How I got started on the South Beach Diet

When I began the South Beach Diet late last year, weighing in at 280 lbs, I felt enormous, unattractive and totally unfit to go out in public. I truly no longer paid attention to what clothes I wore, because everything looked disgusting anyways. I was exhausted the majority of the time and had little energy to enjoy being with my children. The interesting thing is feeling that way was not enough to make me stay with any diet for an extended period of time. I had absolutely no will power, and I really enjoy food. It's not that I stress eat or something like that, I just adore the taste of excellent food...and as a general rule, diet food does NOT taste excellent!

The thing that began my weight loss was finding out my husband weighed over 500 lbs. His physician told him to try the South Beach Diet. He was frightened enough to give it a real try, and I knew I needed him to diet with me to really stick to a diet for long. Accountability is a big deal to me. I bought the book, and discovered the information made a great deal of since and it looked like something I could do easily. I had tried Atkins in the past but it just made me feel like sick, and the low fat diets out there just tasted horrible all together. This was unique in a lot of ways, so we gave the South Beach diet a try for better or worse.

So Long to Carbs!

Phase One was a challenge with virtually no carbs at all, but if anyone ever asks me I'll tell them definitely not to skip it. It truly did destroy all of the cravings (and I have a ton of cravings!). With some creative thinking it ended up not tasting too bad at all. In fact I realized I even enjoyed a few vegetables I didn't know I did previously. (I still hate most veggies btw...:)) I had a weight loss of about 11 lbs in three weeks. However, as the book will tell you, this isn't the weight loss portion of the South Beach Diet. Its true purpose is to destroy the cravings, though I have also discovered it's good for getting over a plateau.

Phase two is easy to stick to. There are so many products and recipes out there, that it's truly not that hard. Most restaurants even have options that will work for us on the South Beach Diet. As we go along I promise to share them with you. I hope you'll contribute your recopies and ideas with me as well!

Well long story short, I've lost over 50lbs so far... I have recently joined Curves, so I'll be creating a healthy heart and body while losing weight! My husband is no longer my only inspiration, in fact I have managed to remain on track (with only a few little cheats) even when he has strayed along the way.


I have much more to lose, but with the South Beach Diet principles I know it’s very possible! Please continue with me as I share my South beach journey including great resources and recopies for everyday people who love food!
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DietWatch - Number 1 Diet Program

DietWatch first appeared in 1999 backed by dietitian Jennifer May. They were on of the first
weight loss programs to be 100 percent Internet based.

DietWatch offers 4 basic diet options

No Restrictions

Heart Healthy - Mediterranean Diet

Reduced Carbs

Vegetarian

The no restrictions plan is set up for those looking to maintain a health and balanced diet. This is
best suited for those who do not have dietary concerns. The Heart Health -0 Mediterranean Diet is
designed to focus on incorporating healthy mono and polyunsaturated fats while limiting intake of
saturated and Trans fat. The reduced carbs plan limits the carbohydrate in take to 40 percent of total
calories. This plan is not like other low carb diets such as Atkins. The carbohydrate restrictions that
this plan uses do not put the body in a state of ketosis. The vegetarian meal plan is a lacto-ovo
vegetarian plan, that means eggs and dairy are included. This plan is designed for those who do
not consume meat, chicken, or fish, and the menus include a variety of soy foods and meat
substitutes.

Preventing binges, managing hunger, or just listening to your body are things we all want to know
and learn how to accomplish. DietWatch has introduced an 8 week course called "Mastering Food"
This is an online interactive program that will get you to the root of your eating problems.

Everything that you would expect from a subscription based weight loss program Dietwatch
provides. Personalized meal plans, a comprehensive diet planner and log, fitness and exercise
workouts, shopping lists, message boards, and a strong community.

From my experience the calorie levels and nutrient mix seem to be very well thought out and
sensible. DietWatch offers a select set of nutritional options and does very well. This includes one
of the most comprehensive nutritional databases on-line. They have an easy cancellation process
and they even offer a pay by Paypal option.
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6 Benefits Of Low Carbohydrate Diets

Low carbohydrate diets are one of the easiest and simplest ways to trim down and have a sexy healthy figure in the near figure. Low carbohydrate diets can be reduced to one essential principle: replace weight-gaining carbohydrates with other important and healthier types of foods.

As long as you're managing your diet properly, you're sure to enjoy the following benefits once you cut down your carbohydrate intake.

1. Enhance Energy Level - As long as you eat the right sources of carbohydrates, you'll be able to enjoy a high-level of energy everyday. You'll be good to go for everything you do and your performance level will definitely sparkle at home and at work.

2. Regularized Sleeping Schedule - Having problems with your sleep? Do you suffer from insomnia, or are you guilty of sleeping too much? Whichever your problem is, your sleeping pattern will be able to correct itself with low carbohydrate diets.

3. Lower Blood Pressure - Low carbohydrate diets can also help people with hypertension because reduced intake of carbohydrates will immediately result to lower blood pressure.

4. Say No to Cholesterol - Low carbohydrate diets can also result to reduced cholesterol levels. This is especially a blessing for people suffering from obesity. Of course, this type of diet won't work if you're going to increase your intake of fats and oils. Food like steaks and other fatty foods are definitely on your forbidden list as well together with foods rich in carbohydrates.

5. Relief from Joint Aches - People of old age and those with active lifestyles are also vulnerable to joint ache. Although joint pains are not at all life-threatening, it can be so severe that your lifestyle as well as your work will be cramped. Joint ache can prevent you from moving often and interacting well with other people. The good news, however, is that low carbohydrate diets can help relief pain from joints besides medication and sufficient rest.

6. Enjoy Flawless Skin - People's first impressions usually have to do not only with your looks but with your complexion as well. If you've got blemished skin, you'll definitely suffer from bad first impressions not to mention problems with your social life. This can change however with low carbohydrate diets. This type of diet can greatly lower chances of you developing acne and increase the freshness of your skin.
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It's True - I Eat Fat To Loose Weight

Many people believe that fat is bad and that they have to avoid it at any price. It is true that fat has the most calories and the more fat you eat the more fat you get. But let me tell you that you will benefit more from eating fat during a diet than avoiding fat by all means.

Let me explain. Fat is nothing bad. Your body needs fat together with proteins and carbohydrates. The right balance is the key to a healthy body. If you eat too many proteins you can get fat too. If you eat more than enough carbohydrates you will also get fat.

No reason to be fat-phobic. It is a myth that you become fat from eating fat. I bet you know many thin people who eat fat. I know many of them who eat pizza, hamburger or use oily salad dressing all time. For some reason they do not get fat.

Do not blame the fat. You could even achieve the opposite result when avoiding fat. You could become fat from avoiding fat. How comes?

Yes, fat has plenty of calories but beside the fact that good fat is very healthy it also gives you satiety which you do not have when you avoid fat. Without satiety you tend to eat more than you have to. It is true that many people on diet had more success with their diet after taking bit more fat back into their dietary plan.

So fat is no poison. It is all about the calories. You get fat when you consume more calories than your body needs. It is that easy. Give him less calories he needs you will loose weight. But the key is a well balanced and healthy diet which also includes fat. Otherwise your diet can lead to malnutrition or is just a very unpleasant experience each and every day.

There is no reason to starve. It is even contra-productive. The more you starve the more difficult it is to loose weight because your body switches into emergency mode. This means your body 'protects' his fatty assets because he believes there is some kind of emergency situation going on. There are also plenty of fat-soluble vitamins. Another reason not to avoid fat.

Again, the key is a balanced diet without starving including all the foods and nutrients the body needs. How much fat is enough? For the average man about 60 grams a day, for women about 50 grams. About 25% of calories can come from fat, 65% proteins and rest carbohydrates.

When you look for fat then go for 'good' fat. Good fat is fat from olive oil for example. It is perfect for making your salad of fresh vegetables or also cooking. If you feel very hungry, add some tasty olive oil and it gives you satiety, Vitamin E and more health benefits than avoiding fat.
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A Low Carbohydrate Diet works for weight lossàDon’t Believe the Hype!

When the average person embarks on a diet or fitness regimen in the aim of losing weight or building muscle mass, what they are usually instructed to do is to eat lots of protein and go on a low carbohydrate diet to accomplish either of the goals.

Right there, an observer should see a red-flag: ôHow is it that the same dietetic suggestion for weight loss remains applicable for building muscle mass?!ö
We all know we need a certain amount of protein everyday to remain healthy. Based on misinformation to this effect, several people view the daily consumption of a high-protein diet as beneficial. But have you really seen any one lose the desired weight on such popular diets as the Atkins Diet, which is basically a low-carbohydrate/high protein lifestyle.

I have seen several people try it and fail, and even became sicker for the process.

Here are some other facts that should spur you in the right direction in regards to excessive protein consumption: According to the French Hygienist, Albert Mosseri, diseases and conditions which can be caused or aggravated by too much protein intake include: Leukemia, Skin Diseases and even Cancer.

Based on the John Robbins work titled: Diet for a New America, the number of people in the US suffering from diseases caused by protein excess is a mind-boggling 40, 000, 000 compared to a measly 3 people suffering from the deficiency of this substance.

Judging from these, it may be time to revise the misinforming ideas on protein in our diets.

Let’s consider some factors on why a Low Carbohydrate Diet may be unnecessary and even detrimental to one’s health.
.
1. The animals that are usually eaten for protein, what do they subsists on?
Substances of the Plant Kingdom for example: cows live on grass exclusively.

2. 98% of the human population is sweet toothed...which shows that carbohydrates are our main need contrary to popular belief.

3. The great apes are primarily fruit eaters (although with substantial amount of leaves in their diets) How similar are humans to them? Very much so. We share 98% of the same genes.

4. It’s been scientifically proven that mother's milk is about 2% protein, now if this is the ideal of a growing baby for the first 3 years; of course it shows the minimal need of it. (Point of note, the milk of a woman is affected by her diet so of course that should be checked.)


5. The need of protein for the human body is about a nickel's weight worth, the excess is basically excreted in urine.

6. Several people subsists on fruits and green leaves exclusively or starchy root vegetables, fruits and leaves only and are in top shape-I've seen and am one of them.

7. People have fasted on water only for several days and were actually stronger for the process!

8. Fruits and green leaves give you sufficient protein: e.g. the Banana, Dates, Avocadoes, Olives, Cabbage, Lettuce, Durian, Young Coconuts and even the Apple. Exactly or a little more than what you need at a given time.

9. Based on research, the need for amino acids is highly exaggerated as only 16% or our body is Protein. Pure protein is primarily Nitrogen (N) with some Oxygen and Hydrogen and Carbon. We all know that we get a large share of our Oxygen and Hydrogen need from the air. Since we are able to utilize and assimilate a large amount of our needs of these elements, we are able to build the Nitrogen into our body as protein. This process is done by natural bacteria action that is capable of converting it to our use. People who smoke though cannot pick up Nitrogen from the air so easily but might still get enough from proper foods. Although for your well-being, cessation of tobacco usage is mandatory.

10. Research has been done on the diet of the aboriginal tribes living in the Mountains of Hagen. Their diet consisted of 80 % Sweet potatoes. The rest consisted of fruits and green leaf vegetables. Their daily consumption of protein was around 9.92 g. Meanwhile, eliminated in their fecal matter was a protein of around 15 times more of what was ingested. This phenomenon illustrates the protein synthesis illustrated above.

Definitely cutting back on the ’wrong’ kinds of Carbohydrates such as Cakes, Confectioneries, Bread, Polished rice and the like will be mandatory for weight-loss, but replacing them with high protein foods is- just as from the points above-unnecessary and actually harmful for overall health and fitness.

So what should we eat? Simple, Raw and properly cooked Fruits, Roots and Leafy Vegetables. Not only is this kind of diet unmatched for speedy weight-loss, but your body will thank you for the change as you mechanically (via the broom-like/mucus-binding qualities of these substances) cleanse yourself from perhaps a life-time of wrong eating.

Remember the famous quote by Hippocrates; the ôFather of Medicineö: ôLet your foods be your medicine and your medicine your Foods!ö Therefore, don’t believe the hype of high-protein/low carbohydrate diets for weight-loss or fitness. For optimal health a wise combination of your organic, seasonal fruits, roots and veggies is the best and safest way to go.

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Excess Weight and Body Fats? Laugh Them All Off

Have you ever heard of the truism ôjokes are half meantö? If you have, do you believe in it? If you have not, then now, you have read of it and maybe if you read on, you’d be able to think of a joke of your own which could be half or full-meant.

I gathered some of the most popular jokes on health and fitness over the Internet and after laughing about them, I thought maybe I could tell something that would prove that these jokes were born out of the sometimes painful and bitter realities of life.

It would really be nice to have a slim and really fit body but not everybody is blessed with such. There are some people, no matter how much food they take, including calories, fats and all, who never gain weight or grow fat. But to those who are blessed with tons of excesses in fats and weight, trimming down is one of the most difficult tasks in the world. Especially if ôexerciseö and ôdietingö are alien terms for them, this humorous analysis of how the human body was arranged is just right:

I don't exercise at all. If God had wanted me to touch my toes He would have put them up higher on my body.

Sometimes, in the lowest point of your weight-loss campaign wherein only your weight doesn’t go down and the rest, most especially your ego, has dropped down beyond the base, you find ways to console your ultra-bruised and dying ego. And one is to consider that every shape is accepted in the society:

I'm in shape. Round is a shape.

And then there’s the matter of aging. To some, the question is: why change the course of time? A person’s age adds up and along with the increase of the age is the gradual decline of the body. It is just a normal process. Why put pressure on yourself and your failing body? Age, time and fats are ganging up on you, three to one:

The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight because by then, your body and your fat have become such inseparably good friends.

To choose whether to follow what you think or what you feel is another difficult task. It is an honorable and praiseworthy thought of working to get into shape. But, what would you do if the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak?

Every time I get the urge to exercise, I lie down till the feeling passes.

And then there are some people whose form of exercise is sharpening their wits. They could utter one-liner wisecracks that could make it to the funniest sitcom on TV:

The only exercise you get is jumping to conclusions.

And who said that only the adults are having a hard time being friendly with exercising? Take a trip to a school PE schedule and you might be surprised to hear some outrageous quips coming from the tots that you think are advocates of physical fitness:

My gym teacher told me to touch my toes. I said, I don't have that kind of relationship with my feet. Can I just wave?
Excuses are the most popular forms of escape from the campaign towards getting fit and healthy. Here are some excuses that you may have sheepishly used once, twice or maybe more than thrice:
ò But it was my birthday, so I had to eat the whole cake.
ò I had to get the bitter taste out of my mouth from eating the so-called dish, so I had an ice cream.
ò If you eat something and no one sees you eat it, it has no calories.
ò If you drink a diet soda with a candy bar, the diet soda cancels out the calories in the candy bar.
ò If you fatten up everyone else around you, then you look thinner.
ò Only eat things that have been broken into pieces; that way, all the calories fall out.
ò Chocolate is a vegetable. How, you ask? Chocolate is derived from cacao beans. Bean = vegetable. Sugar is derived from either sugar CANE or sugar BEETS. Both are plants, which places them in the vegetable category. Thus, chocolate is a vegetable.
And there’s just the hardheaded approach, the I-really-don’t-care-whether-I’m-fat-or-slim attitude that you may pronounce as a hopeless case. It’s actually very easy to tell, once you hear this line, it’s it:
I'm not into working out. My philosophy is no pain, no pain.
Getting fit and staying healthy is not a laughable matter û or is it? One thing sure is that it isn’t an easy task. It involves determination, hard work and some light moments on the side. After all, laughing û for a long period û can help shake those excess fats off. And even the doctors agree it’s the world’s best medicine.

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Plyometrics - The Most Effective Exercise You've Never Heard Of

If you've ever wanted to learn how to exercise with maximum efficiency in minimum time, yet still achieve great weight loss and fitness results, then you're in luck. That's because this report will reveal to you a high intensity, all body workout that you can do almost anywhere, anytime, without the need for any equipment. Indeed, in just moments you'll discover:

· How to achieve fat loss, body toning and all round fitness

· A surprisingly simple way to combine strength, cardio and agility training

· A cost-effective way you get all the exercise you need in minimal time

Read on to learn more...

This article is about the exercise almost no-one know about... Plyometrics. Sometimes referred to as "jump training" or "plyos", plyometrics are intensive "jumping" type exercises that are aimed at developing and increasing your body's power and speed. Used to help train athletes in sports that require explosive movements such as basketball, volleyball and tennis, plyometric exercises involve a series of jumps and hops using one or both legs to help build and strengthen muscles and increase performance.

Short, sharp and simple, plyometric exercise routines require maximum effort in rapid time, training muscles with your body's own weight, without the need for exercise equipment. The exercises, centred on explosive movements such as lunge hops or squat jumps, bridge the gap between speed and strength by powerfully challenging many muscle groups at the same time allowing you burn fat, build muscle and get a cardio workout at the same time.

Lower Body Benefits

All plyo exercises help you get fit and lose weight, but the two main types of plyo exercises that work your lower body and core are bounding or hurdling and drop jumping.

Of the two, bounding and hurdling exercises are lower impact. Using over-sized strides, they help ramp up your strength and speed by targeting the legs and muscle groups in the lower torso area. The larger the strides (and therefore the more time you spend in the air) are the more effective the exercise will be. Bounding and hurdling (as well as hopping) are forward motion exercises, however you can use jump lunges as a "static" alternative.

Drop jumping is a higher impact exercise. As the name suggests, drop jumping means simply dropping (as opposed to jumping) off a raised platform or step to the ground, then immediately jumping back up onto it - the concentric phase of the action is where the plyometric benefit is gained. You can judge the effectiveness of the exercise (as well as the level of your fitness) by the amount of time your feet are on the ground - the shorter the time your feet are in contact with the floor, the better (T. COMYNS Exploding into action, Athletics Weekly (2012). The idea here is to jump fast, jump high.

The moves don't all need to be complicated or advanced. Simple plyometric exercises such as star jumps or tuck jumps are great to start off with. Progressing onto box jumps would be the next step once you feel confident and have built up your fitness.

Below are some example exercises you can try right away:

Tuck Jumps:

· From a standing position, jump up and 'hug' your knees with your hands as they come up to your chest

· Land on the balls of your feet back into the standing position

· By anticipating the landing, try and keep your feet on the ground for as short a time as possible, and spring up as quickly as you can

Box Jumps

· Place exercise steps or an exercise bench (the "box") directly in front of you. Using a test step-up, ensure that it's not too high or too far out in front, and that you can clear the edge without tripping.

· Squat down in front of the step, and keeping the knees behind the toes reach backwards and low with your arms for leverage.

· Swing your arms with a forward motion and launch out of the squat position and jump on top of the step or bench. Once landed, gain your composure and balance, the drop into another squat with your hands held out in front of you.

· Carefully take a step down backwards onto the floor, one foot at a time. From this starting position you are ready to start the next rep.

Upper body Gains

Even though plyo exercises are designed to challenge the larger muscle groups in the lower body, (core, torso and thighs for example) there are plyo exercises that work the upper body muscles as well.

The plyo pushup is one of the most basic but effective upper body plyo exercises you can do. More advanced variations include the plyo box pushup.

Some example upper body exercises include:

Plyo Pushup:

· From a standard pushup position on the floor, get your core engaged as you place your palms on the floor surface with your hands beneath your shoulders and legs stretched out straight.

· Lower into a low pushup position with your chest just above the floor.

· Then, using explosive power, push yourself up as high as you can ensuring you pass your original starting position level, and clap your hands under your chest. Then land back in the starting position cushioning your landing with your hands on the surface. You're ready to begin the second rep.

Plyo Box Pushups

· Get two steps or sturdy boxes and place them just wide of shoulder width apart while you are in the standard pushup position.

· Start with each hand on each box and lower into a low pushup position with your chest between the two boxes.

· Using explosive power, push yourself up as high as you can ensuring you pass your original starting position level, and clap your hands under your chest. Land on the floor, (not on your original starting position on the boxes) cushioning your landing with your hands. That's one rep.

· The second rep starts with you launching off the floor this time, clapping your hands under your chest, and landing with your hands on each of the boxes.

· Next rep starts with you taking off from the boxes and landing on the floor

· Alternate each rep landing and launching off the floor and boxes respectively

But It's Not Just About Exercise...

You've just discovered what plyometric exercises are all about. There are a whole host of plyo exercises available that will never fail to work up a serious sweat, lose weight and make you feel like you've accomplished a serious and beneficial workout. And that means you can now take action to find the ones that suit your level of fitness and start right away.

However, a word of warning - most plyometric exercises are high impact and so place a large strain on the muscles and other tissues in the body. If you are unsure of your fitness levels start slow, or even check with your doctor or health professional before beginning any exercise.

Also, just as importantly, knowing about an exercise routine isn't going to give you the health results you want. Only taking action will, and that includes making healthy overall choices on a daily basis that will get you the fat loss, muscle strength and overall radiant health results you are looking for.

As Ivern Ball said: "Knowledge is power, but enthusiasm pulls the switch"



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