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Low-carbohydrate Diets for Overweight and Obesity
Diet history south beach diet
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South Beach Diet: Not All Fun in The Sun The South Beach Diet continues to be a popular commercial weight loss program created by Florida based Cardiologist and Professor, Arthur Agatston. Published in 2003, The South Beach Diet book quickly became a bestseller. Through their website, Macmillan Publishers says, “…his book The South Beach Diet and its companion titles have sold more than 22 million copies”, “Dr. Agatson has also published more than 100 scientific articles and abstracts in medical journals”. Presumably, Dr. Agatson has profited well from his diet books. This fact should not deter us from listening to what he has to say. His years of medical training and experience do carry some weight. Designed as a low carbohydrate diet, Dr. Agatson also relies upon the glycemic index for proper training about how to eliminate “bad”, or high glycemic index …show more content…
We all can agree that an individual’s increased knowledge of the glycemic index, healthy vs. unhealthy fats, whole grains, fiber, and increased exercise, would benefit each and every living person. However, once you delve into the daily decrease of carbohydrates, it’s here where the dieter can quickly get into trouble. The effects of low carbohydrates can quickly become overwhelming and even debilitating. To make up for decreased energy found in carbohydrates, the human body will reach into muscle and liver stores to make up for losses in glycogen. Breakdown of glycogen increases urine production, with associated excess sodium and micro-nutrient excretion. In addition to the frequent urination, fatigue and dizziness due to hypoglycemia and mineral loss, headaches, constipation, dehydration, diarrhea, muscle cramps, kidney stones, shakiness, weakness, sleep disturbances, low Thyroid hormone levels, hair loss, and heart palpitations are common side effects of low carbohydrate
Imagine a diet with quick weight loss, and being able to see immense results in only a few months, sounds like the life doesn’t it? Well the impossible has finally become possible with the help of special diets, otherwise known as FAD diets. FAD diets are known as weight reducing diets of extreme nature that either eliminate one or more of the essential food groups or enhance the consumption of one group of food in excess, and intend to produce results more quickly than diet-exercise combinations. One specific FAD diet is known as the Cookie diet.
The two South Beach limits of quantity and quality work hand in hand towards healthiness. The restrictions of what foods are allowed ensure the consumption of nutrients needed in the body and prevent the consumption of foods which may be harmful. The calorie limitations aid in both health and weight loss as they encourage healthier foods lower in saturated fat. The South Beach diet thus proves to be an ideal tool when it comes to losing weight and staying healthy.
The less severe disadvantages surrounding the diet consist of physical weakness, low energy level, slower reaction times, headaches, and dehydration. These less dangerous, yet clearly relevant reactions are due to the elimination of carbohydrates from the diet. Blood sugar levels become very low when carbohydrates are not ingested, causing physical pain and weakness as well as a slower reaction time. Headaches also occur as a natural response mechanism that act as signals for the body that carbohydrates are needed in order to prevent further problems. Moreover, when the body breaks down stored fats t...
The girl once in high school struggling with her weight has now learned the value of a low carb diet and what it can do for her body and her health. “The low carb diet was most beneficial for lowering triglycerides, which are the main fat- carrying particle in the bloodstream” (The Nutrition Source). Therefore, targeting the fats in one’s body is one of the most important aspects of the low carb diet. If one can lower the triglycerides in their system this will guarantee that the diet has more of a chance of working correctly ensuring weight loss. When trying to accomplish this task The Nutrition Source suggests that it is good to try to include some fruits, vegetables, and whole grains essential vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients. Although some might be quick to analyze the access of ease to this diet, it is easily attainable if one has a plan set up to how they will go about starting a low carb
The body breaks down various carbohydrate foods (whether simple or complex) into glucose, which is used easily for energy or saved away in muscles and fat stores for later use. Carbs are the body’s preferred, No. 1 energy source. However, they aren’t the only macronutrient that supplies energy to cells. This is why it’s possible to follow a low-carb diet and still have enough energy, endurance and muscular strength. However, special care should be taken in relation to Refined and processed carbs which release glucose (sugar) into the bloodstream more quickly, leading to symptoms like low energy levels, cravings, overeating, weight gain and brain fog. Eating lots of processed/fast carbs can also increase risk for insulin resistance and diabetes. “Slow carbs” like veggies, whole pieces of fruit, ancient grains and legumes provide a slower release of glucose and better supply of energy for our cells that lasts for
There are foods that have been known to have a higher glycemic index and others with a low glycemic index. However, how large of small the glycemic index value of a particular food maybe does not just tell a person how much effective the blood glucose level is responding to effectiveness energy burned. This glycemic index can also help in a person’s plan or eating habit. According to mayo clinic dietician association does statistics on Glycemic index from the Sydney University Glycemic index research center, glycemic index is ranked from 0-100 constitute only foods and beverages that contain carbohydrate. “Food with high glycemic index scored 70 and above on the glycemic index scale. These foods include; plain white bread, brown rise, white rice, watermelon, boiled red skin potato and white skinless baked potato. Food with median glycemic index range from 56 to 69. These foods include; sweet corn, bananas, pineapple, raising and a few kinds of ice cream. Food with low glyce...
The low carbohydrate diets and the low fat diets both claim to be successful methods of losing weight and staying healthy. Both diet plans also attempt to carry out their goals by restricting what dieters can and cannot eat in relation to what is recommended by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Through altering what nutritionists suggest for a healthy regime, low carbohydrate and low fat meal plans potentially put dieters at a higher risk for developing health problems and diseases. Also, diet plans do not necessarily accomplish their goals when maintained over a long period of time.
Each morning I get on the scales and hope that I can celebrate losing a pound or two. The numbers I see on the scale represent a gauge that keeps me moving forward in a weight loss program. When I look at the numbers on the scale I realize I am making progress in losing weight, however, am I putting my body at more risk just by limiting certain foods? Comparing and contrasting my typical diet to the amounts of daily nutrients recommended in the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Guide Pyramid has proven that I am not a healthy eater. I may have to make some dramatic changes or face significant health issues in the future. After reviewing several plans, I have chosen the South Beach Diet to follow to take advantage of the healthy benefits of following a low-carbohydrate diet.
Nutrition, I have learned plays a big part in our life. To be honest I was clueless about how much nutrition affected our everyday lives. I love going to the gym working out, now that I know what should go into my diet I think I will see a lot more improvement. I occasionally follow the latest diet fads because I believed it would be better for my health, but in turn it really hurt more than it helped! This Diet Analysis project has been extremely useful course because I can personally relate to it and can use much of the information learned to my daily routines. The Diet Analysis project was a real eye opener because it let me see what exactly I was putting into my diet.
Both brands of this restrictive diet share the foundation of the recommended daily food pyramid, but in both cases, the pyramid is turned upside down, where meats and fats are consumed much more often than grain...
Carbohydrates provide energy for the body to function. When these carbohydrates are not eaten the body then burns its stored fat for fuel. As the body's supply of fat diminishes one begins to lose weight. Therefore, the Atkins Diet is successful at making one lose weight in the short term because carbohydrate intake is severely restricted to less than 20 grams per day and will eventually climb to about 40 grams after a few weeks. This "translates to no more than three cups of loosely packed salad or two cups of salad with two-thirds cup of certain cooked vegetables each day" (www.webmd.com). However, the body needs a certain amount of these carbohydrates and after a while of recieving them the body does not function properly. According to Gail Frank, a PhD professor of nutrition at California State University in Long Beach, "The body needs a minimum of carbohydrates for efficient and healthy functioning -- about 150 grams daily" (www.webmd.com). She states that less than 150 grams of carbohydrates disrupts the body's normal metabolic activity. Also, "the brain needs glucose to function efficiently, and it takes a long time to break down fat and protein to get to the brain," (www.webmd.com). Glucose results from carbohydrates or sugar broken down into the bloodstream; but also occurs naturally in fruits and honey. Therefore, the body needs a certain amount of good carbohydrates like fruits and vegetables to stay healthy.
In the last couple of decades, dieting trends have astronomically increased. The average dieter has trained his or her ears and eyes to react to the word ‘fat’. Low fat, reduced fat, fat free- these are all words that until recently have set alarms off ringing in the typical dieter’s head. Recently, new vocabulary, such as ketogenic, ketosis, and low carbohydrate have stepped into the dieter’s world and questioned, or rather challenged, the ‘fat’ free method of dieting. So, after you have devoured the entire box of ‘fat’ free cookies perhaps you will ask yourself....WHAT ABOUT THE CARBOHYDRATES???
One of the most notable examples of a “fad diet” is the South Beach Diet, which is known for restricting carbohydrates. The South Beach Diet is a popular fad diet created in 2003 by cardiologist Arthur Agatston and outlined in his best-selling book, "The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Loss." According to Dr. Agatston, the South Beach Diet is lower in carbohydrates and higher in protein and healthy fats, but does not require one to count carbs. In fact, the South Beach Diet claims that “its balance of good carbs, lean protein, and healthy fats makes it a nutrient-dense, fiber-rich diet that you can follow for a lifetime of healthy eating. Instead of counting carbs, the South Beach Diet uses the glycemic index and glycemic load to determine which carbs you should
Do you ever know, the percent of adults who are obese in the United States is 34.9% now, and it was continuously getting larger in the recent years (CDC)? What a surprise that more than 1 out of 3 adults are obese in our country. Obesity can cause various health problems, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, Coronary heart disease, or even directly cause death. So, it is time to control and prevent obesity. Exercise is a good and normal way to lose weight, but Melinda Moyer discusses about another way, reducing the gain of carbs in people’s daily lives. She leads readers to explore the relation between carbs-rich diet and obesity or chronic disease. Even though some other theories like low-fat diet was supported in the history, more facts
Many scientists and experts in their fields are debating over whether a low-carbohydrate diet is suitable to be used than a high – carbohydrate diet. Carbohydrates are not a popular food type in the diet because grains which are carbohydrates contain gluten and gluten is known to be inflammatory and affects the body’s blood sugar levels. This results in weight gain and the struggle to maintain weight. Grains also contain an acid called phytic acid meaning that the body can not absorb much of calcium, iron and magnesium. The lack of iron, calcium and magnesium means that you are at a high risk of bone related diseases such as