Weight Loss

Weight loss can be a confusing issue to sort out. Sure, everyone would like to look a little thinner, but what's the best way to achieve the results you desire? While at one time most everyone had a common answer to this question, new theories and studies have come up with some surprising observations about the supposed "common knowledge" regarding losing weight.

Most diet propaganda has emphasized a diet low in fats and high in carbohydrates. Remember the old food pyramids? Then you also remember the breads, grains, and pastas that inhabited the bottom, and largest, portion of the pyramid. However, diets based on high carb theories tend to have a disappointing by-product--they make you gain weight!

New Theories of Weight Loss

High carb diets result in weight gain for many because the body's levels of insulin are completely unregulated, leading to sugar spikes and crashes that trigger feelings of hunger even when the body doesn't actually need the fuel. New diet plans, such as the Atkins Diet and the South Beach Diet, deal with this problem directly. Both have an initial "induction" phase during which carb intake is strictly reduced and monitored. This process teaches the body not to crave carbs and sugars, and paves the way for weight loss.

Despite initial concerns, more and more studies have shown this process of cutting the body's carbs to be very healthy and safe. In fact, low carb diets have been shown to be more healthy in some ways than their low fat counterparts. Now that you are versed in some of the terms used in current dietary theory, you can start in on the process of choosing the diet that's right for you.

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