Balancing Carbohydrates, Proteins, Fats and Fiber for Weight Loss

Balancing Carbohydrates, Proteins, Fats and Fiber for Weight Loss

The recommendation is to have a good ratio of calories, 40-50% Carbs, 25-35% protein, 20-30% fat.  Be sure to stay under 2500 mg of sodium and over 25 grams of fiber. It is recommended to never go below 1200 calories if you are a female, because your body will go into starvation mode and it is possible that you might gain weight, besides doing serious damage to your body. (1500 calories if you are male).

Your body needs 1200 calories per day to survive (credit to Saroful).

-The heart needs 12% of the calories (144 cals)
-The kidney needs 12% of the calories (144 cals)
-The Liver needs 23% of the calories (276 cals)
-The brain needs 23% of the calories (276 cals)
-The skeletal muscle needs 30% of the calories (360 cals)

What is a safe calorie deficient reduction to lose weight? It is recommended to reduce your calories by 500 per day, but never more than 1000 calorie deficit per day.  When you’re down to the last 5-10 lbs, you should just focus on toning. Tone. Tone. Tone. Start lifting weights, keep up the cardio. As for the number of calories, don't reduce by any  more than 500 less than what you burn. It's only, if you have 20 or more lbs to lose, that you don't reduce by any more than 1000 calories less than what you burn. 3500 Calories = 1 lb. divide that by 7 days, and you have a reduction of 500 calories per day for a week. You can safely lose 1-2 lbs per week.

With the increasing summer heat, water is important to staying hydrated and aiding in meeting weight loss goals. (see, The Truth about Water and Dieting) If you exercise you should drink another 8 ounce glass of water for every 20 minutes you are active. If you drink coffee or alcohol, you should drink at least an equal amount of water. If you live in an arid climate, you should add another 2 servings per day. As you can see, your daily need for water can add up to quite a lot.

To figure out the math to determine the number of grams of Carbs, Protein and Fat you should consume, take the total number of calories you are supposed to consume.

Divide it by the precentages you are using. So for Carbs you will have a number of calories that represent a fraction of the total, same for protein and fat.

Then you take each of those number of calories, and you divide Carbs by 4 to get the total grams, Protein by 4 to get the total grams and Fat by 9 to get the total grams. For example:

The Math for a 1200 Daily Calorie Goal:

40-50% Carbs = 480-600 calories (120-150 grams) 
25-35% Protein =  300-420 calories (75-105 grams)
20-30% Fat = 240-360 calories (26-40 grams)

Aim for 25 gram or more of Fiber
Aim for 2500 mg or less of Sodium 

The World Health Organization’s recommends that 10% percent of your total calories come from sugars. Here is how the math breaks down:

1200 calories, 10% = 120 calories = 30.0 g of sugar
1300 calories, 10% = 130 calories = 32.5 g of sugar
1400 calories, 10% = 140 calories = 35.0 g of sugar
1500 calories, 10% = 150 calories = 37.5 g of sugar
1600 calories, 10% = 160 calories = 40.0 g of sugar
1700 calories, 10% = 170 calories = 42.5 g of sugar
1800 calories, 10% = 180 calories = 45.0 g of sugar
1900 calories, 10% = 190 calories = 47.5 g of sugar
2000 calories, 10% = 200 calories = 50.0 g of sugar
2100 calories, 10% = 210 calories = 52.5 g of sugar
2200 calories, 10% = 220 calories = 55.0 g of sugar
2300 calories, 10% = 230 calories = 57.5 g of sugar
2400 calories, 10% = 240 calories = 60.0 g of sugar

How much protein do you need?

According to the recently updated Dietary Reference Intake guidelines, the recommended daily consumption of protein for adult men and women is the following: Women aged 19-70 need to consume 46g of protein per day. Men aged 19-70 need to consume 56g of protein per day. The difference is due to the fact that, in general, men's bodies have more muscle mass than those of women.

Other recommendations suggest 1g of protein per kilogram of body weight while some extreme sources suggest that higher intakes of 1-2 grams of protein per pound of body weight are desirable. Higher levels of protein intake have not been proven to be necessary and may be harmful due to increased stress on the kidneys and liver.

How much protein you need in your daily diet is determined, in large part, by your overall energy intake, as well as by your body's need for nitrogen and essential amino acids. Physical activity and exertion as well as enhanced muscular mass increase your need for protein. Requirements are also greater during childhood for growth and development, during pregnancy or when breast-feeding in order to nourish your baby, or when your body needs to recover from malnutrition or trauma or after an operation.

Because the body is continually breaking down protein from tissues, even adults who do not fall into the above categories need to include adequate protein in their diet every day. If you do not take in enough energy from your diet, your body will use protein from the muscle mass to meet its energy needs, and this can lead to muscle wasting over time.

Can you eat too much protein?

Because the body is unable to store excess protein, it is broken down and converted into sugars or fatty acids. The liver removes nitrogen from the amino acids, so that they can be burned as fuel, and the nitrogen is incorporated into urea, the substance that is excreted by the kidneys. These organs can normally cope with any extra workload but if kidney disease occurs, a decrease in protein will often be prescribed.

Excessive protein intake may also cause the body to lose calcium, which could lead to bone loss in the long-term. Foods that are high in protein (such as red meat) are often high in saturated fat, so excessive protein intake may also contribute to increased saturated fat.

Carbohydrate concerns for Diabetics

Carbohydrate concerns for Diabetics

Foods that contain carbohydrate raise blood glucose. By keeping track of how many carbohydrates you eat and setting a limit for your maximum amount to eat, you can help to keep your blood glucose levels in your target range. You may also be interested in our book, Diabetes Carbohydrate and Fat Gram Guide, 3rd Edition.

Did you know there are three main types of carbohydrate? There are

• Starches (also known as complex carbohydrates)
• Sugars
• Fiber

You'll also hear terms like naturally occurring sugar, added sugar, low-calorie sweeteners, sugar alcohols, reduced-calorie sweeteners, processed grains, enriched grains, complex carbohydrate, sweets, refined grains, and whole grains.

No wonder knowing what kind and how much carbohydrate to eat can be confusing!

On the nutrition label, the term "total carbohydrate" includes all three types of carbohydrates. This is the number you should pay attention to if you are carbohydrate counting.

Starch

Foods high in starch include:

• Starchy vegetables like peas, corn, lima beans, and potatoes
• Dried beans, lentils, and peas such as pinto beans, kidney beans, black eyed peas, and split peas
• Grains like oats, barley, and rice. (The majority of grain products in the US are made from wheat flour. These include pasta, bread, and crackers but the variety is expanding to include other grains as well.)

The grain group can be broken down even further into whole grain or refined grain.

A grain, let's take wheat for example, contains three parts:

• bran
• germ
• endosperm

The bran is the outer hard shell of the grain. It is the part of the grain that provides the most fiber and most of the B vitamins and minerals.

The germ is the next layer and is packed with nutrients including essential fatty acids and vitamin E.

The endosperm is the soft part in the center of the grain. It contains the starch. Whole grain means that the entire grain kernel is in the food.

If you eat a whole grain food, it contains the bran, germ, and endosperm so you get all of the nutrients that whole grains have to offer. If you eat a refined grain food, it contains only the endosperm or the starchy part so you miss out on a lot of vitamins and minerals. Because whole grains contain the entire grain, they are much more nutritious than refined grains.

Sugar

Sugar is another type of carbohydrate. You may also hear sugar referred to as simple or fast-acting carbohydrate. There are two main types of sugar:

• naturally occurring sugars such as those in milk or fruit
• added sugars such as those added during processing such as fruit canned in heavy syrup or sugar added to make a cookie

On the nutrition facts label, the number of sugar grams includes both added and natural sugars.

There are many different names for sugar. Examples of common names are table sugar, brown sugar, molasses, honey, beet sugar, cane sugar, confectioner's sugar, powdered sugar, raw sugar, turbinado, maple syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, agave nectar, and sugar cane syrup.

You may also see table sugar listed by its chemical name, sucrose. Fruit sugar is also known as fructose and the sugar in milk is called lactose. You can recognize other sugars on labels because their chemical names also end in "-ose." For example glucose (also called dextrose), fructose (also called levulose), lactose, and maltose.

If you are looking for information about artificial sweeteners, try this section.

Fiber

Fiber comes from plant foods so there is no fiber in animal products such as milk, eggs, meat, poultry, and fish.

Fiber is the indigestible part of plant foods, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and legumes. When you consume dietary fiber, most of it passes through the intestines and is not digested.

For good health, adults need to try to eat 25 to 30 grams of fiber each day. Most Americans do not consume nearly enough fiber in their diet, so while it is wise to aim for this goal, any increase in fiber in your diet can be beneficial. Most of us only get about ½ what is recommended.

Fiber contributes to digestive health, helps to keep you regular and helps to make you feel full and satisfied after eating. Additional health benefits, of a diet high in fiber — such as a reduction in cholesterol levels — have been suggested by some so may be an additional benefit.

Good sources of dietary fiber include:

• Beans and legumes. Think black beans, kidney beans, pintos, chick peas (garbanzos), white beans, and lentils.
• Fruits and vegetables, especially those with edible skin (for example, apples, corn and beans) and those with edible seeds (for example, berries).
• Whole grains such as:
• Whole wheat pasta
• Whole grain cereals (Look for those with three grams of dietary fiber or more per serving, including those made from whole wheat, wheat bran, and oats.)
• Whole grain breads (To be a good source of fiber, one slice of bread should have at least three grams of fiber. Another good indication: look for breads where the first ingredient is a whole grain. For example, whole whe+at or oats.) Many grain products now have "double fiber" with extra fiber added.
• Nuts — try different kinds. Peanuts, walnuts and almonds are a good source of fiber and healthy fat, but watch portion sizes, because they also contain a lot of calories in a small amount.

In general, an excellent source of fiber contains five grams or more per serving, while a good source of fiber contains 2.5 - 4.9 grams per serving.

It is best to get your fiber from food rather than taking a supplement. In addition to the fiber, these foods have a wealth of nutrition, containing many important vitamins and minerals. In fact, they may contain nutrients that haven't even been discovered yet!

It is also important that you increase your fiber intake gradually, to prevent stomach irritation, and that you increase your intake of water and other liquids, to prevent constipation.

Because fiber is not digested like other carbohydrates, for carbohydrate counting purposes, if a serving of a food contains more than or equal to 5 grams of dietary fiber, you can subtract half the grams of dietary fiber from the total carbohydrate serving of that food.

A Healthy Type 2 Diabetes Diet

Maintaining a healthy diet is important for everyone, but it is especially important for people with diabetes. A type 2 diabetes diet and following the right meal plan can make all the difference to a person struggling to keep their blood sugar under control. But, what is the right meal plan? How much of which food group should you eat?

Along with a visit to a dietician, this guide should help answer questions you may have about diabetes and nutrition.

Recommended Related to Diabetes

Diabetes Warning Signs

Because type 2 diabetes can lead to serious health complications, it's important to be aware of any diabetes warning signs and get tested for diabetes if you have these symptoms. Treating diabetes early, when treatment is most effective, can help prevent complications. We'll explain the various diabetes warning signs and also warning signs of specific diabetes problems. Discover why it's important to listen to your body and alert your doctor if you notice any new signs or problems.

Read the Diabetes Warning Signs article > >

 

Carbohydrates and Fiber in a Type 2 Diabetes Diet

Carbohydrates are one of the major food categories (the others include proteins and fats) in a type 2 diabetes diet. They provide fuel for the body in the form of glucose. Glucose is a sugar that is the primary means of energy for all of the body's cells.

There are two ways to classify carbohydrates -- simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are sugars -- like glucose, sucrose, lactose, and fructose. They are found in refined sugar and in fruits. Complex carbohydrates are the starches, which are the simple sugars bonded together chemically -- they are found in beans, nuts, vegetables, and whole grains. Complex carbohydrates are considered healthier mostly because they are digested by the body slowly, providing a steady source of energy. They also contain valuable amounts of fiber.

Carbohydrates, rather than fats or proteins, have the most immediate effect on your blood sugar since carbohydrates are broken down directly into sugar early during digestion. It is important to eat the suggested amount of carbohydrate at each meal, along with some protein and fat.

Carbohydrates are mainly found in the following food groups:

• Fruit
• Milk and yogurt
• Bread, cereal, rice, pasta
• Starchy vegetables like potatoes

What Is Carbohydrate Counting?

Carbohydrate counting is a method of meal planning that is a simple way to keep track of the amount of total carbohydrates you eat each day. It helps allow you to eat what you want. Counting grams of carbohydrate and evenly distributing them at meals will help you control your blood sugar.

Instead of following an exchange list, with carbohydrate counting you monitor how much carbohydrates (sugar and starch) you eat daily. One carbohydrate serving is equal to 15 grams of carbohydrates.

With carbohydrate counting, you plan your carbohydrate intake based on what your pre-meal sugar is and your intake or insulin dose can be adjusted. Carbohydrate counting can be used by anyone and not just by people with diabetes that are taking insulin. If you eat more carbohydrates than your insulin supply can handle, your blood sugar level goes up. If you eat too little, your blood sugar level may fall too low. These fluctuations can be managed by knowing how to count your carbohydrate intake.

A registered dietitian will help you figure out a carbohydrate counting plan that meets your specific needs. For adults, a typical plan generally includes three to four carbohydrates at each meal, and one to two carbohydrate servings as snacks.

With carbohydrate counting, you can pick almost any food product off the shelf, read the label, and use the information about grams of carbohydrates to fit the food into your type 2 diabetes meal plan.

Carbohydrate counting is most useful for people who take multiple daily injections of insulin, use the insulin pump, or who want more flexibility and variety in their food choices. However, it may not be for everyone, and the traditional method of following food exchange lists may be used instead.

How Much Fiber Should I Eat?

Fiber is the indigestible part of plant foods. It plays an important role in the digestive process as it helps move foods along the digestive tract, adding bulk to stool to help it pass through the bowel. In addition, diets high in fiber are associated with lower risks of obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, and strokes.

Fiber also:

• Delays sugar absorption, helping to better control blood sugar levels.
• Binds with cholesterol and may reduce the level of 'bad' LDL cholesterol in the blood.
• Is a good source of vitamins and minerals.
• Helps prevent constipation and reduces the risk of certain intestinal disorders.
• Promotes weight loss by helping to decrease caloric intake. (It adds bulk to the food we eat, making you feel fuller.)

The goal for all Americans is to consume 25 to 35 grams of fiber per day. The best way to increase fiber intake as part of your type 2 diabetes diet is to eat more of these fiber-rich foods:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Cooked dried beans and peas
• Whole grain breads, cereals, and crackers
• Brown rice
• Bran products

Fat in a Type 2 Diabetes Diet

Since diabetes increases your risk of developing heart disease, eating foods lower in fat -- especially saturated fat -- is particularly important to keep that risk as low as possible. In addition, limiting calories from fat can help you lose any extra weight, especially when combined with an exercise program.

The major contributors of saturated fats in our diet come from cheese, beef, milk, and baked items. Trans fats also contribute to the increase risk of heart disease. These fats are vegetables oils that are harder; we recognize these as solid oils. Many of these are used in baking and frying.

Here are some general guidelines for selecting and preparing low-fat foods for your type 2 diabetes diet:

• Select lean meats including poultry, fish, and lean red meats. When preparing these foods, don't fry them. Instead, you can bake, broil, grill, roast, or boil.
• Select low-fat dairy products such as low-fat cheese, skim milk, and products made from skim milk such as nonfat yogurt, nonfat frozen yogurt, evaporated skim milk, and buttermilk. Remember to include dairy products in your daily carbohydrate count.
• Use low-fat vegetable cooking spray when preparing foods or consider using cholesterol lowering margarine containing stanols or sterols. Examples include "Take Control" and "Benecol."
• Use liquid vegetable oils that contain poly- or monounsaturated fats which can help lower your 'bad' LDL cholesterol.
• Select lower fat margarines, gravies, and salad dressings and remember to watch the carbohydrate count on condiments and dressings.
• All fruits and vegetables are good low-fat choices. Remember to include fruit and starchy vegetables in your daily carbohydrate count.

Salt in a Type 2 Diabetes Diet

Diabetes increases your risk for high blood pressure. High levels of salt (sodium) in your diet can further increase that risk. Your health care provider or dietitian may ask you to limit or avoid these high-salt foods:

• Salt and seasoned salt (or salt seasonings)
• Boxed mixes of potatoes, rice, or pasta
• Canned meats
• Canned soups and vegetables (with salt)
• Cured or processed foods
• Ketchup, mustard, salad dressings, other spreads and canned sauces
• Packaged soups, gravies, or sauces
• Pickled foods
• Processed meats: lunch meat, sausage, bacon, and ham
• Olives
• Salty snack foods
• Monosodium glutamate or MSG
• Soy and steak sauces

Low-Salt Cooking Tips

• Use fresh ingredients and/or foods with no salt added.
• For favorite recipes, you may need to use other ingredients and eliminate or decrease the salt you would normally add.
• Try orange or pineapple juice as a base for meat marinades.
• Avoid convenience foods such as canned soups, entrées, and vegetables; pasta and rice mixes; frozen dinners; instant cereal; and pudding, gravy, and sauce mixes.
• Select frozen entrées that contain 600 milligrams or less of salt. However, limit yourself to one of these frozen entrées per day. Check the Nutrition Facts label on the package for sodium content.
• Use fresh, frozen, no-added-salt canned vegetables, or canned vegetables that have been rinsed before they are prepared.
• Low-salt canned soups may be used.
• Avoid mixed seasonings and spice blends that include salt, such as garlic salt.

Thank you.

John Cardinal

Copyright Healthy Weight Loss for Life 2012

Nutritionists Look at Eggs Health Benefits

Eggs: Nutritionists Look at Eggs Health Benefits

How could anyone hate an egg? Yet, 20 years ago, the dietary naysayers decided that the cholesterol in eggs was translating to artery-clogging cholesterol in the blood -- and eggs splattered onto the no-no list.

Finally, some scientists at the Harvard School of Public Health looked at a population of 117,000 nurses who had been followed for eight to 14 years and found no difference in heart disease risk between those who ate one egg a week and those who ate more than one egg a day.

Another study reported in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that eggs tended to satisfy obese and overweight subjects more than a bagel breakfast with an equal calorie count. Eggs might even be a good diet food!

It is also important to remember, that when you wast your money on an egg white omelet, your are loosing half the protein, and all the vitamins.

Nutritionists Weigh In

"I am very happy with eggs," Ruth Kava, PhD, RD, director of nutrition for the American Council on Science and Health, tells WebMD. "Eggs have a high nutritional value, an excellent quality of protein, are only 70 to 80 calories each, and are not high in fat."

Patricia Kendall, PhD, RD, professor and food and nutrition specialist at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, tells WebMD she agrees that the cholesterol in eggs should not put them on the roster of the forbidden.

On the Food Guide Pyramid put out by the government, eggs are part of the protein-rich food group of meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, and nuts. Two to three servings from this group are recommended each day. One egg would be equal to one-third to one-half of a serving from this group.

The American Heart Association says that two eggs a day is acceptable, but to keep in mind the cholesterol in that egg along with the other foods that you eat in the day. Those with heart disease, diabetes, or a high level of LDL 'bad' cholesterol should probably choose  small or medium eggs vs. larger ones which have more cholesterol.

A large egg represents less than 4% of the daily calorie intake of a person eating 2,000 calories a day; it provides 10% of a person's daily recommended protein, and valuable iron, B vitamins, and minerals, including the folate recommended for pregnant women.

Egg Safety

People who eat eggs have been shown to have better diets, perhaps -- scientists speculate -- because they tend to eat breakfast, especially eggy ones. "Eggs have both fat and protein," Kendall adds. "These increase a sense of fullness."

Of course, questions have also been raised about food-borne illnesses involving eggs. One out of 20,000 eggs may be contaminated with salmonella, bacteria that can cause extreme intestinal distress. The secret to avoiding this is to cook eggs thoroughly, Kendall says. Eggs should also be stored appropriately in the refrigerator and promptly eaten after cooking.

"It's better not to have the yolk runny," Kava agrees. "The extreme elderly and immunosuppressed should be extra careful or not eat eggs."

Kendall says you can even get eggs that are pasteurized to kill bacteria inside the shells. To avoid hard cooking, the heat levels are kept low, but are still effective.

Benefits of Eggs

Pluses outweigh minuses:

• Eggs are easy to prepare in a number of different ways. They even make recipes work by thickening things.
• They have a long refrigerator shelf life.
• They are relatively cheap.
• They are delicious!

Egg Varieties

"An egg is no longer just an egg," Kendall says.

Go to any upscale food store or even the local supermarket and you have choices, and not just the sizes.

• "You have your cage-free, free-range, or free-roaming," Kendall notes. This refers to the way the chickens (yes, they come first) are raised. "People got the idea that letting chickens wander around and eat the occasional bug was more humane, and because the birds were exposed to less ammonia, made the eggs taste better." Gourmets, in fact, rhapsodize over the depth of flavor of free-range eggs. On one web site, an egg lover remarked: "My neighbor's chickens are feasting on grasshoppers and I always look forward to the eggs he brings. They are huge with bright golden yolks that stand high above thick whites."
• Lower-cholesterol eggs are produced, Kendall says, by feeding the chickens a vegetarian diet and oils such as canola oil. "A large egg can have 300 milligrams of cholesterol," she notes, "and this sort of feeding can bring that down to 200 milligrams."

Omega-3 eggs are also being engineered. Chickens are fed flaxseed, marine algae, and fish oil, with the intent to increase the egg content of omega-3 fatty acids.

• Brown eggs, beige, even gray or lavender, are trendy now. This is not a dye job, but a function of the type of chicken, Kendall explains. White-shelled eggs are produced by hens with white feathers and ear lobes. Brown-shelled eggs come from chickens with red feathers and red ear lobes. Do different colored eggs taste better? The answer lies in the mouth of the omelet eater.
• Those eggs in a carton, already broken and mixed, are another category on the shelves. Sometimes, Kendall says, these are considered low cholesterol because they are all whites with a little yellow coloring thrown in. Read the labels, nutritionists advise.

Thank you.

John Cardinal

Copyright Healthy Weight Loss for Life 2012

Green Tea, its a No Brainer

Green Tea, its a No Brainer!

The discovery of green tea and its health benefits was made thousands of years ago. In the beginning, it was only cultivated and used in different parts of Asia like China and India but it has recently gained a lot of popularity in the western world as well because of its various health benefits proven by scientific research. Just like black tea, green tea is also prepared from the leaves of tea plant know as Camellia Sinensis but green tea does not go through the same oxidation process as black tea and due to this reason, most of its beneficial properties remain intact. The important question: Does green tea burn fat? We need to find out what does green tea contain and how its ingredients help us lose fat.

Green Tea Ingredients.

Green tea contains some of the most powerful antioxidants known as polyphenols. The polyphenols contained in green tea (also known as catechins) are much stronger antioxidants even when compared with Vitamin C. Green tea contains 6 different types of catechin but the most important of them all is known as Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG).  EGCG is mainly responsible for providing various health benefits that are associated with green tea and it also helps us in fighting different diseases. Green tea also contains caffeine which gives it the refreshing effect. Other ingredients of green tea include: theanine, butyric acid, vitamins A, B1, B12, K, P, pectin, fluoride, iron, magnesium, calcium, strontium, copper, nickel, and zinc.

How Does Green Tea Burn Fat?

Scientific research has shown that green tea can help in losing excess fat from the body. That is why it is one of the main ingredients of most of the weight loss pills and supplements available in the market. The food that we eat is converted by our liver into a gel like substance known as triglycerides. These triglycerides are used as main source of energy by our body to perform various physical activities. The more we eat, the more triglycerides are released in to our blood stream and the excess of them is converted in to body fat which can cause various health problems in the long run.  The polyphenols (especially EGCG) in green tea dissolve the excess triglycerides and prevent us from gaining extra body fat. The antioxidants and caffeine contained in green tea also signal our nervous system to release the already stored body fat in to the blood stream so that it can be used to fuel our body. Thus green tea makes us more energetic and accelerates our metabolism to burn extra calories.

Other Health Benefits.

Green tea provides us countless health benefits and only a few of them are mentioned below:

Prevents many forms of Cancer.

Clinical studies have shown that polyphenols in green tea can help prevent us from various types of cancer such as lung cancer, stomach cancer and colon cancer. These polyphenols can kill cancerous cells present in the body and also reduce the size of dangerous tumors.

Improves dental health.

Green tea has antibacterial effects and prevents us from the bacterium that causes tooth decay. Different compounds in green tea also help us in fighting bad breath.

Improves skin health.

Many skin care products use antioxidants such as vitamin A, C and E that help in skin care. Green tea has much stronger antioxidants and can help in preventing our skin from sun damage and wrinkles

Summary:

I have included a concentrated Green Tea extract in every weight loss program I've designed. ½ tea spoon dissolved in an 12 ounce glass of water gives you all the health benefits I’ve mentioned and burns 80 calories. That 12 ounce glass with meals and snacks equals 400 lost calories, and adequate hydration, it’s a no brainer!

Thank you.

John Cardinal

Copyright Healthy Weight Loss for Life 2012

Low-carb Diet, doesn't Mean No-carb Diet!

Low-carb Diet doesn’t mean No-carb Diet!

When I first started competing in centurion bicycle challenges I would always have spaghetti dinners the night before. I did this because I knew it was important to have the nutrients and energy. Especially with an endurance challenge that is as demanding as a 100 mile bike ride. Looking back, I should have had whole grain spaghetti, but I was young and had the metabolisms of a cheetah back then. Plus, I was super active. 

Then along came the no carb craze. People were so anti carbs all of a sudden. With (some) good reason. Carbs can be bad. Carbs can make you fat, like really fat. Some diets stripped all carbs out of a person’s reach, meaning no fruit even. What kind of messed up diet says “no apples, here is some bacon!” A silly one that is what kind. Our bodies need carbs. NEED. Like, if you cut out carbs completely, you will notice a huge difference in your energy levels and overall well-being. That being said, ya gotta cut out the bad carbs. So, how can we tell the difference between the two? It is easier than you think.

Canadian dietitian and best-selling author Liz Pearson can help shed some light on the subject of bad carbs vs. good carbs. According to Liz, all carbs are NOT created equal. And she is right! “getting carbs from refined grains such as white breads and pasta, or cereals, cakes and cookies made with white flour, as well as highly processed sugary drinks, candy and desserts, can increase the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, macular degeneration and some cancers,” warns Liz. What should you look for? Whole grains! I mean real whole grains too, when the first ingredient is “enriched whole wheat” or “enriched whole grains,” put that loaf of bread or box of pasta DOWN. Whole grains do not need to be enriched.

We live in a world that is constantly telling us things are bad, then they are ok, don’t drink 8 glasses of water, do drink 8 glasses of water, don’t work out too hard, work out hard or you will be fat forever, and so on and on. We have been confused about fitness for a really, really long time. In reality, weight loss is one of the simplest things. Balance your body's nutrition to regain that energy level you thought was lost with age, eat real foods, and stay active. The billion dollar weight loss industry wants you to think there are miracle pills and magic belts, but really, one of the main miracles for our bodies, has been given a bad rap! Complete Cellular Nutrition is the corner stone to health and weight loss. Cellular nutrition includes carbohydrates and will not work with out them, I know I steered clear of carbs for a month once, it left me a total mess and by months end, I went to Safeway and ate like 6 donuts. Yes, that worked really well for me! If you want to lose weight, you have to balance your nutrition , and balanced nutrition includes carbs!

So eat! Don’t starve yourself and do not deprive your body of things it needs to keep going. And if you are trying to loss weight, or just a regular guy like me who is trying to stay fit, you need to fuel your body. Carbs in their whole grain form are a great way to fuel your muscles for those tough workouts! Stay away from white breads, white pastas, refined sugars, and all that nasty food that has been modified so much, it is almost NOT food! And get on the carb train, the way carbs are meant to be!  I know it will taste different, maybe even weird, at first. I know when I brought home whole grain tortillas for tacos, I was not impressed. But over time, I have come to like and appreciate the difference. As will you. :-)

Thank you.

John Cardinal

Copyright Healthy Weight Loss for Life 2012

9 Habits that make you fat!

9 Bad Habits That Make You Fat

The road to weight loss and an new healthy lifestyle is can some times be pretty hard to follow. If you have spent any time on this site, there is a lot of information we need to be aware of. Gaining knowledge about weight loss is the best defense, but  sometimes it's the little things we don't think about that become road blocks on this journey. This list of "Bad Habits" are great examples of little things we may take for granted. Breaking these habits will help you see much greater gains in your quest for weight loss, and over all health.

Bad Habit #1: Eating Low Fat Foods

Foods that are labeled low-fat or fat free can save you a few calories, but they do this by replacing fat with sugar and other chemicals which are WORSE than fat. They digest more quickly, leave you with a sugar crash and leave you feeling hungry faster. The best approach is to eat with nutrition in mind. Remember: A low-fat donuts are still a donuts!

Bad Habit #2: Skipping Meals

Say it with me: SKIPPING MEALS MAKES YOU FAT and is one of the worst things you can do for your body and mind. Your metabolism slows down, and you’re much more likely to overeat later in the day. The American Journal of Epidemiology found that people who cut out breakfast were 4.5 times more likely to be obese. Rev up your metabolism by eating small portions of nutritious foods throughout the day.

Bad Habit #3: Eating Too Quickly

I’m definitely a victim of this. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone for sushi at 8 and was finished by 8:05! I had to train myself away from this habit. A study from the University of Rhode Island found that those who ate slowly ate 1/3 less than those who ate fast.  Your stomach takes 20 minutes to tell your brain that you’re full. Every meal should take you at least 20 minutes to finish. Try and chew your food 20 times in each bite and pace yourself.

Bad Habit #4: Watching TV while you eat

When you watch television, you’re not fully concentrating on anything else that you’re doing, and this includes eating.  Researchers at the University of Birmingham found that people who were distracted while eating a meal ate more snack food afterwards than those who were paying attention – most didn’t even remember all of what they ate!!  Statistics also show you eat 5-10 times more when you eat while watching TV.

Bad Habit #5: Taking Big Bites

I do this and it works: cut your food into smaller pieces, use a smaller fork or spoon. You increase enjoyment and take longer to eat, which increases your satisfaction. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that people who took large bites of food consumed 52% more calories in one sitting than those who took small bites and chewed longer!

Bad Habit #6: Having Overweight Friends

If your friends or spouse overeat you’re 57% more likely to overeat too, according to research from the New England Journal of Medicine. I am NOT suggesting you cut ties with your overweight friends! Instead of going out to eat, plan social activities. You’ll have more fun together and burn calories instead of packing them on.

Bad Habit #7: Avoiding the Scale

Accountability is one of the best things you can do for your body, and a scale will help keep you on track. Stepping on a scale every other day keeps your goals and accomplishments fresh in your mind. Other ways of staying accountable? Start  tracking your calories burned with a heart rate monitor like Polar’s FT4, or a pedometer that counts the amount of steps you’re walking.

Bad Habit #8: Eating “Filler Foods” at Restaurants

Filler foods can be anything from the complimentary breadbasket they put on the table, to the pound of mashed potatoes that come with your skinless chicken breast.  Here’s the thing, those ”Filler items” are very cheap and it’s disguised as either a value added at the beginning, or a generous entree.  The reality is, it’s neither!  Those things can add an additional 500 calories to your meal without even blinking.  Ask your server if you can get cut veggies instead of the bread and a side salad instead of the potatoes or rice. Trust me; your waistline will thank you!

Bad Habit #9: Not Seeking Health & Fitness Advice

By you reading this article you’re going in the right direction. Reading about exercise and diet makes you more likely to improve your exercise and diet. Researchers in Canada sent diet and exercise advice to more than 1,000 people. Those that read the advice began eating better and working more exercise into their daily life. A little reading goes a long way! Follow this Blog by either email (below) or one of the follow options (above right) because knowledge is power!

Thank you.

John Cardinal

Copyright Healthy Weight Loss for Life 2012

Vitamin Myths

5 Vitamin Truths and Lies

Are you still relying on vitamins to keep you healthy? Once upon a time, you believed in the tooth fairy. You counted on the stability of housing prices and depended on bankers to be, well, dependable. And you figured that taking vitamins was good for you. Oh, it’s painful when another myth gets shattered.

Myth: A daily multivitamin can make up for a bad diet

An insurance policy in a pill? If only it were so.

Vitamin supplements came into vogue in the early 1900s, when it was difficult or impossible for most people to get a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables year-round. Back then, vitamin-deficiency diseases weren’t unheard-of: the bowed legs and deformed ribs of rickets (caused by a severe shortage of vitamin D) or the skin problems and mental confusion of pellagra (caused by a lack of the B vitamin niacin). But these days, you’re extremely unlikely to be seriously deficient if you eat a healthy diet, but, most of us need to supplement that vitamin intake, but a one pill a day multivitamin won’t do the trick. 

Depending on how they are ingested (Tablet, Capsule or Liquid), our digestive system can only absorb about 50% of what we put into it. Of what is absorbed in our digestive system, our liver kidneys and other organ that use these vitamins can only process so much at one time, the rest is washed out in our urine. Our bodies are supposed to get a fairly steady flow of vitamins throughout the day to maintain that right balance. 

Don’t fall prey to the Isotonix sales pitch! If you have not heard of Isotonix, great. If you have, here are some things you should know. Isotonix sells vitamin and mineral supplement at a ridiculous price, because they claim to have the fastest absorption rate of any supplement out on the market. They derive there name from the word Isotonic, when something is in an isotonic state, it has the same water content as the human body. There supplements come in powder form mixed with calcium sulfate (a Dessicant), and when you add the proper amount of water to the powder, the calcium sulfate absorbs the water, putting it in an isotonic state. Sounds pretty cool doesn’t it. Actually it has not been proven to be any more effective, and it does not change the fact that the body can only make use of so much vitamin at one time.

Myth: Vitamin C is a cold fighter

In the 1970s, Nobel laureate Linus Pauling popularized the idea that vitamin C could prevent colds. Today, drugstores are full of vitamin C–based remedies. Studies say: Buyer, beware.

In 2007, researchers analyzed a raft of studies going back several decades and involving more than 11,000 subjects to arrive at a disappointing conclusion: Vitamin C didn’t ward off colds, except among marathoners, skiers, and soldiers on subarctic exercises.

Of course, prevention isn’t the only game in town. Can the vitamin cut the length of colds? Yes and no. Taking the vitamin daily does seem to reduce the time you’ll spend sniffling—but not enough to notice. Adults typically have cold symptoms for 12 days a year; a daily pill could cut that to 11 days. Kids might go from 28 days of runny noses to 24 per year. The researchers conclude that minor reductions like these don’t justify the expense and bother of year-round pill-popping (taking C only after symptoms crop up doesn’t help).

Myth: Vitamin pills can prevent heart disease

Talk about exciting ideas—the notion that vitamin supplements might help lower the toll of some of our most damaging chronic diseases turned a sleepy area of research into a sizzling-hot one. These high hopes came in part from the observation that vitamin-takers were less likely to develop heart disease. Even at the time, researchers knew the finding might just reflect what’s called the healthy user effect—meaning that vitamin devotees are more likely to exercise, eat right, and resist the temptations of tobacco and other bad habits. But it was also possible that antioxidant vitamins like C, E, and beta-carotene could prevent heart disease by reducing the buildup of artery-clogging plaque. B vitamins were promising, too, because folate, B6, and B12 help break down the amino acid homocysteine—and high levels of homocysteine have been linked to heart disease.

Unfortunately, none of those hopes have panned out.

An analysis of seven vitamin E trials concluded that it didn’t cut the risk of stroke or of death from heart disease. The study also scrutinized eight beta-carotene studies and determined that, rather than prevent heart disease, those supplements produced a slight increase in the risk of death. Other big studies have shown vitamin C failing to deliver. As for B vitamins, research shows that yes, these do cut homocysteine levels …but no, that doesn’t make a dent in heart danger.

Don’t take these pills, the American Heart Association says. Instead, the AHA offers some familiar advice: Eat a varied diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Myth: Taking vitamins can protect against cancer

Researchers know that unstable molecules called free radicals can damage your cells’ DNA, upping the risk of cancer. They also know that antioxidants can stabilize free radicals, theoretically making them much less dangerous. So why not take some extra antioxidants to protect yourself against cancer? Because research so far has shown no good comes from popping such pills.

A number of studies have tried and failed to find a benefit, like a recent one that randomly assigned 5,442 women to take either a placebo or a B-vitamin combo. Over the course of more than seven years, all the women experienced similar rates of cancers and cancer deaths. In Neuhouser’s enormous multivitamin study, that pill didn’t offer any protection against cancer either. Nor did C, E, or beta-carotene in research done at Harvard Medical School.

Myth: Hey, it can’t hurt

The old thinking went something like this—sure, vitamin pills might not help you, but they can’t hurt either. However, a series of large-scale studies has turned this thinking on its head, says Demetrius Albanes, MD, a nutritional epidemiologist at the National Cancer Institute.

The shift started with a big study of beta-carotene pills. It was meant to test whether the antioxidant could prevent lung cancer, but researchers instead detected surprising increases in lung cancer and deaths among male smokers who took the supplement. No one knew what to make of the result at first, but further studies have shown it wasn’t a fluke—there’s a real possibility that in some circumstances, antioxidant pills could actually promote cancer (in women as well as in men). Other studies have raised concerns that taking high doses of folic acid could raise the risk of colon cancer. Still others suggest a connection between high doses of some vitamins and heart disease.

Vitamins are safe when you get them in food, and regulated doses in a multivitamin, but in specific vitamin pill form, they can act more like a drug, Albanes says—with the potential for unexpected and sometimes dangerous effects.

Truth: A pill that’s worth taking

As studies have eroded the hopes placed in specific vitamin supplements, one pill is looking better and better. Research suggests that vitamin D protects against a long list of ills: Men with adequate levels of D have about half the risk of heart attack as men who are deficient. And getting enough D appears to lower the risk of at least half a dozen cancers; indeed, epidemiologist Cedric Garland, MD, at the University of California, San Diego, believes that if Americans got sufficient amounts of vitamin D, 50,000 cases of colorectal cancer could be prevented each year.

But many—perhaps most—Americans fall short, according to research by epidemiologist Adit Ginde, MD, at the University of Colorado, Denver. Vitamin D is the sunshine vitamin: You make it when sunlight hits your skin. Yet thanks to sunscreen and workaholic (or TV-aholic) habits, most people don’t make enough.

How much do you need? The Institute of Medicine is reassessing that right now; most experts expect a big boost from the current levels (200 to 600 IU daily). It’s safe to take 1,000 IU per day, says Ginde. “We think most people need at least that much.”

Summery

The majority of people do not get the proper dosage of the 13 vitamins our bodies require. To achieve this vitamin balance we need to take a multivitamin dosed to be taken with our meals to ensure that constant balanced state throughout the day. Except for vitamin D, there is no need to take a specific vitamin in addition (unless required by a physician). Stop doing that which you know is bad for you, avoid prepackaged processed foods, quite smoking, keep you alcohol consumption in check. Your body will thank you for it!

 

Whether you are trying to find a safe, comfortable and healthy way to lose weight and keep it off for life, or trying to maintain your current weight, and increase your energy level and overall Health, I would like to show you how simple this journey can be. Please use the following link to leave me a comment regarding your needs, and I will get right back with you. “Contact John”

Thank you.

John Cardinal

Copyright Healthy Weight Loss for Life 2012