Common Sense Approach To Weight Loss
Protect Yourself Against Diabetes
Being overweight is not just a cosmetic problem, it's a major health problem around the world. Just in the US alone, two-thirds of adults weigh more than they ought to. And, as the study in the current issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition points out, a low-carb diet that minimizes bad carbs is a much better way to go than eating sugar-loaded, low-fat products.
I love sugar as much as the next person and, as a matter of fact, I have a serious sweet tooth. However, a low-fat cookie for example has more sugar per serving than a regular one. Not surprising since low-fat translates into added sugar – no tasty no selly.
A Common Sense Approach to Dieting
The thing that has worked for me, after having read and studied both of the definitive books on the subject of low-carb dieting; Dr. Atkins New Diet Revolution and the South Beach Diet by Dr. Arthur Agatson, is a combination of low-carb and low-fat, meaning, have that juicy steak – but cut off the excess fat, enjoy your cream cheese – but on a stalk of celery, not a bagel, keep the bacon for breakfast – but limit it to two slices.
Use common sense when faced with eating decisions. Keep track of what you don't eat and make a list of the (bad) carbs that didn't make it past your lips. At the end of a week use this formula to see the amount of weight gain you avoided. (this is only an approximation because of the differences in body structure from one person to another).
I start the formula with a stern warning; one dessert consumed = 1 lb of weight gain, no matter the portion size. That's the bad news IF you should fall. But for each 100 grams of bad carbs you resist you can say you avoided a pound of weight gain.
So, at the end of the week, if you lost 3 lbs and you resisted 300 bad carbohydrates, you can say you doubled your weight loss! It's just like resisting a sale, especially when you don't need the item that is discounted. Like my Dad always said (i know it's corny but I think of it often) "Son, if you want to double your money, fold it twice and put it back in your pocket."
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