Low Carb Diet Plan - How to Avoid the Pitfalls of a Low Carb Diet Plan

The low carb diet plan, more commonly known as the Atkins Diet, has been popular with dieters since the 1970's. This diet offers rapid weight loss because starchy foods such as pasta, rice, potatoes, bread, peas and corn are not allowed.

Unfortunately, this weight loss plan has gotten a bad rap in recent years because it has made a number of people ill. This is mostly because people forget to use their heads when making food choices.

Here are the 3 most common pitfalls of the low carb diet plan and how you can avoid them.

1. Choose your protein wisely. Just because you are reducing your carbs, that doesn't give you free reign to overindulge in bacon, sausage, cheese and other high fat proteins. This is the single biggest mistake most people make.




The Fix: The best choices are skinless chicken breasts, seafood, and extra lean cuts of beef or pork. Bake, broil or grill for the lowest fat content. You might also include whey protein powder or low fat cottage cheese.

2. Eating too few carbohydrates for too many days in a row. This is the second biggest mistake made. Cutting carbs to less than 100g for days or weeks at a time results in fatigue, mood swings, mental fogginess and the dreaded weight loss plateau.

The Fix: For every 3 days of low carb eating, take 1 day to add a serving of healthy carbs to each meal. This helps your body refuel and will help keep you from hitting a weight loss plateau. Remember, this is a low carb diet plan, not a no carb diet.

3. Not eating the right type of fat. Closely related to the #1 pitfall of eating too many fatty meats is not eating enough of the right kind of fat. The right kind of fat with help you lose weight faster.

The Fix: Cook with olive oil or coconut oil and supplement with fish or flax oil. I recommend fish oil because the body doesn't have to convert it to a usable form. These are much healthier alternative.

A low carb diet plan can be a very effective tool for weight loss, but only if it's done right.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Ariel_Knight/151741

Lose Tummy Fat - 8 Fat Burning Foods You Should Be Eating!

Everyone knows how important a healthy and balanced diet is for fast and healthy weight loss. The foods listed below have been proven to aid in any fat loss diet. Base your diet around these 8 foods, eating sensible portions divided into 6 meals a day and you will see dramatic results quickly. These are unrefined foods in their natural state that are not only extremely healthy, they are filling too.

1. Oatmeal

This is the best complex carbohydrate to be eating in your quest to lose tummy fat. Oatmeal contains a combination of protein, fat and carbohydrate. The starchy carbohydrates also score very well on the glycemic index meaning that it causes a slow and steady rise in your blood sugar levels. This means you'll stay full all morning without feeling the need to reach for the cookie jar!

2. Sweet potatoes and yams

Yams and sweet potatoes are starchy carbohydrates full of vitamins, especially beta carotene, the anti-oxidant which gives these vegetables their distinctive orange colour. As with oatmeal, they score very positively on the glycemic index.




3. Whole grain and whole wheat foods

Whole wheat and whole grain products are full of vitamins, minerals and fibre. They are also filling to prevent you getting sugary cravings which will set you back on your plan to lose tummy fat. You must make sure, however, that you avoid white bread and anything else made from white flour which is nutritionally worthless and will cause a quick rise and then fall in your blood sugar levels.

4. Green vegetables

Green vegetables are full of fibre, vitamins and minerals and are mostly made up of water so they are extremely low in calories. These foods are so good for you and so light in calories that you can eat as many as you want everyday. A diet of green vegetables and protein will cause you to lose tummy fat in no time at all.

5. Fruit

No real surprises here either. Although fruits are simple carbohydrates (and your diet should be built around complex carbohydrates) they mainly consist of natural sugars. They are also packed with vitamins, minerals and fibre and are low in calories.

6. Poultry

Eating the breast of either chicken or turkey is a quick fire way to lose tummy fat. Remove the skin and avoid the wings and thighs (which are higher in fat). Also, make sure the meat isn't fried. Eating chicken and turkey breast will add a high quality and filling protein source to your diet whilst keeping calories low.

7. Eggs 

Or, more specifically, egg whites. Egg whites are as near to a perfect food as you can get being high in protein and containing absolutely no fat. All of the fat is in the yolk. This isn't to say that you shouldn't eat the yolk. Indeed, most of the vitamins and minerals are in the yolk. A good rule of thumb is to eat one yolk out of every three eggs.

8. Fish

There are so many benefits to eating a diet high in fish when trying to lose tummy fat. There are so many varieties to choose from. Oily fish is especially beneficial as it is high in omega 3 fatty acids. Fish is a great protein source. A diet mainly consisting of fish and fibrous green vegetables has been proven to be highly effective in aiding fat loss.




Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/May_Wu/467575

12 Amazing Power Foods to Build Muscle and Burn Fat to Keep You Healthy For Life

If you add these 12 power foods into your daily diet, your body will work effectively to build lean muscle mass and burn fat more efficiently.

Not only will these super foods build muscle and promote weight loss - it will strengthen your bones, lower blood pressure, fight cancer, improve your immune function and fight against heart disease.

No matter what age you are, here are the 12 power foods to build muscle and burn fat (and keep you healthy for life)-




1) Non salted or smoked Almonds and other nuts
- Also great for controlling carvings
- Eat with skin intact

2) Beans and other legumes (including soybeans, chickpeas, pinot beans, navy beans, kidney beans and lima beans)
- Also helps to regulate digestion
- Avoid refried beans (high in saturated fats) and baked beans (high in sugar)

3) Spinach and other green vegetables
- Also helps to fight the molecules that accelerates the aging process
- Avoid frying vegetables and adding fatty cheese sauces

4) Fat free or low fat milk, yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese
- Also build strong bones
- Avoid whole milk and frozen yogurt

5) unflavored, unsweetened oatmeal
- Great for energy, and fights against cholesterol and maintaining blood sugar levels
- Avoid flavored cereals

6) Eggs
- Eggs has the highest levels of protein of any food
- Protein in eggs are more effective for building muscle than any other protein from other sources, including milk and beef
- Contains vitamin B12, which helps to breakdown fat

7) Turkey and lean steak, chicken, fish
- Also improves the immune system
- No sausage, bacon, cured meats, ham, fatty cuts of steak like T-bone and rib eye

8) All natural, sugar free peanut butter
- Also boosts testosterone

9) Olive Oil
- Lowers cholesterol and boosts your immune system
- Avoid vegetable and hydrogenated vegetable oils, trans fatty acids, margarine

10) Whole Grain Breads and Cereals
- Stops the body from storing fat
- Avoid processed or refined carbs such as white bread, bagels, doughnuts and pasta made from white flour

11) Extra Protein Whey powder
- No soy protein

12) Raspberries and Other Berries
- Great for protecting your heart, improving your eye sight and memory, preventing cravings
- No sweetened jellies

Each of these healthy foods and weight loss boosters will keep you full longer on less calories.
And the best part is they all taste really good.

As a guideline, consider eating 3 standard meals and 3 smaller meals - add two or three of these foods into your three major meals and at least one of the foods into your snacks.

Do this along with exercise, you will build muscle and burn fat to keep you healthy!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Jason_Oh/39595

What Fruits Help With Weight Loss? - Top 3 Fruits For Fat Burning

There are many reasons you should include fruits as a part of your healthy meals for losing weight. Not only do all fruits contain high amounts of fiber for proper digestion some even have the ability to prevent type 2 diabetes. The top 3 fruits that help with weight loss include:

- Low Gi Fruits Apricots 

Low gi diets and foods are becoming increasingly popular due to the fact that they don't affect your blood sugar or cause a spike in insulin which helps to prevent heart conditions and diabetes.

You will find more fruits have a low glycemic index and thus give the body a steady source of fuel instead of rushing into your body. The lowest are apricots and cherries.




- High Fiber Fruit Grapefruit

Its true all fruits contain high amounts of fiber which are especially useful for combating stomach fat and by eating high fiber fruits you can help your digestive system remove toxins from the body and better process nutrients and expel waste.

All fruits have a high fiber count but for example an orange has 7 grams, apple 5, banana four but a whole grapefruit will give you a whopping 12 grams of fiber giving your body to help avoid fat storage and feel healthy.

- Prevent Type 2 Diabetes Chinese Bitter Melon

Recent studies revealed the Chinese bitter melon has amazing properties for blood sugar lowering and improving insulin resistance making it a great food to help fight the onset of type 2 diabetes.

It has the ability to moderate your bodies sugar levels and ensure that they don't spike when you eat high carbohydrate and sugary foods. Look for the extract in your health food shops if you are interested.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Samantha_Astin/540162