Carb supplements
Supplements sold as carb or starch blockers inhibit the body's production of the starch-digesting enzyme, alpha-amylase. Clinical-strength blockers are good enough to use them in diabetic diets. Not all commercial blockers efficiency were clinically validated so it's hard to tell whether the effect will be greater with greated doze.
The exception is the bean extract - Phaseolus Extract, which isi clinically tested but it seems that the dozes in the trial is higher than those sold as supplements.
Sources:
Bo-Linn, G.W., et al., Starch blockers--their effect on calorie absorption from a high-starch meal. N Engl J Med, 1982. 307(23): p. 1413-6.
Layer, P., G.L. Carlson, and E.P. DiMagno, Partially purified white bean amylase inhibitor reduces starch digestion in vitro and inactivates intraduodenal amylase in humans. Gastroenterology, 1985. 88(6): p. 1895-902.
High Fiber Diet
A high fiber diet is beneficial for two primary reasons. First, foods that are high in fiber tend to be very filling. This way, if you eat many high fiber foods, you will feel full sooner and stay full longer, while consuming fewer calories.
Fibers slow down the rate at which the body digests calories because they speed up the movement of food bulk through the intestinal tract and because they "encapsulate" the food pieces, thus decreasing the carbohydrate and fat availability for digestion
Is Sonoma diet low carb or low fat?
The Sonoma Diet is neither low carb nor low fat, it's based on same principles as the Mediterranean diet suggesting eating healthy foods such as olive oil, whole grains, fish, and drinking wine.
One should control portions on Sonoma diet, so it does limit calories.
The Sonoma Diet
The Sonoma diet is a new diet program based on the Mediterranean diet principles including red wine. It also includes Latin American and Asian cuisines. Portion control seems to be essential on this diet but no foods are prohibited.
The online version offers 500 recipes, probably the essential part of the plan.
Rice Diet
Oddly enough, the rice diet does not involve rice. It was developed at Duke University in the 1930s. The rice diet centers on consuming foods that are both low in fat and in sodium. Dieters are encouraged to eat fruits, grains, beans, vegetables, olive oil, non fat dairy and lean meat. The diet recommends a fitness program centered around walking and encourages dieters to reduce stress in their lives.
Mediterranean Diet
The Mediterranean diet is based on the eating habits of people native to the area surrounding the Mediterranean sea. Traditional Mediterranean eating habits center around foods that are high in fats, yet people who live in this area have relatively low incidences of heart disease. The Mediterranean diet is based on fruit, vegetables, cereals, fish, and olive oil. The diet also prescribes the moderate consumption of wine.
Fast weight gain in fast growing children
Any kind of diet for a child has to be supervised by a pediatrician. However, gaining weight fast is not unusual for fast growing kids and for any person whose diet limitations were canceled.
The first thing to do is to figure out what kind of weight is gained - fat or so called lean body mass, which is mostly muscles and bones. A possible reason is water retention, which also calls for your doctor's attention. The usual suspects, if there's no kidney or heart problem, are junk foods, salty and spicy foods - they are never appropriate for children.
Cholecystokinin and dieting
Cholecystokinin (CCK) is a hormone known for its strong influence on many bodily functions. It controls bile secretion, stomach and intestinal movements, body's defences against cancer - even mental health!
American Journal of Physiology published an article showing that lacking CCK can cause obesity, high blood sugar levels, and diabetes. There's evidence that CCK reduces the size of meal eaten even by very hungry people. (Neuropeptides. 33(5):387-99, 1999)
Since 2000, CCK is sold as appetite controlling supplement in health food stores or online.
Diet programs for teenagers
What program can you advise for overweight teenagers?
Diet program for teenagers can be free but not individualized, or paid and individualized. Examples are:
Free diet site for teenagers - http://overweight-teen-solutions.com/
eDiets "Trim Kids" - http://ediets.com/trimkids/diet/
General advice is simple: Don't eat junk food, eat more vegetables and fruits, watch less TV, play more sports games. Cut down on sodas and drink less juices. Research showed that kids that drink too much sweet fruit juices can have shorter attention span. If you love juices, choose grapefruit and tomato ones.
Ketosis and health
Ketosis is a biochemical condition that occurs when the body produces ketones at a higher rate than it produces glucose.
Ketone bodies provide energy for the body's needs when there is a total food restriction, carbohydrate restriction, and/or long enough physical effort.
So, ketosis is a natural body's state. It switches the body from the biochemical mode when carbohydrates are used for fuel to the 'fat burning' mode when to produce the ketones, body's fat is being released.
The dangerous state is keto-acidosis, not ketosis, and it can happen in people with diabetes.
South Beach Diet
The South Beach Diet was originally designed for cardiac patients who needed to lose weight, especially those with the "apple" body type (fat concentrated mostly around the middle).
The diet starts with eliminating simple carbohydrates, those with high glycemic indexes. The South Beach Diet also encourages an increase in fiber intake and the avoiding animal (saturated) fats.
The diet seeks to create long term changes in eating habits and encourages the consumption of whole grains at every meal.
Calorie restriction plus exercise to burn the fat
To lose 1 pound of body fat, one should create a calorie deficit 3,500 Cal. For example, if your goal is to lose 2 pounds a week, you should create a calorie deficit 7,000 Cal. a week or 1,000 Cal a day.
Burning off 300 extra Cal. through exercise and taking in 700 Cal. less than your body needs, theoretically, you will burn the desired 2 pounds a week.
Practically, it does not always work this way. For example, your calorie intake is mostly carbohydrate calories, and your exercise is only aerobic exercise (walking, running, swimming, etc.) - than your appetite will be increased proportionally the energy you spend exercising and it'll be very hard on you to stick to the 700-Cal. deficit.
If, however, you do weight lifting and limit your carbohydrate intake, the calorie deficit you need for your goal can be not 700 but only 400 Cal. and your appetite will be decreased so you can eat all you want - but you want less and the 300-Cal. intake limitation comes naturally!
Beer and weight loss
It is agreed upon between dieters and dietitians alike that beer is a weight loss enemy. The problem can be in quantities.
If you drink beer, for instance, twice a week and, say, have three pitcher every time (which is not unusual) - it's summing up to 2361,6 Cal. a week or 9446,4 Cal. a month. If you don't limit the rest of your calories, the beer you drink twice a month can easily make you gain about 2.7 lbs of fat every month.
Here's nutrition information
1 small pitcher (32 fl oz) contains:
Calories 393.6
Carbohydrate 35.52g
Protein 2.88g 6%
Alcohol 34.56g
Raw Food Diet
The raw food diet focuses on uncooked, unprocessed, organic foods. This diet is typically associated with veganism. It centers around the consumption of fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. It is difficult to obtain correct nutrition through this diet. Those wishing to follow a raw food diet should consult with health care professionals in order to develop an acceptable meal plan.
Low Sodium Diet
Though sodium is a very necessary part of the diet, taken in excess, it can be harmful because it leads to water retention and increased blood pressure. A low sodium diet is based on avoiding salty foods, which in turn decrease blood pressure. Avoiding salty foods or cooking with excess salt allows you to experiment with more flavorable spices in your dishes.