In today's world, there seem to be more popular fat loss programs than you can shake a stick at. There are plenty of people who would like to lose weight especially around the belly. Most individuals would like to adopt weight loss programs that can show results fast, and work effectively and efficiently on the body. There are various types of fat loss programs that have had varied results among different groups.
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.
For followers of the Atkins diet, the carbohydrate restriction is for a lifetime. While the state of perpetual ketosis or internal fat-burning may be desirable at the beginning stages, it's quite difficult to maintain this for the long haul. At least with the South Beach diet, once you've cleared the maintenance stage, you can re-introduce certain low-sugar carbohydrates back into your diet as long as you continue to stick with healthy food selections. One good thing is that under either diet, no calorie counting is necessary.
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.
Certainly there are all kinds of popular fat loss programs out there that can deliver results. However, the question is whether they are the best choice to make when it comes to your long-term health. Maintaining a healthy balanced diet that offers proper nutrition and keeping an active lifestyle seems to be a much better alternative. As always, if in doubt, you are better off discussing any weight loss program with your doctor before jumping in.
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