Hi Achrafetomi17@Gmail.Com,
Carbohydrates have become a controversial issue in
weight loss circles. Some diet gurus advocate diets high
in carbohydrates, while others caution dieters to avoid
them like the plague.
Weight loss studies have shown that dieters tend to
lose weight on both high-carb and low-carb diets. With so
much conflicting information, how can you determine what
role carbs should play in your personal weight loss plan?
Fortunately, carbohydrates are not an all or nothing
proposition. It's just a matter of choosing the right
ones.
Carbs to Eat:
Beans and Nuts
Most Westernized cultures don't eat enough fiber. The
American Dietetic Association recommends 25-35 grams
daily, but the American Heart Association estimates that
the typical American eats only 15 grams of fiber each day.
This is unfortunate, because fiber has many health
benefits. It helps regulate bowel movements, prevents
blood sugar spikes and crashes, and keeps your digestive
system in good shape.
You can easily increase your fiber intake by adding
beans to your diet. Nuts are another good choice. The
protein in these foods will help control your hunger, and
the fiber will help promote efficient digestion.
Start by eating a half-cup of beans with your meal, and
a handful of nuts as a between-meal snack.
Whole Grains
To avoid blood sugar peaks and valleys, switch from
refined bread products to whole grains. Your body has to
work longer and harder to digest whole grain foods and
convert them into energy, thus you avoid the quick peaks
and crashes you get from refined carbohydrates.
High-fiber whole grains also tend to satisfy your
hunger for longer periods of time, helping you avoid
between-meal cravings. Start your day with a cup of
whole-grain oatmeal sprinkled with flax seeds for added
fiber.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are some of the healthiest foods
you can consume. Not only are they nutrient-dense, they
also contain a significant amount of fiber and water.
In fact, the United States Department of Agriculture
recommends 2-4 servings of fruit and 3-5 servings of
vegetables each day. The Center for Disease Control also
reports that diets rich in fruits and vegetables can help
prevent diabetes, cancer, and other diseases.
Try to incorporate a variety of colorful vegetables
into your diet. If you're concerned about eating too much
fructose (natural fruit sugar), stick to low-glycemic
fruits such as berries, cherries, apricots, grapefruit,
and apples.
Dairy Products
Dairy products are a good source of calcium and Vitamin
D. Unfortunately, they can also contain a lot of fat and
lactose (milk sugar). Control your fat intake by switching
to 2% cheese and 1% milk. Low-fat yogurts and string
cheese snacks are other tasty dairy choices.
If lactose upsets your stomach, or if you just want to
consume less of it, look for lactose-free dairy products
instead. They contain all the calcium and vitamins with
less of the sugar.
Carbs to Avoid:
Sugar
Ah, the dreaded s-word. What's so bad about sugar
anyway? It contains empty calories, but it's not so
terrible when consumed in moderation.
Sadly, the modern Western diet approaches sugar with
anything but moderation. Many processed foods are full of
added sugar.
Even foods that don't taste particularly sweet might
contain sugar as a flavor enhancer. Sugar is also used to
improve the flavor of many low-fat foods. With so much
sugar in our diets, is it any wonder so many dieters
suffer from unstable glucose and constant carb cravings?
When it comes to avoiding sugar, do the best you can.
Save sweet treats for special occasions, and practice
portion control. Don't rely on artificial sweeteners, as
these have been proven to increase sugar cravings in some
individuals.
Also, remember to watch out for hidden sugar in your
foods. On an ingredient list, sugar can masquerade as high
fructose corn syrup, sugar alcohol, sucrose, dextrose, and
lactose.
White Flour
Like sugar, simple carbohydrates like white flour are
quickly processed by your body, leading to rapid rises and
falls in your energy level. Worse, highly refined flour
products have very little of the fiber or vitamins your
body so desperately needs.
You can add more fiber and nutrition to your diet by
trading white bread, rice, and pasta for their whole-grain
counterparts.
Also, try eating yams, skins and all, instead of
starchy baking potatoes. You will find that these
healthier choices leave you more satisfied and less likely
to keep eating past the point of satiation.
Fruit Juice
Fruit juices are high in sugar and calories, but low in
fiber. It's much healthier to eat the fruit than to drink
only its juice. Plus, many juices are made from "fruit
juice concentrate" - another misleading term for added
sugar.
After you exercise, try rehydrating with a bottle of
water and a piece of fruit. This will give your muscles
the quick energy they need to recover, but with the added
bonus of fiber.
Alcohol
Unlike food, alcohol is quickly absorbed by the body,
passed through the liver, and distributed into the
bloodstream. Spikes in blood glucose, and the
corresponding crashes, are very common when alcohol is
consumed.
Also, alcohol is full of calories that don't benefit
your body. According to the National Institute on Alcohol
Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol can also hinder your body's
ability to absorb nutrients, and can leave you dehydrated.
If you wish to drink alcohol at a special event, forget
about sugary mixed drinks and wine coolers. Opt instead
for a diet-friendly white wine spritzer, a lite beer, or a
shot of rum in a Diet Coke. Be sure not to overindulge;
alcohol is notorious for lowering inhibitions, and might
make it harder to say no to unhealthy food choices.
You can stop dieting, start eating and start living with
"The Diet Solution", an all natural diet and nutrition
program:
http://www.lovebody.org/dietsolution
Bye for now,
To A Fitter, Slimmer, Healthier You
~The Love Your Body Team~
The Love Your Body Team
28 CASSIA CRESCENT #02-20, SINGAPORE, 00 391028, SINGAPORE
To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit:
http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?TIyMzEzMHLSsTOxMnIzszLRmtIwM7OycHMxs
Carbohydrates have become a controversial issue in
weight loss circles. Some diet gurus advocate diets high
in carbohydrates, while others caution dieters to avoid
them like the plague.
Weight loss studies have shown that dieters tend to
lose weight on both high-carb and low-carb diets. With so
much conflicting information, how can you determine what
role carbs should play in your personal weight loss plan?
Fortunately, carbohydrates are not an all or nothing
proposition. It's just a matter of choosing the right
ones.
Carbs to Eat:
Beans and Nuts
Most Westernized cultures don't eat enough fiber. The
American Dietetic Association recommends 25-35 grams
daily, but the American Heart Association estimates that
the typical American eats only 15 grams of fiber each day.
This is unfortunate, because fiber has many health
benefits. It helps regulate bowel movements, prevents
blood sugar spikes and crashes, and keeps your digestive
system in good shape.
You can easily increase your fiber intake by adding
beans to your diet. Nuts are another good choice. The
protein in these foods will help control your hunger, and
the fiber will help promote efficient digestion.
Start by eating a half-cup of beans with your meal, and
a handful of nuts as a between-meal snack.
Whole Grains
To avoid blood sugar peaks and valleys, switch from
refined bread products to whole grains. Your body has to
work longer and harder to digest whole grain foods and
convert them into energy, thus you avoid the quick peaks
and crashes you get from refined carbohydrates.
High-fiber whole grains also tend to satisfy your
hunger for longer periods of time, helping you avoid
between-meal cravings. Start your day with a cup of
whole-grain oatmeal sprinkled with flax seeds for added
fiber.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are some of the healthiest foods
you can consume. Not only are they nutrient-dense, they
also contain a significant amount of fiber and water.
In fact, the United States Department of Agriculture
recommends 2-4 servings of fruit and 3-5 servings of
vegetables each day. The Center for Disease Control also
reports that diets rich in fruits and vegetables can help
prevent diabetes, cancer, and other diseases.
Try to incorporate a variety of colorful vegetables
into your diet. If you're concerned about eating too much
fructose (natural fruit sugar), stick to low-glycemic
fruits such as berries, cherries, apricots, grapefruit,
and apples.
Dairy Products
Dairy products are a good source of calcium and Vitamin
D. Unfortunately, they can also contain a lot of fat and
lactose (milk sugar). Control your fat intake by switching
to 2% cheese and 1% milk. Low-fat yogurts and string
cheese snacks are other tasty dairy choices.
If lactose upsets your stomach, or if you just want to
consume less of it, look for lactose-free dairy products
instead. They contain all the calcium and vitamins with
less of the sugar.
Carbs to Avoid:
Sugar
Ah, the dreaded s-word. What's so bad about sugar
anyway? It contains empty calories, but it's not so
terrible when consumed in moderation.
Sadly, the modern Western diet approaches sugar with
anything but moderation. Many processed foods are full of
added sugar.
Even foods that don't taste particularly sweet might
contain sugar as a flavor enhancer. Sugar is also used to
improve the flavor of many low-fat foods. With so much
sugar in our diets, is it any wonder so many dieters
suffer from unstable glucose and constant carb cravings?
When it comes to avoiding sugar, do the best you can.
Save sweet treats for special occasions, and practice
portion control. Don't rely on artificial sweeteners, as
these have been proven to increase sugar cravings in some
individuals.
Also, remember to watch out for hidden sugar in your
foods. On an ingredient list, sugar can masquerade as high
fructose corn syrup, sugar alcohol, sucrose, dextrose, and
lactose.
White Flour
Like sugar, simple carbohydrates like white flour are
quickly processed by your body, leading to rapid rises and
falls in your energy level. Worse, highly refined flour
products have very little of the fiber or vitamins your
body so desperately needs.
You can add more fiber and nutrition to your diet by
trading white bread, rice, and pasta for their whole-grain
counterparts.
Also, try eating yams, skins and all, instead of
starchy baking potatoes. You will find that these
healthier choices leave you more satisfied and less likely
to keep eating past the point of satiation.
Fruit Juice
Fruit juices are high in sugar and calories, but low in
fiber. It's much healthier to eat the fruit than to drink
only its juice. Plus, many juices are made from "fruit
juice concentrate" - another misleading term for added
sugar.
After you exercise, try rehydrating with a bottle of
water and a piece of fruit. This will give your muscles
the quick energy they need to recover, but with the added
bonus of fiber.
Alcohol
Unlike food, alcohol is quickly absorbed by the body,
passed through the liver, and distributed into the
bloodstream. Spikes in blood glucose, and the
corresponding crashes, are very common when alcohol is
consumed.
Also, alcohol is full of calories that don't benefit
your body. According to the National Institute on Alcohol
Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol can also hinder your body's
ability to absorb nutrients, and can leave you dehydrated.
If you wish to drink alcohol at a special event, forget
about sugary mixed drinks and wine coolers. Opt instead
for a diet-friendly white wine spritzer, a lite beer, or a
shot of rum in a Diet Coke. Be sure not to overindulge;
alcohol is notorious for lowering inhibitions, and might
make it harder to say no to unhealthy food choices.
You can stop dieting, start eating and start living with
"The Diet Solution", an all natural diet and nutrition
program:
http://www.lovebody.org/dietsolution
Bye for now,
To A Fitter, Slimmer, Healthier You
~The Love Your Body Team~
The Love Your Body Team
28 CASSIA CRESCENT #02-20, SINGAPORE, 00 391028, SINGAPORE
To unsubscribe or change subscriber options visit:
http://www.aweber.com/z/r/?TIyMzEzMHLSsTOxMnIzszLRmtIwM7OycHMxs
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