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What low carb diet plans are out there? Bunches! Now that low carbing is becoming a bit more mainstream, lots of folks are jumping on the bandwagon and coming out with their version of a "Low Carb Die
t". However, the major "low" carb diet plans that have been out there for a while are: the Atkins Diet, the South Beach Diet, the Carbohydrate Addicts' Diet, Protein Power, The Zone, SugarBusters!, Li
ndora Lean for Life, Neanderthin, The Suzanne Sommers Plan, Dr. Bernstein's Diabetic Solution, and The Schwarzbein Principle. Visit the offical diet plan sites to find out more!
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According to many experts, most overweight people became overweight due to a condition called hyperinsulinemia -- elevated insulin levels in the blood. When you eat a high-carbohydrate meal, the incre
ased blood sugar stimulates insulin production by the pancreas. It causes fat to be deposited, and it stimulates your brain to produce hunger signals. You eat more carbohydrates, and the cycle repeats
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-Restricting the intake of carbohydrates puts a halt to this vicious cycle. When you restrict your carbohydrate intake, your insulin levels decrease and the levels of glucagon increase. Glucagon
is a hormone that causes body fat to be burned and cholesterol to be removed from deposits in the arteries
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The core concept of The Atkins Diet is Dr. Atkins' theory that over-consumption of and hypersensitivity to carbohydrates is the root of our problem with being overweight. The principle he bases his pl
an on says that it is the way your body processes the carbohydrates you eat -- not how much fat you eat -- that causes you to gain weight.
-Atkins says that many overweight people may be "insulin
resistant," that is, the cells that convert carbohydrates into glucose (which becomes energy) do not work correctly. While most diet experts say that not everyone who has a weight problem is insulin r
esistant, Atkins says it is more likely than not.
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The most widely used low-carbohydrate diet is the one advocated by the late Robert C. Atkins, M.D., of New York City. His 1972 book Dr. Atkins' Diet Revolution sold millions of copies within the first
two years. His 1992 update, Dr. Atkins' New Diet Revolution, has sold even more. The current plan has four steps: a 2-week "induction" period, during which the goal is to reduce carbohydrate intake t
o under 20 grams per day, and three periods during which carbohydrate intake is progressively raised but kept below what Atkins calls "your critical carbohydrate level" for losing or maintaining weigh
t [1]. The dieter is permitted to eat unlimited amounts of noncarbohydrate foods "when hungry," but ketosis tends to suppress appetite.
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Tips for Low Carb Diet
-Avoiding alcohol if youˇ¦re trying to lose body fat. Drinking only in moderation if youˇ¦re trying to maintain your weight and be healthy.
-Adjusting your approach accordin
g to your health status, your goals and your body type, not according to generalizations preached by dogmatic diet ˇ§gurus.ˇ¨
-Studying the physiology and biochemistry of the low carb diet and comple
tely understanding all the pros and cons. Then making an informed decision whether to restrict carbs based on your own personal goals, needs and heath status.
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If you severely restrict carbs, your body goes into a state of ketosis--burning fat with the subsequent production of ketone bodies in the bloodstream. The condition is called "ketonuria" if ketones a
re spilled out into the urine. The result of ketosis is that your blood sugar levels stabilize; your insulin level drops; and because your body is burning fat, you lose weight!
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