The popular name for the ‘Atkins Nutritional Approach’ is the ‘Atkins Diet’, which was the brainchild of Doctor Robert Atkins. Dr. Atkins had gained a lot of surplus weight while he was studying in medical school and after reading about a new diet in a medical journal, he decided to refine it and release it as his own.

Atkins, in his Atkins Diet, stated that he believed that the prevalent theories about weight gain were all wrong. First, he dismissed the idea that saturated fats were bad; instead he said it was it was carbohydrates that led to the weight problems Americans have. Atkins declared that our obsession with fat actually worsened the problem. He pointed to all the low-fat foods that were high in carbohydrates, which meant that people on a diet often ate foods that were worse for them than what they normally ate.

The Atkins diet shifts the focus. Atkins said that by cutting out carbohydrates, people would consume their stored body fats. And, of course, if you lose the fat, you lose the weight. He said it was not only a matter of eating less. Atkins held that a diet could actually help you burn calories and that The Atkins Diet supposedly burned more calories than were being consumed everyday. But the claims were disputed.

Dr. Atkins also touted the positive influence that his diet could have on suffers of type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is a disease you get early in life, but type 2 is often closely associated with diet and surplus body weight. So, it should follow that any diet that helps reduce weight, will help people with Type 2 diabetes. The Atkins diet is low in carbohydrates, which ought to be avoided with type 2 diabetes regardless of the caloric intake, so because of this aspect of the diet, Atkins claimed that those who suffer type 2 diabetes would no longer need medication such as insulin. In general, doctors disagree with Atkins on this point, although they do agree, however, that a lower carbohydrate intake helps control Type 2 diabetes, but there is no proof that carbohydrates cause diabetes.

What are the procedures one has to follow to do the Atkins diet? It goes in four phases – Induction; On-Going Weight loss; Pre-maintenance; and Lifetime Maintenance. Here follows a brief precis of the most important phase – The Induction Phase.

The Induction phase is the most difficult of the phases in the Atkins diet. Atkins is flexible about how long it should last ” but recommends it lasts for two weeks. During this phase, carbohydrate consumption is severely curtailed ” you can only consume up to 20 grammes per day. The goal is to enter a fat burning metabolic phase called ‘ketosis’ wherein the body, starved of glucose, starts to convert stored fat into the fatty acids needed to power the body. Weight loss during this phase is often large ” some Atkins dieters reported losses of 5-10 pounds a week or more.

The purposes of the three final phases in the Atkins diet are the learning of the ideal carbohydrate levels for the next two phases: continued weight loss and weight maintenance. Millions of people are still losing the weight they want to on this diet ” but be aware of the dangers of taking in too much cholesterol.

Some people have to try to make your life miserable, if you let them. It was obvious to everyone that I looked and felt better, but some people just have to try to spoil it. I was told: lots of people have died of kidney or liver failure after being on Atkins I read it in the newspaper; you will have a heart attack, it’s not natural; your cholesterol will climb sky high and you will need your toes amputated or you will have a stroke; it will affect your eyesight. All sorts of rubbish. So, I went to see my GP, who admitted that he did not know anything about the Atkins diet, but he also added that he had heard nothing bad about it either. He sent me for a series of tests at the hospital and the results were all satisfactory. He was happy that I’d lost 18 lbs and so was I. Six weeks later, I went for another cholesterol check-up, because of the high fat levels in the diet and, although my cholesterol level was up very slightly, the doctor said there was no cause for concern at all.

The book warns that you might suffer from bad breath (halitosis). I don’t know whether I did or not – no-one mentioned it, but I started brushing my teeth four or five times a day just in case. I guess that’s another benefit of Atkins: increased awareness of oral hygiene. It also warns of constipation. I didn’t get that either, although I didn’t give up black coffee, which has always had a laxative effect on me. But how can you become constipated if you’re allowed to eat well over 1lb of greens a day? I wasn’t eating that well before the diet! So my two main concerns were unfounded.

After a couple of weeks I was getting bored not going out so much. Not with the diet, but because I’m single and am used to going to the pub (and drinking beer). So, I decided to treat this scientifically. One day, after work, I had three pints of Guinness and felt merry. Before the diet, I would have drunk five or six pints to feel the same. To my delight, the next morning the ketone stick told me that I was still ‘on the diet’. Over the following weeks, I really enjoyed finding out what would ‘work’ and what would not. I discovered that cider had to be avoided at all costs; some beers and some lagers were all right; red and white wine were OK. Consuming alcohol does not knock you off the diet, but it slows down your rate of progress. However, even slow progress is progress, I say. Better than giving up the diet or giving up going out.

Be very wary of people encouraging you to ‘just try a little bit’. They don’t understand or don’t want to understand the trouble they’re causing you. Your body can hold two days worth of carbohydrates. One chocolate, one slice of bread, a bowl of cornflakes or one sugar in your coffee will cost you TWO days to put right. Don’t let them do it to you. This is not a diet for the weekends, in fact I think that it probably could be dangerous to keep ‘falling off the wagon’, because of the high fat content of the diet, which is not dangerous if you stick to it, because you body devours fat and cholesterol in the absence of carbohydrates.

The story ends at this pont, with me having got down to under 16 stone and keeping it there, until very recently when I moved to the Far East to live. Once I get used to the food and have my own house and own kitchen, I will get down to 15 stone, I’m sure I will ” with very little effort.

Anyway, thank you, Mr. Blackwell, wherever you are, you changed my life and my understanding of food and thank you, Mr. Atkins too.

Deciding what is the best yoga DVD can be challenging, especially for those beginning their yoga journey. There are many yoga DVDs in today’s market. Not all yoga DVDs are effective for practicing yoga at home.

For those beginning yoga the best yoga DVD for you should be one that can help you achieve success in integrating the practice of yoga into your life. If you are a yoga newbie, consider these points to help you determine what is the best yoga DVD for you:

1. A factor for determining what is the best yoga DVD is that it should contain easy to follow instructions, as well as easy to understand demonstrations. When you view a DVD you need to have a clear understanding of the required breathing techniques and be able to comprehend the basics to accomplishing each pose.

2. For the beginner yogis, a crucial point to consider when selecting the best yoga DVD for you is the quality of the DVD. A good way to determine this factor is that it must be easy for you to understand and follow. To identify what is the best yoga DVD for a newbie you should look for the following:

* Be sure you can easily understand what is being said in the DVD.

* You should be given clear instructions on how the yoga poses are achieved.

* Clear guidance should be given on how long you should hold each pose.

* Should be provided with clear instructions on the number of times for you to do the pose.

3. Learning yoga can be challenging. When you are new to yoga, modifying your practice sessions may be something that you will need to do frequently. Offering easy modifications to the yogis is an important factor for a best yoga DVD. When this is provided you can easily adapt the DVD to your ability level and still use it as you advance in your yoga journey.

4. Look for an instructor who is prominent and well qualified. Learning yoga from someone who has achieved a high level should definitely be an important consideration when determining what is the best yoga DVD.

5. An important consideration for a best yoga DVD is that yoga is taught in a student based center. You do not want a DVD that is centered toward showing off the instructor’s yoga ability. Helping you achieve success in yoga should be the fundamental aspect of the DVD.

Mississippi is quite famous for being a place invested in literature and music. For example, Tom Sawyer and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, written by Mark Twain, were set along the Mississippi River. As well as music and literature, the State has gone into other forms of art, and pieces with strong religious overtones have inspired magnificent works of art from outsiders that have been shown the world over. Of course, the blues is a form of music that has been significantly linked to the Delta River musicians.

Not just music and literature, of course, Mississippi caters to the arts and crafts as well. Maybe you’re in the market for new and quirky looking decorations to put inside your home; if so, you’ve come to the right spot. Mississippi has the Mississippi Crafts Center, which may be a good place to start your hunt for interesting items. But if you wish to go somewhere with a bit more excitement, than craft shows and festivals may be just what you need.

A good way to encourage this lifestyle is to introduce your child to be interested in crafts. Give them tools that encourage creativity early on; and be on a close lookout so that you can find out which material they would be most interested to work in. And you have figured this out, it would be a simple task to provide them with the supplies that hey need to be on their way to becoming a skilled craftsperson. Remember to keep them safe, though; if there are potentially dangerous objects to deal with in their crafts (carving knives come to mind) supervise them for as long as you thin is proper.

Let your children collect their crafts and keep it in a safe place; as they mature their skills, you will be able to provide them with earlier crafts to reference how much they have improved. To a young person, recognition that he or she has come a long way is important to building valuable self-confidence. And when you have both supplies and confidence in spades, then perhaps it is time to go to a craft show.

Craft shows are a welcome opportunity to not only be recognized by people, but to earn a little side money as well. It is never too early to teach the kid the value of money. Keep in mind, though, that for a kid to pull of this stunt well, you must be able to guide him or her through each and every step. And if possible, you will have to guard your children from accidental carving cuts and vicious criticism alike.

Some people have to try to make your life miserable, if you let them. It was obvious to everyone that I looked and felt better, but some people just have to try to spoil it. I was told: lots of people have died of kidney or liver failure after being on Atkins I read it in the newspaper; you will have a heart attack, it’s not natural; your cholesterol will climb sky high and you will need your toes amputated or you will have a stroke; it will affect your eyesight. All sorts of rubbish. So, I went to see my GP, who admitted that he did not know anything about the Atkins diet, but he also added that he had heard nothing bad about it either. He sent me for a series of tests at the hospital and the results were all satisfactory. He was happy that I’d lost 18 lbs and so was I. Six weeks later, I went for another cholesterol check-up, because of the high fat levels in the diet and, although my cholesterol level was up very slightly, the doctor said there was no cause for concern at all.

The book warns that you might suffer from bad breath (halitosis). I don’t know whether I did or not – no-one mentioned it, but I started brushing my teeth four or five times a day just in case. I guess that’s another benefit of Atkins: increased awareness of oral hygiene. It also warns of constipation. I didn’t get that either, although I didn’t give up black coffee, which has always had a laxative effect on me. But how can you become constipated if you’re allowed to eat well over 1lb of greens a day? I wasn’t eating that well before the diet! So my two main concerns were unfounded.

A couple of weeks later, I was getting bored not going out so much. I was still happy with the diet, but because I am single and am used to going out and drinking beer. So, I decided to go about this scientifically. One day, after work, I drank three pints of Guinness and felt great – the taste was wonderful. Before the diet, I would have drunk five or six pints. To my surprise and delight, the next morning the ketone stick told me that I was still ‘on the diet’. Over the following weeks, I really enjoyed experimenting to find out what would ‘work’ and what would not. I discovered that even a small amount of cider would ruin the Atkins diet; some beers and some lagers were all right; red and white wine were OK. Consuming alcohol does not knock you off the Atkins diet, but it slows down your rate of progress. Even slow progress is progress, I say. Better than giving up the diet or not going out.

Be very wary of people encouraging you to ‘just try a little bit’. They don’t understand or don’t want to understand the trouble they’re causing you. Your body can hold two days worth of carbohydrates. One chocolate, one slice of bread, a bowl of cornflakes or one sugar in your coffee will cost you TWO days to put right. Don’t let them do it to you. This is not a diet for the weekends, in fact I think that it probably could be dangerous to keep ‘falling off the wagon’, because of the high fat content of the diet, which is not dangerous if you stick to it, because you body devours fat and cholesterol in the absence of carbohydrates.

The story ends so far, with me having got down to under 16 stone and keeping it there, until very recently when I moved to the Far East to live. Once I get used to the food and my own house and own kitchen, I will go down to 15 stone, I know I will ” with very little effort.

Well, there you have it … My grateful thanks to you, Mr. Blackwell, wherever you are these days, you changed my life and my understanding of food and drink with that book and thank you, Mr. Atkins too.

I read my first Atkins Diet book when I was working in an office in Barry, south Wales. I had been working there for about five years and had put on a lot of excess weight. I had never enjoyed taking part in sport, but my previously, I had worked on building sites, which meant a fair bit of physical activity ” enough anyway to keep me in decent shape. After five years on the office computer, I weighed 18 stone 12 pounds (264 lbs or 120 kg), three stone more than I had before and neither I nor my GP were happy about it.

One day a representative of a legal firm came in for an appointment, and, while we were waiting for the other directors to arrive, we got talking about office life and its propensity to put on weight. He said that he had had the same problem before, but that now he made sure he got out of the office regularly and walked everywhere time would allow. He also said that he’d read a good book on losing weight while on holiday in America and that he would send me a copy. I thought nothing more of it and never saw the man again. Mr. Blackwell, I think his name was.

The book duly arrived as promised, but it stayed on my desk unread for months, until one day, I had a dental appointment and had forgotten to take a book to work to read while I was waiting ” the magazines are always so old and boring. Anyway, I read several chapters that day and I was fascinated. I had never been on a real diet before and I thought I’d give it a try. I had stopped eating pastry, cakes and chocolate months ago, but it didn’t seem to have had much effect and my weight was still rising, albeit more slowly.

It seemed to me that it was a ‘thinking person’s’ diet There is a huge amount of scope for individual tastes and lifestyles and self-discipline did not seem to be much of an issue because of that. The book warned of addictions and fads and how best to overcome or prevent them. These did not seem to be an issue for me. I liked coffee, but could take it or leave it and I had already given up chocolate. Beer and bread could be a problem though.

The only requirement in the seven-fourteen day induction phase is to eat not more than 20 gram of carbohydrate per day. The book has a clear list of almost every foodstuff and their carbohydrate content. I found it really very easy. In fact, I was eating in a more healthy way in the induction stage than I had been eating before it! I bought a carton of Ketone sticks from the local chemist to make sure that the Atkins Diet was working and I found that I was in ketosis on the third day. It was very gratifying to know that I would be slimming down whatever I did and wherever I was all day long from now on.

I gave up bread (and Guinness!) for a fortnight and felt great. I actually felt ’springy’ or ‘bouncy’ like a boxer in the ring before a fight. I had no trouble whatsoever staying within the 20 gram limit, although I did miss fruit more than I’d expected or some fruits anyway. But I found ways to make up for everything. There are many, many recipes and recommendations in the book so I won’t go into them here, but I started eating breakfast before I went to work and dinner in the evenings. I really took great care and attention over preparing lunch for work the next day, usually consisting of a salad, some cheese and various nuts to snack on. You can eat a few strawberries too. In the evening, I would cook up something like a curry (no flour) eating it with green beans instead of rice; or a traditional British meal without potatoes followed by cheese and strawberries and cream. I lost 18 pounds in two weeks and felt really great.

Have you ever noticed how those who are disorganized tend to spend most of their time rushing about? The sad thing is that because of their disorganized lifestyle, they also tend to rush their meals and of course, those who eat to fast tend to eat more than they need to which results in them becoming overweight.

Another pitfall which these people are prone to is mess and an untidy environment and I’m sure we all agree, having lots of mess laying about nearly always results in some level of stress. Yes, I’m sure this is starting to become clearer now, that being organized, goes hand in hand with being healthy.

Many people resort to eating in the effort to handle stress and being disorganized is a surefire way of increasing levels of stress in your life.

Another huge benefit of maintain a well organized life, is that for the most part, you’ll have healthy foods stored in your home which in turn means that you’ll not be as likely to eat those quick instant meals that you simply pop into the microwave for a few minutes.

Do you eat regular meals at regular times? If you’re disorganized then the chances are you don’t and this can very often lead to ill health. Eating at regular times is essential in order to lose weight and regulate ones blood sugar levels. Skipping regular meals can often cause a drop in blood sugar levels which in turn has a tendency to cause people to over eat.

The last thing you need is to arrive at mealtime only to find you don’t have any healthy foods in store, thus causing you to slap something together which has very little, if any, nutrition so planning ahead is essential.

Shopping lists are quite literally invaluable to everyone but especially to those who are on a weight loss program. Planning ahead as to what foods you need will ensure that you always have enough of everything in order to prepare a healthy meal.

For anyone on a weight loss program, being organized is of paramount importance. Not only will it help you maintain a healthy balanced diet, but it will also save you a considerable amount of time. Having planned your meals ahead means you won’t need to spend hours everyday worrying about what you’ll be having for your next meal and this on it’s own, can reduce stress even further.