Break through the Diet Myths

  In 2003, the Atkins' Diet hype and the low-carb bandwagon were at its peak. Bakeries were going out of business, and at top production, one hundred and twenty new low-carb products were hitting the shelves every month throughout North America.

  The world was Atkins' crazy but why? The diet advocates high fat, high cholesterol food, limited vegetables and no fruit. There was nothing remotely healthy about the diet and yet there was scientific evidence supporting Dr. Atkins research.

  Plus, even though you were eating tons of calories and globs of fat, you lost weight like crazy!

  Nothing about the diet or the craze made sense! And yet it worked.

  That is until you started to eat normally again then POW! All the pounds came right back and it brought a few hefty friends along with it.

  And the Atkins' Diet is not alone in the phenomenon. Through the last four decades, hundreds of diet plans have hit the market with many becoming household names.

  Before I take this any farther I want to make one thing clear - diets do not work in the long term. They do not address the reasons why we gained the unwanted pounds in the first place and unless new habits and behaviors replace the old bad ones, the weight will come back continuing the yo-yo diet affect.

  That being said, there are some legitimate reasons why you will lose weight on these diet plans and taking the good part of what you learn from them each one is a step in the right direction to long term weight loss.

  Dr. Atkins taught us that too many carbohydrates in our diets are a major cause of weight gain in our society and he brought to light that we are addicted to simple carbs due to a sugar addiciton.

  There are two types of carbohydrates - simple and complex. Simple carbs easily break down into sugar for quick digestion and they run rampant in the highly refined food we love to eat pasta, cakes, cookies, bread, rice, potatoes and corn. Complex carbohydrates are found in unprocessed or whole foods - whole wheat and grains, brown rice and most vegetables.

  Unfortunately, the diet eliminated fruit, lowered your carbohydrate intake drastically and replaced the calories with protein and fat. This limited nutritional intake, eliminated fiber and made the diet difficult to follow for many people.

  From the good doctor we can safely include in our lifestyle plan that limiting complex carbohydrate intake and working to eliminate simple carbs is a healthy choice that over time will help us lose weight.

  Another big name in the diet industry is Weight Watchers Flex Point Diet which is based on a low-fat, moderate calorie and carb intake.

  On the plus side, the diet addresses the necessity of raising fiber intake through eating more whole foods. Fiber slows digestion so we feel full longer and moderates sugar absorption limiting fluctuations in our energy levels.

  Weight Watchers also does a wonderful job of teaching healthy eating and food preparation. Nevertheless, they miss the boat as their diet substantially restricts fat intake and paints both good and bad fats with the same brush. Limiting fat intake too greatly leaves you feeling unsatisfied and increases cravings. Allowing for good fats such as olive oil, flax seed oil, grape seed oil and fish oils (Omega-3 and 6) helps to raise good cholesterol levels while leaving you feeling satisfied.

  From Weight Watchers we can add to our lifestyle plan an increase fiber and good fat intake while limiting the bad fats and overall caloric intake.

  Beyond that, the other diets we can learn from are ones that advocate certain foods assisting in weight loss or an increase in overall health the many super food diets. These diets proclaim that certain foods are the golden elixir of weight loss and healthy living. If you are careful and do not listen to the hype, there is some merit to their claims.

  Can grapefruits really burn fat? Can broccoli prevent cancer? Will cauliflower keep a heart condition at bay?

  The short answer is no, there are no miracle foods. But incorporating these nutrient rich foods into your meal plan will improve your all over health while helping your body to shed the unwanted pounds.

  Information and knowledge is your best defense against the pitfalls of our diet happy society. Long term weight loss is about lifestyle changes, not the quick fix.

  There is nothing new about the Atkins' craze and eventually something new will come along to replace it. Heaven forbid society try exercising and eating right to lose the unnecessary pounds that have become an epidemic in the western world!


About The Author:

Jake Berlin is the creator of "Ab Workout" and knows exactly what it takes to get your abs in shape... even if you've been out of shape for months.

For more information on Jake and how he can help you increase your core strength and dramatically improve your athletic performance, visit:

http://www.killer-ab-workout.com