A Review of The Atkins Diet

I have tried a few diets in the past and some have worked more than others. One that I stayed the longest in was the ever-popularied ‘Atkins Diet’, where you get rid of carbohydrates and instead munch on lots of meat!

It really isn’t that bad a diet. Believe me, I’ve seen worse, and with this one, the highlight of the meal is the meat, of which you can have as much as you want. Vegetables go hand-in-hand with this diet, but fruit is also taken out because it contains too much sugar. I did however miss all the rice, bread, potatoes and grain products that make a dinner feel wholesome, but with as much meat as you could eat, how could you go wrong?

The fact is that this diet does work, and you can lose a good few pounds from following the previous steps and exercising. Unfortunately, the Atkins Diet should never be used for longer than a few months, because the lack of carbs and fruits can cause long-term problems if you refuse to eat either of those after a while.

Besides that, it is a good, successful diet. You never feel hungry because in truth you can have as much as you want…as long as it’s either meat, veggies, or both.

Staying Healthy During the Summer

Summer is the season of lazy days, but that doesn’t mean that you have to do the same! Enjoy the summer as much as you can before college starts back in again, but do it in style! Here are a few tips to keeping fit and staying that way through the Summer.

Tip #1: Food is great but watch what you eat!

Summer calls for cookouts and barbeque, which often consists of juicy and tantalizing steaks, burgers, and ribs to munch on. Watch how much you eat though! Try to cut back on any barbeque sauce used on the meat, especially ones that contain sugar. Meat as a whole, isn’t too bad for you. Carbohydrates are the killer though. If you can, buy whole wheat buns and bread to use. It’s healthier. At the same time however, even though it’s healthier, it will still add lots of calories. Unless you plan to exercise and get rid of ’said calories later in the day, try limiting yourself in terms of eating. As always though, veggies are great to eat and very healthy for you. I personally love those little baby carrots. Tasty things those are! Any leafy green vegetables are also very good for you, so be sure to pack some of those in your cookout/barbeque if you can.

Tip #2: You can’t lose calories unless you exercise

It’s a common fact, but one that most people tend to ignore. Even if you are on a summer diet to get rid of some excess weight, you won’t lose any weight unless you take in less calories than the recommended amount at the end of each day. Now, the numbers vary from person to person, but I normally figure that 1,800 is the regular amount of calories that you should be putting in per day. If you can eat less than that per day, then good for you, but I personally think that exercise is a great way to lessen the amount of calories at the end of each day.

I use the treadmill after dinner almost everyday and walk for 4-5 miles at 3.5 mph. According to the treadmill, I lose over 500 calories that way, and that’s good enough for me. It definitely helps, plus, it helps make your body stronger and gets rid of some flabby arms and legs.

Tip #3: Splurge during special occasions

I’ll deviate from my healthy living suggestions to offer this one tip. No matter how dedicated you are to your diet and to your exercise, it is quite alright to go ahead and have a feast during special occasions like birthdays and weddings. It’s a time for celebration, and you should celebrate as well instead of trying to calculate how many calories would be in a piece of cake. You can worry about calories and losing weight when the event is over and everything is back to normal.

Anyways!

These are just a few tips for those who are currently enjoying the Summer. I have no strategies to teach and I am certainly no guru of the diet plan, but hopefully you can take these tips into consideration as you watch your weight and still have a good time this season!