Saturday, August 28, 2010

Low Carb Weight Loss - Not Just Another Fad

By Brandon Johnsonn 
Low carb weight loss has caught on in recent years, and while it isn't the only way to lose weight, it can be safe and effective if done correctly.

First and foremost, almost any extreme diet that virtually eliminates any major macronutrient, whether it's protein, fat, or carbohydrates, is usually best avoided.

These extremes and self-righteous books that proclaim their way is the only way are usually only created to make money off of unsuspecting customers that are desperate to drop a few pounds.

There have been success stories and horror stories in all of the fad diets, because the main thing they all have in common is the concept of eating less.

The trick is that they have to turn the simple concept of "eating less" into a long, drawn-out, and over-analyzed book with a slight spin on this or that so they can copyright it and make it their own.

That aside, there are studies that show increased sugar and carbohydrate intake lead to fat storage and gain, especially when from starchy, high-glycemic sources like candies, junk food, and white bread.

So, the first step is to cut back on your number one carb source, whether it's bread with every meal, sodas, Twinkies, you know what your specific carb-laden "holdback snack" is -- you're thinking of it right now, aren't you?

Yep, that one! Don't cheat, the first weakness that came into your head is where you need to start.

Just for this one week, consume half the amount that you usually do of this high-carb food or drink.

Then, next week, cut it in half again. Continue doing this slowly and gradually, until you can save this "holdback snack" only as a reward a couple of times per month.

You don't have to give it up forever, you just have to gain more control over it, so you choose when to enjoy it.

Try to avoid the urge to cut out your favorite "holdback snack" cold turkey, because this could have the opposite effect on your relationship with that food, increasing and reinforcing its hold over you.

As with all nutritional changes, low carb weight loss can be very effective as long as you ease your way into it and stick to it for the long haul.

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Monday, August 23, 2010

Looking For Yummier Low Carb Diet Meals?

By Kim Tanady 
Not every meal that is low carb is boring and tasteless. People get frightened when it comes to low carb food, they think they won't be able to enjoy tastier food. Well, that's not true, low carb food doesn't have to be bland and boring, the low carb food can be cooked to be very delicious and tasty, only if you know the right ingredients to put in.

The Low Carb Chicken Recipes can be one of your favorite low carb diet recipes. So get ready to learn some Low Carb Chicken Recipes to make yourself delicious, tasty and a very nutritious meal. Let's get started with a few recipes.

Creamy Southwest Chicken

The tastiest Low Carb Chicken Recipe is the creamy southwest chicken. To make this delicious meal all you'll need is 1 lb. skin less chicken breasts, 1/4th cup minced, 6-8 oz. canned chopped garlic flavored chili's, 2 cloves crushed garlic, cream 1/4th cup, 1/3rd cup shredded cheddar cheese, olive oil, salt and paper to the taste.

The process is very simple to make this recipe. To start with, heat up some olive oil in a skillet, the chicken has to be chopped in bite size pieces. Spice the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. The chicken must be sauteed till the are a shade or light brown, add onion into the pan and sauté a little more till the chicken turns a little deeper shade of brown. Add the cream, green chili and cook until the sauce is thick making sure that chicken is done. Pour it out in a dish and garnish it with some shredded cheddar cheese, and your delicious creamy southwest chicken is ready to serve.

Chicken Marsala

Want another delicious Low Carb Chicken Recipe, well the chicken marsala is the right one. This recipe is simple and easy; you would need 1 lb. skinless chicken breasts, 1 small sizes onion chopped in cubes, a cup of mushroom slices, 1/2 cup dry marsala wine, 2 tablespoons minced Italian Parsley and chicken broth, and 3 tablespoons olive oil and salt and pepper added to the taste.

To prepare this dish, season the chicken with salt and pepper, heat a skillet with some oil and pour the chicken into the pan. Making sure that the chicken is well done, adding the onion and mushrooms and simmer till they are soft adding some dry marsala wine to it. Then dish it out and sprinkle some parsley.

Kim Tanady has been writing articles professionally, both online and offline, since 5 years ago. This author is not only writing in the subject of diet, but also in fitness, fat loss, health and many other more. Check out her latest website in hunter quietflo which discuss and review about hunter air filters

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Delicious Low Carb Diet Recipes

By Jessica TanadyIf you are following a low carb diet, you might find it hard to get a hold of good low carb diet recipes. However, it doesn't have to be the case once you know where to look for ideas and recipes that you can use to create your own low carb diet foods. For sure, looking up on the Internet is your best bet to get those recipes - as the web is an abundant resource for healthy recipes that will help you reach your goal to live a healthier lifestyle. Here are some healthy and tasty recipes that you can try using.

Just because you are on a low carb diet, it doesn't mean that you will have to eat bland meals. Take this pineapple pork stir fry recipe for example. If done right, not only you will have great tasting food that should tingle your taste buds, but it's one that's also healthy. For this recipe, you need 1 lb. pork tenderloin, 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 red pepper cut into strips, 12 cup white wine, 1 tsp ginger, 1 tbsp green peppers, 1 tbsp fresh cilantro, 1/8 tbsp cinnamon, 8 oz. bamboo shots and ½ cup pineapple syrup.

If you have all the ingredients ready, then it's time to get your hands dirty. Slice the tenderloin and pound each slice so that they're flat. Fry them for a few minutes and then remove. You will want to saute the red pepper in medium heat until it is crisp and tender, reduce the heat and add the remaining ingredients in. Wait until it simmers down and you can then pour the sauce over the pork.

The next recipe is beef roll ups. For this recipe, you need 2 lbs. beef round, ½ cup fresh basil, 2 oz. roasted peppers, ¼ cup cheese - preferably Parmesan, 6 slices prosciutto, ¼ cup onion sliced, 2 cloves garlic and 2 cups tomato of sauce.

Start by pounding the beef until it is thinned, then put some salt and pepper. Place the peppers onto each slice of beef and put a slice of prosciutto on top. Add the minced basil and Parmesan then roll the beef up tightly. Saute the garlic and onion, then add the steak rolls. You will want to cook them until they are browned on all sides. Once they do, remove them and place in a baking dish along with the onion and garlic. Last, you want to cover them with the tomato sauce and have it baked for 90 minutes at 300ºF.

There you have it, two great recipes for your low carb diet. Don't forget to combine to regular exercises as well, on top of your diet, so that you will see a more effective result in your weight loss goal.

Jessica Tanady loves to write articles since 4 years ago, both offline and online. While she's keen on topics of beauty, fitness and weight loss, she has demonstrated her writing skills on a wide array of topics. Visit her latest articles on senseo coffee makers which reviews and discuss about coffee pad machines.

Friday, August 13, 2010

Tips For Staying on a Low Carb Diet

By Lisa Ann Mac
Once you have been on a low carb diet for a few weeks, your cravings for sweets should decrease and your energy levels are likely to increase. If you are new to low carb and finding it difficult to stay on the meal plan, there are plenty of resources available to help you get through it.

Join a low carb forum. This is a great place to go if you have questions or need some advice. It is likely that your question has already been answered on the forum, but if not, there are plenty of folks out there to provide assistance. Forums are a place to meet others in various stages of low carb living.

Start a blog. A blog is a great way to share your experiences with others. If you aren't into writing on the web, try jotting things down in a journal. A blog or journal is the perfect place to to go back and see how far you've come and what you've learned along your journey.

Prepare your meals in advance and take advantage of your freezer. Look for dishes that freeze well and store them in smaller freezer containers or vacuum seal. These homemade frozen dinners are handy when time is tight. Baked goods like brownies and sweet breads can be frozen in single size portions for quick snacks later.

Keep healthy snacks handy. When things get hectic and busy, it's easy to just grab a bite for the road. Some great finger foods to have are almonds, berries, cheese sticks, and hard boiled eggs. Cut up raw vegetables like celery, broccoli, cauliflower and cucumber slices and have them ready in the refrigerator for quick snacks.

Try new foods. Just like anything, it's easy to get bored with the same thing all the time. Find new recipes to try and share. There are a variety of low carb foods available and even more choices if you are willing to learn to prepare foods yourself.

Most important, do not give up. Think of it as a lifestyle change, not a diet. Changing old habits will take time, but it is well worth the effort.

Lisa Ann Mac is a working mother who enjoys cooking and developing healthy recipes for her family. Lisa specializes in low carb cuisine and shares her low carb recipes on a food blog at SugarFreeLowCarb.com.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Low Carb Bread Recipes

By Kim Tanady
It has been noted that usually bread is kept out of the low carb diet, if you wish to add a low carb bread recipe to your low carb recipe book then there are some terrific options for you. There's a variety of range for you in the low carb bread recipes too, you can have muffins, bagels, sticky buns and pancakes too! Well, there are some great bread recipes that you can put on your low carb diet recipe list but make sure you choose the right ones. One of the favorite recipes for the bread lovers is the apple sauce muffins; it is an easy low carb recipe. It is the favorite recipe for those who had to cut almost all of the bread products out of their life.

Although this recipe does require many ingredients but still it is simple and easy to make.
The dry ingredients portion that you'll be needing for this easy low carb recipe are:
3/4 cup soy protein isolate
1/4 cup oat flour
1/4 cup wheat gluten flour
1/4 cup ground golden flax seed
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon mace or ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup Splenda and
1/4 cup brown sugar twin

Now for the wet ingredients in this low carb recipe you'll need:
4 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup light olive oil
1 cup unsweetened apple sauce and
2-3 drops apple oil

It is not necessary to make the topping, but to make it look more beautiful you can make the topping, for the topping you'll be needing:
1 tablespoon of rolled oats
1 tablespoon oat flour
1 teaspoon brown sugar Twin and
a couple shakes of cinnamon

For the preparation of this low carb recipe all you'll have to do is mix the dry ingredients together and the wet ones together in two separate bowls. Then mix the wet ingredients into the dry ones until blended pour it into the sprayed muffin tins, sprinkle the topping that is if you made one and put it in the oven to bake. Now you have to bake the muffins at 350ºF for half an hour or even longer if your desire.

If you want to change the recipe to pumpkin spice muffins all you have to do is add 15 oz. canned pumpkin instead of the apple sauce and apple oil.

Another very easy low carb recipe that you might want to know and try is the cheddar cheese bread. For the cheddar cheese break you need:
1/3 cup soy flour
1/3 cup soy protein
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons of sour cream
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 cup cheddar cheese grated and 2 teaspoons oregano.

For the preparation of cheddar cheese bread, have the oven preheated to 375ºF, mix the soy flour, soy protein, eggs, baking powder, sour cream and oil in a bowl. Fold in half of the cheddar cheese, pour the batter into the pan and sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese on top of it and the bake for about 30 minutes.

Kim Tanady has been writing articles professionally, both online and offline, since 5 years ago. This author is not only writing in the subject of diet, but also in fitness, fat loss, health and many other more. Check out her latest website in dcs grill which discuss and review about tec grills

Monday, August 2, 2010

Basics For Starting a Low Carb Diet

By Lisa Ann Mac
Low carb diets have become popular because they are an easy way to lose weight fast.

Before starting on a low carb eating plan, educate yourself on the types of foods you can eat. It is also helpful to have a quick reference guide for counting the grams of carbs in various foods. In the beginning stages of the diet, you will want to limit your daily net carb count at about 30 grams. Net carbs are the total carbs minus the fiber. The daily carb intake varies so you will need to determine the best level for you to continue losing weight. The key is to eat fewer carbohydrates than your body burns in a day. Typically, the carbs can be slowly increased as long as weight loss continues. People with slower metabolisms will need to keep the carb count extremely low for the duration of the diet in order to continue to lose weight. Taking a supplement to boost metabolism or consulting a doctor regarding prescription medications may be required if ongoing weight loss becomes difficult.

Preparing your own meals is less costly than buying prepared foods and it is easier to keep track of the carb counts. The internet is full of free low carb recipes and there are a number of good low carb cookbooks. Learn the basics of low carb cooking and the types of ingredients used. Almond meal and coconut flour are excellent substitutes for flour. Both natural and artificial sweeteners are available to replace sugar in dessert recipes. Having a good collection of recipes on hand will get you off to a good start when planning meals.
Now is a good time to go through the food in your kitchen to get rid of anything that may be a temptation. Items that contain flour and/or sugar should be eliminated. If other family members insist on having high carb foods around, you will need to come up with a plan to stay away from them. The good news is that there are delicious low carb substitutes to replace these forbidden foods. Having plenty of great tasting low carb foods around will prevent the urge to eat sugary snacks.

You will need to read food labels while shopping. A good rule of thumb is to stick with foods that are less than 10 net grams of carbs per serving. While in the grocery store, your shopping should be focused on the perimeter of the store. The aisles are loaded with processed foods that are usually high in carbs. The primary low carb staples are protein rich foods such as eggs, cheese and meat. It's also important to eat plenty of low carb fruits and vegetables. Use a carb counting reference guide to determine which foods to choose. Low carb protein bars, sugar-free ice cream, nuts and cheese sticks are popular snacks. Sugar-free candies are readily available, but be aware that many are made with sugar alcohols which can cause stomach distress.
Transitioning to a lower carb diet may seem difficult at first, but remember things will get easier. Eating small portions every couple hours is better than waiting 5 hours or more for meal times. There is no need to worry about the amount of food as long as the net carbs are within reason. Be sure to drink plenty of water as it is helpful to keep the body flushing out wastes. Weigh yourself every few days to make sure you are continuing to lose weight. Adjust your daily net carb intake as needed to stay on track.

Lisa Ann Mac is a working mother who enjoys cooking and developing healthy recipes for her family. Lisa specializes in low carb cuisine and shares her low carb recipes on a food blog at SugarFreeLowCarb.com.