I. HOW DO CARBOHYDRATES AFFECT YOUR WEIGHT?
Carbohydrates are healthy, filling, satisfying and taste good,
but they also can add weight. Much of the epidemic of obesity
is attributable to a marked in crease in over-consumption of carbohydrates.
Your body uses carbohydrates as fuel, and if you eat too many
carbohydrates, they are stored as fat...
Insulin, a natural hormone that your body produces, plays an
important role in converting carbohydrates into fuel and fat.
If you understand how insulin works to create fat, you are a long
way towards reaching your weight goals. Let?s get started.
Eating excessive carbohydrates causes an over-release of insulin.
Among its many jobs, insulin signals the body to take in food
(it has been called the "hunger hormone") and, once
the food is consumed, signals the body to store the food energy
in the form of fat. Too much insulin results in too strong an
impulse to eat, too often, and a body that too readily stores
food in the form of fat.
The scientific term for this condition is ?post-prandial reactive
hyperinsulinemia? which means too much insulin is released after
eating. Over time, people who are hyperinsulinemic become insulin
resistant. That means the cells in their muscles, nervous systems,
and organs stop working with the insulin to open the doors to
these cells and allow food energy (blood sugar or glucose) to
enter. At this point, you may experience symptoms of low-blood
sugar levels (hypoglycemia) including irritability, shakiness,
tiredness, intense cravings, confusion, and headaches. Once the
blood sugar cannot easily enter the muscles, nervous system, or
organs, much of the food energy gets channeled into the fat cells
and weight gain comes easily. Over time, however, as high insulin
levels continue, even the fat cells can shut down and the blood
glucose gets trapped in the blood stream bringing on the condition
known as adult-onset diabetes. I find love mailorder brides for good life.
A high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet restricts the intake of
carbohydrates and reduces the intake of those foods that stimulate
the production and release of insulin. You?ll be able to lose
weight and shake the cravings, and look forward to a healthier
life.
II. THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF THE HIGH PROTEIN, LOW CARBOHYDRATE
DIET...
Increased protein consumption with restriction of carbohydrates,
especially simple sugars, starches, reduces the stimulation of
insulin, which is the hormone that facilitates the storage of
fat. When sugar from carbohydrates is unavailable, the body turns
on its fat burners and extracts energy from its own stored fat.
The consequences are rapid weight loss and preferential fat loss.
By supplementing the diet with high levels of protein, vitamins
and minerals, you maintain muscle mass and enjoy other health
benefits, while losing weight quickly and safely. Here?s how to
do it:
Eat 4-5 small protein portions (12-15g of protein each) and one
meal. Or eat 3-4 small protein portions and two meals. For example,
you might enjoy a protein shake for breakfast, a protein bar a
few hours before noon, a shake and salad for lunch, some soy nuts
a few hours before dinner. With this example, you can indulge
in a great-tasting and filling dinner consisting of some of your
favorite foods that are high in protein and taste but low in carbohydrates.
Meals should consist of:
PROTEIN: as much as you want, preferably skinless, lean white
meats. Enjoy your favorite cuts of meat or fish such as top sirloin,
chicken breast, pork chops or filet of sole. Or make an omelet
loaded with real cheese and slices of fiber-rich vegetables such
as broccoli, cauliflower, fresh mushrooms, green pepper, scallions,
spinach and green beans.
SALADS: consisting largely of greens and selected vegetable such
as radishes, mushrooms, cucumber, celery and various peppers.
Jazz up your salad with slices of chicken, turkey or cheese. Or
pile it high with tuna, shrimp, or crab meat.
|
|
VEGETABLES: choices, choices, choices including bean sprouts,
broccoli, cabbage, mushrooms, green pepper, spinach, and lettuce.
Stir fry a selection of vegetables in olive oil and add chicken,
beef, turkey, or even tofu (extra firm is best). Eat them raw,
dipped in olive oil or with a low-carbohydrate dressing.
If you are eating two meals per day, they should consist of only
protein and vegetables. Be creative and remember to vary your
selections and try new dishes as often as possible. Fruits should
be limited, but if you must eat fruit as a treat, peaches and
plums are preferred. However, try to eat these fruits only two
or three times per week.
Eating small amounts frequently throughout the day helps speed
up your metabolism so that you continue to burn calories. Try
roasted soy nuts, protein bars, and soups to help maintain steady
blood sugar levels and keep you feeling energized.
NO-NOS FOR THE DIET In order for this diet to be successful,
the following foods should be eliminated: *Products containing
simple sugars, including fruit, sweets, and many commercial sauces
and dressings. *Products made from white flour, breads, pastas
and cereals. *Naturally occurring complex carbohydrates such as
rice, potatoes, corn and grains.
Other carbohydrates that should be avoided are those that are
quickly converted into simple sugars, such as carrots, beets,
and many fruits. They encourage the production and release of
insulin. Elimination of these foods is critical to shutting off
insulin and reversing the body from an efficient fat storer to
an efficient fat burner.
Do not eat *Bread and all of its relatives, crackers, cookies,
pastries, doughnuts, pies and muffins *Chick peas, dried beans,
lentils, pinto beans *Cereals, hot or cold, sweetened or unsweetened
*Most fruits, except for plums and peaches *All products made
of white flour *Root vegetables such as carrots, turnips, parsnips
and beets *Snacks including pretzels, potato chips, popcorn *
White rice, potatoes and corn
III. YEAH, RIGHT. WHO EATS LIKE THIS?
After reading Part 2 of this series, you may be wondering if
it?s possible to survive on a high-protein, low-carbohydrate diet.
Who really eats like this? Actually, until very recently, all
humans did. And our ancestors used to get a lot more exercise
that we do. They chopped wood, carried water, tended gardens,
hunted animals and never spent all day sitting at a computer.
In our wonderful world of progress, we have created an environment
perfect for getting fat and unhealthy. We have grown up in a lifestyle
of luxurious, delicious carbohydrates that our forefathers and
foremothers never heard of or ever dreamed about. stove repair orange county
But we live in a world of today, and sticking to this diet, especially
in the beginning can be challenging. There are several important
keys to making a change to your diet and sticking to it.
Replace something you must give up with something you love that
you can eat. If you just eliminate a food, you will spend a lot
of time thinking about how much you miss it. Instead, plan to
eat something else that is ok. For example, when I gave up wheat
products, I substituted olives and peaches, and ate as much as
I wanted until I didn?t miss the wheat any more.
Have a ?Cheat Day.? Plan that one day per week, you can eat whatever
you want. Completely go off the diet for 24 hours and go hog wild.
Then the next day, get back on the diet. Having a cheat day makes
it easier to transition into your new diet and slowly say good-bye
to your old carbo friends. Here?s another benefit. Over time,
you will find that you feel pretty darn crummy the day after your
cheat day, and you won?t want to cheat anymore. Thursdays were
my cheat days. On Thursdays, I ate pizza and bread sticks, and
drank beer with abandon. In a surprisingly short number of weeks,
I started feeling miserable on Fridays, like I had a terrible
hangover. It wasn?t long before I felt so terrible that I never
wanted pizza again.
Once you reach your weight goals, you can reintroduce carbohydrates
into your diet. To keep your weight off for good, certain carbohydrates
should continue to be restricted. This doesn?t mean you can never
have a baked potato or a plate of spaghetti again, but it does
suggest that products made with white sugar, white flour and certain
root vegetables should be a rare culinary event. You can phase
in potato skins and whole-grain pasta once you?re on to maintenance
way of living.
As you increase carbohydrates, concentrate on small fruits with
the highest antioxidant power such as blueberries, grapes, strawberries,
plums, peaches and apricots. Leave behind the bananas, mango,
papaya, pears, melon and pineapple.
As with all new diets and nutritional changes, make an appointment
with your family doctor and have a physical to rule out any underlying
medical conditions that could be aggravated by this diet. If you
are in good physical shape, you may experience symptoms caused
by your body going through a carbohydrate withdrawal such as weakness,
dizziness and nausea. Your body should adjust to the new fat-burning
metabolism within a few days and the symptoms should disappear.
Make sure you?re drinking plenty of water because water loss accompanies
the first few days of carbohydrate restriction. Many people find
eating small, high-protein snacks every few hours as opposed to
three larger meals a day helps as well.
Cymber S. Quinn is a nutrition consultant and business coach
for Gr8Living.
|
