Personalized Diets Work Best for Permanent Weight Loss

Although low-carbohydrate diets can be quite effective in helping some individuals lose weight, low-fat menu plans may work better for others. Nonetheless, both groups of dieters must avoid over-indulgence in processed foods labelled as low-carb or low-fat. Either can lead to a bigger waist. All the fuss over low-carb diets versus low-fat diets is completely irrelevant if neither menu plan will work for you. Although there are some differences in how the diets deliver a metabolic advantage, controlling food cravings and keeping hunger pangs at bay are critical for long-term weight loss success. Although it may be tempting for you to look for a quick fix diet, fad diets only produce temporary results. Those wanting to permanently lose a significant amount of weight would have better luck with a personalized diet that meets his or her needs for nutrients and calories.

Carbohydrates Perform Numerous Roles

Various saccharides have a key function in the human immune system, fertilization, blood clotting and overall development. Listed below are the four basic forms of sugars found in carbohydrates:

• Monosaccharides - Composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms, monosaccharides cannot be broken down further since they are already in their simplest form. Glucose (dextrose), fructose and galactose are common monosaccharides.
• Disaccharides - When two simple sugars are joined, a double sugar or disaccharide is formed, like table sugar (sucrose) or lactose. Sucrose is the most consumed disaccharide. Like monosaccharides, disaccharides are water soluble.
• Polysaccharides - Polysaccharides molecules consist of many sugar molecules bonded together, such as a starch or cellulose. These polymeric carbohydrate structures serve as energy storage or structural support as they are not highly digestible but provide dietary fiber.
• Oligosaccharides - This saccharide polymer contain a small number of simple sugars (monosaccharides) and have many functions such as cell recognition and binding. They have an important role in supporting the immune system.

Due to hundreds of taste buds dedicated to tasting sweetness, a preference for sweets starts at an early age. However, the role of sugar in our diet is highly controversial, as there is no minimum requirement for the sweet stuff.

Only Undigested Food Escapes Thru the Bowels

With obesity rates soaring, there are surprisingly few overweight dieters who understand the metabolic process required to lose weight. However, some of us may have a better idea than others. The lungs are the primary excretory organ for weight loss with excess water excreted as urine, tears, sweat, breath or feces. When you consume carbohydrates and fats, digestion converts the majority of either into carbon dioxide or water. A small portion of protein is excreted as urine, but only undigested food and dietary fiber is passed through the colon. Your body disposes of fat deposits through a series of complicated metabolic pathways to breakdown fat, so energy is released for bodily functions and physical activities. Another misconception about where fat goes when you shed weight is that fat escapes during a bowel movement. Truth is excess fat converts to carbon dioxide and water and escapes as urine or sweat.