As I was going through blog posts recently and looking at areas I’d like to update more, it became apparent that I’ve been less than personal on here lately. I have a personal blog that I deal with a lot of my health stuff on and I think it’s time to start migrating some of it here as well.

So I’ll jump in. For one thing, I advocate that everyone goes and checks with their doctor before making any major fitness or nutrition changes. Now that said, I also need to let you know that I am NOT a nutritionalist I just play one on tv. lol I’m a fitness trainer and I can make recommendations, but that is the extent of my legal abilities.

I’m never a supporter of major, extreme diet changes. They just don’t work for most people and there are quite a few reasons. In fact I guess I should start some posts about those reasons as well. Just made a note of it.

But at this time I am at the end of day 2 of protein and veggies only. I am severely lactose intolerant so I can’t eat dairy as it is. Today I also gave up caffeine, but honestly, we’ll see if that lasts tomorrow. I mean really, the diet is a lot without giving myself headaches. lol Even though I’ve made it through today with just a mild dull ache going on, mostly sluggishness.

So the diet. I’m not a fan nor an advocate of the Atkins diet. Mostly because people do NOT follow it correctly, they just pick and choose what they want from the plan. But at this time I really was noticing some horrible habits. I was doing quick grabs for food and it would start right at breakfast as I ran out the door.

This is when extreme diet changes (made healthily) will help a lot. I need to take the habit completely out of the picture. Thankfully I love veggies and a lot of different kinds so I’ve had it a little easier in that respect. But it would be a lot easier if I could add in some cheesesticks for snacks here and there.

My breakfasts are easy, I saute up veggies and scramble eggs. I can do that for another 5 days without a problem. Or we just baked a ham yesterday so I’ll fry an egg and egg white and have some ham slices. But lunches are getting rough already because I just don’t want salads twice a day. lol So I need to get to researching some other ideas.

It helps that my husband is really on board and harassing me when I whine. Now my daughter on the other hand? Today as I made my dinner she says,” I don’t know how you’ll get full without having the rice with that.” lol I guess I’ll need to start cutting some carbs here and there for them as well. I know we’ve gotten bad as a family at grabbing quick and easy stuff. Even though it’s from our own cupboards and fridge it doesn’t mean it’s the best thing we all could be eating.

So I do feel that extreme diet changes have their place. I’m not looking to get rid of carbs from my diet completely or permanently. On the contrary, I need carbs so I can kick butt on my workouts and especially on my runs. BUT I need to get back on track with the lower GI carbs. I’ve done it before, I just never needed the big kick in the butt I needed this time.

The low GI diet is not really just a diet but a very healthy and natural way of eating.  This is one healthy eating plan which many nutritionists are happy to endorse.

The basis of the low GI diet plan is to eat foods which have a low glycemic index.  These are foods which take time for your body to digest and keep blood sugar levels even throughout the day.  In return these steady blood sugar levels help reduce cravings and hunger pangs.

One of the biggest benefits of the low GI diet plan is the increased energy people on this eating plan feel.  Instead of the usual afternoon slump where you’re reaching for the coffee and donuts, on the low GI diet plan you won’t feel these sugar highs and dips.

So what Can I eat on the low GI diet?

Tons of delicious healthy food such as whole grains including whole grain breads and rice.  You can have new potatoes and sweet potatoes.  Lean meats and proteins as well as low fat dairy products, most fruits and vegetables, seeds and nuts.  In fact you can even have chocolate.  Chocolate specifically dark chocolate has a low GI score, which means you can indulge and still lose weight.

There are a few exceptions which at first may not make sense but the idea is that vegetables such as corn and carrots can rapidly raise your blood sugar levels and so are considered high GI.  Fruits such as bananas and pineapples also have a high GI score, so you’re better off opting for apples or berries.

And there are also a few non expected foods you can have such as avocado, nuts and red wine.

The diet plan is easy to follow and the one huge benefit aside from feeling very energetic is that you should not feel major hunger pangs as you would on another diet.  There are also some added extra benefits such as younger looking skin, reduced facial hair in some women and clearer skin.

One important thing to note is that in order to lose weight on this plan you will still need to restrict your calories.  If you eat healthy throughout the day but are having one or two avocados along with a couple of pieces of dark chocolate you will not lose weight.  Although these foods are healthy for you they are still very calorific.

Having three sensible low GI meals a day along with two snacks and adequate portion sizes are paramount on the Low GI weight loss plan.

The Cactus Diet

If you’re like me, you’re wary of taking any supplement that hasn’t been verified by independent research to be safe and effective.  But the urge to take pills becomes much stronger when you see commercials on TV and in other media showing people who have lost so much weight by taking herbal supplements or diet pills.  You’ve probably seen commercials recently selling Hoodia or Cactus diet supplements.  Before you start taking them, you should have all the information.

Hoodia Gordoni, also know as cactus diet supplements, is a cactus found in South Africa.  Tribal Bushmen in the area have been using this cactus for many generations to ward off hunger and thirst.  Only recently has this product been commercialized and brought to other countries.  Now you can get Hoodia in pill, liquid or tea form.

So how does it work exactly?  Hoodia contains a chemical called p57.  This chemical affects the way your brain interprets your blood sugar levels.  Even though your blood sugar is dropping due to lack of food, your brain doesn’t feel this; so you don’t feel hungry.  While they don’t really know why, Hoodia also works well to suppress thirst; you should remember to drink plenty of water when using this supplement.

While Hoodia is often toted as having no side effects, this may just be because it hasn’t been adequately tested.  Some people believe it can cause liver damage.  This is why you shouldn’t use it if you have liver or kidney problems.  Also, because it makes you think your blood sugar is normal when it is actually low, you shouldn’t take Hoodia if you are diabetic or hypoglycemic.

Many people may tell you that they tried Hoodia and it did nothing to suppress their appetite.  The reason?  It is estimated that 80% of products on the market do not actually contain pure Hoodia.  Before you try a product, look around for independent testing of its contents. Official reports are best.  Many “recommendation sites” on the internet have been created by specific companies trying to get you to use their brand.

Hopefully this information has helped you make a decision about whether or not the Hoodia cactus diet is for you.  Good luck and happy dieting.

The main thing I worry about with low carb diets are how we are trying to make our bodies adapt to something they weren’t made to do. Now I know that some of these diets are less restrictive and closer to healthy than others. I also have never gotten all the way through any of the low carb diet books, so I would love to hear back from anyone if I have incorrect info about a diet. I prefer to be informed rather than wrong.

Our bodies use carbs as our energy. There is no one that can argue with that. We don’t use protein for energy, it takes too long for it to be broken down into ATP. ATP is the component that our bodies use as “energy”. Does anyone have a guess what happens to any type of food if our bodies can’t use it? We store it as fat. Carbs, protein, or fat, doesn’t matter what it started out as, it will be stored as fat if we take more than or bodies can use.

Now that said, there are carbs we should stay away from. I believe that South Beach is more towards this line. Switching all your carbs to more nutritious choices will go a long way to losing weight and being healthier. Type II diabetes is distinctly linked to lack of exercise and diet choices. (yes there are always the exceptions, but most are getting it by their lifestyle CHOICE!) By taking in too many simple sugars we overload our body and it can’t take up all of it. So then the cells start to ignore the insulin that lets the carbs in for our energy. This leaves sugar just floating around lost in our blood. THAT is how many are
getting their type II diabetes.

Switching your carbs to more complex carbs is a great answer. Whole wheats, sweet potatoes, veggies and more veggies. A balanced diet of 20% protein, 60% carbs, and 20% fat is the scientific way our bodies work. We need to honor that and eat right, not look for excuses why our bodies have put on the weight. Unless there was a medical condition that brought it on, we put it on and we can take it off.

There are also bad things this will do to your liver as it tries to synthysis all this protein into energy you can use. It’s not made for the high volume being called upon it. This will lead to kyphosis and then we have issues with our brain power as well.

I worry about what health effects we will have from these diets in the next 20 years. I know many people around me that were doing or still follow atkins and eat sooo much fat it’s disgusting. And I also have yet to watch someone be able to stay on atkins forever. If it’s not something you can stay on, then you won’t keep the weight off. It can’t be a lifestyle change if you can’t follow it for your life time.

The Dr. Phil Diet Plan

Dr. Phil McGraw is a popular no-nonsense talk show host. His diet plan is based around healthy eating and changing your lifestyle. It is more geared towards emotional eaters and based around understanding the cycle of why we overeat.

The diet plan is easy to follow, no need to food combine or any strange menus. You’re encouraged to eat a wide variety of natural whole foods, lean protein and small amounts of the “good for you” fats.

This diet plan is in line with many Low GI eating plans currently on the market. Dr. Phil devotes a large part of his book to helping the dieter change their thoughts of food and negative body image.

The Dr. Phil diet is comprised of the seven-point plan and this is how it works:

The dieter will write a summary of what they will eat the entire day and then stick to it. The daily diet menu should consist of three servings of lean protein, two servings of low-fat dairy products, and two to three servings of whole grain carbs, two fruits, four servings of vegetables and one small serving of healthy fats such as nuts, seeds or olive oil.

This is based around healthy eating guidelines and is a plan many dietitians approve.

For more information, check out the book The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom, which is now in paperback. As with any new diet or exercise program, please consult with your physician. This is in no way an endorsement for the diet, but merely information for you to start your research with.