Human chronic gonadotropin or the HCG healthy diet plan is an effective way to lose weight. This substance was initially discovered in the year 1927. It was found in the urine of pregnant women. HCG is only present in pregnant women to help in te proper development of the baby’s genitals.

It was during the 1950’s when Dr. A. T. W Simeons discovered that HCG does not only help children with under developed genitals but can also help manage weight problems. He observed that patients using HCG had lost a lot of weight and had reduced eating appetite.  To confirm his observation Dr. Simeons did some more studies and found out that HCG has the ability to stimulate the body to lose unnecessary fats.

After this discovery the people began using HCG as a weight loss solution. Today, HCG daily injections are combined with a HCG-diet plan, also known as the Very Low Calorie Diet, and are highly commercialized as one of the top weight loss programs with very promising results.

The Very Low Calorie Diet

The Very Low Calorie Diet is an essential part of HCG weight loss treatment. HCG users are advised to limit their daily calories intake to 500 calories right after the third shot of HCG. Once the HCG is injected into a dieter the body will begin to burn all accumulated fats inside the body thus providing more than enough calories to help the dieter get through the day, which explains rapid weight loss. The 500 calorie diet is enough to quench the dieter’s daily appetite.

After losing the excess fats the dieter must immediately stop the HCG treatment as well as the 500-calorie diet. Note that it would be useless to continue after losing excess fats as HCG burns only accumulated body fats. Since there are no more excess fats to burn the dieter’s appetite is expected to automatically return to normal which is more than 500 calories daily diet.

The Original HCG Diet Protocol

Dr. Simeons formulated the original HCG diet protocol, which is now the Very Low Calorie Diet. This was included in his “Pounds and Inches” manuscripts. The original protocol contains a recommended diet plan from breakfast to dinner.

During breakfast, tea or coffee is recommended. The amount of sugar was not specified however the amount of milk was limited only to one tablespoonful, which is the maximum amount of consumable milk in 24 hours. Artificial sweeteners such as saccharin or herbs such as stevia may be used. I recommend ybuy your own espresso machine if you can afford to as it will make drinking healthy coffees a lote easier.

For lunch Dr. Simeons suggests 100 grams of beef, veal, fresh white fish, crab, or shrimp, lobster, chicken breast. Fatty parts of the meat that are showing must be removed before cooking.  All the meat must be weighed raw.  To cook the meat dieter may grill or boil them without adding fats.

The dieter may prepare only one kind of vegetable from the following choices: chard, chicory, spinach, green salad, beet-greens, tomatoes, fennel, celery, red radishes, onions, cabbage, asparagus, and cucumbers. Only one Melba toast or bread stick can be prepared. For fruits: one apple or half a grapefruit or a handful of strawberries can be consumed during lunch. Dr. Simeons recommends the lunch menu for dinner as well.

The New HCG Diet Manual

Today, the HCG diet plan was further developed and improved to bring out the best results from this weight loss program. Kevin Trudeau is among the many people who have furthered the studies of HCG based on Dr. Simeons original HCG diet protocol. Trudeau modified the HCG diet protocol to fit to today’s advanced health improvements. HCG manuals now contain an overview of the HCG diet protocol presented using Kevin Trudeau’s HCG Diet Phases. The phases explain when to start and when to stop using the HCG.

HCG Diet Recipes

Many HCG diet recipes are now available online to help HCG diet plan users successfully follow the 500-calorie daily diet, which is an essential part of the entire HCG program.

HCG kits can also be purchased online or offline. This kit is advisable for first time users. Since these kits are usually complete, new users do not need to worry about forgetting or missing out any HCG supply.

Not all weight loss programs are reliable and safe and most of the victims of these unsafe products are usually those who did not take the time to know more about the product before giving it a try. Remember a good product will explain to you what their product is in 1 to 2 pages and they will always make sense but a product that is giving false promises with a 3 to 10 page explanation of their product will never make sense. Take time to know the product you are buying to see if they make sense – to you!

The Sacred Heart Diet

How Does The Sacred Heart Diet Work?

The principle is to fill up on a very low calorie vegetable soup, which can be consumed in as large a quantity as is needed. Other foods are off limits, except for the foods prescribed for each day, as are alcoholic drinks and carbonated beverages. The diet lasts for seven days, after which time dieters are supposed to have lost at least 10 pounds, as well as feeling cleansed and rejuvenated.

The Sacred Heart Diet

The soup;

• 1- 2 cans tomatoes
• 3 or more green onions
• 1 big can of low fat beef broth
• 1 packet of chicken noodle soup powder
• a head of celery
• canned or frozen green beans- at least 1 pound
• 2 lbs raw carrots
• 2-3 green peppers
• seasoning- salt, pepper, soy sauce or Worcester sauce, curry, parsley, basically anything with no calories.

To prepare the soup, simply peel, slice or chop the vegetables, cover with water and add the soup mix and spices. Bring to a boil, then simmer until cooked. This is the basic food you will be eating all week, together with plenty of liquids from this list;

Tea

• Black coffee
• Juice ( unsweetened), especially cranberry
• Skim milk
• Water

In addition to the soup, the menu is as follows;

Day One;

• Fruit – any fruit, as much as you want, except bananas

Day Two;

• Vegetables, as much as you want – but be aware that doesn't mean legumes!
• A large baked potato with butter for dinner

Day Three;

• Fruit and vegetables, as much as you want, but no potato. This evening is the midway point in the diet, and you should find a weight loss of at least 5 pounds.

Day Four

• At least 3 bananas
• Skim milk – as much as you want

Day Five;

• Beef – 10 to 20 oz, cooked in any way except fried
• Tomatoes – up to six fresh tomatoes or one can

Day Six;

• Beef – as much as you want
• Vegetables, as much as you want, but no potato

Day Seven;

• Brown rice, unlimited amount
• Vegetables, unlimited
• Unsweetened fruit juice, unlimited

If you prefer, chicken can be substituted for the beef, of course without skin and not fried. One beef meal can be replaced by broiled fish. At the end of the week, you should have lost at least 10 pounds.

The Debate on the Sacred Heart Diet;

This diet is not a long term weight loss plan, and one of the main points against it is that most weight loss is temporary, caused by fluid depletion. The first three days are particularly low in calories, and may cause light headedness and weakness.

The Sacred Heart Diet – For;

• Plenty of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants
• Inexpensive
• Easy to prepare

The Sacred Heart Diet – Against;

• Too low in carbohydrates
• No long term benefit
• Difficult to follow at work

The Special K diet

The Special K diet, backed by manufacturer, Kellogg, is one of the most intriguing diets to appear for a long time. Simple to do, relatively inexpensive and backed by research done at Loughborough University in England, this looks like a winner. Kellogg do emphasise that long term weight loss can't be achieved without following a healthy diet, but say that the Special K diet can take one jeans size off for overweight adults with a BMI over 25.

How Does The Special K Diet Work?

The Special K diet must be one of the easiest diets to follow ever – basically, two meals a day consist of a measured amount of Special K with skim or semi skim milk, and the third meal, which can be either lunch or dinner, needs to be a fairly well balanced, normal meal. Nothing else is restricted, meaning that dieters can eat unlimited amounts of fruit, snacks, coffee and alcohol. Kellogg say that because dieters are eating one balanced meal a day, the diet is within recommended guidelines, although they don't advise carrying on longer than two weeks, during which time they say that dieters on average will lose one jeans size.

The Special K Diet

Dieters must be adult, overweight and have a BMI of at least 25.

Breakfast;

• 45g Special KSemi-skimmed milk
• Coffee, tea or fruit juice

Lunch;

• 45g Special KSemi-skimmed milk
• Coffee, tea or fruit juice

Dinner;

• A balanced meal including carbohydrates, proteins and fats, vegetables and as much roughage as possible.
• Whatever beverage is desired

Snacks;

• Whatever snacks are usually eaten, or fruit, raw carrot or other vegetables.

Variations on the Special K diet;

Special K Red BerriesSpecial K Peach and ApricotSpecial K Purple BerriesSpecial K YoghurtySpecial K Bliss Creamy Berry CrunchSpecial K Bliss Strawberry and ChocolateSpecial K MedleyCrunchy Nut Cornflakes

Debate On the Special K Diet

The Special K diet is really a kind of hybrid. Not a full fledged long term diet plan, nevertheless it has several good points. As Kellogg say, a high carbohydrate, low fat diet is believed to be healthy in the long term. However, what they don't emphasise is that the healthy carbs are the complex ones, not sugar coated cereal. But at least this isn't one of the diets which cause weight loss through fluid depletion, and has experimental results behind it. In a study done at Loughborough University, volunteers lost up to an inch from their waist and 38% lost a full jeans size after following the diet for the recommended two weeks. Also, any weight you do lose may actually stay off, especially if you continue with the after care plan recommended.

The Special K Diet – For;

• Easy for carbohydrate addicts to follow
• Fast, easy preparation
• Inexpensive
• No real hunger pangs
• Easy to do at work

The Special K Diet – Against;

• Can be monotonous
• Only a short term diet
• Lacks roughage and can cause constipation

About the Negative Calorie Diet

How Does the Negative Calorie Diet work?

The theory behind the Negative Calorie diet is extremely appealing. It works on the idea that your body has to burn energy in order to digest certain foods. As a consequence, your body is actually burning fat. Take for example – an orange, which may contain 50 calories, it would take a certain amount of energy from your body to process all of the nutrients and vitamins within the orange. In doing so, you would burn more than 50 calories. However this is also highly dependent on the speed of your metabolism.

The Negative Calorie Diet claims that after consuming certain 'negative calorie foods' (like an orange), your body is left with a net calorie results which is a negative calorie deduction. So for every orange you eat, you should burn off 25 calories. This is why advocates of the Negative Calorie Diet encourage you to eat frequent healthy meals, in doing so you are actually increasing the speed of your metabolism.

The Debate on the Negative Calorie Diet

Critics of the Negative Caloriet diet argue that no foods possess 'negative' calories and you cannot eat your way to weight loss. They also purport that by following the Negative Calorie Diet you are potentially offsetting your positive calorie energy reserves, cancelling out the effectiveness of weight training. This criticism argues that we need calories to create energy both for exercise and for recovering from exercise. On the other side of the debate, advocates of the Negative Calorie Diet concede it is true that there is no such food, which contain 'negative calories'. However they do argue that the by ingesting certain foods you are increasing the metabolic processes which can result in weight loss.

The Negative Calorie diet – Against:

No scientific proof to confirm its effectivenessVery little information surrounding dietMore theoretical than practical

The Negative Calorie diet – For:

Little effort involvedPromotes consumption of foods rich in vitamins and mineralsIncreases the body's metabolism

The Negative Calorie diet works on the concept that certain negative calorie foods contain a surplus of vitamins and minerals which can speed up enzyme production in quantities sufficient to break down not only its own calories, but possible additional calories present in the digestion system. These negative calorie foods includes:

AsparagusWatermelonPineappleGrape FruitPapaya

About the Zone Diet

How Does The Zone Diet Work?

The Zone Diet works by working the right ratio of carbohydrates to proteins and fats in order to control the insulin in the bloodstream. Too much of the hormone (insulin) can increase fat storage and inflammation in the body (conditions that are associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease). Sears asserts that by using the Zone Diet you are actually optimising the body's metabolic function. Through the regulation of blood sugar, you allow your body to burn excess body fat.

The Zone Diet does not actually prohibit you from any particular food group; however food with high fat and carbohydrates such as grains, starches, and pastas should be avoided. Fruits and vegetables are the preferred source of carbs and monounsaturated fats (such as olive oil, almonds, avocados) are the ideal choice of fats. The Zone Diet claims to use food as a drug for overall good health, weight loss and prevention or management of heart disease and diabetes.

Sears says that you can test to see whether you are 'hormonally' correct by eating following the Zone diet and see how you feel four hours later. To simplify the Zone Diet, fill one-third of a plate with low-fat protein, and then two-thirds with fruits and vegetables.

The Debate on the Zone Diet

The Zone Diet has neither been rejected nor endorsed by health organisations. Some health experts see some elements of the Zone Diet as favourable, especially the low-fat content. The ADA (American Dietetic Association) sees the Zone Diet as just another fad diet. Some health experts argue that there are safer diets such as the '5 A Day' program (which encourage people to consume five servings of fruits and vegetables a day).

The Zone Diet: For:

The Zone Diet features good amounts of fruits and low starch vegetables and is low in saturated fats; Restricts low nutrition carbohydrates; andIf followed correctly allows for steady weight loss.

The Zone Diet: Against

Complicated and scientific;Restricts calorie intake means it's hard to stay onEliminates some essential vitamins and minerals found in certain founds;Expensive to follow Time consuming and inconvenient

Advocates of the Zone Diet

Advocates for the Zone Diet include celebrities and also some health experts who say that the Zone's recommendations don't stray far from the USDA's (United States Dietary Association) dietary guidelines. Critics have argued that the Zone Diet has flawed ratios but Sears argues that the Zone diet is really a low glycemic-load diet that has adequate protein. Sears also defends the criticism that Zone Diet is too complicated. He believes this is a misconception because his first book on the Zone Diet was targeted to cardiologists who were more scientifically-oriented.

Critics of the Zone Diet

The AHA (American Heart Association) classifies the Zone Diet as high protein and does not recommend the Zone Diet for weight loss. They assert that the Zone Diet has not been proven effective in the long term for weight loss. They issued an official recommendation warning against diets like the Zone Diet. They believe that the Zone Diet is hazardous as it restricts the intake of essential vitamins and minerals present in certain foods. They are concerned that the protein ratio in the Zone diet is too high even if the minimal fat ratio is good. Robert H. Ecker M.D of the A.H.A., finds the Zone Diet's theory on insulin flawed and argues that there is no scientific proof that the hormone insulin plays a big role in weight regulation.

The Basics of the Atkins Diet

The Atkins diet is not a new phenomenon. The diet first appeared in the late 1970s and has grown popularity in recent years in response to the low-fat diet craze. As dieters had trouble with low-fat plans, they searched for a new solution and Dr. Atkins’ New Diet Revolution book found a new audience.

A lot of people have jumped on the Atkins bandwagon and there has been a lot of hype as a result. But what are the basic principles of the Atkins diet?

The Atkins diet is based on a theory of why we get fat. According to Dr. Atkins, the over-consumption of carbohydrates and simple sugars leads to weight gain. The way your body processes the carbohydrates you eat have more to do with your waistline than the amount of fat or calories that you consume. In his book, Atkins outlines a phenomenon called “insulin resistance.” He theorizes that many overweight people have cells that do not work correctly.

When you eat excess carbohydrates and sugar, your body notices that sugar levels are elevated. Insulin is released from the pancreas in order to store sugar as glycogen in the liver and muscle cells for extra energy later on. However, your body can only store so much glycogen at once. As soon as your body reaches its limit for glycogen storage, the excess carbohydrates are stored as fat. This happens to everyone who eats too many carbohydrates.

However, insulin resistant individuals have an even harder time of using and storing excess carbohydrates. The more insulin that your body is exposed to, the more resistant it becomes. Overtime, the pancreas releases more insulin and cells become insulin resistant. The cells are trying to protect themselves from the toxic effects of high insulin. They create less glycogen and more fat.

As a result, insulin resistant individuals gain extra weight. The carbohydrates get converted into fat instead of energy. Other side effects include fatigue, brain “fog” (the inability to focus, poor memory, loss of creativity), low blood sugar (which can leads to hypoglycemia), intestinal bloating, sleepiness, depression and increased blood sugar. There is much more than weight at stake when you are insulin resistant.

The remedy for people who are insulin resistant is a diet restricted in carbohydrates. The crux of the Atkins diet is a limitation of carbohydrates in all of its forms. The foods restricted on the Atkins plan include simple sugars (like cookies, sodas and sweets) and complex carbohydrates (like bread, rice and grains). Even carbohydrates that are considered healthy, such as oatmeal, brown rice and whole wheat bread, are restricted on the program.

The diet has you restrict your carbohydrate intake to less than 40 grams a day. This will put your body in a state of ketosis. While in ketosis, your body will burn fat as fuel. According to Dr. Atkins’ research, the ketosis state will also affect insulin production and it will prevent more fat from being formed. Your body will begin using your stored fat as an efficient form of fuel, and you’ll lose weight.
Another benefit of the Atkins plan is that ketosis will end your cravings for carbohydrates. If you’ve been living on a carb-heavy diet, you may have found that you simply cannot get enough carbohydrates. With carbohydrate restriction and ketosis comes a reduction in carbohydrate cravings. People who have been on the Atkins diet for some time report that they do not crave carbohydrates as they once did.

Although the initial phases of the Atkins diet are rather strict, the program teaches you to restore balance to your diet in the long run. People who use the diet slowly reintroduce minimal amounts of carbohydrate into their eating until they find a comfortable balance between their health and carbohydrate use.

The basic principles of the Atkins diet have been adapted to many other low-carb diet plans. However, Atkins popularity still remains strong as one of the most effective low-carbohydrate solutions for those who are insulin resistant. 

Atkins cost saving tips

The Atkins diet has a lot of health benefits, but it is not exactly easy on the wallet. Fresh meats are some of the most expensive items in the grocery store and when you follow Atkins, you’ll need to purchase a lot of them. However, there are simple steps that you can take to cut costs on this low-carb plan.

First of all, be creative in your meal planning. Remember that most diet books and written to entice readers to try new combinations of foods. The recipes within those books contain the most expensive ingredients. You don’t have to cook like a professional chef in order to be able to experience the benefits of the Atkins diet. There are many simple recipes that you can make that are within the plan and cost much less than the ones shown in the diet books. If you modify the meal plans with the books, you can enjoy the low carb lifestyle on a budget.

One of the most important steps to take is to buy your meats in bulk. When you stock up on large packages of ground beef, chicken and fish you cut down on your protein costs. You can separate the large packages into small freezer bags and freeze them in meal-sized portions. Two to four chicken breasts in a bag are easy to defrost and make a good-sized meal. You can also cook ground beef in many different varieties and freeze the cooked portions. Try doing a portion of the meat with taco spices, another portion with hamburger spices and the third portion with Italian spices. That way you’ll be able to use lots of hamburger meat and still have variety in your diet.

Also, look at less tender cuts of meat to trim costs in your grocery money. While fillet mignon may be tasty, it doesn’t fit into every budget. Less tender cuts of beef and pork make excellent crock-pot meals, and using a slow cooker will help tenderize them.

Look to alternative protein sources like eggs and tofu. Both of these items pack a powerful protein punch for a fraction of the cost of meats. Nuts are a great protein source as well, but they can become expensive very quickly. Some recipes call for expensive macadamia nuts and cashews. Walnuts, peanuts and almonds contain just as much protein for a fraction of the cost.

Mixed vegetable salads will make a large portion of your daily Atkins meals. While it may be tempting to buy bagged salad that is already chopped, you are going to be paying $2 to $3 per bag. You can buy three heads of different types of lettuce for the same cost and make the equivalent of six bags of prepackaged salad. Also, consider investing in a salad spinner. This handy device will make homemade salads crispy and satisfying.

Be creative with your menus and use produce and meats that are on sale. If you’ve got a recipe that calls for chicken breasts and turkey happens to be on sale, go ahead and substitute this week. Make sure to carry an acceptable food list with you the grocery store so you can tell whether a sale food is an okay substitution on the Atkins plan.

When you go to the store, you can also cut costs by limiting your purchase of low-carb packaged foods. These items are really expensive, and sometimes full of harmful chemicals. They may also contain hidden carbs which can stall your weight loss efforts. The Atkins plan can be effectively followed without using any of these products. Unless it’s a special occasion, skip them all together.

Finally, its best to plan your meals and your shopping trips so you can buy your groceries in an effective manner. Going to the grocery store unprepared or, even worse, hungry can spell disaster for your budget. Plan each week’s menu out ahead and time and then buy what you need to make those meals.

Atkins and Unprocessed Foods

When you first start on the Atkins program, you may be tempted to take advantage of many of the low carbohydrate products on the market today. There are a wide variety of packaged items that are specifically manufactured to be low-carb. These include low-carb snacks, low-carb baking products and low-carb substitutes (like pasta or bread). While it may be enticing to fill your shopping cart with all of these goodies, it’s best for your diet and for your health to use them sparingly.

One of the key things to remember about the Atkins diet is its focus on raw, unprocessed foods. The center of diet, as shown by the Atkins diet food pyramid, is fresh vegetables and fresh meats. Added into the mix are natural cheeses, a selection of fruits and, eventually, whole unprocessed grains. There aren’t any packaged meats, canned vegetables or instant anything.

There is a reason that the Atkins food pyramid shows these foods in their raw states. There are great health benefits in minimally processed foods. Raw, whole foods retain more vitamins and nutrients than foods that have been through chemical and industrial processing. Manufactured foods are more likely to be tainted with chemical additives that can cause a whole host of problems.

Raw, fresh food ingredients provide the best basis for a healthy diet. Many dieters rely on foods that are technically allowed on the plan, but not good for health. One example is bacon. Many people on the Atkins diet consume lots of bacon. In fact, many use it as a daily part of their protein foods. However, bacon contains high amounts of sodium nitrite, an ingredient that is known to cause cancer. The more bacon they eat, the more they expose themselves to this chemical and many others.

The Atkins pyramid, and the Atkins diet books, recommends unprocessed, unrefined and non-manufactured foods for a reason. If people follow these recommendations, they will lose weight and experience health transformations. By eating fresh and natural foods you’ll be providing your body with the nutrients that you need to have optimum health.

Back to those packaged and processed low-carb foods. Technically, they are part of the low-carb program. They can be used in moderation as substitutes for your favorite carbohydrate heavy foods. In a pinch, low-carb bread and baked goods can help you get over cravings and add variety to your Atkins diet plan. However, one look at the labels of these products shows how chemically processed these items can be.

It is recommended that you use these products sparingly. In some individuals, low-carb packaged items cause carbohydrate cravings. This can make staying on the diet even more difficult. If you find that low-carb processed foods make you want to binge on carb-heavy foods, then its best that you stay away from these products. These products may also have hidden carb counts that will increase your daily carbohydrate level without you realizing it.

If you are experiencing a stall in your weight loss on the Atkins plan, re-evaluate your commitment to unprocessed and unrefined foods. If you’ve been eating too many low-carb processed foods, you may be consuming hidden carbs and eating more than necessary. Try eliminating these products and refocusing your diet on unprocessed and unrefined foods, like those seen on the Atkins diet pyramid. When you go grocery shopping, spend time along the outer rim of the store where the fresh, unprocessed foods are. This will help you avoid the temptation of packaged foods that can lead your diet astray.

You may need to rely on packaged meats, vegetables and fruits from time to time. We lead busy lives and convenience foods are part of life. It’s understandable that you may need to use some canned soup, bacon or canned vegetables in your daily life. However, make an effort to concentrate your dietary efforts on a wide variety of fresh, unprocessed foods. Your health and weight loss efforts will be greatly rewarded.

Atkins and Sugar Cravings

Sugar is everywhere you look and it might pop up in some surprising places. Did you know that most whole grain breads have at least one form of sugar in them? We have a national sweet tooth epidemic. Even if you don’t eat a lot of sugary treats you may experience intense sugar cravings in the first few weeks of the Atkins diet. So many “healthy” carbohydrate foods have hidden sugars in them, your body may be experiencing withdrawal.

The problem with 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 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 the Atkins diet plan can put a stop to this cycle. However, this doesn’t mean that sugar cravings go away automatically. Sugar products are everywhere and temptation is sometimes hard to fight.

The best way to approach sugar 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 sugar 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 Atkins dieters find 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 cravings while you are at home, get outside and take a walk. The distraction will have you forgetting your sugar craving in no time. Calling a friend for support or logging into an Atkins support forum can also go a long way toward preventing you from succumbing to sugar cravings.

Having a low-carb version of your favorite treat is another good idea. You are less likely to feel deprived if you can have a satisfying low carb treat. There are a wide variety of low-carb products available on the market that can beat your sweet tooth. Low-carb yogurt, chocolate, ice cream and candy can all help you stay on the Atkins plan and still get something sweet to eat.

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

Atkins and Ketosis

The basic principle of the Atkins diet is that a state of ketosis will help you burn your fat stores as energy. Many people, even those who are on low carbohydrate diets, don’t quite understand ketosis and why it works.

Most diets are calorie-reduction diets. They help you lose weight, but some of the weight is from fat and some of it is from lean muscle tissue. While you may look smaller on the scale, your metabolism is actually slowing down. The more muscle you lose the slower your metabolism will be. This makes losing weight more difficult and gaining weight back even simpler.

The Atkins diet, on the other hand, is carbohydrate restrictive. It creates a state of ketosis in your body that burns only fat, and not muscle. The primary source of your energy for your body will be fat in the form of ketones. Your liver will convert fat into ketones and it cannot be converted back. It will be excreted naturally.

Ketones are actual a normally and efficient source of fuel for the human body. They are created in the liver from the fatty acids that result from the breakdown of body fat. These only appear when there is an absence of glucose and sugar. In the Atkins diet, you reduce the amount of glucose and sugar that is in the bloodstream. As a result, your body produces ketones for fuel. When your body is creating ketones it is called ketosis.

There is a common misconception that following a ketogenic diet like Atkins is dangerous. The truth is that being in ketosis is a completely naturally state. The human body creates ketones to use as fuel in the absence of glucose.

In the Atkins diet book, Dr. Atkins suggests using ketone-testing strips to determine your state of ketosis during dieting. These small plastic strips are held in the urine stream and contain a special chemically treated absorptive pad. This pad will change color if ketones are present in the urine. With the presence of ketones, the strip will change varying shades of pink to purple. There is a color scale on the label of the bottle that will help you determine your ketone levels.

Ketone strips are available in any pharmacy and can be found among the diabetic supplies. In some stores, they are kept behind the counter so you may have to ask for them. You won’t need a prescription to buy them though. Once you open a package of ketosis strips they have a shelf life of 6 months. It may be helpful to mark the opening date on the box.

Ketone strips will let you know if you are progressing correctly on the Atkins diet. If you are following the Induction plan to the letter and aren’t seeing purple, don’t worry. Some people never show trace amounts of ketones or they may show just above the minimum line. As long as you are losing weight and inches then you are successfully using ketones. Also, if you’ve just exercised a few hours before using the strips, you may not see purple.

Some dieters may mistakenly believe that a dark purple result on the testing strips means that they are losing weight faster. Actually, the darkest purple color is a sign of dehydration. It means that your urine is too concentrated and you need to drink water.

Ketones come from fat in the bloodstream, whether it is fat that you eat or fat that you burn. So if you eat a meal heavy in fat and then immediately use a testing strip, then you’ll see a dark purple result. Use the strips as a guide, but don’t get hung up on the color.

Reaching a state of ketosis is key to success on the Atkins diet and it as simple as eliminating carbohydrates from the diet. Make sure to follow the eating plan correctly and use the ketone testing strips as needed.