Diet Programs Today

With 2008’s arrival comes a new year of New Years Resolutions, Diet Plans, and the begining of new diet programs for many.  From everyone here at Diet Programs today, we wish you luck.  Dieting can be difficult, but with the right diet program, and there is a “right” program out there for you, you can loose the weight you have been wanting to and start down the path to a healthier, happier you!

Good Luck in 2008!  You can do it!

To get started, we recommend you check out out our Review of Which Diets Work!

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Carbohydrates are defined by the complexity of their molecular structure. With one or two sugar molecules, simple carbohydrates have a ’simple’ molecular structure. These carbs are digested and absorbed into the blood stream very quickly, and consequently will cause blood sugar to rise quickly. When your blood sugar is too high, your body responds with insulin.
An insulin spike can cause your glucose level to drop, called hypoglycemia. You may feel tired, dizzy and/or weak, and fat may not be burned properly. So while simple carbs will give you quick energy, it is important to be sure to keep consumption in moderation to keep your blood sugar relatively stable. The following are sources of simple carbs: refined sugar, dairy sugar, fruit sugar, refined flour.

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Sugar molecules of complex carbs are longer chains than in simple carbs which means they take longer to break down, or digest. There are two kinds of complex carbs: starchy or fibrous. Starchy carbs are rice, beans, pasta, wheats, grains, and potatoes. Vegetables are fibrous carbs. The indigestible portion of plant material, fiber, has a low calorie count, and keeps the digestive process running clean and healthy.

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Like any other kind of food some kinds of carbs are better choices than others. Balance is key with complex carbohydrates representing a bigger part of our diet than simple carbs. Because they take longer to digest, we get a more controlled release of blood sugar and insulin balance and generally are the more nutritional choice. Of course it’s not that simple.
Some complex carbs turn into sugar rather quickly. Potatoes are one such example. This is why we have the glycemic index.

Some people believe in banishing carbs altogether and blame obesity entirely on carb consumption. They are over-simplifying and it can be dangerous. Very-low carb diets can result in a lack of energy, and loss of lean muscle mass. You may lose weight, but do you want to be weak at the same time?

A moderate intake of carbohydrates is recommended by the American Heart Association and many other major health organizations. They recommend at least 55% of calories from carbs.

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Life is busy these days and consequently we rely heavily on refined carbohydrates. Refined white sugars and breads are simple carbs that are stripped of their natural nutritional qualities. The ratio of calories to the fullness you feel when you eat these foods is not beneficial. When a complex carbohydrate is refined the particles are shrunk which means they are digested and absorbed quicker, acting more like a simple carb than a complex carb.
Natural truly is best!

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There are two main opinions on this:

• Calories are all that matter and they must be counted.
• Calories don’t matter as much macro-nutrients (i.e. carbs, protein, fats) and so counting is pointless.

Actually both are important. Energy intake and output are measured in calories, but for health and nutrition, the macro-nutrients are equally important. Think about this: If you decided to keep your caloric intake to 1800 calories per day - would you choose to consume nothing but diet soda? Or 100% fat? Probably not. So a balance of macro-nutrients is also important.

If you are trying to lose weight, then calories do count. Depending on your individual body consititution - macronutrient ratios are important to the success of your fat loss program. This is why low-carb diets are successful for some people, and low-fat diets are to others.

adjust your calorie intake first; then look at your nutrient ratios.

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The effect foods have on your blood sugar levels is measured by the Glycemic Index (GI). A high glycemic index value means that food will raise the blood sugar level faster than a low glycemic index value.

Thinking simply about carbohydrates it may seem that complex carbohydrates digest slowly, and that simple and refined carbohydrates digest quickly causing a spike in blood sugar. Recent research has indicated that there is more to this story. It is not as simple as just simple vs complex or refined vs natural.

I values are on a scale of 1 to 100 with the high value being pure glucose. Many carbohydrate-rich foods have been tested for glucose levels. A value of 50 means that the food will affect blood sugar on a level that is equal to half that of glucose.

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The GI has changed the general practices of the health community significantly. Many doctors recommend using the GI to patients with diabetes and/or obesity and a number of nutritionists also favor the GI index over the traditional complex vs simple carbs philosophy. When you eat foods with a lower GI value, you tend to feel full longer which is key to losing weight. It also helps diabetics make more educated eating choices.

The GI factor is an excellent weight loss tool, but not to be used alone. Nutritional variety is also important, even to a diet rich in low GI foods.

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There are hundreds of different diets. Some diets work for some - others don’t. There are other diets that are just not going to make your healthier. Here are some simple guidelines. Avoid extremes (e.g. very-low-carb or very-low-fat) and focus on balance. Learn as much as you can about carbohydrates, proteins, and fats; about what they are and how they work in your body. Learn to recognize and eat more whole foods and less processed foods. These and other common denominators are the key to the success of each. Remember that everybody’s body is different so what works for one person may not work for someone else.

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A calorie is a unit of energy, defined as the amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water up 1 degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit).
When applied to food, we say a Calorie but we mean a kilocalorie (1000 calories). The number of Calories gives us an idea of the potential energy that we intake when we eat a particular food. This can easily be calculated with the following formula:

• 1 gram of Protein* = 4 Calories
• 1 gram of Carbohydrate* = 4 Calories
• 1 gram of Fat* = 9 Calories
• 1 gram of Alcohol = 7 Calories

Therefore Calories can be calculated simply by knowing the amount of these three building blocks* in the food.

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