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Refined carbohydrates are the enemy, and insulin is the assault force. The consumption of refined carbohydrates increases blood sugar. The body responds to this by producing insulin, a hormone secreted by the pancreas that keeps blood sugar (glucose) under control. I won't go into all the problems associated with high glucose levels here, but the list is long and serious. As for insulin, it has many functions in the body. However, two additional functions, which every first-year medical student learns about in biochemistry class, seem to be forgotten by the people who made the food pyramid: Insulin inhibits lipolysis. In layman's terms, insulin is the body's hormone that prevents fat from being mobilized for energy. If your insulin level is high, you don't use stored fat.

The other function of insulin is that it turns on the chemical pathway in the liver that produces cholesterol. Did you know that approximately 80% of the cholesterol in your bloodstream is there because the liver has produced it and secreted it into your blood? This is why the importance of dietary cholesterol has been overstated -- most of it is coming from the liver. So when a high insulin level turns this enzyme pathway on, you make more cholesterol, and it shows up in your blood. And it should be no surprise that this new cholesterol is the "bad" cholesterol, LDL. On the other hand, if your carbohydrate consumption is low, and you keep your insulin level low, your cholesterol level will (for the most part in most people), be within acceptable levels. The lower level of insulin is also associated with a rise in the "good" cholesterol, HDL.

So, if you consume a diet that is low in carbohydrates, your insulin level will stay on the low side. This will allow your body to mobilize stored fat, and will turn off the enzyme that causes the formation of cholesterol. There are a host of other metabolic abnormalities that low insulin levels may prevent, and this can help people maintain their good health. If your insulin levels are too high, you may be prone to Syndrome X. This is associated with high blood pressure, diabetes and other problems. So clearly, it is better to have a low insulin level. This alone makes a strong argument for the low carb diet.

Please note that I have specified refined carbohydrates above. Not all carbohydrates are bad, and part of our mission is to help you decide which carbs are good and which are bad. During the Rapid Reduction phase of the diet, you will avoid almost all carbs in order to jump-start your weight loss. Then, as you progress through the different phases, you will add good carbs back to your diet.

Water is your friend. Staying well-hydrated keeps your body's metabolic machinery running smoothly. I recommend 8 to 10 glasses (8 ounces each) of filtered water per day. Drinking water when you are hungry may also help curb some "hunger" pangs, which is really your body calling for hydration. A word about bottled water. Be careful -- some of it is just tap water in plastic. Make sure that the water has been either filtered, or processed by reverse osmosis. Aquafina, Dasani, and Sam's Club are all processed by reverse osmosis. Even if water is from a spring, it needs to be filtered to remove impurities. If you are going to drink tap water, make sure it goes through a filter from a reputable company, such as the Flowmatic filters available at Vitacost.com (www.vitacost.com.)

Frequent meals keep your metabolism revved up. Eating every 2 to 3 hours keeps the metabolic machinery in your body active, which can promote greater weight reduction by burning more calories. Consuming low carbohydrate snacks in small quantities at regular intervals would be the key to this concept. Good examples would be an egg, a stick of mozzarella cheese, or a small portion of nuts. Vegetables and low-glycemic fruits would also be beneficial and healthy, and are an important part of a maintenance program.

Not all fat is bad. Believe it or not, there are some forms of fat that are good for you, in moderation. Types of good fats include olive oil, polyunsaturated vegetable oils, fish oil, and the fat found in nuts and seeds. These can be consumed regularly and have many health benefits. Fat does have the highest caloric content of any food, so if you eat too much good fat, you will gain weight. But the careful use of good fats can add variety and flavor to your diet, while providing some healthful benefits. One great example is the use of fish oil. Recent studies have shown that consuming one gram of fish oil supplement twice per day can decrease the risk of recurrent heart attack and arrhythmia in those people who have had a heart attack. And the health benefits are not just for those with coronary disease. They may have preventive benefits as well. Some evidence indicates that consuming good quality fats may deter the progression of Alzheimer's disease.

Saturated fats are not as good for you as mono- or polyunsaturated fats, but even these are acceptable to have in moderation. A small amount of butter or regular cheese is fine periodically, but better choices would be olive oil and low-fat cheese. The worst fats are hydrogenated fats. These are found in many processed foods, including margarine and regular peanut butter. One of the worst parts about hydrogenated fats is the presence of trans fatty acids. These can work their way into your cell membranes (the outer part of the cell), and damage and weaken the cell membrane. Natural peanut butter does not contain hydrogenated oils, is healthier for you, and tastes a lot better.

Exercise is good for the body and soul. Many of the people who respond to advertisements for miracle weight loss supplements are seduced by the claims of weight reduction without exercise. When you see an ad like that, you should disregard the product immediately. That company is not promoting a healthy, long-term weight management strategy. Exercise is an important way to increase your metabolic rate, improve the status of your cardiovascular system, and improve your mental outlook. Exercise should consist of aerobic activity 3 to 4 times per week, and resistance training at least once per week, although 2 to 3 times per week would be better. Aerobic activity improves your cardiovascular conditioning, while resistance training adds muscle. But don't worry -- you don't have to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger to gain benefits. For every pound of muscle you add, you will burn an extra fifty calories per day. So, ten pounds of muscle allows you to burn an extra 500 calories of fat each and every day. This really adds up after a while!

Supplements are your staunchest allies. More basic biochemistry: your body needs certain nutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, to process your food. The most important may be chromium, which is a key mineral in helping to stabilize blood sugar. While too much chromium can be detrimental, having enough is equally critical to help optimize your metabolism. You also need the right amount of B vitamins to promote optimal metabolism. Equally important is consuming the right antioxidants to decrease the oxidative stress caused by the production of free radicals. If you look at the scientific evidence, there is overwhelming support for the use of antioxidants to help prevent certain diseases, such as cardiovascular disease and stroke. Also, some nutrients, such as selenium, have been shown to decrease the risk of certain forms of cancer. An excellent choice for those on a low carbohydrate diet is the Walker Diet Low Carb Multi. This daily multivitamin is designed to work with a low carb diet and supply your daily vitamin and antioxidant needs. A more comprehensive supplement regimen would be found in Synergy Ultra, from NSI. It even contains glucosamine and chondroitin, for those of you with arthritis.

Another important supplement is essential fatty acids. These are critically important to the body for the nervous system, and to promote the health of other cells in the body. The Walker Diet EFA Formulation supplies you with all of your daily needs for essential fatty acids.

There is also a very unique fatty acid that has been shown to promote weight reduction and the retention of lean muscle mass. Several studies, including those done in patients with diabetes, have shown that people taking one gram of Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) with each meal had decreases in the amount of body fat, and retention of lean muscle when placed on a calorie-restricted diet. CLA has also been investigated for its anti-cancer properties. Walker Diet Tonalin XS-CLA contains the highest potency CLA available.

Boosting your metabolism. By now you must have heard of the dangers of Ephedrine. It has been implicated in the deaths of several athletes, and there have been hundreds of reports of adverse cardiac events associated with this supplement. For some people who use it carefully, it may help promote weight reduction, but the risks are too great to advocate its use. If you want a metabolic boost and are trying to cut down on carbohydrate consumption, then Walker Diet Enhance Supplement is for you. It contains the gentle and safe metabolic booster Green Tea, which is also a wonderful antioxidant. It also contains glucomannan, a special form of fiber that swells when water is added. This can give you a full feeling and help you decrease your calorie consumption. Enhance also contains Phase Two starch blocker, to help minimize the absorption of any ingested carbohydrates. You can also use green tea extract by itself.

That's enough of the biochemistry lesson. These principles are important for you to understand so you can appreciate how to make appropriate food choices on the Walker Diet.

I am a firm believer in keeping things simple. The fewer the number of moving parts, the less likely the machine is to break down. Therefore, I have tried to construct a program that is very simple, to ensure the highest degree of compliance. If you have to weigh portions, count calories, or prepare a lot of food in advance, there is a high likelihood of failure. I have incorporated things that I do every day for people on the go, to keep it simple and make it easy.

Next, I'll show you how to cut back the carbs and start your weight loss.