Dietsherpa

The Diet Sherpa is your enlightened guide to the healthy world of Dieting. As always the Sherpa is objective and unaffiliated.


TODAY'S TOP Dietsherpa Resources

Friday, May 26, 2006

Water Help to Weight Loss

Though water in and of itself is not a way to achieve weight loss, water can help to speed up weight loss primarily through making you feel full and therefore diminishing your drive to eat more. Water help to weight loss therefore is not a recommended nutritional diet approach. Water has no calories but also no nutrition so it can be a good policy to eat citrus fruits that have a lot of water content as well as nutritional value to help with weight loss.

On the other hand, if you are not looking to lose permanent weight and are just trying to win a weight loss bet, then you can quickly trim lbs by losing water weight. Water weight loss can be a dangerous way to loose weight and there are danger stories associated with wrestlers and other athletes who need to make certain weight restrictions and loose water weight. This type of weight loss is often banned in high schools where water help to weigh loss is very common. Below are some common albeit bizarre suggestions for water weight loss.

  • Put a plastic bag over your torso, sweats and run laps for 45 minutes. Your body will not be able to breathe, you will sweat profusely and water weight will come dripping off.
  • Sit in a steam room or sauna for much longer than the doctor recommended (dangerous) by overheating you will sweat off a great deal of water weight.
  • Don’t drink any water 12 hours before the weigh in and while doing any of these methods. Not drinking water too far in advance will cause your body to go into starvation mode and you will not have water weight loss success.
  • Take drugs or substances that are a diuretic or make you pee, this also increases water weight loss.

All of the above methods are dangerous and are not recommended but are pursued often for short term goals to hit certain weights. Water help to weight loss is not a real diet solution.

Vegetarian Food Pyramid

A common approach to healthy, sustainable food consumption is vegetarianism. Vegetarian food is generally lower in fat, doesn’t contain growth hormones that the meat industry is notorious for using to maximize profits and is the most efficient consumption of food by eating lower on the food chain. Though there are a great many benefits of being a vegetarian, the challenge in leading a healthy life, consuming sufficient protein and having enough energy to fight of infection needs to be addressed. To counteract the challenges of eating vegetarian, researchers at Arizona State University came up with the vegetarian food pyramid. The vegetarian food pyramid is the corollary to the food pyramid learned in grade school and the one diet suggested by the FDA. The vegetarian food pyramid is an effective guide for vegetarians to promote eating protein and avoid enervation. Below is a detailed daily list of the vegetarian food pyramid:

  • Vegetarian Food Pyramid Level 1: 2-3 tsp of Oils (olive, canola)
  • Vegetarian Food Pyramid Level 2: 1-2 ounces of nuts (almonds, sunflower seeds)
  • Vegetarian Food Pyramid Level 3A: 3 servings of dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt)
  • Vegetarian Food Pyramid Level 3B: 2-3 servings protein (including beans, eggs, and tofu)
  • Vegetarian Food Pyramid Level 4A: 2-3 servings of greens (spinach, arugala)
  • Vegetarian Food Pyramid Level 4B: 2-4 servings of vegetables (carrots, squash)
  • Vegetarian Food Pyramid Level 4C: 2-4 servings of fruit (fresh, dried)
  • Vegetarian Food Pyramid Level 5: 6-11 servings of whole grains (bread, cereal)

The above list a sample of the foods available in the vegetarian food pyramid. To avoid enervation and a lack of protein, follow the above guidelines.

Cabbage Soup Diet

Cabbage Soup Diet

The cabbage soup diet is a humorously ludicrous diet invented by a society obsessed with dieting, weight loss and a thin body image. The Cabbage Soup Diet is one of those statements about what goes into a diet when really all diets do is remove the food we want to eat. The Cabbage Soup Diet in particular is a diet that deprives the dieter of all food they wish to eat and pushes them towards the point of starvation in order to lose weight.

The cabbage soup diet replaces the food the dieter wishes to eat with one of the least tasty food options, cabbage soup. The Cabbage Soup Diet is intended for only 1 week and should not be pursued beyond 1 week without the potential for serious health repercussions. In general the Cabbage Soup Diet forces the dieter to abdicate eating protein, so the weight loss is primarily muscle mass and water weight. Therefore as a real dieting solution the Cabbage Soup Diet is not a viable long term weight loss option. In the short term dieters will pursue this temporary weight loss fix for a variety of superficial reasons such as weight loss bets, fitting into an outfit, or a misguided attempt to kick start a diet. If you must you can see a daily list of foods you can eat while undergoing the cabbage soup starvation diet:

  • Cabbage Soup Diet Day 1: Cabbage Soup + Fruit
  • Cabbage Soup Diet Day 2: Cabbage Soup + Vegetables
  • Cabbage Soup Diet Day 3: Cabbage Soup + Fruit + Vegetables
  • Cabbage Soup Diet Day 4: Cabbage Soup + 8 Bananas + Skim Milk
  • Cabbage Soup Diet Day 5: Cabbage Soup + 20 Oz of Beef + Six Tomatoes
  • Cabbage Soup Diet Day 6: Cabbage Soup + Beef + Vegetables
  • Cabbage Soup Diet Day 7: Cabbage Soup + Rice + Vegetables + Unsweetened Juice

As you can see above the menu is quite bizarre and limited in the Cabbage Soup Diet. Also to make matters worse, the vegetables listed above can’t include potatoes and the fruit can not include bananas. The make up of the cabbage soup in the cabbage soup diet, includes onions, tomatoes, canyons, peppers, celery, carrots and a vegetable soup stock. If you aren’t sick of cabbage by the end of day seven then you should go see the doctor.

South Beach Diet Food Lists

South Beach Diet Food Lists:

  • Boiled Ham
  • Canadian Bacon
  • Canola Oil
  • Chicken Breasts (skinless)
  • Cheese (fat-free or low-fat - American, Cheddar, cottage, cream substitute, feta)
  • Cornish Game Hen
  • Eggs (whole)
  • Fish (all types)
  • Green Vegetables
  • Lunchmeat (lean)
  • Peanut Butter
  • Peanuts
  • Pecans
  • Pistachio Nuts
  • Olive Oil
  • Seasoning/Spices (broth, butter sprays, pepper, anything containing no sugar)
  • Shellfish
  • Sirloin
  • Sweets * (chocolate powder, cocoa powder (baking type), hard candy, sugar substitute(sugar-free)
  • Tenderloin
  • Tofu
  • Turkey Bacon
  • Veal
    Vegetables (artichokes, asparagus, beans, broccoli, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, eggplant, legumes, lettuce, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes, zucchini)

South Beach Diet Food Lists: Foods to avoid

  • Alcohol *
  • Baked Goods **
  • Beef (brisket, liver, rib steaks, fatty cuts)
  • Bread **
  • Breast of Veal
  • Cereal (all kinds) **
  • Cheese (full fat, brie, edam)
  • Crackers **
  • Fruit
  • Fruit Juice
  • Honey-Baked Ham
  • Ice Cream
  • Matzo **
  • Milk (whole, low-fat)
  • Oatmeal **
  • Pasta **
  • Pastries **
  • Poultry (chicken wings, legs, thighs, wings, duck, goose, poultry products)
  • Soy
  • Vegetables (barley, beets, black-eyed peas, carrots, corn, pinto beans, sweet potatoes,
  • white potatoes, yams)
  • Yogurt



South Beach Diet Phases

The South Beach Diet manifests itself into 3 different phases..:

  • South Beach Diet Phase 1: Restraint
  • South Beach Diet Phase 2:Reintroduction
  • South Beach Diet Phase 3:Maintenance

South Beach Diet Phase 1: Restraint
At this phase in the diet, you are subject to a very strict set of dietary rules. The South Beach Diet limits this phase to 2 weeks and you can expect to lose between 8-12 lbs. During this phase of the South Beach Diet you must adhere to a very limited no carbohydrate diet. In South Beach Diet Phase 1 you are certainly allowed no alcohol.

South Beach Diet Phase 2: Reintroduction
.The second phase of the South Beach Diet allows for the gradual reintroduction of good carbohydrates back into your diet. Of course this phase of the south beach diet doesn’t suggest that you consume a huge bowl of pasta on the 15th day, but to begin eating low processed carbs. In general you can expect to lose 1-2 pounds per week during South Beach Diet phase 2. Continue on South Beach Diet Phase 2 until you have reached your goal weight.

South Beach Diet Phase 3: Maintenance
Once you have reached your goal weight, South Beach Diet Phase 3 kicks in, which is less a weigh loss diet and more a lifestyle change. From now on you are under Phase 3 of the South Beach Diet and you need to adhere to the foods without bad carbs and fats. If you do binge, and go off the South Beach diet and regain some of your weight back, it is suggested that you return to South Beach Diet phase 1 and begin shock therapy to get you back on the wagon. In general eating according to South Beach Diet Phase 3 is a good, nutritious way to eat. Click .to see South Beach Diet Food Lists.

South Beach Diet

The south beach diet was pioneered by Dr. Agatston who wrote the best selling book “The South Beach Diet”. Dr. Agatston is a well respected Dr. and his work on the South Beach Diet was based on observations that your body does not absorb highly processed carbs and polyunsaturated fat foods both of which are epidemic in American Diets. Therefore the South Beach Diet is less of a temporary diet and more of a permanent change in diet away from foods that the body has difficulty absorbing. The south beach diet further holds that the problem with foods your body can not absorb is that they then become stored as excess fat.

The south beach diet pioneers the role of good carbs and bad carbs and supports the notion that you should eat good fats and good carbs that your body can easily digest. sFollowing the South Beach Diet, you will invariably lose weight and eventually maintain an ideal body weight through the South Beach Diet. There are some suggestions that the South Beach Diet is more effective at reducing weight in the mid-section because this is where the excess fat is stored.
The South Beach Diet at a very minimum suggest good eating principles and is generally not a health risk. As with all diets consult a physician for specifically for what is right for you.

Macrobiotic Anti-Cancer Diet

The Macrobiotic diet is claimed to be a good anti–cancer diet. General associations of macrobiotic diets as similar to Japanese (a low incidence of cancer in the population) dietary habits because of the whole grains and vegetable focus. Though there is no definitive evidence of macrobiotic anti-cancer diets working, it is a good solution for improving quality of life for the patience and can be beneficial. The following information from the National Institute of Health provides further information on antic-cancer diets including macrobiotic diets. Increasing attention is being paid to the role of nutrition in cancer. Dietary measures, such as decreased consumption of calories, fat, alcohol and smoked or pickled foods have been shown to reduce the incidence of specific "adult" cancers, while increased dietary fiber appears to have a protective role. However, no clear scientific evidence exists that dietary manipulation is a successful primary therapy for established cancer. A significant percentage of adult and child cancer patients take unproven therapies during their illness. Alternative nutritional therapies, of which there is a wide variety, are the commonest of these reflecting current public interest in "natural" remedies.

Commonly utilized anti-cancer diets include the macrobiotic philosophy, the Gerson diet, the Livingstone diet, and the use of vitamin and mineral therapy. While details may differ, most alternative approaches involve fresh whole foods, with strong emphasis on low-fat vegetarian diet. Most are nutritionally adequate, at least for adults. No anti-cancer diet has been shown to cure established cancers, even those whose incidence is decreased by dietary changes. Careful dietary manipulation may at least improve quality of life for adult cancer patients, and, together with conventional therapy, may prolong survival in selected cancer patients. Assessment by carefully controlled prospective clinical trials is essential; those in pediatric patients must be controlled very strictly, since tumors in children have not been shown to be influenced by diet, and the diets described may be inadequate for children with malignant disease.

Click for more information on macrobiotic anti-cancer diets. The macrobiotic anti-cancer diet is not necessarily a panacea but it is certainly healthy and good for your body.

Calories Pound of Fat

Calories Pound of Fat
How many calories per pound of fat?

There are approximately 3,500 calories per pound of fat, so to lose one pound a week, a person should consume approximately 3,500 fewer calories of fat per week. This can be done by reducing the daily intake by 500 calories per day (500 x 7 days will provide a deficit of 3,500 calories per week). To lose 2 pounds of fat per week, a deficit of 1,000 calories per day is required.

If this seems impossible, remember that physical activity also contributes significantly to weight loss. The deficit of 500 to 1,000 calories can come from a combination of increased physical activity and reduced intake on a daily basis.

Therefore, you don't need to experience significant food deprivation. The lowest intake per day recommended for women is 1,200 calories, unless they are in a medically-supervised, very low-calorie regimen which may have a daily level of 500 to 800 calories per day.
The lowest level recommended for men is 1,500 calories per day. A very low-calorie diet can also be used by males if they are in a medically-supervised program.
Here are some steps for weight maintenance and weight loss:

  • Increase your daily activity -- take the stairs rather than the elevator, or walk rather than drive when possible.
  • Reduce your food intake gradually. This will help make these new eating habits lifetime changes. Reduce fat intake on a daily basis, and reduce intake of other high-calorie foods.
  • Change any habits that make you eat more, or eat poorly.
  • Learn about the calorie content of foods and the calorie expenditure of various physical activities.

These suggestions regarding calories per pound of fat and healthy weight loss guidelines is is approved and from the US Governments National Institute of Health.

Zone Diet Free Online

This site provides a brief description of the origins of the Zone Diet and then below links to Zone Diet Free Online. The Zone Diet became all the rage in Hollywood with Jennifer Anniston, Brad Pitt and other celebrities adopting a variation of a low carb diets such as the Zone Diet. The idea behind the Zone Diet was that eating sugars and having high insulin levels makes us fat. The goal is to regulate the insulin levels in the body within an optimal band or zone of insulin levels which will decrease weight. The ratio that is suggested by Dr. Sears creator of the zone diet is that 40% of calories come from carbs, 30% come from fat and 30% come from protein. The complexity of the zone diet requires a patient attention to dieting detail because you need to closer monitor the different types of calories and break them up into basic measuring units advertised by the Zone diet, blocks. You then are allocated a certain amount of blocks to consume / day under the zone diet rules. For more information click the Zone Diet Free Online.

Low Carb Diet for Diabetes

What you eat has a major impact on your insulin level and therefore is a major consideration for people with diabetes. In particular carbohydrates have the largest impact on the amount of insulin introduced to your body after eating. Fats and protein slow glucose absorption and therefore are not as big a concern for people with diabetes. Therefore, it is important to maintain a low carb diet for diabetes.

There is some controversy about low carb diets, specifically, with regards to the most popular low carb diet, the Atkins Diet. The controversy surrounding low carb diets do not pertain to people with diabetes, but are criticisms of people without diabetes trying low carb diets.
The arguments against low carb diets for the general population are that the they do not in fact increase metabolism as people shift eating patterns to low carb diets, but increase water weight loss which will inevitably be regained when you go off the low carb diet. This is a valid point for people simply dieting for weight control.

When you adopt a low carb diet for diabetes, you are reducing the sugars that your body directly addressing the diabetes culprit. Low carb diet for diabetes is the best diet for type 2 diabetes, reducing high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Some of the leading low carb diet for diabetes books include
· Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution
· Protein Power
· Life Without Bread: Comparing Low Carb diets for diabetes

Click on the links above to find out more resources for low carb diets for diabetes.