and beans).
To gain weight one would intake more calories, less calories to maintain mass, this makes perfect sense since you need to eat more to gain. (A round about figure estimated 10 calories per pound of lean weight.) That means if you weigh 213 pounds with 12% body fat, your diet would be based on a 2000 calorie diet. Getting cut up is not the healthiest way to maintain all year round or for long periods.
Even if you are eager to lose weight fast, (don't jump into a low calorie diet immediately) you should not let yourself go hungry or starve. Your body will feel threatened and your system will automatically start storing fat. What this means is that if you decide to cheat one day or consume an extra calorie while on maintenance it will be stored as body fat. Body fat severely increases.
Make changes gradually so that your body accepts and adapts to new ways, in the long run you'll be happy, Also carbohydrates increase sugar cravings, so avoid these cycles of yo- yo dieting, restrict your carbohydrates slowly, this will aid in your sugar intake.
Protein should be approximately 1 to 1.5 grams per pound of body weight, protein intake is always important. Protein is essential to a nitrogen balance, protein aids in any repairs or damaged caused by training and cardiovascular and it also avoids muscle from being burned. Fats should be increased to make up for the carbohydrate loss, fat can be used as the alternative for your fuel energy, fats form cholesterol needed to make testosterone and vitamin D. (eat celery) Vegetables contain 80% of water and plenty of fiber, so add these calories to your diet and consume less dense food calories. Don't avoid fats and drink at least 10 8ounce glasses of water per day or more. We are made of 60% water, the more water you drink the less body fat you maintain. So drink, drink and drink. (drink water instead of cafe latte).
When you increase your cardiovascular or exercise you burn more calories than you normally would, it is extremely important that you combine the two, for optimal results be sure to exercise and eat right
When it comes to eating and fitness, we need to pay more attention to ourselves. We all want to be fit and lose weight; you can only achieve that on your own terms. One of the questions most asked is 'how can I lose my stomach or get abs?' perhaps you should know that it cannot be accomplished on just working out, it also takes proper diet. If you don't like the word diet perhaps you can modify your calorie intake. (A good calorie low- carbohydrate diet) exercise and cardiovascular are essential. (So forget about having rice and beans).
To gain weight one would intake more calories, less calories to maintain mass, this makes perfect sense since you need to eat more to gain. (A round about figure estimated 10 calories per pound of lean weight.) That means if you weigh 213 pounds with 12% body fat, your diet would be based on a 2000 calorie diet. Getting cut up is not the healthiest way to maintain all year round or for long periods.
Even if you are eager to lose weight fast, (don't jump into a low calorie diet immediately) you should not let yourself go hungry or starve. Your body will feel threatened and your system will automatically start storing fat. What this means is that if you decide to cheat one day or consume an extra calorie while on maintenance it will be stored as body fat. Body fat severely increases.
Make changes gradually so that your body accepts and adapts to new ways, in the long run you'll be happy, Also carbohydrates increase sugar cravings, so avoid these cycles of yo- yo dieting, restrict your carbohydrates slowly, this will aid in your sugar intake.
Protein should be approximately 1 to 1.5 grams per pound of body weight, protein intake is always important. Protein is essential to a nitrogen balance, protein aids in any repairs or damaged caused by training and cardiovascular and it also avoids muscle from being burned. Fats should be increased to make up for the carbohydrate loss, fat can be used as the alternative for your fuel energy, fats form cholesterol needed to make testosterone and vitamin D. (eat celery) Vegetables contain 80% of water and plenty of fiber, so add these calories to your diet and consume less dense food calories. Don't avoid fats and drink at least 10 8ounce glasses of water per day or more. We are made of 60% water, the more water you drink the less body fat you maintain. So drink, drink and drink. (drink water instead of cafe latte).
When you increase your cardiovascular or exercise you burn more calories than you normally would, it is extremely important that you combine the two, for optimal results be sure to exercise and eat right
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
What Is Glycemic Index Dieting?
What Is Glycemic Index Dieting By: G. D. Holdon
Dieting based on glycemic index has been a hot topic for a while now. More commonly now the more complex glycemic load is used in dieting. Glycemic load is the number of grams received from the product of carbohydrates and the glycemic index, divided by one hundred.
Dr. Jennie Brand-Miller of Australia became famous after doing a 12-week study for young adults of excessive weights to measure the effects of four popular diets. What all four of these diets had in common was that fat was maintained at about 30% of total calories. The total calories were themselves measured out to about 1900 for the men and 1400 for the women.
One of the key elements studied was how dieting based on the glycemic index compared to diets rich in protein. Dr. Brand-Miller wanted to know how these different types of dieting would influence weight loss. She also measured the correlations between the diets and negative cardiovascular developments.
Below is a list of the daily specifications for each diet:
Diet One - Glycemic Load: 127 Grams
Carbohydrate = 55% of total calories
Fat = 30% of total calories
Protein = 15% of total calories
Diet Two - Glycemic Load: 75 Grams
Fat = 30% of total calories
Diet Three - Glycemic Load: 87 Grams
Carbohydrate = 45% of total calories
Fat = 30% of total calories
Protein = 25% of total calories; Beef
Diet Four - Glycemic Load: 54 Grams
Fat = 30% of total calories
The Results of the Dieting
Interestingly, all of the diets resulted in nearly the same amount of decrease in weight, around 5% on average. But diet one resulted in much less fat loss than diet four. Meanwhile, the unhealthy LDL cholesterol was lower in diet two and high in diet three.
Bottom Line For Dieting Based on the Glycemic Index
You don't necessarily have to cut back on food to begin to make positive changes in your weight composition. Simply eating foods higher in soluble fiber, such as whole grains and seeds instead of eating starchy foods and drinks can make a difference.
Dieting based on glycemic index has been a hot topic for a while now. More commonly now the more complex glycemic load is used in dieting. Glycemic load is the number of grams received from the product of carbohydrates and the glycemic index, divided by one hundred.
Dr. Jennie Brand-Miller of Australia became famous after doing a 12-week study for young adults of excessive weights to measure the effects of four popular diets. What all four of these diets had in common was that fat was maintained at about 30% of total calories. The total calories were themselves measured out to about 1900 for the men and 1400 for the women.
One of the key elements studied was how dieting based on the glycemic index compared to diets rich in protein. Dr. Brand-Miller wanted to know how these different types of dieting would influence weight loss. She also measured the correlations between the diets and negative cardiovascular developments.
Below is a list of the daily specifications for each diet:
Diet One - Glycemic Load: 127 Grams
Carbohydrate = 55% of total calories
Fat = 30% of total calories
Protein = 15% of total calories
Diet Two - Glycemic Load: 75 Grams
Fat = 30% of total calories
Diet Three - Glycemic Load: 87 Grams
Carbohydrate = 45% of total calories
Fat = 30% of total calories
Protein = 25% of total calories; Beef
Diet Four - Glycemic Load: 54 Grams
Fat = 30% of total calories
The Results of the Dieting
Interestingly, all of the diets resulted in nearly the same amount of decrease in weight, around 5% on average. But diet one resulted in much less fat loss than diet four. Meanwhile, the unhealthy LDL cholesterol was lower in diet two and high in diet three.
Bottom Line For Dieting Based on the Glycemic Index
You don't necessarily have to cut back on food to begin to make positive changes in your weight composition. Simply eating foods higher in soluble fiber, such as whole grains and seeds instead of eating starchy foods and drinks can make a difference.
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