The South Beach diet was developed by a practicing cardiologist, Dr. Arthur Agatston. Dr Agatston did not initially set out to develop a weight-loss plan. He simply got frustrated when his patients, when following the standard, low-fat American Heart Association diet, failed to lose weight or improve their blood chemistry. He then developed a new diet specifically for his patients, which later became the basis for The South Beach Diet, an international best seller. The South Beach Diet was first published in April 2003 and has been on the New York Times best seller list for more than 96 consecutive weeks, with more than 8.5 million copies in print. It was #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list for 38 weeks.
The diet is formulated on the premise that many of us are addicted to carbohydrate foods. Many experts commented that the South Beach diet is really just a revised version of the Atkins Diet. Both of these diets kick off with a first stage designed to get rid of addiction to high levels of carbohydrate consumption. The South Beach diet varies from Atkins in that it consists of three instead of four phases. While the first and last phases of both diets are very similar, the middle two phases of the Atkins Diet has been replaced by a single stage in the South Beach Diet. As result of this difference the typical rate at which South Beach followers lose weight is lower than that of Atkins followers, but fans claim that the South Beach diet is easier to stick to since it offers greater variety at an earlier stage in the diet.
The South Beach Diet is introduced as a balanced weight-loss and maintenance plan that encourages people to eat a variety of foods, such as lean sources of protein, reduced fat cheeses and dairy products, legumes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and good fats like olive and canola oil. Snacking is encouraged along with approved sweet treats and desserts on a daily basis. The glycemic index (is a ranking system for carbohydrates based on their effect on blood sugar) plays a critical role in the diet, as it forms the basis for Agatston’s advice on how to choose the best carbohydrates to accompany a meal. The concept of the glycemic index (considered with the actual glycemic load) is generally accepted as a crucial component of healthy diets nowadays.
Continue reading ‘Review of the South Beach Diet’
NutriSystem, Inc. regards itself as a leading provider of weight management products and services and developed its solid reputation in the weight management industry over the last 35 years. It offers clients a wide range of prepackaged and home-delivered meals, making it the ideal weight loss program for busy career women or home executives with too much to do and too little time. And then, of course, it offers a great alternative to fattening take-out foods for those that simply don’t enjoy spending time in the kitchen.
This proven program uses the “good carb”, or low GI (low Glycemic Index) concept in conjunction with heart healthy ingredients and natural fiber to provide customers with nutritious, healthy and balanced meals. Portion control is a key feature of the program, and is easily enforced through the ready made meals. Customers simply decide on a meal plan, order their meals on-line or via telephone, and have their food delivered to their doorsteps. Vitamins and dietary supplements can also be ordered in the same manner. Currently NutriSystem meal deliveries are only available for customers residing in the United States and Canada.
The weight loss journeys of customers are well-supported by offering services such as free on-line and telephone counseling. These well-trained and knowledgeable counselors are available to clients 24 hours of a day and 7 days a week. In 2004, NutriSystem Inc. acquired Slim and Tone, a global franchisor of women’s express fitness centers, allowing NutriSystem to offer an integrated solution (diet and exercise) for successful weight loss. A professional and innovative website ensures that customers do not lack for resources or inspiration. NutriSystem’s already integrated approach has been further expanded to also take care of the mindset changes required to help customers reach their goal weight and then ensure that the necessary lifestyle changes are made to keep the weight off.
Continue reading ‘NutriSystem – an effortless way to lose weight….’
Brittany Sauser (for MIT Technology Review) wrote a very interesting article on what may potentially be the silver bullet we are all hoping for! This new drug, developed by Sirtris Pharmaceuticals, is referred to as SRT1720, and it delivers all the health benefits of diet and exercise without any of the effort!
European scientists, led by professor Johan Auwerx at Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL), in Switzerland, have found that mice fed on a high-fat, high-calorie diet and prevented from exercising regularly, can be protected against weight gain and metabolic disorders when given SRT1720. The treatment even increases the animals’ running endurance and reduced cholesterol levels.
Continue reading ‘In the near future – a real and healthy weight loss pill?!’
Dr Barry Sears, a biochemist, first popularized the Zone diet in his 1995 book, “The Zone”. While this diet has not been developed specifically for weight loss, it is probably more well-known for its weight loss benefits than for any of the other advantages it promises, all thanks to solid media exposure. The popularity of this diet reached its peak in the late 1990s, slipped a bit, and then made a comeback recently following the endorsements of Hollywood A-listers and models such as Jennifer Aniston, Sarah Jessica Parker, Sandra Bullock and Cindy Crawford.
The Zone diet is often classified as a low-carb diet, but Dr Sears describes it as a moderate carb, moderate fat, and moderate protein diet, and regards it as superior to low-carb diets due to the improved hormonal responses. He goes on to say that the Zone diet can not be regarded as a protein rich diet since you never consume more low-fat protein during any meal than you can fit on the palm of your hand.
Many scientific studies are finding that weight management is a lot more complex than simply balancing calorie intake and calorie usage. The Zone approach suggests that inflammation precedes obesity. If that is true, any obesity problem can only be addressed by resolving the underlying inflammation.
Continue reading ‘An overview of the Zone Diet’
1. Increase your general activity level. If you seriously want to lose weight, you need to understand that getting enough exercise is as important as changing your eating habits. While it is not necessary to start running marathons, it is very important to raise your general activity level. Be conscious of your activity levels and ensure that you are consciously focusing on becoming a more active person. Not only will it help you lose weight, but it will also help you to keep the weight you lost from coming back.
2. Gradually become more active during the day. Any additional movement you introduce habitually in your life can make a big difference. Maybe you can try putting on some music and start dancing while you clean your house. Park your car a bit further from your destination and walk from there to the office, store or wherever you need to go. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Simple changes such as these can make a massive difference at the end of a month!
Continue reading ‘The easy way to get more active’
1. Your goal should be to be healthy, not thin. Never get so obsessed with losing weight that it affects your health of your quality of life. Work on a sustainable plan for healthy living and start enjoying your life!
2. Balance your energy requirements and your intake. It is important for you to develop a healthy balance between the numbers of calories / kilojoules (energy) that you consume each day and the energy your body needs to sustain your current lifestyle. The better the balance, the healthier you will be. Increasing exercise and eating smaller portions of healthy food will also help your body to use up the consumed energy more effectively, and convert some of the stored fat into energy. The end result…you lose weight at a faster rate.
3. Keep in mind that muscle weighs more than fat. Charts and web-sites often suggest your ideal weight based on height alone, and do not take into account muscle mass. Never risk losing muscle to attain your target weight. When you feel healthy and comfortable with yourself, stop trying to lose and switch to maintenance mode.
Continue reading ‘More general diet and weight loss tips’
