Todays Diets Whats Hot!

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Todays Diets Whats Hot!


For the person who wants to shed a few pounds (or even a lot of pounds), there are many choices of diet programs. To pick the best one for your tastes and lifestyle, you need to look at the attributes of each diet plan. A listing of just a few is below.

L. A. Weight Loss

L. A. Weight Loss is based on a unique combination of regular foods that you purchase at your local grocery store or in a restaurant. Each diet plan is personalized and includes one-on-one counseling.

Weight Watchers

Weight Watchers includes eating regular foods that you purchase at your local grocery store or in a restaurant. However, there is no pre-set combination of food for each day. Foods are assigned points. As long as you do not exceed your points each day, you can eat whatever you want. You will of course want to vary your food to include all of the food groups in your daily diet. Group meetings or internet tracking is available.

Jenny Craig

Jenny Craig includes food that is already prepared and pre-packaged for you. This saves you time and makes choosing what to eat very easy. They also recommend physical activity as a way to accelerate your weight loss. You meet with a personal counselor each week to discuss successes and challenges.

Nutrisystem

Nutrisystem food that is already prepared and pre-packaged for you. This saves you time and makes choosing what to eat very easy. You can order your foods on-line, and they are delivered right to your door. Most of the food includes low Glycemic Index carbohydrates which make losing weight easier. You have the option of calling or emailing your counselor so that you do not have to attend any meetings.

Finding the right diet program can be easy if you do your research. The important thing is to get on a program and stick to it. Diet, exercise, and counseling seem to provide the proper ingredients for lasting weight loss.

Copyright 2005 Susan Daniel and Debbie Overstreet

About Susan and Debbie: Susan and Debbie are internet marketers. You can review more articles and Web sites on diets and weight loss by visiting http://www.thedietstartstomorrow.com.

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Tips for Effective Muscle Building Diets


One of the biggest mistakes many new bodybuilders make is that they don't pay attention to their muscle building diets with the same detail, desire and determination with which they pay attention to their weight training program.

You constantly see people throw out numbers such as your weight training program is 85% of your results or that muscle building diets are 95% of your results. I've always rolled my eyes at these sorts of statements and found them rather silly. No one can know for sure how to break this down.

But I can tell you this, if you neglect (or ignore completely) one or the other, whether it be your training or muscle building diets, your results will only be a fraction of what they could be - if you get any results at all!

So let's talk about the importance of your diet and nutrition plan in your quest to gain pounds of quality muscle masss.

The truth is, no one will ever gain muscle without food. Muscle building nutrition for muscle gain is simply a matter of eating. But that doesn't mean there isn't a lot to learn. Stuffing your face with the wrong type of food, or just eating 1 or 2 large meals a day isn't the way to gain muscle. You'll just end up with the other weight problem. That's right, even if you are lifting properly, you'll find yourself adding more fat than muscle to your body. And no bodybuilder I know wants to do that.

High quality protein should be the center point of all your meals. Intense exercise increases demand for protein, which support muscle repair and growth. When you train with weights, you should eat a minimum of 1.5 grams of protein per pound of bodyweight.

If you weight 150 pounds, try and take in at least 225 grams of protein each and every day. I know this sounds like a lot and you could probably do okay with 1 gram of protein per pound of bodyweight. But if you find it really difficult to gain muscle, this extra protein can help.

Here's a good starting guide for the number of calories you need to eat in your musclde building diets. A simple, yet highly accurate formula is to multiply your bodyweight by 20. For example, if you weight 150 lbs, you need at least 3,000 calories per day to maintain your bodyweight.

To grow and build muscle, you'll need more. Here's a quick guideline based on your weight. Remember, these numbers are for underweight people with high metabolisms trying to build lots of muscle quickly.

175 pounds and under - add 400 calories per day

176-200 ponds - add 500 calories per day

201 pounds and over - add 600 calories per day

To break down what you need in your muscle building diets:

Eat A Lot of Protein - At least 1 gram of protein per pound of body weight, preferably more.

Eat A Lot of Calories - If your goal is to gain weight fast, you most likely have little body fat and a high metabolism. While in the gaining weight stage, don't worry about adding a little bit of fat during your gaining weight phase. A good rule of thumb to start with is to multiply your body weight by 20 to get the number of calories you should be consuming each day.

If you weigh 150 pounds you should be consuming at least 3,000 calories a day. If you find, after a couple of weeks you haven't added any weight, you'll need to increase this number. This is just a starting guide. If you have a really high metabolism and you are working as hard as you should, you may need to increase your caloric intake.

Eat 6 meals a Day - This makes sure your body has the protein and calories it needs at all times. It also allows you to eat the high number of calories that you need.

Use Protein Shakes - This will make it easier for you to consume enough calories and protein each day, as well as making it much more convenient to have 6 meals a day.

Here's a sample weight gain drink you can make up and use in your muscle building nutrition program.

100 grams of protein powder

2 quarts of whole or 2% Milk

2 cups of skim milk powder

2 cups of chocolate ice cream

4 tablespoons of peanut butter

1 banana

Mix in a blender and drink throughout the day, in addition to your regular food meals.

Add or subtract ingredients based on individual taste preferences and number of calories needed.

Gregg Gillies is the founder of http://www.buildleanmuscle.com and has contributed articles to Ironman magazine and is a regular contributor to Body Talk magazine. He publishes a free newsletter availabe at Build Lean Muscle He is the author of two books, also available at his site.

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The Non-Diet Diet


Diets don't work. If they did the U.S. of A. would be the thinnest, trimmest nation in the world, with over 40 million Americans spending billions each year on weight loss products. In fact, the opposite is true. The Center for Disease Control claims that at least 65% of adults are overweight or obese. With the growing list of woes associated with obesity, including heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, the weight problem in America has become a serious concern. Yet we continue to look to fad diets as the answer to this serious problem - as if living on bacon and eggs, cabbage soup, or low-calorie meal replacement drinks could ever be construed as a healthy solution.

A review of popular diet programs conducted by the University of Pennsylvania and published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, stated that most weight loss programs offered little or no proof that participants were successful in loosing weight or keeping weight off in the long run. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has stated that of the millions of people that diet, less than 5% of those who actually loose weight will be able to keep it off in the years to come. It has been surmised that a dieter may shed approximately 100 pounds in the course of a lifetime, but gain back 120 lbs. One benefit of weight loss organizations, however, was group support. Dieters who joined support groups appeared to loose more weight than those who decided to go it alone.

Fad diets themselves bring with them a plethora of health concerns. Restrictive low calorie diets can be self-defeating. The body's metabolism slows moving the system into energy conservation mode and holding on to every calorie for future use instead of burning it. Precious muscle mass is broken down, and low lethargy occurs. Low carbohydrate diets can result in dehydration and constipation. The risk of heart disease is escalated due to the increase of bad cholesterol found in animal fats. When nutritional integrity of the body is threatened due to the elimination of a particular food group, the dieter is at risk for many health problems including osteoporosis, certain types of cancers, immune system issues, electrolyte imbalances, and eating disorders. And with diets, as opposed to permanent lifestyle changes, the probability of gaining back what you have lost, and then some, is high.

In a culture obsessed with physical perfection perhaps we must evaluate how we think about weight in general. Are we dieting to be healthy, or just thin? If the later is the objective, then further investigation into dieting motivation may be necessary, but if health is the ultimate goal, then looking at lifestyle changes may the place to start. Are you an emotional eater, have a compulsive sweet tooth, or someone who eats out of boredom? Do you eat fresh foods or only things that come in a box, bag, or through a drive-up window? What is the overall condition of your health? Is your lifestyle sedentary or active? What type of physical activities do you enjoy? Questions like these help you build the foundation for creating a customized Non-Diet Diet - a common sense plan for living that will result weight loss, elevated energy levels, and improved health and well-being.

Quick fixes usually result in long term failures, and while the answer to America's weight problem may not come in the form of a magic diet, it need not be extremely complicated either. Maintaining a sensible meal plan, including complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, good fats, fruit and vegetables, and sweets in moderation, exercising regularly, and maintaining a healthy attitude regarding the weight/health connection may be the simple answer you've been looking for.

Deborah Martin is a writer, life coach, and co-founder of The Woman Project. For more information regarding her Non-Diet Diet and other programs visit her website at http://www.dreamlearncreate.com .

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The Hidden Truth About Diets


Quick, what's the first thought that pops into your head when you hear the word "diet?" Probably that when you're on one, you feel like you're going to "d-i-e" right?!

WHAT EXACTLY IS A DIET?

Most people believe that a diet is something that involves pain, suffering, and giving up foods we enjoy. Some of the symptoms of "being on a diet" usually include being hungry and cranky all the time. But this is not really the true meaning of the word and if you get hung up on all the negative stuff, you'll miss the entire concept.

Webster's dictionary defines a "Diet" as:

a: food and drink regularly provided or consumed;
b: habitual nourishment;
c: the kind and amount of food prescribed for a person for a special reason.

In other words, it's what we regularly or habitually eat and drink to nourish our bodies. That's not so bad. But here's the hidden truth that will turn your understanding of diets on its head and practically guarantee that you'll reach whatever weight goal you desire: Being "on a diet" really means having a plan for your eating instead of eating according to any spur-of-the-moment mood or habit. That's it!

This is so simple. But then most basic truths are. However, it's extremely powerful if you take the time to think about it and fully understand what it means. Let me say it again so that you don't miss it: Being on a diet really means having what you eat controlled by a PLAN instead of by your moods or habits.

WHY MOST DIETS DON'T WORK

The reason most diets don't work is because of the extreme measures most of them require. Some force you to give up everything except cabbage soup, or everything except meat and meat products, or everything except salads. This is not only monotonous, it's also pretty harsh -- not only harsh to stick with, but harsh on your physical wellbeing as well.

True, a monotonous diet is often effective at losing weight over the short term (ie: the Atkins Diet) but you have to wonder if you aren't giving up a part of your health in the process (ie: ketosis, acidosis, etc). Many conventional diets put the body in a highly acidic state which can create a number of health problems.

Our bodies are designed to absorb vitamins, nutrients, and minerals from a wide variety of foods and a monotonous diet runs directly counter to that. It simply isn't natural, and is the main reason most conventional diets just don't work in the long run.

THE RIGHT WAY TO DIET

The right way to diet is to think of dieting as a system of correct eating. Your diet should include a balanced plan for a variety of foods, taken in moderate amounts, and in the proper combination. Eat when you're hungry, not when the clock says it's lunch or dinner time.

So forget the fad diets that don't work and get started on planning a diet that you can stick with over the long term. This is the balanced approach to good health and nutrition, and it's an approach that you can live with for the rest of your life.

Hiram Perez has made good health a lifelong study. Find other simple and common sense techniques to improve your health by signing up for a free 5-part email mini-course at the Balance Your Health website.

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Lets face when it comes to overweight and obesity there are 2 basic facts we have to take into account.

First, dieting is a huge industry.

Second, Industries live by getting and keeping customers and not by loosing them.

Sounds sarcastic? Maybe it is, but the fact of the matter is that if you buy a dieting product for a specific time and you do not need it any more after, say, 6 weeks you are a lost costumer. If all customers would do the same the business would cannibalize itself by curing diseases it is living from.

And, because the above fact is a general principle in every business (keep your customers and make them buy constantly) and industry I can think about, huge amount of the players run by the same mind set. Maybe the pharmaceutical and food industry for example?

Was only a question not a statement.

Bottom-line the interest in keeping people healthy, at a healthy weight or help them through dieting to get there and stay there without a need for their products anymore is at best very limited by those who make a living out of selling things like drugs, diet food or even restaurant and fast food chains.

Keep an open mind and raise all kinds of questions before you decide to use any industry dieting product to loose weight. The common experience is that weight loss using certain products without a change in mind set (more on this later) leads to building up weight again after a short period of success.

How many times have you dieted, lost some weight just to get it back and maybe even more of it only months after you ended your diet? See what I mean?

Think about it for a moment. Why does our body store more and more fat in their tissue? Maybe because it gets nutrition it can not use up within an appropriate time?

In fact our body is a very efficient system that makes sure all cells get energy and it can survive without getting fed for some time by storing energy in the form of fat. Just in case of a famine.

If we incorporate more food on a constant basis than our body can use up, we store more and more fat in our tissue transform it into energy and let the cells use it . This in turn makes us more immobile and puts extra tear and wear on our skeleton, especially the joints.

Worse, after we gained weight our tendency for moving gets weaker and weaker, because moving becomes more and more painful.

Classical vicious cycle. The only way to balance the additional energy and prevent it from becoming stored as fat would be additional movement, that is getting the cells (especially the muscle cells) to work more and to use up more energy. Yet, this doesnt happen. We get more and more propelled into a dont move behavior.

There is a second reason for overeating that adds to the issue. Eating feels sooooo gooood. Right?

We all link massive joy and pleasure to eating. Which makes sense as it helps us survive. The problem is, that we link massive pleasure to a nutrition that doesnt keep us healthy.

Now, at some point in time the pain of being fat even if we only believe it becomes more evident and we look for a way to reduce our stored energy.

We are ready for a diet. We are ready to take some short term pain for the outlook of long term pleasure.

Now we look for a way to keep the pain at a minimum. The industry answer is often using something that makes us feel we have a full stomach. We buy the wonder drug and start dieting.

Once we done that our body starts thinking, hey, a famine and releases some of the fat to overcome the threat. All the while we consciously fight with the pain of not eating what we like to eat but are still committed to follow through.

At the end of the famine, that is at the end of your dieting you have lost weight. But now your mind and your body are sad of the famine (your body) and the pain it brought (your mind).

You deserve pleasure, so you start eating all the nice stuff you have missed so long and have linked pleasure to. At the same time your body starts to immediately store fat again, just to be prepared for the next famine.

The result is devastating. You gain your weight back quicker than you would have built it up in the first place.

This is the reason why diets usually do not work.

What you need to constantly reduce your weight to a healthy level is threefold.

First you need to switch to a nutrition that is healthy and balanced (and fast food and convenience food does not go into this category).

Second you need to stop starving (dieting) to convince your body there is no more famine to come and it does not have to exploit every piece of energy your fed it.

Third you need to find a way to turn around your beliefs about what is pleasurable and what is painful when it comes to eating.

If you dont turn your beliefs about how pleasurable eating a healthy nutrition is (yes it is really as pleasurable as any other food) and on the other side build up a belief how disgusting the old kind of food is you are not going to succeed.

Turning your beliefs is certainly the most unusual advice you heard. But it is the only way to ensure you will constantly keep your weight at a healthy level.

If you have to fight pain, if you have to fight the feeling of a loss (I can never eat chocolate) you always will link pain to where you are and as soon as the pain level gets to high you will do something against it. This do something is eat the stuff you have linked pleasure to like fast-food, chocolate or whatever.

Once you done this you feel guilty and that is painful. Guess what your reaction will be to overcome that painful guilt? Yes, eat some more as it is the pleasure of the moment that makes you overcome the pain of guilt.

Bottom line. Overweight is not resolved by dieting, overweight is resolved through change in our mind. Dieting without changing what we connect pain and pleasure to has only two effects, it ensures that the producers of diet products have a constant income stream from you and it makes sure you spend money without getting the results you expect.

Do you think it is worth a second thought if I might be right? You can have the weight you want constantly and without any effort. All you have to do is change what you link pain and pleasure to.

How? There are many ways to do this but you need some assistance either through books or, better from a real person that is trained and knowledgeable in this area like NLP practitioners or Ericsonian hypnotists (see my article about hypnosis on that topic).

This article may published freely only in its whole including all appendices.

2005 by Norbert Haag

A complimentary copy of any newsletter or a link to the site where the article is posted is greatly appreciated.

Norbert Haag is a business consultant, entrepreneur and sought after speaker for more than 20 years. His company - Online Business Coach http://www.onlinebusinesscoach.com - provides information and services for online businesses, small business owners and freelancers. You can reach Norbert at nhaag@onlinebusinesscoach.com.

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