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healthy diet plan

Is a 1200 Calorie Diet The Best Way To Lose Weight?

by Editor on November 27, 2009

It may be useful to read the article about a weight loss meal plan in addition to this one

The laws of thermodynamics state that:

Energy in < Energy Out = Decrease in Body weighttriple_expansion_engine_animation

Energy in > Energy Out = Increase in Body Weight

Energy in = Energy Out = Stable Body weight

Alongside these laws, we do need to consider our basic metabolic needs. Basic metabolic needs are dependent on height, age, weight, sex and lean body mass. The leaner the body (the more muscle you have) the higher your metabolic rate will be. On average, an individual’s basic caloric intake should range from 1500 for women to 2000 for men. This means the amount of energy it takes at complete rest fourteen to eighteen hours after eating. It is important to understand that these calories are vital for our body to maintain functioning at complete rest. To understand more about metabolic rate and it’s importance we recommend reading our review of burn the fat fee the muscle.

It is a well-known fact that calorie restriction is the mainstream form of dieting and according to the laws of thermodynamics it is an effective way of losing weight. However, extreme calorie restriction, below the body’s functional needs should be looked at closely before being attempted.

We know that such calorie restriction brings about weight loss in the beginning; but continually eating fewer calories than your basic functional needs as in the 1200 Calorie Diet, puts the body into a starvation sequence that actually tells it to store all fat and burn muscle in order to get ready for the next upcoming famine.

In addition, we know that such calorie restriction can cause a shift in cortisol and insulin responses. Cortisol is brought about when the body is in stress and insulin is commonly a result and response to cortisol. Insulin as the fat storing hormone and when we undergo this type of dieting, we increase our insulin levels which can cause a conversion of any excess glucose – that is not being used immediately for energy needs or stored as glycogen – to triglycerides and store it as fat as well as inhibit the use of fat as a source of energy.

Essentially, we should check that we are consuming the correct amount of calories, taking into account all factors and exercise regimes, and keep our calorie restrictions to a maximum of only 500 calories, making sure that we are always well within our basic caloric needs for the day.

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A Healthy Diet Plan Does Not Mean Low Fat

by Editor on November 27, 2009

As scary as it seems, a low-fat diet is no passing fad. Few of us eat as well as we should and this poses an added problem when trying to lose weight. Without knowledge of how our body works and what our body needs it is difficult to not be tempted to try and lose weight by any means and at any lengths.  These days we can know more about these typical diets which are often nutritionally inadequate and unfavorable to our body.

Fats play an important role in the body and if taken in lower quantities than the individual needs, there could be an increased risk of insufficient intakes of vitamins like vitamin E as well as essential fatty acids. In addition, fat is used to insulate and store energy and is prevalent in cell membranes and for the protection of bodily structures; a lesser intake could cause detrimental effects to proper functioning of these cells and structures.

Decreasing your fat intake does not necessarily reduce your body fat percentage over the long haul either. On average, fewer calories are consumed when you undergo a low fat diet but only small if any changes in body fat mass are seen thereafter. Low fat intake may also affect and slow down the rate of metabolism and changes in cholesterol levels.

Dieting like this in general- if it is not in accordance with your blood type or based on a healthy eating plan- can create weight gain and hormonal imbalances. As seen in women, who have more fat storing cells than men, diets will actually cause the body to produce more fat producing enzymes. Calorie restriction like this loads the body with stress-which in turn produces cortisol. Cortisol triggers insulin and these both alter glucose into fat.

When under stress we are inclined to make poorer food choices. Keeping yourself happy and losing weight does not mean that you have to deprive yourself and cut down fat from your diet, especially with societies’ little knowledge of good and bad fats. This will in fact benefit you more in the long run and steer you clear from excess weight gain in the future.

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