Weight Loss Article - The Curves Diet Plan

February 8th, 2007 webmaster

Try as we might, we cannot be creative all the time. Not all ideas are original enough and the harder you try, the more difficult it seems to get something decent out of your own head. This is one of the reasons why some people simply use something that has already been proved to work, add a little twist and try to pass it off as a new idea. The Internet, for instance, is choke full of websites, topics, design concepts and blogs are are nothing more than a poor rehash of a good idea. Diets are like that, too.

This one is not particularly original, despite sustained attempts to come across like a whole new and different idea. The theory behind the diet is that a high-protein, low-carb diet coupled with a lot of exercising will help you build muscle in order to keep metabolism high and burn a lot of calories. A high metabolism allows you to lose weight faster and to make sure you stay in shape for years, because it will be harder to put on weight in the future. Nothing new here; it looks like a variation of the Atkins diet (or any other low-carb diet for that matter).

Users can choose between two eating plans, depending on which suits them better. The Carbohydrate-Sensitive Plan reduces the intake of carbs to 20 grams per day for the first two weeks, increasing to 40-60 grams per day after this period. The second plan is called the Calorie-Sensitive Plan and it focuses on limiting carbs to 60 grams per day and calories to 1,200 for the same two weeks, moving up to 1,600 later on. The second phase of the plan is supposed to last for five weeks or until you’ve reached the desired weight and are preparing to return to normal food.

The eating plan is supplemented by exercises and some recommended vitamins and minerals. However, just like in the case of the Atkins diet, most carbs are off limits for both eating plans, which leaves the user eating a lot of low-fat, high-protein foods in order to keep hunger contained. This means no bread, no pasta or wholegrains, no fruit and only a few vegetables. By sticking to this diet you can expect to drop between 6 and 10 pounds during the first two weeks and between 1 and 2 pounds per week in the second phase.

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Weight Loss Article - The Coconut Diet

February 7th, 2007 webmaster

Some people are willing to sell anything and this is why some bad ideas are actually launched on the market, much to the dismay of unsuspecting customers who are duped by the hype and advertising. One such bad idea is the Coconut Diet, which is yet another of those diets that add some kind of miracle ingredient to a strict eating program and hope that everything turns out great. The magic ingredient in this case is the coconut oil and its metabolism boosting capacity. It seems that coconut oil can be rapidly burnt by the body, despite the fact that it is rich in saturated fats.

This diet is in fact a regular low-carb diet, very similar to Atkins. During the first stage of the diet, users are not allowed to eat any kind of carbohydrates and must do with lean foods, such as eggs, nuts, cheese, fish, chicken, turkey and up to 10 glasses of water per day. They also have to swallow 2-3 tablespoons of coconut oil per day. The first stage lasts for three weeks, only to be followed by an optional detox stage. This stage lasts for 4 weeks and focuses on cleansing the liver, kidneys, gallbladder and colon through certain interesting means (such as drinking water mixed with lemon juice and olive oil).

The third stage of the diet is the reintroduction of carbohydrates in the daily eating plan. Starting with fruit, wholegrains and potatoes, the dieter is once more allowed to eat carbs. It is assumed that the dieter has lost more than 10 pounds by this point and still maintaining a weight loss pace of 1-2 pounds per week. The fourth stage of the diet means that even more carbohydrates are added to the eating plan, while still drinking coconut oil.

Unfortunately, the person behind this diet provides no sound explanation for the alleged positive influence of coconut oil on weight loss. While it’s true that coconut oil helps regulate the thyroid gland, it has far too much saturated fat to be healthy. Furthermore, it’s not very clear whether the coconut oil plays any kind of role in this diet, since the weight loss can easily be ascribed to the strict “no carbohydrates” eating plan. Most dieting experts and dietitians agree that access to saturated fats should be limited during diets, so it’s pretty strange to see one that claims the opposite.

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Weight Loss Article - The GI Plan diet

February 6th, 2007 webmaster

One of the most interesting ideas to take the dieting industry by storm is the Glycemic Index. The index was compiled in the early 1980s at the University of Toronto and is a ranking system for carbohydrates based on their immediate effect on blood glucose levels. Carbohydrates that break down rapidly during digestion and are easily converted to glucose have the highest glycemic indexes. Those who break down slowly and gradually release glucose into the blood stream have a low index. The low glycemic index means that the body absorbs less sugars and starches from foods which fall into this category.

The GI Plan diet is based on the idea that it is better to eat plenty of foods with a low glycemic index because the steady and gradual release of glucose into the blood will provide energy for a longer time while keeping the feeling of hunger at bay. Foods with a high GI will make you feel full for a short while, but the feeling passes fast and you find yourself reaching for something to eat long before the next meal of the day comes around. The second part of the GI Plan diet is to combine the original glycemic index with a ranking based on the calorie content of each food.

Like other diets, this one is split into several phases. The initial two-week phase is built around eating 17 points worth of food per day for women and 22 for men. The points are based on both the amount of bad carbs and calories found in food. One of the good things about this diet is the liberty granted to users. As long as you stick to the number of points, you can eat anything you want. The second phase of the diet is the longer one, because this is where the shedding happens. The number of points is raised to 20 for women and 25 for men.

The last phase of the diet begins once you’ve reached your goal and its aim is to maintain the weight achieved. This diet encourages the consumption of wholemeal pasta, wholegrain cereals, vegetables and fruits over white bread and doughnuts. Users can expect to lose up to 2 pounds a week on the average, although the first two weeks are known to cause a much more significant loss of weight. Again, this is not unique to the GI Plan, but the normal response of the body before the starvation mode kicks in.

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