The low carb diet my boyfriend and I used worked great for him, but not all that well for me.
I lost weight, yes, but only at a snail's pace.
We both drastically cut our servings portions, and I meticulously counted carbs for every meal.
I ate nearly half what he did and stayed active, but where he would lose 5 pounds a week, I'd either lose only a pound, or even gain a pound!On top of that, I was constantly hungry, I had no energy, I was tired and I rarely felt well.
What was the difference?I finally learned the difference laid in our different metabolisms.
I'm a woman, he's a man; our bodies have different nutritional needs.
I don't need as many calories as he does, but I need between 15% - 20% more carbs and less than half the fats to feel great and lose weight.
If you want to lose weight and burn fat, that's the first lesson:Find the diet that works for you.
You're an individual; your body is unique, as are your nutrition needs.
I'm not saying a low carb diet isn't the way for you to go if you're a woman.
It may work quite well for you!But if the diet you use doesn't help you lose a pound or so a week and you feel unwell or tired all the time, modify it until you get what you need.
Even weight may not indicate whether you're losing fat, though; that's why you should measure inches as well.
If fat is being converted to muscle, your weight is not a reliable indicator of that loss.
However, loss of inches equals fat loss and possibly more muscle tone.
Eating too many or the wrong kinds of fat increases the amount of fat on your body.
Avoid animal fats and Trans fats.
Use soft margarine spread instead of butter.
A good rule to go by is the more solid the fat source, the worse it is for you.
So, you should use light vegetable or olive oil rather than lard or shortening.
Drink more water instead of carbonated drinks.
This cuts both calories and sodium intake.
Sodium causes water retention, meaning more inches.
So while you're at it, eat less salt and fewer salty foods.
Chips are mostly empty carbs, fat and salt anyway.
They taste great, but have almost no nutrients.
Thirty minutes of sustained cardio exercise burns fat and calories, and it doesn't have to be high-impact exercise to get your heart rate up.
Cardio exercise strengthens the heart, improves circulation, and can improve muscle tone.
There are several ways you can change your eating habits to help you cut calories and make your body burn up that fat!If you have a craving for sweets, drink a cup of fruit-flavored herbal tea sweetened with a teaspoon of honey; the sweet aroma of the tea cuts the craving.
Drink one or two full glasses of water just before eating a meal so you'll already feel full and won't eat so much.
If you don't eat snacks high in carbs or fats before you go to bed, your body has less chance to store the carbs as fat as you sleep.
Don't starve your body!Eat five small meals a day, or three small meals and a couple of good snacks.
It's important to keep your body fueled up so you have the energy to do what you need to do!
I lost weight, yes, but only at a snail's pace.
We both drastically cut our servings portions, and I meticulously counted carbs for every meal.
I ate nearly half what he did and stayed active, but where he would lose 5 pounds a week, I'd either lose only a pound, or even gain a pound!On top of that, I was constantly hungry, I had no energy, I was tired and I rarely felt well.
What was the difference?I finally learned the difference laid in our different metabolisms.
I'm a woman, he's a man; our bodies have different nutritional needs.
I don't need as many calories as he does, but I need between 15% - 20% more carbs and less than half the fats to feel great and lose weight.
If you want to lose weight and burn fat, that's the first lesson:Find the diet that works for you.
You're an individual; your body is unique, as are your nutrition needs.
I'm not saying a low carb diet isn't the way for you to go if you're a woman.
It may work quite well for you!But if the diet you use doesn't help you lose a pound or so a week and you feel unwell or tired all the time, modify it until you get what you need.
Even weight may not indicate whether you're losing fat, though; that's why you should measure inches as well.
If fat is being converted to muscle, your weight is not a reliable indicator of that loss.
However, loss of inches equals fat loss and possibly more muscle tone.
Eating too many or the wrong kinds of fat increases the amount of fat on your body.
Avoid animal fats and Trans fats.
Use soft margarine spread instead of butter.
A good rule to go by is the more solid the fat source, the worse it is for you.
So, you should use light vegetable or olive oil rather than lard or shortening.
Drink more water instead of carbonated drinks.
This cuts both calories and sodium intake.
Sodium causes water retention, meaning more inches.
So while you're at it, eat less salt and fewer salty foods.
Chips are mostly empty carbs, fat and salt anyway.
They taste great, but have almost no nutrients.
Thirty minutes of sustained cardio exercise burns fat and calories, and it doesn't have to be high-impact exercise to get your heart rate up.
Cardio exercise strengthens the heart, improves circulation, and can improve muscle tone.
There are several ways you can change your eating habits to help you cut calories and make your body burn up that fat!If you have a craving for sweets, drink a cup of fruit-flavored herbal tea sweetened with a teaspoon of honey; the sweet aroma of the tea cuts the craving.
Drink one or two full glasses of water just before eating a meal so you'll already feel full and won't eat so much.
If you don't eat snacks high in carbs or fats before you go to bed, your body has less chance to store the carbs as fat as you sleep.
Don't starve your body!Eat five small meals a day, or three small meals and a couple of good snacks.
It's important to keep your body fueled up so you have the energy to do what you need to do!