Sugar is everywhere you look and it might pop up in some surprising places. Did you know that most whole grain breads have at least one form of sugar in them? We have a national sweet tooth epidemic. Even if you dont eat a lot of sugary treats you may experience intense sugar cravings in the first few weeks of the Atkins diet. So many healthy carbohydrate foods have hidden sugars in them, your body may be experiencing withdrawal.

The problem with sugar is that your blood sugar is tied into your energy levels and your overall health. When your blood sugar is too low, you will experience intense cravings. High blood sugar is a result of eating high-sugar meals. When you eat concentrated sugar, your blood sugar will raise to high levels. Your pancreas thinks there is something wrong and then it secretes insulin to lower the blood sugar. As this happens more, you can create pre-diabetic conditions in your body as your pancreas becomes worn out and eventually cannot secrete insulin.

Fortunately, getting started on the Atkins diet plan can put a stop to this cycle. However, this doesnt mean that sugar cravings go away automatically. Sugar products are everywhere and temptation is sometimes hard to fight.

The best way to approach sugar cravings is with planning. If you maintain a balance of protein, fat and fiber in your daily diet you will prevent blood sugar drops that lead to sugar cravings. Also, do not go too long between meals without eating. Snacks are an important part of keeping your blood sugar stable. Have some handy snacks like cheese, nuts, seeds and boiled eggs on hand with you so you can quickly stabilize your blood sugar without turning to sweet treats.

Sugar cravings can also be a sign of a nutritional deficiency. When you are low on magnesium, you will crave chocolate and other sweets. Zinc and chromium can also stave off sugar cravings. If you arent taking a good multivitamin supplement with these minerals, start immediately. If you are and you are still experiencing cravings, consider trying additional supplements of these nutrients.

Another tactic is to brush your teeth. Many Atkins dieters find that brushing their teeth or using Listerine breath strips can help with cravings. Both methods will numb your mouth and prevent you from wanting to eat. Drinking two large glasses of water can also help eliminate cravings. If your stomach is full, then youll be less likely to reach for a sugary treat.

Sometimes out of sight, out of mind is the best approach. If you find yourself overcome with cravings while you are at home, get outside and take a walk. The distraction will have you forgetting your sugar craving in no time. Calling a friend for support or logging into an Atkins support forum can also go a long way toward preventing you from succumbing to sugar cravings.

Having a low-carb version of your favorite treat is another good idea. You are less likely to feel deprived if you can have a satisfying low carb treat. There are a wide variety of low-carb products available on the market that can beat your sweet tooth. Low-carb yogurt, chocolate, ice cream and candy can all help you stay on the Atkins plan and still get something sweet to eat.

Sugar cravings are a reality of following the Atkins plan, but the previous tips will help you overcome them and stay committed to your weight loss efforts.

Tags: Atkins Diet, Atkins Diet Plan, Boiled Eggs, Carbohydrate Foods, Chromium, Diabetic Conditions, energy levels;, Epidemic, High Blood Sugar, Insulin, Losing Weight, low-carb products;, Magnesium, Multivitamin, Multivitamin Supplement, nutritional deficiency;, Pancreas, Snacks, Sugar Cravings, sugar products;, Sweet Tooth, sweet tooth epidemic, Sweet Treats, Whole Grain, Zinc —

How do I lose pounds quick? That’s the million dollar question. For the most part, its not about losing pounds quickly but keeping those pounds off for good!

Let’s begin with a diet that is high in protein but low in carbs. A low carb diet, if done correctly, will put your body in a state of ketosis (fat burning metabolism).

Stay away from sugar, flour anything refined. Eat food the way your ancestors intended you to eat. Such as steak with salad. Bacon and eggs. There is nothing added to these items. Simple is better.

Sodas, cut them out! Have you looked at the nutritional label lately on a bottle of pop? Let me tell you, OMG! Some of them have 28 grams of sugar and 20-30 grams of sodium per serving. Let me remind you, a serving is 8 oz. This equals one measuring cup.

Talk about water retention and not to mention all those liquid calories you’re washing down your gullet. Oh, I almost forgot the damage the sugar in sodas can damage your teeth. Tooth decay, does soda still sound so irresistible?

Stay away from processed food. The food industry puts all kinds of preservatives in the food to keep it edible. What that means to you? Sodium or in other words BLOATED! Stick to eating small servings of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Drink a lot of water. At least 8 glasses a day. I know that sounds like a lot. But you need the water to flush out the fat and toxins that are built up in your body from eating over processed food. Water not only helps people lose weight. It also helps skin appear healthier. You will even feel more vibrant.

Do you have a sweet tooth? Most of the cakes, pastries, candies, etc… Have an enormous amount of fat and calories in each serving. Don’t think you can do without your chocolate fix? Try eating a piece of dark chocolate. It actually has healthy anti oxidants.

I am not a fan of the liquid diets but that is an option to consider. Remember to drink shakes that are high in protein. Throw in a few pieces of fruit to make a fruit smoothie. Be sure to watch those calories though.

There are quite a bit of options out there on how to lose pounds quick. But most importantly be safe! Make healthy life long diet decisions. Like drink more water, cut down on sodas and sweets. After all, its your body and you only get one. So treat yourself right.

Tags: Anti Oxidants, Bacon And Eggs, Calories, Dark Chocolate, Dollar Question, Food Industry, food;, Fresh Fruits And Vegetables, Fruits And Vegetables, Gullet, Healthy Diet, ketosis;, Liquid Diets, Losing Weight, Lot Of Water, Low Carb Diet, Measuring Cup, Pastries, Preservatives, Processed Food, Sodas, Sweet Tooth, Tooth Decay, USD;, Water Retention —

Eureka! We’ve finally made it, now we really can eat candy and lose weight thanks to hoodia power pops. The wonderful little lollipops are infused with genuine hoodia to help suppress your appetite between meals while also allowing you to indulge your sweet tooth in a guilt free way.

For those of you who aren’t really sure what hoodia is, here is an overview:

1. Hoodia is a plant that grows exclusively in the Kalahari desert in South Africa. The plant has been known for centuries by the native bushmen as an effective appetite and thirst suppressant.

2. Hoodia is thought to work by tricking the brain into thinking that the body is full, thus effectively shutting down the appetite. If you don’t feel hungry, you won’t eat as much in between meals as well as during your meals and less food intake will result in weight loss.

3. When purchasing a supplement containing hoodia you must make sure that it’s the hoodia gordonii variety that has been added and not some other form of hoodia (there are over 20 different varieties but only the gordonii has been shown to have the P57 compound which scientists have isolated as the compound that provides the appetite suppressant.)

4. The P57 compound is not in the roots or skins of the hoodia plant, only in the core. Therefore make sure that the supplements you purchase are made up with only core hoodia powder and not whole powder since whole powder will have a much lower concentration of P57 and won’t work as effectively (though it will be considerably less expensive).

5. While there has been no documentation of any dangerous side effects from hoodia the one thing that you do need to be careful about is not eating or drinking enough. Even though you are dieting you don’t want to starve your body and the appetite suppressant can be powerful enough so that many people forget to eat. Hoodia is also a thirst suppressant so be very careful to drink plenty of water throughout your day when taking the supplement.

6. Make sure that you enter into your diet program with the right frame of mind. Hoodia has millions of loyal fans who swear by it’s effectiveness but you still have to alter your lifestyle and eat plenty of low fat, high nutrient food and get a lot of exercise if you want to see the full effects… and keep those changes permanently.

The power pop diet recommends that you have one sucker along with 8 ounces of water 30 minutes prior to each meal during the day to help you eat less and feel sated more quickly.

While hoodia power pops may sound like a dieters dream come true, it’s important to remember that they aren’t magic. When it comes to losing weight and maintaining a safe weight for life you have to remember that it’s all about what you eat, drink and how much exercise you get. Using supplements to help you stay on course is a great idea, but don’t enter into a diet thinking that your old habits can continue, that approach won’t work for the long run and you’ll only end up failing.

Tags: Appetite Suppressant, Brain, Bushmen, Candy, Centuries, Concentration, Dangerous Side Effects, food intake;, Guilt, Healthy Diet, Hoodia Gordonii, Hoodia Plant, Kalahari Desert, less food intake, Losing Weight, nutrient food, pence, Roots, Scientists, Skins, South Africa, Supplements, Sweet Tooth, Thirst, Weight Loss —