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E X P L O R E T H E S E L I F E C H A L L E N G E S . . . |
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Weight ProblemsIf you're overweight, obviously you need to reduce the calories in your diet and/or do more calorie-burning activities. And your diet needs to be realistic, providing you proper nutrition and satisfaction too. A useful factor to be aware of when planning your diet is 'glycemic index':
Glycemic Index Reactive hypoglycemia is an over-production of insulin in response to eating simple sugars. The pancreas responds by producing too much insulin which causes a rapid and sharp decrease in blood sugar, usually falling below fasting blood sugar levels - so we fall asleep or find it hard to concentrate on our work. Insulin is a storage hormone: one of its jobs is to escort the sugar from the blood into either muscle or fat cells. When insulin levels are high, the body doesn't burn fat; it also signals the body to make more cholesterol. The faster a food raises your blood sugar, the greater the insulin reaction. The most common deleterious effects of too much insulin are constant weight gain and low energy levels. The glycemic index (GI) uses pure glucose as a standard, giving it a rating of 100. The closer to 100 a particular food is, the higher its glycemic index. Here are a few representative samples: Cherries: 25High-glycemic foods are useful if you're on a college team and training twice a day and need the fastest replenishment of muscle glycogen stores. Highly glycemic carbohydrates are best consumed during and after exercise. They enter the bloodstream quickly and are readily available for fueling exercising muscles. Low glycemic carbohydrates enter the bloodstream slowly and are best eaten before exercise. They provide sustained longer-term energy, and help maintain stable blood sugar levels during extended exercise periods (greater than one hour). But if you're trying to manage your weight, or have normal energy requirements and wish to stay healthy, then stay away from high GI foods. Simple carbohydrates simply make you more hungry and they are addictive - and so we become hooked on sugar drinks, cookies, tortillas, pizza and the like. The result is obesity and diabetes. So... go with the lower-glycemic foods as snacks. Eat the higher ones, if you must, with a little fat or protein to slow the response. Or avoid them completely, and begin to be aware of the powerful effect high insulin levels are having to foil your attempts to keep healthy. Food Chart: The Glycemic Index of a Range of Foods As well as low-GI foods, ensure your diet includes an adequate supply of low-fat protein at each meal and eat fiber-rich vegetables. The ideal ratio of carbohydrates to fat to protein is 40:30:30 - but that carbohydrate had better come from a wide range of fresh vegetables and not from processed bread, pasta, rice, chips, alcohol, cakes, biscuits and sweet deserts! By maintaining insulin levels within a therapeutic zone, one is more able to burn excess body fat (and keep it off permanently) and enjoy increased energy, as well as improved mental acuity and vitality. A 'crash' low-carbohydrate diet produces quick weight loss through depleting the body stores of glycogen (stored glucose) which retain water. Basically the body becomes dehydrated on this type of diet. When you resume a normal food intake, your body will restore the glycogen reserves and water, which will result in weight regain. And because of the lowered metabolism when in 'starvation mode,' on going back to a normal regime the body will put on weight for that reason as well. The most successful weight-loss diets over the long term (more than 2 years) include reduced calorie and fat intake, an emphasis on lower-GI foods, a balanced diet (40:30:30), and (perhaps most importantly) a regular exercise program. The following article gives some good tips for firing up the body's metabolism, so that you burn calories rather than turn them into fat. By following a regime with unlimited low-Glycemic Index vegetables and fruit you will avoid completely the risks of ketosis embedded in the Atkin's Diet. Learn how to enjoy all the Atkin's benefits and avoid Atkin's risks!
Busting The Myth!
This may be a real shocker for you, but first you must realize that your extra weight is NOT your fault! Unfortunately our culture and the media have created the myth that if we would only "try harder" we would lose those extra pounds. This misconception seems to put the blame solely on us, as if we are weak, undisciplined and over indulgent. This negative message has been accepted by millions us. In fact the truth is just the opposite. Most overweight people that I have worked with have strong willpower, are self-disciplined and are not over indulgent. This blame-the-victim attitude is totally unsupported by scientific data. Now, let me tell you a little-known secret that is supported by science! Today researchers understand better than ever, that many of degenerative diseases that are rampant in today's society are closely linked to centralized weight gain. Due to the development of Glucofast™ now even more attention is being focused on healthful weight loss and its incredible benefits. Everyone wants to be slimmer and healthier. The secret to successful weight control is to reprogram your metabolism and allow your body's automatic calorie igniting processes to do the work for you. Until now, loosing the extra weight and keeping it off seemed impossible for millions of people. How many times have you lost a few pounds only to gain back even more? One too many times, right? This is the classic reason why so many people give up hope. There is no doubt that exercise and a balanced diet do play a role in controlling weight. Yet this idea has created an obsession with eating less and exercising more. The out-dated idea of starving ourselves and over-exercising has actually reversed the way our bodies make energy, causing millions of people to gain weight. This has caused a critical shift in our original metabolisms, most commonly called glucose intolerance. By over-restricting calorie intake you are slowing down energy levels, triggering a fat hording process within your body. A nutritionally balanced body will naturally burn fat for energy. The Standard American Diet (SAD) provides massive amounts of glucose (sugar), which are being stored away into fat reserves in our bodies. This often leads to glucose intolerance. Lack of energy, rebounding weight gain and fatty inches around the waist or buttocks are the classic symptoms of glucose intolerance.
Insulin balances both blood sugar and cholesterol levels. Anytime you eat food, the carbohydrates in your food are turned into sugar during digestion. Because our modern diet is so high in carbohydrates, your body's cells often become used to, or insensitive to, your own insulin. Glucofast™ addresses this issue by restoring the necessary cellular nutrients. Your body recognizes Glucofast™ as food, because that's exactly what it is, a super food-support supplement. Without Glucofast™, your natural balance will remain off-set and your body will continue to store your sugar as fat. Glucofast™ resets your metabolism back into the fat burning mode, promoting natural healthy weight loss for a slimmer and stronger you. Learn more about Glucofast™...
Why You Should Care about Your Blood Sugar?
For many people, psychological pressures (such as unmet needs, frustration and invasion of personal barriers) drive them into over-eating or binging, sometimes followed by bullemia and anorexia. Help is really needed in which these psychological factors are understood and taken into account. The following site is the best resource I've found for practical and empathic help for individuals with eating disorders...
& Recover from Eating Disorders
Trans4mind
A new approach for optimal health of body, mind and spirit. This site contains the online book Transforming the Mind and extensive resources to assist with your personal growth.
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