500 Calorie Weight Loss Diet example essay topic

Introduction Nutrition plays a very important role in our lives, it could help to extend or decrease our life span as well as define our degree of livelihood as we progress into old age. With our potential to live longer than ever before comes the urgent need to monitor and adjust the amounts, the types of food and supplements that we ingest into our bodies. Proper nutrition in our early years will not only lead to a learned commitment but will also lead to a lifetime habit toward a healthy extended life. Realizing the importance of nutrition in the human body I will be discussing insights learned from recording my food and beverage intake and its relation to the Atkins weight loss program.

I will make reference column number 2 in my Personal Food Guide below "Recommended Nutrients by the USDA", the remaining columns reference my personal current food guide based on two days consumption. Personal Diet and Weight Loss Management Analysis &USDA Food Guide Recommended Nutrients Record all food and beverages consumed for a two-day period on the Food Journal. Be sure to record the amount of each item eaten. Using the Nutrient Analysis Matrix, fill in each cell of the Food Journal with the nutritional amounts provided by the foods and beverages consumed. Be sure to adjust the nutritional values to correspond to the amount of the food and beverages consumed.

After completing your Personal Diet and Weight Loss Management Analysis, complete the written analysis. As shown on my food guide over two days consumption of food types, I have little variance with the recommended intake. My variances are in milk and vegetables. Nonetheless, I tend to stray sometimes as in order to obtain quality food it is very costly. As a result I am unable to consistently maintain this eating habit which results in some deficiencies such as insufficient servings of vegetables daily, sometimes too many carbohydrates as one tends to substitute food, excessive protein an no carbs. In order to maintain optimum desire health I realize that there are some changes in my food choices necessary to achieve this.

One such change is to grow my own vegetable garden at home to ensure my vegetables are pure. Secondly to be able to shop at the Farmers market more often to obtain fresh fruits and vegetables. Thirdly to purchase organic food out of season for farmers market versus the fertilized food. Fourthly to purchase more fruits and vegetables to have the ability to eat the correct amount of daily recommended servings. I consider my diet to be very healthy as I am very selective with my food groups. I believe I have a good intake of protein, carbs and fat to live a healthy lifestyle.

In addition to my diet I ensure that physical activity is a part of my daily routine as it helps me to burn calories and combat excessive weight gain. Prior to making the above changes my diet was inconsistent as I was eating to survive rather than with a goal for nourishment and optimum health. I consider my future years to be filled with health and wellness as I am motivated to maintain a balance diet providing the right nutrients for my body. In addition, I do not over eat to become obese or have deficiencies that will cause various illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension etc. Maintaining daily physical activity will enhance my fat use, increase my energy expenditure and prevent relapse. The selected weight loss plan for me would be Atkins diet.

When considering a diet I look at several factors such as the philosophy behind the diet. Atkins philosophy states fewer carbohydrates, more protein. Restricting carbs turns on the body's fat-burning equipment, putting it into what the late Robert Atkins referred to as benign dietary ketosis (BD). Simply put, this metabolic pathway, according to Atkins, is the one that breaks down stored body fat. When diets are high in carbs, the body burns them as fuel.

But when carbs are restricted, the body must burn fat. Another key: lots of protein and fat. Atkins says these foods are satiating, and dieters are unlikely to binge on chicken, shrimp, or bacon. In comparing the number of calories supplied by Atkins to the US RDA for protein, fiber, vitamins A, D, E, C, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, calcium and iron I found they were all very similar in calories. It is very important that you follow the program through all four phases. Atkins is not a quick-fix diet; rather a lifelong plan for achieving optimum health.

This plan has intermediate goals integrated where it allows the body to adjust as the different foods are eliminated from ones diet and different foods added to accomplish the desired weight loss. Therefore, knowing that there is no magic al food or spot weight loss must be done systematic rather than drastic to avoid loss of health or wellness. Proteins and fats are eaten liberally in every phase, but carbs are restricted to different degrees. In the first two weeks (the Induction phase) dieters are limited to 20 grams of carbohydrate per day, or roughly the amount in 3 cups of salad vegetables.

After that, carbs are gradually added back in 5-gram increments until weight loss stops. Atkins calls this point the Critical Carbohydrate for Losing Level (CALL). Dieters will all have different thresholds, but about 35 to 40 grams of carbs per day seems to result in a continued 1-pound-per-week weight loss for the average person. As you approach your goal weight, you pass into the pre-maintenance and maintenance phases, in which care levels, although still limited, are adjusted to suit your needs and preferences. Atkins diet is set up so one can lose weight without counting calories!

By controlling the amount of 'bad' carbohydrates you eat, you can cut back on cravings and curb your appetite. You can enjoy eating more wholesome, nutrient-dense foods and stop feeding your body empty calories, such as crackers, cookies, pasta or sugary drinks. It is important to take a multi-vitamin, mineral supplementation as needed; you can safely achieve a nutritionally complete diet each day while doing Atkins. Incorporating more physical activity in your daily routine is also essential for controlling weight, toning muscles and maintaining a sense of well-being. It also increases your metabolism. Any activity, from washing dishes to running a marathon, speeds up the rate at which you burn calories.

Not only does the exercise itself burn calories, but a good workout creates muscle, which burns calories more quickly than any other tissue. When it comes to health there is no cost too great to achieve optimum health. Atkins diet can be pricey as one is now eating Steaks and turkey which cost more than carrots and beans. However, what's really going to hurt your wallet are all those low-care breads, cookies, and snacks that eventually result in illness caused by various disease due to lack of proper nutrition resulting in medical bills and loss of health. There are some potential side effects, I found that data is lacking about how long the pounds will remain off. The second factor is the diet healthy was debatable as the Induction phase is highly unbalanced, with a mere 20 grams of carbohydrate per day.

In the short term, you take off pounds, and blood lipids (cholesterol, triglycerides) seem to improve. But nutritionists balk at the high fat and saturated fat content of the steaks, chops, and other foods that Atkins promotes. Also unclear: the health impact of a lifetime of restricted carbs and high protein. Experts such as registered dietitian Jane Kirby, author of 'Dieting for Dummies,' second edition. However comparing to other popular diets, there's not much difference. (Wiley Publishing Inc., 2004), gives the plan a thumbs-down.

"Most nutritionists recommend that 55 to 60 percent of your calories come from carbohydrate", Kirby says. "With a 1,500-calorie weight-loss diet, that would add up to 188 to 225 grams of carbs per day. Even the maintenance phase, which recommends 40 to 60 grams, is far too low". Weight-loss researcher Gary Foster, Ph. D., of the University Of Pennsylvania School Of Medicine, admits he's surprised by the fact that the Atkins diet, while successful at producing weight loss, doesn't seem to raise the risk of high cholesterol and heart disease. "We thought that the harmful effects of a low-care Atkins-style diet might be the high amounts of saturated fat", says Foster, who recently published a one-year study comparing Atkins and a more traditional weight-loss diet.

"And that turned out not to be true, at least at the one-year mark". As a result Foster is working on a longer diet comparison study, this one for five years. I have personally tried Atkins and I liked it and would recommend it to anyone trying to accomplish consistent weight loss. One very important factor is to set specific and realistic weight loss goals. Don't set goals that are too vague like 'I want to feel thinner. ' It's important to, figure out your current BMI (Body Mass Index), which gauges total body fat.

Next, figure out how many pounds you need to lose to reach a healthy BMI. Like any diet available one can plateau when your weight loss slows or grinds to a halt, you have to take action quickly before you get discouraged and lose your commitment to long-term weight loss. Be sure to check the labels of the food you " re eating to ensure that none of these hidden carbs are lurking. It is critical to learn that good eating habits will allow you to maintain your weight loss for a lifetime. One of the good things about Atkins is as long as you continue to lose weight at a slow, almost imperceptible rate; you can begin to add small portions of starchy vegetables, whole grains, such as brown rice, or whole wheat bread, and higher glyceric fruits. By adding one new food groups one at a time you are able to determine what food types causes your weight gain and can then move what is known as Lifetime Maintenance.

Realizing that our health is in our individual hands it is of extreme importance that we are accountable and are aware that occasional lapse is fine, but we need to take charge immediately. We must continue to practice newly learned behavior and implement monitoring, movement and motivation to consistently have proper nutrition so we can maintain optimum health and wellness.

Bibliography

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