Tuesday, August 12, 2008

7 Tests For A Perfect Diet

How many diet schemes have come out nowadays? Some says, “Eat low-carb.” Some says, “Eat low-fat”. There are even plenty of exercising machines and other weight-loss products being introduced in the market from time to time. But the question of what really, among these diet plans and products, will best fit you, or will be the most effective, that really depends on each individual.

Researchers say that there is a notion that no two individuals lose weight the same way, for each person has a hidden key to weight loss. One of the most important pointers though, is to have a plan, or the healthy way of eating, that you can be sure to live with in a long-term. Experts suggest an inventory of physical and psychological factors, based on the following self-exams:


1. THE GLYCEMIC INDEX. C. Wayne Callaway, an endocrinologist and weight specialist at George Washington University say that if you tend towards abdominal fat, crave starches and sugars, and have a fasting blood-sugar count of more than 100 (measured in a routine blood test), you may be insulin resistant. You’ll probably respond best to a low-carb diet, because cutting back on simple carbohydrates – specially sugars and starches – can often help stabilize blood-sugar and insulin levels.


2. THE EXERCISE EQUATION. David Schlundt, an associate professor of psychology at Vanderbilt University specializes in weight disorders says that active people might consider a low-fat diet that includes complex carbs. He advises that active people need glycogen for athletic performance, and it’s harder work for your body to take in a lot of protein and convert it to glucose. One thing all researchers agree on, however, is that everyone who wants to lose weight should get some exercise. People who exercised as well as dieted lost more fat and less muscle. The one similarity among dieters catalogued in the Weight Loss Registry, says James Hill, is that they all combined eating with regular exercise.


3. THE MEAL MONITOR. Do you hate breakfast? Avoid lunch? Skipping meals or under-eating slows your metabolism and blurs the chemical signals for hunger and fullness. Callaway says that a person can stabilize his neuropeptide Y levels, the ‘hunger’ chemical, by eating at least a third of your kilojoules at breakfast and another third at lunch. Complex carbs are good, especially early in the day. They rev up the metabolism, replenish the body’s need for glycogen and they digest slowly, which keeps a person feeling full longer.


4. THE BROCOLLI BAROMETER. What foods do you love and hate? You can’t disregard this factor or you’ll never be able to live with your diet. Vegetarians, for instance, will have a hard time following Atkins because of its reliance on meat. You’ll do better with a kilojoule-controlled, low-fat diet that allows fruit, vegetables and complex carbs. On the other hand, if you’d rather give up rice than beef, pick a low-carb option.


5. THE ALL-OR-NOTHING QUESTION. Some people do best depriving themselves of food they crave, so they aren’t tempted, which may be why some bread and cereal lovers are converts to a low-carb plan.


6. THE STRESS TEST. If you feel hungry often and like to snack, or if you tend to use food for comfort, consider a low-energy-density plan like the one endorsed by the Mayo Clinic. Although suitable for anyone, this diet is particularly good for people who are emotional eaters. Donald Hensrud, a weight-management specialist at Mayo explains that people eat until they are satisfied or full. He points out, that you can eat more in terms of volume on this plan. The clinic has come up with its own healthy weight pyramid, emphasizing fruit, vegetables and whole grains. An emotional eater, says Sclundt, will also do better reaching for low-energy-dense snacks like fresh fruit, a treat that might be off-limits for a low-carb dieter.


7. THE CONVENIENCE QUIZ. The Mayo Clinic is also studying a Slim-Fast-based diet to see if busy people will do better on a simple, ready-made plan. If you want a no-brainer diet, a meal-replacement regimen or a system such as Jenny Craig’s could be right for you. Remember too that gender makes a difference for men tend to have an easier time losing weight because they usually have more lean muscle mass, which means they burn more kilojoules. This could be frustrating when a couple diet together, and he loses weight faster. Another truth, Hensrud adds, is that women who are dieting seem to enjoy group support like a Weight Watchers Programme, while men may prefer being tough and doing it on their own.


In their maintenance phase, successful dieters follow four rules:


1. Eat breakfast
2. Eat a kilojoule-aware, moderately low-fat diet that features complex carbs.
3. Get plenty of exercise at moderate intensity. (Go for a walk!)
4. Self-monitor through frequent weigh-ins and keep a food and exercise diary.

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