Deconstructing 10 Myths About The Seven-Day Diet

At one point or another, you might find yourself in a situation that will require you to slim down really fast. Whether it’s a wedding, high school reunion or another formal event, it would make a big difference if you were to lose 10 pounds in a week. You should be prepared to make dietary and lifestyle changes in order to lose this amount of weight in such a short time. Lucky for you, there’s a healthy eating plan that will provide you with a certain calorie count and all the necessary foods that your body needs in order to function smoothly.

This diet has gained quite a following recently due to its quick results. On the other hand, there are other people who associate it with starvation and complicated eating plans. There are actually a lot of myths surrounding this diet. But how to know what is true and what is false? Read below and find out the truth.

You Lose Only Water Weight with this Diet

While a big amount of your weight loss is due to water weight, you actually lose some body fat as well because you will consume a low number of calories while on this diet. This is not a long-term solution to losing weight but it’s ideal to kick-start your metabolism.

You can’t do the Diet More than Once

This diet doesn’t impose how many times you can do it. You only have to keep in mind that between two dieting cycles you must have a period of rest of at least 1-2 weeks before you begin the 7-day diet again.

You Can Eat Anything After you Complete the Diet

You have put a lot of effort to lose 10 pounds by following this meal plan and if you want to continue losing weight or maintain it, you cannot go back to your old eating habits. A good long-term solution would be to follow a healthy, balanced meal plan combined with a regular exercise routine.

You can Drink Alcohol With this Eating Plan

Alcohol is strictly forbidden if you seriously intend to lose 10 pounds in one week. It is full of empty calories and doesn’t add any nutritional value to your diet. It’s better if you don’t drink alcohol even after you complete it, as nothing good ever comes out of drinking alcohol.

You can’t Add Salt, Pepper, and Other Spices to your Meals

As you’ll be drinking a lot of water throughout this dietary regimen (8-12 glasses a day) you can actually use salt, pepper, and other spices to add flavor to your meals. But always remember: moderation is the key. Thus, you shouldn’t use excessive amounts of salt in your food.

Wheat Bread and Cereal are Allowed on the Meal Plan

When you’re following the 7-day diet plan to lose 10 pounds, you’re not supposed to eat wheat bread, cereals etc. because they contain gluten and this diet doesn’t allow it. In fact, any high-gluten food may cause weight gain and other health problems. If your normal diet consists of high-gluten foods, then you won’t be able to maintain the pounds you lost after the diet regimen.

Dry Fruits and Nuts are Good Snacks in Between Meals

This healthy eating plan forbids the consumption of dry fruits and nuts because they are high energy foods with a high level of nutrients that you do not need with this diet. On the other hand, these are considered as healthy snacks in small quantities after you complete the week-long diet.

You can Drink only Water Throughout the Diet

In addition to 8-12 glasses of water a day, you can also drink black coffee or herbal/green tea. However, remember not to use any sugar or artificial sweetener.

You can’t Drink Lemon Water in the Morning

Health experts actually recommend drinking lemon water on an empty stomach in the morning. It’s really beneficial as it flushes the toxins out of your system and helps relieve indigestion or ease an upset stomach. But, you mustn’t use sugar or honey. Even though honey is very healthy, it adds a lot of calories you do not need and can impede your goal to lose 10 pounds.

Conclusion

All in all, I hope I have successfully deconstructed some of the myths surrounding this diet. This diet is actually one of the best ways to lose 10 pounds in seven days. By the end of the week, you will not only burn the extra calories, but you’ll also have a glowing and gorgeous skin.

You Might Be Interested in: Diet Versus Exercise

Benefits of Salmon

Benefits of Salmon

In a nutshell, salmon’s nutritional content makes it a top in the world’s healthiest foods. High in nutritional value, the salmon has a number of benefits to the entire body. Feeding salmon the school going children helps in preventing ADHD symptoms and can improve their academic performance. It assists children to focus more and better.

You Might Be Interested in: Healthy Diet Plans

Diet Versus Exercise

Diet Versus Exercise

The debate rages on. What's most important, a healthy, well-balanced diet or an active lifestyle that incorporates some type of exercise? Let's take a close look at what each can do for us, and at what cost.

About Diet

Diet Minded Eat less, weight less. Simple - right? But from Atkins to the Zone, there's no shortage of nutritional approaches to weight management. Too bad the multi-billion diet industry seems to create more confusion than solutions - a major drawback for those stuck on dieting, spending lots of money, and going nowhere.

Dieting, or temporarily changing one's eating habits in order to shed body fat is at best, a band-aid approach to weight loss. A more sensible method involves taking the time to learn how to eat, what foods are good for you, and what you need to avoid or moderate in your daily diet. Instead of blindly following the latest fad diet, educate yourself through reading, seeking out a nutritionist, or even consulting your doctor on what's best for you. Eating right can involve a bit of leg-work, but eventually you'll learn that fad and gimmick diets are just a waste of time.

Sticking to a sensible eating program can also involve some discipline and sacrifice. Running into the nearest McDonald's whenever time is short and hunger hits are no longer a viable option. But the hundreds of unwanted fat calories you'll avoid, that would have otherwise found their way directly to your hips, will be well worth the sacrifice.

Most experts agree that the best way to reduce body fat is to never let the unwanted calories cross your lips in the first place. The simplicity of this statement is lost on many of us, but you'll be amazed at how much less you need to exercise when you stop eating too much of the wrong foods.

At the same time, nutritional requirements of protein, carbohydrate and yes, even fat, must be met. You also need minimum daily requirements of vitamins and minerals, as well as plenty of water and fiber. This is where the self-education really kicks in; --out and out starvation just won't work, and can lead to serious eating disorders, such as anorexia and bulimia.

But don't forget about the fringe benefits of eating sensibly. The resulting lowered cholesterol and tryglyceride levels reduce your risk of heart disease, while stable blood sugar minimizes your risk of diabetes and its associate problems. Your risk of developing certain types of cancer is also significantly lessened.

About Exercise

Exercise Ecstasy to date exercise is the closest we've come to finding the fountain of youth. Exercise can change the way you look, feel, and perform, as well as have a tremendously positive impact on your health and almost every aspect of your life. But it isn't all good news. For an exercise program to get results, you need to set aside a certain amount of time and energy! Running yourself into the ground, working long hours, and not sleeping right hardly makes for the ideal scenario. Here too the solution involves a bit of self-education, discipline, and prioritizing. You'll need to take a realistic look at how much time you can devote to an exercise program, and restructure your daily schedule accordingly. The key to success is formulating a plan that doesn't waste your time and effort doing the wrong thing.

Another hazard to avoid when taking to the gym is exercising too much, or over training. This can sabotage the most well intentioned novice or seasoned athlete. Over training can also make you sick, or set you up for an overuse injury. A comprehensive plan based on sound knowledge will help steer you clear of this all too common problem.

The cost of gym equipment and a health club membership represent another drawback to the active approach to weight loss. Fortunately, it's not the cost of the equipment that gets results. Experts have found that exercises done with simple dumbbells can be just as, or even more effective than exercises done with sophisticated machines, like those you'll find at any health club.

Setting up a simple, economical home gym will also help overcome some of the time limitations by cutting out travel to and from the gym. With a small initial investment and a few square feet of floor space, you can add convenience to the list of why an exercise program can be so effective.

Low Carb Diets

Low Carb Diets

A low carb diets are the diets that limits your carbohydrate intake. The low carb diet can be very effective when trying to lose weight. It can help to regulate and stabilize blood sugars, stabilize your energy level, suppress your appetite and it can help stop sugar cravings. Being on a low carb diet does not mean you have to completely rule out carbs, it just means you ned to cut back and consume less carbs than you normally would. Carbs are a leading factor of weight gain today. Many low carb diets limit carb intake to fewer than fifty to one hundred grams. For some, this may be a drastic change.

Some dieters experience difficulty sticking with a low carb diet. In the beginning, you will experience sugar cravings and some will give in after a couple days. Instead of dieting, the trick is to make this a way of life. Make the decision to live a healthier lifestyle.

It is important to remember to check other ingredients and nutritional facts as well as carb facts when on a low carb diet. You still want to watch the amount of fat you consume. Just because a food is low in carbs, does not mean it is healthy. Read the labels. Some foods that are low in carbs, such as fatty meat, may contain a high fat content and can lead to high cholesterol. This is not true of all low carb foods, but is a general rule to stick to.

Benefits of a Low-Carb Diet

Benefits of a Low Carb Diet

* Appetite suppressant - Many low carb foods are high in protein and have more fat, which fills you up faster and makes you less hungry. If you are not as hungry as you normally would be, you will consume less food and it will result in weight loss.

* Weight loss - If you are less hungry, you will consume fewer calories. Also, consuming fewer carbs forces your body to turn its own stored fat into fuel.

* Can lead to a reduced risk of type II diabetes - By lowering your carb intake, you are also lowering your sugar intake. This will result in less sugar spikes throughout the day. Once consumed, carbs are transformed into simple sugars and released into the bloodstream; resulting in elevated blood sugar levels. A low carb diet helps to promote lower blood sugar levels and helps to regulate blood sugar levels.

* Steadier energy levels- When you consume large amounts of carbs and sugar, your energy levels goes down. By greatly reducing your carb intake, you energy levels will not fall.

* Increased levels of "good" cholesterol levels - HDL is a type of cholesterol, but is often referred to as a "good" cholesterol. HDL helps remove "bad" cholesterol from the body by moving it to the liver where it will be reused or excreted.

*Help reduce the risk of heart disease - Higher levels of HDL lower the risk of heart disease by lowering the amount of "bad" cholesterol in your body. Low carb diets also help to lower triglycerides, which lowers the risk of heart disease.

* Lower blood pressure - Low carb foods tend to lower blood pressure, greatly reducing the risk of major diseases such as stroke, kidney failure, and heart disease.

How Low Carb Diets Work

How Low Carb Diets Work

Whan you consume carbs, your body burns them for fuel. If there is an excess of carbs in your body, the excess carbs are stored as fat and distributed throughout your body. If you drastically cut the amount of carbs you eat, your body will then be forced to burn its own fat to be used for fuel. This will result in weight loss.

Lower Carb Foods

Low Carb Foods

Each low carb diet is different. Some low carb diets eliminate certain foods all together or, others limit the amount you can intake. Below is a list of foods that are low in carbs.
Meat - Beef, pork, chicken, lamb etc.

Fish - Every kind of unbreaded fish and shellfish

Eggs - Any kind

Cauliflower - Cauliflower is often used in place of higher carb foods, such as potatoes and pizza or bread dough. It can be mashed, made into tots and turned into a delicious dough.

• Lettuce 
• Zucchini - Zucchini can be used to replace higher carb foods such as pasta. 
• Peppers 
• Cabbage 
• Broccoli 
• Carrots 
• Cucumber 
• Spinach 
• OlivesEggplant 
• Eggplant 
• Mushrooms 
• Asparagus 
• Avocado 
• Onions 
• Full-Fat dairy products 
• Butter, coconut oil, olive oil 
• Cheese 
• Greek yogurt 
• Nuts 
• Seeds 
• Berries - In limited amounts 
• Water 
• Coffee 
• Tea 
• Foods Not Allowed or Limited 
• Sugar - ice cream, soda, candy, fruit juices 
• Starchy Vegetables - Corn for example contains a high carb content. 
• Fruit high in carbs - Bananas, apples, grapes 
• Pasta 
• Bread 
• Grains 
• Wheat 
• Potatoes 
• Beer 
• Highly processed foods

 Remember, not all diets are for everyone. A low carb diet is an excellent choice to help you lose weight fast and keep it off. Carbs can be hiding in places you don't expect, so make sure you the read the labels at the grocery store. If you are not sure how to shop for low carb foods, try shopping the outer sections of the grocery store. This is where you should purchase the bulk of your groceries because this is the section where the meat, vegetables, and dairy sections are. The middle aisles are usually full of processed foods that contain a large amount of carbs.

3 Best Belly Fat Diet

Belly Fat Diet

Belly fat – abdominal obesity – is one of the most common cosmetic problems currently and only an effective belly fat diet can prevent the issue from morphing into a health disaster eventually. In an age where unhealthy lifestyle habits are the order of the day, most people find themselves with a “muffin-top” look and then fret endlessly over what to do. For men, the recommended waistline size of 40 can be termed as healthy and on the flip-side, 35 for women is advisable.

Therefore, anything above these sizes means that you should take the initiative to get rid of the excessive fat around your waist for safe measure and only via an effective belly fat diet. Before anything else, it is worth noting that getting rid of excessive belly fat is no mean feat to achieve. In fact, you are better off taking preventive measures to contain the issue before it gets out of hand.

That said, there are a plethora of steps you can use to get rid of such fats ranging from cardio exercises to over the counter pills. However, most of these solutions are actually gimmicks or ineffective in one way or the other. Your safest bet therefore lies in an effective belly fat diet plan. Without any further ado, let’s have a look at the top four foods that you can use to counter the excessive fat on your waist and while at it, get your sexy back.

The Top Three Foods in a Belly Fat Diet:

Contrary to common perception, your body doesn’t even want to store fat. However, the string of cravings and lack of proper sleep actually play a lead role in belly fat accumulation. You therefore have to figure out how to resist these cravings, besides getting a good night’s sleep everyday in order to boost your metabolism levels. Below are the top three foods that can help you achieve your weight loss goals.

Nuts:

Who doesn’t love nuts? If you needed yet another excuse to feast on these fatty legumes; well now you do. For starters, nuts contain mood-enhancing magnesium that helps your brain to effectively produce melatonin. In a nutshell, eating nuts regularly can indeed help you get proper sleep and hence, speed up metabolism rates significantly. In animals for instance, it is this magnesium that leads them to hibernation, while in humans, magnesium supplementation will help those that have a hard time sleeping get sufficient and peaceful rest. In short, all foods rich in magnesium are basically weight-loss friendly meaning you can never go wrong with the likes of nuts, soy or bran for instance.

Fish:

You most likely will have a sleeping disorder every now and then if your diet is deficient in omega 3’s. The most sufficient source of omega 3 is fish of course and in fact, the single most reliable source of the essential mineral. According to a number of proven studies, supplementing your body with omega 3’s can go a long way in lowering the risk of dementia significantly, enhance your heart health and also, improve your moods. For weight loss enthusiasts, though, it is worth noting that fish is extremely rich in protein meaning that it will actually leave you feeling fuller for longer. To sum it up, you not only get to deal with the craving issues but also burn more calories as the human body is known to burn more calories while digesting proteins more than any other type of food. Incorporate sardines or salmons in your belly fat diet and you certainly won’t regret.

Milk:

Including milk in your belly fat diet would certainly be in your best interest thanks to a myriad of factors. For starters, milk is rich in calcium and according to a number of credible studies, the mineral is known to optimally burn excessive fat in the body. In short, calcium rich foods rank among the most effective weight loss foods. Secondly, calcium-rich foods such as milk also help individuals to sleep better thanks to their distinct ability to relax the muscles. To sum it up, you are better off taking a glass of milk or fortified orange juice rather the can of soda you’ve become accustomed to.

You Might Be Interested in: Healthy Diet Plans