Hi there and welcome to Carol’s Corner. Pull up a seat and make yourself comfortable. Hope everyone has been having a great week. Today’s picture was taken for my by a friend at Dickey’s Barbecue where we went out for dinner on our card night which we have once a week at my mom’s. I’m calling this outfit ” Fusion, when color meets shape”. I think that totally describes it. I love the colors and the way the shapes intersect with each other and then the way the bottom tiers of the blouse are designed really make the whole thing just amazing.

This was an older jewelry set I made , but the colors went beautifully. As did my FitBit Combo.

So this brings us to part two of our mini series. Tonight we will be discussing the low fat diet and it’s pros and cons. For starters we will be using a publication called Safe Slimming and an article titled ” Advantages and Disadvantages of a low-fat diet”. And then I will provide you with links to other useful articles on the same subject. So let’s get started.

While few of us would consume a piece of meat that has a forty percent fat content, it’s estimated that most people today get about forty percent of their of their daily calories from fat.

Sadly, it is recommended that we consume no more than 30 percent-preferably less- fat as part of our daily calories. High levels of fat are not only bad for us, but they also contribute to our being overweight, which means we look and feel bad.

So how can we cut down on the amount of fat we eat? Well one obvious way would be to follow a low-fat diet. But is that really good for us?

GOOD AND BAD FATS

When considering a low-fat diet, it’s important to keep in mind there are “good” and “bad” fats. Knowing which ones are good and which ones are bad is important to maintaining good health.

Good ones are unsaturated and are found in foods such as salmon, olive oil, and certain nuts, such as peanuts and walnuts. Bad fats are saturated or trans-fats, and are found in red meat, dairy, processed foods, etc.

ADVANTAGES OF A LOW-FAT DIET

Some of the advantages of a low-fat diet-although these certainly are not true for everybody-include:

1.) May help keep insulin levels low.

2.) May be good as a preventative measure against various diseases which can, in part, be attributed to high fat and cholesterol-such as heart disease, stroke, and gall bladder disease.

3.) Can help people who are trying to lose weight, and can also aid in maintaining a good weight.

DISADVANTAGES OF A LOW-FAT DIET

Every diet has it’s pros and cons, here are some of the former:

1.) For weight loss, may work less well than a low-carb diet.

2.) A very low-fat diet can cause vitamin and mineral deficiencies in some people, missing the mineral zinc And some B vitamins to name a few.

3.) Fat is necessary for the proper absorption of some vitamins, such as vitamins D, A,E, and K, as well as lycopene, which has been shown to be instrumental in the battle against prostrate cancer.

TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL LOW-FAT DIET

If you are considering trying a low-fat diet, or a diet of any kind, always consult your GP first. Remember, what works for one individual, may not be suitable for another, so even if a friend has good results on a low-fat diet doesn’t mean you will.

THESE TIPS COULD HELP:

1.) Read the labels! If something is more than 10 % fat dump it.

2.) Try low-fat options. After awhile, you may not even notice the difference.

3.) Invest in a decent low-fat cookbook. There is no reason why low-fat meals shouldn’t taste great.

4.) Drink plenty of water, and fill up on healthy snacks.

5.) Cut down on portion size. You can still have that steak, just have a lean, small one and serve it along side two-if not three portions of vegetables.

A defined diet should never be a substitute for healthy eating and exercise, both of which are lifestyle changes that can make a real difference in how you look and feel.

Eating a healthy diet that is low in fat and making daily lifestyle changes that reflect this should be something to which we all aspire, to keep and maintain good health.

http://www.everydayhealth.com/weight/low-fat-diet-benefits.aspx. The benefits of a low-fat diet. (This is an excellent read. Lots of good info here. Make sure you read it)

http://www.ehow.com/way_5660271_pros-cons-low-fat-diets.html The pros and cons of a low-fat diet.

http://www.med.unc.edu/www/newsarchive/2011/may/the-skinny-on-fat-debate-rages-on-pros-cons-of-low-fat-diet. The skinny on fat: Debate rages on pros, cons of low-fat diet.

http://www.weightlossforall.com/low-fat-diet-benefits.htm. The benefits and problems of low fat dieting.

So there you have the other side of the coin. There are advantages and disadvantages to every diet. You need to find what is best for your own individual needs. And maybe that is a mixture of more than one specific diet. Find what works best for you and work it (no pun intended). There are no shortcuts. It takes hard work and dedication. Work your program, exercise on a regular basis and you will see results, I guarantee it. Till next time, God Bless.