Archive for the ‘Diet’ Category
Posted by ichatmedia
Integrate the most powerful foods in your diet if you want to burn more fats but you don’t want restrictions, calorie counting or high priced but low flavored packaged food.
The following foods will help you:
• increase your metabolism
• feel full
• burn fats
Use these foods to replace the junk foods that you eat to get the double weight loss bonus by cutting empty calories, sugars and bad fats.
All of these foods are plant-based. One of the secrets to effective weight loss is a diet high in fiber. Fiber is great for a number of reasons:
• helps lower LDL (bad cholesterol)
• makes you feel full and eat less
• takes longer to digest
• your resting metabolism increases due to the work your body does in digesting these foods
Apples
Apples contain relatively low amounts of Vitamin C as well as several other antioxidant compounds. Apples are great way to eat less since the pectin makes you feel fuller it actually limits your cells fat absorption. Try an apple in the morning during breakfast or try it as a midday snack.
Avocados
A food does not have to be low in fat to help you lose weight it needs to have the right kind of fat. Avocadoes contain more than 25 of the essential nutrients. When you eat an avocado you’re getting B vitamins, potassium, vitamin E, and lutein.
Grapefruits
Grapefruits rank the best as a diet food of all the citrus foods it can lower your insulin levels which in turn will make you less hungry. You can add a different citrus food if you don’t like grapefruit. Both grapefruits and oranges can increase your metabolism, vitamin C actually dilutes fat.
Hot Peppers
Spicy foods such as jalapeños are one of the best diet foods it gives you a quick boost to the metabolism. They also prove that healthy food is not necessarily bland. Recent research shows that peppers may offer some hope of weight loss for people suffering from obesity.
Broccoli
Broccoli contains multiple nutrients with potent anticancer properties. This food is high in calcium, iron, magnesium, vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K as well as dietary fiber. It’s filling without being high in calories.
Blueberries
Blueberries are full of powerful antioxidants. They fight against disease, give you energy, and their sweet taste makes a great snack. Blueberries have a diverse range of micronutrients, with notably high levels of the essential dietary mineral manganese, vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin K and dietary fiber.
Almonds
Almonds are the most nutritional of all the nuts. Have a handful of almonds in the morning during breakfast to give you energy for the rest of the day. They are also great to replace any unhealthy snack foods which are standing in the way of your weight loss goals.
Adding these top foods to your diet will help you lose weight while being healthy. The weight will not come off overnight, but you will gradually shed pounds and keep them off.
Posted by leah
Every diet has rules. If a diet works for you, it’s simply because the rules have had the effect of making you eat less food (nothwithstanding whatever magical claims a diet may make). Diet rules generally do this by making eating a little harder or less convenient, through restricting when or what you can eat. Throw in a little “scientific theory” for motivation, and you have a diet. And remember, no diet works for everybody.
Banana Diet Rules
Eat a banana for breakfast
* You can eat more than one, and in fact the inventor of the diet often ate four (smallish Philippines) bananas in the morning, but don’t stuff yourself to the point of fullness or discomfort.
* Eat only raw, uncooked, unfrozen bananas.
* Other fruit may be substituted.
* If other fruit is substituted, some variants require it be restricted to one type of fruit per meal.
* If you are still hungry 15 or 30 minutes after your banana, you can eat other food (the Japanese inventor of the original Asa Banana Diet sometimes ate a rice ball two and a half hours later, about 200 calories worth; Morning Banana forum members have suggested oatmeal, although it’s not as portable as a rice ball).
Eat normally for lunch and dinner
* Dinner must be eaten by 8 p.m. at the latest (6 p.m. is better).
* There are no explicit limits on the types of food you can eat for lunch and dinner, or the amount. But in practice dieters report on Mixi that they try to cut the amount of rice they eat and find substitutions for fried foods. As with many diets, the mere fact you have decided to go on a diet tends to make you more aware of what and how much you are are eating and how healthy it is. The diet avoids strict food rules to prevent a sense of deprivation.
* However, you should not eat a dessert with dinner or any of your meals; you’ll need to satisfy your sweet tooth during a snack, but we’ll get to that later.
* At all meals you should eat only until you’re satisfied but not full or stuffed. The Japanese have a proverb, Hara hachibu ni isha irazu, “A stomach eight-tenths full needs no doctor.” American dietitians define this level of fullness or satiety as a 7 on a 1-to-10 “hunger scale,” and they teach their clients to recognize this feeling.
Drink only water
* The only beverage allowed at most meals is water, preferably mineral or filtered.
* The water must be at room temperature, not chilled or hot.
* The water should be drunk in small sips and not used to wash down food.
* There is no quota of water to drink, and you should not drink it in excess.
* Outside of meals non-caloric beverages like tea, coffee, and diet soda are generally allowed but somewhat frowned upon, and in general water is encouraged as much as possible; frequent consumption of milk products is discouraged.
* On social occasions you may drink beer or wine.
Eat your food mindfully
* Chew your banana and other food thorouoghly and be mindful of its taste.
You may eat an afternoon snack
* A sweet snack of chocolate, cookies, or the like is allowed at about 3 p.m.
* Ice cream, a donut, or potato chips are not recommended.
* Some substitute fresh fruit for their snack, but if you want sweets you should not deny yourself.
* Some Japanese who like salty snacks eat salted konbu (seaweed) snacks and some Japanese who are very hungry in the afternoon substitute a filling, fist-sized rice ball for sweets.
* A good alternative if a salty or more filling snack is needed is popcorn according to Morning Banana forum members, but watch out for excessive fat content.
* If you are hungry after dinner, you may have a second snack of fresh fruit, but this should not be a habit.
Early to bed
* Go to bed by midnight. If you can manage to go to bed earlier, all the better.
* Try to aim for a four-hour period between your last meal or snack and bedtime (which is why 8:00 p.m. is the latest you should eat dinner).
Exercise only if you want to
* Put no pressure on yourself to exercise.
* If you want to exercise, go ahead: the test is to do what puts the least stress on you.
* But try to get some walking in every day if possible (but again, don’t force yourself if it stresses you out).
* If you want a traditional Japanese light workout, consider taking up the kendama.
Posted by leah
Search Yahoo for “papaya” and “kirstie” and you’ll find at least a hundred sites that claim papaya is single-handedly responsible for melting literally dozens of pounds off the body of a popular actress.
Virtually every food known to man being touted as the key ingredient in a new “miracle diet.” Grapefruit, broccoli, cabbage and even chocolate have been “scientifically proven” by a panel of seven-year-olds to “literally melt away the pounds” before your very eyes.
But what about the papaya? Is it the key ingredient, the silver bullet, the big kahuna and the magic potion all wrapped up in a low fat, gluten-free tortilla?
Searching the web for “papaya” and “diet” turns up some interesting results. Clicking from site to site one finds nearly identical copy on each site, as though there is one main “mother lode” of papaya information from which all papaya data flows.
A cursory scan of the available data shows that papaya is a great food that offers a good amount of benefit in a relatively small package. There are two varieties of papaya, one typically comes from Mexico and the other from Hawaii. The Mexican variety can grow to be rather large and the taste is more subtle than it’s Hawaiian cousin, but otherwise they are very similar and available year-around at most grocery stores or produce shops.
Papaya are high in Vitamin C, a good source of fiber, and probably best known for the enzyme papain, which is used commercially as a meat tenderizer. The more educational sites report that the enzyme (papain) helps the body to break down protein, which explains its use as a meat tenderizer.
As you move from the academic to the commercial sites, papain seems to evolve into “Super Enzyme” capable of not only breaking down protein, but also increasing your metabolism, digesting fats, assimilating carbohydrates, and even repainting your house while you sleep. Now that’s SUPER!
Follow the simple steps below and the pounds will begin to (slowly) melt away.
Step 1: Go to the grocery store and buy a nice papaya, about one pound in weight. Make sure that the papaya is not too ripe. When traveling to the store, it is preferable that you walk, as you’ll burn calories and fire up your metabolism. If not possible, park far from the store and walk across the parking lot.
Step 2: Bring your papaya home and keep it with you at all times. The key to this fantastic diet is keeping the papaya healthy and happy. Be sure your papaya gets plenty of sleep. Seven and a half hours each day is recommended. Keep your papaya hydrated. It should drink a gallon of water each day. Since your papaya doesn’t have a mouth, you’ll need to drink the water yourself. You’ll also have to eat for the papaya. When eating your papaya’s meals, keep your portions small and choose only healthy foods with a good mix of fruits and vegetables. It’s okay, the papaya will not be upset by this. Eat your food slowly and stop eating at the first sign of being full. Your papaya will become very agitated if you overeat. Skip desserts, as your papaya is most effective when you do not eat dessert.
Step 3: Be certain your papaya gets plenty of fresh air and exercise. The simplest and easiest way to accomplish this task is to set aside time to walk your papaya each day. Your papaya can be held in your bare hand or kept in a backpack/napsack. Purchase a pedometer and set a goal of carrying your papaya at least 10,000 steps each day. Doing so will almost ensure the success of the Papaya Diet.
Step 4: Eat the papaya and return to Step 1.
Most people think that the beauty of the Papaya Diet is its simplicity.
Posted by leah
Swimming Training Diet
The physical work that a swimmer endures is quite strenuous, requiring a lot of energy and concentration, but can be balanced by the correct swimming training diet. These athletes are instructed to follow a diet that is rich in carbohydrates, supplying them with all the energy they need. Consuming snacks and drinks that are high in carbs enable the swimmer to recover more quickly after training. In general, their swimming training diet should consist of foods that deliver a lot of energy, allowing them to get the most out of their training.
A typical breakfast for a swimmer on a training diet can include different types of cereals (oatmeal preferred), skimmed milk and fruits. Snacks are essential between meals, being given in the form of cereal or protein bars, low fat yogurts or fruits. As for the drinks, they can either go with water or sports drinks that will keep them well hydrated for training. For lunch, a swimming training diet could include a meat sandwich, which provides all the needed energy and nutrients. As for dinner, one can go with the classic combination between salads or vegetables and some lean meat (chicken, for example or fish). This meal plan for a swimmer on a training diet is based on the energy requirements of each individual swimmer.
Water is a very important part of the training diet. Swimmers are usually required to drink lots of fluids (2-3 L/day). The training can be quite intense and they need suitable fluids such as sports drinks, containing not only energizing carbohydrates, but also electrolytes. Dehydration can lead to vertigo, muscle cramps and headaches, so it is for the best that the swimmer drinks a lot of fluids in order to deliver the best performance.![]()
By including the correct quantity of major food groups in the swimming training diet, the swimmer can be certain that vitamin and mineral needs are met. It is important to include foods that are rich in iron, thus reducing the risk of an iron deficiency. Being organized is important for the swimmer’s physical wellbeing. A nutritionist is the only specialist who can suggest to the athlete what to eat before a major competition or after training. Dietary supplements should never be considered as the proper substitution for food, as they do not make up for poor nutrition. Coffee and other caffeine based drinks should be excluded from the start when beginning a swimming training diet.
Apart from carbohydrates, athletes need fats, proteins, minerals and vitamins. The amount of fats recommended depends of course on the time spent training. Proteins are also important for the body, with meat, fish and milk representing valuable sources. Athletes need vitamins and minerals, especially the ones pertaining to the B complex, iron, zinc and manganese. If not enough vitamins are found in the swimming training diet, they can always appeal to a dietary supplement prescribed by an experienced nutritionist.
There are five major food groups that swimmers should include into their swimming training diet.
* First is represented by cereals and grains, with wheat, oats and different types of cereals included. They provide the body with carbohydrates but also with iron and vitamins.
* Second group is fruits, with apples, bananas and grapes being perfect for the dietary needs of professional swimmers.
* Following closely, we have vegetables – lettuce, broccoli and beans – perfect for pouring healthy vitamins and minerals into the body. 
* Fourth food group is represented by milk and other milk-based products, with two to four servings needed on a daily basis.
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Last, but not least, we have the protein sources, including meat, eggs, beans and peanuts, with two to four servings per day.
When it comes to fruits, nutritionists recommend two to six servings; as for vegetables, three to seven servings are recommended. As swimmers need a lot of carbs, don’t be surprised when you find out that cereals are allowed up to fifteen servings daily in the swimming training diet.
Posted by leah
How to Get the Most Effective
Every diet has its cadre of followers and believers. However, every diet isn’t made for everyone. Most diets can be effective for dieters in the short term. The trick is finding a diet that you can live with and will continue to work as you maintain your new figure. Try a few of these tips to get the most effective diet for you.
Here are some steps on how to get the Most Effective Diets
1. Look at the research. Scientists spend a lot of time and resources studying the most effective diets. Most nutritionists call for taking in fewer calories and expending more through exercise. This diet will work for most people.
2.Consider other research for quicker weight loss that relies on slow-carbs. By eating carbohydrates that are high in protein, such as pasta and whole wheat bread, at every meal, dieters of all kinds lose weight at a considerably higher rate than those who stuck to strictly low-calorie diets. Cardiovascular health also is improved with a slow-carb diet.
3.Choose a diet that includes your favorite foods. This type of diet is the only kind of diet that you have any chance of sticking to. If you choose the high-protein diet that eliminates carbs, but you love pasta and bread, you will never be happy and won’t stick with it anyway.
4. Change your mind and change the way you eat. Many people opt for hypnosis or some other form of mind/body training to lose weight. Even if you just practice thinking before eating, you have a better chance of making your diet more effective.
5. Find a sport or exercise routine that you know will fit into your lifestyle and that you enjoy doing. If you are not a morning person, then don’t make yourself get up to go walking before work. You are setting yourself up for failure. However, if you like to watch TV in the evening for an hour, set up your entertainment room with exercise equipment and watch your shows while working out.
Posted by leah
While it’s not appropriate to put our children on a strict low fat diet, it is prudent to monitor what and how much they are eating. One-third of children in North and South America are considered to be overweight. About half of all children in North and South America are expected to be overweight by 2010 if current trends continue. How can we help our children eat better? We can start by limiting the amount of bad fats and refined sugars in their diet. Here’s how:
* Avoid any food that contains trans fats—many packaged cakes and cookies still have them, as well as canned cake frosting, which many kids can eat by the spoonful. Trans fats are easier to identify since new labeling laws came into effect in early 2006. Remember, fast-food chicken and fries are loaded with trans fat, too, so drive by your local fast-food joint, not through it!
* Routinely offer fruits, veggies and whole grain crackers at snack time instead of candy and cookies. For variety and interest, think beyond apples and bananas: slice some kiwifruit or mango; buy a pineapple; make a melon medley; offer blueberries; make fruit kebabs by cutting chunks of fruit and putting them on sticks, and have a low fat yogurt dip to accompany them
* It’s unrealistic to ban cookies and candy completely, so make them an occasional treat, and keep serving sizes small—no king-size bars or bags. Fun-size treats are perfect
* Try baked chips instead of regular chips, or offer pretzels instead, although they can be very salty. Air-popped popcorn—light butter only—is a good choice, but not served by the bucket!
* For lunch at home or school, make whole grain sandwiches (or wraps) with lean cuts of deli meat. Just a slice or two is all children need, not a New York deli-style sandwich that’s hard to bite into. Similarly if cheese is on the sandwich menu, one slice in the sandwich should be enough. Fill it with crunchy veggies or tomatoes if more “depth” is needed. Spread mayo thinly. Reduced fat mayo tastes very good, so there should be no complaints. Mild mustard is another option. Peanut butter sandwiches are actually ok, just limit the amount you spread
* Pack low fat yogurts in your kids’ lunch boxes, and small boxes of low fat milk, or bottles of water, instead of sugary drinks. Always pack at least one fruit offering in your kids’ lunches—dried or fresh, and preferably not immersed in syrup.
* Make your own muffins and cookies rather than offering over-sized fat- and sugar-filled bakery muffins or cookies. At least you can control portion sizes and slip in healthier ingredients like oats, shredded carrots, and dried fruit. Mini muffins make a nice lunch box treat
* Bake homemade chicken nuggets made from white-meat chicken dipped in egg white or buttermilk and coated in bread crumbs or trans-fat-free cracker crumbs. Same with fish
* Make your own healthier pizza by using a ready-made or ready-to-roll whole grain crust. Reduce the amount of cheese and meat, and add more veggies and sauce instead. No child needs to eat a whole 12-inch pizza. Monitor portions and offer a green salad instead of extra slices
* Make sweet potato fries or russet fries roasted in a hot oven with a small amount of oil instead of buying fast-food fries or deep-frying your own
* Make your own small lean burgers and slip in some shredded veggies or some mashed beans to the mix, and serve on a whole grain bun
* Try whole grain or omega-3-enriched pastas. My kids don’t notice a difference in taste. Serve with a tomato sauce, with or without veggies, and lightly sprinkle with cheese
* If your kids will eat tuna, see if they will eat canned salmon, an even better source of heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids
* Serve small baking potatoes with a lean chili filling or mild salsa instead of loading it with cheese, butter and sour cream
* Cook your family’s meals with cooking spray or sparing amounts of either olive oil or canola oil instead of butter, shortening or lard
Posted by leah
HEALTHY DIET
A healthy diet is one that helps maintain or improve health. It is important for the prevention of many chronic diseases such as: obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
A healthy diet involves consuming appropriate amounts all of the food groups, including an adequate amount of water. Nutrients can be obtained from many different foods, so there are a wide variety of healthy diets.
Food is any substance, usually composed of carbohydrates, fats, proteins and water, that can be eaten or drunk by an animal or human for nutrition or pleasure. Items considered food may be sourced from plants, animals or other categories such as fungus or fermented products like alcohol. Although many human cultures sought food items through hunting and gathering, today most cultures use farming, ranching, and fishing, with hunting, foraging and other methods of a local nature included but playing a minor role.
Most traditions have a recognizable cuisine, a specific set of cooking traditions, preferences, and practices, the study of which is known as gastronomy. Many cultures have diversified their foods by means of preparation, cooking methods and manufacturing. This also includes a complex food trade which helps the cultures to economically survive by-way-of food, not just by consumption.
Many cultures study the dietary analysis of food habits. While humans are omnivores, religion and social constructs such as morality often affect which foods they will consume. Food safety is also a concern with foodborne illness claiming many lives each year. In many languages, food is often used metaphorically or figuratively, as in “food for thought”.
Food sources
Almost all foods are of plant or animal origin, although there are some exceptions. Foods not coming from animal or plant sources include various edible fungi, such as mushrooms. Fungi and ambient bacteria are used in the preparation of fermented and pickled foods such as leavened bread, alcoholic drinks, cheese, pickles, and yogurt. Many cultures eat seaweed, a protist, or blue-green algae (cyanobacteria) such as Spirulina.[1] Additionally, salt is often eaten as a flavoring or preservative, and baking soda is used in food preparation. Both of these are inorganic substances, as is water, an important part of human diet.
Plants
Foods from plant sources
Many plants or plant parts are eaten as food. There are around 2,000 plant species which are cultivated for food, and many have several distinct cultivars.[2]
Seeds of plants are a good source of food for animals, including humans because they contain nutrients necessary for the plant’s initial growth. In fact, the majority of food consumed by human beings are seed-based foods. Edible seeds include cereals (such as maize, wheat, and rice), legumes (such as beans, peas, and lentils), and nuts. Oilseeds are often pressed to produce rich oils, such as sunflower, rapeseed (including canola oil), and sesame.[3] One of the earliest food recipes made from ground chickpeas is called hummus, which can be traced back to Ancient Egypt times.
Fruits are the ripened ovaries of plants, including the seeds within. Many plants have evolved fruits that are attractive as a food source to animals, so that animals will eat the fruits and excrete the seeds some distance away. Fruits, therefore, make up a significant part of the diets of most cultures. Some botanical fruits, such as tomatoes, pumpkins and eggplants, are eaten as vegetables.[4] (For more information, see list of fruits.)
Vegetables are a second type of plant matter that is commonly eaten as food. These include root vegetables (such as potatoes and carrots), leaf vegetables (such as spinach and lettuce), stem vegetables (such as bamboo shoots and asparagus), and inflorescence vegetables (such as globe artichokes and broccoli). Many herbs and spices are highly-flavorful vegetables.[5]
Animals
Animal source foods
Various raw meats
Animals can be used as food either directly, or indirectly by the products they produce. Meat is an example of a direct product taken from an animal, which comes from either muscle systems or from organs. Food products produced by animals include milk produced by mammals, which in many cultures is drunk or processed into dairy products such as cheese or butter. In addition birds and other animals lay eggs, which are often eaten, and bees produce honey, a popular sweetener in many cultures. Some cultures consume blood, some in the form of blood sausage, as a thickener for sauces, a cured salted form for times of food scarcity, and others use blood in stews such as civet.
Posted by leah
Is wine good for you?
In moderation, a glass or two can help your heart, prevent cancer and more..
Is wine good for you?In moderation and as part of an overall healthy diet, the short answer is yes!
Thanks to its alcohol content and non-alcoholic phytochemicals (natural occurring plant compounds), wine has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, certain cancers and slow the progression of neurological degenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s Disease.
However, the amount of wine you drink matters tremendously. Drink more than what’s recommended, your health benefits are lost and your health risks go up.
Here’s what’s considered safe and effective:
Men: No more than two drinks per day.
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Women: No more than one drink per day.
One drink is defined as a 5-ounce glass of red or white wine, 12 ounces of regular beer (1 bottle) or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.
The health benefits of wine
When it comes to wine’s health capabilities, here’s what we know:
It’s been well documented that moderate amounts of alcohol can raise your good cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol) and thin your blood. This is thought to be one of the primary cardiovascular benefits from wine (red and white), as well as hard liquor and beer.
Non-alcoholic phytochemicals in wine, such as flavanoids and resveratrol, act as antioxidants and prevent molecules known as “free radicals” from causing cellular damage in the body. Although some studies which have focused on the health benefits of resveratrol use much greater dosages than you’ll find in an average glass of wine, resveratrol has been shown to prevent blood clotting and plaque formation in arteries by altering lipid profiles and plasma viscosity. Findings from a recent study suggest that resveratrol can produce potent anti-thrombotic agents that can potentially improve cardiovascular health and lower the risk for coronary heart disease. In animal studies, resveratrol reduced tumor incidence by affecting one or more stages of cancer development.
The negative side of wine
Wine, however, is not for everyone. Certain medical conditions are worsened by the consumption of wine, so it’s vital you seek the advice of your personal physician. Here’s a few things to know:
* High Triglycerides: One downside to wine consumption is that it can elevate triglyceride levels, which is associated with health problems such as diabetes. Those who already have high triglycerides should, therefore, avoid or dramatically limit their wine (and alcohol) consumption.
* Breast Cancer Risk: Studies have shown alcohol can increase estrogen levels and raise tumor progression in women with (or at high risk for) estrogen positive breast cancer.
* Migraines: Wine is often a big trigger for people who suffer with migraine headaches. Although white wine contains more sulfites than red wine (sulfites are added to white wine to preserve its light color), red wine seems to be a much bigger migraine trigger. That’s probably due to the accumulation of histamines and tannins from prolonged contact with the skin.
* Weight Gain: People who drink alcohol also consume empty calories, calories that lack nutrients and can lead to weight gain.
o Five ounces white or red wine = approximately 120 calories. Drink a bottle of wine (4 glasses), and you’ll be consuming about 480 calories (that’s the equivalent of two 20-ounce Cokes!).
o Here’s how alcohol compares to carbohydrate/protein/fat:
1 gram carb = 4 calories
1 gram protein = 4 calories
1 gram fat = 9 calories
1 gram alcohol = 7 calories
Posted by leah
Worst Diets Ever: Diets That Don’t Work
Avoid these 3 types of diets for best weight loss results, experts say.
“Eat what you want, when you want, and watch the pounds disappear!” You’ve heard of them, maybe even tried them: miraculous-sounding diets that claim to melt off pounds with minimal effort. There are hundreds of these quick-fix diets out there, from the grapefruit diet to the detox diet to the “caveman” diet. But how do you tell legitimate weight loss plans from diets that don’t work (at least in the long run)?
One reason’s it’s so hard to tell the difference is that even the worst diets will likely result in weight loss, at least initially. But it does little good to lose weight, experts say, if it comes right back.
“Don’t be fooled into thinking it is because of some magical food, pill or potion. What causes weight loss is eating fewer calories than you burn, unbalanced diets cause weight loss because they are basically low-calorie diets.”
After a few weeks on an unrealistic diet, dieters usually become frustrated and give up. This leads to feelings of failure that can help send them right back to their unhealthy lifestyles.
“Fad diets not only fail to produce long-term weight loss, they can lead to deprivation, weight gain, and discouragement.other words, you are often worse off than before you started.
Worst Diets Ever
3 types of diets that are unlikely to produce long-term results for most people:
1. Diets that focus on only a few foods or food groups (like the cabbage soup diet, grapefruit diet, strict vegan diets, raw food diets, and many low-carb diets). Beware of any diet that rules out entire food groups. People need to eat from a variety of food groups to get all the nutrients they need.
While restrictive diets do work initially, they fail over the long haul. You can lose weight on diets that focus on single foods (like cabbage soup), but how much cabbage soup can a person eat? Before long, you grow weary of eating the same foods every day, and cravings for favorite foods lead you back to your former eating behavior.
Keep in mind that all foods can fit into a healthy lifestyle in moderation — even things like bacon, super-premium ice cream, and chips. And when diets forbid certain foods and dieters envision a life without their favorite treats, those diets usually fail. “Any time you restrict a certain food, it triggers cravings for the forbidden fruit and sets up a restriction-binge cycle.
And what about restrictive diets that offer a rewarding “cheat day”? May labels them “absurd.”
“It just doesn’t make sense to try to be perfect (whatever that is) on Sunday to Friday while obsessing about everything you are going to eat on Saturday.
2. “Detox” diets (like Master Cleanse, the Hallelujah Diet, and The Martha’s Vineyard Diet Detox). Extreme regimens calling for procedures like liver flushes, bodily cleanses, colonics, hormone injections, and more are highly suspect.
“All the flushes and cleanses are pure nonsense, unnecessary, and there is no scientific basis for these recommendations.Your body is well equipped with organs, such as the liver and kidneys, and the immune system, to rid itself of potential toxins and does an excellent job of cleansing itself without needing flushes or cleanses.”
3. Diets with ‘miracle’ foods or ingredients (like supplements, fructose water, bitter orange, green tea, apple cider vinegar). Dieters are always searching for the food, pill, or potion that will help them lose weight, but unfortunately, there are no such miracle ingredients. “No one single food or group of foods eaten together or at a certain time of day has any impact on weight loss.
Be leery of any plan that recommends a shelf full of supplements, enzymes, or potions (especially if you purchase them from the diet book author or company).
“You don’t need expensive supplements,. “If you want to take a once daily multivitamin for nutritional insurance, that is fine. but otherwise, get your nutrients from food.”
Posted by leah
What are diet and nutrition?
A person’s diet is made up of the food they eat. Nutrition is the way that the food people eat nourishes their bodies.
Good nutrition means your body is getting all the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals it needs to work at its best level. Eating a healthy diet is your main way to get good nutrition.
Most people know that a balance of good nutrition and physical activity can help them reach and maintain a healthy weight. But the benefits of good nutrition go beyond weight. Good nutrition can also:
* Improve cardiovascular and other body system functions, mental well-being, school/cognitive performance, and wound healing or recovery from illness or injury
* Reduce the risk for diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke, some cancers, and osteoporosis
* Increase energy and the body’s ability to fight off illness
Does everyone need the same things for good nutrition or a healthy diet?
No—A number of factors impact a person’s nutritional and dietary needs.
Different age groups have different nutritional needs, and people’s diets should meet those specific needs. For example, an infant needs a different diet and nutrition than a teenager. Likewise, the nutritional needs and diet of a pregnant woman are different than those of an elderly man.
In addition, factors such as a person’s height and current weight, current health status, and activity level also affect what kinds of nutrients they need and how much they need.
What are some tips for healthy eating?
Some general tips for healthy eating include:
* Eat a variety of fruits and vegetables – Eat fruit that is fresh, frozen, canned, or dried rather than fruit juice for most of your fruit choices. Eat dark green vegetables, orange vegetables, and beans and peas.
* Get your calcium-rich foods. Get 3 cups of low-fat or fat-free milk, or other dairy products, such as yogurt and cheese. You can also try dark green, leafy vegetables, lactose-free milk products, and calcium-fortified foods and beverages for your calcium needs.
* Make half your grains whole. Eat at least 3 ounces of whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, or pasta every day. Look to see that grains such as wheat, rice, oats, or corn are referred to as “whole” in the list of ingredients.
* Go lean with protein. Choose lean meats and poultry. And vary your protein choices with more fish, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds.
* Know the limits on fats, salt, and sugars. Read the Nutrition Facts label on foods. Look for foods low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars. Saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol tend to raise “bad” (LDL) cholesterol levels in the blood, which in turn increases the risk for heart disease.
How do I know if I’m eating a healthy diet?
In general, a healthy diet—one that gives your body balanced nutrition—includes these actions:
* Make smart choices from every food group
* Find your balance between food and physical activity
* Get the most nutrition out of your calories
