Protein, Carbs and Fat: Learn How to Diet with Macronutrients

Weight loss plans are almost always trying to get you to get rid of some food that you love. However, the three macronutrients (Protein, Carbohydrates and Fat) as well as the unofficial fourth, water, are all necessary for good health. Never try to eliminate any of these from your diet. If you're trying to lose weight, here is the simple truth about the stuff that makes up food.

Protein Power
Protein is the building block of all life. All life on this planet is made up of amino acids that form chains called proteins. Every function of every cell in your body involves proteins. It should come as no surprise, then, that consuming protein in your diet is essential to your good health.

Protein can come from many sources, not just red meat. All animal parts are protein-rich, from fish to chicken to pork to any animal you'd care to cook up. If you are a vegetarian, you probably already know that many beans and nuts are good sources of protein as well.

The highest concentration of protein is in muscle fibers, in humans and other animals. Therefore, if you want to build up your muscles, you must consume more protein than your minimum daily requirements. And if you consume less than your daily dose, your body may cannibalize your own muscles to get it. This is why an adequate intake of amino acids is essential.

Carb Cravings
Carbohydrates is a fancy word for something very simple: organic molecules that contain at least two hydrogen atoms for each carbon atom. All carbodydrates that you can eat are sources of energy. No matter what their composition, your body will break them down into glucose, a simple sugar, which is then used for energy when it is needed. Some carbohydrates are very long chains called "complex carbohydrates", and some are short chains called "simple sugars". Complex carbs are better for you because they provide more energy, but it takes the body longer to break them apart, which means the energy lasts longer and keeps you feeling full for a longer time. Simple sugars are broken down very quickly, which causes your blood-sugar to rise rapidly. If you don't burn it right away, your body will turn it into fat.

Carbohydrates are most abundant in foods that taste sweet. The sweeter the taste, the simpler the carb. So candy of all kinds are made up almost entirely of simple sugars. Carbs are also abundant in fruits and vegetables, as well as grains. Whole grains contain complex carbohydrates, while other grains and plants have shorter chain carbs.

Some modern diets suggest trying to eliminate carbohydrates from your diet, because they are a major source of calories that you're trying to reduce. Reduction of carbs will be necessary for weight loss, but it is vitally important not to get rid of them altogether. As mentioned above, carbohydrate-rich foods include fruits and vegetables that contain many vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fiber. Losing all those good elements would put your body in a very unhealthy place. On top of that, your body processes carbs to raise blood-sugar, which is important to your feeling of satiety, or feeling full. If you have no carbs, you may easily be overeating fats (see below). Finally, if your body is not using carbs for energy, it will break apart proteins in your food for energy before it breaks down fats. So, you lose the benefits of amino acids you've eaten, which we discussed above. A good tactic that many people find easy to identify and follow in their diets is to get rid of "empty carbs", meaning carbohydrates that don't provide anything but energy. White bread, potatoes, refined sugar and candy are empty carbs that you should avoid.

Fat is Fine (in small doses)
The third macronutrient is fat, which is most easily thought of as concentrated carbs. One gram of fat has 9 calories, while carbohydrates and protein contain 4 calories per gram. So, if you are reducing the calories in your diet, reducing fat is the easiest way to lower the total calorie count. Not all fats are the same, though. Saturated and trans fats raises LDL cholesterol levels, which increases the risk of heart disease. Unsaturated fats (monounsaturated or polyunsaturated) do not raise these "bad cholesterol" levels, and are therefore a better choice.

Fats, unfortunately, taste very good. Fats are the major component in toppings and spreads, such as butter, salad dressing, mayonnaise, and cooking oils. Fats are also the ingredient that make desserts and snacks so tempting, like cookies, cakes and chips.

Even though some people try to get rid of all fat, some fat in your diet is important. Do not try to eliminate it. Fat aids in the absorption of vitamins A, D, E and K. Essential Fatty Acids, namely omega-3 and omega-6, can only be found in certain fats, and it is important to consume some of these on a regular basis. These nutrients aid in the regulation of blood pressure, blood clotting and immune response.

To get the good fats without an excess of calories, try eating more fish and seafood instead of other meats. Choose margarine instead of butter. When cooking, choose olive oil to grease your skillet. And the most effective tip: read the labels on the foods you're buying. They should list the fat content, and break it down into Saturated and Unsaturated. If unsaturated is not listed, simply choose the food with the least Saturated fat count.

Water Weight
Some call water the fourth macronutrient. Technically, it is not a nutrient at all, because pure water does not provide any building blocks for your body. However, it is the element most neglected in the diets of most people. You must drink at least 8 glasses of water per day. More if you're active.

Water encourages fat loss by keeping the kidneys working at full capacity. If the kidneys don't get enough water, the liver begins to take over some kidney functions. One of the liver's main functions is to metabolize fat. So, if the kidneys need the liver's help, then the liver can't burn fat as quickly. Drink enough water so that your liver can metabolize fat at its peak ability.

Water contributes to healthy skin by hydrating it from the inside out. Water aids in joint lubrication, reducing your chance of injury in any activity. Water is also the best cure for constipation.

Some people retain water, which is usually caused by a sodium imbalance. The solution is not to avoid drinking water, but to drink more water. When the salt is diluted, it becomes less of a problem. Also, if your body recognizes that water is constantly coming into your system, then it will realize that it doesn't need to store it. Although there have been a few cases where long distance runners have died from drinking too much water, their situation is highly specialized, and shouldn't be a concern for a normal person. For people with a normal amount of activity, there is no danger in drinking too much water, so drink as much as you can. The worst thing that will happen is that you'll visit the washroom more often, so consider it a good chance for a little extra exercise.

Now that you understand how important all the macronutrients are, how do you lose weight? Reduce overall calories, but keep a measure of each macronutrient in your diet. Reducing fats overall is an easy way to reduce overall calories, and switch all of your fats to unsaturated. Most dieticians suggest about 25% fat, 15% protein, and 60% carbs. If you're trying to put on a little muscle to burn fat faster, try to raise the protein to 20% and reduce the carbohydrates to 55%. A good weight loss plan keeps a balanced diet with reduced calorie intake and increased exercise.

David McCormick is the founder of Weightless Products. His Mr. Weightless site is dedicated to free weight loss articles and advice, primarily targeted to men. There are no banners, no pop-ups, and you will never be asked for your email address. Mr. Weightless: Wait Less for Weight Loss!

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Enzymes and Raw Food ? Can You Cheat Time and Stay Young for Longer?

I'm going to be a bit radical here, but know that I'm only encouraging you to question and think and ideally do your own research, both theory and practice. I'm pretty confident that you'll thank me for it.

WHAT IF THE SO-CALLED 'AGING PROCESS' WAS A CHOICE?

Clearly, we can't stop time from moving on. When we have a birthday, we are another year older. That's a fact that, for the moment at least, we cannot change. But what if the weakening organs, bones and tissues and all the 'usual' signs of old age were not actually a part of the aging process we've come to accept as 'normal'? Have you ever considered that these conditions are simply symptoms of us mistreating our bodies over the course of our lives to date? Wouldn't our senior years be a whole lot more fun if we were pain and disease free and could jump around with the energy and vitality of a teenager?

WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?

That this is a crazy, impossible idea borne out of fantasy? Or are you willing to open your mind and accept that actually, if you treat your body right and nourish it properly, it may in fact be possible? And this is where Enzymes come in...

In his book Intuitive Eating, Dr Humbart Santillo MD writes:

"A human being is not maintained by food intake alone, but rather by what is digested. Every food must be broken down by enzymes to simpler building blocks. Enzymes may be divided into 2 groups, exogenous (found in raw food) and endogenous (produced within our bodies). The more one gets of the exogenous enzymes, the less will have to be borrowed from other metabolic processes and supplied by the pancreas. The enzymes contained in raw food actually aid in the digestion of that same food when it is chewed. One can live many years on a cooked food diet, but eventually this will cause cellular enzyme exhaustion which lays the foundation for a weak immune system and ultimately disease."

Put simply, we are born with a finite supply of endogenous enzymes. It should be enough to last us a lifetime based on current life expectancy, but if we don't supply some exogenous enzymes through our diet, we will use up our original supplies and that's when we become susceptible to the accepted 'signs of old age' including premature death! And the fact is that when we cook our food, we kill all enzymes instead of allowing them to boost our immune system, our brain function and our energy levels.

Another doctor, Edward Howell, has written a book called Enzyme Nutrition. In it, he says:

"Humans eating an enzyme-less diet use up a tremendous amount of their enzyme potential in lavish secretions of the pancreas and other digestive organs. The result is a shortened lifespan (65 years or less as compared with 100 or more), illness, and lower resistance to stress of all types, psychological and environmental. By eating foods with their enzymes in tact and by supplementing cooked foods with enzyme capsules we can stop abnormal and pathological aging processes."

THESE SCIENTISTS ARE NOT CRACK-POTS WORKING ALONE

The raw food movement is gathering pace and the practice is becoming more mainstream now. In her book You Are What You Eat, Gillian McKeith places raw or living foods at the top of her list of Good Foods and has a section entitled The Case Against Cooking. Now don't get me wrong; I'm not suggesting that you switch overnight to a 100% raw food diet. Though plenty do and never look back, it's not always wise. Instead I would give the same advice as Gillian in urging you to eat something raw with every meal.

Just before I sat down to write this, I ate a yummy Quinoa Avocado Salad which other than the cooked quinoa was loaded with raw, enzyme-, EFA- and nutrient- rich foods. I ate it on its own, but you could serve it alongside a piece of grilled chicken or fish instead of dead, heavy, sugar-rush potatoes which do little more than bloat you up. Find the recipe on my Blog at http://claireraikes.blogs.com/claires_blog/.

Claire Raikes is a Wellbeing Coach, Speaker and Writer who 'cured' herself of a chronic, disabling and potentially life-threatening bowel condition without the use of steroids, surgery or any other traditional medical intervention. She now shares her passion for natural and vibrant health through coaching, speaking and writing about the importance and power of a truly healthy diet.

She publishes a free weekly eZine, In Essence and is compiling an eBook of Healthy Fast Food with 25% of the proceeds going to The Cancer Project, a charity set up by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) and nutritionists to educate the public on the benefits of a healthy diet for cancer prevention and survival. If you have a recipe you would like to submit, visit http://www.LiveInEssence.com for further details. To book Claire to speak at your event, email her at Claire@LiveInEssence.com.