With plenty of popular fat loss programs to choose from, if you are looking to shed some excess fat around your belly or just need to get into a smaller dress size, there is a fat loss program or diet that can give you the results you are looking for. Most fat loss programs if adhered to faithfully will be effective, at least for the short term.
Two of the more famous fat loss programs followed by a large number of people around the world are the Atkins Diet and the South Beach Diet. These two diets are fairly similar in that they both limit starchy or sugary foods. Most fruits and grains and alcohol are not permitted during the first phase of the diet. This is to train your body to stop craving high sugar carbs.
The South Beach program starts with a 14 day induction phase and goes through two other phases that are intended to teach healthy food choices. One major criticism is that most if the weight lost in the early days is all attributable to water. However, people who stay on this diet are rewarded with longer lasting results since there are fewer cravings and hunger pangs. In fact, this program calls for snacking at various times to keep blood sugar levels even and breaking the cycle of carbohydrate dependency.
People who utilize the Atkins diet to shed unwanted weight do so by severely limiting almost all forms of carbohydrates, including many fruits and vegetables. Meats and fats are allowed in almost unlimited quantities, but things like bread and ketchup are forbidden, whereas mayonnaise and butter are allowed. While this certainly sounds unhealthy, there are those who swear by this to drop unwanted weight and have been successful in trimming their waistlines. The goal is to make the body burn its own fat, rather than to utilize carbs to generate energy for the body.
Once you’ve reached your desired weight under the South Beach diet, you then go into a lifetime maintenance phase where you continue to eat healthy foods that nourish your body as intended without having to count calories. On the other hand the Atkins Diet continues to advocate abstinence from most carbohydrates for life. While this fat-burning stage will yield desirable results at first, it is questionable if most people can adhere to such a restrictive diet for extended periods of time.
There are popular fat loss programs which entail a cleansing component. These are also controversial in that most advocate fasting for a few days and slowly reintroducing solids back into the diet. One such program is the so-called lemon juice cleanse. With this diet, the individual drinks a mixture of fresh lemon juice, organic maple syrup and cayenne pepper several times a day for between three to ten days.
While these popular fat loss programs may seem to offer quick results, there are concerns that they are not healthy for the long term. If you are looking to lose a lot of weight, you should consult with your doctor or nutritionist. Keep in mind that a balanced diet with all food groups in moderation along with daily exercise is probably the best course of action for a healthy life.
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