The South Beach Diet

The South Beach Diet is a phased approach to weight loss and nutrition. In the three major phases dieters will eat selected foods and avoid others, in order to balance the glycemic index to lose weight and achieve optimal metabolism. Click here to read more about south beach diets.

The Zone Diet

The Zone Diet is similar to the South Beach diet in some ways. But here the emphasis is less on adjusting the Glycemic Index by adjusting the types of carbohydrates and fats consumed and more on the proper ratio of these with proteins. Click here to read more about the zone diet.

Low Fat Diets

This diet emphasizes decreased fat consumption over all other things. Click here to read more about low fat diets.

Low Carbohydrate Diets

Low carbohydrate diets help lower the one thing that all good diets aim at: reduced calories. There’s no getting around the fact that more calories consumed than used leads to weight gain. Reducing carbs the right way can ‘cut to the chase’, nutritionally speaking. Click here to learn more about low carb diets.

Related posts:

1. The Zone Diet
2. Low Carbohydrate Diets
3. Low Fat Diets

The basic idea of the Zone Diet is to adjust the ratio of carbohydrates: proteins: fats to 40:30:30. This means that 40% of calories consumed should be in the form of carbs, 30% from proteins and 30% as fats. Some studies suggest that 30% of proteins is far higher than is healthy for some individuals, particularly those with kidney ailments. The American Heart Association recommends about 10%.

Like the South Beach Diet, one important goal is to adjust insulin levels. But it goes beyond this in attempting to achieve a well-balanced hormone system in general.

One reason is the view that excess insulin production tends to cause the body to convert carbs to stored fat, contrary to most dieter’s goals. By contrast, proteins help stimulate the release of glucagon, which stimulates the liver to shed stored carbs. That in turn leads to a feeling of satiation and a person naturally stops eating, according to the theory.

Unlike South Beach, however, there is a strict emphasis on calorie counting. No more than 500 calories should be consumed during any meal, and no snack with more than 100 calories should be eaten between meals. Balancing carb intake with 3-4 ounces of proteins helps achieve that desired glucagon-insulin balance.

The Zone Diet emphasizes eating fresh vegetables and fruits throughout the dieting period. Nuts, leafy greens and mono-unsaturated fats are preferred. Meals are consumed on a regular schedule, with breakfast consumed within an hour of waking. Carbs from fruits and vegetables are preferred over those from starchy foods like potatoes and pasta.

Alcohol is allowed, but it’s recognized as high glycemic, high-sugar carbohydrates. So, a 4-oz glass of wine would require a trade-off for a ‘block’ of food carbs (36-40 grams). Coffee is discouraged, since it is a stimulant that causes insulin resistance. Water is the beverage of choice in the Zone Diet.

Still, no specific food or drink is expressly forbidden. The idea is to achieve a balance in order to regulate hormone levels. Like any diet, it will need to be adjusted to a particular individual’s circumstances and needs.

The net result of following the diet, according to practitioners, is the desired weight loss while maintaining healthy nutrition. Many report that any cravings disappear in a couple of days. It’s often recommended for those with diabetes by some nutritionists, since it works to adjust insulin levels.

As with any new diet, seeking the advice of your physician is wise. He or she can help you tailor the Zone Diet to your specific situation.

Related posts:

1. The South Beach Diet
2. Low Carbohydrate Diets
3. Low Fat Diets

The Glycemic Index

The GI is a measure of the relative amount of blood sugar created in response to consuming carbohydrates. Different carbs metabolize at different rates and slowing the absorption of sugars is one way to shift insulin levels, which play a role in storing excess calories as fat, according to South Beach Diet inventor Dr. Agatston, a Florida cardiologist.

The basic equation – more calories used than consumed leads to weight loss – still holds. But this approach to dieting and weight loss attempts to shift how those calories are used.

Phase 1

In Phase 1 of the South Beach diet, which lasts exactly two weeks, the focus is on shifting from high fat carbs to low fat carbs, such as from fatty cuts of beef to boiled ham. It also attempts to reduce starches such as bread and potatoes, moving instead to foods such as pinto beans and black eyed peas. Sugary soft drinks are eliminated completely. No beer or wine is allowed during this period.

The idea is to adjust the body’s cravings away from high sugar-content, high-fat content foods. This, according to the theory, helps flip the body’s ’switch’ that causes us to store fat. When the switch is on we may crave certain foods, but after ‘retraining’ those cravings disappear gradually.

Portions remain at normal sizes however, and there’s no concentration on counting calories. That makes it simple to develop lists of allowed and forbidden foods to eat during these two weeks.

Phase 2

In Phase 2 some of the rules are relaxed a little. Certain formerly forbidden foods may be consumed. Pasta and bread, in moderate quantities, are back on the ‘Allowed’ list. Dieters can choose from a wide range of foods, such as rice, cereal, fruit and more. The allowed foods to emphasize should be those with a low-GI index. Red wine is re-introduced, again in moderation.

This period lasts as long as needed to achieve the individual dieter’s weight loss goal. For some that may be only a few weeks. For others, it may require several months or more.

Phase 3

Once the weight loss goal is achieved, it’s important to be able to keep those pounds off. Many dieters become frustrated because they see hard-to-lose pounds come sliding back on over time. Phase 3 represents a lifelong commitment to a change in eating habits that will help retain that hard-won goal.

The emphasis is on ‘good’ carbs versus ‘bad’ carbs, as well as choosing ‘good’ over ‘bad’ fats. Good, here, means low GI, bad is high-GI. High fat meats are still discouraged, except as an occasional indulgence. Refined sugars are a no-no. Fiber, to slow digestion of carbs, is considered good, as is eating foods with ample Omega-3 fatty acids, such as fish.

Summary

The South Beach Diet can be put in the category of ‘low carb’ but the emphasis is more on the type of carbohydrates than the amount contained. As with any major diet change considered, consulting your physician before starting is always wise.

Related posts:

1. How to Manage Cravings While on a Weight Loss Diet

No single dieting method is perfect for everyone. But low carbohydrate diets help lower the one thing that all good diets aim at: reduced calories. There’s no getting around the fact that more calories consumed than used leads to weight gain. Reducing carbs the right way can ‘cut to the chase’, nutritionally speaking.

A carbohydrate is just some combination of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. They’re consumed in the form of sugars or starches. A sugar is a relatively simple carbohydrate. Starches are considered complex carbohydrates.

Far from being harmful, carbohydrates are the body’s primary energy source. That makes them essential. But in modern society, some people get too much potential energy, which turns into real body fat. Any excess calories the body acquires are stored mostly in the chemical bonds in fat cells.

But low carb does not mean no carb. Even the most extreme low carb diets recommend that no less than 40% of calories should come from carbohydrates. Most are in the range of 45-65% depending on the individual. Some people simply process carbs more efficiently than others. At the high end of the range, about 10% should be sugars, 55% complex carbs.

Those considering a low carb diet also sometimes believe it necessarily recommends no fruit or vegetables. Fruits like apples and oranges, it’s true, are often high in sugars. Many vegetables are very starchy. But here again low carb does not mean no carb. A healthy, balanced diet, even while focusing on reducing carbohydrates, will include some fruits and vegetables.

One of the big advantages of a low carb diet is that it doesn’t spend too much time counting calories. The focus, instead, is on adjusting the percentage of certain types of foods eaten. In particular, things like pasta and bread are reduced, sometimes considerably.

But that can lead to a problem, because the bottom line is calories consumed vs calories used. Reducing carbohydrates doesn’t just reduce calories from that source. It alters the way the body uses them, tipping the scales. As with any diet, it’s necessary to observe the results. A healthy diet, even one that aims chiefly at weight loss, should not leave you feeling low on energy all the time.

The way out is simply to adjust according your specific body’s responses. It may mean abandoning the low carb diet approach entirely. It isn’t the perfect choice for everyone.

Some who consider this approach worry about not getting enough fiber. Since fiber contains carbohydrates (technically, it is a carbohydrate), it may need to be reduced. But no responsible low carb diet recommends eliminating fiber entirely.

More importantly, fiber – because of its unique properties – is not digested, at least not fully. That’s part of its usefulness in the diet. So, since it isn’t digested it doesn’t contribute to the body’s amount of calories consumed. It aids digestion and health in many ways, but not by adding to the ‘energy store’. No need to forgo fiber.

Investigate the different types of low carb diet and find out if one of them is right for you.

Related posts:

1. Low Fat Diets

But there is nevertheless ample evidence that a low fat diet can be a great boon to those seeking weight loss and good health in general.

Becoming fat doesn’t come from eating fats alone. In fact, certain fats are essential to good health. Fat is necessary for proper nerve function, hormone production and other vital processes. About 30-35% of the diet should consist of fats. But not just any fats, only those of a certain type.

Trans-fats raise the level of ‘bad’ cholesterol – LDL (Low Density Lipoproteins). At the same time they lower the ‘good’ type of cholesterol, HDL (High Density Lipoproteins). The good type is essential for proper brain function, just as one example. By contrast, a high ratio of LDL to HDL is a contributor to the risk of heart disease. LDL builds up in the arteries, hardening them and making them more narrow. Trans fat calories should be no more than 1%.

Saturated fats have similar effects. They raise the level of LDL, which leads to the same problems for arteries and blood pressure. They should be limited to no more than 7% of calories.

Monounsaturated fats, by contrast, are those that actually help the body perform those needed functions without contributing to the problems caused by the other two types.

It’s still true, though, that a high fat diet, even the ‘good’ kind, can have a number of drawbacks.

A gram of fat produces 9 calories during digestion. By comparison, carbohydrates and proteins produce only 4 calories per gram. That makes fat ‘energy dense’. And the basic calorie equation remains true: more calories consumed than used leads to weight gain. Therefore, one of the easiest ways to reduce calorie intake is to consume less fat.

Choosing meats that are low in fat and reducing regular milk consumption are two good ways to implement the plan. Certain nuts, like cashews and peanuts, are also high in fat and should be consumed sparingly.

That will help achieve a goal of no more than 65 grams of fat per day based on a 2,000 calorie per day diet. That is equivalent to getting no more than 30% of total calories per day from fats. Those on a very restricted calorie diet (say, 1200-1500 calories for women and 1600-1800 calories for men) will want to reduce the amount accordingly.

Keep in mind that every person has individual nutritional requirements. Guidelines appropriate for a middle aged adult seeking to shed a few pounds may not be right for a teen. Any time you consider substantial changes to diet, consulting with your physician first is wise.

No related posts.