The South Beach Diet is similar to the Atkins Diet in that it has an initial two week phase I period that drastically reduces carbs. The difference between Atkins and South Beach is that there are good carbs and bad carbs. The glycemic index of a food is what counts. The glycemic index is how much a food increases blood sugar compared to the amount that same quantity of white bread would increase blood sugar.

A spike in the blood sugar or glucose, signals the pancreas to make more insulin. The insulin’s job is to get the sugar out of the blood stream into the organs for energy or into storage. The body stores glucose as fat. Keeping the blood sugar from spiking means less insulin is produced which means the sugars are absorbed slowly resulting in a steady level of decreasing sugar levels rather than a rush. Low blood sugar leads to cravings for sugary foods and over eating. And the cycle starts again.

Bad carbs spike the blood sugar. Good carbs don’t. Good carbs are those from foods which contain a lot of fiber, such as whole grains or contain fiber and water such as fruit. The body takes longer to digest the good carbs so they enter the blood stream more slowly.

The longer food takes to digest the better. For example a piece of raw broccoli is better than cooked because your body has to work harder to digest the raw broccoli. The faster carbohydrates are digested, the more quickly they’re turned into sugar – glucose, and the more likely they will be turned to stored fat.

Fiber, protein and fats slow down the digestive system which means the blood sugar rises slowly and falls slowly. The tendency to over eat is diminished and the onset of hunger delayed.

The South Beach Diet limits fats and oils and encourages the consumption of lean cuts of meat and low fat cheeses. Vegetables and fruits are allowed after the initial phase I – two week period. Whole grains can be added back including whole grain bread. White breads, cookies, cakes, rice, potatoes, and sugar are off limits except for special occasions.

The South Beach Diet is a change in eating patterns for life, but other than the forbidden processed foods, white flour, and sugar, the diet is reasonably manageable. It allows a broader selection of foods than the Atkins diet.

The Atkins Diet is the grand daddy of the quick weight loss diets. It’s based on severely limiting carbohydrates. Carbs are processed by the body to become sugar or glucose. Glucose is used by the body for energy. If the carbs consumed for the day aren’t enough, the body transforms the fat it has stored back into glucose for energy.

Carbs also cause the blood sugar to spike which signals the body to produce insulin to remove the sugar from the bloodstream. This causes the blood sugar to drop which results in a craving for more carbs to raise it back up. That’s the basis of the Atkin’s Diet. Severely limit carbohydrates in the daily diet and the body has to fall back on its fat storage for energy.

The initial two week kick start program only allows 20 grams of carbs per day. The carbs from fiber are netted – subtracted from the total carb count. So for example, while ¼ cup of blueberries has a total carb count of 5.1 grams, only 4.1 grams are counted because 1 gram is from fiber.

Protein such as fish, chicken, beef, and pork contains 0 grams. The diet allows cheese and eggs. Seafood is tricky, some, like shrimp, have 0 grams and others like oysters, pack a walloping 12.5 grams per 6 oz.

You can have limited amounts of green vegetables such as spinach, kale, broccoli, asparagus, and cabbage. Fruit is not allowed. To give you examples of carb counts, an apple has a net 16 grams of carbs, a slice of wheat bread has 12 carbs. Alcohol in any form is not allowed during the kickoff stage. An exercise period of 30 minutes per day is mandatory.

After the initial two weeks, carbs are gradually and slowly added back to the diet, fruits and vegetables first. Some vegetables like sweet potatoes (19) and corn (14 per 1/3 cup) contain too many carbs to ever become a regular part of the diet. The maximum level of carbs at this stage should be between 30 to 35.

The objective is to continue losing weight but at a lesser rate than the initial two week period. If the weight loss stops the number of carbs being consumed has to decrease again.

The maintenance diet is at a level of carbs where you’ve stopped losing weight and don’t gain weight. It maxes out at about 40 grams of carbs per day. A turkey sandwich with mayo and sliced tomatoes is about 30 grams of carbs. A medium pear has 21 and one cup of 2% milk has 11.

Sugar, processed foods, flour and starches, such as potatoes and rice are pretty much off limits forever on the Atkins Diet. Most fruits have to be eaten in moderation if at all and certain vegetables as well.

The cabbage soup diet is one of the most well known of all the fad diets. Many people have tried it over the years, but just remember that it is fad and weight loss is rarely permanent with quick weight loss diets. Sometimes fad diets can even have a adverse effects on your health. So keep the disclaimer in mind while reading, that this is not a permanent way of eating, and if you want to lose weight you should discuss it with your doctor and get his advice.

If you want to try to lose weight in a seven day period,
the Cabbage Soup Diet may be just the diet for you. This diet is intended to be used for a seven day period following the instructions, ingredients and proportions exactly. If after one week, you still feel that you must lose additional weight, wait two weeks eating normally during that period, then repeat the Cabbage Soup Diet for one more week. The Cabbage Soup Diet doesn’t provide you with all the nutrients needed for a permanent way of eating, but it’s a great “shock” diet to get you started on your weight loss program.

The Cabbage Soup Diet consists of 6 green onions; 2 green peppers; 1-2 cans tomatoes; 3 carrots, 10-oz mushrooms; one bunch of celery; half head of cabbage, a package of dry soup mix; 2 bouillon cubes; 48 oz of V-8 juice and seasoning to taste. The ingredients are brought to the boil and simmered for two hours. The amount of soup desired can be heated and eaten as required. You may eat as much of the soup as you like throughout the seven days.

The daily plan in addition to bottomless soup is as follows:

• Day One: – all the fresh fruit desired except bananas
• Day Two – unlimited raw or cooked vegetables and one baked potato with butter if you wish
• Day Three – Unlimited fruits except bananas and unlimited vegetables but no potato
• Day Four – Up to eight bananas and as much skim milk as you want
• Day Five — Six tomatoes and up to 20 ounces of beef, skinless chicken or broiled fish
• Day Six — Unlimited vegetables and up to 20 ounces of beef or skinless chicken. Broiled fish can be substituted for beef on one of the days only
• Day Seven – unlimited quantities of brown rice, unsweetened fruit juice and vegetables

Again, this is not a diet for extended periods. If you experience symptoms such as nausea, lightheadedness and weakness, stop the program. You should visit a health care professional if the side effects continue once you’ve returned to “normal” eating. Most people tolerate the bloated gassy feeling because they know it’s only for seven days and the expectation that they can lose up to ten pounds in one week with no chance of hunger pangs makes it worth while.

The added bonus to all these cancer and heart-disease fighting foods is that they also help you to lose weight. The Sonoma Diet Plan is based on scientific research that shows how to live a healthier, more energized life. You will feel better and look better once you’re on this diet. With all of the power foods, your body will get the nutrients needed for health, and will not make you gain weight. The recipes that you’ll find in this diet plan bring out the best flavors in every food and will help your body absorb the nutrients in the most effective way possible.

The Sonoma Diet Plan helps you to lose weight quickly during the early stages, your weight loss will gradually taper off until you reach your target weight. You can then continue on the Sonoma Diet Plan to maintain your ideal weight by using these good eating habits for the rest of your life.

The Sonoma Diet information is presented in a book called The Sonoma Diet and is also available online. Not only is the diet plan described in detail, but you get healthy and attractive recipe choices, tips and instructions. The goal of the diet plan is to provide you with delicious healthy food that you enjoy eating. Losing weight and keeping it off is just a byproduct of the plan.

The literature and support you receive through the online program provides answers to your questions and supports you when the going gets rough. Users of the Sonoma Diet often report a difference in the way they feel and look within the first few days of following the diet plan. Be prepared to learn a new way of thinking and feeling as well. You’ll look at food and at life in a whole new way. You’ll see what it is that you’ve been missing in all those failed diets that you have tried before. Once you try the Sonoma Diet Plan, you’ll never want to return to your old eating habits.

The negative calorie diet is based on the idea that there are some foods that we eat which can allow you to lose weight. The concept is that our body requires energy to process all the
nutrients within what we eat and that with some foods it takes more to do this then what we intake.

Include in your diet things that contain more water like tomatoes and watermelons. These things contain 90 to 95 % water so that there is nothing that you have to lose by feasting on them. They fill you up without adding to the pounds.

Premenopausal women who were assigned to follow the Atkins diet for one year lost more weight when compared to women who were assigned to follow the Zone, Ornish and LEARN diets, according to a study in the March 7 issue of JAMA.

Overweight and obesity are well-documented problems in the United States. National dietary weight loss guidelines (a diet low in calories and fat, high in carbohydrates) have been challenged, particularly by supporters of low-carbohydrate diets. However, limited evidence has been available to effectively evaluate other diets, according to background information in the article.

Besides weight loss, the participants were also measured for lipid profile (low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride levels), percentage of body fat, waist-hip ratio, fasting insulin and glucose levels, and blood pressure. Outcomes were assessed at months 0, 2, 6, and 12.

The researchers found that weight loss was greater for women in the Atkins diet group compared with the other diet groups at one year. Average 12-month weight loss was 10.4 lbs for Atkins, 3.5 lbs. for Zone, 5.7 lbs. for LEARN, and 4.8 lbs. for Ornish. At 12 months, measurements for lipids and levels of insulin, glucose and blood pressure for the Atkins group were comparable with or more favorable than the other diet groups.

The researchers found that weight loss was greater for women in the Atkins diet group compared with the other diet groups at one year. Average 12-month weight loss was 10.4 lbs for Atkins, 3.5 lbs. for Zone, 5.7 lbs. for LEARN, and 4.8 lbs. for Ornish. At 12 months, measurements for lipids and levels of insulin, glucose and blood pressure for the Atkins group were comparable with or more favorable than the other diet groups.

“Concerns about adverse metabolic effects of the Atkins diet were not substantiated within the 12-month study period.

While questions remain about long-term effects and mechanisms, these findings have important implications for clinical practice and health care policy

Searching around forums and support groups it is noticeable that many people report benefits they have experienced when trying a low carbohydrate diet.

A large number of people report that they are experiencing an increase in energy and /or have stopped craving for sweets.

Other improvements reported are, better mental concentration, emotions more evenly balanced and less desire to “comfort” eat.

Although a low carbohydrate diet should not be considered a cure for any of the following conditions, enough people are claiming relief from their symptoms to suggest that there may be “no smoke without fire.”

Improvement in skin condition, improvement in joint pain, improvement in gastrointestinal conditions and reduction in the frequency of headaches are among the most frequently reported benefits in low carbohydrate forums, support groups, and informal surveys.

The really interesting thing is that, although the results vary from person to person, the benefits reported have usually been experienced by the end of the first week.

Low Carb Diet

Fast Weight Loss
There are multiple versions of fast weight loss diets, they all, for the most part, tell the dieter to eat and drink food products that have a “negative caloric effect.”

Your body has to expend energy in order to digest and absorb foods, in fact, 10% of your daily caloric intake is used to process foods in your body. So these “negative” calorie foods are foods that take more calories to digest than the actual calories in the item of food.

Foods such as apples, asparagus, broccoli, beets, cabbage (green), carrots, cauliflower, celery root, chili peppers (hot), cranberries, cucumber, dandelion, endive, garden cress, garlic, grapefruit, lettuce, onions, oranges, papaya, pineapples, radishes, raspberries, spinach, strawberries, tangerines, turnip and zucchini are just a some of the foods that you can eat that take more energy to consume than the calories that are in the foods.

If you’re in the market for a fast weight loss system, look no further than The Negative Calorie Diet.

With this unique “lose 14 pounds in seven days” diet, the big benefit is that it helps you to change your diet to a healthier one. During the diet, you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and the cleansing effect will tone up your whole system. Your body will also get huge benefits from the vitamins and minerals in this diet, if you’ve been overindulging in fast food.

In The Negative Calorie Diet you get a vast collection of healthy recipes, which are easy to make, and which the whole family will enjoy.

Included with the diet are some easy exercise programs, so that you boost your muscle tone and finish the diet looking great.

It should be noted that a diet consisting only of fibrous fruits and vegetables is not healthy over an extended period of time, as it will not include enough protein or essential fats.

Fast Weight Loss