Author: Frank Bow

Why Do Most Diets Fail

Posted on by Frank Bow

Today I try to answer for you the question of  why do most diets fail. I hope I can explain to you the reasons for the failure of diets in general.

why do most diets fail

Why Do Most Diets Fail

The title of this article is a bit tricky. It really is. How come? If we’re going to be completely honest with ourselves, most diet programs currently on the market work. You know it. I know it. Everybody who has been on a diet of some kind knows it. This is not a secret.

After all, those books would not be on the market and people wouldn’t be buying them if they did not work at some level or other. They go through some sort of selection system. The market takes care of itself. Things that work tend to sell more and they get a lot more visibility. You only need to look at the bestseller lists of diet books to get a clear understanding that these diets do work.

The problem is not whether they help you lose pounds. That goes without saying. They wouldn’t exist if that weren’t true. If they didn’t do their job, they would not exist. They would not be available on the market if they didn’t at some level or other work.

The issue is sustainability. This is how you should define diet failures. Unfortunately, a lot of people who go on diet after diet fail to do this. They just focus on the short-term weight loss.

Maybe they have some sort of high school reunion they have to go to. Perhaps they’re going to a job interview and they are under a lot of pressure to look their very best so they go on a crash diet, they lose weight, and guess what happens next? That’s right. Just as morning follows night, all that weight comes back. I’m not talking about some; I’m talking about all.

Given enough time, most diets fail. The reason, of course, is due to people’s inability or unwillingness to focus on sustainability.

Let me say it loud and clear: If you go on diet and you don’t focus on sustainability, your diet is going to fail. You can take that to the bank.

apples

free keto diet recipesSooner or later, your life is going to catch up to you. Sooner or later, the past ways of doing things, and these are the things that you are accustomed to doing, will come back. Your old eating habits, your old dietary patterns, your old food preferences, all of these will come rushing back and guess what happens?

All the weight that you lost in the early or middle stages of your diet, come back. To make matters worse and to add insult to injury, you end up weighing more. It’s bad enough that all that weight came back, but you end up getting heavier and heavier and heavier.

This is why a lot of people who go on one diet after another actually end up getting worse and worse. This is the reason people fail with almost all the diets they try. They’re not focused on consistency. They’re just focused on achieving spectacular weight loss. There’s no point in losing all that weight if you know for sure that you are going to gain all of it back and then some.

Sustainability is the Key to Diet Success

You have to wrap your mind around the concept of sustainability. If you can’t keep the pounds off, it’s probably a good idea to start thinking about not going on a diet at all. I know that seems harsh. To a lot of people, it may even seem extreme. However, if you think about it hard enough, it is the most practical thing that you could ever decide. Seriously.

Think about it. Why should you go through all the hassle and effort of losing weight when you know at the back of your head that sooner or later that weight will come back? Let’s not kid ourselves. Sometimes it only takes a change in our schedule or some sort of minor change in our lifestyle and all that weight comes back. Sustainability is the name of the name of the game.

The Keto Diet is Sustainable

There is good news. If you are sick and tired of going from one diet to another with very little sustainable results, try the keto diet. However, there is a way to do this the right way. A lot of people jump in with both feet and they end up repeating typical unsustainable diet mistakes.

If you want to go on the keto diet and stay there, click here for your 8 week custom keto diet plan and get started right away.


Custom Keto Diet

This custom plan works around the food you already enjoy eating. It will enable you to turn the keto diet from yet another diet that you can pick up to an actual lifestyle that you can stick to for the long run. Remember, the name of the game is sustainability.

All the best with your weight loss in the coming weeks and months.

 

 

 

 

Frank

frank@weightworries.com

Free Keto Diet Recipes

Posted on by Frank Bow

Hi, thanks for visiting today to pick up a copy of my free keto diet recipes ebook. Just leave your details in the form to your right to get instant access to the recipes. Below I have added 10 recipe videos that will give you a good idea of recipes that people on the keto diet are using to lose weight.

Free Keto Diet Recipes

Keto Curry Spiked Tuna and Avocado Salad

Preparation time: 5 minutes
🍽 Servings: 1

Ingredients:
6oz Albacore Tuna, drained
1/4 cup Avocado, diced
2 Tbsp chopped Celery
2 Tbsp Mayonnaise
2 Tbsp Curry powder
Pinch of Salt and Pepper

Procedure:
1) Whisk together mayonnaise, curry powder, salt and pepper in a bowl.
2) Fold in tuna, avocado, and celery.
3) Serve over keto toast or rolled in fresh lettuce. .

Nutritional Information:
Energy – 357 kcal
Protein – 44g (53%)
Fat – 17g (40%)
Carbohydrates – 6g (7%)

Keto Broccoli and Cheddar Frittata

 

Preparation time: 5 minutes
🍽 Servings: 1
.
🥦Ingredients:
3 Eggs
1 Tbsp Butter
1/4 cup Cheddar Cheese, grated
1/4 cup Broccoli florets
Pinch of Salt and Paprika .
.
🥦Procedure:
1) Brush a heat-proof dish with butter.
2) Beat in eggs, salt, and paprika.

 

🥦Procedure:
1) Brush a heat-proof dish with butter.
2) Beat in eggs, salt, and paprika.
3) Mix in cheddar and top with broccoli florets.
4) Set in the microwave for about 3 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Nutritional Information:
Energy – 377 kcal
Protein – 24g (27%)
Fat – 30g (71%)
Carbohydrates – 2g(2%)

Keto Chicken Florentine

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes

🍽 Servings: 1

Ingredients:
1 Chicken leg quarter
1 Tbsp Butter
1 Tbsp minced Shallots
1.5 cups Chicken Stock
2 Tbsp Heavy Cream
1 cup fresh Spinach
Salt and Pepper, to taste

Procedure:
1) Melt butter in a pan then sprinkle shallots.
2) Add chicken on top of the shallots. Season with salt and pepper.
3) Add enough stock to barely cover the chicken. Bring to a simmer.
4) Cover and poach over low heat for 20-25 minutes.
5) Take chicken out of the pan and set aside.
6) Reduce pan juices to approximately a quarter of a cup.
7) Add spinach and heavy cream. Simmer over low heat until sauce is slightly thick.
8) Return chicken into the pan.
9) Serve hot.

Nutritional Information:
Energy – 507 kcal
Protein – 53g (44%)
Fat – 30g (53%)
Carbohydrates – 4g (3%)

Keto Sandwich Bread

Preparation time: 2 minutes

Cooking Time: 2 minutes
🍽 Servings: 1

Ingredients:
1 large Egg
2 Tbsp Heavy Cream
2 Tbsp Coconut Flour
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 tsp Baking Powder

Procedure:
1) Pour olive oil into a microwave-safe dish, coating the bottom and sides evenly.
2) Add in egg and heavy cream. Beat until well mixed.
3) Stir in coconut flour and baking powder.
4) Spread the batter evenly into the dish with a rubber spatula.
5) Cook in the microwave for 1-2 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Nutritional Information:
Energy – 422 kcal
Protein – 7g (7%)
Fat – 42g (90%)
Carbohydrates – 3g (3%)

Keto Tiramisu Fat Bombs

Preparation time: 1 hour

🍽 Servings: 8 fat bombs

Ingredients:
4oz Cream Cheese, softened
2oz Butter, softened
1 tsp Instant Coffee Powder
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Tbsp Erythritol
1 Tbsp unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 cup crushed Sugar-free Grahams

Procedure:
1) Combine all ingredients in a food processor.
2) Pulse into a smooth dough.
3) Divide the dough and roll into balls.
4) Chill for one hour.

Nutritional Information:
Energy – 80 kcal
Protein – 1.5g (7%)
Fat – 8g (90%)
Carbohydrates – 1g (3%)

Keto Bacon and Kimchi Deviled Eggs

Preparation time: 10 minutes

🍽 Servings: 1

Ingredients:
3 Eggs, hard boiled
1 Tbsp Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp Kimchi, chopped
1 Tbsp Bacon bits
1/2 tsp light Soy Sauce
2 tsp chopped Spring Onions
1 tsp toasted Sesame Seeds

Procedure:
1) Peel eggs and cut in half. Separate yolks from the whites.
2) Combine egg yolks, mayonnaise, kimchi, bacon bits, soy sauce, and spring onions in a bowl. Mix until well combined.
3) Spoon mixture into egg white halves.
4) Garnish with spring onions and sesame seeds.

Nutritional Information:
Energy – 339 kcal
Protein – 20g (25%)
Fat – 26g (70%)
Carbohydrates – 4g (5%)
Fiber – 1g

Keto Cheese Biscuits

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 6 minutes
🍽 Servings: 1

Ingredients:
1/4 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
3 Tbsp Almond Flour
1 Egg Yolk
pinch of Black Pepper

Procedure:
1) Combine all ingredients in a bowl and knead into a smooth dough.
2) Line a baking sheet with parchment and preheat the oven to 220C.
3) Place dough in between sheets of parchment and flatten with a rolling pin.
4) Cut into serving-sized pieces and prick holes on the surface with a fork.
5) Transfer onto the prepared baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes.

Nutritional Information:
Energy – 273 kcal
Protein – 13g (19%)
Fat – 23g (74%)
Carbohydrates – 4.8g (7%)
Fiber – 2g

Free Keto Diet Recipes

Keto Chicken Taco Soup

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

🍽 Servings: 1

Ingredients:
50g diced Chicken Breasts
2 Tbsp diced White Onion
1 Tbsp diced Red Bell Pepper
1 clove Garlic, crushed
1 Tbsp minced Jalapenos
1.5 cups Chicken Stock
1/3 cup sugar-free Tomato Sauce
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 tsp Taco Spice Mix
50g diced Avocado
Fresh Cilantro for garnish

Procedure:
1) Sear chicken pieces slightly in olive oil.
2) Add garlic, onions, bell peppers, and jalapenos. Sweat until aromatic.
3) Add spice mix, stock and tomato sauce. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
4) Ladle into a bowl and top with avocados and cilantro.

Nutritional Information:
Energy – 300 kcal
Protein – 12g (16%)
Fat – 25g (74%)
Carbohydrates – 7g (9%)
Fiber – 4g

 Keto No-bake Chocolate Chip Cookies

Preparation time: 1 hour

🍽 Servings: 6 cookies

Ingredients:
4 oz Cream cheese, softened
2 oz Butter, softened
1 Tbsp Erythritol
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/3 cup Almond Flour
1/4 cup sugar-free Chocolate Chips

Procedure:
1) Combine cream cheese, butter, erythritol, and vanilla extract in a food processor. Pulse until smooth.
2) Add in the almond flour and blend until into a smooth dough.
3) Fold the chocolate chips into the mixture.
4) Divide the dough into balls and gently flatten into shape.
5) Chill until ready to serve.

Nutritional Information:
Energy – 136 kcal
Protein – 2.7g (8%)
Fat – 13g (87%)
Carbohydrates – 1.8g (6%)
Fiber – 0.7g

 Keto Strawberry Cheesecake Fat Bombs

Preparation time: 1 hour
🍽 Servings: 3 fat bombs

Ingredients:
30 grams of Strawberries (fresh or frozen), diced
100 grams Cream Cheese, softened
1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
1 Tbsp Erythritol
1/3 cup Coconut Flour

Procedure:
1) Puree the strawberries and erythritol in a food processor.
2) Add remaining ingredients and blend until smooth.
3) Divide the dough into balls and chill until ready to serve.

Nutritional Information:
Energy – 146 kcal
Protein – 2.6g (7%)
Fat – 14g (85%)
Carbohydrates – 3g (8%)
Fiber – 0.8g

I hope you now have a good idea of the type of food you can eat on a keto diet. Add your details to the form on the right to get your hands on some more delicious Keto recipes.

Would you like a keto diet 8 week plan suited to the food you love to eat?  Go here now and take the quiz.


Custom Keto Diet

Leave a comment below if you got value from this post.

free keto diet recipes

free keto diet recipesI wish you all the best with your weight loss goals with the Custom Keto Diet Plan

 

 

 

 

 

 

Frank

frank@weightworries.com

Keto Diet Success

Posted on by Frank Bow

In today’s post I talk about the 3 basic mindsets that will ensure your keto diet success.

 

keto diet success

Keto Diet Success

I don’t know many diets you have tried and maybe you had some success at the beginning, but if you didn’t have the right mindset, chances are you did not succeed in reaching your original goal.

In fact, if you’re like most people, your experience will fit a very familiar pattern. First, you’re all excited about the diet and sure enough, you follow the directions very closely, you start losing a lot of pounds.

It’s going great so far isn’t it? You keep it going for  a few more weeks. But sooner or later, the pounds start coming back on don’t they?

Next, things go from bad to worse. You start gaining more weight than when you began your diet. Isn’t the whole point of going on a diet to lose weight? Sadly, most diets lead to you gaining additional weight; which is a pretty frustrating situation.

The reason why people go through this all too familiar tragic pattern is because they don’t have the right mindset. It doesn’t matter whether you are trying to adopt the keto diet, the paleo diet, the Atkins diet, or any other weight loss program, without the right mindset, you are playing the game to lose.

At the very least, you should adopt three basic mindsets that will ensure keto diet success.

 

key to success

 

Mindset #1
Assume that you can do it

It’s very easy to get excited about the testimonials included in many diet books. You look at the before-and-after pictures and you and you get all pumped up. Please understand that a lot of those pictures are exaggerated. In fact, a lot of books that are very shady even use photo shopped pictures.

I know that it’s hard to believe that people would actually do that, but they do. So a little bit of skepticism goes a long way. Still, don’t just focus on the fact that the diet can work for other people. Instead, wrap your mind around the possibility that the diet can actually work for you.

That’s right, you personally. If you can’t understand that, and if you can’t accept the likelihood of a certain weight-loss program being the right one for you, then you’re making things much harder on yourself. It’s like trying to play basketball and trying to put the ball through the hoop.

If in the back of your head you’re saying to yourself, “Other people can shoot really well, but not me,” what do you think will happen? You’re shooting accuracy will go down. You’re sabotaging yourself. You’re making things unnecessarily harder on yourself.

This is why it’s really important to assume that you can achieve success with the keto diet. Not the case study pictures, not the people giving testimonials, we are talking about you. If you can’t make this assumption, then it’s going to be a rough road ahead for you.

 

keto diet success

 

Mindset #2

One common reason why people fail with diets is because they think that they have to transform into a completely different person. Alternatively, they believe that their circumstances or their situations need to change so dramatically so as to ensure success.

When people think along these lines, they’re basically just giving themselves excuses for either not trying, or for expecting bad results. Believe me, I can understand why people do this. If you have been let down by diet after diet, it’s very easy to become jaded.

In fact, in many cases, it’s very easy to expect failure. After all, you’ve gone through the familiar process of initially losing weight, and then getting it all back. It becomes an old story, and it’s only a matter of time until you fail again.

This is why you think that you should change everything that you can possibly change, to lay the groundwork for ultimate success. Again, you’re making things unnecessarily harder on yourself. It doesn’t have to be like this. You don’t have to move heaven and earth to create optimal conditions.

You know why? Conditions are never perfect. There will never be a time when your circumstances will be just right for you to ensure success. You’re going to have to take that risk. You’re going to have to begin with what you have.

It doesn’t matter what discipline level you have. It doesn’t matter what else is going on in your life. It doesn’t matter whether you feel good about yourself. All that matters is that you are ready, willing and able to begin with what you have and assume that this will work for you.

 

keto diet success

 

Mindset #3

Enjoy the food you love

Another key “pillar” for keto diet success involves the issue of control. A lot of people fail with diets because they think that they are putting some sort of dietary straitjacket on themselves. For instance, they don’t normally like a certain taste, but since they’re switching over to a new diet, they force themselves to like a certain range of flavors.

Let me tell you, it’s only a matter of time until your old self rears its ugly head. It’s only a matter time until you go back to how you normally eat. This is a very frustrating situation. It’s as if you are doing really well, and you’re making all these changes, and all of a sudden your old self pulls you back. You end up where you began.

This is why it’s really important to focus on enjoying your food. This is not an ordeal. This is not some sort of punishment. This is not some sort of situation where you feel that you are denying yourself. Instead, the keto diet should be a celebration of taste. It all really boils down to enjoying your food according to keto rules.

You have to first choose the keto rules. You have to first choose to go on the diet, and then you select a plan based on your existing tastes. There’s no need to become somebody else. There’s no need to change your taste buds. There’s no need to go through any of that. Instead, allow yourself to enjoy the flavor range that you are already enjoying.

Now here’s the thing, if you have a sweet tooth, you’re going to have to cut back on that. That’s the only change, but for everything else, whether you like sour foods, salty foods, or fatty foods, you should be fine. But as long as you manage your sweet tooth, you should be okay.

 

keto diet success

 

Keep on top of the mindsets above if you want to be successful with the keto diet. I’m not going to lie you and say that you can adopt these mindsets overnight. After all, the way you see things, and the way you expect things to play out, have been with you for a long time. You’ve grown accustomed to thinking about food a certain way.

But if you change your mindset according to the 3 key pillars above, adopting the keto diet will become easier, and it is more likely to stick.

As I mentioned earlier you can still do the keto diet eating the food you already enjoy eating. That is why I recommend you should take a look at the custom keto diet plan. This plan let’s you choose the foods you love and it is made personal to you. You will receive an 8 week plan suited to you which can go a long way to you achieving keto diet success.


Custom Keto Diet

If you liked the content of this post please leave a comment below.

I look forward to hearing about your keto diet success.

Frank

frank@weightworries.com

 

Vegan Diet For Beginners

Posted on by Frank Bow

Welcome to my post on the vegan diet for beginners. As you have got here you must have been thinking about this type of diet for a while or maybe you are just curious. I have researched this form of diet and here are my findings.

vegan diet for beginners

 

Vegan Diet For Beginners

As someone who is new to the vegan diet you may not have all the information you need yet, so let’s have a look at what this diet is all about.

Different Types of Vegan Diets

There are different varieties of vegan diets. The most common include:

  • Whole-food vegan diet: A diet based on a wide variety of whole plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts and seeds.
  • Raw-food vegan diet: A vegan diet based on raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds or plant foods cooked at temperatures below 118°F (48°C).
  • 80/10/10: The 80/10/10 diet is a raw-food vegan diet that limits fat-rich plants such as nuts and avocados and relies mainly on raw fruits and soft greens instead. Also referred to as the low-fat, raw-food vegan diet or fruitarian diet.
  • The starch solution: A low-fat, high-carb vegan diet similar to the 80/10/10 but that focuses on cooked starches like potatoes, rice and corn instead of fruit.
  • Raw till 4: A low-fat vegan diet inspired by the 80/10/10 and starch solution. Raw foods are consumed until 4 p.m., with the option of a cooked plant-based meal for dinner.
  • The thrive diet: The thrive diet is a raw-food vegan diet. Followers eat plant-based, whole foods that are raw or minimally cooked at low temperatures.
  • Junk-food vegan diet: A vegan diet lacking in whole plant foods that relies heavily on mock meats and cheeses, fries, vegan desserts and other heavily processed vegan foods.

Although several variations of the vegan diet exist, most scientific research rarely differentiates between different types of vegan diets.

Therefore, the information provided in this article relates to vegan diets as a whole.

apples

Vegan Diets Can Help You Lose Weight

Vegans tend to be thinner and have a lower body mass index (BMI) than non-vegans

This might explain why an increasing number of people turn to vegan diets as a way to lose excess weight.

Part of the weight-related benefits vegans experience may be explained by factors other than diet. These may include healthier lifestyle choices, such as physical activity, and other health-related behaviors.

Interestingly, the weight loss advantage persists even when whole-food-based diets are used as control diets.

What’s more, researchers generally report that participants on vegan diets lose more weight than those following calorie-restricted diets, even when they’re allowed to eat until they feel full

The natural tendency to eat fewer calories on a vegan diet may be caused by a higher dietary fiber intake, which can make you feel fuller.

BOTTOM LINE: Vegan diets seem very effective at helping people naturally reduce the amount of calories they eat, resulting in weight loss.

Adopting a vegan diet may help keep your blood sugar in check and type 2 diabetes at bay.Vegan Diets, Blood Sugar and Type 2 Diabetes

Several studies show that vegans benefit from lower blood sugar levels, higher insulin sensitivity and up to a 78% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than non-vegans

In addition, vegan diets reportedly lower blood sugar levels in diabetics up to 2.4 times more than diets recommended by the ADA, AHA and NCEP

Part of the advantage could be explained by the higher fiber intake, which may blunt the blood sugar response. A vegan diet’s weight loss effects may further contribute to its ability to lower blood sugar levels

BOTTOM LINE: Vegan diets seem particularly effective at improving markers of blood sugar control. They may also lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

Vegan Diets and Heart Health

A vegan diet may help keep your heart healthy.

Observational studies report vegans may have up to a 75% lower risk of developing high blood pressure and 42% lower risk of dying from heart disease

Several report that vegan diets are much more effective at reducing blood sugar, LDL and total cholesterol than diets they are compared to.

These effects could be especially beneficial since reducing blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar may reduce heart disease risk by up to 46%.

BOTTOM LINE:Vegan diets may improve heart health. However, more high-quality studies are needed before strong conclusions can be drawn.

vegan diet

Foods to Avoid

Vegans avoid eating any animal foods, as well as any foods containing ingredients derived from animals. These include:

  • Meat and poultry: Beef, lamb, pork, veal, horse, organ meat, wild meat, chicken, turkey, goose, duck, quail, etc.
  • Fish and seafood: All types of fish, anchovies, shrimp, squid, scallops, calamari, mussels, crab, lobster, etc.
  • Dairy: Milk, yogurt, cheese, butter, cream, ice cream, etc.
  • Eggs: From chickens, quails, ostriches, fish, etc.
  • Bee products: Honey, bee pollen, royal jelly, etc.
  • Animal-based ingredients: Whey, casein, lactose, egg white albumen, gelatin, cochineal or carmine, isinglass, shellac, L-cysteine, animal-derived vitamin D3 and fish-derived omega-3 fatty acids
  • BOTTOM LINE: Vegans avoid consuming any animal flesh, animal byproducts or foods containing an ingredient from animal origin.

Foods to Eat

Health-conscious vegans substitute animal products with plant-based replacements, such as:

  • Tofu, tempeh and seitan: These provide a versatile protein-rich alternative to meat, fish, poultry and eggs in many recipes.
  • Legumes: Foods such as beans, lentils and peas are excellent sources of many nutrients and beneficial plant compounds. Sprouting, fermenting and proper cooking can increase nutrient absorption.
  • Nuts and nut butters: Especially unblanched and unroasted varieties, which are good sources of iron, fiber, magnesium, zinc, selenium and vitamin E.
  • Seeds: Especially hemp, chia and flaxseeds, which contain a good amount of protein and beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.
  • Calcium-fortified plant milks and yogurts: These help vegans achieve their recommended dietary calcium intakes. Opt for varieties also fortified with vitamins B12 and D whenever possible.
  • Algae: Spirulina and chlorella are good sources of complete protein. Other varieties are great sources of iodine.
  • Nutritional yeast: This is an easy way to increase the protein content of vegan dishes and add an interesting cheesy flavor. Pick vitamin B12-fortified varieties whenever possible.
  • Whole grains, cereals and pseudocereals: These are a great source of complex carbs, fiber, iron, B-vitamins and several minerals. Spelt, teff, amaranth and quinoa are especially high-protein options.
  • Sprouted and fermented plant foods: Ezekiel bread, tempeh, miso, natto, sauerkraut, pickles, kimchi and kombucha often contain probiotics and vitamin K2. Sprouting and fermenting can also help improve mineral absorption.
  • Fruits and vegetables: Both are great foods to increase your nutrient intake. Leafy greens such as bok choy, spinach, kale, watercress and mustard greens are particularly high in iron and calcium.

BOTTOM LINE: These minimally processed plant foods are great additions to any vegan refrigerator or pantry.

nuts

Vegan Diet For Beginners

A Vegan Sample Menu for One Week

To help get you started, here’s a simple plan covering a week’s worth of vegan meals:

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

  • Breakfast: Mango and spinach smoothie made with fortified plant milk and a banana-flaxseed-walnut muffin.
  • Lunch: Baked tofu sandwich with a side of tomato salad.
  • Dinner: Vegan chili on a bed of amaranth.

Thursday

  • Breakfast: Whole-grain toast with hazelnut butter, banana and a fortified plant yogurt.
  • Lunch: Tofu noodle soup with vegetables.
  • Dinner: Jacket sweet potatoes with lettuce, corn, beans, cashews and guacamole.

Friday

  • Breakfast: Vegan chickpea and onion omelet and a cappuccino made with fortified plant milk.
  • Lunch: Vegan tacos with mango-pineapple salsa.
  • Dinner: Tempeh stir-fry with bok choy and broccoli.

Saturday

  • Breakfast: Spinach and scrambled tofu wrap and a glass of fortified plant milk.
  • Lunch: Spiced red lentil, tomato and kale soup with whole-grain toast and hummus.
  • Dinner: Veggie sushi rolls, miso soup, edamame and wakame salad.

Sunday

Remember to vary your sources of protein and vegetables throughout the day, as each provides different vitamins and minerals that are important for your health.

BOTTOM LINE: You can eat a variety of tasty plant-based meals on a vegan diet.

Healthy Vegan Snacks

Snacks are a great way to stay energized and keep hunger at bay between meals.

Some interesting, portable vegan options include:

  • Fresh fruit with a dollop of nut butter
  • Hummus and vegetables
  • Nutritional yeast sprinkled on popcorn
  • Roasted chickpeas
  • Nut and fruit bars
  • Trail mix
  • Chia pudding
  • Homemade muffins
  • Whole-wheat pita with salsa and guacamole
  • Cereal with plant milk
  • Edamame
  • Whole-grain crackers and cashew nut spread
  • A plant-milk latte or cappuccino
  • Dried seaweed snacks

Whenever planning a vegan snack, try to opt for fiber- and protein-rich options, which can help keep hunger away.

BOTTOM LINE: These portable, fiber-rich, protein-rich vegan snacks are convenient options to help minimize hunger between meals.

fruit

The above information was taken from an article on Healthline.com here is a link to the full article.

Disadvantages: Vegan diets are free of meat, eggs, milk products, and all derivatives of them. While most people adjust over time, many find this quite difficult at first as it significantly restricts meal and restaurant options. As a result, grocery shopping, food prep, and cooking can be a big change and take more time. Vegans have a higher risk for certain nutrient deficiencies, such as protein, iron, zinc, and B12. However, these are not inherent problems in the diet and can be avoided with good planning and occasional supplements.

Side effects: There are no side effects to a well planned vegan diet, but this can be challenging at first. Some people feel hungry, fatigued, or lightheaded.

Mistakes: Like the vegetarian diet, a vegan diet isn’t necessarily healthy. Make sure you’re eating whole grains and healthy fats, not refined oils and carbohydrates. Not all vegan foods are low calorie, so you still need to pay attention to fat content and total caloric intake.

Tips: Get plenty of protein and micro nutrients from soy, lentils, and beans. Take a B12 supplement or drink B12-fortified soy milk.

If you are still interested in trying the vegan diet why not take the 1 month challenge.

1 Month Vegan Challenge

I hope you found this vegan diet for beginners information helpful and I wish you all the best with your new way of eating.

Leave a comment below and keep in touch and let me know how you get on.

Frank

WeightWorries.com

What Is The Keto Diet Plan

Posted on by Frank Bow

I seem to be seeing a lot of people asking what is the keto diet plan? In this article I will try to explain what the keto diet is and how it can help you with your weight loss.

 

What Is The Keto Diet Plan?

Recently, the keto diet has become extremely popular for its health benefits such as weight loss and preventing disease. The keto diet can be hugely beneficial, but how does it work to provide these benefits?

You may have heard of the high-protein, low-carbohydrate Atkins diet. The keto diet keeps carbohydrate levels low, but instead of ramping up the amount of protein in your diet, the keto diet increases the amount of fat. A typical keto diet aims for meals with 75% fat, 20% protein, and 5% carbohydrate. Eating a high-fat diet can still mean eating healthy.

vegetables

Keto diet menu items often include seafood, meat, dairy products, eggs, vegetables, and nuts. With the increased popularity of the keto diet, keto recipes are widely available. Add your details to the form on the right to pick up my free Keto recipes ebook which will give you an idea of the type of recipes used in the diet.

 

How Does the Keto Diet Work?

It might seem counter-intuitive that adding more fat to your diet can lead to weight loss. Normally, your diet is high in carbohydrates, which are broken down into glucose, or blood sugar, for use as energy. As glucose enters your bloodstream, your body releases insulin to store excess glucose as fat. The more carbohydrates, the more glucose. The more glucose, the more insulin, and the more insulin, the more fat.

The keto diet takes advantage of the fact that when your meals are high-fat and low-carbohydrate, there is no insulin spike, and you don’t add to your fat reserves. Instead, fat from diet and stored fat are broken down to ketones (“keto” is short for “ketogenic” producing ketones). Like glucose, ketones can be used for energy, keeping your body running without increasing blood sugar or putting on excess fat. The benefits of the keto diet can be huge.

weight loss

Weight Loss

 

Overall, the keto diet is an excellent way to burn fat and lose weight. Eating fewer carbohydrates suppresses appetite, and studies have shown that keto diet participants eat fewer calories overall because of this. Burning fat for energy can lead to rapid weight loss.

Okay, so this one isn’t so astounding, but it is one of the most common reasons people embark on the keto diet. So why is weight loss usually so easy on the ketogenic diet instead of other regular diets? For all of the following reasons:

• The keto diet is composed of approximately 75% fat, 20 % protein, and 5% or less carbohydrates. The high fat content and lack of sugar means diminished cravings, lack of blood sugar swings and binges, and increased satiation. Increased satiation=eating less. Many people also have food sensitivities to grains, even gluten-free ones, so eliminating them may lead to an increased ability to absorb minerals like magnesium and potassium, which in turn means your body is more nourished and you have fewer cravings.

• Ketones. When your blood sugar is running low, your body turns to its glycogen stores for energy. Typically, glycogen stores house about 2000 calories of “backup” energy for when you run out of glucose. Like the intelligent machine it is, your body depletes the glycogen stores and then turns to your own body fat for fuel.

What Is The Keto Diet Plan

IMPORTANT: The ketogenic diet is not a free-for-all eat however much cheese or super low-carb fat bomb treats you want diet. If you are eating way more calories than you need, you will not lose weight. So focus on keeping your diet around fatty cuts of grass-fed meat, butter, eggs, avocados, lots of green veggies and cruciferous(includes broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, kale, bok choy, arugula, Brussels sprouts), and be modest with the keto desserts, dairy, and sweets.

 

Reduced Blood Sugar and Insulin

Since carbohydrate intake is limited, blood sugar and insulin levels are lowered. This is particularly important for people with type 2 diabetes, which causes a buildup of glucose in the bloodstream. The keto diet can be used to reduce or eliminate the need for diabetic insulin injections.

Reduced Triglycerides

Fat sub unit molecules called triglycerides normally circulate in your bloodstream. High levels of triglycerides are a significant risk factor in the development of heart disease. In the keto diet, because fat is being burned for energy, the number of triglyceride molecules in the bloodstream decreases, reducing the risk of heart disease.

more vegetables

Improved Cholesterol

“Bad” (LDL) cholesterol is another risk factor for heart disease. Too much bad cholesterol in your bloodstream builds up in your arteries, narrowing them and causing atherosclerosis, a type of heart disease. The keto diet reduces bad cholesterol levels while increasing the level of “good” (HDL) cholesterol in your body.

The keto diet provides many health benefits. This diet can not only help you quickly lose weight, but can also improve your overall health and help prevent disease.

What Is The Keto Diet Plan?

Brain Function

A poorly functioning brain, as you may have already experienced, leads to lessened work productivity, which in turn means an unhappy boss, lack of job satisfaction, sugar cravings for energy, and depression. It’s a horrible domino effect. The original ketogenic diet was formulated by Dr. Russell Wilder in the early 20th century to treat epilepsy. The success rate was phenomenal and it is still used today to treat epilepsy and other brain disorders. Research also indicates that ketones are more efficient brain fuel than glucose. (Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5102124/)

Potential Cancer Benefits

One study showed implementing the ketogenic diet led to a dramatically increased survival time and slower tumor growth. (Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5450454/)

Conclusion

If you’re reading this article now, chances are you are in some sort of pain, whether physical and/or mental (being overweight, struggling with autoimmune disorders, thyroid disease, fatigue, brain fog) and want to change. Use this information, don’t just skim through it and store it in the back of your brain and say “that’s nice for some people”, motivate yourself to change.

Take the custom keto diet quiz and see if the diet suits your lifestyle. You are able to get an 8-week keto diet plan suited to you by building the plan around the foods you like eating. Have a look here.


Custom Keto Diet

Thanks for reading all the way to the bottom of this post answering your question what Is the keto diet plan. I hope you got the information you were looking for.

Frank

Frank@weightworries.com

 

Mediterranean Diet Food List

Posted on by Frank Bow

Welcome to this mediterranean diet food list. I am listing all the foods I used to lose weight and the foods that came up in my research on the subject too. Follow the recommendations in this food list and you will notice that you start to lose weight. I went for a gradual weight loss over a year, I was happy with a pound or two a week.

A mediterranean diet is really a lifestyle choice rather a diet. It does not involve calorie counting which was the reason I looked into it when I wanted to lose weight. The more I learned about this lifestyle got me really believing I could do it even at 61. Making lifestyle changes at that age can be daunting but I have proved it can be done.

apples

I lost 56lb over 12 months by changing the foods I was eating. Just because I changed what I was eating didn’t mean I had to lose out on flavour. In fact I would say the food I eat now is more delicious than the junk I was eating before. I still have the odd relapse of course but generally I am much happier making some of the recipes I now eat.

Mediterranean Diet Food List?

If you have ever asked yourself what foods are on a mediterranean diet food list what is the first thing you did? Google it of course. There is an amazing amount of information out there on the subject.

The Mediterranean diet first came to the attention of people in the 1960’s, a report said that people in countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea had less deaths due to coronary heart disease than the US and Northern Europe. Countries like Greece, Italy etc.. had a lifestyle and a healthy way of eating that was obviously working for them.

I read somewhere that the Mediterranean diet is one of the healthy eating plans recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to promote health and prevent chronic disease. So that should tell you something.

So, what’s a Mediterranean Diet?  There is no set diet here as different countries had there own style of cooking .

Mediterranean Diet Food List

Basically though, eating more vegetables and fruit and cutting back on the red meat is a good place to start. I have added a list of foods below that the people from these countries eat. If you are interested in trying this way of eating here is a guideline.

  • Eat more fruit and vegetables: 5 a day is the well balanced way according to a slogan here in the UK. I have read that others recommend 7 to 10 portions of fruit and veg. I would aim for 5 to start and then increase the amount as you go along.
  • Healthy Fats: Use olive oil in cooking instead of butter. Instead of butter or margarine try dipping your bread in flavoured olive oil. I have 2 spanish guys working with me and I have seen them do this. I personally used low fat cheesy spread instead of butter or margarine.
  • Wholegrains: Simply switch your white bread to wholegrain, the same with pasta as you see wholegrain pasta everywhere in the supermarkets nowadays.
  • Eat Less Meat: Eat fish, poultry or even beans for red meat. If you have to eat red meat go for the less fatty options and watch the portion size.
  • Fish: It is recommended you eat fish at least twice a week. Fatty fish, such as mackerel, herring, sardines, albacore tuna, salmon and trout are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat that may reduce inflammation in the body.
  • Dairy Products: Use the 0% fat greek yoghurt that you can get nowadays, that’s what I use. Also small portions of cheese, some of them out there are delicious. I love cheese as you can tell. Not too much though.
  • Spices:  All types of spices will liven up the flavour of your dishes and take away the need to add a lot of salt. See below for the different types of spices to use in your cooking.

Mediterranean Diet Food List

Here is a list to give you an idea of what type of vegetables and fruit I mean. It is what I added to my diet to lose weight.

Vegetables

  • Aubergine
  • Beets
  • Brocolli
  • Butternut Squash
  • Cabbage
  • Carrots
  • Cauliflower
  • Celery
  • Garlic
  • Green Beans
  • Mushrooms
  • Onions
  • Peas
  • Peppers
  • Potatoes
  • Spinach
  • Spring Onions
  • Sweetcorn

I recommend having frozen vegetables in the freezer. it meant I could use just the amount I wanted without any waste. Saving money was a factor in this too. Just a suggestion though, if you prefer fresh, go with it.

vegetables

Fruit

  • Apples
  • Apricots
  • Cherries
  • Grapes
  • Kiwi Fruit
  • Necterines
  • Oranges
  • Pears
  • Tangerines
  • Bananas

Tinned fruit is fine, less waste too.

Dairy

I have read that in the traditional Mediterranean diet the dairy products are full fat. I personally went for the lower fat options.

  • Greek Yoghurt
  • Feta Cheese
  • Ricotta
  • Parmesan
  • Mozzarella

Meat And Poultry

As I said earlier I cut right back on the red meat and poultry to at the most once a week. I also cut out eating processed meat. The mediterranean diet also includes fish a couple of times a week. Oily fish preferably, like mackerel, sardines fresh or canned, anchovies fresh or canned, cod, shrimp. Fish is healthier for you than fatty meats everyone knows that.

Grains And Breads

  • Bread preferably wholegrain
  • Pasta
  • Couscous
  • Rice
  • Egg Pasta
  • Pita Bread

Fats And Nuts

A handful of nuts a day is a good snack, better than crisps and biscuits that’s for sure. So what is recommended.

  • Almonds
  • Pistachios
  • Walnuts
  • Pine Nuts
  • Sesame Seeds
  • Extra Virgin Oil

Beans

  • Lentils
  • White Beans
  • Butter Beans
  • Chickpeas
  • Yellow Split Pea
  • Kidney Beans

Mediterranean Diet Food List

Kitchen Cupboard Items

It is advised to have a selection of these items in your kitchen cupboard. These come in handy for making up meals on the go.

  • Chopped Tomatoes
  • Tomato Puree(Paste)
  • Capers
  • Sundried Tomatoes
  • Honey
  • Wine

I also have tins of mixed beans and tuna in case I want to cook a chilli or a pasta bake. Both delicious by the way.

Herbs and Spices

A range of herbs and spices also come in useful to add flavour to your meals.

  • All Spice
  • Paprika
  • Oregano
  • Dill
  • Coriander
  • Cumin
  • Parsley
  • Mixed Herbs
  • Italian Herbs
  • Basil
  • Mint
  • Pepper
  • Sea Salt

I think once you get into the habit of eating this way you will never go back to your old way of eating. It is delicious and healthy, what could be better.

Eggs are also a way to add those extra vegetables into your daily food intake. I have become a frittata expert since cooking for my weight loss. Here is a recipe for you to try and it is delicious.

Mediterranean Diet Food List

I hope this answered your questions on what a mediterranean diet food list looks like? As I said above I used this way of eating to completely change my shape and I am now more full of energy than I have ever been in my adult life. Give it a go and let me know how you get on.

If this old guy can do it , you can too. Leave a comment below and let me know your intentions. Are you going to try it? I hope so.

Frank

frank@weightworries.com

 

Mediterranean turkey-stuffed peppers

Posted on by Frank Bow

This recipe serves 2 and comes in at 403 calories

Ingredients

  • 2 red peppers (about 220g)
  • 1 ½ tbsp olive oil, plus an extra drizzle
  • 240g lean turkey breast mince (under 8% fat)
  • ½ small onion, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • 1 tsp ground cumin
  • 3-4 mushrooms, sliced
  • 400g can chopped tomatoes
  • 1 tbsp tomato purée
  • 1 chicken stock cube
  • handful fresh oregano leaves
  • 60g mozzarella, grated
  • 150g green vegetables (spinach, kale, broccoli, mangetout or green beans), to serve

Method

  1. Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Halve the peppers lengthways, then remove the seeds and core but keep the stalks on. Rub the peppers with a drizzle of olive oil and season well. Put on a baking tray and roast for 15 mins.
  2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large pan over a medium heat. Fry the mince for 2-3 mins, stirring to break up the chunks, then tip onto a plate.
  3. Wipe out your pan, then heat the rest of the oil over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, stir-fry for 2-3 mins, then add the cumin and mushrooms and cook for 2-3 mins more.
  4. Tip the mince back into the pan and add the chopped tomatoes and tomato purée. Crumble in the stock cube and cook for 3-4 mins, then add the oregano and season. Remove the peppers from the oven and fill them with as much of the mince as you can. (Don’t worry if some spills out it – it will go satisfyingly crisp in the oven.) Top with the cheese and return to the oven for 10-15 mins until the cheese starts to turn golden.
  5. Carefully slide the peppers onto a plate and serve alongside a pile of your favourite greens blanched, boiled or steamed.

This recipe was found on bbcgoodfood.com

Mediterranean Fish Parcels

Posted on by Frank Bow

This recipe contains about 275 calories per portion and serves 2

Ingredients

  • 250g baby new potato  scrubbed
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • 2 x 175g/6oz firm white fish fillets, such as haddock or whiting
  • 2 tsp sun-dried tomato paste or tomato purée
  • finely grated zest of 1 small lemon  plus 2 tsp lemon juice
  • about 10 black or green olives
  • 1 tbsp capers , rinsed
  • 2 sprigs of fresh rosemary  or thyme

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to fan 170C/conventional 190C/gas 5. Boil potatoes in lightly salted water for about 12 minutes or until tender, then drain well.
  2. Take 2 large sheets of foil, about 30cm square, and brush the middle area of each sheet with the olive oil. Put a fish fillet on top and spread with the tomato paste. Sprinkle with the lemon zest and juice, add the cooked potatoes, olives and capers and season with ground pepper.
  3. Lay a sprig of rosemary or thyme on top then loosely wrap and secure each parcel tightly to completely enclose the ingredients. You can prepare these up to half a day in advance and keep them in the fridge.
  4. Put the fish parcels on a baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the fish flakes when tested with a fork. Serve at once, with steamed green beans.

This recipe was found on bbcgoodfood.com