Thursday, October 9, 2008

Pros and cons of the Atkins diet

Pros and cons of the Atkins diet

The Atkins diet is one of the most popular low carbohydrate diets on the market today.

Its popularity has sparked dozens of look-a-like diets who center on the same principles of high-protein, low-carbohydrate eating.

There are a lot of fish in the sea when it comes to choosing a low-carbohydrate plan.

Studies have shown that low-carbohydrate eating has many benefits.

There have been scientific results that low-carbohydrate diets like Atkins do create significant weight loss without having to restrict calories.

People who use the Atkins diet have also reported this.

There are studies that show that low-carb eating improves triclycerides, reduces blood glucose for diabetics and pre-diabetics and increases good cholesterol (HDL).

Low-carbohydrate dieting has been scientifically proven to improve insulin sensitivity, decrease blood pressure and lower blood insulin levels.

When compared with low-fat diets, low-carb dieters lose less muscle mass.

Although not scientifically proven, there are many common benefits reported by Atkins dieters and other low-carb dieters.

These include an increase in energy, a reduced craving for sweets, better concentration, improved mood and an lessening of depression type symptoms.

However, there are also some benefits that are specific to the Atkins diet. If you have been a low fat dieter in previous years, you’ll enjoy eating all of those “forbidden foods” that you once had to go without.

Steak, butter and cream are a regular part of Atkins dieters’ meals.

There is a certain pleasure that goes along with eating foods that were once off limits.

Atkins dieters are encouraged to eat their full of rich meats, cheeses and fats and oils.

Atkins is also simple to use, compared with some other low-carb diets on the market.

There are some basic food carbohydrate counts that you’ll need to learn, but after that, you are free to eat from the acceptable food lists.

Dr. Atkins also emphasized finding your own personal carbohydrate level.

Different people have different levels of carbohydrate tolerance.

While some gain weight on just 90 carbohydrate grams a day, others can live comfortably at 120 carbohydrate grams.

During the ongoing weight loss phase and pre-maintenance phase of the diet, you will learn your personal carbohydrate count that will help determine your carbohydrate goal for life.

The popularity of Atkins is a double-edged sword for dieters.

There is a lot of information available on the diet, which makes it easy to find resources and support.

There have been many, many Atkins books written and there are endless amounts of websites that offer tips and group support.

However, everyone has heard of Atkins and probably has an opinion on it.

There are some big misconceptions out there about the nature of the diet, and you’ll no doubt have to defend your new way of eating from time to time.

There are some other minimal downsides to using the Atkins program.

You do need to count carbohydrates in everything you eat to make sure that you are staying within your personal carbohydrate range.

There is also the issue of Induction, the most hotly debate aspect of the plan. Induction can be difficult to get through if you’ve had a diet that centers on carbs and sugar.

Also, many people try Induction and mistakenly believe that this is the way that the whole diet is going to be.

They end up quitting before they get into the actual Atkins plan.

Sometimes, although it is not common, people will experience a carb crash on the 3rd to 5th day of the diet.

This reaction is a result of their body finally experiencing ketosis, or running on fat instead of carbohydrates.

The effects are transient, but many people have sworn off low-carb diets entirely because of this happenstance.

Overall, with the minor drawbacks considered, Atkins is one of the most popular low-carb diets for a reason.

It works. Thousands of people have had success with the Atkins approach to the low-carb way of living.

The First Five Steps for More Traffic

The First Five Steps for More Traffic

One of the most common needs of site owners is traffic. Without traffic a website barely exists, and we shouldn’t even talk about profit.

We will try to see here the most important steps to attract targeted traffic. Beginners in internet usually make the mistake to want any kind of traffic and therefore they get themselves into programs that offer tens of thousands of hits for their site, but most of them are blind hits.

And after this experience they don’t manage a thing and they give up the idea they could ever do something.

For those who try to learn from they experience, they have to come to the conclusion that the only type of traffic they need is targeted traffic.

They need real interested visitors, not visitors forced by a traffic generating system to enter their site.

So, let’s go over the five steps:


1. Affiliate programs.

These programs consist of giving part of your profit to those who help you sell.

In time you can get a true army of promoters that will advertise for you.

This is done not just for internet sites; it is also done in real life, by big companies.


2. Adding content

Adding high quality content to your site you will make an ideal instrument to always increase traffic.

Search engines provide the highest position to the most relevant site for the given keyword.

So your content must be well thought, containing the terms you are selling or proving many times, but being still easy to read.


3. Creating content materials

While you search for material to add to your site, others are searching for sites that publish content.

Creating some article or newsletter will allow you to add it immediately to your site, but you can also give it to others along with a link to your site.


4. Publishing through Enzines

A good way to achieve a number of loyal visitors is to occasionally announce everyone that chooses to be announced of news and new products.

Publishing quality information in the sent emails will give a boost to your credibility and you will build a serious amount of loyal visitors.


5. Pay per Click Search Engines

When using such engines, you will pay to increase your rank for various keywords used in searches.

If the keywords are chosen properly, you will be paying only for the visitors your are interested in.

Keeping Affiliates Motivated

Keeping Affiliates Motivated


Running affiliates programs is easier than ever with

the software and help available now. However, keeping

your affiliates motivated and selling isn't quite

as easy to do. If the success of your business rests

upon how your affiliates perform, you make want to

provide them with the right tools to get the job

done successfully.


If you are already running an affiliate program for

your products, you should know that a large number of

people who sign up for your program never to be

heard from again. You can however, reduce the number

of non productive affiliates by remaining in touch

with them constantly.



Remind them of their usernames and passwords, and

tell them where to log in to check their stats or

get creative. Always keep them informed of new

product lines or changes in policy or procedures.


The key to motivation is making sure that you stay

in touch. Always pay attention to who your top

sellers are, and make sure that you contact them

on a regular basis. Pay attention to who your worst

producers are, and make sure you stay in touch

with them constantly as well.


The main reason most affiliates don't perform that

well is because they don't possess any leadership

or guidance. This can easily be changed by writing

a marketing course, which you can even offer for

sale to non affiliates, although you should make

it available to your affiliates at no charge.


Keep your creatives and sales copy up to date. You

should also provide new material for your affiliates

to use on a regular basis. Providing them with

nothing but a text link and one banner just

doesn't generate much excitement at all.


Provide your affiliates with sales letters, reviews,

ads, banners of different shapes and sizes, and

anything else that comes to mind. Be sure that your

affiliates know the material is there for them to

use. Always listen to your affiliates, and get

the proper feedback on your material.


You should also hold virtual meetings. Set up chat

rooms where your affiliates can attend virtual

meetings on a weekly basis. Be sure to answer any

questions, have motivated speakers, and aything

else you can think of to make the meetings more

motivated.


Given your affiliates the credit they deserve is

also very important. Each month, you should give

credit to the best performers in your affiliate

newsletter. Give small bonuses to those that

perform well, and you can even set up a payment

structure that rewards higher commissions and bigger

volumes of sales.


Always make sure you do everything you can to

help your affiliates succeed and make money in

your program. If they are making money - you are

Chewing Gum Removal

Chewing Gum Removal

Chewing gum removal is a chore that is the stuff of nightmares.

Being a former teacher and a mother of four gum-chewing boys, I can certainly tell you that there is no easy way to remove gum from carpets, furniture or just about any other surface that you face.

This is especially true if the surface is porous.


You may be tempted to spend hours and hours looking for a home remedy chewing gum removal but I can tell you that there is no quick fix.

The only way I have ever effectively gotten rid of this kind of sticky mess without some professional grade product to help me along.

And I’ve tried it all. My kids got a bunch of the sticky candy intertwined within the fabric of my rug.

There was little I could do in this home chewing gum removal project short of cutting the stuff out and that wouldn’t be good for anyone.

My options were pretty vast, too.

The first thing I tried was ice cubes. Sure, this worked for the surface stuff that really didn’t dig into the fabric of the rug.

But when I got down to the nitty-gritty, I was at a loss.

Nothing worked for the really tough sticky stuff caught up in the fibers of my beautiful rug.

I thought that I was going to have to get the scissors out.

There was just no other way to handle this chewing gum removal task. I started to lament at my loss and began looking at throw rugs to cover the awful, sticky mess that has set up camp in my poor, poor rug.

The whole thing was pretty depressing.

Good thing I kept the scissors at bay and decided to check out my options online.

I came across a product that is specially designed for chewing gum removal. I almost wept at the sight of it.

Actually, I did get a little teary. My tears were mixed with relief and a fear of disappointment.

Well, I most certainly wasn’t disappointed in the chewing gum removal product.

My rug looks as good as new and you can’t tell that anything had even happened at all.

Now I am on my way to my former school to share the good news with the administration.

I’m sure that they will be pleased to discover that there is a commercial grade chewing gum removal product that can take the place of the traditional methods.