Keto And Carb Cravings

Carbs are everywhere you look and they might pop up in some surprising places. Most of us have a national love for carbs. Even if you don't eat a lot of delicious carb treats you may still experience intense carb cravings in the first few weeks of trying Keto. So many healthy carbohydrate foods have hidden sugars in them, so your body may start to experience withdrawal after deleting them over a period.

The problem with carbs, and sugar is that your blood sugar is tied into your energy levels and your overall health. When your blood sugar is too low, you will experience intense cravings. High blood sugar is a result of eating high-sugar meals. When you eat carbs with a lot of concentrated sugar, your blood sugar will raise to high levels. 

Your pancreas thinks there is something wrong and then it secretes insulin to lower the blood sugar. As this happens more, you can create pre-diabetic conditions in your body as your pancreas becomes worn out and eventually cannot secrete insulin.

Fortunately, getting started on a Keto plan can put a stop to this cycle. However, this doesn't mean that sugar cravings go away automatically. Carbs, and sugar products are everywhere and temptation is sometimes hard to fight.

The best way to approach these cravings is with planning. If you maintain a balance of protein, fat and fiber in your daily diet you will prevent blood sugar drops that lead to cravings. Also, do not go too long between meals without eating. Snacks are an important part of keeping your blood sugar stable. Have some handy snacks like cheese, nuts, seeds and boiled eggs on hand with you so you can quickly stabilize your blood sugar without turning to sweet treats.

Sugar cravings can also be a sign of a nutritional deficiency. When you are low on magnesium, you will crave chocolate and other sweets. Zinc and chromium can also stave off sugar cravings. If you aren't taking a good multivitamin supplement with these minerals, start immediately. If you are and you are still experiencing cravings, consider trying additional supplements of these nutrients.

Another tactic is to brush your teeth. Many Keto dieters have told me that brushing their teeth or using Listerine breath strips can help with cravings. Both methods will numb your mouth and prevent you from wanting to eat. Drinking two large glasses of water can also help eliminate cravings. If your stomach is full, then you'll be less likely to reach for a sugary treat.

Sometimes out of sight, out of mind is the best approach. If you find yourself overcome with carb, or sugar cravings while you are at home, get outside and take a walk. The distraction will have you forgetting your craving in no time. 

Calling a friend for support or going online and reading a great wellness blog article for support can also go a long way toward preventing you from succumbing to your cravings.

Having a low-carb, or low-sugar version of your favorite treat is another good idea. You are less likely to feel deprived if you can have a satisfying treat. There are a wide variety of low-carb, or low-sugar products available on the market that can beat your sweet tooth. 

Both types of cravings are a reality of following a Keto plan, but the previous tips will help you overcome them and stay committed to your weight loss efforts.

This article is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is not to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice or a nutritionistís recommendation. Prior to beginning any dietary program, including a low carb diet, individuals should consult a physician for proper diagnosis and/or an appropriate path toward weight loss.

Four Simple Weight Loss Tips

Let's face it, we all need to be healthy and fit. We each have our own reasons for wanting to look, and feel good. For some it's wanting to be around for the kids, or maybe the doctor ordered us too.

Obesity is the leading overarching cause of death in the U.S. and I dare say most of the Westernized world. All too often we fail to think about what we are doing to ourselves and our families. So do it for them as well as yourself.

If you need help, find a workout partner or get a fitness trainer. If you look online they aren't all that expensive and can help motivate and guide you to your health and fitness goals. Some even offer FREE online challenges.

The US has seen an enormous increase in the number of people considered obese by the medical community. In fact many call it an obesity epidemic. To combat this we find all sorts of pharmaceutical companies selling the "quick fix" pills, powders, and lotions that do nothing to actually help people take the fat off and keep it off.

Of course the same could be said of the diet industry as well. There are so many different diets going around now you could pick one a month and in a years time still have more to choose from.

What is truely needed are some sensible proven weight loss tips that people can implement no matter what their present physical condition is. That said let's dive right in.

#1  Drink more water. All too often Americans are borderline dehydrated and so their bodies are working on the water starvation reflex and not flushing the toxins and junk out.

#2  Eat more often. I bet you thought I was going to say eat less. While it is true that to lose weight you need to eat less calories than you expend...you need to eat more often to get the metabolic furnace stoked up and burning right. Get it out of starvation mode. So start the day off with breakfast. Even an instant breakfast drink and a piece of fruit as we head out the door in the morning.

#3  Move more. Depending on your physical condition you need to be moving more. Use the stairs rather than the elevator, park farther out from the office or the store, go for a walk around the block, go dancing, play with your kids. Make it fun. Running is not the only way to burn more calories.

#4  Finally, determine  your "Why". Decide why you want to discard fat. Make your reason big enough to motivate you through the slumps that invariably happen.

Personally my reason was to be able to live to see my grandkids graduate college. My youngest kids are 3 and 12 now. Besides I wanted to get out and play with them without being out of breath all the time.

This article is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is not to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice or any doctors recommendation. Prior to beginning any weight loss program, individuals must consult a physician for proper diagnosis and/or treatment.

Dieting And Fitness Tips For Living A Healthy Life

When it comes to living a long and healthy life, there are two necessary ingredients: diet and fitness. While some believe that they are one thing all together, nothing could be further from the truth. It is quite possible to have a perfectly healthy diet with deplorable fitness habits. It is equally possible to be very physically fit with less than savory eating habits.

There's a clever little line in the Jimmy Buffet song "Fruitcakes" when his 'lady' is lamenting:
"I treat my body like a temple, and You treat yours like a tent"

I can't help but think of this line whenever I think about all the people around the world who are going on these garbage in, garbage out diet plans hoping to achieve the weight loss success of those who are endorsing these products.

To be completely honest, it is possible to shed pounds through diet alone. It is difficult but possible. It is also possible to be physically fit and have a few extra pounds hanging around. To a large degree we are what we eat. If we consume a high fat low substance diet our bodies are going to lack the fuel required to burn the fat. At the same time if we aren't providing our bodies with the tools it needs to build muscle it doesn't matter how many weights we lift.

When it comes to diet and fitness, the best results are achieved when they work together rather than separately. Use your fitness routine to burn excess calories and use your diet in order to properly provide your body the nutrients and fuel it needs to build muscle.

I've heard many times in my life that a pound of muscle weighs less than a pound of fat. While this is not true at all, a pound is a pound regardless; a pound of muscle occupies less space on the body than a pound of fat. Pound for pound, I would much rather mine be composed of muscle than fat. Dieting alone does not build muscle and that is something you will do well to remember in your efforts.

You should also realize that as you are building muscle you may be shedding inches while not showing a great deal of progress on the scale. It is very important that you keep this in mind throughout the weight loss process. Do not measure your progress by the scales alone or you will achieve misleading results.

The problem is that far too many people do just this and get frustrated and give up when they are actually making progress. Do not allow yourself to be a victim of the scales. Look in the mirror, try on your tight pants, and measure your waistline. Measure your success by how you feel after climbing a flight of stairs not by how many pounds fell of the scale this week.

By incorporating fitness into your diet routine you are also enabling your body to burn off any extra calories you may have consumed during the day. This means that if you want to have a small 'cheat' during your day, you can make up for it by burning a few more calories than normal in the evening. This isn't something that should happen often but an occasional occurrence isn't going to make or break your diet.

You should also look at dieting and fitness as a ball and glove type of relationship. While you can play ball without the glove, it seems to work so much better if you have both.

Diet and fitness when combined can create fantastic weight loss results for those who take them both seriously. The thing to remember is that neither works as well alone and neither will work unless you are willing to do the work. You must make this a priority in your life in order to achieve the best possible results.

This article is intended to be used for informational purposes only. It is not to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional medical advice or any doctors recommendation. Prior to beginning any weight loss program, individuals must consult a physician for proper diagnosis and/or treatment.