Archive for the 'Nutrition Articles' Category

This controversial diet is selling like hot cakes – your questions answered

Published on May 25, 2011 in Diet, fat loss, food, Nutrition Articles and weight loss. 0 Comments

Hey guys. I’ve been inundated with questions about the Xtreme Fat Loss Diet so I thought
I would share my answers to a few of the most common ones.

Firstly, I was remiss in my email yesterday by describing this diet as ‘brand
new’. It’s NOT new – it was released last year and is the BIGGEST selling diet
on the internet. It broke all records when it was launched. Hence me letting
you know about the exciting re-launch happening right now, and for the next 2
days only!

You can still grab the full system at $30 OFF and grab your f.ree bonus
gifts for a little while longer here (bonus coaching call with 3 fat loss
experts ends at 2pm today so be quick to grab that one):

==> www.idealbodiesonline.com/xtremefatlossdiet

Is it worth getting?

In a word – absolutely.  As I have mentioned, I don’t ever recommend anything
that I don’t believe in or that doesn’t interest me in a big way.  The fact is,
you can use this program time and again too.  You can use it to kick start your
fat loss program or to finish it off – if you are a current client we can even
incorporate it into your current program if you’d like!  You will need a more
sustainable plan to follow in between time of course, as this isn’t something
you want to follow for long periods, hence it being a short 25 day program.
And as always, there is a full money back guarantee offered.  So, you can’t go
wrong.

Is this better than X,Y,Z diet that I’m doing at the moment?

There are many, many ways to diet. This diet is a short, very strict diet that should

only be used for short periods. Which is why I suggest it be used in conjunction

with something more sustainable. It will get you great results in a short time

but it’s not something you can do long term.

Is it suitable for vegetarians?

Yes, providing you eat dairy, eggs, cottage cheese, it’s perfect.  It isn’t
suitable for vegans however.

Is it just a cheat meal or a whole day, and are there any restrictions?

It’s a cheat DAY (5 of them in total, yay!), and there are no restrictions
other than you don’t stuff yourself so full that you feel sick.  It’s really
important you DO eat plenty (and in particular, carbs and fat), to make this
work.

You mention fast days, that sounds a bit scary?

Yes it does a little, but, because of the strategic make up of the program, you
will find the fasting days relatively easy.  You just need to make sure you
have had a decent cheat day the day prior, and that you drink plenty of water.
I’ve actually got a great alternative if you feel you can’t do the fast day in
its entirety. Simply email me after you’ve purchased and checked it all out.

Are there supplements involved?

Yes, there are some supplements – staples such as a good protein powder (which
you should already have in your cupboard anyway) and some BCAA’s so you don’t
lose muscle. I’ve actually typed up a list of alternative supplements that you
can buy in Australia (as the supplements recommended in XFLD are American).

If you have a different question, don’t hesitate to reply to this email and ask
me personally!

Check out this article for a further taste:

———————————

Synergistic Diet & Exercise for RIDICULOUSLY Fast Fat Loss
By Joel Marion, CISSN, NSCA-CPT

Most people treat their diet and exercise programs as two separate entities –
Totally WRONG if you’re looking to lose fat at the fastest possible rate.

You see, if you can learn how to use the most effective exercise strategies to
“mirror” the goals of your diet each day (while mixing up dietary approaches to
yield specific hormonal and metabolic benefits in the most effective manner
possible) you can literally take your results from “okay” to OUT OF THIS WORLD.

That’s what I call SYNERGY. Diet and exercise working *together* in a very
smart, strategic way to yield the fastest fat loss results possible.

Now, my above explanation may have sounded a bit complicated, so I’ll give you
a quick example. Let’s take, for instance, the day after a Cheat Day—you know,
those days where you get to eat WHATEVER you want on the Xtreme Fat Loss Diet
(which just so happen to occur every 5th day).

www.idealbodiesonline.com/xtremefatlossdiet <——- Save $30 and get your
f.ree bonus gifts

Cheat Days save your metabolism and actually allow you to lose fat faster week
after week by increasing levels of important fat burning hormones within the
body. Not to mention, they’re a heck of a lot of fun.

So, the day after a Cheat Day, the overall goals are as follows:

1. Create a large caloric deficit (to burn as many calories as possible and
take advantage of the fact that our bodies are now “primed” to burn fat as a
result of the Cheat Day)

2. Deplete maxed-out glycogen stores (carbohydrate energy stores within the
body) caused by the high carb and fat content of the Cheat Day

3. Exhaust ALL energy systems to satisfy #1 and #2 while burning additional fat
calories to boot

To accomplish these three goals, we’ll use a series of dietary and supplemental
strategies to do exactly that while using *exercise* strategies that accomplish
the SAME goals, for example:

1. Strategic lactic acid based workouts to burn massive calories and glycogen
while stimulating the release of important fat burning hormones that further
increase lipolysis (fat burning)

2. Strategic energy systems work that contain both anaerobic
“carbohydrate-burning” and aerobic “fat-burning” components.

Combining those types of exercise with dietary strategies that accomplish the
same goals leads to a ridiculous fat burning effect.

Essentially, when you set up things this way, you’re tackling your goals via
both diet AND exercise. That’s like going after your financial goals via
landing a job with a kick-butt income coupled with smart investing. One feeds
the other for synergistic results.

And you know what? The above is just ONE example. Within the Xtreme Fat Loss
Diet we have FIVE different “types” of diet days (all with slightly different
goals) and a very specific exercise strategy to use on each that has led to
some of the fastest fat loss results we’ve ever recorded to date with our
clients.

Make no mistake, working WITH your diet, hand in hand, through exercise that
*mirrors* the goals of each diet strategy can literally DOUBLE your results
beyond just “working hard” on each day.

The synergy of strategy never ceases to amaze me, and we reveal it all in the
Xtreme Fat Loss Diet. In fact, it’s the ONLY reason people have consistently
lost up to 25 pounds in just 25 days using the full-on 25 day system.

Bottom line, if you want to lose fat FAST, you’ve got to be SMART in your
approach. Enjoy!

———————————

So, when you start combining smart, specific strategies like that, rapid fat
loss starts to sound a LOT more realistic! And it IS. In fact, those are the
REAL results from real users of the program, not some hyped up marketing claim.

You can check out the testimonials and get $30 OFF but the promo ends very
soon so make your way over to the below link now:

==> www.idealbodiesonline.com/xtremefatlossdiet

And get ready to lose some serious fat…very, very fast!

Talk soon,

Sue

PS – Don’t forget – as a valued subscriber, you receive an EXTRA SPECIAL BONUS
from me and Ideal Bodies Online.

If you order the Xtreme Fat Loss Diet through any link in this email, we will
give you absolutely f.ree, your choice of our 200 page recipe book, the Lean
Body Gourmet Cookbook or, a 6 week workout, the Dumbbell Power Workout for Fast
Fat Loss. This e-cookbook has a retail value of $29.95 and the workout is not
usually for sale but as my valued subscriber, if you purchase the Xtreme Fat
Loss Diet system through any of the links in this email, it’s yours, f.ree.

Here’s what to do to claim your f.ree gift:

• Purchase Xtreme Fat Loss diet below or at any of the links in this email (if
you purchase via anyone else’s email you will not be eligible!)

www.idealbodiesonline.com/xtremefatlossdiet

• Wait for your Clickbank email receipt
• Email your receipt immediately to sue @ idealbodiesonline.com (remove the
spaces in the email address before sending!) and note your choice of f.ree gift
• Wait for your gift! (Please allow 48 hours)

LATE MAIL: New bonus added!

Joel is giving everyone who purchases XFLD, The Fastest Fat Loss Week EVER, a 1-week program strategically designed to have you shed as much body fat as humanly possible in just 7 days (of course while still being safe and without the pointless rebound weight gain).

Yes, you heard that correctly: SUSTAINABLE results of up to 10+ lbs in a single week.

Bonuses galore. What are you waiting for!!!

Is a low carb diet sustainable?

Published on May 18, 2011 in Articles, food, Nutrition Articles and weight loss. 2 Comments

With the low carb diet craze all the rage these days, one important question to ask is: “Is a low carb diet sustainable?” Can you lose weight and keep it off once you go off a low carb diet?

The quick answer to this question is no. However, don’t stop reading now. As with any successful diet out there, the idea is to turn the diet into a lifestyle of healthy eating. So, as with low calorie or low fat diets, in order to sustain the amazing weight loss achieved on a low carb diet, the dieter must turn the diet into a lifestyle once the excess weight is gone. So, the long answer is yes, a relatively low carb diet is sustainable – and desirable, for long term leanness.

Let’s explore this thought further by examining what happens to the body on a very low carb diet. When you stop ingesting carbs your body enters what is called ketosis. Ketosis is when your body is actually using fat for fuel instead of sugar. This state is the very reason why you have rapid weight loss on a very low carb diet. It’s also the reason why your brain gets fuzzy – glucose (what carbs are broken down to in the blood stream) is the preferred fuel source for your brain!

The other benefit to a low carb diet is the fact that the body isn’t losing muscle providing you are getting enough protein and overall calories - and that you are lifting weights/doing some form of challenging resistance training. Protein is essential for building and maintaining muscle tone and so is exercise, which is why a low carb diet is great for burning fat and keeping muscle. If you do reduce your carbs you may need to increase your good fats (omega 3, 6, 9) intake to boost your overall calories.

As with any diet, it’s very important to not deprive yourself of essential nutrients like calcium, fibre and protein. Calcium is pretty easy to get on a low carb diet through cheese, cottage cheese and canned sardines or salmon. Protein is also very easy to get from lean meats, eggs, cottage cheese and whey protein. Fibre is probably the most difficult nutrient to obtain from a low carb diet, but you can incorporate some carbs such as brown rice, oatmeal, berries and legumes.

If your diet is low in carbs and calories it is really important you do include a carbohydrate ‘refeed’ as such, so your body does not adapt to the very low carb regime, and, so that the carbs you do ingest are used to refill muscle glycogen stores, meaning faster muscle recovery and growth and more energy. Besides, a very low carb diet can get mighty boring in a hurry and a refeed is something to really look forward to!

Once you reach your desired leanness and you’re ready to begin increasing your carb intake, it’s important to do so slowly. The day you hit your goal, you don’t want to run out for a big bowl of pasta and a tub of ice cream. However, you can allow yourself some treats once in a while, but as with any diet, if you want to maintain your new weight, you must continue to eat healthily and exercise regularly.

Body Blitz Blueprint for Fat Loss is a nutrition plan that is low enough in carbs to achieve fat loss, but contains some carbs to facilitate brain energy, faster muscle recovery and growth, and very importantly, to make your diet interesting! The timing of your carbohydrates is equally as important as is how much and what type you eat too. And, remember how I wrote about the importance of refeeding – Body Blitz Blueprint for Fat Loss also teaches you why it’s important to your fat loss results that you do have treats occasionally!  

If you haven’t seen it yet, you can have a look here:

Body Blitz Blueprint for Fat Loss <— Transform Your Body in 12 Weeks!

My interview with fitness model, Belinda Benn

Published on August 27, 2010 in inspiration, motivation, Nutrition Articles, Transformation and weight loss. 0 Comments

It seems fitness model Belinda Benn and I have a few things
in common. We’re both in our 40′s, both Aussie, and we
both love helping others achieve their fitness and fat loss
goals.  Being 32 weeks pregnant, one thing I definitely don’t
have right now is Belinda’s abs! But they’ll come back…
 
In light of the upcoming launch of her Get Lean Program,
today I have something quite special for you. 47yo fitness
model Belinda Benn provides us with a sneak peak into her
fat loss secrets as well as some great tips on skin care.
 

 
Sue: Belinda, I’ve read your story and seen you in the magazines – how did you transform your body so dramatically later in life.  I read you never exercised before the age of 37 – is that true?!

Belinda:  Sue, yes it’s true!  I was a coffee drinking, sugar addicted executive.  I was so busy trying to be a “super women” with my career, husband and all my other responsibilities that I had stopped caring for myself – doing things “just for me”.   One day while trying bathers on in a department store dressing room I was shocked to see cellulite and saddle bags (amongst other things) and I realized the body I had in my 20’s had disappeared without me even realizing.  Soon after I set myself the goal of learning to surf and before I knew it I was eating healthily, losing weight and feeling in the best shape of my life.

Sue: I think we can all relate to the dressing room story at some stage or another – probably unbeknown to them retail stores do an amazing job drumming up business for weight loss companies!

What was the hardest aspect of your transformation?

Belinda:  The hardest part was not knowing how to eat right – for energy, longevity and fat burning.  I knew nothing about nutrition.  I started getting fitter but the big change didn’t come until I got my diet straightened out.  It took a while but once I got on track I couldn’t believe how much food I could eat and not put on weight.  I had been eating the wrong foods, at the wrong times in the wrong combination!  When I think back to what I ate in my 30’s it’s shocking – I lived on coffee, milk, sugar, Arnott’s biscuits and fatty foods!  

Sue: I know you get asked this all the time, but how on earth do you look so young? 

Belinda:  Early in my career I worked with Shiseido, the Japanese skincare company and they taught me about holistic wellness.  Which simply means, looking after the total person – inside and out.  We all know things like stress, toxins, over eating, too much alcohol, not enough sleep or a lot of sun, ages us prematurely.  I neglected myself and over indulged like a lot of people do but once I realized, I made some radical life changes – and thankfully it paid off in a big way.   I believe that doing the right things, consistently, adds up to big results over time.

Sue:  Since I am talking with an expert then, a lot of people find that their skin becomes slack after weight loss and they suffer stretch marks.  Did you have those problems? 

Belinda:  Yes I did!  When I started losing weight I began exfoliating every day.  The Japanese had taught me about this and it really works.  I also made sure I included foods in my diet that improved the elasticity of the skin.  In fact, that’s one of the reasons I wrote my Fitness Model Skincare Secrets so I could help people with concerns like that and prove that getting older doesn’t mean we have to age prematurely. 

Sue: What makes your Get Lean Program different from everything else out there?

Belinda: Sue, as you know, many diets start out super strict.  Then as our motivation wanes we go back to our old habits and the weight comes back on.  I have discovered that the easiest and most effective way to achieve a lean physique is to work with the natural harmony of our body’s physiology. From my experience, it takes roughly four weeks before our metabolism jumps to the next fat burning level.  So, the process of obtaining our ideal lean physique should be viewed as fat burning “phases” that we control through establishing new eating habits, rather than a “diet”.  For this reason the Get Lean Program is divided into three, monthly phases: Momentum, Acceleration and Peak.

The Momentum Phase begins the process of increasing your fat burning metabolism. Your body will adjust to new eating habits and these changes will enable you to maintain your diet while gradually reducing your caloric and carbohydrate intake.

The Acceleration Phase will help reduce your body fat % while maintaining the energy levels necessary to work and train hard.  Your body will adjust to producing efficient energy from fewer calories and you will see acceleration in your fat loss.

The Peak Phase will help you reach your optimum lean physique at the end of Month 3.

Many physique competitors use a similar system to prepare for competitions.  But this program takes that science and makes it doable for anyone who wants to lose weight!

Sue: I noticed that you focus a lot on the mental and emotional aspects of losing weight – why is that?

Belinda:  Often it’s not eating healthy or working out that’s our biggest challenge – is our own self-image and self-esteem.  If we allow negative thoughts from the past to contaminate our thinking then that will continually undermine our efforts for success.   Personally I have done a lot of work to change my thinking, from feeling like I am over the hill, old, not sexy anymore, it’s too late or I’ve failed in the past (add in a few of your personal favorites here) and replaced those with new thought patterns of self-confidence and a can do attitude.  We all have moments of weakness and self-doubts, that’s normal.  But there is a lot we can do to get our thinking straightened out!  For that reason I will be giving away my “Think Lean – Get Lean” audio recording with every purchase of the Get Lean Program next week.  

Sue:  Belinda, once last piece of advice for all my readers please!

Belinda:  Transforming your body can seem like an insurmountable task.  But if you take one new positive step forward every day (no matter how small) and tomorrow do it over again – your habits, body and life will progressively change.  Positive change will become a way of life and one day you will catch your reflection in the mirror and realize – there’s a new you! 

 
F.REE FAT LOSS REPORT

If you haven’t get grabbed your copy of Belinda’s free report
Eat to Get Lean – here’s the link. It’s only available until Sunday
so be quick: 

www.idealbodiesonline.com/getleanprogram

 
P.S. Next week be on the lookout for my Get Lean
Program launch emails. If you purchase the program
through one of the links in my emails I’m going to provide
you with an awesome 50% discount on our instant
training programs along with an additional 15%
off everything in our Products Store (excluding
ebooks), in conjunction with Belinda’s
launch. So don’t purchase from any other link if you want
to pick up these discounts! I’ll remind you next week.
 

Help, there’s an alien in my tummy!

Published on August 23, 2010 in Nutrition Articles, Pregnancy and weight loss. 1 Comment

Man, this baby doesn’t stop! I know it’s not going to be a couch potato that’s for sure.

So, it seems all of a sudden various things are taking their toll – as of about 31 weeks I’ve started getting carpal tunnel (mild thus far) ie pins and needles in hands at night, aching, stiff fingers and wrists in the morning, some heartburn, and of course the continuing sore swollen feet/ankles. I am tossing and turning all night, just nigh on impossible to get comfortable. So insomnia is a big issue once more (and not because of needing to pee all night!). I’ve had a sore throat that has felt like I’m swallowing razor blades which hasn’t helped, meaning I have been up at all hours drinking LemSip and gargling salt water. Thankfully it’s starting to improve.

I’m thinking bring on the crying baby, I can use a change.  Perhaps not just yet though.

Yes I’m well aware I’m complaining -  I’m also well aware that the end result will be well and truly worth it. Just let me complain for a bit ok. LOL!

Anyway, so I sent out an email to my database about some great offers coming up – and I wanted to also note them on my blog here.

 I’ve recently become friendly with fitness model Belinda Benn, a great Aussie lady who is now located in Panama, Central America.   Not only does she have an amazing physique at the age of 47, but she’s such a lovely person to boot.   

Belinda has a new program out, and asked for my feedback and opinion. I’ve got to say, I was blown away.   In a nutshell Belinda has put together a fantastic 90 day diet program that provides you with 90 days of menus and includes a unique and invaluable  “nutrition intuition” section.

You can grab a copy of her free report Eat to Get Lean right now: 

www.idealbodiesonline.com/getleanprogram

Something astonishing to me is that Belinda became a fitness model at age 44.

44!

And she didn’t start working out until she was in her late 30s. So if you have made a bit later start than you would have liked (or perhaps you have been contemplating, but haven’t actually started yet!), here’s proof that it’s never too late!    She’s been published in many fitness magazines…

Does modeling all over the world… 

As a result, demand for her expertise became so great she’s finally sharing her fitness tips with the world.

You can start here with her free report:

www.idealbodiesonline.com/getleanprogram

Be sure to watch the short video on the website. You’ll get to hear Belinda talk about her program and see how real and down to earth she is.

Ten years ago Belinda was stuck inside stuffy offices and boardrooms as a corporate executive.   She finally stopped ignoring her dreams and began the remarkable journey that took her to where she is today.   In this report you’ll see how you can transform your body too… and your life.  

www.idealbodiesonline.com/getleanprogram  

In the report you’ll find a fat burning blueprint. Plus insider info on dopamine and toxic foods.   You’ll also find out what really makes you overeat (hint: you can stop blaming yourself).

Oh, and best of all, you really will EAT to get lean!

You won’t starve and deprive yourself (I’m big on that!).

So head on over there right now to pick up the f.reebie:

www.idealbodiesonline.com/getleanprogram

P. S. The report is loaded with awesome photos and graphics that make it a pleasure to read.  

P.P.S. Just a heads up: There’s no workout to go with this diet program, but many of you will already have one of our instant programs or a tailored program which would compliment this diet really well. If you don’t, I’m going to also provide you with an awesome 50% discount on our instant training programs along with an additional 15% off everything in our Products Store (excluding ebooks), in conjunction with Belinda’s launch.   There will be more information coming when the program launches next week, but if you are in a hurry to grab this program, please do so now from the link in the report, and send me your receipt so I can forward you the information with the discount codes. 

Have a great day.  Will be back later to give you some details on another great offer coming up!

 

 

18 weeks preggo

Published on May 19, 2010 in Articles, Nutrition Articles and weight loss. 2 Comments

Wow, it’s been a month since I last posted.  Things have been moving along somewhat in the pregnancy department.  I’m over the nausea, well 90% of the time, I did actually have my 3rd spew of the pregnancy just 2 days ago, at 6am before I went for an hour’s walk with Nadia!  Tiredness and insomnia still prevail.  I’m so fortunate I work for myself – I often have 6 hours of work done by 8 or 9am!  If I was an employee, I’d never be able to hold down a job.  So, very thankful for that.

My tummy is getting rather largeish.  Even though little bubba only weighs about 150g!  I have my 18 week scan on Monday, though I am not really looking forward to it for the simple reason I have to drink 1 litre of water an hour before I go.  There is no way I can hold on to that much water.  I nearly pee’d my pants on my walk this morning, and I’d only had a coffee and a water, plus I’d already been before I left!  I’m REALLY worried about it so I’m going to do a test tomorrow morning.  I might have to cut down the time frame and cut down the volume of water.  My bladder it seems can only hold about 1/2 cup before I feel like I am going to burst.  That’s still the reason I wake at all hours of the morning.  My stomach is like a big balloon.

So what else has been happening?

We bought a king size bed – gel top – no movement of other person detectable.  We get it on Friday and I can’t wait.  Next on the agenda is a tall boy and new bedside tables.  And of course new quilt cover and sheets etc.  Going the whole hog.

I am off to the Gold Coast on the 31st May for 7 days.  We are having a lunch in Brisbane on Saturday 5th, and anyone is welcome.  Email me if you would like to attend.  I think we have about 10 going so far.  I can’t wait to catch up with the girls.

I’m going to start pilates when I get back from the Goldy. I found a pregnancy pilates class, but first I have to get my ob’s ok so will wait til Thursday when I see him.  This will be a first for me, never done it before.

I’ve started cleaning out cupboards and re-organizing my house.  It feels good to throw stuff out!

I’m still eating like a horse at times especially after I do some exercise.  My weight gain was bothering me a bit but I figure I need to allow for the fact I was dieting and training 2 x day prior to falling pregnant.  So given that, I think all is ok.  I’m still within the average weight gain, just, so that’s ok!  I also figure that once I get back to my usual lower carb diet, my body will respond pretty quickly.  I feel much better now I have found some decent clothes to wear that actually fit me.  I spent nearly $500 on 3 items at David Jones (Metalicus, not maternity) but they are great and I will get heaps of wear out of them as they are stretchy.  Found some good preggo workout wear at www.pregfit.com.au  So I’m all set for a while.  I’m into maternity jeans and actually love them, so comfy.  Believe it or not my Lorna Jane XS pants still fit me but I’ll be moving up to an S when I go shopping on the Goldy.

I’ve been looking into child care options and we have an appointment on Friday with ABC Learning Centre, which is very handily, just down the road from us.  Can’t hurt to be too organized in this regard I think!

As for Ideal Bodies Online, I have a few projects on the go.  I’ve been searching around for corporate identity kit designers for our new project.  While on this subject, we are looking for expressions of interest from mums who have their PT qualifications or who want to get them, who are interested in a unique new business opportunity.  Email me if you would like some further (still sketchy) details.

Next, I’m busy researching and setting up an affiliate program for our instant programs which will be inproved, revamped and repriced at the same time.  If anyone has a blog, or web site and would like to earn 50% commission on sales, please email me your expression of interest so I can get back to you when things have been finalized.

I had my friend Kerry stay with us a couple of weeks ago for the night, that was lovely to catch up with her (as well as Jodie and Logan) – Kerry has lost nearly 50kg in weight and she’s barely recognizable!  She gave me a harmony ball to wear and I haven’t taken it off yet :)

I’ve started walking 3 x week in the early mornings (ie dark) with Nadia who has moved into Mildura and lives quite close now.  We meet at my usual exercise spot, and do stairs, hills, and a bit of jogging and walking.  I’m still able to do some of this but it’s starting to get a little uncomfortable. 

I just came back from a massage – it hurt but was soooooooo good.  How anyone can live without massages is beyond me.  Already my lower back and hips are tight, well everything is really. 

I am due for a belly shot tomorrow, 18 weeks.  So perhaps I’ll do a short blog and post my (definite) belly pic.

If you missed our recent newsletter, here’s an article for those confused about low carb dieting:

Is a Low Carb Diet Sustainable? (by Sue Heintze)

With the low carb diets craze all the rage these days, one important question to ask is: “Is the low carb diet sustainable?” Can you lose weight and keep it off once you go off a low carb diet?

The quick answer to this question is no. However, don’t stop reading now. As with any successful diet out there, the idea is to turn the diet into a lifestyle of healthy eating. So, as with low calorie or low fat diets, in order to sustain the amazing weight loss achieved on a low carb diet, the dieter must turn the diet into a lifestyle once the excess weight is gone. So, the long answer is yes, a low carb diet is sustainable.

Let’s explore this thought further by examining what happens to the body on a low carb diet. When you stop ingesting carbs or significantly lower your carb intake, your body enters what is called ketosis. Ketosis is when your body is actually using fat for fuel instead of sugar. This state is the very reason why you have rapid weight loss on a very low carb diet.

The other benefit to a low carb diet is the fact that the body isn’t losing muscle providing you are getting enough protein and overall calories and you are lifting weights. Protein is essential for building and maintaining muscle tone and therefore so is exercise, which is why a low carb diet is best for burning fat and keeping muscle, as well as for long term sustainability.

As with any diet, it’s very important to not deprive yourself of essential nutrients like calcium, fibre and protein. Calcium is pretty easy to get on a low carb diet through cheese, cottage cheese and canned sardines or salmon. Protein is also very easy to get from lean meats, eggs, cottage cheese and whey protein. Fibre is probably the most difficult nutrient to obtain from a low carb diet, but you can incorporate some carbs such as brown rice, oatmeal, berries and legumes.

Once the excess weight is off and you’re ready to begin increasing your carb intake, it’s important to do so slowly. The day you hit your goal weight, you don’t want to run out for a tub of ice cream. However, you can allow yourself some treats once in a while, but as with any diet, if you want to maintain your new weight, you must continue to eat healthy and exercise regularly.

Have a great evening everyone.

Sue xxx

Avoiding the chocolate gifts at Christmas

Published on December 20, 2009 in Articles, food, Nutrition Articles and weight loss. 2 Comments

There are so many Christmas gifts that contain chocolate, that things can turn into a bit of a nightmare if you are trying to cut down on your intake.

As well as the many children’s gifts that contain chocolate such as selection boxes, many of the gifts aimed at adults are also full of it. Chocolates are one of those gifts you give when you can’t think of anything else – after all, who doesn’t like chocolate?

So, how do you avoid it without coming across as some modern day Scrooge who won’t allow any chocolate in their house?

You will quite often find that it is usual at Christmas for your children to receive boxes and boxes of the stuff and they will eat it just for eating’s sake (just like the adults do!). Hence the familiar scenario of young children running around the house like mad things due to the fact that they have overdosed on their fix of sugar on Christmas Day. As far as the kids themselves are concerned, generally they will have so many things to occupy themselves you will be surprised how they won’t even miss the chocolate – so have a quiet word with your friends and family and request alternative gifts to chocolate for your children. Having said that, make sure you buy the kids some chocolate treats yourself every now and then but make sure that you are in charge of when and how much you give them.

And of course it’s not only the kids – there is so much chocolate lying around at this time of year you can’t really help over indulging and end up feeling guilty that you have given in so easily. After all, you don’t want to waste it do you!

So again, a quiet word with your loved ones should do the trick and alternative presents will get rid of this problem. It’s a similar issue at Easter time – I cannot remember the last time I was given eggs at Easter time. My family has been aware for years that I don’t care to have them around – and you know what, I don’t ever miss them! Chocolate isn’t going anywhere, it’s always around if you need it, so why gorge yourself on it at particular times of the year?

I find that the best way for the adults in the family to avoid the chocolate gifts at Christmas is to have an alternative. We have already come to the conclusion that it is a good idea to limit the amount that you have in the house but you should always ensure that you have some kind of healthy alternative which will in effect mean that you won’t really miss the chocolate at all – well not so much anyway.

Try a few bowls of fresh fruit placed around the house and try and get into the habit of picking at those whenever you have a chocolate craving. Or chop up your favourite protein bar into pieces, and have one piece whenever you feel the need. Of course, if you are eating every 3-4 hours as you should be, you should never get hungry enough to want to gorge on chocolate anyway.

If you must have chocolate, get hold of some good quality dark chocolate. It does have a little bit of an acquired taste but once you get used to it, it is absolutely gorgeous and better for you and a little goes a long way.

And of course, Christmas is all about giving, so the best idea by far is to give away your chocolate gifts to someone who will appreciate them. Try the local Salvos or a charity of some description.

Healthy Snacks at Christmas

Published on December 17, 2009 in Articles, food and Nutrition Articles. 2 Comments

Contrary to popular belief it is still possible to have a great time over Christmas with out putting on weight as a result of eating lots of unhealthy meals and snacks.

Here are ten healthy snacks which will ensure that your Christmas celebrations can be enjoyed more than ever without putting on the extra pounds or kilos (depending on what side of the world you are on!).

1. Instead of a turkey sandwich made with thick slices of bread and lashings of butter replace the normal bread with pita bread and leave out the butter. Try replacing the butter with a spread of avocado. You can get small size pitta breads for the children and they taste absolutely delicious. Garnish with a small amount of salad and they will prove to be a popular treat.

2. It is surprising how filling a bowl of salad can be. Most people just associate a salad with boring old lettuce and cucumber but it may surprise you to know that a tasty salad made with chopped up capsicum/peppers, onions, cherry tomatoes and chopped up grapes with some croutons on top make an absolutely delicious salad and completely different to the more traditional salads that most people are used to.

3. Take it easy on the salted nuts. They are very high in calories and a few small bowls of pumpkin seeds in their place will satisfy the same needs but are far less moreish.

4. Fruit. A fruit salad comprising lots of juicy grapes, cherries, berries, apple, banana, kiwi fruit and orange makes a refreshing snack which your body will thank you for.

5. Here is a snack that not many people think of but a fruit or vegeatable smoothie can easily replace a meal and is so very good for you. A smoothie is often just considered to contain fruit but that is not the case. You can extract the juice from carrots and spinach for example and then add in some fruit and you are left with a snack that is absolutely bursting with goodness. Of course you don’t want to overdo the sugar so make it a small serve particularly if using fruit juice. Of course you should try to get some protein with your meals so adding some choc or vanilla protein powder to some low fat milk, some chopped frozen banana and a bit of nutmeg will keep your muscles happy too.

6. Perhaps one of the most delicious snacks I can think of are our protein pancakes. Very simply blend together 1/3 to 1/2 cup of oats, 4 egg whites and 1/4 cup of cottage cheese to form a batter. Add a little sweetener. I like to add some berries then pour the batter into the pan and cook as you would normal pancakes. Serve these delicious pancakes with some sugar free maple syrup and I guarantee that these will be the only kind of pancakes you eat from now on!

7. A baked potato with a filling of low fat cottage cheese is another of my favourites. A mistake many people make is to include a generous helping of butter or sour cream in the potato which really defeats the purpose of a healthy snack, doesn’t it? It is quite often included out of habit and once you get used to your baked potato without the butter you will hardly notice the difference. In place of sour cream try some low fat natural yoghurt.

8. A bowl of low fat natural Greek yoghurt is absolutely sensational, especially when mixed with some berries (yes, I am a big berry fan!) and leaves a fresh taste in your mouth which assures you that you have just eaten something wonderfully healthy.

9. A bowl of muesli (untoasted of course!) or oats does not have to be only eaten at breakfast and it makes a perfect healthy snack which can be eaten at any time during the day (watch the carbs at night if you are dieting though). Feel free to chop up some fresh fruit and add that to give it your own unique twist. Add some cottage cheese for your protein serving, and top with sugar free syrup.

10. Lastly, please remember that it is Christmas and you are entitled to enjoy yourself. A little bit of what you fancy won’t do you any harm!