Low Carbohydrate & Smart Carb Dieting

Zero Carb Bread

2010-05-09T01:37:00.000-07:00

Bran Crispbread
GG Bran Crispbread is a traditionally baked crispbread, which is still produced in Norway, by the Gundersen family. Founded in 1935, Mr. Eugen Gundersen, who created the original recipe, began producing bran crispbread as he found that the original Scandinavian crispbread was the most effective and appetizing method of supplementing his diet withf fiber.

Highly recommended by leading physicians and nutritionists for diet control especially for diabetic and cancer patients and anyone who is looking to lose weight. Made with 85% unprocessed bran, it's the highest in dietary fiber and lowest in calories with only 16 per slice.
Delicious with any topping and can be used in place of regular bread in sandwiches or snacks. Try with low-fat cheese, peanut butter or any other spread.

THE INGREDIENTS: All natural, 85% is unprocessed Bran (it's straw like structure provides a 3 dimensional framework to enhance absorption and provide bulk in the digestive system), rye flour, and 0.4% salt.

THE BAKING PROCESS: Pure Norwegian spring water is added to the ingredients, which causes them to swell and expand the bran fibers. This swelling process enhances the body's absorption of the bran, which creates the sensation of fullness. The mixture is then baked for 12 hours at extremely low temperatures, which prevents the destruction of any of the vitamins and minerals found in the ingredients. This extremely unique baking process produces a bran cracker that is immediately able to absorb moisture and provide bulk as it passes through the digestive system, making the bran as effective as possible.

Customer reviews

Reviewer: Ellie Mae in Pennsylvania
I LOVE THIS CRISPBREAD. It tastes great. I use it for dips, cream cheese - even made a crunchy little sandwich. I put cheese on them and put them in the microwave to melt. Great Snack. If you buy nothing else do yourself a favor and buy these. Also, I agree with another review - this was the cheapest I see them anywhere.

Reviewer: james in New Mexico Highly recommended. I just got them today and I am thrilled. I got to eat a "cracker" type thing for the first time in over a month on this low carb diet. I think I can hang in for another 20lbs of weight loss with the help of this cracker and the fake peanut butter. I can't wait to try more stuff like the other reviewers had with it.
Reviewer: Jason in New Mexico
Add a slice of mozz cheese, a piece of thin cut deli smoked ham, and you have breakfast. Low carb, low calorie, and full of fiber!
Reviewer: Dorothy in Illinois
I absolutely love this bread! Not only tastes awesome but has no net carbs !!! And I am going to the bathroom 3 times a day when I eat 6 slices of it! I can continue doing my induction {20gr carbs or less } Atkins diet without being constipated ! I highly recommend that to everyone !!!

Netrition has the best low price on this product! Others wants to charge you more than 2.50$ a package!!! +shipping!
Reviewer: Darlene in Oregon
These are the perfect crunchy base for sliced cheddar cheese. They have a nice flavor and texture and are filling. Since their carbs come from fiber, they don't raise my BGL at all.
Reviewer: Toni in Arizona
My family is truly enjoying this cracker. It's wonderful to be able to have crackers with spread and cheese again (low carb diet). We like the crunchy texture and are filled up quickly. The cracker, on it's own, does not have much taste - so you will enjoy it more if you have something to go with it. But it does feel like you're cheating with all the crunching and chewing going on. I'm a fan and will continue to purchase this item on a regular basis. :)
Reviewer: Carol in Ohio
These are perfect for using with dips (cheese, artichoke, spinach, etc.). I love them and they have zero net carbs!!!

Calorie Intake On Atkins and Low Carb Diets

2009-08-16T01:59:00.000-07:00

From The Banta Diet, reprinted with permission

"The Atkins Nutritional Approach counts grams of carbohydrates instead of calories... If you are losing weight, there is no need to concern yourself with counting calories. "

Source: atkins.com

You might be doubtful and chances are that mainstream diets are the reason. Of course you couldn't avoid opinions like the below Q&A posted by Health Care Reality Check:

Q: Can a person eat unlimited calories, and still lose weight, as long as they severely restrict carbohydrates?

A: No, she can not. The basis of ketogenic diets, such as the Atkins Diet, is a severe restriction of carbohydrate calories, which simply causes a net reduction in total calories. Since carbohydrate calories are limited, intake of fat usually increases. This high fat diet causes ketosis (increased blood ketones from fat breakdown), which suppresses hunger, and thus contributes to caloric restriction. -- Ellen Coleman, RD, MA, MPH

Is this a correct answer?

Let's first discuss whether it's a correct question. Or, rather, is this the real question so frequently asked by dieters. In my experience, this in fact sounds a little bit different but this makes ALL the difference.

This is what real dieters ask:

Q: Can low carb dieters eat all they want, and still lose weight as long as they only eat allowed foods?

A: Yes, they can. The basis of ketogenic diets, such as the Atkins Diet, is a restriction of carbohydrate-containing foods in favor of fat and protein containing foods, which causes the state of ketosis resulting in significant decrease in appetite. Since appetite decreases, most of low carb dieters consume significantly less calories WITHOUT INTENTIONAL CALORIE RESTRICTION.

Is there scientific evidence?

There is.

Study #1 by: Bassett Research Institute in
Cooperstown, NY and Durham (N.C.) Veterans Affairs
Medical Center.

Reported: Proceedings of North American Association
for the Study of Obesity, Oct. 29, 2000, Long Beach,
Calif.

Who participated:

18 obese men and women with 30 or more pounds to lose.

Average calorie intake before the study: 2,481
calories a day

Method:

Dr. Atkins' Book, the "New Diet Revolution" used as
instruction for the dieters.

Results:

1. Calorie intake during the most restrictive
induction phase (when only 20 g of carbohydrates were
allowed) was 1,419 calories a day on average and weight loss
was more than 8 pounds on average.

2. Calorie intake during the ongoing weight-loss
phase (when carbohydrate intake is being increased
gradually, by 5 g a day) dieters ate an average of
1,500 calories a day and lost an additional 3 pounds
in two weeks.

3. The calorie reduction was attributed almost
completely to carbohydrate abstaining. Intake of fat
and protein remained practically the same as before
the diet.

4. After 6 months on Atkins diet, 41 overweight people
lost an average of 10% of their weight. Most dieters
lowered their cholesterol by 5%, but there were a few
whose cholesterol increased.

5. 20 out of 41 dieters continued the program, and
kept the lost weight off for more than a year.

Study #2 by: Harvard School of Public Health.

Reported: American Association for the Study of
Obesity, October 16, 2003

Who participated: 21 overweight volunteers.

Two groups were randomly assigned to either lowfat or
low-carb diets with 1,500 calories for women and 1,800
for men; a third group was also low-carb but got an
extra 300 calories a day.

Method: All the food was prepared at a restaurant in
Cambridge, Massachusetts. Note that most earlier
studies including the above Study #1 simply gave out
diet plans.

So in this study, dieters were given dinner and a
bedtime snack as well as breakfast and lunch for the
next day, which made the setting a carefully
controlled one. Foods were mostly fish, chicken,
salads, vegetables and unsaturated oils. Red meats and
saturated fats were limited (as opposed to traditional
Atkins menus.)

All meals looked similar but were cooked to different
recipes. The low-carb meals were 5% carbs, 15%
protein, 65% fat. The low fat group got 55%
carbohydrate, 15% protein, 30% fat.

Results:

1. All dieters lost weight, but those on low carb diet
lost more than the low fat group -- even while consuming
MORE calories:

- Group on lower-cal, low-carb diet lost an average of 23
lbs.
- Group on same-calories low-fat diet lost an average of
17 lbs.
- Group on extra 300 calories, low-carb diet lost an
average of 20 lbs.

2. Over the course of the study, the group of low carb
dieters who got an extra 300 calories a day consumed extra 25,000
calories. That should have added up to
about seven pounds. But for some reason, it did not.

Discussion:

"It doesn't make sense, does it?" said Barbara Rolls
of Pennsylvania State University. "It violates the
laws of thermodynamics. No one has ever found any
miraculous metabolic effects."

So it violates the laws of thermodynamics, huh? Not so
fast! When it comes to calorie counting, the "calorie
is a calorie" concept is very deceiving.

Let's see what we count when we think we
count calories. When you burn a piece of wood in a
stove, you can directly measure how much heat energy
it produces. Then you can claim that you know how many
calories a piece of wood contains, right? Not exactly.
You should specify what kind of wood it was, dry or
wet, how you burned it, etc. Because if you spent
another material to start the burning, you should
subtract these calories from the total; if the wood was wet you
should take into account the calories that the water
evaporation took. So even with a piece of wood, it's
not that simple.

Now look at a piece of food. You know how they tell
how many calories it contains? Same way they talk
about a piece of wood in a stove. It's the calorie
number that the food would produce by being burnt in a
stove.

Then in addition to the wood's calorie estimation (that takes
into account the dryness, etc.), you should add many
more circumstances: how hard should one chew it
before being able to swallow, how hard one's enzyme
system will have work to digest it, will it influence
the hormones in charge of fat storing? What about its effect on the
hormones in charge of fat burning?

Which chain of reactions will it trigger, activity-wise
or metabolism-wise? Will it make one sleepy, thus
conserving the energy? Ot will it make one jumpy, thus
wasting the energy?

Study #3 by: Laboratory of Applied Physiology,
Graduate School of Human and Environmental Studies,
Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan

Reported: J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2003
Dec;88(12):5661-7

Method:

Healthy boys, aged 8-11 yr, were examined for resting
energy expenditure and the thermic effect of a meal,
which were measured for three hours after a
same-calorie but high-fat or a high-carb meals.

Results:

There was no changes after high carbohydrate meals but
there was an increase in resting energy expenditure
after a high-fat meal.

If the researchers in the Study #2 would have measured
resting energy expenditure and the thermic effects of the
meals, they would probably have registered the same changes.
Then everybody would make a sigh of relief:
none of the laws of thermodynamics have been violated:
yes, the low-carb dieters COULD INDEED eat more
calories and lose more weight than the low-fat group
while violating no physical laws because -- they just
burnt more, all the time, even at rest. It's that simple

From The Banta Diet, reprinted with permission

Glucose, starches, glycemic index

2009-01-31T03:16:00.000-08:00

Different carbohydrates, when ingested, result in different blood glucose increase. The glycemic index classification was proposed to indicate the rates at which different starchy foods were digested. It was hoped that selection of foods with lower glycemic indices would contribute to prolonging the absorption of nutrients, and so improve the glycemic profile.

Glucose and sugars including glucose as a building block are important, though not exclusive, fuel for the body. They are also structural components of plants and this is an important fact to remember for better understanding of what the glycemic index is. Surprisingly enough, amount and ratios of the sugars are not yet available for most foods.

However, the chemical structures and dietary properties are relatively well known. What are these sugars?

First of all, glucose itself.

The word glucose is from the Greek gleucos, which means sweet wine.

Glucose can be found in fruit and vegetables and is responsible (together with fructose and sucrose) for their sweet taste. With the exception of banana, seeds, grain, legumes, and tubers, which contain mostly starch, foods containing glucose, fructose and sucrose in various ratios are the major dietary carbohydrate sources.

Glucose is easily soluble in water and is present in the diet as part of the disaccharides sucrose (glucose and fructose) and lactose (glucose and galactose).

In healthy humans, after overnight fasting, blood glucose levels lie between range 3.5 to 5.5 mmol/1iter. They rise after breakfast meal to almost 10 mmol/liter. Blood glucose level over 7.8 mmol /liter measured 2 hours after a drink containing 75 g glucose is a diagnostic criterion for diabetes.

Glucose is stored by the body as glycogen (animal starch) mostly in the liver and muscles. A 70-kg man may store around 500 grams of glycogen. Glucose can also be synthesized from certain ("gluconeogenic") amino acids in process of so-called de novo gluconeogenesis.

Oligosaccharides

Oligosaccharides, from Greek oligo (fewÃƒâ€¡) are polymers or molecules usually containing 2 to 9 building blocks, sometimes up to 19.

The 2-unit, 3--unit and 4-unit forms (so-called dimers, trimers and tetramers) in which glucose molecules are joined in chains are called maltose, maltotriose and maltotetrose. These sugars are the products of starch digestion in the malting process.

Starches

Starches are yet larger molecules. Most starches are composed as mixtures of differently configured chains of simple sugars. Some of branched starches are more readily digested than others, which is also an important fact to remember. The major sources of dietary starch are cereals, grains, legumes, and tubers.

Resistant starch

Resistant starches got their name due to their resistance to digestion. They are divided into three classes: RS1, RS2 and RS3.

* RS1 resists digestion due to large particle size or compact nature of food, or starch entrapment by dietary fiber.

* RS2 resist digestion because of more crystalline structure

* RS3 resist digestion because after cooking they form compact structure in which water is lost.

Resistant starches are rather seldom in Western diets. Coarser milling or increasing particle size of cereal grains such as whole-grain bread or bulgur wheat (RS1) may achieve increased starch resistance. RS2 are found in green banana, corn and legumes (peas, beans and lentils). RS3 are components of common foods such as potato, rice and bread. Resistant starches in this category are produced commercially from cornstarch by enzymatic treatment.

Cellulose

Cellulose is also a glucose polymer, but it may consist of as many as 10 000 glucose building blocks. Cellulose is both resistant to digestion and insoluble in cold or hot water, acids and alkali. It can be however digested by intestinal friendly bacteria. This intestinal microflora is able to manage the cellulose from vegetables much better than cellulose from grains.

Cellulose is a structural component of plant cell walls. In human nutrition, it forms an important part of the insoluble fiber component.

Beta-glucans

Unlike cellulose, they are readily soluble in water, making a highly viscous substance. The bigger and heavier the molecule, the greater the viscosity. Thus reduction of molecular weight by acid or enzymatic hydrolysis, which may also occur during food processing, may greatly reduce viscosity. The glucans are resistant to digestion by enzymes. However unlike cellulose glucans can be completely fermented by intestinal bacteria.

Beta-glucans are found in oats and barley, with only very small amounts in wheat. In oats, the beta-glucan is concentrated in the outer bran layer and may comprise 50% of the dietary fiber. In barley, the beta-glucan is less easy to achieve.

Hemicellulose

Hemicellulose shows some similarity with cellulose not because of similarities of the chemical structures but because hemicellulose is also insoluble in hot or cold water or hot acid. It is, however, soluble in alkali. Hemicellulose is found in cereals.

Glucose pathways in the body

Glucose is treated in the stomach by the gastric juices and passes into the duodenum where it is absorbed. The absorbed glucose goes into the bloodstream. The major part of the absorbed glucose is up-taken by muscle and fat tissue with the help of insulin.

Sucrose and lactose are split and then are treated by the enzymes sucrase-isomaltase and lactase. Sucrose intolerance is a very rare health condition, but lactose intolerance (hypolactasia) is common around the world with the exception of northern European nations. Thus, lactose malabsorption in the small intestine occurs and large amounts of lactose enter the colon resulting in gas production, and sometimes diarrhea.

Purified starch enters into digestion in the mouth under the action of salivary amylase.

The digestion stops due to the stomach's acidic environment but resumes in the duodenum under the action of pancreatic amylase resulting in the production of free glucose, maltose, and maltotriose. The absorption in the small intestine is theoretically considered to be complete.

Low sugar peanut-butter chocolate fudge

2008-12-18T03:25:00.000-08:00

From Mike Geary
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Certified Personal Trainer
Truth about abs

It's my own special version of a healthy peanut-butter-fudge! If you don't like nuts or peanut butter, you can simply leave out those ingredients and make a chocolate-only version. Pay attention, because there are specific ingredients that make this a LOT healthier for you than typical fudge.

I will say that this dessert / snack is not low-calorie per se, but it is loaded with quality healthy fats, some protein, LOTS of antioxidants, and is relatively low in sugar, while also containing a decent dose of fiber. Overall, it's a great snack that helps curb your appetite, fuel your muscles, loads you up on protective antioxidants, and quells that sweet tooth that often makes you overeat on refined sweets.

Geary's Lean-Body Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Recipe:

3/4 cup organic coconut milk (not the watered down "light" version which just replaces some of the healthy coconut fat with water)
1 bar (3-5 oz. bar works well) of quality extra dark chocolate (look for at least 70-75% cocoa content on the label)
4-5 tablespoons of peanut butter or your favorite nut butter (almond butter, cashew butter, macadamia butter, etc)
3/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries (optional)
1/2 cup whole almonds (optional)
2 Tbsp raw wheat germ
2 Tbsp rice bran (usually only available at health food stores)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
A little stevia powder to sweeten

Start by adding the coconut milk (cans of organic coconut milk are available at most health food stores and possibly even your grocery store) and vanilla extract to a small saucepan on very low heat. Break up the extra dark chocolate bar into chunks and add into pot. Add the nut butter and the stevia, and continuously stir until it all melts together into a smooth mixture.

Then add the raisins, almonds, wheat germ, and rice bran and stir until fully blended. Spoon/pour the fudge mixture onto some waxed paper in a dish and place in the fridge until it cools and solidifies together. Place in a closed container or cover with foil in fridge to prevent it from drying out.

Enjoy small squares for dessert and for small snacks throughout the day. This is about as good as it gets for a healthy yet delicious treat! Even though this is a healthier dessert idea, keep in mind that it is still calorie dense, so keep your portions reasonable.

Do protein foods slow insulin level's rise?

2008-12-18T03:21:00.000-08:00

Brad Pilon (Eat Stop Eat) wrote in his newsletter: "From the research conducted on sports supplements we know for sure that a protein/carb meal can have just as big an effect on insulin as a carb only meal. And, that as long as you are eating your insulin levels are going to spike up and then slowly go down..."

Brad explains it in his excellent mini-lecture:

For the Eat Stop Eat solution, visit Brad's site

How many calries should we eat to get all vital nutrients?

2008-12-15T02:54:00.001-08:00

by Tanya Zilberter, PhD

This article is sponsored by Burn the Fat

A human being has a basic biological nature, but it's the only biological species to radically evolve and advance without changing its basic body structure. As a result, our bodies need the same nourishment that was good for our predecessors tens of thousands of years ago, but our current lifestyle doesn't give us a chance to get it. Yet, if you eat right and exercise right, you're healthy and no need to worry about, right?

Let's see. The Wellness Letter Berkeley from University of California-Berkeley, published a book of recipes for healthy foods with tables of vitamins, minerals, microelements, proteins, fats, carbohydrates and calories per serving.

I calculated the calorie intake from a diet based on these recipes and the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) values for 50 essential nutrients. The result was incredible: from 4,000 to 10,000 calories! That's a lot! Is there anybody who could burn them all?

This amount was about the same that was needed by our cave dwelling ancestors simply to survival. Theirs was a life spent on their feet; hunting prey; escaping predators; spending enormous amounts of energy to stay warm during winter or to cool during hot weather; fighting infections and parasites; losing blood; healing wounds; gathering edible plants; and women being either pregnant or nursing.

To gain some fat for the rainy days was bliss. Those 4,000 to 10,000 calories were spent as almost as soon as were gained. Since our ancestors most likely created so-called omnivorousness, or eating anything they could stomach, it mattered little where the calories were coming from: prey, plants or wild honey. Some people were lucky to have mostly prey, others could get more leaves or tubers, and very few could get honey in amounts that would lead us to believe there was any high-carbohydrate diet available.

Some cultures still live on mono diets. Take the Nordic population: its rations are mostly animal fat and protein. As long as they don't mess with "white deaths" (sugar and refined flour) and "fire water" (alcohol) they're caloric intake is irrelevant.

To Eat or Not To Eat?

As for the rest of us: rarely does anyone burn more than 2,500 calories. In fact, the average calorie intake for Americans is 2,000 to 2,500, and that is overeating for most people. We are faced with options:

Choice 1: If we eat enough to get all the necessary nutrients, we consume too many calories and become overweight.

Choice 2: If we limit our calorie intake to maintain the proper weight, we do no have enough nutrients to maintain good health.

Choice 3: We can limit calorie intake and substitute for the missing nutrients with supplements.

Choice 3 was the cause of the rise of multibillion-dollar supplement industry. Yet, Americans are getting bigger. So, as you can see, there's actually no choice but to do something radical. Here comes the general idea to eat not all you please, but only certain food while avoiding other foods.

What To Eat? What To Avoid?

Again, we are faced with basically three choices:

Choice 1: Reduce calories.
Choice 2: Reduce fat.
Choice 3: Reduce carbohydrates.

Any one of them can be good for someone, and worthless or bad for someone else. Lets look at the each choice a little more closely.

What if I reduce calories?

You'll be hungry. And hunger signals your body to get those calories as soon as it suspects you are starving.

Further, any low-calorie diet burns not only fat, but also muscle. Reduced muscle mass causes your metabolism to slow down and the calorie reduction escalates, leading to malnutrition or to regaining all the lost weight plus some.

What if I reduce fats?

Fat reduction can help if you don't have too many pounds to lose. The glitch is, while any low-fat diet prevents fat depositing, it also makes fat burning impossible.

I'd also like to mention here that there was a trend of using low-fat diets to improve blood cholesterol and decrease the risk of cardio-vascular diseases, but recent clinical data questioned this approach.

What if I reduce carbs?

This is my personal choice. This is why I believe that this is the best option for those who failed many times before.

First and most important is that low-carb diets preserve muscle while burning the body's fat for fuel. Second, low-carb diets don't make you hungry. There actually are many more benefits, and this entire site is about these benefits.

Chances are great that you'll like low-carbing so much, it will become part of your lifestyle. Add exercise, and there will be no problem with keeping the weight off for the rest of your life.

How to avoid Holiday cheating

2008-12-10T04:31:00.000-08:00

The 6 things you need to succeed on a low carb diet

From Jim Stone
Stop Cheating on
Your Low Carb Diet

The warning about other low carb diet books.

You will not have a complete low carb solution until you have these six things. Most low carb diet books give you a good treatment of only the first two things.

1. You must understand how to do a low carb diet, and have some recipes to get you started.

2. You must understand how a low carb diet works in your body.

3. You must know how stress leads to carbohydrate cravings.

4. You must learn to develop an acute sensitivity to your own cheating behavior, and have the skills to analyze your behavior in a way that will lead to successful counter-measures. This is rarely given the attention it deserves in most low carb diet books.

5. You must understand the social dimension of your life, and how it affects what you eat. It is quite rare to see this in a low carb diet book.

6. You must have a solid understanding of human motivation. No other low carb diet book will give you this!

Chances are you already own a book that explains how to do a low carb diet -- complete with recipes. That's a good start. If you don't have one of those books, you should go get one. You won't find that information in Stop Cheating On Your Low Carb Diet!.

But clearly what those books cover is not enough to ensure success.

Do bit think about buying this book if you are looking for one of the following things:

If you are looking for yet another low carb diet plan with just a slightly new "tweak" on every other low carb diet plan, this book is not for you.

If you are looking for yet another low carb diet book that consists of 30% information and 70% recipes, this book is not for you.

Everyone should have a low carb diet book that has a diet plan.

For the record, my favorite low carb diet plan books are these:

Dr. Wolfgang Lutz's Life Without Bread
Dr. Loren Cordain's The Paleo Diet
and Dr. Gregory Ellis's Ultimate Diet Secrets

I have benefited greatly from these books, and recommend them highly. These books serve quite well for a FIRST book on low carb dieting -- as would these books:

Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution
The South Beach Diet
The Zone
Sugar Busters
The Carbohydrate Addicts Diet
Some of Suzanne Sommers' books
Neanderthin
The Fat Flush Plan
Protein Power
And Many Others

However,

If you already have one of THOSE books, ...

...but you find yourself struggling to stay on your diet...

...and you want to own a manual that helps you understand yourself, and what motivates you...

...a manual dedicated to human motivation, and how it affects your attempts to stay on your low carb diet...

...and you are looking for a book that will finally help you stick to your low carb diet...

... this book is exactly what you need.

Carb Rotation Q & A

2008-10-24T03:28:00.000-07:00

The Goldbert-O'Mara Diet

2008-10-22T05:36:00.001-07:00

The GO-diet
by Tanya Zilberter, PhD

"The Goldbert-O'Mara Diet" by Jack Goldberg and Karen O'Mara is not just one of the books, it has the advantage of a research investigation conducted not after but before the book has been published.

Related articles:

GO-diet I The PRE-biotic Inulin I Functional Foods I Probiotics

The authors of the book participated in a 12 weeks study conducted by a major Chicago hospital. These are some of the results they received. The study results have been accepted for publication in a peer reviewed journal and abstract on the diabetic study was submitted for presentation the coming summer.

The average weight loss was 20 pounds or 10% of participants' initial body weight . There was also an average of 5 inches lost in the waist. There was also a 50% decrease in triglycerides and the LDL cholesterol. The HDL did not change.

The Go-Diet is a very moderate low-carb diet with practically no restriction of calories (usually the calorie intake was up to 2,500.) Dieters can have 75 grams of carbohydrate a day and no more than 12 grams of carbs at any single meal. They're supposed to eat a lot of yogurt, kefir, or buttermilk. They were instructed not to be worried about the carb content in the label.

One of important points is fiber content: no less than 25 grams of fiber every day, mostly it comes with plenty of raw vegetables: 5 servings of leafy and cruciferous veggies.

The diet is high in calcium, magnesium and all other minerals. It contains vitamins A, B, C, D, E and K and requires practically no supplements.

The research results are consistent with another low-carb diets studies like these:

"Compared with the low carbohydrate diet, the high carbohydrate diet caused a 27.5% increase in plasma triglycerides and a similar increase in LDL-cholesterol levels; it also reduced levels of HDL cholesterol by 11%." (Diabetes. 41(10):1278-85, 1992)

In the article "Treatment of obesity with low carbohydrate diets," the authors concluded: "Concentrations of plasma triglycerides and cholesterol turned to normal during therapy. There were no side effects on the gastro-intestinal tract." (Medizinische Klinik. 70(15):653-7,1975)

"Serum triglycerides decreased more after the high fat diet (52 mg/dl) than after high protein diet (67 mg/dl)." (Journal of the American College of Nutrition. 4(4):451-9, 1985)

Related articles:

GO-diet I The PRE-biotic Inulin I Functional Foods I Probiotics

What's your best free diet plan advice?

2008-10-03T02:45:00.000-07:00

We recently interviewed registered dietitian Jayson Hunter,
author of the CarbRotationDiet about free diet plans. We asked him
three questions and here were his answers. Enjoy

AtkinsZone: What's your best free diet plan advice?

Jayson: Well, the best free plan, or free diet plan advice I
could probably give someone is to eat more frequently because most
people restrict calories when they want to try to either lose
weight or lean up or tone up and things like that and the absolute
worst thing you can possibly do when looking to achieve your weight
loss goals or your body image goals. So, really the best free diet
plan advice I could give someone if I had to give you one thing is,
eat more frequently and don't restrict your calories.

AtkinsZone: What's free diet plan tip number 2?

Jayson: As you're eating more frequently you need to make sure
that you eat properly and the right nutrients at the right time.
So, trying to incorporate some type of lean protein into your meals
every meal is going to help with achieving that weight loss,
achieving that body you want and more importantly, increasing your
metabolism which is going to burn more calories.

AtkinsZone: That's great free diet plan tip, Jayson. Give us one more.

Jayson: Well, the final, probably, free diet plan tip would have
to be consume most of your carbohydrates as fruits and vegetables,
because those types of carbohydrates are more utilized by the body,
they contain more vitamins and minerals, fiber, they're just much
healthier for you. They don't contain the useless sugar that many
of the processed foods that we currently eat do and as a result you
control your insulin levels, you control your blood sugar levels,
which then helps prevent you from adding extra fat. Instead it
allows your body to burn more of your calories for energy rather
than story it as fat.

AtkinsZone: That's great stuff Jayson, thanks so much.

You can get lots of free diet plan information and tips at CarbRotationDiet

Mood Effects of Carbohydrates and Low-carb Diets

2008-09-16T02:48:00.000-07:00

by Tanya Zilberter, PhD

Among those shared with me their weight loss results while on Atkins diet , 347 dieters reported effects beyond weight loss (or its absence):

Hunger disappearance or appetite decrease - 178
Diabetes improvement - 169
Mood improvement, energy level increase - 158
Absence of cravings - 149
Physicians approval for the diet - 129
Joint and muscle improvement - 125
Headache disappearance - 121
Exercise improvement - 115
Muscle gain decrease - 112
Fungal/yeast infection disappearance - 111
Heartburn, bloating disappearance - 110
Thyroid condition improvement - 119
Reported negative results:
Cravings for high-carb foods increase - 16
Inability to exercise - 15
Low-carb foods dissatisfaction - 14

Mood/energy

This particular effect is perhaps the most controversial because it is against the observations, including those conducted in controlled clinical settings, that carbohydrate-rich meals improve mood and energy levels. Apparently, the positive influence reported by the dieters, were due to Atkins diet long-term effects, because during first several days on the diet there were effects consistent with clinical observations on short-term effects of direct intra-gastric infusions of nutrients:

"Hedonic tone was greater and tension lower after the saline and sucrose infusions than after the lipid infusion. From 3 to 3.5 h after ingestion, subjects felt significantly more sleepy after the lipid infusion than they did at these times after the saline infusion, and significantly more dreamy after the lipid infusion than they did after the sucrose infusion. (Physiology & Behavior. 63(4):621-8, 1998)

Another article reporting the influence of nutrients on mood, stress that there were acute and not long term effects:

"Mood improved (a decline in fatigue/dysphoria) following the low-fat/high carb breakfast compared to medium-fat/ medium-carbohydrate or high-fat/low-carbohydrate meals." ("Acute effects on mood and cognitive performance of breakfasts differing in fat and carbohydrate content. "Appetite. 27(2):151-64, 1996)

The short-term positive effects of high-carb meals can be used, for example, for alleviating the PMS syndrome:

"The experimental carbohydrate intervention significantly decreased self-reported depression, anger, confusion, and carbohydrate craving 90-180 minutes after intake. Memory word recognition was also improved significantly." (Obstetrics & Gynecology. 86(4 Pt 1):520-8, 1995)

It is interesting that not all of the clinical studies came to the above conclusion. Study conducted by University of Sheffield, demonstrated that meals, particularly when rich in fat, significantly reduced pain perception in healthy human subjects.( Physiology & Behavior. 65(4-5):643-8, 1999)

Carbohydrate craving obese patients do not improve their mood states through ingestion of a carbohydrate-rich snack. (International Journal of Obesity & Related Metabolic Disorders. 21(10):860-4, 1997)

There were no differences in mood between the groups receiving high-carb drink or water during performance of the military tasks. (Aviation Space & Environmental Medicine. 68(5):384-91, 1997)

The ingestion of sucrose failed to have any substantial effect on mood (Physiology & Behavior. 58(3):421-7, 1995)

"The carbohydrate-supplemented group had a greater total energy intake and carbohydrate intake. No significant differences between carbohydrate were observed in remaining psychological, physiological, or performance-related variables." (International Journal of Sport Nutrition. 5(2):125-35, 1995)

These are rather typical messages:

I feel great and my energy level has increased. I don't feel sluggish anymore.
No more mood swings, brain fog, confusion, or depression.
I feel healthier, more energy (can keep up with the kids, yeah!) and smarter.
I have a much higher energy level as well as a much more pleasant disposition.
I have lots of energy and a lot more self esteem.
I am sleeping like a teenager, and I had sleep apnea before starting the diet.
I sleep better and I have more energy than my 16 year old daughter
I'm so infused with energy that I climb the stairs at work without huffing and puffing.
My energy had increased! Muscle tone had improved even though I wasn't going to the gym.
When I am eating according to program I feel so much better, sleep better and have more energy
After the first 3 days the increase in energy was unbelievable, the mental fog and Monday morning blues were gone.
I have more energy, not so tired anymore, and feel like I'm in control of my appetite.
I have had a sense of inner peace that I simply can't explain.
My mood swings have lifted and I'm a much happier person overall.
I felt better, had more energy, no more brain-fog and I did not feel tired and worn out at the end of the day.

Low carbohydrate foods: Glycerol?

2008-09-03T02:49:00.000-07:00

If you've spent longer than a few months on a low-carbohydrate diet, you'll know how difficult it is to find low carbohydrate foods that can be eaten on the run. The problem with most portable meals and snacks (such as sandwiches) is they're often high in refined carbohydrate. Either that, or they're full of trans fatty acids and artificial sweeteners — ingredients which do little to take you closer to your goal of a healthier body.

If you don't have the time to spend cooking and preparing low carbohydrate foods and meals, it's easy to deviate from whatever diet you're following. People who cheat a little today usually cheat a little more tomorrow. Then, it’s only a matter of time before every "rule" has been broken, and you’re feeling depressed and discouraged, right back at square one.

Most people want a snack they can just throw into a briefcase or backpack in the morning and eat it on the run. That's one of the reasons protein bars and meal replacement supplements have become so popular.

However, the debate about glycerol — one of the ingredients commonly included in protein bars — has left many people confused about whether protein bars can be considered as low carbohydrate foods.

Glycerol (also known as "glycerin" or "glycerine") is a sweet-tasting, syrupy liquid. It's used to sweeten as well as add a chewy texture to some protein bars.

In June 2001 the US Food and Drug Administration wrote to the supplement company EAS (among others) to advise them that one of their products was misbranded because the label failed to count glycerol as a carbohydrate.

Glycerol is classed as a carbohydrate mainly by default. It isn't a protein, because there's no nitrogen in it. Nor does it contain any fatty acids, so it can't be called fat. That's why you'll now see glycerol included in the carbohydrate count shown on the nutrition label of many protein bars. It might appear as if your favorite protein bar is higher in carbohydrate than it was before. The only thing that's really changed is the label.

There's no real reason to be concerned about the glycerol in meal replacement bars. Compared to other nutrients, glycerol does not elevate insulin or blood sugar levels. It does, however...

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Carbohydrates defined and explained

2008-01-31T03:22:00.000-08:00

CARBOHYDRATES: chemically speaking, they include such diverse groups as aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, acids, their simple derivatives and their polymers_

Carbohydrates may be divided into three principal groups, namely sugars, oligosaccharides and polysaccharides.

Sugars --> Monosaccharides (Glucose, galactose, fructose) - Disaccharides (Sucrose, lactose, trehalose) - sugar alcohols (Sorbitol, mannitol)

Oligosaccharides --> Malto-oligosaccharides (Maltodextrins) - Other oligosaccharides (Raffinose, stachyose, fructo-oligosaccharides)

Polysaccharides --> Starch (Amylose, amylopectin, modified starches) - Non-starch polysaccharides (Cellulose, hemicellulose, pectins, hydrocolloids)

What Is Total Carbohydrate?

Calculating carbohydrates by "difference"

The protein, fat, ash and water grams of a food are measured, subtracted from the total weight of the food and the remainder, or "difference", is agreed upon to be carbohydrate.

However, the "by difference" grams include plenty of non-carbohydrate components such as lignin, organic acids, tannins, waxes, etc.

Finally, a single global figure for carbohydrates in food doesn't tell most interesting things about the food's nutritional value because it can't identify the of carbohydrate types and doesn't describe physiological properties of those carbohydrates.

Sugar or Sugars?

The chemical term "sugars" describes the mono and disaccharides. "Sugar" is used to identify refined sugar and added sugar.

Healthy and unhealthy sugars

The terms "extrinsic" and "intrinsic" sugars were developed in UK to help the consumer choose between what were considered to be healthy sugars and those which were not. Intrinsic sugars were defined as sugars naturally occurring within the plant cell, while extrinsic sugars were those which were usually added to foods. However, nutritionists don't plan to measure these sugars separately in the diet or to incorporate them into food tables.

Complex carbohydrates

The term was introduced in order to distinguish sugars from fruit, vegetables and whole grains. The term is used to describe either starch, or the combination of all polysaccharides as well as to encourage consumption of what were considered to be healthy foods such as whole grain cereals, etc. However, it is now realized that starches, as complex carbohydrates, are not created equal: some are being rapidly absorbed and having high glycemic index and some being resistant to digestion (low glycemic index). Available and unavailable carbohydrate

Not all carbohydrates could be utilized or "metabolized". Available carbohydrates are defined as "starch and soluble sugars" and unavailable as "hemicellulose and fiber (cellulose)".

However, it can be misleading to talk of carbohydrate as "unavailable" because some carbohydrates seen as "indigestible " are in fact able to provide the body with energy through fermentation in one part of the intestinal tract or another.

A more appropriate substitute for the terms "available" and "unavailable" today would be to describe carbohydrates either as glycemic (i.e. providing carbohydrate for metabolism) or non glycemic or those that do not provide carbs for metabolism.

Tanya Zilberter, PhD

Source: FAO/WHO expert consultation on carbohydrates in human nutrition

The Carb Rotation Diet

2008-01-28T02:23:00.001-08:00

5 Absolute Truths for Every Serial Dieter

by Jayson Hunter – Registered Dietitian

Women will discover several unique scientifically PROVEN techniques for losing stubborn tummy fat and getting a tight sexy stomach like hers.

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More rotation diet ideas:

How Do You ROTATE Your Eating Patterns?
Negative Calorie Rotation Diet
Eat Stop Eat
Intermittent Fasting

1. Unbeknown to most, scientific research has

shown eating the correct nutrients at the proper times creates a “thermic” fat burning effect which results in accelerated body slimming.

2. Creating your own “starvation” diet is a recipe for disaster Your metabolism slows to a crawl and not only creates weight loss plateaus; it can cause you to gain massive amounts of body fat.

3. Many of the “diet” foods you are eating are actually causing you to consume more and unhealthy calories pack on the pounds faster. I’ll be telling you more later about what the unscrupulous food industry is doing to make you fat!

4. Not only are some diet pills and potions a complete waste of your hard-earned money, they can be potentially lethal. If you are in desperate need of losing weight FAST there are much safer, permanent and healthy alternatives available to you.

The most important TRUTH is below... But first, empower yourself even further and instantly download this special FREE Bonus e-book when you click on the appropriate link below...

5. It IS possible to safely lose up to fifteen pounds in just thirty days by following a healthy nutritional program created by a credible professional. Registered Dietitians, such as me, have the education it requires to induce rapid – and permanent - weight loss through easy-to-follow dietary programming.

Sauteed Flank Steak with Arugula and Roasted Cauliflower and Red Peppers

2008-01-25T02:07:00.000-08:00

Are you resolving to eat more healthily but finding that cold cereal and salads just aren't cutting it this time of year? Epicurious is here to help you in your quest for breakfast, lunch, and dinner recipes that may be light in calories, fat, and carbs but are still high in flavor. And, best of all, these warming and hearty recipes are perfect for this blustery season.

Craving Beef?

You don't have to give up red meat to eat healthily—some cuts of beef have less total fat and saturated fat than a chicken thigh. To choose the leanest cuts, the American Dietetic Association suggests buying meat with the words "loin" or "round" in the name, such as sirloin, tenderloin, top round steak, and eye of round. Make your chosen cut even healthier by trimming any visible fat. In addition, grass-fed beef tends to be lower in saturated fat and cholesterol than conventionally raised varieties, as does bison, which has a good beefy flavor. Just make sure to cook these leaner meats slowly at a lower temperature, as they have a tendency to be a bit drier than high-fat beef.

Virtuous Veggies

Simply prepared vegetables would be an excellent accompaniment to any of these dishes—yes, even breakfast. But don't stymie their healthful potential by piling on butter, margarine, cream, or salt. A light spritzing of olive oil and fresh herbs enhance rather than mask vegetables' naturally delicious flavors. Go easy on oil when sautéing, and consider even lighter preparations such as steaming and poaching.

Want more cooking ideas? Create your free account to enjoy all that TasteBook brings to the kitchen. It's fun, easy, and delicious.

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The glycemic index and insulin sensitivity

2008-01-03T04:19:00.000-08:00

Optimizing Insulin Sensitivity and Body Composition Through Diet and Exercise

By Jason Feldman
For Precision Nutrition.

America is growing; that's a fact.

So are its citizens, though, with 17.1% of children being overweight in 2004 and 31.1% of adults being overweight. This is compared to 13.9% and 27.5% respectively in 2000 (16), catalyzing the so-called obesity epidemic.

Obesity can lead to many problems later in life, such as an increased risk for type II diabetes, high blood pressure, and escalating health care costs. It's clear that something needs to be done.

The most obvious first step is caloric control and to balance the first law of thermodynamics. This can be simplified by stating that one needs to balance their consumption of calories versus their expenditure to reach their goals.

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This is not always enough, though, as evidenced by the myriad of diets that have popped up over the years focusing on both macro and micronutrients, and often fruitless supplementation.

The truth is that there is no"magic pill," or a two-day weight loss cure. One needs to eat properly, exercise regularly, and manage their insulin through normal, non-pharmaceutical means. The role insulin plays becomes exponentially important in athletes and anyone looking to improve their body composition.

The role of insulin in the body and diabetes

Insulin is often called the most anabolic hormone in the body. Its role is to shuttle nutrients into tissues, primarily adipose, liver, and muscle tissue. It is released by the beta cells of the pancreas in response to an increase in glucose, amino acids, and free fatty acids. Within the liver it promotes anabolism increasing the uptake and storage of glucose as glycogen. At the same time it prevents catabolism by inhibiting glycogenolysis and the Cori Cycle. In muscle cells it promotes anabolism by stimulating protein synthesis through an increased uptake of amino acids while concurrently increasing the uptake of glucose to form glycogen and inhibiting phosphorylase to prevent its breakdown. Adipose tissue is subject to similar mechanisms; glucose and triglyceride storage are increased while the production of Hormone-Sensitive Lipase (HSL) is inhibited. HSL prevents the re-esterification of triglycerides, promoting their breakdown.

The release of insulin and its cellular response are critically integrated within the body. Under normal conditions blood sugar levels stay between 70 and 110 mg/dl controlled by a complicated network of hormones including but not limited to insulin, glucagon, and growth hormone (GH). Glucagon and GH both work to raise plasma blood sugar levels. Unfortunately this network is not always properly maintained leading to diabetes.

There are two types of diabetes: Type 1 and Type II. Type I is referred to as insulin-dependent diabetes. It is characterized by the body lacking the ability to produce insulin and results in sustained hyperglycemia. Treatment for it generally includes insulin injections and constant monitoring of blood glucose levels.

Diabetics need to carry around sugary snacks because their constant insulin injections rob them of blood sugar. Since the brain can only function on carbohydrates (or ketones) a hypoglycemic state is not a good one to be in.

90% of diabetics have Type II Diabetes which is characterized by either a decreased ability to secrete insulin or a decrease in insulin sensitivity.

The glycemic index and its link to diabetes

Two critical ways to control and manage both diabetes and insulin are through diet and exercise. With respect to ones diet it is important to pay heed to the glycemic index (GI). The glycemic index is a ranking of carbohydrates (CHOs) on a scale of 0 to 100 in relation to the rate at which they raise blood sugar levels after eating.

Foods with a high GI rapidly raise blood sugar levels and generally spike insulin levels; whereas foods with a low GI slowly raise blood sugar levels and have a more blunted and sustained insulin response. To measure the GI, 10 subjects fast overnight and are fed 10-50 grams of CHO containing foods and then finger-prick blood sugar samples are taken at 15-30 minute intervals for the next two hours. A blood sugar response curve is then constructed from this data and the area under the curve is used to calculate the GI compared to a base food (an equal amount of glucose). The area under the curve is divided by the area under the curve for glucose and then multiplied by 100 to achieve the GI rating. Generally foods with a low GI are preferential because it will cause a smaller insulin burst.

Chronically elevated insulin levels are not to be viewed as optimal. According to the University of Syndey Human Nutrition Unit recent studies from Harvard have indicated that diets rich in high GI foods increase the risk for type II diabetes and heart disease. This led the World Health Organization (WHO) in 1999 to recommend that people in industrialized countries base their diets on low-GI foods.

To understand how type II diabetes is manifested in the body it is first necessary to understand the hormonal and physiological mechanisms in place. It all begins with the ingestion of food. Food enters the gastro-intestinal tract and through various enzyme-linked reactions is broken down into simpler molecules. In the case of CHOs there are three primary types: monosaccharides, disaccharides, and polysaccharides.

A monosaccharide is a simple sugar that is not further broken down before it enters the blood stream such as glucose of fructose. Its molecular formula is C6H12O6. A disaccharide is also a sugar but is broken down into two different sugars; such as sucrose which is a combination of fructose and glucose, or lactose which is a combination of glucose and galactose.

Polysaccharides are multiple (greater than two) molecules of sugar linked together such as starch found in vegetables and grains. They are then broken down into simple sugars once they enter the body.

In general (since there are many exceptions) the speed of digestion and GI is linked to the type of saccharide one ingests with the rates being: monosaccharide (highest GI) > disaccharide (moderate GI) > polysaccharide (lowest GI). If one eats a diet rich in monosaccharides they can have chronically elevated insulin levels in response to this. This will cause a myriad of things to happen. For one this may cause subjects to eat more due to rapid blood sugar fluctuations. Primarily though it can lead to insulin resistance.

With the advent of processed foods, sweets, and foods loaded with high fructose corn syrup, sugar consumption has significantly increased. In 1980 the average person ate 39 pounds of fructose and 84 pounds of sucrose; by 1994 the average person ate 66 pounds of sucrose and 83 pounds of fructose. As of 2001 25% of caloric intake was coming from sugars (6).

So, not only is sugar consumption increasing; but so is fructose consumption. While fructose is generally considered a"better" sugar being predominantly found it fruits, its processed form is not so great. For example, according to Dr. Nancy Appleton, fructose is not metabolized the same as other sugars and does not cause the pancreas to release insulin normally and leads to higher fat gain. It can also lead to mineral deficits such as in copper and magnesium since in its purified state it contains no enzymes, vitamins or minerals.

The take home message is that fructose should come from natural sources such as fruit where these co-factors are present. In a 1983 study by Hallfrisch et. al. fructose was found to decrease the affinity of insulin receptors for insulin. This is the classic benchmark for Type II diabetes. This increase in sugar consumption causes the body to pump out more insulin. Since insulin is chronically elevated insulin receptors in turn down-regulate, or"desensitize." This makes it more difficult for the body to remove sugar from the blood leading to many other various problems such as blood clots, potential blindness, potential need for amputations, etc. Also it increases the risk for fat gain since insulin is primarily a storage hormone.

Enhancing insulin sensitivity through weight loss and the role of adiponectin

Adiponectin is protein produced by adipocytes. It promotes insulin sensitivity. In contrast to other adipokines it has been shown to have smaller total circulating levels in obese individuals.

In an August 2005 study by Abbasi et. al. 24 insulin-resistant non-diabetic subjects were recruited and either put on a weight-loss protocol based on caloric restriction or treated with rosiglitazone. The subjects all had a BMI of 30-35 (which is considered significantly overweight or obese). In the study the rosiglitazone group increased their adiponectin concentrations by 30% and enhanced their insulin sensitivity.

The weight-loss group though did not have any changes in adiponectin levels but they had the same 30% increase in insulin sensitivity. This suggests that factors other than adiponectin concentrations play a significant role in insulin sensitivity and that even mild weight loss can help one improve their insulin sensitivity thus supporting the hypothesis that exercise, weight loss, and a proper diet play major roles in promoting general health and maintaining proper functioning of the body.

In contrast a 2003 study by Faraj et. al. showed conflicting results regarding adiponectin on patients that underwent gastric bypass surgery. In almost all subjects adiponectin increased in response to weight loss and their insulin sensitivity increased. It is important to note though that this group lost significantly more weight than the group in the Abbasi study.

Based on these two studies, the jury is still out on the correlation between adiponectin and enhanced insulin sensitivity. Something else is extremely clear though from the two studies: fat loss in obese individuals is a major catalyst to enhance insulin sensitivity.

It is interesting to note something though from the Faraj study that should have been explored in greater depth; in the results section it reads"subjects who were receiving medical treatment for diabetes before the surgery (six women and four men) had discontinued all hypoglycemic agents."

This is the most striking part of the paper; diabetes was self-corrected through weight loss! Granted gastric bypass surgery is a drastic measure but similar if not the same results can be achieved through a proper calorie-controlled diet and exercise. This method also happens to be a lot safer and less expensive than surgery.

Insulin sensitivity and exercise and the role of glucose gransporters

Exercise also plays a crucial role in helping improve insulin sensitivity, especially resistance training. It's myriad of benefits include elevating GH and testosterone (TEST) levels and increasing ones metabolic rate through an elevated post exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). It also blunts the insulin response and the contraction of skeletal muscle causes glucose-transport-protein-4 (GLUT-4) to propagate to cell surfaces.

GLUT-4 is an insulin sensitive glucose transporter present in skeletal muscle. It is necessary for sugar transport into cells and may facilitate the transport of glucose into muscle fiber. To quantify this Ren et. al. performed a study to examine the effect of GLUT-4 protein expression on fat and whole body glucose metabolism. The euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp technique was used on conscious mice. The rate of glucose disposal was significantly higher (70%) in the transgenic mice (who had over-expression of GLUT-4) than in normal mice in both fed and unfed states. According to the study"the results suggest that skeletal muscle glucose transport is rate-limiting for whole body glucose disposal."

This combined response of a blunted insulin response and up-regulation of GLUT-4 allows more glucose to selectively enter muscle cells while bypassing fat cells. This also results in an increased action of HSL (which is suppressed by insulin) which in conjunction with an increase in catecholamine concentration helps to catalyze the breakdown of adipose tissue.

To demonstrate this a December 2005 study by Polak et. al. placed 12 obese men (as determined by BMI) on a three-month dynamic strength-training protocol. Not surprisingly at the end of the protocol fasting glucose decreased by 20% and fasting insulin by almost 50%. Insulin resistance markers also were cut in half. It appears that dynamic strength straining improves whole body insulin sensitivity and improves lipid mobilization in subcutaneous adipose tissue in obese subjects.

Aerobic training also enhances insulin sensitivity. A 1999 study by Cox, Cortright, Dohm, and Houmard compared the effects of short-term exercise training on GLUT-4 concentrations and insulin sensitivity in older and younger individuals. They found that with exercise training at the same relative intensity quantified by VO2 max there was a similar increase in GLUT-4 concentration and similar enhancements in insulin sensitivity between both groups.

Other studies though refute this data such as 2005 study by Goulet, Melancon, Leheudre, and Dionne that found no increases in insulin sensitivity in older women 96-120 hours post workout. This study though measured insulin sensitivity 3-5 days after the last exercise session. It can be suggested that insulin sensitivity in older subjects might only improve for a briefer expanse of time post-exercise; possibly for less than 24 hours.

Even if increases in insulin sensitivity are more short-lived in older subjects there is still some benefit; the older subjects still saw improvements in body composition. It just follows that older subjects just might need to exercise more frequently to enhance their insulin sensitivity. Then again most people would benefit from an increase in their activity level.

Taking advantage of this data

There is now a plethora of data regarding nutrient timing and what to eat pre and post-workout. General recommendations from authors such as Dr. John Berardi in his Massive Eating series are to concentrate most of your intake around your workout period when your body is most insulin sensitive. This is recommended because the post-workout period"is marked by a dramatic increase in insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance, and glycogenic activity; this means that muscle glycogen re-synthesis rates are dramatically elevated during the immediate post-exercise period." (17)

A 2000 study by Rasmussen, Tipton, Miller, Wolf, and Wolfe was"designed to determine the response of muscle protein to the bolus ingestion of a drink containing essential amino acids and carbohydrate after resistance exercise."

The study found that the combination of amino acids and carbohydrates in a beverage taken either one or three hours post-workout had a synergistic effect in promoting anabolism. They theorized that the timing was not as important because previous studies done by them had demonstrated that muscle fractional synthetic rate is elevated for at least 48 hours after heavy resistance training.

It is clear that exercise and proper dietary intake play pivotal roles in helping the body to function optimally. It is also clear than many major health problems plaguing today's modern American society can easily be offset if one chooses to exercise and consumer lower GI carbohydrates throughout most of the day; though higher GI CHOs have been found to beneficial when centered around an exercise period.

Even diabetic symptoms can be controlled or reversed through modest weight loss and exercise. The problem is that"bad habits;" e.g. eating high GI CHOs, processed foods, and driving everywhere instead of walking have become cultural and everywhere one turns there is seemingly a donut or fast-food set of French fries within a few steps.

In conclusion the solution to obesity and type II diabetes is simple and not even pharmaceutical and certainly non-surgical; it's about changing ones lifestyle to incorporate better foods in proper quantities while simultaneously becoming more active.

About the Author

Jason Feldman is currently a senior studying kinesiology at Arizona State University and applying to medical school at the end of the semester. His area of interests include but are not limited too: endocrinology, nutrition, physiology, and supplementation. His true passion though is the integration of all of the above to export science from the lab and convert it to progress.

Works Cited

1.Cataldo, Donna (March 2006). Fuel Mobilization Presented at ASU in Exercise Endocrinology KIN 443

2. glycemicindex.com

3. Beatrice Trum Hunter, Confusing Consumers About Sugar Intake, Consumer's Research 78, no 1 (January 1995): 14-17.

4. Fallon, Sally and Mary Enig, Nourishing Traditions, New Trends Publishing, Washington DC, 2001, p. 23.

5. Appleton, Nancy Ph.D., Fructose is No Answer For a Sweetener

6. Sanda, Bill. "The Double Danger Of High Fructose corn syrup" 2 May 2006 (westonaprice.org)

7. Beradi, John, and Rob Wilkins. "The Anabolic Power of Insulin." (2001). 2 May 2006

8. Faraj, May, Peter J. Havel, Steve Phelis, David Blank, Allan D. Sniderman, and Katherine Cianflone. "Plasma Acylation-Stimulating Protein, Adiponectin, Leptin, and Ghrelin Before and After Weight Loss Induced by Gastric Bypass Surgery in Morbidly Obese Subjects." The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism 88 (2003): 1594-1602. 1 May 2006.

9. Abbasi, Fahim, Sang-Ah Chang, James W. Chu, Theodore P. Ciaraldi, Cindy Lamendola, Tracey McLaughlin, Gerald M. Reaven, and Peter D. Reaven. "Improvements in Insulin Resistance with Weight Loss, in Contrast to Rosiglitazone, are Not Associated with Changes in Plasma Adiponectin or Adiponectin Multimeric Complexes." Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 290 (2005): 139-144. 1 May 2006.

10. Polak, J., C. Moro, E. Klimcakova, J. Hejnova, M. Majercik, N. Viguerie, D. Langin, M. Lafontan, V. Stitch, and M. Berlan. "Dynamic Strength Training Improves Insulin Sensitivity and Functional Balance Between Adrenergic Alpha 2A and Beta Pathways in Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue of Obese Subjects." Diabetologia 48 (2005): 2631-2640. 2 May 2006.

12. Ren, Jm, Ba Marshall, Mm Mueckler, M McCaleb, Jm Amatruda, and Gi Shulman. "Overexpression of Glut4 Protein in Muscle Increases Basal and Insulin-Stimulated Whole Body Glucose Disposal in Conscious Mice." J. Clin Invest (1995): 429-432. 2 May 2006.

13. Goulet, Eric D. B., Micheal O. Melancon, Mylene A. Leuhudre, and Isabelle J. Dionne. "Aerobic Training Improves Insulin Sensitivity 72–120 H After the Last Exercise Session in Younger But Not in Older Women." European Journal of Applied Physiology (2005). 2 May 2006.

14. Cox, Julie H., Ronald N. Cortright, G, L. Dohm, and Joseph A. Houmard. "Effect of Aging on Response to Exercise Training in Humans: Skeletal Muscle GLUT-4 and Insulin Sensitivity." Journal of Applied Physiology 86 (1999): 2019-2025. 2 May 2006.

15. Rasmussen, Blake B., Kevin D. Tipton, Sharon L. Miller, Steven E. Wolf, and Robert R. Wolfe. "An Oral Essential Amino Acid-Carbohydrate Supplement Enhances Muscle Protein Anabolism After Resistance Exercise." Journal of Applied Physiology 88 (2000): 386-392. 2 May 2006.

16. "Americans Getting Even Fatter." 2 May 2006 (forbes.com)

17. Beradi, John. "Massive Eating Reloaded, Part II." (2004). 2 May 2006

Low carb weekly meal menus for a month

2007-11-15T07:06:00.000-08:00

You've read about all the different low-carb diets on the market. What most of them have in common is that you have to follow a complex set of rules, collect the food, and then prepare the meals. Well, now you can get your low-carb meals right here. We've followed the rules, collected the food and prepared the meals for you. We have four delicious weekly menus that repeat themselves in a four week cycle. You'll receive a different set of weekly meals for a month. After that period, the cycles repeat themselves.

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Glycemic Index and Satiety Index

2007-11-14T04:33:00.000-08:00

We know there's no miracle munchie, but if you had to choose just one food for snacking, based on how long it would keep you from getting hungry again, what would you choose to eat?

Maybe a better question is how would you choose? Diners and dieters familiar with the index could run through the numbers they know from that nifty scale and come up with a pretty good response for the question, but others may be more stymied.

There's actually another measurement tool might help us identify the best hunger-fighter foods of all. It's called the "Satiety Index," meaning that it's a gauge of how well a food keeps you feeling satisfied and keeps hunger sensations at bay. It's similar to the glycemic index, and it's a pretty nifty tool in its own right.

All the scores can seem a little daunting at first, but after a while, you just learn which foods you want to eat in order to achieve your particular result. And you don't have to memorize any of this anyway. You can get handy little resource materials like wallet card references for either index, so you might as well arm yourself with the best information from both ideas to help you pick the best foods for your own defensive diet.

Reviewing the Glycemic Index

The GI Index is a ranking of foods based on their immediate effect on blood sugar levels. It measures how much your blood sugar increases over a period of two or three hours after a meal.

Glucose, a simple, very quickly digested sugar, is used as the "index," or the standard against which other foods are measured. It's assigned a value of 100. Highly processed carbohydrate foods that break down quickly during digestion end up with the highest rankings. High-protein foods and high-fiber complex carbohydrates tend to rank low. And generally speaking, when it comes to identifying healthy, hunger-abating foods, low GI is good.

The index has been around for years, and it supports arguments in favor of low-fat, high carbohydrate diets for weight loss, as well as prevention of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. In fact, diabetics are often urged to memorize the index with the same diligence they used in going after the multiplication tables in fourth grade. That's because foods that take longer to digest (low GI scores) produce less dramatic spikes and drops in blood sugar and insulin production.

While those fluctuations can actually be dangerous for diabetics, for nearly any dieter, they are at least a misery, causing urgent, even painful hunger sensations to race off to the brain. So the glycemic index has also been used as a good measure of the "stick-to-your-ribs-ness" of foods. People who want to lose weight choose foods with the lowest glycemic index.

Meet the Satiety Index

Of course, for dieting in general, the limitation of the glycemic index is that it mostly includes carbohydrate foods, those most likely to have a significant effect on blood sugar. And that's not all most of us eat.

So a few years ago, Susanna Holt, PhD, of the University of Sydney wanted a system specifically to measure different foods' ability to produce satiety and fend off hunger; in other words, an even better indicator of their "stick-to-your-ribs-ness," and one that would include other sorts of foods.

In Holt's Satiety Index, a slice of white bread is the index, and it's also assigned a value of 100. The satiety value of other foods is rated relative to the bread, with foods offering longer-lasting hunger abatement scoring higher. That means on this scale, people trying to lose weight would choose foods with the highest numbers.

In developing the satiety index, Holt's test subjects were college students, not famous for their wise diet choices. The students were invited for 'breakfast' which consisted of 240 calories worth of various specific foods, anything from jelly beans to bacon.

After eating, the students were asked to rank their feelings of hunger every 15 minutes for the next two hours, during which they could continue to eat more of that particular food, but nothing else. Holt's various tests yielded the scores used in the Satiety Index.

Here are a few samples from each scale, for comparison. There's no Satiety Index score for the plain sugar, because, well, who wants to eat plain sugar? Yuck.

FOOD GLYCEMIC INDEX SATIETY INDEX

glucose (sugar) 100
white bread 70 100
croissant 67 47
whole wheat bread 68 154
potatoes(boiled or baked) 59 323
french fries 72 116
chocolate bar 49 70
lentils 30 133

Now, looking at the differences between the two scales, you might start to suspect that there is more to satiety than the effect a food has on your blood sugar. Indeed, protein and fat both have minimal effects on blood sugar.

And here is where Dr. Holt's studies produced some real surprises. She and her hungry student volunteers demonstrated that foods high in fat made people want to eat more, even though we usually think of rich, high-fat foods as filling. This explains the apparent contradiction between potatoes, the runaway winner on the Satiety Index, and french fries, which scored poorly on both scales. It's not the spud that's to blame, it's all that fat!

Dr. Holt speculated that because the body responds to fat as something to be stored for a 'rainy day,' a period of scarcity, rather than something to be used immediately, the gut doesn't stop sending hunger signals as soon, so we go on wanting to eat more.

But let's don't forget the function of sheer mass. A 240-calorie serving of boiled potatoes is just a lot more food than a 240-calorie serving of greasy French fries. As a rule, it's going to take longer to digest and therefore, it will hold off the next round of hunger signals for a longer time.

But why would whole wheat bread be 54 percent more satisfying than the same number of calories in white bread? It's not any bigger a slice, is it? It may or may not be, but what's at play here is the fact of processing. As foods become more refined, the seed coats and other fiber components that are removed are the very ones that slow the passage of food through the digestive tract, resulting in prolonged "I'm not hungry" messages to the brain.

The Satiety Index really only measures short-term satiety, because the experiments ran for just two hours. Fruit was very satisfying initially, because 240 calories worth of fruit is a rather large portion, that matter of mass again. But because fruit is really mostly water and sugar and a little fiber, it leaves the gut rapidly, so hunger returned at the end of the second hour for the fruit eaters.

On the other hand, participants who had eaten whole grain bread or lean protein kept their nibbling impulses at bay for much longer as their bodies continued to work on what they were still processing.

Taken together, the best scoring items on these two indexing tools offer a variety of really good choices for healthy, low-calorie foods to incorporate into your daily diet. And if you can only pick one for snack time, go for something with some staying power.

Caroline J. Cederquist, M.D. is a board certified Family Physician and a board certified Bariatric Physicians (the medical specialty of weight management). Dr. Cederquist is the founder of Bistro M.D., a home diet delivery program that specializes in low calorie gourmet food that is delivered to your home or office. Bistro M.D. serves as culmination of Dr. Cederquist's expertise and experience in the world of medical weight loss.

High-carb culprits, low carb substitutes

2007-10-15T01:20:00.000-07:00

The high-carb culprits
From eDiets

Had a bad day? Feeling tired and cross? Why not pep yourself up with a nice cup of zero-carb coffee doctored with just a dollop (or two or three) of a sweet coffee flavoring? Or hey, like the commercial says, how about letting one of those instant flavored international coffee mixes, like Suisse Mocha, whisk you away to another land?

Not so fast, thou would-be-virtuous low-carb dieter! You may think those beverages are harmless. But if you’re counting your carbs, a little cuppa’ll cost ya. To guide you on the path to righteous drinking, here are five sneaky high-carb beverages -- and five delicious, low-carb substitutes:

1. The high-carb culprit: That old-time favorite, lemonade. So you’re sitting in a restaurant, and you spy lemonade on the menu. Gee, that sounds tasty. And it’s gotta be low carb, you think. So you order a tall, frosty glass of sour-sweet lemonade, topped with a maraschino cherry and a pretty red straw. Stirring and sipping, you feel oh-so-happy that you didn’t succumb to the coffee milkshake. Well, kudos for skipping that high-carb milkshake -- but not so fast with the pats-on-the-back for the lemonade, my friend! Lemonade contains that high-carb ingredient: sugar, which is NOT on your diet. Drink water in the restaurant and promise yourself a treat later at home, thanks to...

The low-carb substitute: Wyler's Light Lemonade and Wyler's Light Pink Lemonade. They’re de-lightful, without any carbs and with just five calories per serving! A thirst-quenching refresher that’s so tasty, you won’t even miss the sugary kind.

2. The high-carb culprit: The standard coffee house beverage. Yes, we know, there’s a Starbucks or other coffee house on every corner these days. And who orders just a plain ol’ coffee anymore? Flavored coffees with chocolate and syrups are the typical order of the day, and ahhhh, those irresistible fragrances. Skip it (and save your money!). Instead, aim for home and...

The low-carb substitute: Brew-your-own coffee with a spoonful of sugar-free Da Vinci syrup, in a flavor like sugar-free White Chocolate or sugar-free Hazelnut. Luscious and (ta da!) zero carbs! Here’s to your health. We recommend: try the Da Vinci sugar-free sampler, so you can enjoy carb-free variety. Now who said dieting was difficult?

3. The high-carb culprit: Hot chocolate. So it’s Sunday morning, you’re lingering over the Sunday newspaper, and visions of hot chocolate with marshmallows are dancing in your trying-to-be-low-carb head. Not so fast!

The low-carb substitute: Whip out something that every low-carb dieter should keep on hand: one of the new sugar-free, low-carb flavored coffee drink mixes from General Foods International. The Suisse Mocha (my favorite) tastes like a combination of full-bodied coffee swirled with dark chocolate. And at 2 carbs a cupful, there’s no guilt!

4. The high-carb culprit: You’ve just worked out, and you hike yourself to the beverage bar at the gym and buy one of those sugary flavored waters in order to "compensate" for all that sweat. The bad news: sorry, Charlie, but you may have just gulped down more calories than you burned if you go for that bevvy! Wise up, and head for...

The low-carb substitute: New All Sport Zero is a no-carb, no-sugar, no-calorie thirst quencher that tastes fabulous! Flavors include Lemon Ice, Mixed Berry, Tangerine, and Fruit Punch. Fill a glass with ice, pour in the Tangerine All Sport Zero, and enjoy a deliciously good treat!

5. The high-carb culprit: regular soda. It’s a hot summer day, and a cold drink really sounds good. So you walk up to the soda dispenser at the office or the snack bar at the ballpark and ask for a Coke or a Sprite. Gulping down that fizzy, icy beverage just feels so great. Unfortunately, buddy-roo, you just mindlessly swallowed more carbs than your total day’s allowance, depending on the phase of your low-carb diet! Next time, go for...

The low-carb substitute: diet soda. Almost all vending machines and snack bars have diet soda options these days. And if you’re not sure whether diet soda will be available (for example, at a ball game or movie), pop a bottle of water or diet soda into a purse or knapsack for a just-in-case back-up beverage. That way, you’ll have no excuses!

A Closer Look at Atkins

2007-09-17T02:13:00.000-07:00

By Glenn Mueller
eDiets Senior Writer

With more than 30 years behind it, the Atkins Diet just may be the most popular and successful weight-control program ever introduced. Atkins products are currently available at nearly every supermarket, natural foods store and convenience store in this country, and an increasing number of Atkins entrees are showing up on the menus of popular restaurants. At any given time, there are at least three or four Atkins books on the bestseller lists. In fact, according to the New York Times, Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution is among the 50 best-selling books of all time.

Significant scientific research has recently validated the Atkins Diet . For millions upon millions of people desperately trying to shed those extra pounds and adopt a healthy lifestyle, the AAtkins Diet has been a dream come true. So why are so many stories in the media trying to make it seem like a nightmare?

"Most of the supposed negatives about Atkins are based on opinions and misconceptions," says Colette Heimowitz, M.S., VP of Education and Research at Atkins Health & Medical Information Services. "They are not based on science."

With so many misleading stories and third-party accounts of the Atkins Diet Approach, Heimowitz is trying to set the record straight. "The Atkins Diet Approach is a lifestyle of carbohydrate awareness to help people achieve permanent weight control and good health," Heimowitz tells eDiets.

Are you ready to sink your teeth into a new lifestyle, one that will help you drop pounds and improve your health? Try one of our 24 super diets, including the Atkins Nutritional Approach. To get the ball rolling, simply click here and fill out a free profile.

Heimowitz says there are a number of popular misconceptions about the Atkins Nutritional Approach being spread by people who have never read any of Dr. Atkins' books or looked at the Atkins Web site. "There is a myth that the Atkins Nutritional Approach is all about meat and steak, when in fact, there is a variety of other healthy protein choices available as well," Heimowitz says. She adds that Atkins can be adapted to your lifestyle, and that even lacto-ovo-vegetarians can succeed on this plan.

"Another popular myth is that although you lose weight doing Atkins, it can be risky to your health," Heimowitz says. "In fact, research has consistently demonstrated that not only do you lose with the Atkins Diet Approach, but certain health parameters actually improve. These include cholesterol, insulin and blood sugar profiles, as well as inflammatory markers." Heimowitz points to 20 studies in the past two years alone, all of which have affirmed the health benefits of the Atkins Nutritional Approach.

"Yet another misconception is that the Atkins Diet Approach is a no-carb program," Heimowitz says. In fact, she says there are plenty of carbohydrate foods appropriate even in the initial phase of the program, including a wide array of vegetables. After two weeks, you start to incorporate other nutrient-dense carbohydrates such as low-sugar fruits, nuts and eventually even whole grains. "Unfortunately, many people identify the entire program with the Induction phase," she says.

Heimowitz is quick to remind people that there are four phases of the Atkins Diet Approach: Induction, Ongoing Weight Loss, Pre-Maintenance and Lifetime Maintenance. It is only during the Induction phase that carbohydrates are limited severely. After that, people begin to add healthy carbohydrates back into the program.

"One of the reasons Dr. Atkins wrote Atkins for Life," Heimowitz says, "was to give people the tools, tips and techniques they need to maintain weight loss for life. After all, a weight-loss plan is only as good as its ability to allow you to maintain that weight loss."

And make no mistake about it, the Atkins Diet Approach is designed to help you maintain a healthy weight for a lifetime. Though you incorporate healthy carbohydrates back into your diet, you eliminate the added sugars and processed carbohydrates that have contributed to the obesity epidemic in this country. "In our efforts to cut back on fat, we started to consume too many of the wrong kind of carbohydrates, and America is getting fatter and fatter," Heimowitz says. "When you eat more carbs, you crave more carbs. It becomes a vicious cycle."

In addition to eliminating added sugars and processed carbohydrates from your diet, Heimowitz emphasizes the importance of exercise. "You can’t talk about lifestyle changes without talking about exercise as part of the equation," she says.

Though the Atkins Diet Approach may not be for everyone, Heimowitz says it is ideal for many groups of people, including those who carry most of their weight around their middle, who feel sleepy shortly after eating, who are always hungry and obsessed with food all the time, who have hypertension and high triglycerides, and who are insulin resistant. The Atkins approach can be effective for nearly anyone who is looking for permanent weight control. "People need to find a program that suits their needs and likes to succeed with their weight-loss goals," Heimowitz says.

Followers of the Atkins Diet Approach also have more convenience foods and menu items available than ever before. "I think it is wonderful that people following a controlled-carb lifestyle have options that make it easier to meet their goals," Heimowitz says. However, she admits to having fears that many people will call something low-carbohydrate when it is not low-carb. "For best results, people should look for the Atkins seal of approval," Heimowitz says.

Now that we’ve dispelled some of the popular myths surrounding the Atkins Diet approach, it is also important to point out that it has never been easier to personalize this weight-loss regimen and tailor it to your individual needs. Now that Atkins has linked up with the world’s number-one online weight-loss Web site, you can receive a personalized meal plan along with the round-the-clock peer and professional support eDiets is famous for!

A recent survey of existing eDiets members reveals those who followed the Atkins Diet Approach achieved tremendous success in a short period of time. Nearly 5,000 eDiets members participated in the survey, and nearly all of them said they experienced weight-loss success with the personalized version of the Atkins Diet plan available on eDiets. A majority of the respondents also claimed to have more energy on the Atkins plan.

Still unsure if the Atkins Diet plan is right for you? According to some estimates, as many as 30 million people are following or considering a controlled-carb lifestyle. In a recent appearance on CNN, Larry King asked Veronica Atkins why so many people remained faithful to the Atkins Nutritional Approach. She replied simply, "Because it works, Larry. It just makes sense."

When a caller who had received tremendous health benefits from doing Atkins Diet asked how she could lend her support, Mrs. Atkins gave her the following advice, "Tell people what you have experienced. Tell them that you think Dr. Atkins was right. That would be the greatest contribution you could make to his legacy."

Poached Chicken Sandwich With Lemon-Caper Mayo

2007-09-14T02:53:00.001-07:00

From South Beach Diet

Lunchtime? Take a break from deli meats and try this delectable chicken recipe. If you're cooking for several, much of the prep can be done ahead of time, and cleanup is a snap!

Tender chicken breasts with a deliciously tangy dressingmake a great sandwich that requires little cleanup. You can poach the chicken up to 2 days ahead; just remember to cool it completely before refrigerating.

Makes 2 Servings

Ingredients
2 cups water 3/4 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, divided 2 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/8 cup mayonnaise 1/2 tablespoon capers, drained, rinsed, and roughly chopped 4 slices whole-grain bread, lightly toasted 2 lettuce leaves

Instructions
Bring water and 1/2 tablespoon of the lemon juice to a simmer in a large, high-sided saucepan. Season chicken with salt and pepper, add to water, and simmer, covered, 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let stand, remaining covered, for 15 minutes. Remove to a plate and cool at room temperature, for 5 minutes.

While chicken is cooking, mix together mayonnaise, remaining lemon juice, and capers. Season to taste with pepper.

Make each sandwich with 2 bread slices, 1 chicken breast (sliced in half lengthwise, if easier to manage), 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, and 1 lettuce leaf. Slice in half and serve.

Recipe reprinted with permission from The South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook.

Nutritional Information:
420 calories
15 g total fat (2.5 g sat)
25 g carbohydrate
45 g protein
3 g fiber
540 mg sodium

Join South Beach Diet today to search our database of more than 1,000 recipes

My plan to conquer the sweet tooth

2007-09-06T04:15:00.000-07:00

Hi, it's Mike Geary here with another Lean-Body Secrets Ezine from Truth About Abs

I don't know about you, but I have always had a serious sweet tooth! No joke... when I was a kid growing up, my mom would bake a batch of brownies and I would eat the entire tray in 1 day!

I could get away with that as a teenager because I probably burned about 5000 cals/day playing sports outside all day.

One of the things I had to learn to conquer over the years as an adult was to keep my sweet tooth under control so I wouldn't turn into the typical 30-something guy with the beer belly.

My plan of attack to conquer the sweet tooth...

What worked for me to beat my sweet tooth was the use of a large variety of fruits and also super-dark chocolate, and using creative variations of both.

A piece of fruit, a frozen fruit & protein smoothie, or a couple small pieces of dark chocolate has totally done the trick to keep my sweet tooth in check, and has allowed me to stay super-lean over the years while still enjoying my sweets in small amounts.

Here are my 3 favorite desserts that help me to keep the calories under control while also satisfying my sweet tooth. I pretty much use a variation of these almost every day for dessert.

Two or 3 small squares of super-dark chocolate (minimum of 70-75% cocoa content... if less than 70%, usually too much sugar)
Frozen banana/chocolate blender ice cream:

This is more of an ice cream consistency rather than a smoothie. I put 1 frozen ripe banana chunked into a blender with 1/3 cup milk, 2 tbsp non-sweetened cocoa powder, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, and a sprinkle of stevia to sweeten. 1/2 scoop of protein powder is optional too.

Blend it all together to an ice cream consistency. This is a much healthier lower-calorie, lower-sugar alternative to ice cream, and still delicious!

3. I just got hooked on these recently... the Prograde Cravers Peanut Butter flavor is out of this world, and 100% organic, with dark chocolate and other healthy ingredients... it makes the perfect healthy dessert or snack during the day without an overload of calories... only 180 calories.

(Prograde Cravers are only available for the time being in the US and Canada)

I hope you enjoy these healthier "six pack" friendly dessert ideas! Feel free to forward this email on to any of your friends, family, or co-workers that would enjoy these.

Til next ezine issue... Don't be lazy, be lean.

Mike Geary
Certified Nutrition Specialist
Certified Personal Trainer
Founder - Truth About Abs

Low Carb Vegetarians

2007-08-31T04:01:00.000-07:00

Need a change, low-carbers? Think vegetarian!

When you first started your low-carb diet, the idea of a breakfast of scrambled eggs and bacon dripping with cheese made your mouth water, but after a few months of eggs in the mornin', the afterglow is fading. If you're ready for a change, try incorporating low-carb vegetarian meals and snacks into your daily menu.

Need a diet that'll let you eat filling, tasty foods while you lose weight? eDiets offers 24 personalized plans, including the red-hot, carb-smart GI Diet. Go to eDiets to fill out a free diet profile NOW.

Low-carb does not mean just meat and eggs. "It's a fallacy that you can't eat veggies on a low-carb diet," says Margo DeMello, author of Low-Carb Vegetarian (Book Publishing, 2004).

All of the popular low-carb diet plans emphasize "good" carbs and discourage eating "bad" or empty carbs, those that are made with refined white flour, white sugar and trans fats. The avowed vegetarian was inspired to revamp her eating regimen after reading The Soy Zone (a soy version of The Zone diet), which introduced the low-carb concept to vegetarians.

There are lots of healthy, low-carb vegetarian choices, says DeMello, who lost 45 pounds doing her own version of a low-carb diet. Fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds and whole grains are nutrient-dense, fiber-rich carbohydrate foods that fit into the low-carb mix.

If you've never tasted veggie burgers, veggie bacon strips or veggie dogs made with soy protein or textured vegetable protein, the author suggests you give them a try. These vegetarian mainstays are high in protein, low in saturated fat, and now come in low-carb versions that range from 1–to-5 net carbs per serving.

Ounce for ounce, veggies -- the greener the better -- weigh in as the low-carb vegetarian superstars. Low in carbs and packed with fiber and phytonutrients, veggies are smart-carb choices.

In addition to the tried-and-true romaine lettuce, try mushrooms, tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli, green beans, parsley, bok choy, snow peas, bell peppers, celery, chives, cucumber, artichoke, asparagus, scallions, bamboo shoots, collard greens, eggplant, bean sprouts and spinach -- all budget "buys" at less than 7 net carbs per serving.

To soothe your sweet cravings, two of the best low-carb fruit choices are berries and melons. At less than 5 grams of carbs per quarter cup, you can enjoy strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, honeydew melon and cantaloupe -- and still meet your carb quota with room to spare.

High-fiber crisp breads are generally the lowest-carb grain choices, not counting the wide array of low-carb bread, muffin and cake mixes. Other specially prepared low-carb whole grain snacks and treats are now available as well.

So if you can't face another egg for breakfast -- or you just want to cut down on saturated fat and boost your fiber intake, here are some suggestions to zip up your food plan with a vegetarian twist:

To take the edge off an appetite or add a little taste to a salad or veggies, try a 2 Tbsp.p. serving of nutritious and tasty nuts or seeds: pumpkin seeds (2.4 g), macadamia nuts (.9 g), almonds (1.4 g), pecans (.6 g), chopped walnuts (1.1 g) -- all under 3 net carbs.
Make an easy guacamole by mashing 1/2 medium avocado (3 g), season with a touch of salt, 1 Tbsp. tomato salsa (1 g) and a sprinkle of lemon juice (0 g). Have with raw veggies or a few low-carb tortilla chips. This fiber-rich snack is also high in heart-healthy monounsaturated fat = 4 g net carbs (just the guacamole).
Top 1 1/2 cups lightly steamed broccoli (5.8 g) with 1 Tbsp. grated parmesan cheese (0 carbs and only 1.5 grams of saturated fat) = 5.8 g net carbs.
Enjoy a 1 oz. serving of roasted soy nuts (6 g), which contains 13 grams of protein and 7 grams of mostly heart-healthy polyunsaturated fat and monounsaturated fat -- and only 1.5 grams of saturated fat. This on-the-go snack comes in flavors such as ranch, barbeque, and chocolate-covered = 6 g net carbs.
Treat yourself to a stuffed artichoke (6.9 g). Just trim artichoke stems and snap off the tough leaves to make a flat base. Place the artichoke snugly in a sauce pan and fill pan with enough water to come halfway up the artichoke. Sprinkle with sea salt, 1 Tbsp. parmesan cheese (0 g), and a splash of lemon juice (0 g). Cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer about 40 minutes. Pull the leaves off one at a time and dip them and the delectable heart of the 'choke in a bit of melted butter (0 g) = 6.9 g net carbs.
Make a veggie bacon BLT by placing 4 veggie bacon strips (4 g), 1 leaf of romaine lettuce (.1 g), and 2 slices tomato (1.3 g) on 1 slice high-fiber low-carb bread (3 g). Spread with 1 Tbsp. soy mayo (0 g) = 8.4 g net carbs.
Sauté 1 cup green beans (5.8 g) in 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil (0 g) with one clove chopped garlic (1.0 g), and 2 Tbsp. chopped onion (1.8 g) = 8.6 g net carbs.

Spread 2 Tbsp. peanut butter (4.3 g) and 2 Tbsp. sugar-free apricot jam (3.2 g) on 2 slices of crisp bread (10 g) = 17.5g net carbs.

For a light snack, enjoy the natural sweetness of fresh fruit: 1 cup raspberries (6 g), 1/2 cup honeydew melon (7.2 g), 1/2 cup pineapple (8.6 g), 1 cup watermelon (10.4), 1 cup papaya (11.2 g), 1/2 cup mango (12.6 g), 1 medium orange (12.9 g), 1 cup cherries. (16.8 g), 1 medium apple (17.3 g), 1 cup green grapes (26.8 g).

Whip up a double berry tofu shake for breakfast: blend 1/2 cup blueberries (8.2 g) and 1/2 cup strawberries (3.6 g) with 6 oz. soft tofu (4.7 g), 2 ice cubes, and 1 tsp vanilla extract (0 g). Sweeten with 1 tsp Splenda (0 g) = 16.5 net carbs.

Tip: A half-cup portion of soft tofu contains 3.1 g net carbs, 5.4 g protein and 37.5 mg isoflavones, which may reduce the risk of osteoporosis and heart disease. Try replacing all or part of the cream in cream soups with soft tofu. You can also substitute puréed tofu for part of the mayonnaise, sour cream, cream cheese, or ricotta cheese called for in salad dressings, dips and spreads.

Note All carb counts are listed in net carbs: total carbohydrates less fiber, glycerine, sugar alcohol, and polydextrose. All carb counts are taken from Atkins Carbohydrate Counter, The Complete Book of Food Counts by Corinne T. Netzer, or from the nutrition label on packaged foods

Sheri Strykowski is a freelance journalist who specializes in health, fitness and lifestyle. Her articles have appeared in The Chicago Tribune, Lerner newspapers and National Safety Council publications. She is also a content expert who has built over 40 websites for a Fortune 100 company.

The key is eating more slow carbohydrates

2007-08-29T02:07:00.000-07:00

Boost Your Energy

By Willow Lawson
eDiets Contributor

Drastic changes in eating and exercise habits can be difficult to maintain for the long term, but there is one simple change in diet that is easy to incorporate. It raises energy levels throughout the day and can help a fledgling gym-goer make it to the treadmill after work.

Looking for a fresh approach to dieting? We have the answer! Check out our new Summer Fresh Diet -- sizzlin' grilling recipes, delicious salads and the juiciest fruits and vegetables the season has to offer!
Visit eDiets for a FREE diet profile today!

The key is eating more "slow" carbohydrates, also known as complex carbohydrates, or, for those who see life in simpler terms, "good" carbs. A slow carbohydrate raises blood sugar levels gradually, providing a steady stream of energy to our body's cells, and especially our brains. Whole grain foods -- such as oatmeal, whole-wheat bread, brown rice, lentil soup and beans are great slow carbohydrates.

Fast carbs, on the other hand, are digested quickly, causing a spike in blood sugar followed by a steep drop as the pancreas produces insulin to funnel extra energy into the body's cells. Processed foods that contain refined sugar and white flour are fast carbohydrates. As any junk-food junkie knows, they give us a roller-coaster ride of mental energy and turn mental sharpness into mental dullness faster than you can say "doughnut."

The body yearns for another pick-me-up shortly after snacking on fast carbs. A diet high in refined carbohydrates can also lead to insulin resistance, the beginnings of Type 2 diabetes, which is sweeping the U.S. with devastating health consequences.

An easy way of fitting slow carbohydrates into one's diet is by eating the whole grain equivalent of whatever is on the menu: brown rice instead of white rice, multi-grain bread instead of white, whole wheat pasta instead of standard spaghetti. Beyond eating more whole grain foods, a handy way of determining whether a food is a slow or fast carb is to visit glycemicindex.com. This Web site is run by Sydney University's Glycemic Index Research Service in Australia, and it allows the user to look up a food's score on the glycemic index (a scale that measures how a food's carbohydrates affect blood sugar levels).

The lower the number, the slower the carbohydrate. The steadier your supply of energy, the more endurance you will experience, and the longer you will feel full. Lentils, for example, score 40, a relatively low number for a food that provides plenty of carbohydrate energy.

A baked potato, on the other hand, can score as high as 111 on the glycemic index, a very high score. In general, potatoes and starchy grains, especially processed cereals like cornflakes and bran flakes score high on the GI. The index measures only foods that contain carbs, so meat, eggs, nuts and some vegetables aren't included in the database.

Eating more low-GI foods will not only give you a steady source of fuel throughout the day, it will also help you eat less -- and that can make up for a missed workout. Your body has to work harder to digest these fiber-rich foods before the energy can reach your bloodstream.

The extra bulk has the added advantage of keeping the stomach feeling full. In a recent study published in the Journal Pediatrics, children who started their day with high fiber breakfast foods like All-Bran, Muesli or oatmeal ate less food at lunch. Kids who ate low-fiber (and higher GI) foods like corn flakes, puffed rice and white bread were inclined to eat more at lunch. Both groups reported feeling the same level of satiety after breakfast.

Need a diet that'll let you eat filling, tasty foods while you lose weight? We offer 24 personalized plans, including the red-hot, carb-smart GI Diet by eDiets

Willow Lawson is News Editor of Psychology Today.

For eDiets

72 Pounds Down on the GI Diet

2007-08-08T03:05:00.000-07:00

The Glycemic Impact Diet

By Carolina Diaz-Bordon
The eDiets Staff Writer

Elizabeth D. was less than thrilled that she had to buy size-20 shorts to go on a family vacation, but when she saw the pictures of herself in them she was shocked. At 5 foot 6, her weight had skyrocketed to an uncomfortable 225 pounds.

The young 29-year-old music teacher wasn't about to sit around singing the blues, instead she joined forces with eDiets and The Glycemic Impact Diet plan. Now she's singing a much happier tune in her slim and sexy size-10 figure.

"I needed to make a change and really commit to altering my present lifestyle. I liked the accessibility of eDiets . I can stay at home and work on it on my computer. The program is really complete,” Elizabeth tells eDiets .

"I like that there's a great deal of support available without having to go to a meeting. The Glycemic Impact plan appealed to me right off the bat. It limits carbohydrates but still allows me to eat them. I was really just looking for a change, and it looked like something for me to try."

Need a diet that'll let you eat filling, tasty foods while you lose weight? We offer 24 personalized plans, including the red-hot carb-smart GI Diet: fill out a free diet profile!

Turns out the The Glycemic Impact Diet was exactly what her body, mind and spirit needed. The plan, which is built around eating the right combination of protein, carbohydrates and fat at every meal, helped her achieve optimal metabolic balance every time she ate. In return, she started losing weight, her hunger pangs and her unhealthy cravings began fading, and her energy level increased.

"Since it was the summertime, I was off of work. I had time to really do the recipe-based plan and try out a variety of different foods. I like cooking, so that appealed to me because I could actually make lots of different things on the plan. Pretty much as soon as I started I noticed I had much more energy within the first week. I felt like my energy was through the roof," she says.

"That immediate change motivated me to start working out and to really stick with the plan so I could really start seeing some progress."

Once she started on her health journey, the motivated music teacher from Maryland was eager to learn more.

"My eating habits in the past were not good. I was never really into the fast-food thing but I was very lazy with my cooking habits. Dinner would be a big plate of pasta. If we went out, I would order chicken fingers, French fries and ice cream. I had fallen into what was quick and convenient and not what was good for me," admits Elizabeth.

"I am much more aware of what I eat. I enjoy everything I eat but limit the amount I consume. I try to eat as many healthy things that I can that will benefit my body. I don't want to eat something just because it's there or it looks good. I try to think about the long run. I ask myself if this is going help me be a healthier person."

While the archive meetings, meal plan and shopping lists have been helpful tools, the eDiets support boards have been the most helpful diet tool for Elizabeth.

"I've been part of the Life Odyssey Challenge since I started eDiets , and it has really just given me so much support and encouragement. I honestly, don't think I could have gotten this far without the help of my teammates. I am actually a captain for my team now."

There's no doubt she's come a long way since she first linked up with eDiets Glycemic Impact plan.

Fitness makeover
Elizabeth took advantage of the fitness plan available to members and got ideas on how to get started revving up her physical lifestyle. Gradually the super slimmer started becoming more active. Nowadays, it's become part of her weekly routine.

"As a music teacher, I teach elementary school. All day I am singing and dancing and playing around with my kids. I can do that now. I can play around with them and be silly and dance and not be winded, gasping for air. It's just really improved my life and the way that I feel and in the things that I want to do. I think I'm just a happier person all around.

In addition to the amazing support she's received from her fellow teammates at eDiets.com, she's also received worlds of encouragement from those closest to her.

"Anytime I go to visit my parents, my mom calls to see what kind of food I want to have available to make my life easier for me. My fiancé has been extremely supportive. We don't keep junk food in the house anymore.

"I've also gotten tons of encouragement from the people I work with. It means so much to hear people tell me that I'm melting away and getting so skinny. I never thought I would hear those kinds of things."

One look at her after pictures and it's easy to see why this music maker's fit and flattering 153-pound figure is making such a commotion. She looks and feels better than she has in years, and she plans on making sure that continues for the rest of her life.

"I've always struggled with my self-image, and I haven't been really confident in the past. Just having the confidence within myself to know that I am taking care of myself and taking the necessary steps to be a healthy person, it sort of roles over into everything else," she said.

"My original goal was to lose 80 pounds. At this point, I am about 8 pounds away from that. I would like to get to that point and then just maintain. I'd like to continue working out and increasing my cardio and overall level of fitness."

Now that you've read what the GI plan can do, why not get your own personalized meal plan from eDiets? Click here to get started.

Carolina Diaz-Bordon is a writer specializing in health, beauty and relationships

Low Carb On A Budget

2007-08-02T04:48:00.000-07:00

By Susan Burke MS, RD, LD/N, CDE
eDiets Contributor

eDiets and Atkins have teamed up to create personalized low-carb plans for you! This dynamic duo can get you started on the road to weight loss today! To get started on shedding those extra pounds, click here to complete a free profile. Read on for further inspiration...

Low-carb eating is popular. According to LowCarbiz, more than 40 million Americans report they're counting carbs, not calories, to manage their weight. But is low-carb eating too expensive for the people who need it most?

USA Today recently published a front-page article that showed the weekly expense of following a low-carb program is greater than following a diet patterned after the recommendations of the USDA, which uses the Food Guide Pyramid. However, although low-carb eating can be expensive, it doesn't have to be. Low-fat dieters can also include meat, fish and chicken in their diet and stay within their food budgets.

The secret is to modify. If you follow the low-carb approaches without making your own modifications, then it may be pricey. Weight-loss books are written to appeal to the eye, and usually contain recipes and photos of appetizing and delicious foods, often expensive cuts of meat, and higher priced fish. If you're on a budget, you're going to have to be creative.

You don't have to be rich to eat low carb, and you don't need to be wealthy to eat a balanced meal plan. Any meal plan can be modified to be healthier and less expensive. Use these tips for shopping economically, for both low-carb and low-fat eating.

1. Stock up: Low-carb living means more protein and fat and less carbs. Buy large-sized packages of meat, chicken and fish, and wrap into smaller sized portions and freeze. Less tender cuts of meat are cheaper, and just as nutritious. Frozen is less expensive than fresh and just as nutritious. Eggs are very inexpensive, so stock up.

2. Manage your meal plan: At eDiets, you get a brand-new menu of meals and recipes weekly. Economize by changing two or three meals and recipes to repeat. You save on price when you buy in bulk and can freeze the remaining portions for your convenience meals.

3. Cut and chop: Premixed and washed salads are convenient, but you pay a price. Buy a head of lettuce, rinse thoroughly and spin in a salad spinner (a great investment -- it makes the crispest lettuce), then wrap in paper towels and store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

4. Buy on sale: Even if your meal plan calls for blueberries, if strawberries are in season (as they are now), buy the large size. I saw a "buy one, get one free" sale on strawberries today. Rinse, pat dry, slice and freeze one container, and use the other as your fruit for the week.

5. Limit low-carb packaged food: These items are generally expensive, and not necessary to follow low-carb programs successfully. Atkins makes low-carb bread that can be used on Induction and helps to satisfy cravings, but you use it sparingly, and you can freeze it.

6. Buy inexpensive nuts, instead of the ultra-expensive macadamia nuts: Some of the low-carb programs call for using macadamia nuts and expensive cashews. Walnuts, almonds and peanuts are dramatically less expensive and offer similar nutritional value. Canola oil and regular olive oil are nutritionally similar to extra virgin olive oil, and much less expensive.

7. Be flexible, and use your substitution list: eDiets members receive weekly menus and recipes for all their diet programs, and show members how to use their substitution list when they go shopping. If your menu calls for steak, and your budget calls for chicken, then substitute chicken, or any other protein that's on sale, including fish or tofu.

8. Stick with water: Water is the ultimate budget/diet drink. Artificially sweetened drinks aren't as good for you as water… period. Even bottled water can be pricy; you can purchase a refrigerator water filter or under-the-sink model for less than $30 and it will save you money in the long run.

9. Save money on vegetables and fruit: Buy in season (local produce), and check the frozen food aisle for sales on frozen vegetables and fruit. Frozen produce is often more nutritious than fresh, due to the extended time necessary to ship to your local store, where it may sit on the shelf for a number of days before you actually eat it. Frozen produce, picked and processed in the field, retains more valuable nutrition. Local produce will be less expensive and generally fresher than shipped.

10. If you're eating out, save money by sharing an entrée and ordering a salad for an appetizer: Eating out is usually more expensive than cooking at home, but an occasional night out can be made more economical by sharing.

Getting the body you've always wanted doesn't have to be a dream -- it can be a reality! Visit eDiets to complete a free profile and choose YOUR diet. Make this your best holiday season ever!

eDiets Vice President of Nutrition Services, Susan L. Burke, M.S., R.D., L.D., CDE is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian, and a Certified Diabetes Educator who specializes in both general and diabetes-related weight management.

Low Carb Menu Week 1

2007-07-15T10:45:00.000-07:00

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You've read about all the different low-carb diets on the market. What most of them have in common is that you have to follow a complex set of rules, collect the food, and then prepare the meals. Well, now you can get your low-carb meals right here. We've followed the rules, collected the food and prepared the meals for you.

We have four delicious weekly menus that repeat themselves in a four week cycle. You'll receive a different set of weekly meals for a month. After that period, the cycles repeat themselves.

Our meals are affordably priced. When you take into consideration the time for shopping, cost of food, preparation time and discarded leftovers, you will quickly realize that our meals are more economical than fast food, and a lot healthier.

MAIL ORDER LOW CARB WEEK 1

Good carbs are the ones that score below 10 on Glycemic Index

2007-07-05T05:58:00.000-07:00

More about GI (click)

The Return of the Carb

Last Wednesday we learned how some carbs are good for us, as defined by the glycemic load index (GLI). Today we'll take a closer look at these "good carbs," and why they're healthy additions to our diet.

Good carbs — the ones that score 10 or below on the GLI — take a long time to digest, creating less of a need for immediate insulin release in the bloodstream. This helps stabilize your blood sugar level. They also contain important vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that are essential for good health. In fact, our bodies are designed to consume these kinds of carbs, which include vegetables and whole grain foods. (They are often referred to as complex carbohydrates because of their molecular structure.)

Becoming familiar with the GLI will help you identify and avoid the carbs that cause rapid blood sugar elevation, change brain chemistry, and trigger cravings. You should not, however, base your diet solely on the glycemic load index. GLI scores are valuable to know, but beware — some foods with a low GLI score are high in fat and calories. Keep in mind your caloric allowance and stick to it.

Nobody's Perfect
It's not rocket science: A serving of potato chips has a sky-high GLI score. You know the physiological backlash, yet those chips are calling your name. Here's my honest advice: Give in now. If you don't, you'll binge on other, potentially even less healthy things you crave. If you're absolutely sure that you want something with a high GLI score, eat some protein at the same time. This will help slow the rate of oxidation and stabilize your blood sugar and energy levels. Have your handful of chips (just a handful!), but have a turkey salad with them.

Low Carb Diet Beginngers

2007-05-28T08:45:00.000-07:00

Low carb diet beginngers almost invariably ask: OK, enough of theories, just tell what foods I can and cant eat.

It's most clearly described by Dr Atkins so here are low carb food dos and donts.

The first two weeks, foods that are allowed in unlimited quantities are --

meats (except sausages)
eggs
fish
poultry
butter
ham (read the label for sugar added!)

Foods allowed in limited quantities are --

hard cheeses (4 oz)
cottage cheese (4 oz)
mayonnaise (3 tablespoon)
green salads (200 ml by volume/one soup bowl)
1/2 medium cucumber
1 stalk green onion or 2 thin slices of white onion
1/2 lemon
sour cream (100 grams)
cream (100 grams)
yogurt (200 grams)
tea (2 cups)

Foods that are prohibited are --

breads
pastas
potatoes
red beets
sausages
fruits
beans
peas
milk
any sweets or sweeteners or sugar substitutes
caffeinated beverages
alcohol

Now let's see how it translates into a sample meal, e.g., breakfast, comparing with a low fat, low calorie diet and with officially recommended meal plan.

Induction phase breakfast:

2 scrambled eggs 2 strips bacon Decaffeinated coffee

Ongoing phase breakfast:
3 egg 3 oz. tomato juice 2 bran crisp bread (2 g. carb)

Maintenance phase breakfast:
2 egg 2 bran crisp bread (2 g. carb) 1 T butter 1/2 cantaloupe

Compare with USDA Food Pyramid breakfast

1 C orange juice 1 C Total cereal with 3/4 C skim milk Coffee with 1 oz. 1% milk

Compare with Weight Watchers diet

1 oz. Total Corn flakes 1/2 C non-fat milk 1 slice whole wheat bread 1 pat margarine 1 orange

Why Low-Carb Works, Why Low-Carb Fails

2007-05-22T05:04:00.000-07:00

by Jon Benson
Creator, Fit Over 40

What do these have in common?

- McDonalds - Renée Zellweger - Epileptic children - Yours truly - Most bodybuilding and fitness competitors - Kiefer Sutherland

Give up?

All the above employ the strategies of the low-carb diet, popularized by the late Dr. Atkins.

Recently researchers have found that an Atkins-type nutrition plan reduced the number of seizures in epileptic children.

Most of the world's leanest physiques get that way on a regimen, limited or not, of low-carbs and higher protein.

Even McDonalds is getting into the act. Even Renée Zellweger. Even Kiefer Sutherland. Even me. Kinda.

Read on and I'll explain what I mean...

Why Low-Carb Works

When McDonalds starts counting carb grams in their food, you know someone is either jumping on a trend or finally seeing the light.

In this case, both -- but it is a good thing. Low-carb diets. They work.

For the masses, they work because they are the easiest nutrition plan to follow when you're busy.

McDonalds and stars like Kiefer Sutherland figured this out. The busy on-the-go guy or gal doesn't want to make the time to prepare six meals per day and carry them around in Tupperware.

When choosing my own lifestyle nutrition plan, time and convenience played a major role. I looked at role models who were very busy, formerly obese, and very lean.

Most of them rely in some form or fashion on a low-carb strategy.

Low-carb also works, much to the hem and haw of traditional doctors and nutritionists, due to the way the body processes fuel.

For those of us fortunate enough to grow up on whole grains and very low-sugar mealplans, a moderate to higher-carb nutrition plan may work just fine.

But most of us grew up eating junk.

Processed foods, fast foods, and downright junk was the cornerstone of our diets. That puts your body on the "carb defense."

After years of abuse the body becomes resistant to carbohydrates. The insulin they produce can cause all sorts of health issues, fat-burning problems, and more.

When carbs are removed, even healthy carbs like whole grains, the body has time to re-adjust.

In some cases, you can go back to a moderate-carb plan with whole grains and fruits after a period of time.

In others, you are a "low-carber" for life.

Guess which one I am?

Finally, low-carb works because you tend to eat less. Fat is very satiating, and most low-carb plans are fairly high in dietary fat.

So, in recap:

-- Easy and convenient;
-- Metabolically important for carb recovery;
-- Lower in total food volume (eat less)

Do not make light of that first point. Any plan that is not simple is one very few people will stick to. Making your plan simple and tasty is key, even if that plan is not "perfect" by nutritional standards.

Progress always trumps perfection.

Why Low-Carb Fails

There are two primary reasons for the failure of the low-carb nutrition plans: boredom and media bashing.

One causes irritability. The other, doubt. Unless you're certain that your plan will work, you will eventually go off of it.

This is true of any plan, no matter how ideal it is. Certainty rules.

That's why I cover The Law of Certainty in "Fit Over 40". It's crucial to understand and to create.

Yes -- you can create certainty. Read my book to find out how.

The boredom is easily solved.

I cover how and share my own unique plan that cycles carbs and fats in Fit Over 40 --

Fit Over 40

Using my cycle strategy you will rarely if ever become bored. And your body will burn more bodyfat too. It's just a cheap metabolic trick...but boy, it works.

The second reason is media and medical bias. One study after another has proven that low-carb plans, even the Atkins plan, works and is safe to use for most people.

Check with your doctor first, of course.

I've seen researchers get down-right angry when the results come back. In one study, carried out for a full year, the low-carb plan out-performed the so-called "healthy" Dean Ornish plan.

Lower blood fats, more weightloss, and more energy were the results.

That being said, no one plan works for everyone. Some people are natural vegetarians. I know one low-carb veggie, but he has a heck of a time with it.

Still, it works for him.

Some will do really well on higher carbs. One of my role models, Clarence Bass, has consumed a 55% carb diet for most of his life. It serves him well.

Over the years, Clarence has added more "healthy" fats to his diet -- and the result has been better blood profiles and lower bodyfat.

Which Plan To Use?

Check out my book, Fit Over 40. There are dozens of plans in there from 53 near- ageless role models 40-80 years old --

Fit Over 40

Select the one you relate to the most and follow the leader. Make it simple.

But my preference always comes back to low-carb nutrition. I just cycle it in a way that allows me to get plenty of veggies, some grains, and ample fiber.

Even a slice of cheesecake here and there.

Hey...I said "low-carb", not "low-life!"

Sincerely,

Jon Benson Creator, Fit Over 40

P.S. One of these days the mainstream medical community will wake up to the fact that 90% of the population will never eat 15 servings of veggies per day.

While this may be "optimal", it's not at all practical. I'd rather give you down-to- earth practical nutrition advice that you CAN and WILL follow -- and enjoy.

Makes sense, doesn't it?
Fit Over 40

Vegetarian Atkins?

2007-05-11T02:54:00.000-07:00

By Susan L. Burke, MS, RD/LD, CDE eDiets
Director of Nutrition Services

You don't have to be a vegetarian to want to avoid red meat. You may want a cheaper diet. After all, lean cuts of red meat such as sirloin are more expensive than other types of meat. If you don't eat red meat, will you lose out nutritionally? Will you be hungry? No! Other good protein choices include chicken, fish and tofu.

Nutritionally, red meat is a good source of protein, iron, zinc and other nutrients. However, health experts have been debating for years about the merits of eliminating red meat from your diet. Walter Willet of Harvard Medical School advocates a red meat-free diet, and some research has linked diets high in consumption of red meat with increased cancer risk. The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) summarized the research with this conclusion in their landmark report, Food, Nutrition, and the Prevention of Cancer: "Diets containing substantial amounts of red meat probably increase the risk of colorectal cancer” and suggest a link between red meat and an increased risk of pancreatic, breast, prostate and renal cancers. The WCRF advises that red meat be limited to only three ounces daily. However, the jury is still out on red meat, and there is no strong consensus that says no to all red meat.

Why should red meat be worse for you than, say… pork or lamb? It may not be! All three fall within scientific theory. It may not be the meat itself. It may have more to do with how the meat is cooked. And, the danger may be in what the animal consumes as its daily diet. The scientists point to a couple of different theories.

The first is that meat contains high iron concentrations and promotes formation of free radicals (molecules that cause DNA oxidation), which lead to cancer. Other studies point to what happens when red meat is cooked, especially at high temperatures under moist conditions. High heat leads to the production of compounds in meat called heterocyclic amines (HCAs). Frying or cooking until well-done further increases the risk, and grilling meat compounds the risk further.

Another theory points toward genetics. For some, it's actually a case of "you are what you eat,” where an individual's genetic makeup is seen as compounding their risk for cancer. Some people are "fast metabolizers” and metabolize the suspect compounds more quickly. By virtue of your own DNA, you may put yourself at risk unwittingly.

Finally, unless you're buying and consuming organic meat, you're likely to be consuming residuals of hormones and antibiotics fed to feedlot-raised cattle. This makes the case for buying only organic meat. However, now you're back to the original concern: organic food is much more expensive.

Do you like animal protein, but want to avoid red meat? That is easily done on eDiets . Even if you're doing the Atkins Nutritional Approach, you can eat less red meat -- or none. Atkins is not the bacon, burger and butter diet the media has portrayed it to be. On eDiets, we've worked hard to bring you the real McCoy -- right here on our website.

Before he died of a tragic accidental fall, Dr. Atkins was just completing a book tour, on which he emphasized the importance of eating omega-3 fatty-acid-rich fish. Research points toward the benefits of including fish in your diet, including reducing the risk for heart disease because of the anti-inflammatory effects. Research points to the antioxidant properties of omega-3's, which reduce the risk for some cancers. Because some fish may contain higher than acceptable levels of contaminants (including mercury and PCB's), the best advice is to vary your choices. Fatty fish like mackerel, lake trout, herring, sardines, albacore tuna and salmon are high in two kinds of omega-3 fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Whether to include or exclude meat in your diet is a matter of personal choice – one that is available for the Atkins, eDiets and Zone programs. When you click on "exclude red meat," your menu will contain meals with fish or fowl. If you enjoy soy protein, then tofu, tempeh and TVP (textured vegetable protein) are featured in your recipes and meals as well. These meals are favorites of the eDiets vegetarian members, and the Zone members and Atkins members similarly can choose meat-free meals and recipes. The beauty of eDiets is that it's your diet, your way. Balance is important, and your meals contain other sources of protein that will provide all the nutrition necessary for continued good health.

Did You Know
Red meat provides bio-available heme iron. However, all types of meat contain this easily absorbed form of iron. If you don't want red meat, heme iron is still available from poultry and fish. Fruits, vegetables and other foods that contain vitamin C help the body absorb non-heme iron. Eat your iron-fortified breakfast cereal with an orange or grapefruit to enhance absorption. Avoid coffee and tea (regular and decaffeinated) with meals in order to enhance the absorption of iron and zinc.

eDiets Director of Nutrition Services Susan L. Burke, M.S., R.D., L.D., CDE is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian, and a Certified Diabetes Educator who specializes in both general and diabetes-related weight management

10 Power Foods to Beat Diabetes

2007-04-16T05:51:00.001-07:00

By Glenn Mueller
eDiets Senior Writer

When you are trying to balance your blood sugar, it is important to eat plenty of healing foods. In fact, you’ll be amazed at how many of them you can find in the aisles of your local grocery store. The following diabetes-beating power foods are among the best foods to beat diabetes.

Need a diet that'll let you eat filling, tasty foods while you lose weight? eDiets offers 24 personalized plans, including the red-hot, carb-smart Glycemic Impact Diet.

Apples: As it turns out, an apple a day might be just the thing you need to keep the doctor away. When it comes to beating diabetes, there is nothing forbidden about this particular fruit. Since they are grown in temperate zones around the world, apples come in thousands of different varieties. But, whatever type of apple you choose, you will get the maximum health benefits by including the peel in your healthy snack. Apple peels contain quercetin, a flavanoid that has been found to reduce diabetes due to its antioxidant effect.

Asparagus: Though it is a member of the lily family, the edible part of the asparagus plant is actually a sprout or shoot that appears underground. Asparagus is an excellent source of glutathione, an antioxidant compound that can help keep your blood sugar stable.

Beans: Not only are they good for the heart, but these members of the legume family also contain many different phytonutrients that can help you manage your battle against diabetes. Though dried beans are the healthiest choice, you must soak them in water for several hours before cooking.

Broccoli: President George Herbert Walker Bush may have banned this cruciferous vegetable from the White House menu, but broccoli is also an excellent source of quercetin. These days most broccoli is green, but purple, red, cream and brown varieties were also popular at one time.

Carrots: As it turns out, Bugs Bunny was smarter than you might think. His favorite snack is full of carotenoids, antioxidant compounds that can help protect the heart and balance your insulin levels.

Fish: Even if you’re not hooked on the taste of fish, perhaps the health benefits will help reel you in. Not only can these sea creatures help protect your heart, but the omega-3 fatty acids can also help balance your blood sugar levels.

Nuts: Even though they have been cultivated for more than twelve thousand years, nuts are still one of nature’s richest foods. Since they are packed with minerals and healthy fats, incorporating healthy portions of nuts into your meal plan can help protect your heart and balance your blood sugar. You’d have to be crazy not to eat them.

Oranges: Orange you glad that the world’s most popular citrus fruit has a low rating on the Glycemic Index? Oranges are also a source of many other phtonutrients that can help you fight diabetes, including flavonoids, carotenoids, terpines, pectins and glutathione.

Soybeans Oh say, can you soy? Not only are these members of the legume family a complete source of protein, but soybeans also provide phytoestrogens, isoflavones and saponins that can help balance your blood sugar.

Tea Tea time may be the healthiest time of the day. Whether you have two for tea or you drink this healthy substance by yourself, tea has phytonutrients such as catechins and tannins that can help balance your blood sugar.

Glycemic Impact Diet has great ways for you to eat healthy, lose weight and take control of your life. With our 24/7 online support, we're there whenever you need us for inspiration and support.

Low Carb Smart Snacking

2007-03-28T09:35:00.000-07:00

By Susan Burke MS, RD, LD/N, CDE
eDiets Chief Nutritionist

Snacking doesn't necessarily mean eating in addition to your diet, or eating foods that are unhealthy for you. Much better than fasting (which depletes you of energy and motivation), keeping your engine burning and fueling your body with healthy snacks is going to help you achieve your goals.

On eDiets , your menu is created for results, and fuels you with the right amount of calories and nutrition, or in the case of the Atkins Diet , the right amount and the right type of carbs, for your personal and unique requirements. Daily snacks are included on your daily menu, and in addition, we encourage members to take a food item or two from each meal to eat two to three hours later.

On the Atkins Diet , you begin with Induction, and your menu is higher in protein and fat and lower in carbohydrates. During this two-week phase, you're restricted to two cups of salad vegetables and one cup of cooked vegetables daily. Eat liberally of protein choices, including turkey and chicken, meats and fish, eggs and to a lesser extent, cheese. Non-meat sources of proteins such as tofu, soy nuts and tempeh are permitted.

There are a variety of low-carb snack products available. Some low-carb products are sweetened with Splenda, others have both Splenda and sugar alcohols. Depending on your taste, you may find them enjoyable, and they are available for an occasional treat without going over your carbohydrate allowance.

Fresh Low-Carb Snack Ideas:
1. Sliced turkey breast, roast beef, chicken breast or ham wrapped around celery sticks

2. Sliced avocado salad dressed with olive oil and a teaspoon of balsamic vinegar

3. Quarter-cup roasted almonds

4. Cup of roasted peanuts in the shell

5. Four large boiled shrimp with sugar-free cocktail sauce

6. Two cups sugar-free gelatin topped with a whipped cream

7. Hard-boiled eggs

8. String cheese

9. Celery stuffed with nut butter (no-sugar-added peanut, cashew or sesame butter)

10. Marinated olives and fennel

eDiets and Atkins Diet , can help you fight the battle of the bulge. We know you're busy -- that's why we take all the guesswork out of dieting for you. Everything you need to succeed is at your fingertips.

eDiets Chief Nutritionist Susan L. Burke is a registered and licensed dietitian and a certified diabetes educator who specializes in both general and diabetes-related weight management

Two modified ketogenic diets that include carbohydrates to support high intensity training

2007-03-14T02:51:00.000-07:00

My name is Lyle McDonald, I'm an exercise physiologist and research nerd. I became interested in low-carbohydrate diets over 10 years ago when I used one myself to lose fat. However, as I delved more into them, I realized that most books written about low-carbohydrate (aka ketogenic) diets were miserably flawed.

Either they presented the diet as a magic, 'better than sex and sunshine', or they presented it as a death warrant. But, in my experience, the truth of the matter is usually between those two extremes so I set out to determine for myself what the research actually said about low-carbohydrate diets. It took me over two years of research and writing, culminating in this, my first book.

The Ketogenic Diet is the first and only book to examine in-depth the scientific evidence regarding low-carbohydrate/ketogenic diets. At 325 pages and containing over 600 scientific references, this will be your complete reference for ketogenic diets.

You'll learn:

The details of human fuel utilziation and how they change on a ketogenic diet

How the body adapts to ketosis, including a detailed discussion of protein sparing
How the ketogenic diet affects body composition
The effect of ketosis on all tissues in the body
How the ketogenic diet affects cholesterol levels
How to optimize the ketogenic diet for different goals such a fat loss, bodybuilding or endurance training
The basics of exercise physiology for aerobic, interval and weight training
How different types of exercise affects fat loss

I want to make it very clear that the ketogenic diet is meant as a reference manual for low-carbohdyrate diets; it is unlike any other book on low-carbohdyrate diets that you have ever read or seen. It doesn't contain food lists or recipes, it isn't filled with a lot of hype over how great low-carbohydrate dieting is; nor is it filled with how bad for you the diet it. Rather, it is an objective scientific examination of the topic of low-carbohydrate dieting. However, it's not a book filled with nothing but dry theory.

The Ketogenic Diet includes:

Two modified ketogenic diets that include carbohydrates (to support high intensity training) while still allowing the adaptations to ketosis to occur
Basic endurance training guidelines, including interval training
How to weight train as a beginner, intermediate or advanced trainee
How to use the ketogenic diet to prepare for a bodybuilding contest
What supplements are useful during the different phases of a ketogenic diet

More info - click here

10 Simple Tips for Atkins Success

2007-03-13T08:53:00.000-07:00

By Kim Droze
eDiets Contributor

The Atkins Nutritional Approach is:
A) a short-term solution
B) a red meat diet
C) an eating regimen that eliminates carbohydrates forever
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

The correct answer is E. Surprised? Opponents of the Atkins Nutritional Approach would like you to believe the low-carb eating plan is only good for fast fad-like weight loss. Detractors would also make you think the diet is high in fat and red meat -- and that you can kiss your beloved carbs goodbye forever!

Reality-check time. Such notions are nonsensical at best and a far cry from the truth. There are an estimated 50 million Americans watching their carb intake. So how should these weight-conscious men and women separate fact from fiction?

You may think you have all the tools needed for following the Atkins Nutritional Approach, but if you don't have the New York Times #1 bestseller Atkins For Life you're missing out on the crucial information that sets the record straight. This info-packed book is also available in paperback.

To get the support and assistance you need to drop those extra pounds with the Atkins Nutritional Approach -- click here and see what eDiets has to offer.

In the last book published by Dr. Robert Atkins, the founding father of low-carb living provides readers with everything they need to know about making smart carbohydrate choices for life and maintaining a healthy weight. Dr. Atkins was determined that the world know there is more to doing Atkins than Induction, which is the first and most restrictive phase of the four-phase ANA.

All too many Atkins followers never move beyond the most restrictive phase. Do Atkins right and you'll be able to steadily boost your carb intake throughout the Ongoing Weight Loss, Pre-Maintenance and Lifetime Maintenance phases -- and you’ll maintain your weight permanently. This is what allows you to personalize the Atkins Nutritional Approach to your own lifestyle, says Dr. Stuart Trager, medical director of Atkins Nutritionals and chairperson of the Atkins Physicians Council.

Dr. Trager says the power of the Atkins Nutritional Approach lies in its unique four-phase setup. Induction provides the initial strategy for breaking through cravings and shifting the metabolism from carbohydrate-based to fat-based. From there, the long-term success of the approach is directly linked to slowly reintroducing carbohydrates, primarily in the form of whole foods. Followers identify their individual carbohydrate threshold (i.e. the number of daily grams of carbs that will allow continued weight loss), and once they reach their goal weight, to maintain it.

"The Atkins Nutritional Approach is not a short-term weight-loss solution," Dr. Trager tells eDiets . "It's about lifelong changes... adding back the right carbohydrates so that you reach the level where your weight is stable and you're eating a variety of foods so you can stick with this eating plan for good. This is why people can do Atkins for life.

"You're making smart carbohydrate choices, consuming fruits, vegetables and whole grains in amounts that are individualized to suit your body’s metabolism so you don't put back the weight you've lost. Atkins For Life shows individuals how to identify their own individual carbohydrate threshold, in the process teaching them strategies for Lifetime Maintenance along with exercise and other activities. These are real changes that help people live healthier lives."

Atkins For Life shatters the myth that a low-carb regimen is a red meat diet. With more than 125 recipes and six months of menu plans, the Akins Nutritional Approach features pork, chicken, fish and vegetarian dishes, as well as those for beef and other red meats. Anyone who limits her diet to bun-less bacon cheeseburgers and thick steaks is not doing Atkins correctly, says Dr. Trager.

Also perpetuating the myths of low-carb dieting: copycat books that attempt to cash in by replicating the success of the Atkins Nutritional Approach.

"It's important to understand Dr. Atkins' message -- controlling carbs means choosing the right carbohydrates and adding them back in amounts that are appropriate for you," Dr. Trager says. "Atkins is a time-tested solution that was introduced long before the new crop of copycats, which are creating confusion. People should remember that for 40 years, the Atkins Nutritional Approach was clinically tested in Dr. Atkins' practice. Plus, the efficacy and safety of the Atkins Nutritional Approach has been validated by more than 25 independent research studies."

Several recent studies indicate the low-fat, low-calorie approach to weight loss leaves people hungry, frustrated and unmotivated. Not only does controlling carbs work, but it also boosts the amount of weight loss in some cases.

Dr. Trager says doing Atkins teaches a way of eating you can sustain for life, especially if you have handy and informative resources like Atkins for Life to walk you through the process. Regardless of your personal Net Carb threshold for Lifetime Maintenance (45 grams... 60 grams... 80 grams... or even 100 grams) you'll find plenty of tasty Atkins-friendly recipes at your fingertips.

"Atkins for Life provides the tools you need to make the transition from reaching your goal weight to life-long carbohydrate awareness as part of a new lifestyle," Dr. Trager says.

Here are the 10 simple rules for a making your Atkins experience last a lifetime:

1. Count your daily Net Carbs.

2. Stay at or below your Atkins Carbohydrate Equilibrium (ACE), the amount of carbs you can eat each day while neither gaining nor losing pounds.

3. Adjust your ACE as needed.

4. Eat primarily whole, unprocessed foods.

5. Stay away from added sugar, bleached white flour, hydrogenated oils and junk foods.

6. Don't go more than four to six waking hours without a meal or snack.

7. Exercise regularly.

8. Take a multivitamin and mineral supplement and essential fatty acids.

9. Drink a minimum of eight 8-ounce glasses of water.

10. Never let yourself gain more than 5 pounds.

To learn more about Atkins for Life, click here.

Get your own personalized Atkins program powered by eDiets . eDiets has over 80 different support groups. Support from like-minded folks makes dieting easier and more fun.

David lost 115 pounds on Atkins

2007-02-27T04:24:00.000-08:00

By Carolina Diaz-Bordon
eDiets Staff Write

Winning may not be everything, but the will to win is. For David A., the will to win his life back is exactly what drove him to lose 115 pounds. The 5-foot-9 father of two went from barely moving and weighing 315 pounds to a lean, mean, 200-pound health machine.

It would take defiant efforts and a strong partnership with eDiets and the Atkins Nutritional Approach to get him back into shape and into the world again.

"I have quite a few different reasons I decided to lose the weight," David tells eDiets. "First and foremost is my family. I have been married for 20 years and I have two children. I wanted to be around to see my kids grow, and it didn't look like that was going to be the case."

Unfortunately, David didn't have to look too far to see the dangerous effects that come along with excessive weight gain. Diabetes, heart attack, stroke, double bypass surgery, congestive heart failure and disability were just a few of the ways his mother, father and brother had already suffered. It was also the path he was marching down.

He knew he would be headed for serious trouble if he didn't start making changes.

"I just got sick and tired of being sick and tired," he says. "It was enough for me to drag myself through eight hours of work every day. I would come home and go to sleep. My life consisted of sleep and work, pretty much because of the weight. I suffered a lot from chronic fatigue."

Today, David can't wait to share his weight-loss story with the world. The 42-year-old Pennsylvanian says he never imagined he could come this far.

David had dabbled in low-fat dieting in the past, but it never took him long to fall back into his old eating patterns. That's because he didn't have structure or maintenance support. He would gain back the weight he had lost and then some.

"The eDiets Atkins Diet Approach plan was my second attempt to lose weight. What I liked most about Atkins is that it was not radically different from anything I was doing," David says. "I already loved to eat lean meats, chicken and fish. I just used to always eat it with a junk carb, like potato or something, but now I just have vegetables instead."

After reading up on Atkins he realized that what was actually making his stomach constantly growl for food was all the refined carbohydrates he was consuming. Those carbohydrates kept turning into sugar and then fat in his body.

"The thing that still amazes me about when I started eating the balanced Atkins Diet meals is that I can get away with just eating that plate of food and I won't be hungry again until my next meal.

"When this actually started happening it blew my mind because I was so used to eating a big meal -- two or three plates full of food -- and being hungry two or three hours later."

While David was thrilled that he had finally found a way to conquer his hunger pangs, he was also aware that the new lifestyle would take some getting used to.

"The support groups and the challenges they give you really helped me stay motivated," he says. "I had a lot of staff members personally help me as well. I can't tell you enough about how much the eDiets.com support has impacted me and helped me through my weight loss. Everybody has been so great."

His wife also played a big role in his success. She ended up signing up for Atkins Diet as well, and together they helped each other through the ups and downs.

"I think one of the things that stands out in my mind is that the first week on Atkins they tell you that you're going to feel a little tired because your body is detoxing all of the sugar and the bad stuff in your system and it's working its way out," David notes.

"I had been tired for many years suffering from chronic fatigue. Well, I woke up just six days after starting the diet and I felt so good. It's a moment I will never forget."

Since joining forces with eDiets and The Atkins Diet Approach, this determined dieting dad's life has done a complete 180. His once-stationary life has turned into a world of new adventures and cherished moments with his family.

"I have a life again," David raves. "I do at least 30 minutes of stationary bike a day. I have a bike path near my house and it's simply a beautiful trail... a good 7 or 8 miles. I love going out and riding and enjoying the day.

"My life had consisted of working, watching television, sleeping and eating. That is not an exaggeration at all. The thought of having to go out and ride a bike or go hiking, I just couldn't do it. Now, I am just enjoying life more."

This super slimmer offers this one great piece of advice to everyone struggling with weight: Don't give up, and remember that having the right mindset makes all the difference.

"Go on the Sensational Success support group, and go and look at my before and after pictures," he urges. "I put myself out there specifically because I used to be that person that was overweight thinking there was absolutely no way that I could do this. I just want to show people they can do it. I know if I did anybody can."

Are you ready to make the Atkins Diet work for you? eDiets and Atkins have teamed up to provide you with personalized versions of this popular weight-loss approach.

Carolina Diaz-Bordon is a writer specializing in health, beauty and relationships

Have Your Carbs and Eat Them Too

2007-01-25T04:09:00.000-08:00

Brought to you by Jillian Michaels

It's time to get over the idea that all carbs are bad. Even the media are starting to forget that the no-carb craze existed, and you should, too. Good carbs do exist, and they should be a part of your diet.

"But Jillian," you ask, "how can that be when so many other diets have banished carbs?" Here's why: My program evaluates carbs differently from the way the Atkins and South Beach programs do. These diets define carbs as "good" or "bad" according to the glycemic index, a rating based on how quickly a carbohydrate breaks down and releases glucose into your blood. The problem is, these diets evaluate only the quality, not the quantity, of carbs in any given food. So you're not getting the whole story. As a result, these diets forbid you to eat many foods that actually belong in a healthy diet.

The poor innocent carrot is a perfect example of how the glycemic index can give a good food a bad name. The carbohydrates in a carrot turn into blood sugar quickly, which gives the carrot a high glycemic rating, making it a no-no on many popular diets. If you step back and look at the big picture, though, the total number of carbs in a carrot is low. Even though those carbs are turning into blood sugar quickly, there are so few that their overall effect on blood sugar is not very dramatic, so in fact they're okay to eat.

JILLIAN'S TIP OF THE DAY
Towing the Glycemic Load
If you consider the quantity as well as the quality of carbs in a food, you have a much more holistic and useful way of assessing its nutritional value. This more accurate measurement is known as the glycemic load index (GLI). The index pertains mainly to carbohydrates such as vegetables, fruits, and grains (proteins and fats do not have the same kind of direct effect on blood sugar) and is designed to help you quickly figure out which carbs are okay and which you should avoid. You can find a GLI chart in my book, Winning by Losing. Jillian Michaels

Chicken and Winter Squash Chowder, 1 Carb Point

2007-01-18T08:34:00.000-08:00

by Sue Chapman

For DietWatch

Ingredients

1 cup onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup carrot, diced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup winter squash, diced
2 tablespoons unbleached flour
1/3 cup brandy
1 cup skinned chicken breast, cooked, diced
2 cups chicken stock
1 tablespoon fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon fresh marjoram or 1 teaspoon dried
2 cups winter greens, chopped (kale, chard, mustard)
Salt and white pepper to taste

Method

Sauté chicken until lightly brown in a large sauce pan lightly sprayed with vegetable oil. Add carrot, celery, onion, squash, oregano and marjoram. When vegetables start to brown, add tomato paste, stir and sprinkle flour over the top. Continue to saute so that the flour browns slightly. Add stock and brandy, bring to a simmer and cook 20-30 minutes. Toss in chopped greens just before serving. Season with salt and white pepper.

Serves: 4
Per Serving (13 oz): Calories 194; Fat 3 g; Saturated Fat 0.6 g; Cholesterol 27 mg; Sodium 852 mg; Carbohydrate 17 g; Dietary Fiber 5 g; Sugars 6 g; Protein 16 g; Vitamin A 1114 RE; Vitamin C 32 mg; Calcium 123 mg; Iron 2.8 mg. This recipe is 14% fat.

Carbohydrate Points: 1
Carbohydrate: 17 g
Exchanges: 1/2 Bread/Starch, 2 Vegetable, 2 Meat - Very Lean

Sue Chapman is the executive chef at Skylonda Fitness Retreat, located in Woodside, California. Guests come to be physically and mentally rejuvenated through activities ranging from vigorous physical exercise to quiet reflective periods. Part of this experience is the excellent cuisine prepared by Chapman and her able staff. She has been creating delicious low fat, naturally nutritious foods that are prepared for maximum taste and enjoyment. She graduated form the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco in 1986, and has been perfecting her technique ever since at some of the better known restaurants in the Bay Area. Chapman has been gradually drawn to a lighter, healthier style of cooking while still incorporating the classic style of French cooking which she considers her base.

Salmon Fillets on a Bed of Winter Greens, 8.5 Carb Grams

2007-01-15T03:24:00.000-08:00

... with a Provencal Tomato Sauce
From DietWatch

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 12 minutes, additional time required to simmer tomato sauce

Ingredients

6 salmon fillets
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 cup chopped fennel
1/2 cup broth or fish stock
1/2 cup white wine
1/8 teaspoon saffron threads
1-1/2 cups diced tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons orange zest
12 cups washed picked leaves of chard, spinach and kale
8-10 leaves basil, chiffonade

Method

Wilt the garlic, onion and fennel with the broth in a heavy-bottomed pan over low heat. Heat the wine and saffron together in a small pan and cook it until it is like syrup. Add the tomatoes to the onion mixture and cook one minute before adding the juice, fennel seeds, salt and pepper. Cook until the flavors have mellowed 15-20 minutes at least. Add the saffron with the liquid and the orange rind, cook for a few minutes, cover and set aside.

Blanch the well-washed greens in plenty of salted water until completely wilted. Remove to a colander and heat a large sauteuse, coat it with nonstick spray and sauté greens until much of the liquid is cooked off.

Meanwhile lightly spray a cast iron skillet or griddle with nonstick spray. Place the fillets flesh side down onto the hot griddle and turn the flame to medium. When the fish becomes light pink more than halfway through the fillet turn it over onto the skin side. Continue to cook a couple more minutes while you get your plates ready.

Spread a generous serving of greens on the plate and lay your salmon on top. Ladle the sauce across the fillet on the diagonal and garnish with the basil chiffonade. This dish goes great with roasted red potatoes and good garlic bread.

Yield: 6 servings
Per Serving (10 oz): Calories 258; Fat 9.5 g; Saturated Fat 2.2 g; Cholesterol 58 mg; Sodium 578 mg; Carbohydrate 13 g; Dietary Fiber 4.5 g; Sugar 2.2 g; Protein 28 g; Vitamin A 669 RE; Vitamin C 86 mg; Calcium 124 mg; Iron 3.4 mg. This recipe is 33% fat.

Chris Leishman began her cooking career at Greens Restaurant, the renowned vegetarian restaurant in San Francisco. Her interest in health and nutrition eventually led her to UCSF Medical Center where she was the Recipe Development Coordinator for both the patient and retail foodservice. She led cooking classes for the Outpatient Weight Management group, the Heart Disease Reversal Program, and Millberry Student Program. Her work for Dr. Dean Ornish's Heart Disease Reversal Programled to the publication of her cookbook Recipes From the Heart.

Protein and Kidney Disease

2007-01-08T02:24:00.000-08:00

Lowering Dietary Protein Reduces Kidney Damage and Prevents the Progression of Kidney Disease

by Tanya Zilberter, PhD
Lowering dietary protein reduces protein excretion with urine, which in turn prevents continuing kidney damage and prevents progression.
The EURODIAB survey showed an association between high dietary protein intake and presence of kidney damage and suggested a positive benefit of restricted protein intake on nephropathy progression.
The current Position Statement of the American Diabetes Association:
"...to prescribe a protein intake approximately equal to the adult recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of 0.8g/kg body weight per day (~ 10 % of daily calories)...once the [kidney function] begins to fall, further restriction to 0.6g/kg body weight per day may prove useful in slowing decline..."
However, a couple of problems with this advice exist:

There may be potential for protein malnutrition;
There may be qualitative differences between proteins of animal and vegetable origin.

Another important dietary consideration is salt intake. In this regard ADA found it important to advise against so-called "Lo-Salt" preparations because they contain potassium chloride, which must be taken with caution. <>
And of course: "Any dietary advice should be given by trained staff."
References
1. Zatz R, Meyer T, Rennke HG, Brenner BM. Predominance of hemodynamic rather than metabolic factors in the pathogenesis of diabetic glomerulopathy. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 1985 ;82:5963-5967.
2. Toeller M, Buyken A, Heitkamp G et al. Protein intake and urinary albumin excretion rates in the EURODIAB IDDM complications study. Diabetologia. 1997;40:1219-1226.
3. Pedrini MT, Levey AS, Lau J, Chalmers TC. The effect of dietary protein restriction on the progression of diabetic and non diabetic renal diseases : a meta analysis. Ann Int Med. 1996;124:627-632.
4. American Diabetes Association. Clinical practice recommendations 2001: Diabetic nephropathy. Diabetes Care. 2001;24(suppl 1):S69-S72.

Low Carb is Dead. Long Live Low Carb!

2007-01-07T06:55:00.000-08:00

101 Low Carb Diet Tips: Click here for more information!

More than 50% of American low carb dieters have given up and currently only 10% of all dieters adhere to Atkins, South Beach, Zone, and the like -- and this is happening right after medical scientists proved low carb dieting to be safe and efficient! What did come in instead?

Dieting trend is now bending toward the Mediterranean eating style and diets like the Sonoma, and it means that counting calories, watching portions, and "eating healthy" is back.

But if you stop to think about it, there's no all-embracing definition of healthy eating. Any healthy eating idea you can remember or try to formulate, will reflect one certain dieting philosophy or the other, health belief, a fashion of the moment, or a personal experience.

Are you about to mention the USDA Food Pyramid? Well, it was exactly during this pyramid's ruling period when obesity in the US reached epidemic proportions. And it's been during this ruling time that 27 clinical studies revealed quite a few low carb dieting advantages over the classical low-fat idea of THE "healthy diet."

Luckily for us, the studies paved the road for the beginning of the convergence of dieting ideas. Even the bitterest Dr. Atkins' rival, Dr. Ornish, reviewing these ideas, saw many points where all and any dieting proponents are currently in agreement.

These points of convergence boil to the following dos and donts:

1. Eat less bad fats, bad carbs, and energy-dense foods
2. Eat more good fats, good carbs, and nutrient-dense food

The bottom line is, low carb is good for you -- if you know the ropes. This is what these tips are all about.

101 Low Carb Diet Tips: Click here for more information!

Greek Chicken Salad

2007-01-04T02:29:00.000-08:00

Fat Burning Index of this recipe = 2.43

Read how the proper carb:fat:protein ratio can help fighting Metabolic Syndrome -> click here

Ingredients

3 cups cooked chicken, chopped
2 cucumbers, chopped
2 cups crumbled feta cheese
2/3 cup sliced black olives
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 cup Real mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken, cucumbers,
feta cheese, olives and parsley.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine mayonnaise, garlic,
sour cream and oregano; add chicken mixture and
toss. You may add one iceberg lettuce leaf per every
1/6 part of the salad. Eat as many servings as you
want.

Nutrition

Calories: 3664
Fat: 324 g
Sat: 101 g
Poly: 106 g
Mono: 98 g
Carbs: 39 g
Fiber: 6 g
Protein: 155 g

Calcium (mg) 1944.
Iron (mg)18
Sodium (mg) 6779
Potassium (mg) 2342
Phosphorus (mg) 2351.89
Ash (g)32.05
Vitamin A (IU) 6116
Vitamin C (mg)94.1560
Vitamin B-1 Thiamin (mg) 0.94
Vitamin B-2 Riboflavin (mg) 3.54
Niacine (mg)61.9319
Saturated fat (g)64
Monounsaturated fat (g)55
Polyunsaturated fat (g) 48

Thai "Noodles" with Pasta Lite

2006-12-12T04:37:00.000-08:00

Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients
1/2 cup soy nut butter or creamy peanut butter
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
3 cloves garlic, quartered
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 14- to 16-ounce package firm tofu
1 tablespoon cooking oil
8 ounces Pasta Lite
2 tablespoons snipped fresh cilantro
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 cup chopped unsalted peanuts

Directions
1. In a food processor or blender combine soy nut butter, water, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil. Cover and process or blend until smooth; set aside.
2. Drain tofu; pat dry with paper towels. Cut tofu into 1/2-inch slices. In a 12-inch nonstick skillet heat cooking oil over medium-high heat. Add tofu; cook for 5 minutes or until browned. Turn slices. Cook 5 minutes more. Remove slices to a cutting board. Cut each slice into 1-1/2- to 2-inch triangles or squares. Add soy nut butter mixture to skillet. Heat through.
3. Meanwhile, cook noodles according to package directions; drain and add to skillet.
4. Add tofu, cilantro, and crushed red pepper to noodles in skillet. Toss to coat. Sprinkle with peanuts; serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Champion Nutrition Low Carb Program

2006-12-12T04:08:00.000-08:00

Controlling the carbohydrates you consume regulates your body's insulin levels. That will help cut your appetite, reduce fat storage and maintain optimal blood sugar levels. These Champion Nutrition™ products provide numerous vitamins and minerals to boost your energy.
Program includes:

Slenderful Advanced - two bottles with a total of 180 capsules

Low-Carb UltraMet® complete Nutrition - 40 servings of chocolate mix

Low-Carb UltraMet® nutritional shakes - 20 servings of vanilla mix

SnacBars - 24 chocolate flavored bars

SnacBars - 24 peanut butter flavored bars

Shaker bottle with screw-top lid for mixing nutritional shakes

Instructions

Active Ingredients:

Guggulipid (standardized to 10% E & Z guggulsterones), gotu kola (standardized to 50% alkaloids), DL-phenylalanine, taurine, L-tyrosine, octopamine 10%, polyphenolic extract of green coffee bean, willow bark (standardized to 20% salicin), ipriflavone, grape fruit extract 10:1, L-methionine, yerba matte, rhodiola rosea (standardized to 3.5% salidroside 3.5% rosavin), myo inositol, DMAE (dimethylaminoethanol bitartrate), choline bitartrate, L-carnitine-L-tartrate, 5-hydroxytryptophan, alpha lipoic acid (antioxidant), uva ursi (standardized to 20% arbutin), vanadyl nicotinate, capsicum powder, ginger (standardized to 5% gingerol), DIM (diindolylmethane, antioxidant from vegetables) and sea kelp (standardized to 40% Iodine).

Other Ingredients:

Dicalcium phosphate, cellulose, potassium acetate, citrus oil, natural color.

Facts About Low Carb Dieting

2006-12-10T09:20:00.001-08:00

by Tanya Zilberter, PhD

"Repeat after me three times, ketones are not evil, ketones are not evil, ketones are not evil. OK, now that we have gotten that out of the way..." –Jeffrey Paul Krabb

Did you now?

... that in people on a low carb diet, there is a decrease in absorption of carbohydrates coming from foods so in fact even less carbohydrate is digested then could be expected judging by carb grams in the food? -- J Physiol 1991;437:563-75

... that low carbohydrate, low calorie, high-protein diet was effective in treating hear loss and vertigo in 83% of patients within five months of initiation of treatment? -- Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 1997;76(2):128-33

... that carbohydrate diet resulted in greater improvement of fasting blood insulin, the glucose/insulin ratio and blood triglycerides that same in calories but high carbohydrate diet? -- Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1996;20(12):1067-72

... that Omega-3 fatty acids and low carbohydrate diet were showed to be efficient for maintenance of remission in Crohn's disease? -- Am J Physiol 1996 Jul;271(1 Pt 2):R144-8

... that the Ice Ages which dominated the last two million years of human evolution brought a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet and our nutritional make up reflects the metabolic adaptations were therefore necessary to accommodate the low glucose intake? -- Diabetologia 1994;37(12):1280-6

... that a low-carbohydrate high-protein diet increased the levels of Tryptophan and 5-HT in the brain? These substances are famous for their beneficial effects on mood? -- Nippon Eiseigaku Zasshi 1992;47(2):627-33

... that during low carbohydrate diets, elevated sympathetic nervous activity resulted in an increased free fatty acids (FFA) mobilization from the adipose tissue - plainly fat burning? -- J Sports Med Phys Fitness 1991;31(3):407-12

... that in people on a low carb diet, there is a decrease in absorption of carbohydrates coming from foods so in fact even less carbohydrate is digested then could be expected judging by carb grams in the food? -- J Physiol 1991;437:563-75

... that low carbohydrate, low calorie, high-protein diet was effective in treating hear loss and vertigo in 83% of patients within five months of initiation of treatment? -- Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 1997;76(2):128-33

... that carbohydrate diet resulted in greater improvement of fasting blood insulin, the glucose/insulin ratio and blood triglycerides that same in calories but high carbohydrate diet? -- Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1996;20(12):1067-72

... that Omega-3 fatty acids and low carbohydrate diet were showed to be efficient for maintenance of remission in Crohn's disease? -- Am J Physiol 1996 Jul;271(1 Pt 2):R144-8

... that the Ice Ages which dominated the last two million years of human evolution brought a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet and our nutritional make up reflects the metabolic adaptations were therefore necessary to accommodate the low glucose intake? -- Diabetologia 1994;37(12):1280-6

... that a low-carbohydrate high-protein diet increased the levels of tryptophan and 5-HT in the brain (these substances are famous for their beneficial effects on mood?) -- Nippon Eiseigaku Zasshi 1992;47(2):627-33

... that during low carbohydrate diets, elevated sympathetic nervous activity resulted in an increased free fatty acids (FFA) mobilization from the adipose tissue - plainly fat burning? -- J Sports Med Phys Fitness 1991;31(3):407-12

Survive The Holiday Season

2006-12-05T01:47:00.000-08:00

By By Joanne Eglash
Healthy Lifestyles Columnist
For eDiets Glycemic Impact Diet

Low-carb dieters often dread the winter holidays. They envision temptations such as fudge, croissants and obscenely enormous cinnamon buns lurking in places ranging from the office break room to the local mall.

"Can't I give in and just enjoy one little piece of fudge?" an eDiets member recently emailed me wishfully. "And maybe one of my best friend's cheese croissants at her holiday open house? After all, cheese is low-carb, right?"

If you think a low-carb program is the way to go, check us out! eDiets provides customized meal plans, menus and recipes, in addition to peer and professional support. Click here to get started.

Ah, the deceptive power of what I call "magical" thinking. For example: "I can have fudge on my low-carb diet because it's made with butter and cream."

Uh, well, yes, but it's also made with sugar. Lots and lots of sugar equal lots and lots of carbohydrates equals all those pounds that you worked so hard to lose are unmagically regained.

Don't become your own worst enemy at the holidays. The solution? Arm yourself with low-carb temptations-resistant armor:

• For breakfast, snacks, lunch and dinner, focus on the power of protein. Eat before you dash out the door, whether it's to the office or a party or shopping. For example, if you're on a low-carb food plan but love the crunch of high-carb treats such as corn chips and potato chips, try a high-fiber cracker topped with melted string cheese. You'll be fortified with protein power AND fiber –- the perfect combo for low-carb dieters.

• Don't hesitate to bring your own food. Tuck individually packaged string cheese or a small plastic bag of almonds in your purse for shopping or the office. Call your hostess or host before a holiday party and say that you're on a special food plan and would love to help them and yourself by preparing a special dish. For example, for a buffet table, a large platter of sliced turkey and chicken, interspersed with a variety of cheeses, and surrounded by black and green olives, with perhaps a small plate of high-fiber party breads or crackers. That should please other guests, your hostess or host, and you.

• Drink water. Frequently, what you think is hunger is in reality thirst. Your body will feel better when it's hydrated, your skin will benefit as well (not enough water can lead to dry skin, which is often a problem in winter).

• Exercise. Make it a priority. You'll feel better emotionally as well as physically. It doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing effort. I know many wanna-be exercisers who feel that "if I don't run 5 miles, I might as well forget about exercising." Go for three 10-minute walks each day -- walk the dog, walk to the post office, go for a family hike after dinner -- and you'll succeed with your exercise goals. Just be consistent.

• Now brush your teeth, rinse with mouthwash and congratulate yourself: You survived another day of holiday madness with your diet and health going strong!

P.S. Have friends who keep talking about going on a diet or wanting to lose weight? Then you know the perfect holiday gift for them: a membership to eDiets!

Need a diet that'll let you eat filling, tasty foods while you lose weight? We offer 23 personalized plans, including the red-hot carb-smart GI Diet. Visit eDiets to fill out a free diet profile.

Joanne Eglash has worked as a journalist for more than 15 years, specializing in health, fitness, diet/nutrition, lifestyles, careers and relationships. Among the publications and websites for which she has written are Shape magazine, Fit Pregnancy magazine, Working Mother magazine, KidsHealth.org, ePregnancy magazine, Every Baby magazine, Entrepreneur.com, the San Jose Mercury News, the Christian Science Monitor, Netsurfer Digest and more. She is the author of How to Write A .com Business Plan: The Internet Entrepreneur's Guide to Everything You Need to Know About Business Plans and Financing Options (McGraw-Hill).

Weight Loss Plateau On a Low Carb Diet

2006-11-08T03:16:00.000-08:00

Question

I have lost wieght in the past on a low carb diet but I stopped losing. What am I doing wrong?

Answer by Tanya Zilberter, PhD

Dear Erica,

This is a very common situation with most of low carb diets.

If you are on the Atkins diet, please keep it in your mind that it's missing an important point of controlling protein intake and keeping the proper ratios of carbs:protein: fat.

This results in higher carbohydrate amounts getting into the blood because almost half of the food protein will be transformed into glucose inside the body. To make this long thing short, you can't tell for sure that your diet is a truly low carb one. As to the proper ratio of carbs:protein: fat, Atkins-type diets also disregard it. Meanwhile, if it's below a certain number, you have a hard time controlling appetite and cravings.

More information about weight loss plateaus:

When You Stop Losing Weight. A checklist

Weight loss plateau and body weight set point

Weight Loss Plateau on South Beach Diet

Plateau on Wave 2 of Sonoma Diet

Yogurt is a special food low carb-wise

2006-11-03T07:39:00.000-08:00

Yogurt desserts

Yogurt is a special food low carb-wise. Though you might find that it contains as many carb grams as whole milk does, this is simply impossible. The matter is, the friendly bacteria eat up most of the carb in the process of making the yogurt - the biological fact somehow ignored by those responsible for the nutrition labels on the foods. Since we disregard carb content in the yogurt, we don't indicate these recipes Fat Burning Indexes (tm)

Read why we offer yogurt recipes below (The History and Benefits of Probiotics)

1. Rhubarb Frozen Yogurt

1 cup stewed rhubarb
2 cups plain full fat yogurt
6 tablespoons sugar substitute, optionally
2 tablespoons orange rind, shredded

In food processor puree stewed rhubarb. Blend in yogurt, sugar substitute and orange rind. Freeze in a shallow metal pan for 3 to 4 hrs or until almost firm. Keep frozen, remove from freezer 15 min. before eating.

2. Yogurt Popsicles

Pour sweetened (optionally) yogurt into paper cups or plastic popsicle molds. Fill them almost to the top. Stretch a small piece of plastic wrap across the top of each cup or mold. Using wooden popsicle sticks, poke a hole in the plastic wrap. Stand the stick straight up in the center of the cup. Freeze.

3. Berry Smoothie

1 cup full fat yogurt
1/2 cup mixed berries (fresh or frozen) (strawberries, blueberries, etc)
2 tablespoons orange rind, shredded
Sweetener, optionally

Combine in a blender and mix until smooth. Thin with more orange juice if desired.

Do you have what it takes to turn a cheat into a tool for success?

2006-10-30T08:11:00.000-08:00

Cheat & Still Reach Your Weight Goals

By Kenneth Schwarz, Ph.D., and Julie Schwarz
Special for eDiets

Cheating on a diet is one of the most crucial aspects when it comes to success or failure. If you can handle those inevitable lapses, you will be overcoming an important obstacle. It is in this area of mistakes -- cheats -- where dieters' attempts can live or die.

Do you have what it takes to turn a cheat into a tool for success?

Why do it alone? eDiets' health and fitness experts will customize one of our 23 meal plans to match your needs and preferences. Our chatrooms, online Community groups, mentors and motivational gurus can make adopting a healthy lifestyle so much easier.

Take this quiz and find out.

1. Can you pick up and go on with your diet after a cheat?

2. Do you stop to consider the circumstances surrounding a cheat?

3. Can you accept yourself as not being perfect on a diet?

4. Do you forgive yourself for a lapse?

5. Can you keep one cheat from leading you to another?

6. Do you believe that personal change is a process?

7. Do you think you will still be able to change the way you eat, even though you cheat sometimes?

8. Do you think mistakes are part of learning something new?

9. Can you avoid feeling like a failure because of a slip?

10. Do you think that changing your behavior might take more than one attempt?

11. Can you hold on to your self-confidence, even after a cheat?

12. Can you forgive yourself for having less willpower at times?

13. Do you know how to include dealing with cheats in your weight-loss plan of action?

14. Can you avoid going on to the next diet just because of a cheat?

15. Can you avoid feeling guilty about a lapse?

16. Can you view a cheat as a small thing and not a catastrophe?

17. Do you know how to learn about yourself from your cheats?

18. Do you pay attention to what you do after you cheat?

19. Can you keep one cheating episode from turning into a total pig-out?

20. Do you still have hope after a cheat?

If you have more YES answers than NO answers, your chances of sticking with it, even though you cheat sometimes, are very good.

If you have more NO answers than YES answers, you may be in danger of letting a cheat lead to a total collapse of your diet. Work on understanding your cheating episodes as much as possible -- when they happen, why they happen, how often they happen. Use this knowledge and you won't have to give up just because you cheat.

Need a diet that'll let you eat filling, tasty foods while you lose weight? We offer 23 personalized plans, including the red-hot carb-smart Glycemic Impact Diet

Kenneth Schwarz, Ph.D., is a psychologist and psychoanalyst specializing in personal change and goal achievement. Dr. Schwarz maintains a psychology practice in Connecticut and is a member of the allied health staff at Sharon Hospital. He and his wife, Julie Schwarz, are co-authors of the e-Booklet "How to Break Through the 15 Obstacles to Achieve Diet Success." Their Dear Maria blog is filled with information and advice about successful dieting.

Olive Oil: Low Carb Diet's Good Fat

2006-09-08T01:41:00.000-07:00

Olive Oil Tricks and Tips
From the Zone Diet

Olive oil is great for your health, as long as it is enjoyed in moderation. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration's has even given this flavor booster its stamp of approval. In 2004, the FDA allowed olive oil products can carry a "qualified health claim" about their heart-healthy benefits.

Many products carry this claim, and some are more appropriate for The Zone Diet than others. Here are good ways to enjoy olive oil, and a few products to avoid:

Spray canisters designed for olive oil are a great new invention because they evenly disperse a small amount of oil over a large surface — your sauté pan, for instance.
Spreads that come in margarine-type tubs aren't ideal when you're in the Zone. They're often promoted as healthier than butter and margarine, and contain no saturated fat or trans fats, but their primary ingredient is usually soybean oil. Before you buy one of these spreads, check the ingredients label.
A trick for distributing a small amount of oil over your salad greens: Put washed and well-dried greens in a resealable plastic bag and pour oil-and-vinegar mixture into the bag. Seal the bag and shake vigorously to distribute.
"Keep in mind when purchasing olive oils that each has its own distinct taste, smell, appearance, and even antioxidant content, depending on the olive variety it's derived from," says Dr. Sears. His favorite: his own Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which is rich in hydrophobic antioxidants, compounds that may help prevent the inflammation behind some health problems.

MEMBERS GET MORE! You'll find hundreds of healthy eating tips and ideas on Dr. Sears Zone Diet Advantage.

Lemon-Tarragon Chicken Salad, 6 carb grams

2006-09-06T02:12:00.000-07:00

Lemon-Tarragon Chicken Salad in Butter Lettuce Cups
From South Beach Diet

Phase 1

Makes 6 servings

Creamy lemon dressing adds a refreshing kick to this chicken salad. Select the sturdy inside leaves of the lettuce head to hold the salad. Each leaf should hold about one cup of chicken salad. Serve immediately after filling the lettuce cups.

4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup fat-free plain yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
3 tablespoons thinly minced red onion
2-3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
Salt
6 leaves butter lettuce

1. Trim excess fat and skin from chicken. Place chicken and 4 cups of water in medium Dutch oven or heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer; cook 10 minutes, or until chicken is just cooked. Transfer chicken to bowl. Let chicken cool, and slice into 1-inch strips.

2. Bring water to a boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Add asparagus and cook, 3 minutes, until tender-crisp. Drain and rinse with cold water. Slice diagonally into 1/2-inch pieces.

3. In medium bowl, combine yogurt, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Add chicken strips, asparagus, celery, onion, and tarragon. Season with salt to taste and add one scoop of mixture to each lettuce leaf.

Per serving:
235 calories
24 g protein
9 g carbohydrate
3 g fiber
11 g total fat
2 g saturated fat
64 mg cholesterol
249 mg sodium

Low Carb Meals. Roasted Lamb with Garlic

2006-09-05T06:45:00.000-07:00

Roasted Rack of Lamb with Garlic Sauce - Low Carb

Roasted rack of New Zealand lamb in a deep brown garlic sauce made with white wine and shallots complemented by mashed turnips with bacon and a blend of yellow and green beans.

Net Carbs: 10g
Net Wt: 15 oz

____________________
We create great Low Carb recipes - everything from soups and appetizers to complete meals and desserts. Then, using only the finest ingredients, we prepare everything, with skill, know-how, and artistry, just for you. We do all the time-consuming things. We shop and we chop. We mix, blend, and sauté. We grill the steaks, roast the lamb, poach the salmon. All you need to do is follow the simple instructions to heat and serve our meals in about 10 minutes. It's that easy. Home Bistro

Low Carb Recipe Makeovers

2006-09-05T06:12:00.000-07:00

Low Carb recipe Makeover - Sesame-Almond Cookie

Almost everyone loves cookies. Most store bought varieties, though ...

Easy Dr. Weil's Rancheros Recipe

Mama Lupe's Low-Carb Tortilla instead of regular tortilla, soybeans instead of regular beans, and California avocado instead of Florida avocado make this rancheros recipe a low carb one: 9.5 carb grams comparing with 32 g in the initial ...

Low Carb Food and Recipe Archive

Hot Dogs and Peppers for Memorial Day

Hot dogs? Hamburgers? Potato salad? The Zone Diet Advantage recipe archive yields delicious, Zone-balanced alternatives. ...

Potato-Rosemary-Crusted Fish Fillets

Low Carb Makeover: Net Carbohydrates 10 grams less; Protein - 4 grams more

Banana Nut bread without feeling guilty!

We modified the Low Fat Banana Honey Bread recipe...

Tahini Zone Cake Recipe

2006-09-01T02:37:00.000-07:00

Tahini: The Healthier Fat
From the Zone Diet

Dr. Sears is careful to recommend only the healthiest fat sources, avoiding foods with trans fats or those high in cholesterol. You may have noticed "tahini" on his list of favorable fats -- if you haven't tried this paste, which is made from sesame seeds, you're in for a treat!

Common in Middle Eastern cuisine, tahini is the major ingredient in hummus. It is sold in a jar and has a long life in the fridge. Best of all, it is nutrient-dense, delivering vitamin E and protein. Some manufacturers even offer flavored tahini. Lemon, cracked-pepper, and garlic flavors are all fine, but check the label. You'll want to steer clear of brands that mix in high-fat ingredients.

To get you started on tahini, try this recipe as a savory alternative to basic pancakes:

Tahini Zone Cakes
Yield: 6 or 7 cakes

Ingredients
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1/4 cup egg substitute or 2 egg whites
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup oatmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Toppings
1/2 cup blueberries (mashed) or 1/3 cup apple sauce

Instructions
In a food processor or with a hand mixer, blend cottage cheese, egg substitute, water, vanilla, and tahini until smooth. Add oatmeal and baking powder, and pulse (or stir by hand) until incorporated. Batter will be thin at first, but will thicken if left to stand.

Cook on a 350-degree griddle or very hot pan (both will need a light coating of oil spray) on stove top. Transfer to plate when ready and add topping.

Low Carb 1600 Calories a day plan

2006-08-31T07:55:00.000-07:00

Enjoy delicious low carb food without the hassle. We'll cook the food, you'll lose the weight. Find out how!

Freshly prepared, delicious, and nutritionally balanced meals.

...with Diet to Go there is no portioning, rationing, counting calories or carbohydrates. We build the perfect meal plan customized for you. You just enjoy the food prepared for you by your personal chef.

Unlike other diets that require expensive supplements or foods. Diet to Go provides all your food delivered right to your door.

We have served over 385,000 meals since 1995 to thousands of happy consumers.

MEET THE DIETITIAN

Rebecca is a registered dietitian and an exercise physiologist who believes that we can change our metabolism and achieve optimal health through proper nutrition and regular exercise.

Low Carb 1600 Calories a day plan

Breakfast
Western Omelet with Fajita Veggies
Sausage Links

Lunch
Baked Turkey Cutlet in Curry Sauce
Onions & Peppers
Cauliflower

Dinner
Crab-Stuffed Flounder
Dill Sauce
Cauliflower
Green Beans
Creamed Spinach

Tuna and Spinach Salad With Yogurt-Dill Dressing

2006-08-30T05:55:00.000-07:00

A Fix for Canned Tuna
From the Zone Diet

Many people associate canned tuna solely with tuna fish sandwiches. But in the Zone canned tuna is a pantry staple that can be dressed up for elegant salads, providing the protein portion of your meal at an extremely reasonable cost. When buying canned tuna, be sure to choose "water-packed" instead of "oil-packed." Some companies also sell tuna marinated in pouches -- Starkist, for instance, offers tasty hickory-smoked and garlic-and-herb tunas. These are a good option, too.

To help you break out of the tuna fish sandwich mold, try this delicious salad -- and serve it with a Melon-Berry Cooler to complete your Zone meal:

Tuna and Spinach Salad With Yogurt-Dill Dressing and Melon-Berry Cooler

Prep: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 meals

Ingredients

Yogurt-Dill Dressing
1 cup organic low-fat yogurt
1/3 cup Nayonnaise (soy-based sandwich spread)
4 teaspoons fructose powder
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh dill weed or 1/3 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon finely ground white or black pepper
Finely ground sea salt (to taste)

Tuna and Spinach Salad
10 cups baby spinach, washed, spun dry
2 medium-size Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced or diced
1 cup bottled artichoke hearts, drained
2 cups English cucumber, peeled, quartered, thinly sliced
1 cup minced scallions (green onions)
12 ounces water packed, no-salt tuna, drained
18 lightly toasted walnut halves, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup capers, rinsed and chopped (optional)

Melon-Berry Cooler
2/3 cup apple juice
3 cups cubed honeydew or cantaloupe melon
1 1/4 cups fresh, rinsed and drained, or thawed frozen blueberries
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 ice cubes

Instructions
1. Combine the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or wide-mouth16-ounce jar and whisk or shake well.

2. Layer and divide the salad ingredients among 4 large dinner plates or in 4 (1-quart) bowls with snap-on lids for pack lunches. Toss with dressing just before serving.

3. Combine the Melon-Berry Cooler ingredients in a blender. Cover and process until smooth, then pour into 4 tall glasses or chill in Thermo bottles for meals to go.

5 Carb Grams Chicken Recipe

2006-08-28T01:36:00.000-07:00

Chicken Soup With Lime

From Sonoma Diet

Give your usual chicken noodle soup a Mexican-inspired makeover for a taste that's muy caliente!

START TO FINISH: 30 minutes MAKES: 4 servings

12 ounces skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces Kosher salt (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper (optional)
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 1/2 teaspoons minced)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon hot chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, crushed, or 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
2 14-ounce cans chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 large tomato, chopped
3 tablespoons lime juice
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

If desired, season chicken with kosher salt and black pepper. In a Dutch oven, cook chicken and garlic in hot oil over medium-high heat until chicken is no longer pink. Stir in chili powder, cumin seeds, and, if desired, crushed red pepper. Cook and stir for 30 seconds. Stir in chicken broth and green onions. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in tomato, lime juice, and cilantro.

Nutrition Facts per serving: 178 cal., 8 g total fat (1 g sat. fat), 45 mg chol., 719 mg sodium, 6 g carbo., 1 g fiber, 21 g pro.

Salmon with Pesto Mayo, 5 carb grams

2006-08-28T01:32:00.000-07:00

Makes 4 servings
Start to Finish: 20 minutes

Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

4 5- to 6-ounce skinless, boneless fresh or frozen salmon fillets

2 tablespoons crumbled firm-textured bread

1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

3 tablespoons purchased basil pesto

1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Thaw fish, if frozen. Preheat broiler. Place the bread crumbs in a shallow baking pan. Broil 4 inches from heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring once. Set bread crumbs aside.

2. Measure thickness of fish. Place fish on the greased unheated rack of broiler pan, tucking under any thin edges. Broil 4 inches from heat for 4 to 6 minutes per 1/2-inch thickness or until fish just begins to flake easily with a fork. Turn over 1-inch-thick fillets halfway through broiling.

3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl stir together mayonnaise and pesto; set aside. Combine toasted bread crumbs and cheese. Spoon mayonnaise mixture over fillets. Sprinkle with crumb mixture. Broil 1 to 2 minutes more or until crumbs are lightly browned. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition facts per serving:
calories: 363
total fat: 24g
saturated fat: 3g
cholesterol: 84mg
sodium: 309mg
carbohydrate: 5g
fiber: 0g
protein: 31g
vitamin A: 6%
calcium: 4%
iron: 7%

Low Carb Wraps: Waldorf salad-style wrap

2006-08-25T04:24:00.000-07:00

Healthy Homemade Wraps

Wraps -- meats and veggies wrapped in a tortilla -- have almost replaced sandwiches as America's most popular lunch food. While many of the wraps found in delis and fast-food restaurants are made with healthy-sounding ingredients, most are not Zone Diet friendly. Tortillas contain unfavorable carbs, and wrap fillings are often high in fat.

You can easily make wraps at home that are in the Zone Diet by skipping the tortilla altogether and using a large cabbage leaf in its place. Here's what to do: Lay the leaf on a cutting board and then stuff it with the filling of your choice. For example, a Zone-balanced, Waldorf salad-style wrap might include 1/4 cup of chopped grapes, 1/4 chopped apple and a handful of salad greens tossed with 1/3 teaspoon olive oil and vinegar, as well as salt and pepper to taste. Add 1 1/2 ounces of shredded turkey, chicken, or ham, then close the leaf, securing with a toothpick. Feel free to substitute with the fruits, veggies and protein of your choice, either tossing with olive oil or sprinkling nuts into the mix to keep your wrap Zone-balanced.

Zoned Cocoa-Banana Cherry Freeze

2006-08-24T08:49:00.000-07:00

From the Zone Diet

Ingredients
1/2 cup Edensoy Original Soy Milk or similar brand, chilled
1 teaspoon unsweetened almond or macadamia nut butter
14 grams unflavored or unsweetened vanilla soy protein powder
1 heaping tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 ripe, medium banana, peeled, sliced, and frozen
3/4 cup frozen, unsweetened cherries
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Optional ingredients
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon stevia extract powder or 2 to 4 drops stevia extract liquid
1 tablespoon apple-fiber powder
3 to 4 ice cubes

Instructions
1. Pour soy milk into a blender container. Add nut butter, protein powder, unsweetened cocoa, vanilla, and stevia. Add apple-fiber powder if desired (for added thickness and blood sugar control). Cover and blend until smooth. Stop and scrape down the sides with a spatula.

2. With the motor running, add the frozen fruit through the top feeder. When blended, add ice cubes one or two at a time, blending on the ice-crushing setting until you achieve desired thickness. Stop and start blender, pushing the pulse button repeatedly until ice is completely crushed and mixture is smooth and thick. Try a spoonful. Add more stevia if a sweeter taste is desired.

3. Pour into 4 custard cups or dessert dishes and serve immediately, or 4 to 8 small paper cups, then freeze until firm, about 3 hours. If frozen solid, remove from freezer 10 to 15 minutes before serving, or as needed to soften to an ice cream texture. Alternatively, pour into a tall fountain glass to serve one person for breakfast.

MEMBERS GET MORE! You'll find hundreds of cooking tips and recipes on Dr. Sears Zone Diet Advantage.

Coleslaw with Tofu Mayonnaise, 11 carb grams

2006-08-22T04:50:00.000-07:00

Creamy Coleslaw with Tofu Mayonnaise

2 Servings

This healthy version of an American classic is good with sandwiches. Cabbage is a cruciferous vegetable providing indoles which may be related to a reduced risk of breast cancer.

Ingredients:
4 cups shredded cabbage 1 cup shredded carrot 1/4 cup tofu mayonnaise (recipe follows) 1 tsp celery seed (optional)

Instructions:
In a medium bowl, mix together the cabbage and carrot. Add the tofu mayonnaise and celery seed, if you use it, and stir gently to mix well.

Tofu Mayonnaise

Ingredients:
1 cup tofu, regular or silken, drained
2 tsp cider vinegar
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tsp honey (or sugar)
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil preferably
1 tsp herb blend

Instructions:
Mix all ingredients together until creamy. Refrigerate.

Nutritional Information:

Per serving:
99 calories
3 g total fat (0 g sat)
0 mg cholesterol
16 g carbohydrate
5 g protein
5 g fiber
71 mg sodium

Zone Diet Appetizers. Zoned Hummus and Veggie

2006-08-19T07:41:00.000-07:00

From the Zone Diet

Entertaining and staying in the Zone are not mutually exclusive. In fact, this Zone recipe, which was originally designed for lunch, also makes the perfect party platter — in place of typical, high-fat hors d'oeuvres. Keep in mind that the recipe below gives you individual lunch portions, so be sure to reduce the amounts if you plan to eat it as a snack. Enjoy!

Zoned Hummus and Veggie Plate

Prep: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Hummus

2 cups drained, canned, cooked chickpeas (save juice)
14 ounces drained, canned, no-salt, water-packed tuna
2 hard-boiled eggs
1/2 cup raw or toasted, unsalted sesame tahini
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper1 cup chickpea juices or filtered water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt (optional)
Ground paprika for garnish

Vegetables

5 cups romaine lettuce or baby greens salad mix
2 cups peeled, sliced cucumber
2 tomatoes, sliced
2 cups celery sticks
2 whole-wheat pita pockets, halved

Instructions

1. To make the hummus, combine the chickpeas, tuna, eggs, tahini, lemon juice, parsley, garlic, cumin, pepper, and chickpea juices or water in the work bowl of a food processor. Add sea salt if desired. Cover and process until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides with a spatula. Add additional water as needed to blend. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Divide into 4 containers with lids, garnish with paprika, cover, and refrigerate.

2. Divide the vegetables among 4 containers with lids. Place each pita bread half in a small plastic or wax-paper bag. Cover and chill.

3. At lunch, spoon the hummus over the lettuce, tomato, and cucumbers. Stuff a portion of this mixture in a pita half and eat the rest on the side with the celery sticks.

MEMBERS GET MORE! You'll find hundreds of healthy eating tips and ideas on Dr. Sears' Zone Diet Advantage.

Zone Diet Recipe: Bed and Breakfast Waffles

2006-08-16T04:21:00.000-07:00

Bed and Breakfast Waffles

From the Zone Diet

On summer weekends, there's nothing nicer than a relaxing breakfast served in bed or at an outdoor table. We've adapted this classic waffle recipe so that it's Zone-friendly. Serve with turkey bacon and the fruit of your choice.

You can double this recipe and freeze the waffles in plastic bags. Just pop a couple in the toaster and top with fruit when you're ready to eat them. If you're planning to do this, be sure to slightly undercook them and cool completely before bagging and freezing.

Bed and Breakfast Waffles
Yield: 2 waffles (1 serving)

Ingredients
1/4 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup egg substitute (or 2 egg whites)
1/2 cup water
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup oatmeal
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon fructose
3 slices turkey bacon
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce or 1 cup strawberries, slightly mashed, or 1 cup raspberries

Instructions
1. Blend cottage cheese, egg substitute, water, vanilla, and olive oil in a food processor until smooth.

2. Put oatmeal, baking powder, and sweetener in food processor or blender and process until powdered.

3. Mix the dry and the wet ingredients to form a batter. As the mixture stands, it will thicken and it may be necessary to add more water (a tablespoon at a time) to get a smooth consistency.

4. Cook in a waffle iron to the iron's specifications, usually about four minutes each.

Sweet-and-Sour Thai Shrimp Salad, 9 carb grams

2006-08-08T07:38:00.000-07:00

From the
ChangeOne Diet

Coconut and lime juice balance the spicy bite of crushed red pepper in this summer cooler.

PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes
COOKING TIME: 5 minutes
NUMBER OF SERVINGS: 4

INGREDIENTS:
DRESSING
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
1/4 cup bottled clam juice
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

SHRIMP SALAD
12 ounces peeled and deveined medium shrimp
1 small head Savoy cabbage or iceberg lettuce, shredded (4 cups)
1 large carrot, peeled and grated (1 cup)
4 ounces bean sprouts
3 tablespoons unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
3 tablespoons flaked sweetened coconut
1 scallion, including top, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS:
1. Bring a large saucepan of water to boil.

2. Make dressing: Meanwhile, heat oil in a small saucepan over low heat. Add red pepper flakes and cook, swirling occasionally, 3 minutes. Strain oil into a small bowl (discard red pepper flakes) and whisk in clam and lime juices; set aside.

3. Make shrimp salad: Drop shrimp into the boiling water, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 2 minutes, until shrimp turn opaque. Drain shrimp and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process; drain well. Transfer shrimp to a large bowl; add cabbage, carrot, bean sprouts, peanuts, coconut, and scallion. Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.

Nutrition Per Serving:
Per serving: Calories 210, fat 9 g, saturated fat 3 g, cholesterol 130 mg, sodium 190 mg, carbohydrate 12 g, fiber 3 g, protein 21 g.

Catfish with Black Bean and Avocado Relish

2006-07-25T03:31:00.000-07:00

Catfish with Black Bean and Avocado Relish
Source: Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

6 4-ounce fresh orfrozen catfish fillets, about 1/2 inch thick
1 teaspoon finelyshredded lime peel
3 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons snippedfresh cilantro2 tablespoons snippedfresh oregano
2 tablespoons finelychopped green onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayennepepper
1 15-ounce can blackbeans, rinsed and drained1 medium avocado,halved, seeded, peeled, and diced
1 medium tomato, chopped
Lime wedges

Directions

1. Thaw fish, if frozen.Rinse fish; pat dry with paper towels. Set aside
2. For relish, in a smallbowl,combine lime peel, lime juice, cilantro, oregano, green onion, oliveoil, salt, and cayenne pepper. In a medium bowl, combine beans,avocado, and tomato; stir in half of the cilantro mixture. Cover andchill until serving time.
3. Place fish on rack of anuncovered grill directly over medium coals. Grill for 4 to 6 minutes oruntil fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, turning and brushingonce with remaining cilantro mixture halfway through grilling. Discardany remaining cilantro mixture. Serve fish with relish and lime wedges.Makes 6 servings.

Broccoli Soup, 7 carb grams

2006-07-25T03:22:00.000-07:00

From Dr. Weil's Optimum Health Plan.

Five Ways to Prepare Chicken Breasts

2006-07-21T09:01:00.000-07:00

From the Zone Diet

Supermarkets often have sales on chicken breasts, with jumbo packs advertised at very low prices. Take advantage of these deals when you can, since chicken is a great source of low-fat protein in the Zone Diet .

To prepare chicken breasts, unwrap the pack and cut the raw breasts into Zone-appropriate portions — roughly the size of a deck of cards. Then rewrap the portions and freeze. When you're ready to use the chicken, place the portions in the fridge in the morning to thaw — this way they'll be ready to cook at dinnertime. Here are five ways to use chicken:

Design your own Cobb salad by arranging the broiled chicken (cut in strips) on a salad platter, along with the carbs of your choice — greens, tomatoes, asparagus, or whatever you have on hand. Don't forget to add a dash of oil and vinegar to your salad.
Try making chicken sate by threading chicken strips onto a skewer with veggies such as bell peppers, cherry tomatoes, and zucchini.
When you're serving chicken for dinner, cook and dice an extra portion to toss into an omelet the next morning.
Presliced chicken at the deli counter is expensive. Instead, whenever you cook one breast, cook a second, too. Allow it to cool, and then slice it for use as a snack — enjoy it with a half apple and six peanuts, for instance.
If you're serving whole breasts for dinner, slice an extra breast into strips and pop them into the refrigerator over night, covered with a lime-and-salsa marinade (see recipe below). The following evening, you'll be minutes away from enjoying these fajitas:

Chicken Fajitas

Ingredients
3 ounces boneless chicken breast
2 tablespoons salsa
2 tablespoons bottled lime juice
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup water or more
1/3 green pepper, cut into quarters, seeds and membrane removed
1/3 red pepper, cut into quarters, seeds and membrane removed
1/3 yellow onion, sliced into 1/4-inch-wide rings and microwaved on high for 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute
1/2 fajita-size (8 inch) tortilla
1/2 cup chopped tomato
3 tablespoons guacamole
1/2 cup strawberries

Instructions
Slice chicken breasts crosswise into 1/2-inch strips. Place in a glass dish with salsa, lime juice, salt, pepper, and enough water to cover. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Into a large skillet, over high heat, pour in the liquid from the chicken and cook to reduce by half. Add the chicken strips and, using a wide wooden spatula, toss frequently. When chicken turns opaque but is not yet thoroughly cooked, add the peppers and onion. Continue cooking and tossing the mixture. Cook until the liquid has evaporated and it begins to sizzle. Give one more toss and remove from heat. Serve with tortilla and condiments. Serve strawberries for dessert.

MEMBERS GET MORE! You'll find hundreds of cooking tips and recipes on Dr. Sears Zone Diet Advantage.

Pesto Devilled Eggs Recipe 1 Carb Gram

2006-07-19T02:56:00.000-07:00

Pesto Devilled Eggs
From Dr. Weil's Optimum Health Plan: Get your free health assessment now!

1 Serving

This little dish makes a good mid-morning snack, especially for people trying to restrict their carbohydrate intake. Pestos are a great ingredient to have on hand; experiment with some of the more innovative varieties - just make sure to read the labels carefully.

Ingredients:
1 hard boiled egg
2 tsp pesto

Instructions:
Peel a hard-boiled egg and cut in half lengthwise. Remove the yolk, mash the yolk with the pesto and replace it in the egg white.

Nutritional Information:

Per serving:
116 calories
9 g total fat (3 g sat)
190 mg cholesterol
1 g carbohydrate
7 g protein
0 g fiber
124 mg sodium

Low Carb Pasta Fagiole Recipe

2006-07-18T01:59:00.000-07:00

Pasta Fagiole
From Dr. Weil's Optimum Health Plan: Get your free health assessment now!

8 Servings

This traditional pasta and white bean soup is an Italian classic. Be sure to cook the pasta until just al dente. Keeping it a bit chewy or "toothsome" insures it maintains a low glycemic index. It makes a wonderful supper when served with a large tossed salad of romaine lettuce with red peppers, olives and sliced cucumbers and a dessert of plump dried fruit and roasted almonds.

Ingredients:
1 cup dried small white beans
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic, minced
10 cups water or vegetable stock
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1 cup small pasta, such as orzo or small shells - for low carb diet, use Low Carb Elbows
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Additional extra-virgin olive oil (optional)

Instructions:
1. Wash the beans. In a large pot, cover them with cold water. Soak for 8 hours. Drain into a colander.

2. In the same pot, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat, add the onion and garlic, and sauté until soft.

3. Add the beans and water or stock. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low, add the rosemary, and simmer 2 hours or until the beans are tender.

4. Raise heat to high, add the pasta, and cook until al dente.

5. Season the soup to taste with salt and pepper, garnish with the chopped parsey. Serve accompanied by grated Parmesan cheese and the optional extra-virgin olive oil.

Nutritional Information:

Per serving:
315 calories
6 g total fat (3 g sat)
10 mg cholesterol
44 g carbohydrate - 9 carb grams with Low Carb Elbows
22 g protein
10 g fiber
450 mg sodium

Broccoli Frittata, 4 carb grams

2006-07-13T04:25:00.000-07:00

From Dr. Weil's Optimum Health Plan

1 Serving

This is a quick way of incorporating broccoli into your breakfast. You can use two eggs or just egg whites (four of them) if you prefer. Leave out the Parmesan cheese if you prefer.

Ingredients:
1 egg
1 egg white
1 tbsp Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp salsa
1/2 cup chopped, cooked broccoli

<> Instructions:
1. Use bright green, crunchy, cooked broccoli and chop it fine in the food processor or by hand.
2. Mix all the ingredients together and pour into a small non-stick skillet, lightly sprayed with cooking spray or rubbed with a paper towel moistened with olive oil. Cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until set.
3. Turn the frittata over (don't worry if it breaks up) or put the skillet in a hot oven for 2 minutes to set the top.

Nutritional Information:

Per serving:
120 calories
6 g total fat (2 g sat)
191 mg cholesterol
4 g carbohydrate
12 g protein
1 g fiber
283 mg sodium

Pesto in the Zone

2006-07-12T02:48:00.000-07:00

Summer Classic in the Zone: Pesto

From the Zone Diet

Do you love pesto? Then keep in mind that traditional pesto is surprisingly Zone-unfriendly. That's because the classic recipe is heavy on fat, with basil leaves and chopped garlic combined with lots of olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and pine nuts. Here's a recipe for pesto that loses all that fat but retains the savory, basil-garlic flavor. To make a single serving, combine 1/3 teaspoon of olive oil in a bowl with a handful of finely chopped basil leaves, a teaspoon of chopped garlic, and salt and pepper to taste. The resulting "paste" is easily spread onto grilled chicken or fish or dolloped onto a chilled soup.

Here's an easy recipe that uses this pesto on sole, served with vegetables and barley:

Pesto Sole With Barley Primavera

Prep: 12 minutes
Cooking: 15 minutes
Yield: 2 servings

Ingredients

1 tablespoon chopped jarred garlic, rinsed
2 tablespoons dried or 6 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
3 2/3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
1 1⁄2 cups chopped frozen onions
4 cups Green Giant San Francisco frozen vegetables
1 cup cooked barley
4 ounces dry white wine
1 cup fat-free chicken or fish stock
12 ounces sole or flounder

Instructions

1. Spray a 9 x 12-inch baking dish with olive oil cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. To make the pesto, combine 1 1/2 teaspoons of the garlic, basil, and olive oil in a small bowl. Add a dash of salt and pepper.
3. Spray a nonstick sauté pan with olive oil cooking spray and place over high heat. Add the onions, vegetables, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic and sauté for 5 minutes, or until tender yet firm. Stir in the barley, wine, and stock.
4. Spread the vegetable mixture in the baking dish and layer the fish on top. Spread the fish with the pesto. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the fish is firm to the touch.

Lemon-Caper Chicken South Beach Recipe

2006-07-10T03:46:00.000-07:00

Lemon-Caper Chicken

This dish is a snap to make, yet it looks and tastes like something that took special care to create. Feel free to double the recipe for a crowd (but use two skillets), or halve the recipe for an intimate dinner. Make sure to buy thinly sliced breasts — they are usually sold four to a package. If you can't find them, slice a medium-sized breast crosswise, resulting in a 1/2-inch thick piece, about 4 ounces in weight. Place each piece between two sheets of plastic wrap and pound to flatten to an even thickness.

Phase 2 South Beach DietTM

Serves 4

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 thinly-sliced boneless, skinless
Chicken breast halves (about 4oz each)
Salt and pepper
4 teaspoons whole-wheat flour, divided
1 medium shallot, minced
2 tablespoons drained capers
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1-2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Instructions
1. Warm oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Pat chicken breasts with paper towels to thoroughly dry. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then lightly coat with flour, using about 1 tsp for each breast.

2. Lay chicken in skillet; cook 2 to 3 minutes, until golden brown, gently pressing down on breast to ensure equal browning. Reduce heat to medium. Turn breasts; cook 2 to 3 minutes longer, until golden brown and cooked through. Remove breasts to a serving platter.

3. Reduce heat to low; add shallots and capers to skillet. Cook 30 seconds, stirring. Add broth and juice; cook 1 minute, until incorporated and thickened, stirring. Stir in parsley; pour sauce over chicken. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information:
258 calories
17 total fat (5 g sat)
72 mg cholesterol
5 g carbohydrate
21 g protein
1 g fiber
142 mg sodium

Members Get More!
Search our database of more than 1,000 healthy (and delicious!) recipes on Phase 2.
Join South Beach DietTM Today!

Bread-free Brown Bag Lunch Zone Diet Ideas

2006-07-07T04:55:00.000-07:00

Bread-Free Brown-Bag Lunches

It's hard to make brown-bag lunches interesting day after day - and Zone Diet -friendly. Fortunately, members of the Zone Diet Advantage have many creative tips for pack-and-go lunches — none of which require even a slice of bread. Here are the best of the Zone lunch bunch:

Instead of bread, try putting tuna salad into a tomato. Hollow out the contents of a halved tomato, mashing the tomato flesh into the tuna with just a dab of low-fat mayonnaise, seasoned with pepper and a little salt, if desired. When brown-bagging it, stick the two halves back together, wrap it in foil, and then transport it in an empty yogurt (or other small) container.
Use your lunch meat like you would use a tortilla - as a wrap, filled with the veggies and cheese of your choice.
Boil eggs, shell them, and then discard the yolk. Fill the centers with hummus. Brown-bag it like the tomato, as above.

Insulin-friendly Berry 'Ice Cream'

2006-07-05T04:45:00.000-07:00

Berry Delicious Ice Cream

Yes, you can eat ice cream in the Zone, says Dr. Sears. Just do it in moderation, since even a small bowl of Breyers can send your insulin levels soaring.

For a healthier solution, try this recipe for our ice cream substitute. You may learn to love it more than the real thing. Note that this recipe calls for 2 cups of frozen berries of your choice — so experiment with different berries, but make sure to stick with the frozen kind or the recipe won't work.

Berry "Ice Cream"

Ingredients
3/4 cup light cottage cheese
2 cups mixed frozen berries
1 teaspoon olive oil
Fructose or stevia (to sweeten)

Instructions
Put all ingredients in a blender and process until it turns into a creamy berry blend.

MEMBERS GET MORE! You'll find hundreds of healthy eating tips and ideas on Dr. Sears Zone Diet Advantage. Join Zone Diet Today!

Herbed Turkey Burgers

2006-06-27T08:07:00.000-07:00

From Better Homes and Gardens

Top these tasty turkey burgers with tomato and sesame buns. They go perfectly with coleslaw or a salad on the side.

PREPARATION TIME: 15 minutes
COOKING TIME: 12 to 14 minutes
NUMBER OF SERVINGS: 4

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless turkey thighs
1 small onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs (1 slice white bread)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 large egg white
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:
1. Remove skin from turkey thighs. Cut off any visible fat and cut meat into small pieces.

2. Place turkey in a food processor and finely chop, occasionally scraping down sides of bowl, or finely chop by hand.

3. Combine onion, garlic, and bell pepper in a medium bowl. Add breadcrumbs, mustard, parsley, egg white, salt, and ground pepper. Add turkey and stir to combine.

4. Heat broiler, arranging oven rack 5 inches from heat. Divide turkey mixture into quarters and form each into a round, compact patty.

5. Arrange turkey patties on broiler rack and cook 6 to 7 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

Nutrition Per Serving:
Per serving: Calories 180, fat 5 g, saturated fat 2 g, cholesterol 78 mg, sodium 139 mg, carbohydrate 6 g, fiber 1 g, protein 25 g.

Chicken Strips and Mustard Sauce

2006-06-24T08:53:00.000-07:00

From ChangeOne Diet

For this dish, chicken is cut into matchstick-size strips and stir-fried to cook up quickly. White wine and Dijon mustard add elegance to the sauce.

PREPARATION TIME: 5 minutes
COOKING TIME: 6 minutes
NUMBER OF SERVINGS: 2

INGREDIENTS:
1 skinless, boneless chicken breast (about 1/2 pound), halved and pounded to 1/4-inch thickness
1/4 teaspoon dried sage, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crumbled
4 teaspoons flour, divided
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted margarine
1 scallion, finely chopped
1/4 cup white wine or vermouth
1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon Dijon or spicy brown mustard (or to taste)
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives or parsley
Cooked rice or pasta (optional)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Rub both sides of chicken breast with sage and thyme, then cut into matchstick strips. Combine 3 teaspoons flour with the pepper on a plate. Press chicken strips into flour mixture, coating evenly on all sides, shaking off excess.

2. Melt margarine in a heavy 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes, until chicken is golden; transfer to a warm plate. Add scallion to skillet and stir-fry 30 seconds. Stir in wine and boil, uncovered, 1 minute. Stir in chicken broth and boil 1 minute.

3. Whisk yogurt, sour cream, remaining 1 teaspoon flour and the mustard together in a small bowl; stir into skillet juices. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes, until thickened. Do not boil or the sauce will curdle.

4. Return chicken to skillet and cook, uncovered, 1 to 2 minutes more, until chicken is heated through. Sprinkle with chives and serve with rice or pasta, if desired.

Nutrition Per Serving:
Per serving: Calories 255, fat 11 g, saturated fat 4 g, cholesterol 74 mg, sodium 224 mg, carbohydrate 8 g, fiber 0 g, protein 29 g.

Dilled Flounder With Almonds

2006-06-22T07:39:00.000-07:00

From ChangeOne Diet

Give ordinary flounder an extraordinary taste and appearance with sautéed almonds and fresh dill.

PREPARATION TIME: 5 minutes
COOKING TIME: 7 minutes
NUMBER OF SERVINGS: 2

INGREDIENTS: 1 tablespoon flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 flounder fillets (about 5 ounces each)
Vegetable cooking spray
1 tablespoon unsalted margarine, divided
1 tablespoon snipped fresh dill or 1/4 teaspoon dill weed
2 tablespoons slivered almonds

DIRECTIONS:

1. Combine flour, salt, and pepper together on a plate. Press flounder fillets in flour mixture, coating evenly on all sides and shaking off excess. Set aside.

2. Coat a heavy 10-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray, add 1/2 tablespoon margarine, and melt over medium heat. Add flounder and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, until browned, turning once.

3. Transfer flounder to a warm platter, sprinkle with dill, and keep warm.

4. Again coat skillet with cooking spray, add remaining 1/2 tablespoon margarine, and melt over medium heat. Add almonds and cook, stirring, 2 to 3 minutes, until almonds are lightly browned. Spoon over flounder

Nutrition Per Serving:Per serving: Calories 230, fat 12 g, saturated fat 2 g, cholesterol 65 mg, sodium 243 mg, carbohydrate g, fiber 1 g, protein 24 g.

Curried Greens Recipe. 2 carb grams

2006-06-14T03:33:00.000-07:00

From Dr. Weil's My Optimum Health Plan: Your mind & body wellness center. Get your free health assessment now!

Less 13.43g carb grams after makeover: just replace the brown sugar with brown sugar substitute (click here)

Curried Greens

6 Servings

When people hear the word "greens," I think they immediately conjure up childhood memories of overcooked lumps of vegetation they were forced to eat and hated. But the vegetable section of the grocery is a different world today, brimming with a variety of greens such as spinach, chard, kale, mustard, collards, and bok choy that are tasty as well as excellent sources of vitamins and minerals. Iron, calcium, and folic acid (an important B vitamin that helps prevent birth defects and offers protection from heart disease) are abundant in these leafy veggies. Greens can have strong tastes, but I encourage you to experiment with varieties you've never tried or haven't had in a while. I believe you'll be in for a pleasant surprise.

Ingredients:
1 pound spinach, kale, collards, or beet greens (or mixture of all)
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
2-3 tablespoons curry powder
1 cup finely chopped tomatoes (fresh or canned)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon dark-brown sugar
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup onion, finely diced
3/4 pound brown potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Instructions:
1. Wash and drain greens, removing any coarse stems and midribs. Cut into half-inch strips.

2. In a small bowl, mix together garlic, curry powder, tomatoes, tomato paste, and sugar.

3. Heat the canola oil in a skillet and sauté onion over medium-high heat until it begins to brown. Add the spice-and-tomato mixture, mix well, and cook for a few minutes.

4. Add the potatoes and 2 cups water.

5. Mix well, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.

6. Add greens and cook for 10 minutes more, or until potatoes are done.

7. Correct seasoning to taste. Garnish with the chopped fresh cilantro if desired.

Nutritional Information:

Per serving:
103 calories
3 g total fat (0 g sat)
0 mg cholesterol
19 g carbohydrate ( around 2 g after our makeover)
4 g protein
4 g fiber
250 mg sodium

Grilled Asian Salmon Recipe. I carb gram

2006-06-12T07:12:00.000-07:00

Good for Phase 1 South Beach Diet®

Serves 2
Purchase center-cut salmon fillets for this recipe — thinner fillets, cut from the tail end of the salmon, can too easily overcook on the grill. Tip: Salmon skin cooks to a tasty crispiness, so keep the skin on when grilling.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
2 center-cut salmon fillets, about 5 oz each

Instructions:

In shallow glass dish, combine sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, and vinegar. Add salmon; turn to coat. Marinate, refrigerated, for 30 minutes to 1 hour, turning occasionally.
Preheat grill (medium-high heat); lightly oil grill. Place fillets on grill, skin-side up. Grill about 5 minutes per side. Fish is cooked when a thin knife blade inserted in center reveals that the pink flesh is almost opaque. Serve warm.

Nutritional Information:
321 calories
22 total fat (5 g sat)
70 mg cholesterol
1 g carbohydrate
29 g protein
0 g fiber
330 mg sodium

Members Get More!
Join South Beach Diet® Today!

Low Carb Q&A: Exercise

2006-06-06T04:18:00.000-07:00

Question: "What exercises do you recommend for a desk-bound low-carber? "

Answer:

The strictest of all low-carb diets — the ketogenic diet — shouldn't prevent you from regular exercise. In fact, a cardiovascular workout of moderate intensity is recommended: it was shown that ketogenic diets could actually improve one's exercise performance, compared to "balanced" diets, even when matched in calorie intake.

Low-Carb + Moderate Intensity = Greater Benefits

The ketogenic diet caused an increased maximal oxygen consumption capacity (VO2 max,) indicating a shift towards higher exercise tolerance. The theory is that changes in body's insulin and glucagon (insulin's opponent) caused by low-carb diets result in greater oxygen delivery to exercising muscle.

Another benefit of exercise for low-carbers is the intensive fat burning, due to a higher noradrenaline (a fat-burning hormone) response to exercise. Low-carbers also provide a higher rate of free fatty acids that the body taps into for energy.

While exercise is recommended, you should note that a low-carb diet results in shorter time to exhaustion during high-intensity exercise, so again, I recommend moderate intensity. High-intensity, interval intermittent exercises, such as sprinting, are also possible, as long as you allow yourself adequate time to recover between bouts.

Bodybuilding is a completely different story: it’s all about increasing muscle mass —something that just can't be accomplished on a low-carb diet.

From all these facts, the recommendations are simple:

- Exercise is not only possible during low-carb diets — it’s encouraged.
- The type of exercise is up to you, though high-intensity and high-duration exercises should be avoided
- If you chose to do interval training, be sure to allow more time between exercises.

Low-carb diets should not prevent you from keeping fit, desk-bound or not. Don't hesitate to let me know if you want my specific advice on safe and efficient ways of fitness training.

Sources

- Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology, 47(2):361-71, 1996
- Journal of Clinical Investigation, 66(5):1152-61, 1980
- Sports Medicine, 27(4):213-28, 1999
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 71(2):450-7, 2000
- European Journal of Applied Physiology & Occupational Physiology,
73(1-2):105-12, 1996
- European Journal of Applied Physiology & Occupational Physiology, 70(1): 70-4, 1995
- Journal of Sports Sciences, 11(2):119-26, 1993

23 Tips on Cutting Donw on Sweets

2006-06-03T08:40:00.000-07:00

Although the USDA recommends we get no more than 10 teaspoons of sugar a day, the average American downs about 34 teaspoons — more than three times as much. Here we’ll show you ways to get your sugar consumption down to healthy levels. But beware: Uncovering all the sugar in your diet isn’t easy. Sugar often hides under several pseudonyms and turns up in even the most innocuous foods (like bread, crackers, salad dressing, ketchup, and mustard). But with the following tips, you should be able to have your cake and eat it too. Click here to get all 23 tips!