Carbohydrates Are Not The Key To Weight Loss

Carbohydrates are the body?s major source of energy which enables the many body organs to function properly. Carbohydrates taken in by the body is broken down into glucose which provides the much needed energy of the human body. With the glucose that was produced as the human body consumes carbohydrate-rich foods, the pancreas secretes an important hormone called insulin which transfers the glucose from the blood to the different cells of the human body. That in a nutshell explains how important carbohydrates are and why everyone should not totally eliminate the intake of carbohydrates through their diet plans.

To explain why carbohydrates is not the key to weight loss, it is important to know the two different types of carbohydrates contained in the food that people eat. One is the carbohydrates in its simplest raw form of sugars found in fruits and vegetables and the other one is complex carbohydrates which are found in cereals and potatoes. Both of these forms of carbohydrates have good and beneficial effect on the body because they produce energy which is badly needed by the body to function properly. However, not all foods are good supplier of carbohydrates whether simple sugar or complex carbohydrates. Sugar sources of carbohydrates found in fruits and vegetables are good carbohydrates because they these sugars are unrefined and come in their simplest natural form. And aside from this fruits and vegetables also contains phyto-chemicals which make it a good source of nutritional needs.

Complex carbohydrates are also good for the body if they are taken in by eating fiber-rich carbohydrate heavy foods such as cereals, whole wheat bread and whole grains. Aside from giving the body good supply of sugar to produce energy, these foods are easily digested and are not stored in the body as fat. The bad carbohydrates rich food that should be avoided are those that come from foods made of refined sugar such as cookies, cakes, carbonated drinks and others because of the high sugar concentration in these foods which are hard to digest and most often than not remain in the body as stored fat.

Going to the question of whether carbohydrates are the key to weight loss, the answer is either a yes or no. Like any other food, anything that is taken in excess of how much the body needs is always a bad thing. The same thing is true for carbohydrates, whether it is simple or complex, good or bad carbohydrates; the important thing to remember is that, both affects weight gain, if not taken moderately. It should always be remembered that any amount of carbohydrates taken in by the body which is not consumed and converted into energy will remain in the body as stored fat, which would contribute to weight gain.

So, is a low-carb high-protein diet the best way to lose weight? The answer is still either yes or no. It would still depend on what type of protein is taken in as part of the diet. Protein like carbohydrates also contributes to weight gain if not taken at the right proportion and not consumed by the body properly. But this is not saying that low-carb high protein diet has no effect on weight loss, actually it has an effect on weight loss. However, Too much of protein and less of energy producing carbohydrates may not be good to one?s over all health. The body needs energy from carbohydrates and the nutrients from protein rich food to build up muscles and for other sustenance.

Carbohydrates intake may lead to weight loss, it is a proven fact. But to say that it is the key to weight loss is not true. Depriving the body of the much needed energy from carbohydrates may lead to weight loss, but the effect on the over all health of the body must also be considered. The best way to achieve weight loss is by attaining weigh loss objective without sacrificing total body health. To do this, the key is still moderation in the intake of the essential nutrients whether they are carbohydrates, protein among other things. And of course, ensure that these nutrients are properly utilized by the body through maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle.

The Secret to Successful Dieting

With every new client I encounter, they all say the same thing to me. "I can't stand my gut and the rolls of flab that hang over. How do I look like you?" My answer to all of them is "diet. You need to eat 6 nutritious small meals a day every three hours in order to keep your metabolism up which will help your body burn fat and use food as fuel. "And that's when I get the deer in the headlights look. "How on earth can I eat 6 meals a day every three hours?"

Simply put, you need to be proactive about your diet and most people don't know how to go about doing that. Once I get past the nutritional coaching and explaining to my clients that not only do they need to eat ENOUGH calories, but they have to eat the RIGHT calories, I explain to them that if they learn to become proactive about their diets, the rest just falls into place.

I have a ritual that I go through every week and I have this down to a science. I go to the supermarket and buy enough boneless-skinless chicken breasts, fish, lean cuts of beef, broccoli, green beans, to last me a week. Every Saturday or Sunday afternoon, I pre-cook all my meals for the week including my brown rice, sweet potatoes, broccoli, green beans, etc.

Once all your foods are cooked, it's easy to plan out your meals on a daily basis. My meals are stored in plastic containers. I have a nylon cooler that I carry around with me every where I go. All I need to do is pull out six meals and place them in the cooler. Some easy meal suggestions are a can of tuna over baby spinach with some low fat dressing, pre-grilled chicken with brown rice, egg white omelet and old fashioned oatmeal heats up quickly in a microwave, low fat cottage cheese with an apple and some almonds, grilled chicken with steamed broccoli, low fat no sugar added yogurt with a scoop of protein powder mixed in. This is an example of some of the meals you will find in my cooler on any given day.

For those of you who work a corporate job and say that they can't take short breaks to eat, I say nonsense. Yes you can. What about all those smokers you see outside that take 20 minute smoke breaks several times a day. You can certainly take 5 minutes to do something healthy for yourself. I had lived the 8-5 life and as a trainer, I have 5 minutes between clients and within that 5 minute break I am able to eat. It can be done. With your meals already pre-cooked, all you need to do is put your plate in the microwave for 1 minute to heat up your food and eat a delicious, nutritious meal.

Supermarkets now have foods that are pre-cooked which make it easy to have a nutritious meal when you're in a hurry and have no time to cook. Most supermarkets now have rotisserie chickens and salad bars so all you need to do is pick up a chicken and a salad (spinach, romaine, baby greens) with a low fat dressing or some steamed green veggies. As for fast food, when in doubt, always order the grilled chicken sandwich with side salad and for those of you watching your carbs you can always ditch the bun. Places like Moe's Southwest Grill and Chipotle's now have naked tacos which you can essentially make your own meal in a bowl. When I eat at places like that, I will order chicken in a bowl with black beans, lettuce, salsa and guacamole. When dining out I order grilled chicken or fish with salad, a sweet potato and a steamed green veggie.

Yes, you can eat six meals a day AND make better food choices.

Weight Loss in Ten Minutes

Weight loss does not happen quickly for most people, but there is a critical point that becomes so motivating, success seems to be effortless and permanent.

This success has nothing to do with the latest supplement touted on infomercials. They may be helpful but they are not the reason people lose weight. New fangled gym equipment is not the secret either, although exercise is important and a convenient workout allows people to stick to a fitness routine. Pre-made diet meals are useful when pressed for time, but they are not the only ingredient in successful weight loss.

There is a critical point when someone truly desires to commit to a new health plan. For many people who have been overweight for years, being in shape is a long lost memory rather than a reality. The thought of beginning the challenge seems impossible. Over weight issues are so commonplace the underlying message is that it is the norm. When everything is super-sized the temptation is hard to refuse. Modern day diseases that are life-style related are now treated with maintenance drugs that ironically make it more difficult to lose weight. It is as if our culture is trying not to let us reach that critical point to welcome better health in our lives.

When people lose weight successfully and quickly there are two common denominators. They reach a point where they realize they were much too comfortable with their excuses and then they chose a manageable eating plan that did not leave them feeling deprived. Discovering these realizations helps people get past the indecision that prevents them from succeeding.

Of course, losing weight must be done in a safe manner. Although it takes a number of months to achieve weight loss, the benefits are felt immediately. The empowerment of a committed decision is just the beginning. A manageable weight loss plan restores someone's energy level so there is a feeling of thin even if the scale doesn't reveal the goal weight yet.

Being able to replace an old mind set of impossibility with accomplishment is the greatest weight loss there is. If you can lose the weight of failure, the actual weight loss is easy.