Weight Loss and Diet Resources for Losing Weight

How To Quickly Boost Metabolism

2008-05-29T13:09:00.001-07:00

Written By Avy Barnes

In this article, I'm going to talk about how you can quickly boost your metabolism so that you can burn fat and lose weight more efficiently and effectively.

The #1 cause to obesity and weight gain is due to a low metabolic rate. Your BMR (basal metabolic rate) is the rate your body will burn calories to function normal. If your BMR is too low, over time your metabolism will burn less calories and then store fat.

Your body needs a certain amount of calories daily in order to function properly. If it does not get that certain amount of calories, this will slow down your metabolism. This is why it is so important that you understand that in order to lose weight, you must eat a correct amount of calories daily based on your body weight. Obviously make sure the calories are coming from healthy foods such as fiber, protein, fruits & veggies, complex carbs, healthy fats, etc.

If you are not getting a sufficient amount of calories daily, your body will make you pay! How? By storing calories in order to protect you....which will then turn to fat. This explains how you could end up re-gaining weight you may have lost, gain even more weight, or don't lose weight at all. You must provide your body with plenty of fuel (food + water) daily in order to function properly, and ignite your fat burning furnace (your metabolism).

Okay. So, you are saying that I should eat the amount of calories my body weight needs? Yes. But, I thought that you should reduce the amount of calories you eat in a day in order to lose weight? No! As I've stated above you must consume the amount of calories you need based on your body weight so that you can keep your metabolism running properly. The way you lose weight is by taking in healthy calories and burning off calories through weight training and cardio exercises....not by eating less.

Always remember that to lose weight and get in great shape, it is not some 40 day diet, it is a lifetime commitment (a lifestyle). You can go on a diet to drop the pounds, but, afterward what are you going to do...eat bad again...not exercise anymore? You have to continue to keep your body healthy. Your body loves you and you should love it back by giving it what it needs.

One last tip. Never skip meals! Especially breakfast. This is a surefire way to slow down your metabolism. You must eat at least 6 small meals through out the day to keep your metabolism running. It's like each small meal is an oil change. If you don't change the oil in your engine....well, you know the outcome!

I wish you the best of success in getting yourself in better health! Good Luck!
Are you you ready to successfully burn fat & build lean muscle?

I recommend for you to take a look at this powerful fat burning program. This program is straight to the point and is not your typical "low calorie", "no carb", "don't eat anything all day" type of diet.

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Holistic Weight Control Course
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7 Strange But Real Weight Loss Facts That Can Affect Your Health

2008-05-20T05:11:00.000-07:00

Written By Marian Kay

Faced with the challenge of having to lose some weight, people will immediately think in the lines of "I must avoid chocolates at all cost" and "I must spend many hours in the gym to burn those extra calories."

But, are these beliefs correct? Will they help you lose weight?

Will you believe me when I tell you that sweet delights are actually good for you?

Will you believe me when I tell you that working out can actually be bad for your health?

When it comes to losing weight, there are many myths that have evolved, and most of them have taken the semblance of fact. But they're not. These myths can actually kill you if left unchecked.

Here is a list of 7 very strange but very real facts that have significant effects on your health.

1. Eliminating sugar from your system is bad. Chocolate treats from time to time is actually a healthy option. Our body is programmed to rely on sugar for energy. Completely disposing of sugar will go against how your body is programmed to operate. Consider this: even diabetics acquire their restricted amount of sugar from somewhere. Why should you completely deprive yourself of such?

2. More than 90 minutes of intensive workouts is known to reduce the efficiency of your immune system. This will allow harmful agents to penetrate and destroy your body. Aside from this, over-exercising can lead to decreased stamina as well as cause a variety of physical injuries like muscle tears and joint issues. Even world-class athletes make it a point to get a much-needed break during training. Don't allow your desire to lose weight get the better of you. Everything should be done in moderation - workouts included.

3. A bad relationship can cause weight gain. Bad relationships provide stress, and stress can mess up our digestive processes. We'll have a slower time burning those extra calories, leading to fat buildup. Solution? Dump that jerk of a boyfriend ASAP!

4. A stagnant relationship can cause weight gain. Too comfy with your partner? That can be bad. Studies show that women who are so much secure with the love of their partner tend to gain weight as well. It's the diminished inspiration, the decreased passion to look good for the one you love, that may lead to overeating, less time for exercise, and ultimately, slower metabolism.

5. Hate can cause weight gain. Haven't truly forgiven someone? Still hung up on that relationship gone awry? Holding a grudge will most definitely cause stress, and this may lead to problems for your health, including weight gain. In a study published by the journal Psychological Science, it was revealed that hatred towards a person or a certain situation causes a surge in blood pressure as well as increased heart rate, all of which are symptoms of stress. These can lead to decreased performance for the immune system and chaos for our digestive processes. Our metabolism will slow down, and we'll retain more calories.

6. Some weight loss supplements will shorten your life. Some of these pills, even if they claim that they're made from herbs and other natural ingredients, can actually do more harm than good. The best way to get your much needed nutrients is to acquire them from natural sources: fruits, vegetables and the likes; instead of getting them from a bottle.

7. Loneliness can cause weight gain. The feeling of isolation causes a feeling of detachment, compromising the social aspect of one's being. Much of the motivation for weight loss is social in nature. One wants to look good in the eyes of another. One wants to gain the attention of other people. One wants to be sexier than the other. These are social reasons that will become absent if one is isolated from society.

Marian Kay is a fitness and lifestyle expert with almost a decade of experience in helping people lose weight and live healthier lives. He has developed a revolutionary system that will help people enjoy better health and a longer life.

This system is also guaranteed to help people lose significant weight through simple steps that can be accomplished everyday. Visit his website at Live Better Life for more information on Marian Kay and his proven weight loss methods.

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Holistic Weight Control Course

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Foods That Burn Fat

2008-05-20T04:57:00.000-07:00

Written By Rob Stephens

Eating foods that burn fat sounds almost too good to be true. While you'll still need to exercise, you'll find that you can lose weight much faster simply by adding some foods that burn fat to your diet.

Many of these foods are fruit. Citrus fruits are some of the most powerful fat burners that exist because the vitamin C actually dilutes fat. Eat a grapefruit, orange, tangerine, or mandarin early in the day to increase your metabolism. If you feel hungry even after you eat, a grapefruit can do more for you than just increase your metabolism. It's also been shown to curb your hunger by lowering the body's insulin levels.

Hot peppers like jalapenos are also good to eat when you are trying to burn fat. Like citrus fruits, these spicy foods actually boost your metabolism. Hot peppers can also make you feel full sooner, so use when cooking if you are trying to reduce your caloric intake.

Some foods that can help you lose weight aren't actually fat burning. One example of that is foods that are high in fiber. Fiber can help you lose weight in a few different ways. The first one is that it makes you feel fuller, which can help you eat less and reduce the number of calories that you consume. Fiber takes longer to digest than other foods. Because your body is working hard on digestion, your resting metabolism actually increases.

There are many foods that are high in fiber. Most vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains and nuts contain a high amount of fiber. Animal products, like meat and dairy, are not good sources of fiber. If you want more fiber in your diet, consider eating more raspberries, pears, avocados, carrots, peas, sweet potatoes, brown rice, bran cereal, black beans, lentils, and walnuts.
Don't assume that only foods that are low in fat can help you lose weight. Consider the avocado. Not only is it high in fiber, it contains more than 25 essential nutrients. An avocado might not burn fat, but it is unlikely to cause it.

Foods that burn fat can help you reach your weight loss goals sooner. They do not, however, take the place of exercise. In order to lose weight you need to combine a healthy diet with a regular exercise plan. By exercising a few times a week and replacing junk food with some of the foods listed above, you'll find the weight melting off.

Rob Stephens is the editor of http://www.muscle-facts.com/ a site dedicated to providing visitors with articles and tips on how to Burn fat and build muscle. Muscle-Facts.com focuses on topics such as how to develop 6 pack abs, build bigger biceps and burn body fat while building muscle. You can also download a free report on how to build muscle.

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Holistic Weight Loss - Safe and Permanent Weight Control

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Speed Up Your Metabolism To Lose Extra Weight

2008-05-17T20:16:00.000-07:00

Written By Jennifer Jolan

Here's how to speed up your metabolism to lose extra weight. Speeding up your metabolism is one of the simplest ways to accelerate your weight loss. There'll be nothing hard with what I'm about to say. Just do what it mentions and you'll speed up your metabolism to lose extra weight faster.

1. Jump on a mini-trampoline during tv commercials

Listen, jumping on a mini-trampoline by itself is good for weight loss, but by breaking it up into 2 minute mini-workouts, you speed up your metabolism big time. Each time you do it, you are teaching your metabolism to work at a faster pace. Do it often enough and the accelerated pace becomes the normal pace of your metabolism.

Not only that, you get the side benefit of saving a ton of time. You save driving time to and from the gym. You save time from blocking out a whole workout at once. And you are allowed to watch tv.

Pretty good deal, huh?

2. Walking on an inclined treadmill

You can walk on a 10-15 degree inclined treadmill or find a hill, it doesn't matter. But walking on an incliine is incredible for weight loss and speeding up the metabolism due to the huge oxygen deficit it creates.

Because of the oxygen deficit, your body is forced into burning fat for immediate energy needs.

3. Drink cold water

Drinking cold water has been proven to boost your metabolism temporarily anywhere from 8-30%. That's huge! I hate the boring type of "drink more water" advice as much as you, but it does work. So do it.

Anyway, those are a few ways to speed up your metabolism to lose extra weight faster.

If you're sick and tired of getting the same old boring and tired weight loss advice on how to lose weight and speed up your metabolism... you know, like "Eat more fruits and vegetables, drink 8 glasses of water, exercise more, and blah blah blah"... then you found the right person. I'll make weight loss easy and enjoyable for you... AND NOT BORING!

First, click http://www.weightlossguide4women.com/ to get your free 19-page report "How Spinning Around in a Circle Like a 4-year old Child will Skyrocket your Weight Loss Success". This will give you a jumpstart on how to lose 10 pounds of weight fast. This exercise also speeds up your metabolism big time.

Second... after you get the free report, you'll be sent inside my website for even more unique and little known weight loss tips, tricks, techniques, and tactics. These unconventional tricks are a "shortcut" way on how to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks... no mention of eating carrots or celery. I promise.

Third, with my advice, you won't starve, have to go to the gym ever, or basically do anything that is a hassle for your busy life. Listen, I understand you want to lose weight and speed up your metabolism to lose some extra weight without changing much in your diet or exercise plans... I get it. I have this completely covered. I've worked with over 3,700 clients. I know a 1 size fits all plan doesn't work. So I've come up with lots of "tricks" to personalize weight loss specifically for you and your lifestyle.

Fourth... there is no fourth. Just enjoy the free report and my website. If you don't lose 10 pounds with just my free information... I'd be amazingly surprised!
http://www.weightlossguide4women.com/

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Holistic Weight Loss - Safe and Permanent Weight Control
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How To Lose Inches Off Your Waist Fast

2008-05-16T19:31:00.000-07:00

Written By Jennifer Jolan

Here's how to lose inches off your waist fast. In fact, you can lose 3 inches off your waist in about 1 month. Interested in finding out how? I'm sure you are. Don't worry, it has nothing to do with dieting or doing a lot of stupid exercises. It's just 1 simple thing you need to do everyday.

The best exercise you can do to lose inches off your waist is called the vacuum pose.
This is what it is... you suck in your belly button as much as possible. Now, be careful not to be make the mistake of sucking in your upper belly area. You want to suck in the lower belly around your belly button.

Now suck that in as much as possible and hold that position for between 15-60 seconds. The longer the better. Rest then repeat this. Do this for a total of 5 minutes a day.

My clients who do this 5 minutes a day average 1.75 inches lost from their waists. Now, if you are more dedicated, do the vacuum pose for 15-20 minutes each day and you will lose nearly 3 inches from your waist.

Here's how you can do it for 20 minutes without feeling like you did it for 20 minutes.
You do them during tv commercials. The average 1 hour tv show has about 22 minutes of tv commercials. Now, simply do this exercise for 2 minutes during each commercial that comes on during that tv show. Wasted time all of a sudden becomes productive time.

How to lose inches off your waist isn't hard if you follow this 1 simple exercise as outline above.
If you're sick and tired of getting the same old boring and tired weight loss advice on how to lose inches off your waist... you know, like "Eat more fruits and vegetables, drink 8 glasses of water, exercise more, and blah blah blah"... then you found the right person. I'll make weight loss easy and enjoyable for you... AND NOT BORING!

First, click http://www.weightlossguide4women.com/ to get your free 19-page report "How Spinning Around in a Circle Like a 4-year old Child will Skyrocket your Weight Loss Success". This will give you a jumpstart on how to lose 10 pounds fast. Combined with the vacuum pose mentioned above, you'll lose a lot of weight and lots of inches off your waist.

Second... after you get the free report, you'll be sent inside my website for even more unique and little known weight loss tips, tricks, techniques, and tactics. These unconventional tricks are a "shortcut" way on how to lose 10 pounds in 2 weeks... no mention of eating carrots or celery. I promise.

Third, with my advice, you won't starve, have to go to the gym ever, or basically do anything that is a hassle for your busy life. Listen, I understand you want to lose inches off your waist without changing much in your diet or exercise plans... I get it. I have this completely covered. I've worked with over 3,700 clients. I know a 1 size fits all plan doesn't work. So I've come up with lots of "tricks" to personalize weight loss specifically for you and your lifestyle.

Fourth... there is no fourth. Just enjoy the free report and my website. If you don't lose 10 pounds with just my free information... I'd be amazingly surprised!

http://www.weightlossguide4women.com/

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Holistic Weight Loss - Safe and Permanent Weight Control
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Things You Should Avoid In Your Weight Loss Program

2008-05-14T05:24:00.000-07:00

Written By Charli Jhonson

Very often we are aware of the reasons and practices that lead to gain in weight. Sometimes we plan to change them but find it difficult to execute our plans. In most of the cases, an attempt is made in right earnest but does not last long. Many excuses come handy. We may find that obligations of our jobs are more important than making any changes in our routine or style. Or, this is not a proper time because you are on the verge of an important breakthrough for which you were trying since a long.

You should avoid making excuses. Every day of our life seems as important as any. Though opportunities don't come daily but we are always on the look out for them. We forget that the most important asset we have is our health. Why don't we that our decision to keep ourselves in good health is also an opportunity? We should strive to make most of it.

Front-loading is risky

Striving to make most of it should not mean front-loading. That will be very risky physically and emotionally. We did not gain extra pounds in our body very rapidly. It took many years. To loose them should also be a slow process. Of course not too slow to take many years, but we should plan for a period of some months. Crash programs of sort durations may have some side-effects.

Generally many small servings a day is better than having two or more sumptuous meals. But this should not mean that we can have as many servings as we like. Their number should be limited and there must be a gap of three to four hours between the two. Skipping your lunch and having snacks many time doesn't make any sense.

Too much sugar

Every time snacks should not accompany with some cola or tea, etc. Consider the amount of sugar you consume with them and the total count in a day. Multiply by thirty and then by twelve. Now see, that is how much extra carbohydrates you have consumed in a year. Translate them in calories and than fat. This too has contributed to your extra kilos.

Eating is compulsory to make you going. If you really want to achieve quick weight loss, you eat less than the calories you burn. You can not remain hungry without affecting your agility and performance. So eating very scarcely is not the right answer. The right answer would be to burn more calories.

Burning more calories is better than consuming less calories. Find out the ways to burn them as much as you can. Do sit-ups and run. Go for work-out or weight-lifting or swimming. Burning calories for three hours three times a week is not as good as one hour a day. Take care of your weight loss program and it will take care of your weight.

The author is an expert writer and healthcare professional. You can find great facts, figures and solutions on various health issues like AIDS, men's health issues, erectile dysfunction, women's health issues, mesothelioma, skin care and beauty, depression and stress disorder etc. at his information and solutions rich blog http://www.health-niche.com/

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Holistic Weight Loss - Safe and Permanent Weight Control

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Get Rid Of Stomach Fat - A Method You Don't Want To Miss

2008-05-13T03:54:00.000-07:00

Written By Max Segal

Can't get rid of stomach fat? Tried everything out there and still can't do it? Before jumping into another "perfect diet for me" adventure to kick your overweighted body into shape, let's see what are the most common misunderstandings about getting rid of stomach fat with diets.

#1. The best method to lose stomach fat is to go on diet.

The truth is that diets won't burn your stomach fat. You may start to lose weight, even on the short-term, but the fat accumulated will take much longer time, if at all, to disappear. Eating less calories, low-fat foods and counting the amount of protein ingested has nothing to do with losing that fat around your stomach.

#2. Crash diets and fasting will get rid of stomach fat.

This is another fallacy that people fail for. As a quick fix before your birthday party to lose a few pounds it might work, but on the long term will confuse your already sluggish metabolism. And once finishing the diet you might gain back all the weight you lost or even more. Crash diet or fasting will also lean muscle and tissue.

#3. Exercises and workouts will help removing the stomach fat.

This method to get rid of stomach fat might actually work. But you will have to exercise vigorously on a daily basis, long term program. Not everybody has the time, the power or the psychological determination to stick with such a program. And specially when the stomach fat is not really...fat!

A proven revolutionary method to get rid of stomach fat is to address the underlying cause of this problem. You will be amazed to find out what is really behind the so called "belly fat" and why no diet or exercise program will really work. The real cause that most of the doctors and nutritionist are ignorant off, or prefer not to tell you about.

You will discover a mind blowing fact about losing weight and removing the fat from your body. Is not news, as there are tons of researches to prove it, is just one of the mainly causes of stomach fat and highly ignored in the same time. But being aware for the first time about the reasons behind your problem, you can confidently choose the right method to remove it.

So if you really want to get rid of belly fat i suggest you consider the facts first. Understand why are you confronting this problem and what is the logical solution to it. Stop using the wrong tools and then kicking yourself with frustration. The answer is easier than you think, and is not starving yourself to death.

A great method to get rid of stomach fat is right here

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Holistic Weight Loss - Safe and Permanent Weight Control
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Weight Loss Book Special

2008-05-11T17:20:00.000-07:00

by Clyde Granger

This might well be the most sensible Diet Plan you will ever read.

Why?

There are so many diets to choose from. We have all heard of The Mediterranean Diet, The Atkins Diet, South Beach Diet, Zone Diet, Cabbage Soup Diet, and the Negative Calorie Diet!

What makes this downloadable Book so special? I will be honest; this e-Book is a common sense diet overview, and it is packed with over 170 tips for weight reduction.

In truth, this 69 page diet e-book is structured like two downloadable books in one, and it contains dietary and behavioral information, which you can use for life. This is not a fad diet.

This is not a miracle diet book, and I cannot make unrealistic claims, but it is a book, from which you can learn to develop positive dieting habits. All you have to do is apply the information inside and make it a habit.

You can choose which negative dieting habits you wish to quit - while you institute positive dieting habits for a healthier and happier life.

Positive dieting habits take three to six weeks to institute. You don't have to make all of the changes at once.

Here is an example of what you will discover in "The Truth about Diet Sense" tips section.

Use lemon juice or low sodium soy sauce for flavor.

Don't skip meals. When you do, you eat more at your next meal and usually eat the wrong foods.

Read labels - check fat, sugar and carb content.

Stop buying on impulse. Never shop for groceries without a list.
Avoid shopping when you are hungry - eat first!
Shop for groceries once a week and only buy from your prepared list.

Head directly to the fruit and vegetable aisles when you enter the grocery store. Fill up your basket in these aisles and you'll be less likely to buy binge food.

There are over 165 more weight loss tips to go, and each of them can save a few calories along the way.

Once you understand the principles of diet, behavior, and action - you can begin to put the proper dieting behavior in motion.

When you do, we've got more tips for you - Great stuff like:

A great substitute for butter or margarine
How to remove the fat from cheese
What you can do with water to suppress your appetite
How to eat fast food and still lose weight
The truth about reduced fat claims
How to order when eating out
How to spice up and burn calories
Why a veggie sandwich may not be the best choice

The Truth about Diet Sense is a 69 page PDF format (e-Book).

Now, you can arm yourself with the knowledge to control your weight, take action, and form positive habits.

Order your copy of "The Truth about Diet Sense" for only $10 today, and lose your first two pounds in the next seven days!

Let me order the e-Book Now!

As a Special Offer, I'll manually send you another e-Book loaded with tips to help you to spark your metabolism.

In this 51 page bonus report, you will discover:

How metabolism really works and how it affects your body.

The different types and components of metabolism.

The amazing formula to speed up your metabolism.

Vital factors that affect your metabolism.

5 major reasons why you should fire up your metabolism.

The role of your mindset in achieving a faster metabolism.

Simple yet effective exercises to ignite your metabolism.

How to undergo strength and resistance training.

Weightlifting and its effects in improving your metabolism.

5 weightlifting exercises that you can perform for a faster metabolism.

Metabolism-boosting strength exercises, without using weights!

12 muscle areas that you should focus on exercising to improve your metabolism.

What interval training is and how it affects your metabolism.

A 7-day step-by-step program of speeding up metabolism through proper exercise.

Three important concepts you have to consider when planning an exercise program.

The key benefits of eating right.

Nutrients needed by your body to speed up the burning of fats.

Foods that you have to avoid like a plague if you want to boost your metabolism.

Recommended foods to ignite your metabolism.

Why you should carefully schedule your meals.

Sample meal plans that promote better metabolism.

Food myths that you should watch out for.

The direct link between stress and metabolism.

Effective ways to rid your body of stress.

Long-term strategies for de-stressing.

The importance of sleep in having a scorching metabolism.

And a whole lot more!

Use Bonus Code: IYM-EB Bonus

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If You Can't Lose Weight Your Diet Plan May Be The Problem

2008-05-09T09:30:00.000-07:00

Written By Keith Quackenbush

I have been on this weight loss kick for sometime now. I have tried the Atkin's Diet, Weight Watchers, L.A. Weight Loss, Slim Fast and a host of others I do not bother to mention.

I have purchased a tread mill, a bicycle and a few other toys that are scattered somewhere about the house at destination unknown. I have only recently been able to maintain sustained weight loss progress and this was only possible after I discovered the phrase on every single product or plan I purchased.

"RESULTS NOT TYPICAL"
After spending more money than I care to mention on failed gizmos and gadgets and plans I read a phrase that changed my life. When I read the phrase "results not typical" it was like the sun came out and the birds started chirping. I frantically began to flip through all of the internet ads looking for the disclaimer that "results (were) not typical".

It was tucked away neatly on advertisement after advertisement. It was then that I realized that my attempt to lose weight was not a failure because of me, it was because of my "diet" that I was attempting. It was at that moment that I realized that I am not a failure I am just the victim of advertising. I realized that the only thing everyone ever wanted to do for me was to take my money. It was at that time that I decided to revamp through research what it takes to lose weight. I then went on my quest that took a much briefer period of time than I had spent trying all of the weight loss products in the known world.

The Quest

I then started to visit website after website and I discovered that there are basically two types of websites when discussing weight loss. The first type is one that is pushing a particular product or a pill. Those sites I have found can be generally discarded and left behind because the website owner has one agenda and that is to make money through a particular product or a particular group of products.

The second type of site is one that is also trying to make money but provides honest answers to questions people have about weight loss. Sure, these sites are trying to turn a profit but they are giving valid information about products and provide truthful, needed information for people desperately seeking knowledge. These sites are the gems and you should bookmark them because they have your interest in mind as well and are not solely concerned with making a profit.

So, they next time you get discouraged about your failed weight loss attempt look for the disclaimer. That disclaimer states that if you should ACTUALLY lose weight on their diet then you are the exception. If you fail to lose weight on their diet plan then you are typical. What this tells me is that if you go on a "diet" plan losing weight is really not what is expected of the plan. If you were expected to lose weight then the results would BE typical. But since results are NOT typical then those who created the diet plan really expect you to fail.

My suggestion is to just give up the diet plans, change your habits to be healthier and more active and you will lose the weight. Skip the diet and start a live-it because it works much better. Stop trying to take a pill to lose the weight and think there will be no effort to shed pounds.

Weight loss is about eating less calories than you burn off during your day. Sure people can over complicate the issue but no matter what else you want to throw into the weight loss pot, it is all about calories in and calories out combined with motivation, and being able to sustain that motivation for the rest of your life. This statement shocks many because it is not what they are used to hearing.

The fact of the matter is that if you want to lose weight you need to come up with a plan that you can live on for the rest of your life. If you set your plan on no carbohydrates chances are you will fail because one day you will want to eat carbs.

What is suggested here is that you decide to change you entire approach to weight loss because you need to combine calories with activity so you can enjoy life and be able to not only lose the weight but be able to keep that weight off from today until the end of your own personal forever.
http://www.ichoosethin.com/

Keith Quackenbush is a graduate of St. John's University and a former U.S. Marine Corps officer. He and his wife (Sue) have been seeking knowledge on weightloss and have realized there is no magic pill to lose weight. http://www.ichoosethin.com/ is the destination achieved from the inadequate weight loss websites that really did not help others lose weight. Let the weightloss journey begin.

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Holistic Weight Loss - Safe and Permanent Weight Control

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Colon Cleanse and Weight Loss - The Key To Losing Weight Fast

2007-12-11T00:43:00.000-08:00

By Emily Belllows

If you want to lose weight you may tempted to grab a fad type diet or the latest diet pill. As a weight loss health coach I don't recommend that.

If you want a real method that will give you successful weight loss and a body you are thrilled to live in, then listen up.

Being skinny cannot be your only goal.

Now there is nothing wrong with getting slim - I know because I used to be clinically obese and thanks to following my program the fat uncomfortable unhealthy me is a distant memory.

What you want it is to be at a healthy weight that is slim and comfortable for you.
So what I am saying is don't do fad stuff that can hurt your health.

Let me share with you the first step for all the students I coach to successful weight loss. My students love the results with this step and you will too!

The first thing you want to do is when you begin your weight loss is to re-establish your good health and clean up your digestive system.

When you have an efficient digestive system, your body weight will much more quickly and easily reach its most healthy and natural range.

To restore your digestive system to optimum health and achieve the resulting weight loss you are striving for - I recommend beginning with a safe natural colon cleansing.

A thorough colon cleanse can remove from five to fifteen pounds on average of impacted waste in your colon. This waste jammed up in your colon has been constricting your body's ability to get the nutrition from the food you consume.

And if you have been eating junk foods for a long time your colon is really in a state of disarray and needs the assistance of a natural colon cleanse to get on a healthy track again.

My students love the effects of the weight loss colon cleansing - it gets them off to a super weight loss start so they stay motivated to continue.

Click below for information on my recommended weight loss colon cleanse and get coaching tips to help you lose the weight that is holding you back.

Click to learn more about colon cleansing and rapid weight loss.

Colon Cleanse Natural Oxygen
Colon Cleanse Weight Loss Coaching
http://www.OxyPowderReviews.com

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Holistic Weight Loss Can Help You at the Scale

The Truth About Quick Weight Loss

2007-11-14T16:22:00.000-08:00

By Deirdre Jones

With extended work days and working hours becoming more the norm than the exception, the fast food industry is doing booming business. While this is great for restaurant owners and investors alike, it is not very friendly to the waistlines of thousands of overweight and obese adults.

Though fast food is one of the top culprits, unhealthy eating habits, in general, are the source of this obesity epidemic. Saturated fats and refined sugars lead to bulging waist lines, a problem which leaves hose affected searching for the quickest ways to obtain their weight loss and fat reduction goals.

Other factors that pay a part in weight gain include genetics and slowing metabolisms, especially as you age. As you get older, your metabolism tends to slow down, making it even more difficult to keep the pounds from creeping on. This, combined with poor eating habits and lack of exercise, is of great concern if you are trying to combat obesity.

One of the first things that many people who have to lose is to search for a method of quick weight loss. And knowing this, literally thousands of weight loss products are on the market, with more being introduced on a daily basis. The business of weight loss is a multi-billion dollar a year business.

However, the simple truth about quick weight loss is that it does not really exist. If you are trying to lose weight quickly, realize that losing weight is a process that takes time and effort. Weight loss pills and diet gimmicks will only discourage and only lead you to giving up in the end. It is best to learn healthy eating habits and incorporate regular exercise into your lifestyle.

How much weight you lose and fat you burn is dependent upon numerous factors. Some of these factors include your health, weight, daily calorie intake, age, gender, stress level, and lifestyle. And despite all the hoopla surrounding quick weight loss, it is best to think of losing weight as a gradual process. Those who lose weight successfully and keep it off long term are the ones who implement lifestyle changes - healthy eating and exercise. The sooner that you realize there is no quick fix for losing weight, the closer you will be to attaining your weight loss goals.

With all of that said, check with your doctor or dietitian to help you get started. Losing one and a half to two and a half pounds per week is very reasonable and a totally achievable goal. If you are thinking that is too slow, just think about it like this - that amounts to six to ten pounds a month and up to fifty two pounds a year, and all without making drastic changes or using dangerous diet drugs.

If you're looking for more fat loss and weight reduction tips, be sure to visit our Guide to Fat Loss blog at: http://guidetofatloss.blogspot.com

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How To Make Flavorful Dishes While Dieting

2007-05-25T14:13:00.000-07:00

By Alice Flowers

It is a known fact that weight loss plans are not easy to follow on a long term basis and everyone who has ever been on a diet knows that.

One of the main reasons, I think, is that meals can become boring. After all, how many times a week can you have broiled chicken and enjoy it? Soon the cravings take over, and people often go back to their old foods that made then overweight in the first place.

Most diets call for low fat meats or fish, plus low carbohydrate vegetables prepared in a low fat way. So that leaves you with steaming or broiling, both of which can get very boring.

Over the years I have developed some methods and combinations that can make the same old diet foods taste better.

The methods include using low fat-low calorie flavoring ingredients as well as what I call accent ingredients, usually low calorie aromatic foods that give a lot of flavor without adding calories.

Some of those ingredients include:
Flavoring agents:
Onion and garlic powdersHerbsTamari soy sauce (most flavorful)Chili powder or flakesMiso (Japanese soy bean paste)Bottled barbecue sauceBalsamic vinegarRice vinegarCumin
Low calorie “accent” ingredients:
Jalapeno peppersScallionsGarlicLemon or lime juice

Some of the ways I use these ingredients are as follows:
Dilute store bought barbecue sauce with water (my favorite is KC but any brand will do) at a 50/50 ratio. Add it to grilled chicken or turkey breasts. Diluting the sauce will cut the calories in half without sacrificing flavor.

Add onion powder, garlic powder and powdered spices to roasts such as turkey breast
Make a dipping sauce with soy sauce, lime juice, some red pepper flakes, some chopped scallions and a few drops of sesame oil. Sesame oil is very flavorful and a little goes a long way.

Marinate chicken tenders, chicken breasts or pork tenderloin in a citrus marinade made of lemon or lime juice, orange juice and some flavoring agents such as chopped up garlic and the herbs of your choice. You can then spray some oil on a non-stick pan and slowly cook the meat.

It will brown beautifully because of the sugars in the orange juice.
Flavor your fish (steamed or broiled) with fruit salsas.

Use a good quality balsamic vinegar (preferably from Italy) to add to steamed vegetables or to a tomato or avocado salad.

Dilute miso with a little rice vinegar and a fruit juice (orange, apple, etc, no sugar added) for a flavorful salad dressing.

Dieting doesn’t have to be boring if you use your imagination to make the meals more flavorful. Play around with the ingredients listed here and you will be surprised how well food can taste with very little effort.

Alice Flowers is a free lance writer and she calls herself a real "foodie".

She has written honest reviews on the most popular diet plans. Her website address:http://thedietplans.com/

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Healthy Weight Loss - Is It Important

2007-01-05T16:21:00.000-08:00

By Tom Turner

With all the hype of being thin nowadays, we often feel the need to lose weight. Most all television shows or movies use beautiful, thin people as the stars. Advertisements and talk shows are all promoting thin. For most people, the need to be thin is causing the need to lose quickly.

Healthy weight loss doesn't happen overnight. We live in such a now world. We don't have much patience for anything and that includes weight loss. Healthy weight loss can become a life style that will not only effect weight loss, but also teach us a lesson on patience. The old saying that good things come to those who wait, is a perfect example for those people dedicated to living a healthier life.

Losing weight is hard work and takes a lot of dedication. There are basically two ways to lose weight. You can lose weight quickly which will result in quicker rewards. This is usually short lived, and in most cases of quick weight loss, weight is usually gained back just as quickly. If you are only looking for a temporary fix this would be the way to go. The other option of weight loss is a healthy weight loss in which you lose at a much slower pace, but with long term effects. This would be less harmful to your body and would be longer acting. It could be the answer for most of us who just need to shed a few pounds and live a healthier life.

No matter who you are, if you are thinking of losing weight, you might consider going to the doctor for a complete physical. This will allow you to know of any limitations your body may have. Your doctor can help you in putting a plan together that could possibly give you long term goals that are achievable. Diet and exercise are the two key factors in losing weight and staying healthy. Your doctor can give you a diet and exercise plan that will promote healthy weight loss. He or she can also give you advice or tips on losing weight safely.

Drinking lots of water is important when trying to lose weight. Our bodies are made up of mostly water and that water needs to be replenished daily. Most of us don't drink even close to the amount of water our bodies require. When dieting, you will want to flush out toxins that are built up in your body, and the best way to do that is by drinking lots of water. Water will promote healthy weight loss and keep your body cleansed from the inside out. We keep our outside bodies clean, so why not on the inside as well.

Healthy weight loss will incorporate a good diet, good eating habits, daily exercise and lots of water.

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Weight Loss Myths: Green Tea is a Great Fat Burner

2006-12-20T04:53:00.000-08:00

By Craig Ballantyne

Weight Loss Myths

You know that I am dedicated to helping you use the best training programs, follow the best nutrition plan, and get your best results ever. I'm also dedicated to correcting common fitness myths in Men's Fitness magazine.

Fitness myths hurt your progress, because they tend to give you false hope and waste your time with ineffective and inefficient exercise and nutrition techniques.

Myth: Green Tea is a Miracle Fat Burner

This is a tough myth to discuss, because I truly believe that Green Tea should be at the top of everyone's beverage list. However, despite some research suggesting that Green Tea might help in weight loss, I don't agree with experts claim Green Tea boosts your metabolism enough to help you lose fat.

So here is my argument, as well as a take-home point at the end regarding de-caff Green Tea.
There are two reasons why Green Tea doesn't cause your body to burn large amounts of fat. First, the actual increase in your metabolism from Green Tea is very small, even if you take multiple doses of Green Tea each day.

And second, your body probably gets use to this. If you look at the research, you will find studies showing huge increases in metabolism with caffeine supplementation. However, when you look at the big picture, you quickly realize that no one is losing weight with caffeine supplementation.

And that is why I do not believe that Green Tea helps people lose weight. However, Green Tea can aid in fat loss by replacing other beverages that contain loads of calories and sugar.

The issue of Green Tea and metabolism is a moot point though, isn't it? I would never suggest dropping Green Tea simply because it might not boost your metabolism. There are far too many benefits of Green Tea to not drink it (you have had yours today, right?).
Now after all that, there is a lesson to be learned.

I was recently asked whether decaf Green Tea is just as effective as regular Green Tea. And the answer appears to be, ''not always''.

From what I have read, the common process of decaffeination uses a chemical that removes very important compounds in the Green Tea. These compounds cause not only the metabolism boosting properties of green tea, but also many of the health benefits of Green Tea.

If you choose decaf Green Tea (as I do), choose naturally decaffeinated green tea, not green tea that has been decaffeinated by ethyl acetate.
Drink up!

For now, I stick to organic Green Tea that can be found in regular grocery stores. As a person who doesn't drink a lot of caffeine (no coffee), I find that some days I can notice the caffeine in the Green Tea, but not to the point of jitters or uneasiness.

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com

Weight Loss Hypnosis Can Help You Kick Down the Scale

2006-11-30T05:10:00.000-08:00

Weight Loss Hypnosis Can Help You Kick Down the Scale

By Carl Walker

Weight loss is a topic that many are seeking more information on now than ever before. With medical reports on how being overweight can make your life shorter, along with the many mental images often seen from the inside as a result, it’s a matter of mind and body.

One thing that many people are now looking for is weight loss hypnosis as a possible solution to their growing concerns towards their weight.

Even when hypnosis came up a lot less as a viable solution, weight loss was already among the reasons people considered it. It was one of the strongest uses of hypnosis by both amateur and professionals alike. Today there is a much larger world of those wanting to improve the quality of their lives, and the awareness of it all to go with it.

There are many that will attest that weight loss hypnosis worked for them. They claim losses from a few pounds upwards to several hundred in some extreme cases. Some of the psychological practicing community will also confirm many of these results and have been known to refer patients for it as well.

Keep in mind when you are considering weight loss, there is no instant fix. While weight loss hypnosis can definitely assist you in your efforts to knock off the weight, it’s wise to consult your physician as well. A healthy diet and some exercise should be in order as well.

One of the largest areas that weight loss hypnosis can help you is better keeping to the big picture, while bringing you a better sense of confidence in yourself and that you will succeed. Losing weight is indeed a matter of mind and body.

Today there are many choices to finding weight loss hypnosis. Whether you are looking for a solution in your home, professional treatment with hypnosis, or other means of weight loss hypnosis, you aren’t deadlocked into one choice. You will find a number of ways of trying to lose weight with the help of hypnosis.

A good place to begin after reading this article is where you found it. You will indeed find more on the topic of hypnosis and undoubtedly some specific to weight loss. With more information on weight loss as well as hypnosis; you will be able to make more informed decisions on what may help you attain the weight you want. That’s the goal.

In your search, you will likely find a mix of CDs and tapes that you can relax to and find self hypnosis. Make sure to read the claims, testimonials, and don’t hesitate to look for outside opinions on each of these you consider.

You will also find many books on weight loss self hypnosis where you may be able to customize what you are doing. Resources that offer a mix of weight loss exercise, diet, and hypnosis may give you a more balanced program.

Regardless of what you find in the area of weight loss hypnosis, remember you will have to use it, and stick with it to. This applies to nearly anything in the area of weight loss. Of course with the right weight loss hypnosis you can find sticking with it may be easier when it may become your own instinct.

In the end, weight loss will be your gauge. If one solution doesn’t work, don’t give up. It can be a tough battle and what works for some doesn’t work for everyone else. The time will come if you keep at it, when you will find the weight you desire.

Find out more about weight loss hypnosis and other ways that you can use hypnosis to reduce your weight at Hypnosis ABC.

Holistic Weight Control Course

2006-11-19T16:55:00.000-08:00

Healthy Weight Loss: Size Does Matter

By Nathalie Fiset

Most people look into the mirror and probably think that they could use to lose a little more weight. A little flab here and there could be eliminated and those extra pounds from that party should be lost ASAP. But how much should you lose?

Losing weight is not just a matter of making the fat and flab disappear when you want to. You're a human being, not just some clay statue to be scraped and molded. However, this is no excuse for not losing weight the healthy way. And as they say, there's no time like the present to begin.

For obese people or those whose weight is 20% more than the standard weight for their height and bone structure, it is imperative to start now. Even a decrease in 5-10% of one's current weight is said to lower the risks of heart ailments, respiratory diseases, high blood pressure, arthritis, diabetes and even cancer in obese people.

Obesity nowadays is not just a fashion or social faux pas anymore. It is just not good for the body. There's such a thing as malnourishment and big bone structure, too. Fat may be the main culprit behind obesity but it also involves an excess in the body weight regardless of the components.

According to the Body Mass Index, men should be within the range of 25- 29.9 while women should have numbers from 18.5- 24.9. Anyone above 30 should think twice before reaching out for that second serving.

Food diets and all sorts of other diets involving ingesting herbal pills or tonics have become quite popular nowadays. However, most of them are not clinically proven or nutritionally balanced. Safe to say, the only real way to lose those extra pounds is to leave the old life of eat- what- you- want and turn to a healthy lifestyle.

Changes in one's diet should not be abrupt, as this may make matters worse. As they always say, when in doubt about these kinds of things, consult your doctor or nutritionist. The diet is perhaps the most difficult thing to change but only if you make it that way. There are two rules when choosing a menu: first, control your calories through portions and quality; and second, don't eat what you can't stomach for long.

The rationale for these two rules is that healthy weight loss is a gradual process involving everything about you- physically, mentally, psychologically, etc. If you don't like the taste of certain "recommended" foodstuffs, don't force yourself. In the end, you'll just grow sick of it and give up altogether. Most dieters don't get it during their first try so don't be afraid to mix and match. Here are a couple of tips that may help:

Substitute low- fat varieties for your favorites or staples- the market is saturated with these products. Instead of whole milk, for example, use low fat milk or cream.

Have a diverse range of foods included in your menu. When you're raising a family too, involve them in your health program as to avoid tempting apparitions of brownies inside the refrigerator. Meat eaters should also know their veggies. Rewarding yourself is fine, just don't overdo it; better yet, eat "guiltless" goodies. After all, you're trying to be healthy.

Another way to remove those excess salts and fats from the meal is to remove the sources of additives when cooking. It wouldn't hurt to experiment with herbs instead of the usual salt, sugar and butter routine. Who knows, you could be the next master chef on the block.

If possible, condition your body to eat a certain amount at a specific time. It would be better to scatter eating portions around the clock over eating at one full go. Savor the little servings that you have instead of thinking about how full or hungry you are. This way, the intervals will allow the body to register that you have enough blood sugar in your system already. It will prevent feelings of deprivation and splurging.

Size and quantity does matter. That's why you want to lose weight, right? But being healthy does not equal to being thin. It's useless to eat a dozen low- calorie crackers at one sitting since those calories will only pile up. However, some foods especially those rich in fiber provide more bulk for their size, thus satisfying hunger cravings. These include fruits and vegetables.

Eating healthful food alone will not guarantee much weight loss. It takes a combination of physical exertion to utilize the nutrients and calories you have at hand. The body will adapt so there should be an effort to combat the efficient energy scheme your body will implement once the drop in calories start. The answer? Exercise.

If your reasoning goes along the lines of not having the time or energy left to exercise, you are not serious about being healthy. Forget about strenuous sports if you don't like them, exercise can be as simple as walking around while shopping, polishing floors or climbing the stairs.

Strenuous exercise without proper supervision will only be stressful and result to over-eating. Simple aerobics can do wonders for the figure and the psyche. The endorphins released will make you happy and when you're happy, it's easier to stick with the program and avoid backtracking into the couch potato life before.

Losing weight is as hard as a block of granite. When done consistently and correctly, that block can be turned into the healthiest and sexiest sculpture around. Just don't forget that when you take care of your body, your body will take care of you.

Dr Nathalie Fiset is a family doctor and a certified hypnotherapist. For more information go to: http://www.reachyouridealweight.com/ http://www.aperfectharmony.com/ or http://www.a-1hypnosis.com/

Holistic Weight Control

Weight Loss Q'n'A

2006-11-15T13:25:00.000-08:00

By Craig Ballantyne

Q: I have a quick question. What effect, if anything, does beer drinking post athletic activities, i.e.; hockey games, have on the body? I'm talking roughly 2-3 beers starting within 5 minutes of getting off the ice. Thanks Craig!

Answer: Drinking makes you more attractive, funnier, and more charming to the opposite sex, according to studies from the Coors Research Institute.

Other than that, it probably has some small negative consequences for your metabolism, body composition, and recovery. It should not be surprising that the more you drink, the more your fat burning is impaired. So drinking booze is not a smart choice if getting lean is a priority.

But most importantly, drinking alcohol leads to you consuming too many calories (both from the alcohol and the poor food choices you make while under the influence). Drink conservatively (if at all).

Q: I work with a client that is continually dealing with a lack of motivation with respect to training and her fat loss goals. Any help?

Answer: Here are three motivational tips gleamed from experience and study:

1. Set small, attainable goals in order that they will propel you into future success. For example, set a simple goal that you will avoid excess food at parties this weekend. And set another goal as simple as having a great workout tomorrow. A third example is setting a small goal of losing 1 pound of fat in the next 10 days without losing muscle mass. Set these small goals to get the ball rolling, and success will breed success.

2. Tell everyone that you know that you are going to lose 5 pounds of fat. Telling everyone creates accountability. Most people have the integrity to see things through and don’t want to let other people down on their promises.

3. Enlist social support. The support can come from your spouse, sibling, parents, children, friend, neighbor, co-worker, personal trainer, or lifestyle coach. Resarch suggests that the best support comes from a health professional such as a doctor or nurse. Social support is the #1 factor for a woman's success in fitness programs. Don't try to go it alone. Get some support. It will make the journey more fun and more effective.

Q: I have 2 protein shakes per day. Is that too many?

Answer: It all depends on how the shakes fit into your plan. If they don't upset your stomach, and they help you reach your required amount of daily protein, then it is fine. Protein shakes are not much different than drinking a glass of milk - just with twice the protein.

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines.

His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week.

For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit http://www.turbulencetraining.com/.

Holistic Weight Control

2006-11-07T20:56:00.000-08:00

Nature Grows Hoodia Plant and Hoodia Reduces Weight

By Clarence Carter

Nature, like a true mother, has gifted us many beneficial things. The only obstacle, in the way of taking benefits from nature, is unawareness.

The work of identifying vital property of a nature’s gift Hoodia is done by the tribes of Kalahari Desert.

Tribes, wherever they live, are near to the nature; they know their surroundings very well and have a power of adjustment with environment. Kalahari Desert is one of most unsuitable habitation for human beings but tribes are still successful to maintain their existence there. Even the scarcity of food didn’t make them extinct because they had the help of Hoodia plant.

Hoodia is a succulent plant, which looks like cactus and found in Kalahari Desert. The extract of Hoodia can work as an appetite suppressant. The tribal people used to chew the plant to suppress appetite before going for hunt in the desert. As there was no access to food and water in deep desert, it was the only method available to them to suppress their hunger. Once eaten, Hoodia works for almost 24 hours. Phytopharm understood the significance of this property of Hoodia for millions of obese across the world and developed Hoodia diet drug.

Civilized society cannot adopt all practices of tribes; particularly one cannot chew a plant in raw form. Moreover, civilized people know if a plant has medicinal value then there must be some medicinal component in it.

Hoodia anti obesity medicine developers were also well aware about this fact and they tried in this direction. The result of their endeavor came out as P-57. This is an extract of Hoodia Gordonii (a type of Hoodia), which has high efficacy in suppression of appetite. With this extract, Hoodia diet pill, Hoodia capsules and Hoodia health drinks are prepared.

Since, Hoodia is prepared from all natural ingredient and works by just fooling the brain about the presence of food in the stomach. For which only the help of increase sugar in blood is taken, so it does not give any harmful effect to your body. There is no need to get doctor’s prescription for using Hoodia; however a consultation with doctor is better.

Every pill or capsule of Hoodia has volume 1200mg. Dosages are simple, a pill or capsule of Hoodia should be taken an hour before breakfast. Overdosing of Hoodia for any reason is not beneficial so it must be avoided. You should continue with daily dose even if you have missed a few dosages of this medication.

Conventional method of drug purchase could be hassling and time consuming. Place an order for Hoodia online and get it without any hassle at your doorstep. Online purchase of Hoodia saves your valuable time plus you can place online order just on a mouse click from anywhere anytime. Buy online Hoodia appetite suppressant and get it at cheap rate.

Clarence Carter received training as a healthcare scientist. She has been working in the same field and writes informative articles, weight loss being her pet subject. To find Hoodia, Reductil, Symlin, Weight loss drug, Hoodia diet pill, visit http://www.weight-loss-drug.co.uk/

Holistic Weight Control Information

2006-10-28T18:56:00.000-07:00

The Weight Loss Exercises Energy Cycle

By Mark Kimathi

The body has three cycles for providing energy during exercising. Each of this cycles demand energy from your body in a different way.

However, only one of them is most effective in resulting to weight loss, hence the term weight loss exercises.

Phosphagen Energy Cycle

First is the phosphagen cycle. This is an energy cycle that does not depend on oxygen. It is anaerobic meaning "without oxygen". In place of oxygen it uses a compound in the body called creatin phosphate.

The cycle makes energy for about 8 to 10 seconds only. Energy here is produced very fast as it takes only one chemical reaction to produce it. This is principally the energy cycle 100 meters sprinters use.

Glycogen-Lactic Acid Energy Cycle

The second cycle is the Glycogen-Lactic acid cycle. There about 12 reactions involved here to give energy. As a result it gives energy at a slower rate. In this case the cycle uses the immediate energy reserve of the body called glycogen.

Glycogen is a simpler energy reserve than body fat that is stored in muscles for supply of energy in short notice. When in high demand the cycle can give energy for 1.3 to 1.6 minutes. This process is also considered anaerobic. It makes muscle tired and sore very quickly as it produces lactic acid.

Aerobic Energy Cycle

The third cycle is the Aerobic cycle. It uses oxygen and provides energy for extended periods of time e.g. for marathoner. The cycle is able to reduce the build up of lactic acid in the muscle allowing you to continue performing for a longer period. This is the cycle you usually use for daily chores.

Here energy is provided by glucose in the presence of oxygen. Also fatty acids in the presence of oxygen can be used. This is what is called fat metabolism or fat burning.

It produces energy at much slower rate due to the greater number of chemical reactions that are required. This is the energy cycle that a weight loss exercise should target. Why, because it uses both glucose and fat as source of energy.

A good example is aerobics. Aerobics are physical activities that promote this third cycle, and involve a lot of breathing as you execute muscle movements. This includes jogging and walking.

Indeed walking and hiking has been associated with 54% reduction in the risk of becoming overweight.

Apart from assisting in significant and healthy weight loss, exercises have even more benefits;

1.Exercising improves heart efficiency and improves blood circulation.

2.Reduces blood cholesterol levels.

3.It facilitates production of endorphins, the feel good hormones, resulting to a sense of well being

4.Relaxes muscle reducing bodily tension and maintains body flexibility.

5.Helps in controlling high blood pressure.

6.Assist in encouraging rest.

7.Normalizes perspiration and aids the elimination of toxic substances.

8.Improves mental capacity and agility due to increased and improved blood flow into the brain.

9.Increases self esteem and the sense of well being facilitating a good mood.

10.Exercising increases oxygen uptake by the body by up to 5 times. This good supply of oxygen is associated with reduced cancer.

American Institute of Cancer Research (AICR) in fact recommends physical activities including moderate exercising such as brisk walking for 30 minutes a day and vigorous activity such as jogging or walking a mile in 15 minutes.

However research is showing that it is the more vigorous exercising that is more beneficial for significant reduction of breast and colon cancer compared to moderate exercising. All in all it is the aerobic type that has the most benefits for increasing well-being.

© Mark Kimathi writes about Weight Loss-Top 4 Reasons for Failure at Health-eMark.com and related topics like weight loss exercises.

Holistic Weight Control Information

The Dangers of Diet Pills

2006-10-20T12:42:00.000-07:00

By Martin Stanwyck

The battle of the bulge – it is one fought by people across the globe. America has now become a predominantly overweight nation with eight out of every ten people over the age of twenty-five being overweight.

If you turn on the TV, you are assaulted with commercial after commercial for cheap diet pills. In an era where thin is “in”, it isn’t hard to understand why these companies sell their pills in local stores, via the internet, and through television campaigns.

Who is buying these cheap diet pills? The simple answer is just about everyone. People from all walks of life are pulling out their wallets to purchase cheap diet pills as a possible “quick fix” for long term weight loss. These companies make big promises. Whether they promise more energy, a boosted metabolism, or astonishingly quick weight loss, they all have big promises.

A consumer often purchases these cheap diet pills without doing any research. Often, losing weight the healthy way isn’t as important as losing weight. Few people stop to consider the risks of cheap diet pills.

These cheap diet pills are over the counter medications. Probably the most rapidly rising segment of the weight loss industry, these medications are often unregulated by the FDA. This sounds like a trivial fact, but it’s not.

Cheap diet pills that are offered to a consumer without prescriptions have not been tested by the government, and they are not subjected to dosage and labeling requirements. Although the manufacturers of cheap diet pills claim that these are not drugs but rather food supplements, the bottom line is that these pills really are drugs.

Most of these cheap diet pills have powerful ingredients that are similar to amphetamines. The problem is that, although many deaths have been reported along with other side effects, the numbers are unclear because they are unregulated and unreported.

Some of the many side effects of cheap diet pills are a general feeling of anxiety or nervousness, heart problems, diarrhea, irregular heartbeat, high blood pressure, and even heart attacks.

As the years roll by, cheap diet pills become more and more powerful. Now, pills are being manufactured to work on the brain, reducing your appetite to aid in weight loss. The side effects of these pills are even more serious. Chest pain, fever, high blood hair loss, impotence, heart damage, depression, and anxiety are just some of the many reported risks associated with cheap diet pills.

So what is the solution? If you really want to lose weight, and you realize cheap diet pills aren’t the way to go, you may find yourself frustrated. Jumpstarting your weight loss is important to you, but you want to do it in a healthy, natural way.

One option is Hoodia Gordonii. If you haven’t heard of Hoodia yet, you will soon. Recently featured on 60 Minutes and the Today shows, this revolutionary weight loss tool is actually a cactus-like plant that’s been around for centuries.

Bushmen used it to ward off hunger since it actually tricks your body into thinking you’ve eaten. Before you dismiss the idea as another mind-controlling cheap diet pill, remember that Hoodia is a vegetable, not a drug, and completely safe. By incorporating this African plant into your diet, you could lose weight quickly and safely.

Martin Stanwyck is the author of many articles on diet and nutrition. If you enjoyed what you read and would like to hear more, visit http://www.hoodia.info.ms/

Holistic Weight Control Information

2006-10-17T06:47:00.000-07:00

Are You Losing Fat or Water Weight?

By Kathy Burns-Millyard

When you start a weight loss program - almost any weight loss program - you almost always lose at least 10 pounds fairly quickly. Sometimes you lose it in mere days, while with others it might take you a couple of weeks to do.

Why is it that almost any diet or weight loss program seems to give you this result? Because usually you're not actually losing the ugly fat you really want to get rid of. Instead you're simply losing water weight.

Some diets cause you to lose this water weight quicker than others. Low carb diets for instance, are great at getting you to drop a quick ten pounds. And believe it or not: Some people can actually lose weight by simply drinking more water.

It sounds like an oxymoron doesn't it? Drink water and you'll lose water weight! But it's true. You see, your body tends to hold onto things it thinks it may not get more of very soon. If you deprive it of food for instance, it'll work extra hard hanging onto the resources from that food because it assumes there may be a long time before more is given to it.

The same thing happens with water. When you don't give your body enough water, it tends to try holding on to what it has in reserve. This way it's able to supply you with reduced capacity for a longer period of time. You may not operate at full efficiency with this rationed approach - but you'll live. And that's what your body is trying to do... just keep you alive.

If however, you start giving your body all the water it needs... more than it needs in fact... it will realize there's plenty of this, and it'll have no problem shedding the extra. After all, there's more coming in all the time, right?

And that's a secret to many diets that you don't see mentioned often. Almost every diet or weight loss plan on the market today starts out by telling you to drink more water. And yes, it is quite true that most people need to have more water throughout the day. But since so many people don't actually drink enough water to start with... when they do start as part of their new "diet", their body starts releasing the water it's been holding in reserve all this time.

The result? You see five or ten pounds gone when you step on the scale to weigh yourself! Often your clothes start to feel more comfortable too... because when your body retains water it has a bloated-ness to it. So shedding that extra water helps you to not be bloated anymore.

Now, this is an excellent first step to losing weight... but it's not one that creates a long lasting effect. Once you've gotten past that first hurdle of shedding the water weight and losing some of the bloatedness, then you must move on to actually shedding the real problem: Body fat. We'll cover that in more depth with future articles.

© 2006, Kathy Burns-Millyard.

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Holistic Weight Control Solutions

2006-10-13T09:53:00.000-07:00

Three Essentials to Weight Loss

By David Snape

One bane of human experience is that we don't get to know everything that everyone else knows. At best we can read or hear about what someone has to say on a particular topic, but even that has limited potential to convey the sum of the person's knowledge. Imagine if you could have all the knowledge of all of the weight loss experts out there, right now, instantly. Well I certainly can't provide that to you, but wouldn't access to such information and experience be priceless?

What I can do is share some thoughts and ideas about weight loss with you. There are three basic concepts that I think are important for anyone attempting to lose weight to know about and take into consideration.

Adequate protein intake is the first. I think a lot of people trying to lose weight end up on a highly restricted diet especially during the initial phases of fad dieting. Those initial phases may produce limited short term results but at the expense of the smarter weight loss principles.

Not getting enough protein is asking for the loss of muscle tissue. Lean muscle mass is not what you are trying to lose. What good is it to lose weight if you have also lost the tone of your muscles, affecting the appearance of your body? Resting muscle tissue burns more calories than any other kind of tissue in your body. So you want to keep as much of your muscle tissue as possible.

The body needs protein about once every eight hours or so. The body, if it finds itself short on amino acids will begin to steal those amino acids primarily from your muscle tissue. This will result in the loss of muscle mass. Consider that to be bad.

The second important concept is getting enough essential fats. I've added this because people dieting are likely to think they need to avoid fat. In general that might seem like good advice, but not when it comes to essential fats. Your body needs them for multiple reasons and you don't want to go without them.

There are so many reasons why essential fats are important to your body. The term essential when used in conjunction with nutritional terms basically means that it is a substance that your body needs but cannot make on its own. Since the body cannot make essential fats on its own, you must get them from your diet. Do not skimp on essential fats while dieting or at any other time. They are necessary for the health of your body.

The third item is understanding when your body actually taps into its fat reserves. Because if you understand this point, it may help you lose weight more effectively. The liver keeps a store of short term energy. Only when that store is near depletion will the body start looking at the fat reserves, the ones you want to get at.

Therefore, you can see that it is very counter productive to eat a large carbohydrate supply before working out. During exercise, the short term storage supply needs to be used up before your body will start to burn fat.

Let's recap three important points to aid in achieving your weight loss goals in a healthier way. Insure an adequate protein supply. Insure an adequate intake of essential fats. Finally, become sensitive to the short term storage energy supply in the liver and plan exercise accordingly.

This article is for information purposes only and is not intended to serve as weight loss or any other kind of advice. Contact your primary care physician for such advice and before starting any diet or taking up any form of exercise. You should also contact your doctor if you have or think you have a health problem of any kind. Your doctor can provide proper diagnosis and treatment.

David Snape writes for To Be Informed. You can read more about weight loss there. To Be Informed is a site supportive of health, fitness and wellness.

Holistic Weight Control Information

2006-10-13T05:31:00.000-07:00

Weight Loss Plateau - How To Break Through The Weight Loss Plateau and Get Back to Losing Weight

By Charles Lewis

We all start our diets with the best of intentions, and usually we lose weight for the first few weeks.

But even if everything goes according to your weight loss plan, it is not uncommon for the rate of weight loss to slow down. You may start out losing one or two pounds a week, but after a few weeks you find yourself only losing half a pound or less per week.

How can you break through this weight loss plateau? Here are some suggestions to get back to your weight loss goals.

First, go back to writing down everything you eat and drink, just like you did when you first started your diet. Count your calories (or points if you are doing Weight Watchers, or carbs if you are doing Atkins). You may find that you are cheating, and that you are actually eating more than you thought.

If so, cut back on the calories to your target calorie level. If you find you are having cravings for certain foods that you have eliminated from your diet, like chocolate or hamburgers, eat some! One chocolate bar or hamburger per week won't kill you, and it may just satisfy your cravings to get you back on track; just don't overdo it!

Next, increase your level of exercise, gradually. If you have been walking for 30 minutes per day, don't try to run a marathon tomorrow, but increase your walk to 40 minutes per day. The extra boost to your metabolism may get the fat burning again.

Even better, consider some new exercises. If you are just walking now, take up bicycling, or a sport, or even weight lifting. Weight lifting, also called resistance training, is a great way to burn calories, tone your muscles, and have fun.

Finally, make sure you are drinking plenty of fluids, to keep your body happy.
Everyone experiences weight loss plateaus. Don't get discouraged; use it as an excuse to vary your diet and exercise routine, and break through that weight loss plateau.

As a weight loss success story, Charles Lewis writes about how to lose weight permanently without fads or gimmicks. Visit http://weight-loss-lose-weight.com/ for information about breaking through the weight loss plateau and weight loss secrets

Holistic Weight Control Solutions

Juicing for Weight Loss

2006-09-29T14:33:00.000-07:00

By A. M. McKain

Healthy living is a lifetime commitment, a commitment made easier with juicing for weight loss and juicing for health. That’s the reason why fad diets may come and go. Juicing machines make weight loss juicing at home a reality, and our heavily researched juicing information provides useful tips on weight loss and dieting tips for juice lovers.

You will lose weight juicing if you consume any type of juices from Green Star juicers and wheatgrass juicers to Champion commercial juicers and other fruit and vegetable juicers, and above all you will find the health food products and the knowledge that get you in a good shape too.

• Replacing some meals with fresh juice helps you eliminate fat and cholesterol from your diet if you notice that most vegetables and fruits are fat-free and low in calories.

• Juices are high in carbs, if you are watching your carbs, stick to green vegetables, berries and melons.

• Fresh juices can help to reduce feelings of hunger or cravings - a big help when on a weight loss diet, by quenching your appetite.

• Some of them are appetite stimulants kike coriander and basil.

• Fresh carrot or parsley juices are especially effective in curbing appetite and cravings by helping to maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

• Some others are natural diuretics and can help eliminate water retention (asparagus, cucumber, leek, cranberry, celery and watermelon juices).

• Do not throw away the pulp after preparing a juice! When you juice your fruits and vegetables you are removing the beneficial fiber from them. Put that fiber back into your diet by using your leftover pulp in soups and healthy baked goods, or stir a little of the pulp back into the juice before drinking it.

You can always experiment to find tasty recipes, but here are some to get you started.

*Papaya Passion*-1 medium Papaya-1 red delicious apple-5 dates (pitted)Blend everything and prepare for something out of this world!

*Strawberry Delight
*-4-8 strawberries
-1-2 Bananas
-8-10 dates

*Mango Magic*
-1-2 ripe mangos (peeled)
-8 dates (pitted)
-Juice of one orange

*Durian Deck*
-24 oz of durian
-1/2 orange-Blend both

*My Milk Shake* tastes much better than yours...!
-2 cups of Durian
-8 dates
-2 bananas
-1 tsp of Carob powder

If you are not sure about these recipes you can experiment everything that includes vegetable or juice or even both juices. Let your imagination free and put your senses in to action. All you have to do is have some fruits and vegetables, a juicing machine and you can fly through the magic world of a healthy life created by juices.

Juicing to lose weight is healthy for the body and this will get you in a good shape too. Juicing and following a diet will help you lose weight instantly, this is a renowned weight lose program and is admitted by most of the dieters.

Juicing you will say hello to health and happiness!!!

I am a nutritionist woman who used to be fat. After testing tens of so-called "wonder diets" I've decided to create a Weight Loss Programs Review Website, containing a top of the 3 best programs with a brief description about their features and benefits.

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Your Key to Natural Weight Loss

2006-09-24T20:17:00.000-07:00

By David Everett

While some people will always believe that all-natural weight loss supplements are the key to a natural weight loss, you will find that most doctors would not agree. Though technically it is true to say that the herbs and agents typically found in natural diet supplements are indeed natural, natural is not necessarily synonymous with harmless.

Do you remember when your mom told you not to eat the berries off the trees unless you could definitely identify them as strawberries, raspberries, blackberries or blueberries? That was because some things in nature, although they are still very obviously natural, are still capable of causing harm and damage to a person and to their body.

How to Recognize the Signs

Your reaction to the statement that natural weight loss supplements might not be naturally good for us, might be that if it has some adverse effect then you would obviously stop taking it. However, it is actually not all that simple. After all, not all adverse effects can be noticed or properly identified.

Our bodies could be under a fair amount of stress and may not register anything on the outside. This can be quite dangerous in a world where hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup are becoming staple ingredients, even in the products that should be healthy.

So what is the correct way to lose weight naturally if all-natural weight loss supplements can not be trusted? Well, the only way to lose weight naturally and healthily is the good old-fashioned way, which includes that of a good diet and frequent exercise. This means no crash diets, no all-natural weight loss supplements, no pharmacological weight loss supplements - just plain old calorie control and attention to ingredients, paired with frequent exercise and a non-sedentary lifestyle.

This old-fashioned recipe for natural weight loss may seem unduly boring in today’s fast-paced world. Perhaps it may even seem like a waste of technology and pharmacological research to ignore these recent advancements in diet and weight control. However, for the time being, doctors agree that the only route to 100% safe and natural weight loss is to simply lose weight through proper diet and exercise.

It should be noted that by using the word diet, it is not implied that a ‘diet’ of drastic calorie cutting should be followed. What is meant by diet in this context is that of a healthy eating regime consisting of an adequate daily caloric intake, dependant on one’s age, gender, and activity level.

This diet can be identified as one which is varied in nature and which includes the majority of the food coming from complex carbohydrates (whole grains) and vegetables, with smaller portions of dairy, protein, fruits and some fats (preferably mono and polyunsaturated fats, but no trans fats whatsoever).

Get the answers to many of your concerns and questions regarding weight loss at Dave's website http://www.1st-in-weight-loss.com/ 1st in weight loss.

Holistic Weight Loss - "14 Days to Change Your Life"

Losing Weight, Without Losing Energy

2006-09-19T06:11:00.000-07:00

By Susan Carey

If you need to lose weight, aim to lose body fat, rather than decreasing your muscle or 'lean body mass', or dehydrating yourself. If you control your food intake, you can lose weight in a sustained and controlled way. Ideally, you should aim to lose 0.5 - 1kg (1-2 lb) per week and, by eating a balanced diet, you should remain in good health.

If you are muscular and worry that you weight more than indicated on the weight / height charts prepared for the general public, be assured that muscle weighs more than fat. You may seem overweight compared with the average - but you may not need to lose any weight. If you are certain that you need to lose weight, it is best to tackle the problem in the off-season.

Guidelines to Losing Weight

- Eat less food that is high in energy and low in food value (e.g. alcohol, biscuits, cakes, chocolates, cordials, ice-cream, pastries, potato and corn crisps, snack foods, soft drinks)

- Never skip meals. You are more likely to binge if you are hungry or tired. If possible, eat small meals frequently

- Use low-fat dairy products instead of full cream varieties.

- Trim all visible fat from meat before cooking. Remove skin from chicken. Eat more fish.

- Use alternative, low-fat sources of protein such as cottage cheese and pulses (e.g. lentils).

- Grill and steam food rather than frying it in added fat. Roasts should be placed on a rack in a baking dish, so that any melted fat drips away during cooking.
- Avoid crumbed or battered foods.

- Cut down on butter and margarine on bread and toast and avoid gravies, dressings and sauces containing fat.
- Use herbs, spices, lemon juice or tomato juice to flavor your food, instead of fat.

- Make soups, casseroles and stews a day ahead. Allow them to stand overnight, and skim off any fat from the surface. The flavor of these dishes often improves with standing.

- Keep nutritious, low-kilojoule (calorie) snacks, such as carrots, celery and nutritious dips, ready in the refrigerator for when you are hungry.

For more bodybuilding articles, resources, tips and cooking recipes from around the world:

http://www.101bodybuilding.com
http://www.herbs-spices-recipes.com
http://www.101cookingrecipes.com

http://www.yoga-teacher-training.org/holistic-weight-control.htm

2006-08-12T20:56:00.000-07:00

Words for Low Carb Weight Loss Diets

By Kenny Yong

Record 1992 as the year of low carb diet rebirth. However, even before this year, people had already been using low carb diet to facilitate their weight loss. In fact, during the 70's and 80's fad diets have become the norm in the society. The two most well-known among these are the Scarsdale and Atkins diets.

Scarsdale diet is a 14-day meal plan for which the main idea is to restrict as much calories as one can. Atkins diet is a weight loss plan that allows unlimited consumption of calories so long as the calorie intake from food items such as vegetables, fat, protein and carbohydrates are kept low.

While they remain to be the choice among Americans, these diet regimens have fell out of favor when rampant campaigns to eat lots of grains were initiated.

But then, they begin to relive their fame during the 90s.

The main premise though of all diet programs is to minimize the intake of simple and refined carbohydrates.

Refined carb is the proponent for the production of excess insulin in the body, which in turn leads to fat storage. These fats usually reside in the middle part of the body. Therefore, the fats you see in that region were all once simple carbohydrates.

While there are large discrepancies between different forms of diets, they all agree at one point- insulin, when produced in excess can truly create negative effects in the body. This is more prominent for diabetics.

Therefore, the key is to lower body sugar and get around from the use of simple carbs. To better understand our points, let us discuss simple carbs and complex carbs.

Simple carbs

Low nutrient content- high glycemic index.

That simply describes simple carbs. They can be digested fully and at great speed, which in effect can increase your blood sugar level dramatically. However, the risk comes when the blood sugar falls in the same manner.

To keep your body working efficiently, you can best avoid foods such as potatoes, white breads and bananas. Commercially processed foods like candies, cakes, cookies and soda beverages must be limited, if possible ignored.

Complex carbs, on the other hand, work in a different manner. They primarily contain high level of nutrients and do not change blood sugar instantly.

Because complex carb fiber content are high, they help greatly in maintaining an efficient digestive system which is both ideal for your health and weight loss. Fibers are helpful in cleaning your system as well as giving immediate sensation of stomach fullness. Therefore, they provide much bulk on the stool and in your stomach.

Along with the above said benefits, fibers are also effective in taking away with them carbohydrates and cholesterol. Thus, decreased risk towards fatal conditions such as heart attacks and the likes plus lesser carbohydrate content in your body.

Examples of foods that have high complex carb contents are the following: whole grains, majority of fruits and vegetables, legumes, beans and peas.

So when trying to loose weight by means of low carb diet, don't jump in immediately to extremely low carb-containing foods. Your body definitely needs some grains of carbs in that.

Otherwise, your systems might be impaired due to carbohydrate insufficiency. If you want to loose weight faster, just avoid foods that contain simple carbs. But never go to the extreme of not eating them.

A treat once in a while would be fine to make weight loss a success with out a sense of deprivation.

For more information and tips about weight loss.

Visit us at http://www.WeightLossTipz.net

Holistic Weight Control

2006-06-12T15:43:00.000-07:00

10 Pounds to Lose and What to Do?

By Dave Poon

Got 10 pounds to lose? Don’t torture yourself by not eating and taking weight reducing drugs that may not be beneficial to you in the long run. You may be dying to lose unwanted fat in your body but you don’t have to do it in an instant.

Have patience and gradually and diligently work on your aim. Soon you’ll realize those 10 pounds you ought to lose will just be a part of history.

So you have 10 pounds to lose? Check out these simple yet effective ways to lose ten pounds gradually and safely:
Exercise

The best way you can do to get rid of those ten pounds is to exercise. The reason why you get fat and gain weight is that the calories (energy) your body has gotten from the food that you eat are more than what your body needs or what you utilize.

The excess calories not burned up are then stored in form of fat. The stored fat becomes your alternative source of energy when what you eat is not enough to provide for your energy requirements.

However, when you consistently take in more calories, the tendency of your body is to store more excess calories in form of fat. The unconsumed fat is the one that makes gain weight.

Exercising would help you burn those stored calories and thus prevent weight gain. As you increase your physical activities, more and more energies are consumed so calories that you take in don’t accumulate in your system as fats.

However, bear in mind that exercising is essential to good health and should not only be done if you’ve got 10 pounds to lose. Make it a habit in order for you to maintain your good health even as you grow older.

Eat the Right Food and the Right Amount of Food

Eating the right kind of food, that is, low-calorie food and the right amount of food is very important if you are serious about losing weight. The principle here is that you have to take in only the right amount of calorie you shall be consuming as all the excess will just be stored as fat.

Also, drink lots of water.

Sleep Early and Get up early

Most people do not realize they have already gained so much weight within certain period of time. This is because gaining weight can be a long and sluggish process. Everyday, you gain a pound or two without noticing it. Then suddenly when you check your weight you realize you already got 10 pounds added to your weight, which means you got 10 pounds to lose as well. For most busy people, exercising may not be a good idea as it may take much of their time.

Sleeping early and waking up early in the morning can be one of your alternatives. Getting up early means doing more things earlier. Since you do not eat much or you probably eat much healthier food in the morning, you are more likely to burn calories (as you move around the house, prepare your breakfast and your things) from fat that have already been there in your system.

Moreover, if your reason for not exercising is your “lack of time,” getting up early would give you time for exercise, even just the basics such as brisk walking for a few minutes.

Dave Poon is an accomplished writer who specializes in the latest in health and weight loss. For more information regarding 10 pounds to lose, please drop by at http://weightloss.answerwisely.com/

Tired of Fad Diets? Learn about Holistic Weight Control.

2006-06-10T16:56:00.000-07:00

Water, Diet Sodas And Weight Loss

By Donovan Baldwin

What on earth does water have to do with weight loss? Actually, a lot more than you previously imagined.

Are you aware that some studies have shown that your brain cannot distinguish between hunger and thirst? Sometimes when your body is telling you that you are thirsty, your brain may be hearing that you are hungry. So what do you do? You put food in your mouth when a glass of water might have been sufficient. Most food has calories, most water doesn't. Simple equation. 'Nuff said on that topic.

By the way, ever wake up in the middle of the night and crave a snack? Nine times out of ten, a glass of water will do the trick. I know, I didn't believe it either until I tried it. It really works!
Tissue, muscle, cells, even blood are all comprised to a large per cent of water.

When your brain starts getting signals that water is needed...well, remember the confusion factor mentioned above? We eat something instead of giving our body what it really craves and needs! Your entire body works much better, by the way, when the fluid levels are kept up where they need to be.

BUT I DRINK LOTS OF LIQUID AND STILL GAIN WEIGHT!

Sure you do, but what KIND of liquid. I won't even talk about sodas, coffee, or tea sweetened with sugar. I'm going to assume that you already know that sugar is not the way to go if you want to lose weight, but what about the artificially sweetened drinks?

Did you know...

ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS CAN CAUSE YOU TO GAIN WEIGHT?

Some studies have shown that using artificial sweeteners can contribute to weight gain in at least two ways.

First, there is the confusion factor. When you use artificial sweeteners, you, and your brain, become confused about the calorie content of the food you eat. You may actually find yourself eating more in an effort to satisfy an internal urge or interpretation, and this urge may be related to the assumed "fact" that the sweet soda you just drank didn't have that many calories, so neither does this cinnamon roll. Actually, before artificial sweeteners, our bodies and brains were pretty good at relating calorie content to food based on the sweetness.

A WORD FOR PARENTS!

Our bodies' understanding of "sweetness" and the development of the internal calorie estimating apparatus mentioned above apparently occurs in childhood. Early use of artificial sweeteners could cause the grown-up years later to ingest more of sweet foods than they should.

The second way in which artificial sweeteners may contribute to weight gain is what could be called...

THE SUGAR TRAP!

Your body is a complicated device which has developed a huge number of inter-related, synergistic, stimulus sensing and automatic response mechanisms. It has learned to begin things happening inside when something sweet is detected. The digestive system is prepared to receive a certain type of fuel...which it welcomes! When you ingest food or drink which has been artificially sweetened, all your little hormones, glands, cells, and systems begin asking, "What's going on?" Like prisoners in an old movie, they start rattling their tin cups and yelling out, "FEED ME!" Oh yeah, that was the plant in "Little Shop Of Horrors", wasn't it?

Anyway, your internal messengers are now not very happy, nor will they be until you send down some calories for them to munch on. See the trap? It reminds me of when I managed a restaurant when people would order a salad and diet drink and then smother the salad in high-calorie, high-fat dressing and have ice cream for dessert. Get the picture.

WAIT! IT MIGHT EVEN BE WORSE!

Artificial sweeteners are much sweeter than ordinary sugar, and that's why you can sweeten a cup of coffee with one little white pill. However, there are some studies which indicate that artificial sweeteners become somewhat addictive. If that isn't bad enough, this brings us to one of the most popular drugs in America...

CAFFEINE

Even though a lot of people who want to lose weight are drinking artificially sweetened drinks, a lot of these drinks - coffee, tea, sodas - contain caffeine. Caffeine is a diuretic. It dehydrates you, causing your body to lose water. Remember, water = good. When you are dehydrated, low on internal liquid, your metabolism slows down. This means your body gets by on fewer calories and stores the rest as fat.

Think it through: You get dehydrated, you get thirsty. You just drank a cup of tea, coffee, or soda, so you can't be thirsty, can you? Since your brain can't really tell the difference between hunger and thirst signals, it tells you to eat something when all that's really going on is that you need a drink of water.

SO WHAT CAN YOU DO?

1. Substitute water for most of the other stuff you're drinking.

2. "Buy" your artificially sweetened drinks. My wife came up with this idea, but I have seen it used in other contexts as well. If you drink an artificially sweetened drink and/or one with caffeine, buy it back with at least an equivalent sized drink of water. Eight ounces of coffee? Follow it with eight ounces of water.

3. Is water boring for you? Then try flavoring your water with lemon or something else. Use herbal teas that have their own flavor and might not even need to be sweetened.

4. Include soups and juices in your diet. These are high liquid content. Just be aware that while nutritionally better for you than diet drinks or drinks with caffeine, they DO contain calories.

5. Can't do without sweetened drinks? Try stevia. This is a natural food additive available online and at most health food stores. While it has a sweetening effect, the FDA does not allow it to be called or marketed as a sweetener. Due to its chemical makeup, it does not seem to produce the cravings for more food as do other non-sugar sweeteners.

I read that in a book, but I tried Stevia and that's how it worked for me. I was drinking four to eight cups of coffee sweetened with artificial sweeteners a day, and munching tons of snacks as I drank the coffee! I started using stevia, and the desire for constant snacking went away. I will warn you, while technically VERY sweet, it does have an acquired taste. I figure if I could get used to it, anybody could. It's the only sweetener in our house now.

Donovan Baldwin is a Dallas area writer. A graduate of the University Of West Florida (1973) with a BA in accounting, he is a member of Mensa and has held several managerial positions. After retiring from the U. S. Army in 1995, he became interested in internet marketing and developed various online businesses.

He has been writing poetry, articles, and essays for over 40 years, and now frequently publishes articles on his own websites and for use by other webmasters. He has blogs on the subjects of weight loss and health, hybrid cars and alternative fuels, and internet marketing and related business topics.

Holistic Weight Control Books and Courses.

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Weight Loss, Body Detox and Anti Aging are all Connected

2006-06-10T04:44:00.000-07:00

By Willie Jones

The majority of people that try various diets and exercise to lose weight fail. Why? Because they are missing out on the most important reason that they can’t lose the weight or how to prevent the diet yoyo.

The standard line you get is that you need to diet and exercise to get results, and for some people, especially the younger generation, this works. But for a huge number of the population this is just not going to work, try as they may.

The missing factor in a successful weight loss program is the cleansing of your colon. If you are not familiar with colon cleansing then this may sound like an odd statement to make. But, consider this; a backed up colon will not only prevent weight loss, but will also cause a whole host of other symptoms such as:

- Always tired and sluggish
- Interrupted sleep
- Weight gain
- Aches and pains
- Premature wrinkling of the skin
- Unexplained skin rashes
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Bloating and gas
- Menstrual cramping
- Headaches

These are only some of the symptoms of a clogged toxic colon. What does this have to do with weight loss?

In a normally functioning colon, the food we ingest gets broken down, nutrients are absorbed in the small and large intestine, the friendly flora produce b-vitamins and nutrients are sent to the rest of the body where all the cells are fed.

This normal function produces the hormones we need and keeps the metabolism high and allows for weight management. The problem with today’s environment is that it is toxic from all the chemicals, pesticides and pollutants we are bombarded with on a constant basis.

Another huge factor is mans craving to change things all the time and that includes food. In the name of profit, the food industry is reinventing food and changing them from their natural wholesome form and adding preservatives, dyes and coloring which dramatically alter the foods we eat. It creates great profit, and the shareholders are happy, but this is at the expense of our health.

All you need to do is look around you at Americans and the answer is there for all to see. We are an obese, tired nation. Foods such as white flour, rice, pastas, dairy products, hormone filled meats and sliced meats full of sodium nitrates and processed food wreak havoc with our digestive system.

The food we eat should be digested and eliminated in 2 to 3 days, but with processed food it can take 5 to 6 days.

Undigested food starts clogging in your large intestine making it difficult for it to absorb the nutrients you need. As you get further backed up this material becomes toxic and hard making it very difficult to eliminate. You could literally have 4 to 20 pounds of old fecal matter and a narrowing of the passage so that future eliminations become difficult and constipation sets in.

When you eat the typical American diet you may feel full but may be starving for real nutrients. If the diet remains poor, the intestines remain clogged and the body becomes desperate to eliminate toxic buildup. It put tremendous stress on the liver and kidneys and can even manifest itself by trying to get rid of toxins through the skin and odd unexplained rashes appear.

Premature wrinkling can occur and metabolism slows making it difficult to lose weight.
If you want to lose weight, get healthy, look and feel better, then do a good colon cleanse first.

Take care of the toxic build up and you may feel like a million bucks. You’ll then lose weight, and if you eat the right foods, drink a lot of water and exercise; you should be able to reach your goal. (It would not hurt to follow with a liver and kidney cleanse)!

Disclaimer: The above is offered as information only and is not meant to diagnose or treat any disease. Always consult a qualified health care practitioner before attempting any detox program.

Willie Jones is an author/researcher who is dedicated to helping people find the resources, books, news and information on health and wellness. http://www.cleanbodydetox.com

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2006-06-03T12:07:00.000-07:00

Health As Habit: Nutrition, Exercise, And Weight Loss

By Donovan Baldwin

Habits are really hard to break. It doesn't matter if they are bad habits or good habits. They CAN be tough to break. This is terrible if it is a bad habit, but it can be a major asset if it is a good habit. Once something good for you becomes a habitual part of your daily existence, and you regularly and willingly do it without prompting, you may begin to recognize the value of this new habit of yours.

The good side of a GOOD habit is that it is hard to break. The bad side of a BAD habit is...well, you guessed it...it is also hard to break. The good news is that habits are pretty easy to establish...even the good ones! While a bad habit might be hard to break, it is often fairly easy to create a good habit that replaces it.

One area where a few good habits could do a lot for you is in the area or health. If we look at nutrition, exercise, and weight loss, we might be able to come up with a few good habits it would be nice to have, and we might even figure out how to build these habits into our lives.

HABITS

First things first. The creation of a habit usually depends on two things, repetition and time. If you decide to make a serious lifestyle change, it may be hard to do for several different reasons.

One reason is impetus vs. inertia. Often, the initial decision to make a major lifestyle change is caused by some force...a friend dies of a heart attack, the doctor gives you a stern warning, your twentieth high school reunion is coming up, a new book on weight loss comes out, or a new exciting diet plan hits the market. Maybe it's internal. You just get tired of things being the way they've always been and you decide to DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!

So now you have impetus, and it is enough to carry you over the next few hours or days. After a while, however, that initial burst of motivation tends to fade, and eventually you stop showing up at the gym, you go back to eating pie ala mode, or you drop out of the local community college because all the changes you have made are just too hard to keep going.

Therefore, my initial suggestion is that you try to break your lifestyle changes (i.e. new habits) into bite-size chunks, carefully chewing, swallowing, and digesting each one before beginning the next. I suggest you pick up a book on the subject of Kaizen.

NUTRITION

For example: Let's say you want to eat a diet which is more healthy than the diet you eat now.

NOTE: When I use the word "diet" in this article, I simply mean the things you eat. That's what a "diet" actually is. It is a list of things you eat. In the last few years, many people have forgotten that original meaning of the word, and, when they hear "diet" want to know, "Which diet?" We're just using it to refer to what you eat.

In the interest of improving your health, you have decided to make some changes to your diet. Which of these would seem to be the most effective plan? By effective, I mean the one you think you could stay with.

* Go into your cupboard, pantry, and fridge and throw out all the food you have and then go to the grocery store and stock up on tofu, bean curds, and beverages made from green persimmons, or whatever.

* Pick one thing that you know is not good for you and drop it from your diet or find a substitute for it. Let yourself get used to the change and then move on to something else.

You know, I love popcorn and ice cream. As I grew older and began to discover fat on my body in places where there hadn't even been places before, I made a momentous decision. I would have to cut out popcorn and ice cream.

You know how long that lasted! In fact, literally within seconds, a part of me began to feel depressed, I felt like I was being punished for something I hadn't done, and then I began to come up with arguments that ice cream and popcorn weren't really the problem. There must be something I wasn't doing right, but it wasn't the popcorn and ice cream....Really!

Taking my own advice, I did two things:

1. I bought ice cream in the form of small ice cream sandwiches and cups of ice cream. Rather than denying myself ice cream completely, I allowed myself to have one of these servings (smaller than the bowl of ice cream I would normally have eaten) a day.

2. I also bought popcorn in single serving bags. Previously, I would have popped a regular size bag and eaten it all myself.

Not a perfect or final answer to the problem, of course, but a step towards a solution. Interestingly enough, after I had been having my popcorn and ice cream in these reduced sizes, I eventually began to feel a little put off by the thought of eating as much as I used to.

I used the same small-step process to move from sugar to artificial sweetener, and eventually to stevia. I went from several cups of coffee a day to several fewer cups of green tea.

Do you want to improve the overall quality of your health? Why not start by simply creating a habit of taking one multivitamin daily? Then, start making some other changes. Maybe you can get an idea from what I did, or come up with your own small steps. Don't try to do it all at once, and realize that small steps mean small outcomes, but a lot of small steps will mean a large result eventually.

EXERCISE

Just like the goals in your nutrition plan were not intended to make you dread eating or make you eat foods you detested, your exercise experience should be founded on a desire to find things you like to do that also provide the benefits of a formal exercise program.

You do not want to jump in with both feet and start exercising for long periods every day until you cannot stand the thought of ever exercising again. If you have not been exercising regularly recently (high school doesn't count) you need to start ANY exercise at an easy level and very gradually ease into more difficult activities or levels.

NOTE: One reason people give up on exercise programs is because they don't seem to be seeing any results. If you have begun exercising regularly and are gradually increasing the demands of your exercise program, rest assured that things are happening.

Your body is making adjustments to your circulation, respiration, heart, lungs, liver, blood vessels, hormones, glands, immune system...even the blood supply itself. Things ARE happening, even if you cannot see or measure them. Just like a steady drip of water can eventually erode a solid rock, exercise will improve your physical and mental health in a multitude of ways.

Many articles in popular magazines recommend incorporating exercise into daily activities such as taking stairs instead of using elevators, parking farther out in the parking lot, and so on.

While I wouldn't recommend these as exercise programs in themselves, these might very well be ways to ease into an exercise program or begin building the basics of an exercise habit.

You might want to try out different activities to see what you really enjoy, and what will fit into your life style and schedule. Someone who travels a great deal, for example, may want to focus on yoga or walking, while someone who has more free time and access to a pool may choose swimming.

In fact, doing yoga while traveling, swimming while at home, and walking while at home or away, would be a great way of incorporating a little variety into your program. You don't have to do the same exercise every day to get the health benefits.

Whatever you choose, ease into it. There's no hurry! Even with a small beginning and small incremental increases in duration or intensity, you will soon see and feel positive results. Once the activities you choose become a habit, you will hate to miss your "workout" even if it's gardening or playing with the grandkids. Then you will be on a solid pathway to health.

WEIGHT LOSS

This final section will be the shortest and the easiest to write...and for you to read, for that matter. If you skimmed down to the bottom of the page, skipping over the sections above, go back and read them now.

Effective, permanent weight loss means changing the things that got you to where you are now. You will have to make changes to take the weight off and keep it off. There are a lot of things that can take the weight off of you, but only lifestyle changes will keep it off.

There is an old saying, "If you keep doing what you have been doing, you will keep getting what you have been getting." Changing your nutritional habits for better health, and getting the exercise you also need for health, will result in genuine, permanent weight loss in addition to increased health and a greater enjoyment of life.

Donovan Baldwin is a Dallas area writer. A gradute of the University Of West Florida (1973) with a BA in accounting, he is a member of Mensa and has held several managerial positions. After retiring from the U. S. Army in 1995, he became interested in internet marketing and developed various online businesses.

He has been writing poetry, articles, and essays for over 40 years, and now frequently publishes articles on his own websites and for use by other webmasters. He has blogs on the subjects of weight loss and health, hybrid cars and alternative fuels, and internet marketing and related business topics.

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Women's Weight – Don't Overdo Weight Loss!

By Sacha Tarkovsky

With regard to women’s weight the media has a lot to answer for. We have reached a stage where run girls think that being skinny is good – NO it's not!

Young girls have become obsessed with seeing young models in the media who are incredibly skinny and they want to be that way too, but it’s not healthy for their minds or their bodies.

Women of a larger build can certainly look good and there are many examples. One of the biggest sex symbols ever was Marilyn Monroe and she was a size 16.

This is not the only example - Take women such as Sophia Loren, Jayne Mansfield and Bridget Bardoe, these are Some of the most famous sexy women in the world - They were not size 6 stick insects either.

The trend towards girls wanting to be skinny arguably took off in the 60s, when models such as Twiggy gained international prominence.

As the years have progressed we have seen a number of very skinny models.

Once looking at one my friend’s advertisements he was doing for a women’s magazine, saw him edit the models stomach so she appeared much skinner than she really was.

The ideal that many young girls look up to then - Is not even real in many cases, "touching" photos goes on all the time - To present the perfect look to, in many cases its created and not reality.

We spoke about fuller figures of yester year, but some of the sexiest women in the world today are not skinny.

Beyonce Knowles of Destiny’s Child and Angelina Jolie are not stick insects. They all have curves and men adore them!

Young girls see skinny models in the media and try and copy them, but there are plenty of fuller figured women around as we have seen.

Being skinny is not healthy either – Lots of women are obsessed with dieting and that any fat is a curse. No its not, fat is not bad in itself at all.

We all need a certain amount to be healthy and if you are not carrying enough you can easily be less resistant to illness etc.

We live in a society that is more image conscious than ever and young girls are bombarded with advertising and media brain washing, that makes them want to be skinnier than they really should be.

They want to be perfect – But that’s ridiculous no one is - So why try?

They dream of perfection but they will never achieve it and it doesn’t matter one jot.

Be happy with who you are and keep in mind men love curves.

Angelina Jolie got married the other day, sad loss for all her male fans like me who dreamed of taking her up the aisle.

Now that is a dream - but its never going to be a reality! Deal in the reality of your look and not perfection.

Final word – Most men love women with curves.

For more free articles on a variety of subjects including fashion diet and beauty visit our website: http://www.net-planet.org

"14 Days to Change Your Life" an e-Book about Holistic Weight Control.

2006-05-27T16:40:00.000-07:00

Diet Products

By Steve Valentino

The diet business specializes in helping people lose unwanted weight, and it is a multi-billion-dollar industry in the United States. The diet industry’s marketing and advertising strategy is based on the fears and hopes of those people who are unhappy with the way they feel or look.

The number of companies dealing with diet and diet products is increasing every year. These companies provide guidelines about what to eat and how to eat in order to maintain a healthy weight and lifestyle. In addition to counseling, they offer dietary supplements or low fat diet products.

There are several diet products that assure a surprising amount of weight loss in record time. These weight loss products and supplements come with various dietary and exercise plans that are expected to help the diet product do what is promised. Low carbohydrate and herbal diet products are popular and readily available in most health food stores. Herbal diet products are widely accepted as an effective and safe method for weight loss.

Low carbohydrate products provides a low carbohydrate, sugar free, high protein diet. Most of these products have effectively helped thousands of people increase their metabolism and lose unwanted weight.

However, before buying any diet product do your research and make sure what you are buying is effective and not nutritionally harmful. You must read labels carefully for ingredients and warnings. The Internet is a valuable source of information for all types of diet products and their benefits and disadvantages. Also, always consult a physician before using any diet product.

Diet Products provides detailed information on Diet Products, Low Carb Diet Products, Herbal Diet Products, Raw Diet Products and more. Diet Products is affiliated with Diet Pills.

Books and Courses About Holistic Weight Control

Counting Calories is Not All There is to Losing Weight

By Eunice Coughlin

Losing weight is not just about calories in, calories out. Many personal trainers say that all you have to do is control the amount of calories going in versus amount of calories going out and you will lose weight. Unfortunately, that’s not always the way it works.

Our bodies are not machines or computers; our bodies are living organisms with cells, tissues, organs and chemicls that sometimes don’t work the way they should. Your body's malfunctions can sometimes result in weight gain. Finding out the cause of why you can’t lose weight in spite of the “calories in/calories out” equation is important to living a healthy life.

Examples of conditions that cause you to gain weight include:

hypothyroid
perimenopause
too much estrogen
metabolism adaptations
emotional eating
stress
depression

Many of these problems are related to each other, such that one condition causes the other condition to kick in. For instance, when you have a hypothyroid, the hormones released by the thyroid to make your metabolism function properly are not released. It sets off a chain reaction in your body that makes it impossible to lose weight, no matter how many calories go in or go out.

Another example is when you are experiencing perimenopause, your body makes too much estrogen. This causes you to gain weight which makes your body produce more estrogen and the cycle continues resulting in weight gain and no weight loss.

Sometimes when you restrict your calorie intake too much, your body’s metabolism adapts to this decrease in energy and lowers your metabolism. Your body can survive on less calories and won't go into your fat stores for energy needs because it doesn't need to. As a result, your diet is causing you to not lose weight.

Emotional eating occurs when we allow our emotions to control our behavior. It doesn’t matter if you know that a particular food is bad for you, you consume it anyway, just like an alcoholic turns to liquor to deal with difficult emotions.

Too much stress can cause a physiological reaction that results in weight gain even though you are following the guidelines of a healthy diet. Stress can cause you to gain weight if you do not process your body’s “fight or flight” response in the right way.

Depression can cause you to turn to sugar for for an increase in energy and to lift your mood. Sugar causes an increase in serotonin which makes you feel good. But then it is quickly burned off and you need more, just like a drug addict needs more drugs to stay “high” and feel good.
So what can you do? If you are having problems losing weight, Examine your habits and see if you are not eating the right things and exercising regularly.

Keep a food and activity journal to see patterns in your daily living that might be sabotaging weight loss. If the calories in/calories out equation is coming out wrong, then investigate your overall health. The internet can be very helpful as long as you are careful to use credible sources of information.

See your doctor and have lab work done that includes a TSH test (shows thyroid function).
Look at how you handle your emotions. Do you eat when you are not hungry? Get to the bottom of those feelings that cause you to eat.

Are you under a lot of stress? Do you deal with it in a healthy way? Find out how your body can improve the way it reacts to stress.

If you are depressed, find out the reasons why and look for other mood-lifters besides sugar. If it’s really bad, your body may not be manufacturing enough serotonin. There are resources and supplements available to help you overcome this problem.

For most people, losing weight is all about calories in/calories out. But if that equation is not working for you, care enough about your health to find out the reason why your body is not operating the way it should.

Eunice Coughlin is the founder of http://www.healthy-living-for-moms.com/, a resource for moms of all ages and stages who seek spiritual and physical health and wellness.

Have you ever considered Holistic Weight Control or Yoga?

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2006-05-24T19:42:00.000-07:00

Weight Loss For Those Who Hate Fitness Clubs

By Bentley Thompson

Does your weight loss program make you struggle shamefully around your neighborhood? Do you often feeling the eyes of your neighbors silently mocking your struggle to lose the extra pounds? There is a way to exercise without moving a muscle.

Chances are if you are on a weight loss program it gets stressful sometimes. That may be a sign of discouragement. It's part of the reason most people need lots of support in order to lose weight.

If you think there is a way to put some fun and relaxation into weight loss, you are very right. And it actually increases your efficiency in shedding the pounds as well.

Benefits of thermal therapy

When you include thermal therapy into your weight loss program, you get the multiple benefits of

having your skin being a more efficient waste-removal system

naturally cleansing and/or detoxifying your body

physical exercise with less stress and strain on the joints and muscles that are already carrying the extra weight

improving your cardiovascular health by improving damaged endothelial function
helping joint and muscle aches and pains to heal more quickly
The best weight loss program has many benefits Everyone will agree that a weight loss program should not feel like punishment for having gotten overweight or obese. Too often we punish ourselves trying to be like the person in the ad.

Permanent weight loss or weight control usually comes from a lifestyle change. Changing your life by surgery should only be the result of an urgent life-threatening situation. Otherwise, combining proper diet, regular exercise, and relaxation appears to be the safest way to take, and maintain control of your body weight.

The diet and exercise segment of such a weight loss program is pretty much well understood, even though appetite is such a wild and difficult beast to tame most times.

Recently, there has been an enormous amount of medical research evidence for the role of infrared sauna therapy in detoxifying the body and in normalizing body weight. People who stand to benefit tremendously from this novel (yet traditional) practice are those who suffer from conditions such as:

Chronic pain - joint pain, lower back pain, muscle pain, and fibromyalgia
chronic heart failure, and lifestyle-related diseases; such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and hypertension.

Many of these persons find it more difficult to do physical exercise at the level that makes their weight loss program really effective...

[The full article, with literature reference citations, appear at www.saunarelief.com]

In his free time, Bentley writes about lifestyle-related conditions such as diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular diseases. His articles appear on his his websites: http://www.SaunaRelief.com/ and http://www.anti-diabetes-diet-supplements.com

weight loss meal plans

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The Natural Way to Losing Weight Fast

By Kathryn Whittaker

Losing weight can be a frustrating and sometimes depressing endeavor. This is probably why most people don’t follow through with a diet plan. However, for those with the will and determination to lose weight, the rewards are tremendous. A successful dieter will not only look good, but feel good too, and will have learned the value of maintaining a healthy body.

When dieting, you might feel you always feel tempted to eat the wrong kinds of foods or overeat. The answer is not to restrain every urge of hunger; that will only end in failure. Instead, learn how to eat in moderation… and not with diet pills (you can shed those pounds through safe, natural means, without harming your vital organs).

Here are some helpful tips to healthy, natural weight loss:
• Eat small meals and eat frequently

Three meals a day may be what you’re used to eating – but that is not the way to lose those extra pounds. Every time you eat, your metabolism starts working, burning those calories and instantly breaking down food for energy and nutritional contents.

With a meager three meals a day, your metabolism has plenty of time to slow down and this is not good if you want to lose weight. You want your metabolism to stay on the job.

If you eat five to six small meals a day, you can burn more fats. Likewise, you also tend to feel less hungry as a result and are less likely to overeat. Protein bars are great to snack on, but make sure they are low in carbohydrates and high in protein (read the nutrition label).

• Drink enough water

Our bodies are seventy percent water and they’re supposed to be that way! In order to maintain this balance, it’s important to drink plenty of liquids. Water helps flush out body toxins and waste and also helps your body to properly utilize all the nutrients from you food. This is essential for dieting.

Moreover, water makes your body elastic and thus minimizes stretch marks that normally occur after weight loss. As well, the cushions for your joints (which are usually weakened when you lose body fat) are also strengthened if you drink lots of water. Not to mention, water enhances your complexion!

• Don’t eat before bedtime

A midnight snack or meal before bedtime is something to avoid when trying to lose weight. Because your metabolism slows down when you sleep, any foods you eat up to three hours before you hit the sack are not metabolized well. They will be stored as fat because they are not burned effectively. If eating before bedtime is unavoidable, at least try to eat light.
• Cardiovascular exercises

Cardiovascular exercises play an important role in weight loss. The best diet regimen in the world may not get you to your ideal weight if you don’t also exercise regularly.

If you do cardiovascular exercise at least four times a week, for at least twenty minutes each session, then it will help your weight loss immensely. You may want to increase the time and intensity after you have adjusted to your workout.

The ideal time to exercise is the in the morning before you eat. This way, your glycogen stores are low and later your body will burn carbohydrates and fats more effectively.

• High Protein Diet

A high protein calorie diet is excellent for retaining muscle and maintaining a fast-acting metabolism. The body tends to burn carbohydrates first, because they are its main energy source.

Once it runs out of carbohydrates to burn, it will then burn fats for body fuel. So if you do not have enough protein in your diet, your body will eventually make use of your hard-earned muscle for fuel.

• Lower your carbs

It is important to limit your carbohydrate intake so that your body can burn most of its contained fats. As mentioned before, the body usually burns carbohydrates first before it moves onto burning fats, so simply put, the less carbohydrates burned, the more fat burned.
Carbohydrates, combined with protein, are best to take in the morning, so as to give your body a jump-start. This will give you ample energy for the rest of the day.

• Multivitamins are good for you

While dieting and exercising, it’s also a good idea to take multivitamins. They will help you remain healthy and strong as they provide essential vitamins and minerals to the body. Because certain necessary food groups are often overlooked, these multivitamins can compensate for certain deficiencies. Just be careful when you choose a multivitamin – you want to take what you are lacking in, not what you already have or don’t need.

Kathryn Whittaker has an interest in Health and Beauty related topics. To access more information on herbal weight loss or on herbal weight loss product, please click on the links.

weight loss meal plans

2006-05-24T19:23:00.000-07:00

Free Diet Plans - How can you Find the Best One?

By Oliver Turner

Choosing a free diet program is a very difficult task. You do not know what to look for in a free diet plan or what questions to ask about the free diet program. The article might help you choosing a free diet plan and joining the correct free diet program.

A Responsible and Safe free diet plan

Researches show that the best approach to reach a steady, healthy weight is to follow a strict eating plan and engage in regular physical activity. Free diet plan should encourage healthy behaviors that help you reduce weight and maintain the new weight for long time. Safe and effective free diet plan should include:

1. Healthy eating plans reduce calories but do not rule out specific foods or food groups.

2. Regular physical exercise instructions.

3. Slow and continue weight loss of about 1 to 2 pounds per week and not more than 3 pounds per week. Weight loss may be faster at the start of a free diet plan.

4. You should be in a medical supervision if you are planning to lose weight by following a specific formula diet. For example with a very low calorie diet.

5. Free diet plan should include instructions for maintaining the reduced weight.

6. If your free diet plan includes cookies, be sure that they are fat free diet cookies.

7. While choosing free diet meal plan be fully confirmed that you free diet meal plan should be free of fat. Your free diet meal plan must consist of healthier food like fruits, vegetables, whole grains and beans.

8. If you wish to include poultry in your free diet program then it should be without skin, because skin poultry have lot of fats.

Questions about free diet plan

Gather as much information as you can before deciding to join a free diet program. Providers of free diet plan should be able to answer following questions:

1. What does the free diet program consist of?

2. Does the product free diet plan carry any risks?

3. How much does the free diet plan costs?

4. What results do participants of free diet plan typically have?

If your free diet plan provider can satisfy you with the answers of these questions then only join their program.

We have made the most comprehensive research to find the best diet plans. Find the results only on the Free diet plans source. All about diets on LeanderNet - http://www.leandernet.com

weight loss meal plans

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South Beach Diet Information and Recipes

By Boyd Adams

It is a widely held belief that the key to weight loss is finding the right diet information which means the proper diet to suit their needs. While this is correct in a sense, it is misleading as well. The key to successful dieting is to maintain a healthy and balanced diet plan without having to actually diet. The South Beach diet was proposed by Dr. Arthur Agatston in the mid nineteen nineties as a healthy alternative to the many diet fads in existence at the time. The South Beach diet is not the proverbial diet plan. This diet is actually a sensible and healthy diet plan designed to teach the person using it to eat healthy foods and to learn how to eat properly.

There are many recipes available within the South Beach Diet to aid in healthy weight loss. Unlike traditional the typical diet information we get, the idea of actual dieting by starvation or counting calories or other fads or trends that ignore the primary health concerns of the dieter are not used with the South Beach Diet. The diet includes healthy meal planning and means for controlling the intake of foods including carbohydrates and calories by the dieter so that while they are not actually dieting in the more traditional sense of the word trying to lose weight. The concept is that people will eat healthier foods and in that way do not have the problems with diet failure or the prospect of constantly losing and gaining weight which is not healthy.

The recipes for the South Beach diet include healthy alternatives without being boring. Your diet information sources should include recipes for snacks, breakfast, lunch and dinner all focusing on the health needs of the person seeking the diet weight loss. The South Beach diet is one of the most effective tools for weight loss and the rich diet information recipes will allow the person trying to lose weight the ability to eat all they want and stay healthy.

Losing weight quickly happens when you have the right diet for your body type and temperment. You may need to try a few diet plans like the Southbeach diet until you find the one that works for you. Check out http://realdietadvice.info for real diet information that works.

weight loss meal plans

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Why Your Diet Should Target Fat Loss

2006-05-24T05:59:00.000-07:00

Why Your Diet Should Target Fat Loss

By Pam Jenkins

Just trying to lose untargeted weight can be detrimental to your long term health. Targeting fat loss is effective and provides long term health benefits. Here are just a few of the reasons you should choose a targeted fat loss diet
On a fat loss diet you will be eating more food than when you were gaining weight.

So forget about being hungry and feeling deprived. The reason for this is simple. Every gram of fat contains more than twice as many calories as a gram of protein or carbohydrate. So, for every gram of fat that you eliminate from your diet, you'll be eating 2 grams of nutrient dense, delicious, alternative foods. You're probably thinking that can't be right. You're thinking you must cut down on your calories. Not necessarily, here's why.

To successfully lose fat, you must combine exercise with your low fat eating plan. Increased exercise will require you to consume more calories. Regular exercise is one of the keys to targeting fat loss.

The immediate benefits of exercise are increased energy levels, improved circulation, better muscle tone, and, of course, weight loss. The long term benefits are a healthier heart, stronger bones, and a lean toned body. As you build muscle to replace fat, your body requires more calories to maintain that muscle. As a result of this, you will burn more calories even while you are sleeping.

Targeting fat loss means eliminating simple refined carbohydrates from your diet. Sugar and white flour trigger a huge insulin response when eaten. They are digested and enter your blood stream almost instantly. Your body sees this surge of available energy as a surplus and immediately goes to work storing it as fat.

These simple carbohydrates will be replaced with complex carbohydrates, which are digested more slowly and do not trigger a massive insulin response leading to fat creation.

Many of the complex carbohydrates in a fat loss diet contain significant amounts of fiber. Fiber is known to reduce cholesterol in your circulatory system and improve heart health. Medical studies have also shown that moderate resistance training on a regular basis stimulates bone growth and reduces the risk of osteoporosis. Your bones don’t get larger, just more dense.

If you’re planning to lose weight why not take advantage of all the benefits of a fat loss diet? A lifetime of improved overall health is the bonus. All you have to lose is the fat.

Pam Jenkins, a health and fitness enthusiast, recommends targeted fat loss. Learn more at: http://www.mytopdiet.com/

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Weight Loss - 10 Ways To Cut Calories

2006-05-21T15:33:00.000-07:00

Weight Loss - 10 Ways To Cut Calories

By Eva Moffat

1. Use fruit purees instead of butter
2. Eat cheese but get rid of the fat
3. Don’t exercise before meals
4. Eating in front of the TV is bad for you
5. Always have a breakfast
6. Fructose is better than glucose
7. Bad fats are not good for you
8. Use skim milk rather than whole
9. Don’t have more than four egg yolks a week
10. Before cooking, trim all the fat from meat

Substitute Fruit Purees Instead of Butter

If when eating mashed potatoes, adding fruit puree instead of butter, will cut down the calories and give your mashed potatoes a different but pleasant flavour.

Eat Cheese But Discard The Fat

Cheese is good for you; it’s full of calcium. But it is also full of fat.

Get rid of the fat by putting the cheese into the microwave for about 10 seconds, then drain off the fat and grease. (Be careful not to leave it in the microwave too long, unless you want Welsh Rarebit). Or alternatively, you could buy a cheese that has less fat in it.

Don’t Exercise Before Meals

If you exercise before meals you are just making yourself hungrier as you are burning the fat. So to satiate your hunger, you will eat more. A better idea is to exercise after eating. Then your body has to work harder to digest the food. WARNING: Don’t exercise immediately after a meal, or you will make yourself sick. Exercise an hour after eating.

Eating While Watching The TV Is Bad For You

You can so easily overeat. The programme you are watching may be so exciting and you are engrossed in it, you won’t be aware of what you are eating.

Always Eat A Breakfast

Breakfast is the first meal of the day. The word Breakfast = Break Fast. You probably have had nothing to eat since supper the night before. So you are Breaking The Fast.

Your body will burn more calories if you eat breakfast.

Fructose is Better Than Glucose

Drinking Water With Fructose (Fruit Juices) rather than Glucose, will act as an appetite suppressant. Drinking a glass of orange juice an hour before eating will take the edge off your appetite.

Bad Fats Are Not Good For You

Bad fats are Trans Fatty Acids. Many margarines are Trans Fat. Butter is not.
When cooking use cooking oil instead.

Read the labels on the food you buy. If you see the words Hydrogenated Oils run a mile as this means it contains Trans Fatty Acids. As a bonus, running that mile will use up some calories.

Use Skim Milk Rather Than Whole

Drinking Whole Milk means you are drinking the cream and this of course is extra calories. Switching to Skim Milk will still give you all the goodness of milk, without the fat.

Don’t Have More Than Four Egg Yolks A Week

Do you remember the Advert on TV ‘Go To Work On An Egg’ personally I think you’d be more comfortable on the bus, but there is no accounting for taste.

Seriously, the white of an egg (the Albumen) is full of the wrong kinds of fat. So better to have the yellow part of the egg (the Yolk) and then only a maximum of four times a week.

Before Cooking Trim All The Fat From The Meat

If you love your meat, by trimming all the fat off it before cooking will cut down your calories intake dramatically. Or alternatively, eat skinless chicken or fish.

Copyright 2006 Eva Moffat

Eva Moffat has helped many people with their Weight Loss problems over the years. Now it is your turn to be helped. For more of Eva’s practical help, visit Eva’s Weight Loss Site

http://www.weight-loss-4-you.com/

weight loss meal plans

10 Tips on Losing Weight Fast

2006-05-19T20:17:00.000-07:00

By Kathryn Whittaker

Before jumping into a diet, you must determine your ideal weight. This will be your guide on your weight loss journey. “Fast” weight loss doesn’t imply that you drop 50 pounds overnight; a few pounds can take months to shed and for obese individuals, it can take years to lose the desired amount of weight. How fast you lose weight will depend on how focused you are on your diet.

Here are some simple steps to help you lose weight:

1. Before dieting, you must know how many calories you normally need in a day. If you are sedentary, multiply your weight (in pounds) by fifteen. If you are moderately active, multiply your weight by seventeen; if you are active, multiply your weight by twenty. This will give you the average calorie intake you need per day.

2. Remember to eat your fruits and veggies! You need at least five servings of them per day – doing this will put you on the right track to a healthy body, because fruits and vegetables have beneficial fibers, vitamins and antioxidants. They also fill up your stomach fast so that you don’t overeat and take into many calories.

3. Monitor the quantity of food you eat. Avoid high-calorie foods and eat in small portions. A helpful tip is to chew your food slowly because this makes digestion easy on your body and you will also be less likely to overeat.

4. Don’t skip meals. When you want to lose weight it may be tempting to starve yourself – but eating small amounts of food frequently can help you maintain a healthy, balanced calorie intake throughout the day. Also, your blood sugar level will be adversely affected if you don’t eat often. You can even divide the standard allotment of three meals into five or six smaller meals.

5. Fresh fruits and vegetables are ideal – packaged and processed foods have high sodium and fat content. You are more likely to lose weight if you eat naturally fresh foods.

6. Don’t limit your food intake too much. Go ahead and indulge yourself; eat your favorite treat. It’s okay to have that slice of birthday cake at the occasional party. Just make sure to eat in moderation and use those special desserts as rewards, instead of enemies, to your weight loss experience.

7. Don’t always believe everything you read on a food label. “Fat free” does not necessarily mean low calories. The same wisdom goes for foods that boast “low sugar” or “low carbs.” Glance over the nutrition label – there you’ll find the calorie count.

8. Try to limit the number of juices and sugary beverages you drink. Instead, drink eight glasses water a day – this flushes out your body’s toxins and waste.

9. If possible, keep a food journal. This will help you keep track of your calorie intake and will be a daily reminder of the types of foods you need.

10. Don’t forget to exercise! Thirty to sixty minutes of physical activity a day will ensure your health and help you lose weight (and not to mention, firm up those muscles). Weight-bearing exercises are especially great ways to burn those pesky calories.

Kathryn Whittaker has an interest in Health and Beauty related topics. To access more information on quick weight loss or on fast weight loss, please click on the links.

2006-05-17T14:55:00.000-07:00

Are You Considering the Hoodia Patch? Read This!

By Gary Stephens

Hoodia gordonii has been used for thousands of years by the San tribe (also commonly known as bushmen) of South Africa to decrease appetite. The bushmen use the hoodia by chewing the root while on long desert expeditions.

The appetite controlling features of hoodia gordonii were discovered in the 1990's when a South African laboratory known as CSIR did a study about the diet of the San bushmen. Hoodia was tested by being fed to animals, who subsequently lost weight.

Hoodia works by affecting the hypothalamus, a gland located at the base of the brain that regulates numerous bodily functions and signals, including hunger. Hoodia works in the same way that glucose does. However, hoodia has been found to be thousands of times more efficient in controlling hunger impulses.

There are many different products on the market to choose from. You can find hoodia gordonii in pill form, liquid form, and spray form. But perhaps the most exciting new product available is the hoodia patch.

The hoodia patch is applied to clean, dry skin daily. There are no worries about forgotten doses with the hoodia patch. The hoodia gordonii found in the patch is slowly released into the bloodstream and works by tricking your brain into thinking it's full.

There have been no unpleasant effects associated with taking hoodia gordonii for weight loss. If you experience any skin discomfort or rash when using the hoodia patch, simply switch to a different form such as liquid or pill.

When purchasing the hoodia patch or any other hoodia product, make sure that it comes from South Africa. The only authentic hoodia available is protected and grown on farms by the San tribe, who receive compensation for hoodia sold. The current patent for P57, the component responsible for hoodia's weight loss qualities, is held by the Phytopharm company.

Phytopharm is the only corporation who can sell hoodia specifically for weight loss purposes, but other companies can legally sell hoodia in patch, pill and liquid form as long as they don't advertise that it is for weight loss.

The hoodia patch, when added to a healthy diet and exercise routine, can increase your chances of shedding unwanted pounds quickly and easily.

Gary Stephens is known as the king of diet products. After losing over 60lbs with the use of certain diet products, he now writes informative articles and reviews of popular weight loss methods. To learn more about Hoodia please see http://www.hoodiahaven.com

Rev Up Your Metabolism For Faster Weight Loss

By Susanne Myers

One you first start watching what you eat, the weight starts coming off easily. Then after a few weeks, the scale stops moving downward and you hit a plateau. What’s happening? Your metabolism is slowing down.

As you eat less to lose weight, your body goes into survival mode and your metabolism slows down. A slowed down metabolism means you are burning less calories. Yikes! Not exactly what you were trying to accomplish, right. After all the idea behing losing weight is to burn more calories to get rid of all that unwanted body fat.

Let’s talk a bout some simple things you can start doing every day to speed your metabolism up. One of the first things you should do is to get some exercise. Any type of exercise that gets your heart rate up will also speeds up your metabolism not only while you exercise, but for hours afterwards. Find something you enjoy and can stick with for the long run. Go for a walk, chase your kids around the yard, get an exercise DVD, or join a local gym. Aim for 30 minutes of exercise 5 days a week.

The other strategy that seems to work really well for me in combination with walking every day is to eat several small meals throughout the day. My body doesn't feel starved so my metabolism doesn't slow down. This works best if you include some sort of protein with each meal. Lean meats, hardboiled eggs, protein shakes and lowfat cottage cheese are all great sources of protein. Combine them with some whole grain products or a piece of fruit for a small meal or snack.

Give these strategies a try and speed up your metabolism. You’ll lose weight faster and you’ll feel better with all this extra energy. Once you get in the habit of exercising and eating smaller, more frequent meals, it will become easy to stick with and the benefit is obvious. You feel better and have a smaller waistline.

Susanne has been losing weight by eating well and walking more. Visit http://www.walkingofftheweight.com to find out how you can start walking off the weight today and visit http://www.healthymenumailer.com for meal ideas that are healthy and low in calories.

Natural Weight Loss - A Diabetic Perspective

2006-05-13T16:32:00.000-07:00

By Bentley Thompson

For natural weight loss, you don't need special diets. You need the tortoise mindset and, very possibly, a new wardrobe.

Okay, raise your hand if you think a natural weight loss method is better for a diabetic than an "un-natural" one. Good, almost everyone raised their hand.

Now, I cannot find where anyone has properly defined the term natural weight loss, so I have to give you my definition. Simply put, it is the opposite of natural weight gain.

This consideration excludes the loss of weight gained during pregnancy or removal of heavy clothing or jewelry (if that's possible). Even though shedding the weight gained by those means could be considered "natural," we will confine this argument to the process of reversing obesity without surgery, pills, or potions.

By natural weight loss I also mean much more than the temporary results implied and delivered by many Internet weight loss programs. People with real life issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular disease, do not need temporary weight loss. We need long term results.

If you just want to lose some weight so you can appear on the Oprah Show, or American Idol, then health may be secondary. A natural weight loss approach may not get you there in two weeks, so the claims of the quick weight loss diets on the Internet might look more appealing.
If you need to change your lifestyle, you're talking about a change in life habits. For long term or permanent benefits, your diet should pattern the way we were created to eat. You should follow the natural laws of health.

Remember the tortoise

The weight loss ads often conjure speed. "Quick weight loss" is an attention getter on any form of advertising. It glosses over the risks associated with removal of tissue that has been deposited over many months and years.

But for effective and permanent results, there almost always has to be a change in behavior as well. This means running like the tortoise and not like the hare.

Don't take the circular route

Many popular weight loss products and programs work on a cycle. It's like going around in circles. The result they produce is cyclical.

Unlike natural weight loss methods, they make you lose weight by stimulating hyperactivity. You then expend more energy than you would normally. So you burn more calories and you do lose weight.

The problem with this is that it's not normal to be stimulated like this all the rest of your life. After you lose some weight you are still left with your eating habits and the process of weight gain repeats itself. It's like doing circles, and the older you get the more difficult it is to break the cycle.

Then again, if you need to lose weight just for improving body image, or to get on a TV show, then the intermittent weight loss may not matter. Realize though, that being overweight is a health risk at any age.

If you already have some lifestyle health issue, such as diabetes or hypertension you shouldn't even give those temporary weight loss fixes a thought. Use a natural weight loss approach.

What is needed

How is natural weight loss effective? What is really needed for most people to maintain their normal weight? Some people believe we need books, tapes, diets, regimens, pills, and even surgery. This question is addressed in the full article on my website.

Copyright © 2006 by Bentley Thompson

Bentley writes about lifestyle-related conditions such as diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, and cardiovascular diseases. He advocates the anti-diabetes diet which he describes on his website. You may visit his website and blog using the following URLs: http://www.anti-diabetes-diet-supplements.com/ and http://choosehealthtoday.blogspot.com

Diet - Foods to Avoid When On Any Diet!

2006-04-30T06:34:00.000-07:00

By Sacha Tarkovsky

Today, there are several diets publicized in books and on the internet, it is difficult to choose. Here we are not going to look at foods to eat but foods to avoid on any diet.
A common sense way to understand which diet is best is to see which one fits your own personal choices for life-style and natural (we stress the word, “natural” not synthetic) tastes.

We all have our likes and dislikes…many of which from a child passes with us all our lives.
Today’s commercial world, and international food and beverage business is about as responsible for the obesity problem as the tobacco company’s are for lung cancer.

When you are on a diet, or if you wish to be your ideal weight, you must avoid the general choices below.

•Any “processed” food. ANY…this means food that has been treated in an industrial way. These foods contain additives and chemicals that disturb your natural processes of digestion and elimination. In this category, you can think of any food from a can, or one that can stay on a supermarket shelf more than one month.

•Any and all fast foods. These are perhaps the worst offenders, as they somehow taste great when you are hungry, you eat them quickly, and they contain all the ingredients you don’t need or your body wants; such as transfats, incorrect food combinations (cola drinks with proteins and carbohydrates), and an excess of calories.

An average fast food meal is about 1,000 or more calories. It is often more, and leaves you hungry in about 2 hours.

•Any “deep-fried” foods. This includes the famous potato, but can also include fried meats (such as fried chicken), and some sweets, such as the donut or many oriental-type sweets. These kill your diet, raise insulin levels in the blood, and there is no way to lose weight.

•All polysaturated and animal fat. We do not say to you to eliminate fat, just eat the correct ones. These are found in fish, some vegetables and some dairy products (where omega-3 oils have been incorporated to the dairy animal’s feed).

•White Flour. There is nothing in it good for you, nothing. Whole wheat or other whole grains are another story. Eat them as you wish, but NO white flour.

It is a dead food itself, and only causes unbalances in your digestive system. White flour was invented as it does not spoil, where whole grains do. The bugs know which is best to eat. They eat the whole grains and not bleached processed white flour.

•White Sugar. As its carbohydrate cousin above, white sugar also has very little or no nutritional value.

There are so many healthy alternatives to it, and although sweet, these natural sugars are easily digested in your system as they are natural as you are natural.

•Mayonnaise and its Derivates. Although very tasty, and makes the food you eat it with so as well, the mayonnaise is heavily processed, usually with the cheapest oils, mostly transfatty ones, and full of preservatives.

Also mayonnaise is made from eggs, and commercially treated to withstand the age process on the supermarket shelf. It will not help you diet, and in fact, it is not good for you at all. If you make it yourself however, and eat it sparingly, that is another matter.

• Caffeinated Drinks. This includes coffee, dark tea, the cola drinks, chocolate, and the new power drinks that are appearing in nightclubs, supermarkets and gyms.

The caffeine (or similar chemical found in tea and chocolate) disturbs your metabolism, and will prevent the natural slimming process when you are dieting.

There are many other foods to both avoid and enjoy, but the above list is generally agreed to by most dieticians.

When you are NOT dieting, you can certainly eat these foods, but it is advised to do so sparingly as to remember you had dieted, lost weight, and now, why gain it back.

More FREE Diet and nutrition advice

For more articles features and downloads on http://net-planet.org/health.html as well as much more to help you live a happier healthier life please visit:
http://www.net-planet.org/

weight loss meal plans

Low Carb Diets: Are They Safe?

2006-04-30T06:30:00.000-07:00

By Philip Nicosia

Low carb diets are currently the most popularity type of diet regimen being used by many fitness conscious people. The low carb philosophy is taking the world by storm as millions of people are now trying out this new diet in the hopes of losing excess weight and fat.

Proponents of the low carb diet philosophy are also saying that aside from losing weight, it also has other inherent benefits. They said that it lowers cholesterol, helps control diabetes or completely stop it from developing in certain individuals. These are claims that seem to have been supported by actual facts as followers of a low carb diet plan have reported the same thing.

This is well and good because it is a good development to finally find a diet plan that is not only going to help you lose weight but will also have very noticeable and significant medical benefits.
But it cannot also be denied that there are many diet plans out there that are either not effective, bogus or even harmful and have a detrimental effect on one’s health. So the question also remains. Are low carb diets safe?

Not surprisingly there are certain arguments that are being presented against low carb diets and ultimately there are also moves to debunk the low carb diet philosophy. In fact, in 2004 a Canadian court made a ruling that foods that are sold in the country are prohibited from being marketed with reduced or no carbohydrate content.

This is because, as the court ruled, carbohydrates have been seen as having no health risks. The ruling also stated tat all packaging that has and indication of “low carb” or “no carb” be phased out by 2006.

According to some critics and detractors of the low carb diet philosophy there are side effects to following this diet regimen. Some of the side effects of consuming low amounts of carbohydrates include ketosis. This is a certain metabolic state that is characterized by headaches, nausea, tiredness, dehydration, and dizziness.

There is also the emanation of an sweet-smelling breath odor. There is also a chance of constipation because dietary fiber is usually cut down in the prepared dishes. In fact, because of the prevalence of constipation among Atkins Diet followers, there is now a clear guideline for the addition of fiber supplements during the induction stage.

The cutting down of calories that are taken from carbohydrates and replacing them with calories taken from meat may also increase the likelihood of raising the intake of both saturated fat and cholesterol – and this could increase your chances of getting heart disease. I

t has also been a contention that with the lessened carbohydrate – increased protein intake the kidneys will have to work harder to flush out impurities in the body. There is also a marked change in the acidity levels of the blood which can result in bone loss.

But according to trials made to prove the hypothesis, there was no evidence that following a low carb diet will damage the kidney or result in bone density loss.

Lowcarbdiets.eu.com is a website providing information on low carb diets, low carb food and low carb books to help you on your way to losing weight.

weight loss meal plans

How to Curb Food Cravings at Night to Lose Weight Naturally

2006-04-30T06:26:00.000-07:00

By Jamie Clark

Wanna lose weight naturally and more quickly? Then you've got to control your nighttime food cravings! All food cravings are diet-killers, but the ones that hit you late at night seem to be the toughest to overcome.

What's worse, late-night eating has been shown to be a leading cause of weight gain. Your body has much less need for calories at night, so anything you eat is more likely to be stored as fat.

According to a recent USDA study, overweight adults tend to eat significantly more calories at night than normal-weight adults, but they eat only slightly more calories at other times of the day. Another recent study from the University of Texas showed that it's much easier to overeat at night, mainly because late-night snacking seems less satisfying than snacking earlier in the day. Other studies have found that many people eat close to 50% of their daily calories at night!

Obviously, controlling your nighttime eating is vital if your goal is natural weight loss and better health. Of course, it's easier said than done. Here are some very effective tips for curbing food cravings at night:

1. Eat breakfast -- It's been proven that people who skip breakfast have a much harder time losing weight. By eating a big, healthy breakfast in the morning you'll give your body the energy it needs and dramatically reduce hunger and cravings later in the day.

2. Eat several small, healthy snacks and meals throughout the day -- People who eat small meals and snacks every few hours, earlier in the day, tend to feel better and have more energy. They also tend to eat fewer overall calories, especially at night. Keeping yourself from getting hungry may be the best craving-stopping technique out there!

3. Eat a "healthy-sized" dinner -- Don't make the mistake of eating too small of a dinner. You might think you're saving calories but you're just setting yourself up for hunger and food cravings later in the evening. Eat a good, medium-sized dinner that includes lots of high-fiber foods (like veggies, salads, and whole-grain breads, pastas, etc.). It's best to eat more protein and less fat and carbs at this meal because it's less likely to be stored as fat.

4. Keep your mind occupied at night -- Many people have a bad habit of eating when they're bored. They get home at night and "zone out" in front of the TV, often with a bag of chips or cookies at their side. It's called "mindless snacking" and it's a huge cause of weight gain, especially in America. Avoid the TV all together and replace it with something more interesting, like reading a good book, writing letters to friends, or doing a favorite hobby.

5. If you need to snack at night, choose healthy options -- It is possible to snack late at night without piling on the calories (and the fat). Fresh veggies and fruit are good, great-tasting options. So is low-fat, low-sugar yogurt and cheese. If you need something a little more "satisfying" have a piece of whole-grain toast with a small amount of natural peanut butter on top, a handful of mixed nuts, or a bowl of whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk. Finally, some people find that a cup of decaffeinated herbal tea really helps take their mind off food altogether.

Jamie Clark is a health researcher and writer. He is a co-editor of FreshHealthyUseful.com. Learn more about natural weight loss at http://www.freshhealthyuseful.com/main/natural-weight-loss-guide/

weight loss meal plans

Lose Belly Fat: 4 Tips That Work

2006-04-30T06:20:00.000-07:00

By Jamie Clark

You can lose belly fat more easily than you might think. A determined person can actually lose quite a lot of abdominal fat in a short amount of time simply by following these steps:

1. Relax and de-stress everyday.

Researchers have found that when you're stressed your body creates several hormones that can increase your abdominal fat stores. If you have chronically high stress levels your body will continually pump these hormones into your bloodstream and the fat around your midsection will dramatically increase over time.

To lose belly fat you have to find effective ways to lower your stress levels. Some of the best anti-stress techniques are deep-breathing, meditation, and "relaxing" exercise like yoga or bike riding. Practice one or more of these techniques everyday and you will notice a big difference.

2. Eat more healthy fats.

The vast majority of people simply don't get enough healthy fats in their diets, especially the vitally-important omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fats have been shown to decrease fat-storing while increasing fat-burning. They may also be able to reduce stress hormones in your body. So if you want to lose belly fat you should be eating omega-3-rich foods -- like fish and flax seeds -- or taking a good omega-3 supplement every day.

3. Do some vigorous and "refreshing" exercise 3-4 times per week.

Nothing reduces stress or burns tummy fat like regular vigorous exercise. The trick is to find something you really enjoy and to not wear yourself out by trying to do too much too fast. If you hate running on a treadmill... don't do it! Training yourself to hate exercise is a big mistake that way too many people make. Instead, try speed walking, jogging or hiking outdoors. Buy a good bike and use it often. Play your favorite "vigorous" sport several times per week. You'll know you've found the right exercise to help you lose body fat when you feel more energized and refreshed after your workouts.

4. Try the Mediterranean Diet... or at least a "Mediterranean-style" diet.

Over and over again this natural diet has been shown to boost health, protect against chronic disease, and help reduce body fat levels. It works because it's high in antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables as well as healthy fats like virgin olive oil and oily fish. At the same time it's low in "bad fats" and "bad carbs" -- especially processed foods. Even if you don't want to make a complete diet switch, it's extremely easy to incorporate delicious Mediterranean foods into your daily diet.

Jamie Clark is a long-time health researcher and article writer. If you'd like to learn more about healthy ways to lose body fat fast, be sure to visit http://lose-belly-fat.blogspot.com/ for useful fat-burning news and articles.

weight loss meal plans

Easy Weight Loss: 3 Practical Tips That Work

2006-04-30T06:01:00.000-07:00

By Jamie Clark

Losing weight naturally and safely doesn't have to be as difficult as you might think. In fact, most people can experience relatively easy weight loss by simply "getting out of the way" of their body's own fat-burning mechanisms. Listed below are 3 simple, practical, and proven tips for losing weight as easily as possible. Try them out for a few weeks and watch the fat melt off!

1. Get out of your own way -- follow the ABC diet!

The first step to losing weight with a minimum amount of effort is to stop eating and drinking things that make it difficult to drop body fat. Many fitness and fashion models stay slim by following the "ABC diet" -- no alcohol, no bread, and no (simple) carbohydrates. Basically they avoid the "Big 3" metabolism-slowing, fat-creating substances that most overweight people consume on a regular basis.

If you really want to experience easy weight loss, try cutting out all alcohol, bread, pasta, fried foods, and sugar from your diet for a few weeks. These things "clog" your system, increase your fat stores, and kill your energy levels. Eliminating them from your diet will really make a big difference and you'll begin to look and feel much better pretty quickly.

2. Don't ever let yourself get hungry... EVER!

Hunger and food-cravings can kill any weight loss plan, no matter how motivated you are. Keep yourself on the right track by "grazing" on healthy snacks throughout the day. High-fiber foods like veggies, fruits, seeds, and nuts are your best choices. Plan healthy meals and snacks ahead of time -- don't wait until the last second to figure out what you're going to eat!

Keep a bag of healthy trail mix with you and grab a handful every few hours. Eat a spoonful of natural peanut butter as soon as your start to get hungry. Sip ice water and green tea throughout the day. Chew on sugar-free mint gum to kill food cravings. Basically, do whatever it takes to keep yourself from getting hungry -- you'll find that it will make losing weight MUCH easier.

3. Protein shakes are your friends.

When you're trying to lose weight naturally, protein shakes are a huge help. A properly made protein shake is extremely healthy and full of hunger-killing, fat loss-boosting protein, fiber, and healthy fats. Most importantly, it is delicious! A protein shake sweetened with a healthy sugar substitute like xylitol or stevia can really hit the spot when you're craving something sweet.

Base your shakes on whey protein powder, low-fat milk (or rice/soy/oat/almond milk), and fresh or frozen fruit. Throw in some ground flax seeds, almonds, and/or natural peanut butter to increase the "good fat" content and to make your shakes more filling. There are hundreds of healthy protein shake recipes out there so be sure and experiment to find one that suits your tastes.

Jamie Clark is a health and fitness writer for FreshHealthyUseful.com.

To learn more about easy, natural weight loss techniques visit:

http://www.freshhealthyuseful.com/main/natural-weight-loss-guide/

weight loss meal plans

Losing Weight One Pound at a Time

2006-04-16T08:54:00.000-07:00

By Cyndi Schoenhals

Over two-thirds of American adults are overweight or obese. That’s quite a high percentage of adults who have a need to shed a little or a lot of fat! The only way to do this is one pound at a time!

Many overweight individuals wish and hope for a quick cure to their weight problems. They’ll try anything that promises instant results!

Unfortunately, these ‘miracle weight loss’ products are scams! They may help a person shed some water weight, initially. But, the fat isn’t going anywhere without a little effort on that person’s part!

For those of you who have tried weight loss diets or are thinking about trying one, consider all the dieters who have tried the same diets and failed. The number one reason for permanent weight loss failure is the inability to stick with the diet!

Many individuals become ‘yo-yo’ dieters. They try one diet for awhile, lose a few pounds, quit the diet, gain back the weight (and then some), and move on to another diet. The process is repeated. With each new attempt, there is often more weight to lose than there was initially!

Successful Weight Loss Strategies

If you want to lose weight successfully, you must realize, first, that there are no miracle diets or products that will blast away the fat! You didn’t gain the weight overnight! You aren’t going to lose it overnight, either! You will have to put forth effort to lose the fat, one pound at a time! Even after you’ve shed those extra pounds, you will have to continue to work at controlling your weight, if you wish to keep the fat off!

In an article on Consumer Reports.org which rates various popular diets, Cathy Nonas, R.D., M.S., (an obesity researcher at North General Hospital in New York) states, “The best diet is the one you can stay on.” Consumer Reports goes on to say that “adherence is important…To maintain lost weight, dieters must permanently reduce their calorie intake, because they will need fewer calories to fuel their now-smaller body.”

Fad diets typically fail in the end. From my own personal experience, I have found that eating sensibly works best! If you want to lose weight (one pound at a time), keep it off, and feel good, too, why not try cutting down on the empty calories found in most American diets? Eat more raw vegetables and fruits and whole grains.

Go easy on the fats and processed sugary or salty snacks. Limit yourself to smaller portions and avoid having second helpings. This type of diet is one that you CAN stick with and live with for the rest of your life!

Yes, you’ll have to make a few lifestyle changes, and you’ll have to work on being more disciplined in your eating habits. But, in the end, it will be worth it! You’ll look better! You’ll feel better! Your confidence will return, and you’ll believe that there isn’t anything that you cannot do!

Wouldn’t it be worth giving up that 44-ounce Coke and that huge order of greasy French fries for a healthier, happier you? If you simply can’t do without a few French fries and a Coke now and then, go ahead and treat yourself to a small serving.

Cut back on calories somewhere else that day. Occasionally, it’s okay to indulge. But, if you seriously want to shed the extra fat and keep it off, be conscious about everything you put into your mouth. You’ll lose that weight, a pound at a time!

Note: Before beginning any weight loss program, be sure to check with your medical professional.

Cyndi Schoenhals is a certified personal trainer and author of the I Hate Diets Approach to Weight Loss. Learn how to lose weight without starving yourself.

weight loss meal plans

NutriSystem

Fat Loss Guide - Eating And Exercise

2006-04-16T08:48:00.000-07:00

By Michael Russell

When people are planning to start on a fat-loss program the very first thing they want to attack is their belly. They all have a dream of turning a beer gut into a rock hard six-pack. But after only a few weeks of hard work, nothing seems to happen and soon they will give up.

In this article I will try to explain, why this always happens and that you may also be using the wrong exercises, or the right exercises but in the wrong manner. Either way you are not doing yourself any good.

But you must never give up - it's only for losers to quit! Remember that!

The very first thing you must always have in your mind is: All abdominal exercises strengthen abdominal muscles, and only that! Your abdominal muscles are covered by at thick layer of fat when you begin - then they still will be covered by the very same layer of fat when you finish. Yes, of course you will have stronger abdominal muscles but you will still have the same look.

If you want to have visible abdominal muscle, you will first have to lose fat! And you do that by dieting and aerobic exercises, that way you will burn more calories than you take in. When you have reduced your waistline a bit, then you are ready to move on to those abdominal six-pack exercises.

All you have to do, is to reduce calorie intake and do some light exercise to burn calories. Losing fat can only be done by exercising more and eating less - it's very simple, nothing complicated about that!

Do some light exercise 30-minutes every day, if you want to you can even break the 30-minutes down to 3 10-minutes exercise sessions - doing whatever you like to do, biking, walking, light jogging, rowing or even climbing stairs! Anything will burn calories!

It seems to make sense to eat five to six meals every day, instead of the regular three meals. That's because your body can handle small meals much better than big ones - your digestive system simply cannot absorb those big meals, therefore much of it will turn into fat!

It will take your brain about twenty minutes to get the message that your stomach is full, so be careful to eat slowly as well. How often have you eaten beyond the capacity that is required simply because the message hasn't got through?

NOTE: Diet or exercise regimes should not be embarked on without seeking the advice of a health care professional.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Weight Loss

weight loss meal plans

Use Herbs to Remove Flab at Hips and Thighs!

2006-04-16T05:11:00.000-07:00

By Ashley Green

Body Mass Index is calculated by dividing a person's body weight in kilograms by his/her height is meters squared. Being obese and overweight are not the same. A BMI of 30 or more is considered obese and a BMI of 25-29.9 is considered overweight.

The tendency towards obesity is encouraged by two bad habits: lack of physical activity and high-calorie food.

In Ayurveda, the 'swastha-vritta' guidelines are useful in preventing obesity:

. Selection of food items should be done intelligently. Any obsession or craving for food should be controlled.

. Include moong and masoor in your diet.

. Avoid very sweet, salty or oily food, especially at night.

. Avoid curd and have buttermilk instead.

. Try and drink warm water always.

. Have Gaduchi, Triphala or Musta mixed with honey. Takrarishta is also advisable. Triphala churna is best taken at bedtime.

Random Fact: Being 40 and overweight raises Alzheimer's risk- High levels of body fat increases chance of developing disease, study finds being overweight during one's early 40s increases the risk of Alzheimer's disease research shows.

" We originally thought that once we took into account diabetes and cardiovascular disease, that there would be no effect of overweight on Alzheimer's disease, but that turned out not to be the case, " Dr Rachel A. Whitemer said at a press briefing held at the American Academy of Neurology's annual meeting here in San Diego

Must Read: 10 effective tips and exercises to lose weight on hips and thighs at http://www.weightloss-health.com/slim_thighs_hips.htm

. Bruhat Panchamoola powder mixed with honey is also beneficial.

. Amla powder is also useful in reducing obesity. Also, keep in mind that there's no alternative to regular yoga or exercises like swimming, jogging or cycling for controlling obesity.

. Avoid sleeping during day time at all cost.

. Join a group for motivation to lose weight.

. Initial weight loss should be the therapeutic goal. A bigger challenge is to find an effective way to sustain this weight loss.

. It is very important for obese people to get their lipid and sugar levels routinely checked, along with blood pressure and other tests related to functioning of the heart.

Must Read: More healthy weight loss tips at http://www.weightloss-health.com/Weight%20loss%20tips.htm

About the Author

Ashley Green: for http://weightloss-health.com/your complete and most comprehensive family guide on Health.

Also check out our effective TEN tips to lose weight from hips and thighs at Lose Weight from Hips and Thighs

weight loss meal plans

Herbs

Atkins vs. Go-Carb Diet: Which Is Best?

2006-04-16T05:03:00.000-07:00

By Sacha Tarkovsky

In terms of books sold, perhaps the Atkins diet is the most successful of the modern age. It obviously would not be so successful if it did not work and work quickly.

However, there are several cons as well as pros to the Atkins Diet, and we shall compare it to the Go-Carb Diet (good old carbohydrate diet), and give you the opportunity to chose for yourself.

Due to the notoriety of celebrities using the Atkins diet, and the promotion of the book itself, it has become very well known and widely practiced, at least for a while.

The advantages claimed over a Go-Carb diet are:

•Not all carbohydrates are disallowed. For example, those rich in dietary fiber are allowed as the fiber is not digested. This gives the dieter a great degree of choice.

•Similarly as so many foods are permitted, there is greater variety in this diet, so the thought is, the risk of cheating is reduced. Thus, you keep with the diet till you achieve your goal.

•The diet permits you to eat the food you like best, such as meat, cheeses, creams, and other high fat foods.

•The diet lets you eat large quantities and so you are not becoming hungry, and

•Because the body thinks its starving, you burn fat for energy.

On the other hand, there are some real criticisms, which are:

•As mentioned above, but looked at differently, if you burn fat for energy instead of carbohydrates, you will have increased uric acid and ketones (you enter into a state called ketosis), which the body takes for starvation.

Certainly you will lose weight, but can also end up with kidney problems, migraine and even gout. Eventually you will also burn muscle tissue, which is not desirable at all.

•An often quoted study published in the New England Journal of Medicine providing evidence the Atkins diet works, in fact, concluded that after dieting for a significant amount of time (one year) the results of the Atkins and Go-carb diet were about the same.

•That same study also mentioned (no real need to) that most people dropped out of both diets.

•The Atkins diet, with high amounts of saturated fats (Omega-6) in proportion to poly-unsaturated fats (Omega-3) raises blood pressure, creates all kinds of inflammations, has a negative effect on cholesterol levels and can lead to cardiovascular disease.

•As the Atkins diet is low in complex carbohydrates found in fruits and vegetables, it can also lead to chronic constipation and reduced colo-rectal cancer prevention.

Leaving which diet is better and for whatever reasons aside, we would like to state that the only real diet is a radical change in your eating habits.

This must be linked to daily exercise. Here are some real positive suggestions, based on a Go-carb diet, that if followed, you will lose weight and keep it off. In fact, instead of choosing one diet over the other, pick the best parts of both; and

1.Chose only lean protein, and not more than one gram per kilo of your weight daily. So if you weigh, for example, 75 kilos, you can have a maximum of 750 grams of quality protein daily. Make as much of this fish or non-red meat as possible.

2.When you use daily products, chose those which are low in fats; as cottage cheese, low-fat milk and sour cream.

3.Add as many fruits and vegetables as you can to our daily diet. Herein lies the secret. It is usually a dietary change, as most overweight people are eating few or any daily fruit and vegetables.

4.If you can, eat 5 smaller meals than 3 larger ones. If you need to snack, make sure its on fruit.

5.Careful of your fats. Reject all trans-fatty acids (good-bye McDonalds!) and use pure oils such as Extra Virgin Olive oil, or special margarines made without Trans-fatty acids.

6.Go-carbs are best. Whole grain breads, lentils and other pulses, non-fried and salted nuts, and only natural cereals. Avoid generally all processed food if you can.

If you combine the above with daily exercise, you will lose weight so the Go carb diet is the one to choose.

For more free diet and fitness articles and features go to our website and find an accompanying fitness workout to the Go-carb diet:

http://www.net-planet.org

weight loss meal plans

Easter Weight Loss & The Easter Bunny - Are They Both A Myth?

2006-04-12T20:24:00.000-07:00

By Tracie Johanson

Millions of Americans are well into their annual spring diet program, trying to lose weight fast before summer arrives. Unfortunately, Easter can derail our weight loss efforts faster than Peter Cottontail hops down his bunny trail.

With mountains of candy eggs and legions of chocolate bunnies, Easter packs enough fat and calories to obliterate even the best weight loss program. Attempting to stick with a healthy diet through Easter may leave the dieter wondering if Easter weight loss is a bigger myth than the Easter bunny.

"Easter is third in candy consumption in the United States with 940 million dollars spent on it in 1998. That's a lot of chocolate bunnies" (Source: about.com). "In 2000, Americans bought $1.9 billion of Easter candy and consumed 7.1 billion pounds to edge ahead of Christmas sales that year" (Source: Topeka Capital Journal, April, 2004).

So what's a weight watcher to do, short of filling the Easter eggs with diet pills and weight loss products? By following a few simple guidelines, it is possible to maintain a diet plan through Easter and perhaps even achieve some healthy weight loss.

All Easter Candy Is Not Created Equal:

First and foremost, it's important to be aware that all Easter candy is not created equal. While no Easter candy could properly be called a diet product, it is true that some varieties are less fattening than others. On the healthier side of the scale are marshmallow eggs and jellybeans. Palmer Marshmallow Eggs, for example, in a 47 gram serving, boast just 130 calories, 0 grams fat, 0 grams saturated fat, and 38 grams carbohydrate (13% Daily Value).

Another Easter candy option that's may fit into a weight loss plan is Brach's Classic Jelly Bird Eggs. The recommended serving of 14 pieces (41 grams) has just 150 calories, 0 grams fat, 0 grams saturated fat and 37 grams carbohydrate (12% Daily Value).

Marshmallow Peeps, one of the most popular choices in the country, are another low fat option. A 5 peeps (42 gram) serving boasts just 160 calories, 0 grams fat, 0 grams saturated fat and 40 grams carbohydrate (13% Daily Value).

Although Easter candy will never be featured as the next big weight loss pill, it is true that some confections are healthier than others. Choose wisely.

Chocolate Is Not A Diet Food:

In spite of the fact that jellybeans will never have a permanent place in a diet and nutrition program, at least they're healthier than chocolate. Far from being a diet food, chocolate packs in the calories because it's so high in fat.

For someone seeking fat loss this Easter season, perhaps the worst thing to find in their basket would be the Palmer Whacky Rabbit Chocolate Bunny (2.5 oz.). The recommended serving size is 1 package (71 grams), which will cost an astounding 360 calories, 20 grams fat (31% Daily Value), 12 grams saturated fat (60% Daily Value) and 46 grams carbohydrate (15% Daily Value).

Other chocolate Easter products likely to annihilate a weight loss diet include Hershey's Candy Coated Eggs with 210 calories per 9 piece (41 gram) serving, Nestle Butterfinger Nest Eggs with 210 calories per 5 piece (43 gram) serving, and Russell Stover Solid Milk Chocolate Bunny (7 oz.) with 220 calories per 1/5 piece (40 gram) serving.

To maintain some weight control this Easter, cut back on the solid chocolate goodies and opt instead for lower-calorie alternatives like the Cadbury Crème Egg. With a serving size of 1 egg (39 grams), this Easter favorite contains 170 calories, 6 grams fat (9% Daily Value), 3.5 grams saturated fat (18% Daily Value) and 28 grams carbohydrate (9% Daily Value).

Other options may include Snickers Minis, with 170 calories per 4 piece (36 gram) serving, or Nestle Crunch Nest Eggs, with 180 calories per 5 piece (37 gram) serving.

Hide The Easter Basket (Again!)

"Peter Cottontail should be hopping down the Bunny Trail any time now. But you might be surprised at what he'll be bringing this year. While there's still sure to be plenty of colored, hard-boiled eggs on Sunday, candy makers say he also will be toting 90 million chocolate bunnies, 600 million marshmallow chicks and bunnies and 16 billion jellybeans. That's hefty load for such a little animal, huh?" (Source: Topeka Capital Journal, April, 2004).

There's no doubt that the sheer volume of Easter candy available is enough to hamper even the best weight loss program. An Easter weight loss tip to deal with this issue is to eat just a little bit every day. Spreading the candy feast out over several weeks will not only minimize weight gain, but it will also prevent additional candy purchases well into summer. So after all the eggs and treats have been found this year, go ahead and hide them again in a kitchen cupboard. Out of sight is out of mind, and hiding that Easter basket (again) may be the weight loss strategy that makes the difference this year.

Join In The Hunt!

While most people acknowledge that they should exercise to lose weight, most lack the motivation to engage in weight loss exercise on a regular basis. The solution this Easter is to join in the Easter egg hunt with the kids. A 170 pound woman will burn approximately 116 calories in 30 minutes of hiding Easter eggs, and another 154 calories in just 30 minutes of egg-hunting (source: caloriesperhour.com). Get out there and have some fun!

Easter may not be the best time to pursue fast weight loss, but it is certainly possible to enjoy the holiday without raising your body fat percentage to new highs. By following the weight management techniques outlined above, you'll be able to greet the Easter bunny with a smile this year.

* Tracie Johanson is the founder of Pick Up The Pace, a 30-minute exercise studio for women, focusing on fitness, health and nutrition for maximum weight loss. Please visit http://www.letspickupthepace.com/ for more information.

* Subscribe to our FREE weekly email newsletter, which is full of weight loss tips and fitness information. Just go to http://www.letspickupthepace.com/ and click on the 'Newsletter' link. We'll even give you a FREE e-book for subscribing!

* Are you a woman looking for a gym job that will maximize your income while giving you total control over your own future? You can help women get off the diet roller coaster and achieve permanent weight loss!

Pick Up The Pace 30-Minute Workout For Women offers a unique business opportunity similar to a fitness franchise, but without any royalty payments. We will help you open a hydraulic circuit training health club.

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weight loss meal plans

Losing Weight The Healthy Way

2006-04-12T20:10:00.000-07:00

By Michael Russell

The key to weight control is keeping energy intake (food) and energy output (physical activity) in optimum balance. Thus, a regular program of weight control must include a regular program of exercise and a strict control over calorie intake.

When your physical exercise program burns up more of the energy than you consume, weight loss will begin to take place, so the key to a good program of weight loss is to reduce your calorie intake while at the same time using up your stored fat. Your exercise program needs to demand that you begin to burn up some of the stored fat in your body in order for you to lose weight.

How much you lose and how quickly you lose weight is going to be determined by the amount and type of activity you choose for your exercise program and also by the amount and type of food you consume. If you consume 100 calories a day MORE than your body needs, you will gain approximately 10 pounds in a year. On the other hand, if you walk a mile a day, you will burn anywhere from 100 to 1000 calories daily depending on the quality of the walk. (A stroll is not going to use as many calories as a brisk walk.)

A combination of controlled exercise and controlled diet offers the best approach to weight control.

Fat does not "turn into" muscle tissue. Fat tissue and muscle tissue are two separate things. Muscle does use up calories at a faster rate than fat tissue, and this will directly affect your body's metabolism.

Your Basal Metabolism Rate is the amount of energy you require to sustain your body at rest. this will vary with your age, sex, body size, genetic makeup and body composition. People with higher levels of muscle tend to have a higher metabolism rate and will use more calories in the resting stage. This is one reason why frequent exercise and building up your muscle tissue are important components of an effective weight loss program.

weight loss meal plans

You may not appear to be losing as much weight as you would hope for, however, your own feelings about your improved physical condition will tell you a great deal. With an effective exercise and diet program, you will gain increased vitality and an improved energy level, and you will enjoy life more when you practice a heather more active life style.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Weight Loss

How To Keep The Weight Off

2006-04-03T21:04:00.000-07:00

By Roschelle Nelson

"Look at you."

"You look absolutely amazing."

"How did you finally lose the weight?"

If any of this sounds familiar, you have at some point in life achieved your weight loss goal. The days of calorie counting, exercising, and venturing into unchartered territory every morning as you stand on the great equalizer - your bathroom scale, have finally paid off.

You're perfect and you deserve to be praised for this tremendous accomplishment. But the true test has just begun.

Thousands of us lose weight each and every year. The downside to this is that many of us gain the weight back after less than a year.

And thus the vicious yo-yo is born. The yo-yo dieter is easy to spot. They are the ones who are a different size every time you see them. There sizes range from tiny, 5lbs. heavier, really gaining weight to the ultimate insult, "She's huge!".

Your closet consist of about four different dress sizes. To your absolute horror, you probably can't fit any of them.

You and only you can bring this cycle to an end. The first step is realizing that dieting is an absolute no-no! Changing your lifestyle by modifying your behavior is key.

As humans, we are instinctively creatures of habit. We usually have a difficult time adapting to change. Nevertheless, it can be done.

Start Simple

Meal planning is an excellent first line of defense. Abandon the fast food restaurants and start doing a little grocery shopping. Purchase fresh fruit, vegetable and low calorie, low fat snacks.

When purchasing meats keep in mind that fresh is best. If the meat can be eaten without cooking, you don't need it. Luncheon meats are generally higher in sodium and other harmful additives to help preserve the meat's shelf-life.

Meal Preparation

Through out the deep fryer! Baking, broiling or boiling cuts calories, fat and cholesterol. Once you've made the appropriate food selections make sure your preparation is on the same sheet of music. weight loss meal plans

Make Exercising Fun

Make exercise a family affair. Take brisk walks in the morning after dropping the kids off at school or an evening stroll with the hubby and kids before or after dinner. Aerobic tapes and DVDs are great. But who wants to jump around in a house all alone? Even working in the yard can be a great source of exercise. Just remember - some sort of physical activity for at least 30 minutes 3 to 4 times a week can do wonders.

Hydration

Get back to the basics! Drinking plenty of water is one of the best gifts you can give yourself. Water is a great way of flushing toxins from the body. Most of us cringe at the thought of drinking 6 to 8 - eight ounce glasses daily. Once I realized that an eight ounce glass was the same size as a standard white styrofoam paper cup I was hooked for life. Avoiding sodas and other beverages which are loaded with empty calories can be replaced easily with a refreshing glass of water.

Take A Break

One of the worst mistakes is never moving past your mistake. Okay, you've been doing great and one day out of nowhere you find yourself wrist deep in one of the biggest burgers you've tasted in a long time. After devouring it, you're riddled with guilt and decide to just give up. Wait just one minute! You've come to far. Get back up and forge ahead. We learn from our mistakes, right? Why should this be any different. I suggest having an off day. Choose one day out of the week to have a reward meal. Now, don't go over board. However, one of your favorite meals is a good way of keeping things exciting and not completely throwing your body into healthy eating SHOCK!

Living The Life

Once you've started eating and living healthier the weight will begin to disappear. Again, there will be a multitude of compliments. Who knows. You may even turn a few heads! Now ask yourself this, was losing the weight really that difficult? The answer is no. So, keep it up. Resorting back to the old you will transform you into the "old you". Isn't that the person you intentionally left behind?

Roschelle Nelson is the founder of Wah4life.com. She lives and works at home with her husband and two sons.

Visit her website: http://www.wah4life.com/ and http://www.wah4life.blogspot.com/

Can I Lose Weight Using an Elliptical Trainer?

2006-04-02T04:43:00.000-07:00

By Tim Gorman

Sometimes it seems the whole world is trying to lose weight. There is always another diet book on the bookshelf, which claims to be better than the previous books and will really help you lose weight faster, easier and better or so the makers claim. The same is also true of exercise and weight loss machines such as an elliptical trainer; there is always a better system or machine around the corner. But in a few weeks, or months, the next big elliptical trainer appears and leaves the other machines as part of a bad fitness dream.

Speaking of which, currently in vogue at the moment are elliptical trainers. But are they really any better at helping you to lose weight when compared to all the other exercise machines out there? Although elliptical trainers are primarily marketed as exercise and fitness machines, the main question asked by many people new to them is, can I lose weight using an elliptical trainer?

Elliptical trainers differ from other types of exercise machines in that they combine the features of both a stair tread machine and a treadmill. By using foot beds, which move in an elliptical motion they give you the benefits of both systems without the joint impact of a treadmill or the boredom of a stair tread machine.

The best machines also encompass moving handlebars and are programmable to change the speed and difficulty of the program. This makes them a very efficient exercise machine that can give you a fantastic aerobic and cardiovascular workout and gives a resounding yes to the question; can I lose weight using an elliptical trainer?

In fact the reason that many people ask the question, can I lose weight using an elliptical trainer, is because they have had so much difficulty with other systems and machines, and do not want to end up spending large amounts of money for yet another useless exercise machine.

Probably the easiest way to determine whether it is a suitable system that you would enjoy using and be able to achieve real benefits from is not to try one out the shop while listening to the salesman's sales pitch and trying to avoid the curious glances of other shoppers, but to join a gym, even on a temporary membership in order to try out a really good professional quality elliptical trainer and get some proper instruction on the best way to use it in order to derive the maximum benefit of weight lose.

Actually trying out an elliptical trainer can give you a much better insight into whether it will be an exercise system that you will enjoy using and should answer any questions that you still have, including the key one, can I lose weight using an elliptical trainer?

Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster and publisher of Elliptical-Trainer-Solutions.com

He provides more elliptical trainer ratings, recommendations and information on how to lose weight using an elliptical trainer that you can research in your pajamas on his website.

Fat Burning Foods and Weight Loss

2006-04-02T04:36:00.000-07:00

By David Mcevoy

We all know about foods that are good for us and have various proven benefits. But many people aren’t aware that there are actually fat-burning foods, which help kick-start your body into shedding excess weight. These wonder-foods can increase the number of fat calories your body burns – they’re like little diet-helpers, stimulating your metabolism.

They are known as ‘free foods’, and as you’d expect they are low in calories. However, some of them actually have ‘negative’ calories, meaning that your body burns more calories metabolising the foods than it absorbs from the food itself. Add them to your diet and see the effect for yourself!

The great news is that such ‘superfoods’ contain real health benefits in addition to their amazing weight loss assisting properties. These benefits make them ideal components in any weight loss programme. You may be surprised to discover where to find some of these great little helpers.

You normally think of chili as being found in traditionally unhealthy meals and snacks, but it contains capsaicin, an active ingredient which as a thermogenic agent helps to increase metabolism and the burning of calories and fat.

Capsaicin is unsurprisingly found in many natural weight loss formulas – it is believed to be an appetite suppressant. Cayenne was shown by two Japanese studies to increase metabolism of dietary fats in women – it also showed a modest reduction in appetite. Capscaicin does even more than this – it has been shown to relieve sinusitis, psoriasis, migraines and arthritis, improve circulation and stomach conditions and even inhibit the growth of cancer cells. It also works as a good all-round painkiller.

Then there’s bee pollen – again you might associate that with unhealthiness, as bees can give a nasty sting, but their pollen is quite different. It’s a virtually complete food with an amazing composition of nutrients, enzymes and phytochemicals as well as being 40% protein. It’s meant to stimulate the metabolism as well as helping to flush fat from the body due to its high lecithin content. Pollen also makes for a good appetite suppressant, but has no negative side effects.

You still might not be shaking bee pollen over your dinner, but coconut oil is more likely to be found in your supermarket or kitchen. It’s a saturated fat, and helps to get rid of unwanted body fat, unlike polyunsaturated fats like processed vegetable oils. It really is a low-fat fat, unique from animal saturated fats with its medium chain fatty acids – these are absorbed directly and used straightaway for energy. Sufferers of diabetes, chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia, digestive disorders, thyroid imbalances, and viral, bacterial and fungal infections have all found that coconut oil helps their condition.

Another ‘nasty’ natural ingredient with surprising benefits is the nettle. The stingy plant we were all told to stay away from as children contains the neurotransmitter serotonin, which calms and raises the spirits. It also functions as an appetite suppressant, as it plays a part in the feelings of fullness experienced after eating.

Serotonin supplements have been designed to fight food cravings and help slimming. Decreased levels of serotonin have been found to be directly linked to overeating obesity. Nettles are reputed to improve weight loss for this reason. They’re also very mineral dense and are detoxifying and cleansing for the body – amazingly they are also great for the skin, hair and nails, thanks to their sulphur content.

Here’s the really good news – chocolate can help you lose weight! Cacao or pure chocolate contains chemicals that increase serotonin levels in the brain and suppress the appetite.

Serotonin levels can be raised by the amino acid tryptophan in cacao as well as the action of monoamine oxidase enzyme inhibitors (MAO inhibitors). These decrease our body’s ability to break down serotonin so that more of this neurotransmitter remains in the brain, creating feelings of fullness for longer.

Cacao is also a great source of antioxidants and has potent aphrodisiac properties, healthy minerals and mood-boosting compounds such as PEA, known as the ‘love chemical’. Make sure you get unrefined chocolate, though – commercial products are full of sugar, hydrogenated fats, milk, additives, agro-chemicals and solvents which cancel out the benefits.

The benefits of green tea have been widely reported. One study indicates that substances in green tea extract may actually promote weight loss. The catechin flavonoids in green tea may alter the body's use of norepinephrine, a chemical transmitter in the nervous system, to increase the rate of calorie burning. Green tea also lowers cholesterol, reduces the risk of stroke, protects against cancer, prevents teeth cavities and has anti-inflammatory properties. And it even has a pleasant taste.

Another beneficial supplement which is becoming more and more well-known is omega-3 fish oil. These serve many different bodily processes – they’re especially good for the heart and the immune system, but also help with arthritis, skin conditions, pre-menstrual tension, mental function, improving memory and reducing depressive symptoms. It reduces insulin levels in the body – insulin promotes the use of fat for storage and reduces the use of fat for fuel, hence lower insulin levels mean greater conversion of fat for energy rather than storage.

Omega-3 is most abundant in oily fish like sardines, salmon and mackerel. Plant sources include flaxseeds (the richest plant source), walnuts, pumpkin seeds, green leafy vegetables, evening primrose oil, wheat germ and spirulina.

It’s possible to boost your immune system, lower your cholesterol, improve your energy and generally give your health a big help by eating the right foods. The body is usually in a state of homeostasis, meaning that your body automatically tries to keep its internal environment constant. Exercising more and cutting calories makes your body adjust, making changes to stop you losing critical body fat – push it too far and it goes into survival mode, grimly hanging on to all the calories it can. What you need to do is understand metabolism and coax your body to release stored fats.

There are two metabolic phases – anabolism and catabolism, which occur constantly and simultaneously. If you don’t eat enough or give your body the right nutrients it will go into a heightened state of catabolism, meaning you build less muscle – this is slow metabolism. To lose weight and improve your health you should aim for high metabolism – a greater degree of anabolism.

You may in fact need to eat more in order to lose weight – it’s not as simple as saying ‘just eat less’. Your body will hang on more tightly to calories if it doesn’t get enough nutrition. If you eat more calories more frequently you raise your metabolism. If you get your calorie intake right, you will see improvement and feel it too. This is where ‘negative calorie’ foods come in. Eating them makes the body exert more energy than contained in the foods themselves, so just eating them gives you a potential for net loss of calories.

Along with that omega-3 fish oil, these foods are all negative calorie foods:

Vegetables: Asparagus, fennel, gourd, aubergine, broccoli, leek, cabbage, lettuce, carrots, marrow, cauliflower, peppers, celery, chicory, radish, spinach, cress, tomato, cucumber, turnip
Fruit: Apricot, blackberry, mandarin orange, cantaloupe and honeydew melon and watermelon, clementines, peaches, plums, damsons, raspberries, grapefruit, rhubarb, guava, strawberry, lemon, tangerine.

So where do I go from here, well it’s easy, eat the right amount of calories you need for that day, exercise moderately daily and snack throughout the day on the negative foods that are listed above and your waist line will begin to change for the better.

Copyright 2006 David McEvoy

Dave Mcevoy is an award winning personal trainer he also runs a high quality supplement site
http://www.mind1st.com http://www.mind1st.co.uk

Diet Programs - The Basics

2006-01-26T11:45:00.000-08:00

By John Mac

Atkins Diet Program

The Atkins diet program is based on the principle of switching your body to burn fat instead of carbohydrates to obtain energy. It is a life change rather than a diet program, as in order to keep the pounds off you need to stick to the recommended way of eating.

The main difference to other diet programs is in what you are allowed to eat ie eggs, meat including beef, pork, turkey, chicken, duck, wild game, veal & lamb also fish such as shellfish. Fats are also permitted ie butter, olive oil & mayonnaise, certain cheeses are also permitted.

You must drink lots of water, only de-caffinated coffee & will need to take vitamin supplements including minerals. You must also exercise every day, no need to do a marathon however, a brisk walk will suffice. You are encouraged to eat enough to satisfy your appetite but you must not overeat.

You must not drink alcohol. You must not cheat; it takes 2-3 days for the body to switch from burning carbohydrates (in the form of glucose) to burning fat, so if you cheat you are back to day

1. You cannot eat the following:

Sugar in any form, corn syrup, honey or maple syrup.

Milk or Yogurt – a limited amount of cream is allowed.Fruit & fruit juice.

Flour products (bread, pasta, crackers etc)Grains or cereals.

Beans and legumes.Starchy or high sugar vegetables such as potatoes, yams, corn, peas, parsnips, beets & carrots.

Sweet condiments such as most ketchups, bbq sauce & balsamic vinegar.

French dressing & thousand island dressing.Cottage cheese, farmers cheese & other fresh cheeses.

Nuts & seeds.

Diet Program Pro’s

Lots of popular foods are permitted & you can have snacks between meals. No need to starve and are encouraged to eat when hungry.

Diet Program Con’s

Must stick to diet for good to keep off unwanted pounds. No breaks or cheat days allowed. May not be suitable if you can’t go without coffee or alcohol.

South Beach Diet Program

Similar to the Atkins diet prgram in that it changes the way you eat whilst still allowing plenty of popular foods such as meat, fish & eggs but you can also eat cheese & vegetables.

You can have 3 meals a day & even 2 snacks a day. You can also have dessert & diet soda. You are not allowed any alcohol for an initial 2 week period but after that you are allowed to drink wine. After an initial 2 week start where what you can eat is limited you can start to phase some of your favourite foods back into your diet. Its all about eating “good carbs” instead of “bad carbs”.

Diet Program Pro’s

Based on a healthy way of eating rather than a diet. Many of your favourite foods are probably still allowed. Some alcohol ie wine is allowed.

Diet Program Con’s

You may find the first couple of weeks particularly hard due to what you can eat being limited.

Zone Diet Program

Developed by Barry Sears a biochemist, the Zone Diet is about controlling your insulin level through a balanced diet of carbohydrates, proteins & fat, also known as the 40-30-30 diet (40% carbohydrates, 30% Proteins 30% fat).

Once again it is a way of living rather than just a diet with 3 stages geared to make you lose weight, control hunger & have more energy. It is based on consistent insulin levels with the supplementation of high dose fish oil.

The Zone diet encourages eating regularly throughout the day & eliminates many jink foods such as sweets & chips.

The “Zone” refers to being in a physiological state in which hormones, governed by the food you eat, are in a zone which is neither too high nor too low.

Diet Program Pro’s

Balanced diet rather than cutting out foods you may enjoy.

Diet Program Con’s

The reasoning behind the diet can be quite technical & therefore many people may disagree about its merits.

Mediterranean Diet Program

Not a diet as such but simply a way of eating for hundreds if not thousands of years followed by people of countries bordering the Mediterranean such as Greece, Southern Italy, parts of North Africa & the Middle East.

It is well known that people from these areas have a lower incidence of heart disease; this is believed to be due to over half of their fat intake being from monounsaturated fat (mainly from olive oil) as opposed to saturated fat, prominent elsewhere. Saturated fat is known to raise cholesterol levels.

The basic diet followed is one that has a low consumption of red meat, low to moderate consumption of sweets, fish, eggs & dairy products except cheese & natural yogurt, a high consumption of fresh fruits & vegetables & a higher consumption of breads, pasta, rice, potatoes & couscous. Water & red wine (in moderation) are taken with meals.

Diet Program Pro’s

Not a “fad diet” but a traditional way of eating with known health benefits.

Diet Program Con’s

None as such apart from if you are unable to obtain fresh fruit & veg.

Weight Watchers Diet Program

There are 2 main diet programs for you to follow; one a points system where all foods are allocated points according to their calorie, fat & fibre content. You are allowed to use up (or consume) a set number of points per day. The other diet program is a no points system which allows you to eat from a range of wholesome foods without having to count the calories.

The weight watchers diet program can be followed online as well as offline through regular local meetings where you will get not just tips & guidance but the support & encouragement of fellow weight watchers.

Diet Program Pro’s

On the points system you can eat what you like as long as you stick to the number of points. The meetings can help to keep you motivated.

Diet Program Con’s

Offline meetings may not be practical for you. The points system may leave you feeling hungry.

John Mac is author & owner of http://healthdietfitness.com a website aimed at providing help & information for people looking to improve their health, diet & fitness.

The Cabbage Soup Diet - Success Can Be Yours

2006-01-26T11:39:00.000-08:00

By Jennifer Maskill

When I first heard about the Cabbage soup diet, I thought it was too good to be true. So how can a 7 day diet take as much as 14lbs off you? Cabbage is among several foods that have a negative calorie value.

This means that they use up more calories in digesting than they actually give in energy value. Among these kinds of foods are Celery; Asparagus; Beet Root; Broccoli; Carrot and Cauliflower. So in theory the more you eat of it, the more weight you will lose.

The reason is very simple: Your body burns more calories digesting the ingredients, than their calorific content. This diet is fast, and fat-burning, and the secret is that you will burn more calories than you consume.

Fat Burning Cabbage/Vegetable Soup Recipe:

1 Small Head Green Cabbage
4-6 Spring Onions (chopped) or 2 large cooking onions
1-2 lbs Carrots
2 Large Green Peppers1 Bunch Celery
2 Packet Vegetable Soup Mix (dry)
2 Large Cans Crushed or Diced Tomatoes

Cut vegetables into small to medium bite sized pieces, cover completely with water, boil fast for 10 minutes. Reduce to simmer and continue cooking until vegetables are tender, (about 30 minutes) season with salt, pepper, bouillon cubes, parsley, or hot sauce according to taste.

7 Day Meal Plan:

DAY 1: Any fruit EXCEPT banana today. Cantaloupe and watermelon are lower in calories than most fruits. Eat only soup and fruit today.

DAY 2: All vegetables. Eat until you are full with fresh, raw, or canned vegetables. Try to eat green leafy vegetables and stay away from dry beans, peas, or corn. Eat vegetables along with your soup at dinner time. Tonight reward yourself with a baked potato and butter! Do not eat any fruits today.

DAY 3: Eat all the soup, fruits, and vegetables you want. Do not have the baked potato today. If you have eaten as above for three days and not cheated, you should have lost 5-10 pounds.
DAY 4: Bananas and skimmed milk. Eat at least 3 bananas and drink as much skimmed milk as you can today. Bananas are high in calories and carbohydrates, as is the milk. You will need the potassium and carbohydrates today.

DAY 5: Skinless chicken (or lean beef) and tomatoes. You may have 10 to 20 ounces of chicken OR beef and as many as 6 fresh tomatoes (or canned) on this day. Eat the soup at least once this day.

DAY 6: Beef and vegetables, eat to your heart’s content today. You can even have 2 - 3 steaks if you wish with green leafy vegetables. No baked potato. Be sure to eat the soup at least once!

DAY 7: Brown Rice, Unsweetened fruit juices and vegetables. Again be sure to stuff yourself and eat your soup.

The following are not allowed on this diet:
• Alcohol
• Bread
• Carbonated drinks including soft drinks

Drink at least 6-8 glasses of water a day, along with any combination of the following: black coffee, black tea, unsweetened fruit juices, cranberry juice, and skimmed milk.
You may eat a cup of bran or fibre cereal with skimmed milk if you suffer from constipation during this diet.

This is by no means a long term diet plan. However if you follow it for the whole 7 days you will notice a difference because the soup itself doesn’t contain any calories so the magic is you will be burning lots more calories than you are taking in. After following this diet for 7 days although I didn’t weigh myself, I did measure my body parts and I lost a total of 11 inches.

The best way to use the diet plan successfully, is to do a week of the cabbage soup, then eat healthily for a week, then do the soup again for another week. You can carry on doing a week on and a week off for as long as necessary.

Although lots of people fail simply because they can’t stomach the soup continually, I found that the best way to go about it is to do only enough soup for a couple of days at a time. This way, each time you make it you can vary the amounts of each ingredient so that it tastes slightly different each time and you won’t get sick of it.

There are forums available for more help and info and of course to support you on your road to success.

http://s12.invisionfree.com/Cabbage_soup_diet

http://www.aboutcabbagesoupdiet.com/board/

I am a 35 year old mum of 2 striving for the body that I have always wanted.

My blog is at http://jembielife.blogspot.com
http://jembie-creations.has.it

Mediterranean Diet Foods

2006-01-20T14:11:00.000-08:00

By Kevin Stith

The remarkable health of the people from the Mediterranean region has always been a wonder to researchers. The people in the Mediterranean region are known to have a very active life style. Of course physical activities is essential for good health, but good health is based on food habits as well. In other words, the Mediterranean diet is a healthy diet rich in plant food; especially grains, cereals, vegetables, fruit, nuts, legumes and olives. All ensure good health with less chance to develop heart disease.

The Mediterranean diet includes all kinds of foods that are recommended on a normal, low to moderate basis. This method is explained on the traditional Mediterranean diet pyramid. The pyramid has classified various foods depending on their nutritional and lists whether a food is to be eaten daily, a few days a week or a few times a month.

The food consumed on a day-to-day basis contains cereals, vegetables, bread, beans, potatoes, leafy vegetables and other plant products. Interestingly, nuts rich in essential fatty acids, vitamins and minerals are also included in the daily diet. The diet does not encourage too much processing of food, as it can deprive the nutritious value of the food. For instance, over cooked vegetables are only good as roughage(it contains fibers), as it loses essential vitamins in the cooking process. The food is cooked, garnished or dressed in olive oil, a rich source of low saturated fat. It is consumed moderately and is known to play a vital role in preventing heart diseases.

Milk and milk products such as cheese and yogurt are consumed daily on a low to moderate amount. But butter, high in saturated fat is a total no-no in the Mediterranean diet's recommended food list. Wine is allowed daily on a moderate basis.

Food from animals especially chicken, eggs, and seafood are allowed weekly on the Mediterranean diet. For instance, eggs are consumed four days a week. But red meat, high in saturated fat, is a part of the diet only few times a month. The diet recommends veal and lamb to beef because the fat content is comparatively lower than in beef. The meat is cleaned of visible fat and is often roasted or grilled. Sweets and desserts are also a part of the weekly diet.

The most preferred dessert is fruit.

In summary, food in the Mediterranean diet provides fibers(from mainly vegetables and fruit), good fat(olive oil), nutrition, vitamins, minerals, proteins, and essential acids, necessary for a human body to stay fit evading heart diseases and cancers.

Mediterranean Diets provides detailed information about Mediterranean diets, Mediterranean diet benefits, Mediterranean diet cook books and more. Mediterranean Diets is affiliated with Mangosteen Fruit.

Mediterranean Diet Cook Book

2006-01-20T14:09:00.000-08:00

By Kevin Stith

The Mediterranean diet has been identified as one of the best health diets for a longer life expectancy. Researchers have identified the menu of vegetables, fruit, nuts, legumes, beans, olive oil preparations and seafood and low consumption of poultry, eggs and red meat as the most suitable way to check diet and evade chronic diseases -- especially heart diseases. In fact, it is the availability and right combination of these food products that has made the Mediterranean diet healthy and balanced.

Many Americans and Europeans suffer from heart ailments, obesity, gallstones, diabetes and cancer caused by excessive intake of animal fat, faulty diet and low exercise regimes. The Mediterranean diet matches set diet guidelines, and was popularized through studies and research conducted on Mediterranean people.

With this came a series of cookbooks to lead a healthy diet. The Mediterranean diet cookbook is a compilation of information on the three continents of the Mediterranean region, their recipes and relished food. These books provide various methods of food preparation such as appetizers, salads, desserts and main course meals. These methods are practiced by the population in the Mediterranean region. Even though most of the cookbooks fail to explain the typical traditional Mediterranean diet, they contain modified or variations of the recipes.

The Mediterranean diet cookbook does not promote any kind of weight loss. Instead, it promotes a healthy diet through filling and tasty food that help reduce weight naturally. Most books come with an introduction to the island, relevant information on Mediterranean diet food and their nutritional value and lots of delicious recipes.

The recipes suggested in the cookbooks are a collection of food prepared in the different states that form the Mediterranean region. The common point in all promote olive oil as the best form of fat to lowers cholesterol and work as an anti-oxidant. The preparations include vegetables, fruit, nuts and cereals, preferably unprocessed food. It also makes use of low to moderate amounts of wine, yogurt, milk and cheese. The cookbook also recommends limited amounts of fish, chicken, eggs and meat. As such, the Mediterranean diet cookbook provides the necessary guidelines for a healthy diet low in fat, salt, sugar and starch.

Mediterranean Diets provides detailed information about Mediterranean diets, Mediterranean diet benefits, Mediterranean diet cook books and more. Mediterranean Diets is affiliated with Mangosteen Fruit.

Juicing For Weight Loss: Fad Or Fabulous?

2006-01-20T14:06:00.000-08:00

By Rika Susan

The good news is that, thanks to the discovery of all the health benefits of juicing for weight loss and detox, water fasts are destined to become a thing of the past. But if you expect drinking vegetable juice to magically melt away the pounds, think again!

However, make a commitment to incorporate juicing for weight loss into a lifestyle change, a healthy eating programme you can follow for life, and a new way to think - and it will certainly contribute to a healthier, slimmer, happier you.

One of the main advantages of juicing for weight loss is that it adds nutrients with specific health benefits at a very low calorie cost, and with no fat. Fresh juices act as a healthy, harmless appetite suppressant and craving curber.

Vegetable juice can also help to stabilize blood sugar levels. It has much less sugar than fruit juices and about 50% less calories, yet it will satisfy that sweet tooth every time. Try carrot or a combination of carrot and parsley juice when a craving hits you, and the juice jolt will give it a knock-out before you know it!

If you decide that juicing for weight loss is for you, you don't need to spend a fortune on a juice extractor. And don't you dare using the 'juicing is too time-consuming' excuse!!!

If you choose a relatively inexpensive centrifugal ejection juicer, such as the Nutrisource Juicer or the Breville 800JE, you can have the goodness of a glass of fresh juice within seconds. Your body will revel in the instant nutrient boost that promotes cleansing and healing.

The advantage of choosing a masticating juicer such as the Omega 8005 or the Champion 2000+, is that you will add to the benefits of juicing by being able to make a host of other fresh, yummie, low calorie delicacies (cereals, fruit sauces, frozen desserts, etc.). This will make the road to a healthier body that much easier.

A helpful strategy may be to kick-start your new lifestyle with a short juice fast. This will aid detoxification, according to the author of 'The Fasting Diet', Dr Steven Bailey. It will give you loads of energy, and will ensure that your body is in the best shape to reach your goal weight in time.

A varied vegetable juice fast is recommended, because it supplies vital nutrients in the form of enzymes, vitamins and minerals. It also means that your body has access to the calories it needs to function optimally.

You may prefer to start right away with a healthy eating plan. Even if this is the case, you will find that having at least one glass of vegetable juice per day, will contribute to weight loss in the long run. It will also help you to maintain your goal weight once you have reached it.

What is most encouraging about juicing for weight loss, is that you will experience so many other benefits that you won't have any inclination to go back to 'the old ways'. Your well-being will improve and you will experience a vitality you never knew before.

You will manage any ailment you may have with more success, your immune system will function more effectively, and your digestion will improve. If you experience water retention, juices such as celery, cucumber, cranberry, and watermelon are extremely helpful.

Many other books include advice on juicing for weight loss, for example 'Juiceman's Power Of Juicing' by Jay Kordich. As someone who has been juicing for more than 50 years, Jay offers valuable insights.

Just remember that it is always safer to consult a health practitioner first if you are pregnant, planning a pregnancy, nursing or have any illness.

Taking care of your body's nutrient needs by juicing for weight loss and health feels so good, it will be easy to stay motivated to follow your new vital lifestyle.

Rika Susan researches, writes, and publishes full-time on the Web.

For more information visit http://www.Best-Juicing.com

Copyright of this article: 2005 Rika Susan. This article may be reprinted if the resource box - including the link - is left intact.

Hydration and Weight Loss

2006-01-20T14:02:00.000-08:00

By Chyna Dolores

Think drinking water isn't important in your weight loss efforts? Think again. We all know the importance of diet and exercise but what about hydration? The human body is approximately 80% water, if you intend to improve your body, you need to remember the basics.

The average person needs to drink about 2L [64oz] of water a day. If you drink coffee [or other heavily caffeinated drinks such as Coke or Pepsi] you should add an extra glass of water for every glass you have. There are other variables you need to consider as well, such as people who live in hotter climates will need to drink more then the base 2 litres a day then someone living in a colder region.

If you are walking or doing exercise like cardio or weights you need to be increasing your water intake. The sweat produced from these activities helps keep your core body temperature constant, you need to replace the water used. Basically the more you do the more water you need to keep hydrated.

But be careful

It is possible to drink too much water - you can get 'water intoxication' [that can lead to death] In the US, college students were dying as they were consuming mass amounts [gallons] of water as part of some frat initiations. Some symptoms of too much water are: dizziness, nausea, apathy, vomiting, and confusion [much the same as dehydration so you need to be aware of how much you are actually drinking]. The excess water dilutes the salt content in the blood which can result in serious problems, including death.

Remember you also get water from most fruits and veggies as well as other foods not just drinking actual water.

Personally, I’ve noticed when I've drunk too much water I tend to feel very bloated and sluggish. I noticed this when I was drinking "8 cups a day", hence why I now carry a water bottle instead, I'll just take a sip now and then rather then force myself to drink cup/s of water. Listen to YOUR body - it'll let you know when you've haven’t had enough or too much.

Don’t like the taste of water?

Then try adding a little twist to it. Add some lemon or lime juice into your water [freshly squeezed is the best] it will add a little flavour to the water and can help if you are used to drinking flavoured drinks.

Not enough for you?

Still not convinced that drinking water is good for you? Then have a look at these other great benefits:

Water contains no calories [flavoured water - ie sports water, added lemon juice - does contain some calories, check the Nutritional Info on the bottle.]

Drinking water also helps the skin look great. It can help keep you looking more youthful and helps with its elasticity – which is really good for those trying to lose weight.
Keeping hydrated helps keep your hair looking healthy.

And finally, drinking more water can help boost your energy levels.

Chyna Dolores is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Writers. You can veiw her personal work at http://www.chynadolores.com

Three Tips for Successful Weight Loss

2006-01-20T13:58:00.000-08:00

By Jessica Deets

Weight loss isn’t just about eating less food. Healthy eating can accelerate your efforts in losing weight. The following are three tips to not only be healthy, but also to lose weight quickly.

Enjoy the Foods You Eat

Weight loss shouldn’t be a chore. If you believe the only foods good for you are those foods that taste badly, then you’re facing an uphill battle right from the start. Instead look at eating as a part of life, and find those foods that you enjoy (and maybe eat slightly less of them). Look to obtain a better balance so that while eating the foods you enjoy, also add some foods that are not processed, such as fruits and vegetables.

You can even start off with just those fruits and vegetables that you currently like and then experiment with expanding to that list, all while looking to maintain a balance between these fresh foods and the foods that may not be the healthiest. Given time, you may find that you acquire a taste for healthy foods.

Try some new recipes. If you don't like raw vegetables, try some steamed ones. If they taste too bland, try adding some spices. You’ll find that as you lose weight and get more energy, your body will start craving these better feelings of health by wanting more of those healthier foods.

Believe in Yourself

Belief is yourself is a necessary component to achieving your goal. If you don't believe what you are doing will work, eventually you’ll give up. Some people quit and blame it on the food, or blame it on where they live, or that they work too many hours to really eat any good food. But in the end, it all comes down to saying to yourself, “I’m going to do it, no matter what.”

Food may be considered an addiction and the best way to break an addiction is a gradual leading away from the addictive habit, rather than a “snap” withdrawal (a “snap” withdrawal is bound for failure). Don’t worry as much about those calories, just tell yourself that you’re going to eat a “little” less and then supplement the difference with healthier foods.

Eat Smaller, More Frequent Meals

Successful weight loss involves not hoarding food. Your body hoards the food you eat if you have infrequent, large meals. Weight loss success appears to be in eating smaller meals, frequently throughout the day (4-6 meals spread out every couple hours). Although smaller meals doesn’t mean 4-6 TV dinners every 2 hours. The successful way is have a regular breakfast, lunch and dinner, and then in-between there’s some light snacking, such as a protein bar or meal replacement powder(Muscle Milk from Cytosport is really good for this).

Try to have some fruit and/or vegetables with the breakfast, lunch and dinner. And if a special occasion happens and a piece of cake comes your way, enjoy it without guilt. The key is to be in control and not overdo it ... and don't allow any feelings of guilt to overcome your belief in yourself.
Make sure that you don’t starve yourself. If you start to feel extremely hungry, then you’re probably waiting too long between meals. You see, your body adjusts to the conditions you place on it. If you wait to eat, then your body will adjust by storing more food from the next incoming meal when you finally do eat. The net effect of the habit of waiting is just as if you ate a large meal, as your body stores more of the food, but you don’t get the benefit of eating more food.

This is how the downward weight loss failure spiral works (the person eats less, the body stores more of the food, yet the individual feels more tired).

Having four to six meals per day will work if you pace yourself. If you are not hungry when it is time to eat meal number two, the next day adjust meal one so that it doesn't fill you up so much. On the other hand, if you are starving by the time meal two comes around, change meal one so that you are more satisfied (by eating a little more, or adding some healthy fats, or trying some different new foods).

Eating can be a pleasure. It is something we are blessed with and something to be enjoyed. Adjust yourself to eat when you are ready, not when it is time. When you feel it is time to eat, eat something (it’s ok to give yourself permission to do so). Strive for that balance to not have hunger pains and also a balance between processed and natural foods. Try this for a few weeks and you'll find that you’ll believe in yourself to achieve your goal.

It will happen for you and I’ll be so happy for you. Done this way, the weight loss can last you a lifetime, while the health benefits will increase the everyday quality of life for you.
Copyright (c) 2006.

Jessica Deets researches the internet and writes to help people. There's more weight loss news and information at the website at http://www.getthinweightloss.com

Avoid "The Biggest Loser" Influence on Your New Year's Resolution

2006-01-20T13:52:00.000-08:00

By David Petersen

While it is encouraging to see TV providing a positive outlook on tackling the American obesity epidemic, the reality show "The Biggest Loser" mislead viewers by promoting incredulous, confusing and sometimes dangerous weight loss figures. In response,

Dismiss expectations of “huge” weight loss amounts.

Amazing! The biggest loser in week 1 of the show lost twenty-eight pounds of “weight” in a week. At this rate in three months all that would have been left is a grease stain!

These figures are simply unrealistic as they extend way beyond the natural capacities of the body’s self regulation of balance called homeostasis. The human body is unable to make such adjustments and remain physiologically intact. It seems this logic thumbs its nose at people with even a thread of knowledge about nutrition and physiology.

(Incidentally, I emailed the nutritionist supervising the show and have yet to hear a response back to explain the massive weight loss figures).

“Weight loss” is a relative term

Body weight is probably the most popular method of measuring the success of a fat loss program. The Biggest Loser show is a classic example of the uselessness of weight measurements as demonstrated in the wide variety of huge weight loss figures.

Monitoring weight changes alone is flawed and loses its significance since there are many factors that can confound the result. In fact, if resistance exercise forms part of the fat loss plan, it is unhealthy and misleading to assume success can be measured simply by monitoring body weight changes alone.

How much of the “weight loss” would have resulted from fat losses?

The first question a viewer might have is: “Did the contestant lose 28 pounds of fat?”
The answer is a resounding, echoing “NO!” If the weight loss resulted entirely from fat loss (actually the whole aim of the Show) then the individual would have needed to consume –98 000 calories a week or –14 000 calories a day! (28 lbs x 3 500 cal/lb fat = 98 000 cal./ 7days = 14 000).

In other words, even if the individual ate absolutely nothing, he would have been required to expend the equivalent of 14 000 calories of energy daily – a physical impossibility.

Even if this amount of weight loss were in fact real, the actual amount of contributing fat loss would probably be on the order of 10 – 20 % of this value.

How much of the “weight loss” would have resulted from lean muscle tissue loss?

It is highly likely the contestants were placed on highly restrictive diets. Combine this with expending large amounts of energy with exercise, and it’s fair to assume that a good percentage (probably about 20-25%) of the “weight loss” resulted from lean muscle tissue loss.

While it is true that performing resistance training will minimize losses, it is impossible to lose large amounts of body “weight” without losing a fair amount of lean muscle tissue as well.

Here’s why: when consuming a calorie-restricted diet, stored carbohydrate (called glycogen) in the muscle and liver will be lower than normal. Intense exercise such as lifting weights, running, jumping jacks etc. rely heavily of the use of carbohydrates to fuel it. Liver glycogen is responsible for maintaining blood sugar (glucose) levels, and during intense exercise it is inevitable that blood sugar will begin to drop, especially if consuming a low calorie diet.

When liver glycogen stores become increasingly depleted, blood sugar levels fall and hypoglycemia sets in. In response, the body begins to use amino acids (the building blocks of protein) to “make” new glucose for use by the brain and nervous system in a process called gluconeogenesis.

Skeletal muscle is the body’s primary “store” of protein and as a result, this valuable tissue is sacrificed when blood sugar drops. Muscle, which is composed mainly of water and weighs comparatively more than fat tissue - contributes a larger percentage to weight loss (“muscle weighs more than fat”).

Remember also that lean muscle mass determines metabolic rate too - so loss of muscle directly lowers metabolic rates - making future weight loss even harder.
How much of the “weight loss” would have resulted from fluid losses?

Again, if the values were to be taken with a grain of salt, dehydration would probably account for a largest percentage (50-60%) of the weight loss. Water is very dense, and a percentage or two reduction of normal body fluid balance can yield great “weight loss” values. This is the motivation behind the “amazing” results seen with body wraps and exercising in rubber suits. Unfortunately, reality quickly fades when the person hydrates themselves to normal values.

Carbohydrate storage is accompanied by significant water storage - one gram of glycogen (stored carbohydrate) requires the storage of approximately 2.7 grams of water with it. So if for example, glycogen stores are depleted from intense exercise and never fully replenished due to carbohydrate (calorie) restriction, then the individual will “seem” lighter because of decreased water retention.

Low calorie and “ketotic” (ketosis) diets tend to have a dehydrating effect on the body anyway since the products of this type of low-calorie metabolism (ketones and urea) must be eliminated via the urine.

Body composition is the key to monitoring success and ensuring motivation and adherence in a weight-loss program.

Had the show monitored each contestant’s body composition instead of strictly using body weight changes, this would have been a much more effective and credible way of determining fat loss progress. What is very ironic and puzzling is that each contestant’s dimensions and body composition measurements were actually taken in the first episode, but the results were subsequently completely ignored!

Body composition is the measure of what percentage of the body is composed of either fat (adipose tissue) or lean tissue (muscle and bone). Body composition analysis is the only reliable method of determining fat loss and muscle gain and observing bodily changes when scales and tape measures are unable to do so.

An experienced personal trainer or exercise physiologist can perform body composition analyses to help to track progress during a weight-loss program. While body composition can be measured by using skin fold measurements, probably the most accurate and affordable means of determining body composition is through a procedure called Bioelectrical Impedance Assessment (BIA). BIA is comparable to underwater weighing – the “gold standard” of body composition and in many instances will even calculate metabolic rate and hydration status.

Aim to lose about 1% of your body mass a week

If you don’t have access to a body composition assessment service and the scale is your only resort, then it is recommended that you aim to lose 1 – 1.5 % of you body mass a week to ensure safe and permanent fat loss. Look to increase your energy expenditure/output higher than your energy intake (negative calorie balance) with a sensible calorie-controlled diet and regular exercise, including resistance training.

The human body is a master of adaptation and ensuring survival - quick losses of large amounts of weight are unlikely to be permanent as the body’s homeostatic control mechanisms will not tolerate large fluctuations in body mass.

In conclusion, while The Biggest Loser may have served as a valuable source of inspiration for some, it is hoped that this article has highlighted some of the problems associated with strictly using body weight changes as a means of measuring fat loss success. A successful and healthy fat loss program will focus on body composition and dimension changes rather than focusing solely on the amount of “weight” lost.

David Petersen is a Personal Trainer/Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and the owner and founder of B.O.S.S. Fitness Inc. based in Oldsmar, Florida. He offers BIA assessments and various other types of fitness related services. More articles and information can be found at http://www.bossfitness.com

NOTE: You're free to republish this article on your website, in your newsletter, in your e-book or in other publications provided the article is reproduced in its entirety, including this note, author information and all LIVE website links as above.

10 Things You Must Know About Fat Loss

2006-01-20T13:45:00.000-08:00

By Gary Matthews

Ever wondered why there are so many diets around out there and people are just getting fatter and fatter. We now know that fad and repeat dieting don't work, so what does!

I have put together 10 fat loss tips below and if followed will make things a lot easier for you on your road to fat loss.

Lets have a look at a few:

Burn Fat: Lift Weights - Muscle determines the speed of your metabolism - the speed of your metabolism depends on how much muscle you have. That's why men burn fat faster than women... They have more muscle. Women could burn fat faster if they had more muscle.

Women are scared to lift weights because they will get bigger muscles!!

If only this was were the case. Women do not have the hormone levels to build big muscles, however they can replace the muscle tissue lost through years of crazy dieting, irregular eating habits and age.

Yes everybody is losing muscle, every year; every decade because we are getting older, but only people who let their muscles waste away have slower metabolisms as they get older.

Keep your muscles and keep your fat burning machine! The only way to do this is get strong and stay strong.

Toss The Scales - The scales tell you none of the things you need to know about your body and everything you don't.

They don't tell you how much fat you have under your skin, they don't tell you how much skin for that matter. The scales can't tell you how much fluid is in your body.

What your bones weigh and most importantly, how much muscle you have? However, weighing yourself can turn a perfectly good day into a miserable day?

Don't let an inanimate, household item determine what kind of day you will have! They are not accurate so throw them away.

Muscle Vs Fat - Muscle weighs two times as much as fat yet takes up half the space. Muscle is responsible for burning fat. Muscle is small when compared with fat. Muscle never hangs off your body in unsightly lumps.

Muscle looks toned, tight, strong and lean. Muscle is tight and hard to the touch and muscle is heavy. Fat is lumpy and soft and flabby, fat takes up a lot of space, fat hangs off your body. Fat is also soft to the touch and does not weigh as much as muscle.

Always Eat Breakfast - Research has concluded that having breakfast is important to kick-start the metabolism for the day, the body slows down whilst sleeping and food first thing in the morning actually awakens the body ready for the rest of the day.

Also try eating more fibre at this time as it helps the digestive system work more effectively and will help keep the blood sugar levels spread evenly throughout the day.

Don't Cut Back On Calories - Food has a heating effect on the body increasing your metabolic rate; don't eat less than 1200 calories, as this will throw the body into a starvation mode. Your metabolism will then slow down to conserve the calories that you do have.

Try to avoid fad diets if possible as they restrict or reduce the nutrients flowing to the body, which in turn slows down the metabolic rate.

Eat Small Regular Meals - Eat five or six small meals a day as this will trick the body into thinking that there is an abundance of food and will stop your metabolism from slowing down, keeping your sugar levels at a normal level and this will stop you overeating.
Try eating the majority of your food earlier in the day, as the majority of the calories will be burned up while you are awake and active.

Count Calories - The way to keep track of weight loss is to buy a calorie counter and record your daily calorie intake for a week. Average out your calories for the day and then decrease the calories by 300 - 500 (No More) then gauge what happens.

By decreasing the amount of calories per day to this amount you should start losing weight. Don't go any lower; check the mirror as well as the scales to judge your progress.

Don't Repeat Diet - Research shows repeated dieting actually makes it harder to lose weight and easier to put it on because when you dump the diet and return to normal eating habits the drop in metabolic rate caused by the diet means that your old habits actually represent an excess in calories.

Not only do you regain the fat stores just lost, but also you may even gain an extra bit. If you find your weight loss starting to slow or stop over a period of time, increase your walking pace a little or throw in a couple of hills along your route.

Keep Track Of Fats - This may appear difficult to maintain and calculate but it isn't. On nearly all packaged food these days there is a nutritional label with a fat indicator per 100gms of that particular food.

What your looking for here is a figure below 10 gms and nearing 5 gms would be the ideal. So purchasing and consuming foods around this range you'll be on your weight loss target.
The Low down On Fats - It is stored in the fat cells of the body. The number of fat cells is estimated to be around 50 billion for the average person. It can be up to 100 billion for the obese person.

Fat cells are like storage tanks of energy to be used for later use. It has been shown that obese people who binge eat may stimulate baby fat cells to sprout to increase the number of fat cells.
Believe me, once you start applying these 10 tips to your everyday weight loss regime you will start to notice the difference in a short period of time.

Gary Matthews is the author of the popular fitness eBooks Maximum Weight Loss and Maximum Weight Gain. Please visit http://www.maximumfitness.com/ right now for your 'free' weight loss or muscle building e-courses.

Visualize Your Way To A Healthy, Slimmer, You!

2006-01-20T13:41:00.000-08:00

By Tim Webb

People, at this time of year, rush to gyms and to shops buying the latest gadgets and memberships very often only to give up weeks or months later.

I see this a lot in the fitness industry and I often think about why this is. I believe one of the reasons is people act on whims that often are not based upon real, deeply held and thought about, feelings.

They do not take the time to habitually visualise the new and improved version of themselves but instead focus upon external things instead.

It takes an element of patience and skill and to visualise what you really want to look like, to 'weld' it deeply into your mind, and then to act physically upon these passionately held visions.
Having sat down each day for five to ten minutes to soley focus on this new image of yourself means you will be much more likely to develop an ardent desire to achieve and maintain it.
We become what we habitually think about!

We become, physically, what we regularly see in our minds eye.

Take the time to learn how to get into a meditative state where you calmly focus on how you want to look and you will be ahead of others who flippantly disregard the big muscle between their ears that allows one to visualise in the first place!

Visualisation is used by many, many, top sports people now and is viewed as a vital element of success. They see what they want each day and then go get it!

Yet, despite this being the case, many 'normal' people trying to get in shape rarely seem to use this easily accessible technique. Controlling what you see and think is in easy grasp of everyone but so few actually take advantage of this fact.

My advice is this.

Set aside time each day to control how you see yourself and elevate this image to being more than you are now.

Set goals, see them, achieve them.

Have quiet time where you can meditate, if only for five minutes, and build a POWERFUL image of a new you in your mind.

Use your breath to 'inflate', and bring to life, this image of how you wish to look physically.
You will then be primed to go about PASSIONATELY achieving it!

(c) Tim Webb 2006

Tim Webb is a fitness instructor, Ju Jutsu instructor and competitor. He specialises in easily accessible deep breathing exercises that combine breath and mind together. His site http://www.breathforsuccess.com/ offers a product that provides deep breathing exercises for invigorating yourself, relaxing, and highlights how your breath can be tied in with your goals to move you towards them in record time!

Prepare to Succeed at Losing Weight

2006-01-20T13:27:00.000-08:00

By Janice Elizabeth Small

"Right, that's it, I'm starting a diet on Monday!"

How often have you said that to yourself? And how many times have you decided that this year will be the one you finally lose weight?

Do you know what goes wrong when you start a new regime full of enthusiasm only to ditch it within a few days or weeks?

One reason might be that you aren't mentally and physically prepared to make it happen. You have the best possible chance to succeed only by preparing yourself properly.

Good preparation means:-

1. Knowing your target

What do you actually want to achieve? How much weight do you want to lose and by when? Check that your target is realistic by aiming for no more than 1 to 2lbs a week on average.

2. Choosing a strategy

How will you lose that weight? A vague notion of eating less will not get you there. Choose a system to follow that fits in with your lifestyle and preferences or plan your own system from the knowledge and experience you have of what works best for you.

3. Making Plans

Decide what actions you need to take to be ready to follow your chosen system on day one. What do you need to buy? What do you need to find out? Who do you need to talk to to get support?

Write your plans down so that you can check the actions off as you complete them and then start taking those actions. If you need to look for recipes or shop for special foods, do that now. If you have decided to join a gym, visit and join and have your introductory session. If you need walking shoes or a tennis racquet get it now.

4. Building your Personal Motivational tools

Taking action to prepare yourself will put you in the right frame of mind to start your weight loss program when you intend to. Of course, it gets harder as you go along. Motivation dwindles for many people very quickly without regular input.

While your motivation is still high, write down a list of all the reasons you have for wanting to lose weight - a list you can refer to again and again if the going gets tough later on.

Also spend some time thinking about how you will look and feel and how your life will be when you succeed. Write down a full description as a second motivational booster for when you need it.

5. Committing to make it happen

By going through the planning stage you will become aware of the effort involved in losing weight. Are you prepared to commit to the changes you will need to make and the actions you'll need to take? Are you willing to do what it takes to achieve the benefits?

Many people start a weight loss program or diet without thinking this through.

If you're not prepared to follow your chosen strategy there's no point in starting. You're setting yourself up for failure and another blow to your self-esteem.

But if you know what you are planning to do, you're fully aware of what's involved and you're willing to give it time and energy and to make it a priority in your life you WILL succeed. So think it all through, consider the pros and cons and decide whether you're prepared to make those changes before you begin.

Copyright 2005, Janice Elizabeth Small

Janice Elizabeth is a weight loss coach, slimming club owner and author of "The Diet Exit Plan", an 8 week coaching program for automatic permanent weight loss. Get her FREE 15 page report "How to lose weight without dieting - 7 secrets the diet industry doesn't want you to know" at http://www.simplyslimming.com/ TODAY!

Introduction to Low Carb Dieting

2006-01-16T17:49:00.000-08:00

By Paul Costelo

To help with weight issues and for overall improved health, many people turn to diets. In fact, government statistics show that while about 65 percent of Americans are overweight, 38 percent are actually doing something about it. That leaves 27% who aren't !

And according to a recent survey by the National Health Institute, about a third of overweight Americans who are trying to lose weight, are doing so by eating less carbohydrates (carbs) largely because of the huge popularity of fad diets like Atkins Diet and the South Beach Diet.
Although there have certainly been other low-carb or low-sugar diet plans before, and more will come out in the years ahead, let’s take a look at the basics behind many of the major plans.

And let’s take a look at how they fit into the real world today. Because while it might be great to lower the body’s sugar content and be healthier wouldn’t it be great to learn how to do that quickly ??

In the world of instant messaging, quick Internet interaction and the already multi-faceted day-to-day hectic schedules, dietary food budgeting, planning, preparing and shopping are issues that can become major sources of stress and reasons for dieting failure. Dual income families on-the-go and other super-busy wage earners and dieters often already suffer from more than their share of everyday stresses like fears of being laid off, their jobs being relocated or terminated, juggling more than one job, dependents and trying to fund and juggle continuing education into their lives, budgets, and daily routines.

People want and need simpler solutions. And they need simpler dieting plans. Forget spending mega bucks on gourmet, hard-to-find items. Forget spending hours just to prepare meals. And forget counting, measuring, and weighing ingredients. Either a low-carb plan fits into the real-world , or it doesn’t.

So are there any differences in types of low carbs-- you bet !! In a nutshell, there are two kinds of carbohydrates, simple and complex. Some refer to them as bad and good carbs, fastand slow digestion carbs and other possibly confusing lingo. Here’s the difference.

SIMPLE CARBS

Foods with simple or refined carbohydrates most often have a low nutrient content and a high-glycemic index. They are quick to digest and can cause blood sugar to soar then fall dramatically within a short span of time. In order to keep the body running more healthy and stable, health advisors recommend that these type foods be limited.

Examples of these simple carbs are white bread, potatoes, bananas, and sugary treats like cookies, candy, cupcakes and cakes, and soda beverages like popular cola products.

COMPLEX CARBS

Foods with complex carbohydrates contain many nutrients and have a low- to moderate-glycemic index. Higher fiber content in these foods means slower digestion, which is healthier for the body. And these foods are considered good choices by health advisors.

Examples of these complex carbs are whole grains, most fruits and vegetables. Legumes, plants of the pea or bean family, are also in this category.

WHICH IS BEST????

While studies like one from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in January of 2004 show that low-carb diets can help with weight loss;the carbs need to be of the complex, low-glycemic type.

But don't avoid simple carbs altogether !! You need a balance!

In other words a treat now and then, in moderation (and approved per your dietary advisor or in accordance with your health practitioner), should be fine.

As a side note, your teeth will also be healthier without the build up of sugar decay from simple carb foods. So a healthier smile really will mean a healthier body !!

In my next article I'll be looking at some other terms to help explain the science and health issues behind low-carbohydrate dietary planning solutions.

Copyright 2006 Paul Costelo

Paul Costelo is a High School vice Principal who became interested in healthy eating and diets when both his children were diagnosed as suffering from food intolerances and allergies . Paul is proud to publish the ultimate healthy French food book. find it at: http://www.a1frenchfoodrecipes.com

Set Realistic Weight Loss Goals

2006-01-16T17:46:00.000-08:00

By Adam Waxler

How much weight do you want to lose? Are you being realistic about how long it will take to achieve your weight loss goal?

When someone has decided to lose weight, one of the first things that person should do is set a goal weight or an ideal weight.

Unfortunately, when most people decide to lose weight, they are not being realistic about how much weight to lose and how long it will take them to lose that weight. For many, their 'ideal weight' may be the wrong weight for them to be aiming for.

The sad fact is, years of being overweight and jumping from one fad diet to another may have confused your mind and body about what is truly your ideal weight. One of the major problems comes from a lack of understanding about metabolism. If you've been overweight for a very long time, or if you've consistently 'yo-yoed', your body may respond to your initial weight loss by slowing down its metabolism because it believes that you are starving to death. This slowing down of your metabolism leads to discouraging plateaus that often knock people off their diets entirely, and lead to regaining all or part of the lost weight.

Many weight loss experts today recommend aiming for shorter-term, more attainable weight loss goals. Since the bulk of diet research shows that most dieters lose weight steadily for about 12 weeks, then hit a plateau, that's the number of weeks that the weight loss experts suggest you should aim for. The weight loss strategy that many have found works best for them is one of alternating periods of weight loss and maintenance, each lasting 8-12 weeks.

The strategy calls for choosing a realistic weight loss goal for an 8-12 week period. Knowing that the most reasonable and healthiest weight loss rate is 1-2 pounds per week, losing 25 pounds in three months is not unrealistic. You should be on your weight loss diet until you reach that goal, or for 12 weeks, whichever comes first, and then switch to a maintenance diet.

Why switch to a maintenance diet at that point?

Simple, you're giving yourself a break from more restrictive eating. More importantly though, you are re-educating your body and letting it establish a new starting point. Once you've maintained your new weight for 8-12 weeks, set another weight loss goal, and move back into weight loss mode. By giving your body a break from 'starvation', you'll have overcome its resistance to weight loss.

You'll also be giving yourself a chance to 'practice' maintaining your new, healthier weight. Researchers have found that more than half of the dieters who take off significant amounts of weight do not maintain that weight loss once they go 'off' their diet. By practicing weight maintenance in stages, you'll be proving to yourself that you can lose weight and maintain that weight loss over a period of time.

This weight loss plan will work with any long-term weight loss diet. You'll find dieting and reaching your weight loss goal much easier to do if you choose a diet that has concrete 'phases', such as the South Beach or the Atkins diet, since the weight loss and maintenance phases are clearly laid out for you to follow. Regardless of the diet you choose, though, by alternating between weight loss phases and maintenance phases, you'll teach yourself and your body how to maintain a healthy weight.

Copyright 2006 Adam Waxler

Adam Waxler publishes the Weight-Loss-Machine...a free weight loss newsletter. Sign up for your free subscription and receive a new weight loss tip each and every week guaranteed to help you lose weight. Grab your free subscription here: http://www.weight-loss-machine.com

Low Carbohydrate Diet - a Scientifically Proven Method?

2006-01-16T17:43:00.000-08:00

By Trevor Mulholland

Although not as wildly popular as they were several years ago, the low carbohydrate diet still has a sizeable following. The simple reason for this is because it works! Clinical studies show that people on a reduced-carb regimen lost more weight than those on a traditional low fat diet within six months.

But there’s a downside to this, not the least of which is health experts’ concern about the diet’s recommendation of fatty foods. Before you go on a low carbohydrate diet, weigh the positives against the negatives and decide whether it’s the right weight loss strategy for you.

Arguably the most popular low carb diet is the Atkins diet, founded by the late Dr. Robert Atkins several decades ago. Since its explosion onto the scene, similar diets have sprouted, including the South Beach Diet, the Zone Diet, Sugar Busters, and Protein Power. All these diets require you to vastly reduce the amount of carbohydrates you consume, but not eliminate them (as so many people assume).

Your primary carbohydrate sources should be natural foods like vegetables and certain fruits. You will then find yourself eschewing many of the starchy and nutrient-deficient goodies that so many of us consume on a daily basis, like junk food and fast food (which, health experts agree, are bad for you anyway) and going for low carb foods.

Refined flour and sugar are perhaps the vilest villains that cause weight gain. Excessive intake of food products rich in these two ingredients can cause your blood glucose levels to increase, triggering the additional production of insulin, and causing the body to convert carbs to fat. Eating low carb foods would ensure that you get only the amount needed by your body.

Deprived of surplus carbs, your body would then burn its fat stores instead of carbohydrates, and you start losing weight. What’s more, if you stick to the diet, you’ll find that you’ll tend to shed pounds at a faster pace.

Several studies show additional benefits of consuming low carb foods aside from weight loss. Lowered blood sugar levels will make you less vulnerable to diabetes. Also, clinical evidence shows that a low carb diet helps improve blood cholesterol, reducing your risk for heart disease and stroke. Another finding suggests a relationship between acne and carbohydrates. A diet high in carbohydrates increases insulin production, which would cause a series of hormonal changes that lead to clogged pores and oilier skin – fertile ground for the bacterium that causes pimples.

If the low carb diet has so many health benefits, why have many people abandoned it? One major reason is the diet’s advocacy of fat that is found in food like meat and dairy products. While it is true that low carb diets permit the consumption of fatty, low carb foods like butter, cheese, and pork chops, they do not in any way encourage the gluttony. You should eat only up to the point you don’t feel hungry anymore – there’s no “eat all you can” mentality involved.
Another reason may sound mundane, but is a serious challenge for many people: food boredom.

A number of dieters find that they can’t do without the starchy, carb-rich they have become accustomed to; things like bread, pasta, candy, chips. However, if you do decide to go on a low carbohydrate diet, remember that there are many substitute products out in the marketplace that would still enable you to enjoy comfort food, but without the burden of carbs and sugar. For instance, instead of bread products made with refined flour, you can opt for whole grain breads or those made with soy flour and the like.

The abundance of naturally low carb foods cannot be underestimated. Fish, shellfish, and other seafood are rich in protein and low in carbs; so are poultry, meat, and many vegetables. Once you start incorporating all these natural and healthy foods back into your diet, you will find that you won’t miss the junk that you used to consume. And this practice of choosing nutrient-rich foodstuff will be something you will carry with you even after you reach your ideal body weight.

It’s not enough to go on a low carbohydrate diet, or any other diet for that matter, without getting the right amount of exercise. Even though the diet does not focus on calorie-counting, a calorie is still a calorie and if you eat more than what you burn, then you’ll become fat. So if you do decide to go on a low carbohydrate diet, make sure you do it right.

Carb-club.com provides you with information on all kinds of issues like low carbohydrate diet and diets like the Atkins diet, the South Beach diet, the Zone diet, and more. Come take a look at http://www.carb-club.com/

Walking for Fitness, Health and Weight Loss

2006-01-16T17:39:00.000-08:00

By Dada Vedaprajinananda

There is no way around it, if you want to lose weight you have to be active. Recently a study was done focusing on people who owned dogs. It was found that the dog-owners, who were obliged to take their dogs for a walk every day, lost up to 14 pounds because of this extra activity. 14 pounds is more or less the amount of weight that is lost in most weight loss programs.

So what can we learn from this study? That you have to get a dog to lose weight? No, the study shows that just a little bit of extra walking can make a big difference.

Examine your current life style. Do you walk a few steps to your car in the morning, and then arrive at work and walk a few more steps to your office or workplace and then sit down? Do you walk a few more steps at the end of the work day to reach your car, where you sit and drive home. Do you then walk from the car to the house and enjoy dinner and spend the rest of the evening watching TV? If your life is like this, or resembles this sedentary pattern, then you have to do something about it.

You can sign up for some exercise classes. Join a sports league. Get some fitness equipment and do workouts. You can go jogging on a regular basis. These are some of the usual means of adding activity to modern life styles.

But if you are not the athletic type there are simpler ways to do it, similar to the dog walking. Here are a few ways to add the extra exercise to your present life:

1. Walk whenever you can
If you have an errand that can be done by walking, then leave your car in the garage and walk to fetch your child, buy a loaf of bread or drop a letter in a mailbox

2. After dinner take a walk
An old proverb says "After lunch, rest a while. After dinner, walk a mile". If you haven't gotten any exercise during your daytime activities then go for a walk after dinner. It will help you to digest your evening meal, which is extremely important for your overall well being, and it will help you to burn some calories as well

3. Skip the elevator, escalator and moving walkways
Instead of using the elevator for one or two flights of stairs, use your feet! In the airport, walk to the next gate instead of getting on the moving walkway.

4. Get a dog!
Why not? If you like animals, then the time you take to walk your dog will help you a lot.
How much walking is necessary? If you walk around 45 minutes every day then you will keep fit and lose weight. If you walk 60 minutes every day you will probably live to be 100.

Dada Vedaprajinananda is yoga teacher and writer. He is the author of “Yoga Weight Loss Secrets”, available at http://www.yogaweightlosssecrets.com and is the publisher of the Life Weight Loss Article Directory – http://www.lifeweightloss.com – where you can find articles and information about health, fitness and weight loss.

Weight Loss Tips: New Year, New You Resolution

2006-01-04T11:32:00.000-08:00

By Kim Beardsmore

The most popular New Year's resolution is to find a new job. The second, to get into shape! So, if you're starting out the new year with a commitment to lose weight or establish an exercise routine that sticks, good for you! Use the momentum of a fresh start to make things seem easier.

It's OK to wait a couple of days until the guests depart and you go back to work, but as January moves on you will want to be started by the second week so that your resolutions can start to guide you into building NEW habits. That's an important key....you will want to be braking old habits. Don't try too many at once, just pick one or two things that you know you can stick at. That in itself will build success and motivate you to keep going. Here are some ways to keep your enthusiasm high so that you'll stick with your resolution plans.

Take up lessons on a sport!

Whether you're new to a sport or just rusty, an hour or two with a tennis, swimming, or other coach can boost your enjoyment greatly. You'll more eagerly anticipate sessions if you've nailed a killer serve or developed a smooth stroke.

Be Accountable

Team up with a buddy to lose weight. Being accountable to someone else is a great motivator and will help keep you on track. Find a weight loss coach who will keep you to a programme. If you can't do either, at least be accountable to yourself by keeping a daily journal. Review each week and reward yourself for staying on track 6 days out of 7.

Toss Out the Christmas Tucker!

Yes, that's right. Get rid of all the Christmas tucker! The last thing you need around you are mince pies, left over pudding with brandy sauce, peanuts, cashews and cream! It's not a waste of food if you make a gift of it for your neighbours. Still have unopened boxes of chocolate gifts? Take them in to work and give to your colleagues.

Kim Beardsmore M.B.A. (H.R.M.), B.Sc. (Biochemistry) is an Independent Herbalife Distributor, weight loss coach and creator of the online weight loss, health & fitness magazine Weight Loss Health. For a free weight loss consultation, newsletter and resources to help you lose weight and keep it off forever, visit http://weight-loss-health.com.au/ Online Herbalife store at http://weightlosshealth.herbalcoach.com/ The Herbalife home business opportunity visit: http://free2liv.com/

8 Ways to Create Balance to Achieve Lasting Weight Loss

2005-12-22T17:12:00.000-08:00

By Meri Raffetto

Need to lose weight? Dreading the thought of another diet program? You don’t have to follow diets to lose weight. There are many people discovering this for themselves and they are the ones who are finding long term weight loss apposed to short term fixes.

The key to weight loss is finding the right balance of what you eat, what you think, and what activity you do. It is not about following a perfect plan. It is impossible to be perfect every day! Finding the right balance helps you to decrease your calorie intake, increase your metabolism and keeps the self-sabotage at bay. Here are 8 steps to bring more balance into all corners of your life so you too can find weight loss success.

1. Eat more frequently during the day- Skipping meals or waiting too long between meals can have a negative impact on your metabolism and results in overeating later in the day. It’s best to have 3 small meals and 1-2 snacks throughout the day. You will feel more satisfied and eat less. Plan to have a snack or meal every 4-5 hours.

2. Portion Sizes- Appropriate portion sizes are still quite misunderstood. Most Americans are eating 2-3 times the recommended portion sizes. Limit your grains, cereals, pastas, and rice to ½ - 1 cup serving sizes. Keep meat, poultry and fish to 4-ounce portion sizes. Restaurants are notorious for giving extremely large servings of food.

Keep this in mind when eating out. Eat half of the food on your plate or take the rest home for lunch the next day. Studies show that when people are given large portion sizes, they eat up to 56% more calories without realizing it. To add insult to injury, our portion sizes are larger than they have ever been. Start to become more aware of the portions you are served wherever you are.

3. Eat the right fats- Yes some fat is important. Omega 3 fatty acids are an important strategy for weight loss success and yet most Americans are not eating enough of these healthy fats. Some reports show these fatty acids may be helpful in increasing your metabolism.

They are also shown to be a wonderful mood supporter and people report significantly less food cravings and triggers to eat when they incorporate omega 3 fatty acids on a daily basis. This is especially important for any emotional eaters out there. Omega 3’s are found in fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel, cod; they are also found in canola oil, walnuts, and ground flax seeds.

4. Increase fruits and vegetables- Fruits and vegetables are not only packed with important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, they are also loaded in fiber and low in calories. Include 5-8 fruits and vegetables every day. This is one of the most important diet changes you can make. When you fill your plate up with fruits and vegetables you eat less of the higher calorie foods. For example, let’s take a sample steak dinner.

Original meal: 8 ounce steak
Whole baked potato with fixings
½ cup steamed broccoli

Meal Makeover: 4 ounce steak ½ baked potato with fixings ½ cup steamed broccoli Side salad with mixed greens, tomatoes, and 1 tbsp light vinaigrette dressing By changing the balance of this meal to include more vegetables while decreasing the steak and potato we saved approximately 350 calories. Saving 350 calories daily can result in almost a 1 pound weight loss per week. Small changes are the key.

5. Eat when you’re hungry, Stop when you’re full- Our bodies have an innate weight management mechanism. It performs this task by making you feel full when it is time to stop eating. Every time you eat past full you are taking in more calories than your body needs which will result in weight gain. Start to become more aware of your internal cues for hunger and satiety (fullness). You will be amazed how many times you wait too long to eat and how often you eat past full and enter into stuffed. It’s common for all of us to do this from time to time.

However, it’s time to check in with yourself and see how often you are falling into these food patterns. Listen to your body, it will tell you when you are physically ready for food and when you are ready to stop.

6. Exercise regularly- I know, this isn’t anything you haven’t heard before but it is a crucial part of weight management. It is important to engage in regular aerobic and weight bearing activity. The aerobic exercise helps you to burn the fat and weight bearing activity increases your metabolic rate. Muscle burns up to 90% more calories than fat.

The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you will burn in a day. By adding three to five pounds of muscle you could actually burn 100 - 250 additional calories a day. This combination of aerobic and weight bearing activity is what really kicks weight loss into gear.

7. Limit Sugar- Sugar becomes a major issue for many people wanting to lose weight. Not only does it add calories, it also causes insulin spikes leading you to store more calories as fat, it stimulates your appetite, and is a major food trigger for emotional eaters. However, it doesn’t mean you need to go all or nothing. When people try to omit all sugar from their diet they can become obsessed about sugary foods and end up in a binge. Find the right balance for sugar.

Avoid daily use of sugar and instead have some guiltless treats once in awhile. A little cake at a birthday party or some ice-cream with friends is a good way to incorporate sugar once in awhile to avoid the negative outcomes. 8. Pamper yourself regularly- Who wants to argue with that?! The reality is many people eat for emotional reasons. Food makes us feel good on many levels.

The problem occurs when eating becomes the only coping mechanism your subconscious knows of. This is why that pesky urge to emotionally eat is so strong. It is hard to reason your way out of it. For many people food is the only thing they know that makes them feel better.

When you start to do other things that make you feel good on a regular basis such as taking a hot bath, going for a walk, having a hot cup of tea; then your subconscious starts to register these activities as coping mechanisms as well. Over time this will decrease the constant urge to use food. You can’t expect to have a bad day, go take a bath and not have an urge to eat. It is something you need to do regularly and something you truly enjoy so your subconscious starts to recognize it as a new choice.

© 2005, Meri Raffetto

Owner of Real Living Nutrition Services, Meri Raffetto is a recognized professional in the area of nutrition and wellness. She specializes in weight management and offers online programs to help people reach their weight loss and health goals. For more information or to sign up for a free newsletter visit http://www.reallivingnutrition.com/.

Five Easy Tips for Beating Festive Season Fat Traps - Without Starving Yourself

2005-12-22T15:23:00.000-08:00

By Alan Cooper

Remember that feeling of delicious excitement that we used to feel as kids at the approach of the end of year holidays? Sadly, for many of us it's been replaced with a sense of dread… and not just at the prospect of opening our credit card bill in January!

For some an even bigger fear awaits - the prospect of facing the bathroom scale after weeks of festive food and drink.

It wasn't for nothing that they once called holidays like Christmas "feast days". Back in medieval times these feasts were rare islands of indulgence in oceans of famine lasting for months.

In the developed world these days, the closest we get to famine is when we work through lunch. It can be a battle to keep our weight under control in the face of everyday food temptations. End of year feasts can tip us right over the edge.

But it need not be like that. Here are five simple tips to beat the festive season fat traps… and the inevitable guilt that follows. You'll be relieved to hear that none of them involves starving yourself. In fact, the first tip actually advises the exact opposite…

1) Eat a good breakfast
This may seem counter-productive, but this advice applies to everyday life, so why change it over the holidays? Many people sleep in and skip breakfast during the holidays. By the time lunch or dinner comes along they're ravenous and cram far more into their mouths than they would normally.

I'm assuming, of course that your usual breakfast is a sensible, healthy one. Starting off the day with a stack of pancakes, grits, bacon and six eggs is NOT a good way to start the day, holiday or no holiday!

2) Drink at least eight glasses of water a day
You should be drinking plenty of water each day anyway. Over the holidays this is even more important.

We all tend to drink more alcohol or sugary sodas over holiday periods. I'm not going to be a killjoy and suggest you deny yourself these indulgences, but try to alternate each "bad" drink with a glass of water. If it's a glass of sparkling mineral water, with a slice of lime in it, you won't look or feel out of place. Your head and stomach will thank you the next morning.

3) Fill up on fiber
Drink one of you eight or more glasses of water half an hour to forty minutes before the main meal, along with a fiber supplement. There's no need to buy an expensive, over-hyped diet aids like ZetaCap or FiberThin, either. A product like Metamucil is far cheaper and just as effective.
You'll feel fuller by the time the food arrives, so you'll eat less. And thanks to the additional fiber in your diet, the food won't hang around in your digestive system for as long, which means less of it will be absorbed to eventually find its way onto your waist or thighs.

4) Pace yourself
This applies to the festive season as a whole and to each of the big meals you encounter over this period. By all means enjoy these feasts, but resist the temptation to turn every day between Thanksgiving and New Year into a feast day.

When presented with a table groaning with all manner of delectable treats, the natural response is to heap your plate high with as much of everything you can fit on it. Go instead for more, but smaller helpings. Have a slice of turkey with some greens. Then go back for a slice of gammon and potatoes. Hmm, that sauerkraut looks good…

Chew slowly and talk to your friends and family. Feasts are by their nature leisurely affairs. Use this to your advantage and take your time. This way your stomach will have plenty of time to register that it's full, which is not the case when you scoff down a huge plate of food.
The bonus is that you actually get to enjoy dessert, rather than forcing it down out of sense of obligation.

5) Take a hike
Yes, the holidays do offer more culinary temptations. But they also offer more opportunities for fun, fat burning activities.

Go for a leisurely swim or walk on the beach if you live in a warm climate. If not, take a relaxing hike in the woods with your kids. Or cuddle up to your significant other in front of a blazing fire… which is sure to lead to one of the most effective and enjoyable forms of exercise!

Happy holidays!

Alan Cooper is a journalist with 20 year's experience and the publisher of http://www.ObesityCures.com, a site with the ambitious aim of being a "one-stop-shop" for impartial information on obesity and weight loss solutions - including fad diets, prescription weightloss pills and natural weightloss aids.

Kaizen for Weight Loss

2005-12-22T15:20:00.000-08:00

By Janice Elizabeth Small

The Kaizen method was developed in Japan as an effective way of achieving huge improvements in business. In it's simplest form, it just means implementing small improvements one after the other. Each tiny step in the right direction builds to a significant improvement over time but without the business having to handle the chaos of a massive transformation.

The method works, because businesses are run by people and it is in the nature of people, in general, to feel uncomfortable with sudden massive change.

And what works for the transformation of a business works for the transformation of a person too!

Diets fail, exercise programs fail for most people - we know that. They fail because they demand you take huge steps to transform your life.

Nevertheless you give it your best shot, because you want the end result. You go from eating fast food and fries with everything to wall-to-wall lettuce and cucumber. You give up spending your evenings on the couch in front of the TV and work out on the equipment at the gym 5 nights a week instead.

You're highly motivated when you start. But soon your enthusiasm wanes and you slide back to how things were. Making huge changes overnight is just too difficult.

The "kaizen" way of losing weight, on the other hand, means making a single small change at a time. You just keep going with it until it feels quite natural. Then you add another and another and another. Don't you think it would be easier to transform your body and your life permanently like that?

If the "make-sudden-mega-changes-in-your-lifestyle" diet and exercise programs you've tried in the past have never actually worked for you on a permanent basis, then why not try a different approach?

This time write down a whole list of all the changes you want to make. Break those changes down into tiny achievable pieces then put them in place one step at a time - the "kaizen" way. It just has to be the easiest way of achieving a new shape.

Copyright 2005, Janice Elizabeth Small

Janice Elizabeth is a weight loss coach, slimming club owner and author of "The Diet Exit Plan", an 8 week coaching program for automatic permanent weight loss. Request her FREE 15 page report "How to lose weight without dieting - 7 secrets the diet industry doesn't want you to know" at http://www.simplyslimming.com/ TODAY!

Cabbage Soup Diet - A One Week Diet Plan

2005-12-22T15:16:00.000-08:00

By Stephen Todd

When you looking for a convenient start to any diet plan, following the cabbage soup diet is a good way to jumpstart any attempt to lose weight.

It is said that a dieter could potentially lose between 10-20 pounds while sticking to the cabbage soup diet. Many favor this diet because you will prepare a soup that can be eaten at any time of day or night.

Low Calories

The cabbage soup diet doesn’t offer many calories, but allows people to lose weight because they tend not to overeat.

The soup acts as a filler, making sure that the dieter does not experience hunger or the feeling of starvation.

Due to the low amount of calories that the body is consuming, a dieter following the cabbage soup diet may experience a few side effects. This could range from a feeling of being weak to lightheadedness.

One Week Only!

Some of the advantages of the cabbage soup diet are that an individual can lose weight at a fast rate. Dieters should know that the cabbage soup diet should only be followed for a week - it is not meant to be adapted as a continuous lifestyle choice.

If someone attempts to stick with this type of diet for more than a week, they will experience a change with their overall health and body. For example, on one of the days of the cabbage soup diet, only bananas and skim milk are allowed. This means that an intake of about 1,000-1,200 calories will be received.

It cannot be stressed enough how this is not a healthy way to eat for longer than a week.
Here is a recipe for the cabbage soup diet:

Cabbage Soup Diet Recipe

Ingredients:
6 Large Green Onions
2 Green Peppers
1-2 Cans Diced Tomatoes
1 Bunch of Celery
1 Package Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1-2 Cubes of Bouillon (if desired)
1 Cabbage Head

Directions:
1) Cut the vegetables into small pieces and cover with water, you can also use V-8 juice.
2) Boil the ingredients fast for 10 minutes.
3) Reduce to simmer and continue cooking the cabbage soup until all of the vegetables are tender.
4) Season the cabbage soup to taste with salt, pepper, garlic powder, parsley, or whatever spice you want to add.
When following the cabbage soup diet, you should be aware of some of the details.
No Straying!

It is also important to remember that the cabbage soup diet will only work if it is followed exactly how it is stated, meaning “No Straying!”

· Day One allows you to eat all of the fruit you want, except for bananas. You can eat only the cabbage soup and the fruit for the first day. You can also drink unsweetened teas, cranberry juice and water.

· Day Two, you can eat all of the fresh, raw or cooked vegetables that you want. Keep in mind that leafy green vegetables are the best and that you should avoid dry beans, peas and corn. Fruit is not allowed on this day.

· Day Three of the cabbage soup diet, you can eat all the soup you want, as well as fruits and vegetables.

· Day Four, you should eat as many as eight bananas on this day, as well as drink as many glasses of skim milk. You should also keep eating the cabbage soup. This day is meant to suppress your desire for sweets.

· Day Five, you will be eating 10-20 ounces of beef and up to six fresh tomatoes. You should also drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water in order to wash out the uric acid within your body. You should have at least one bowl of cabbage soup on this day. If you don’t like beef, it is ok for you to exchange it for skinless, baked chicken.

· Day Six incorporates beef and vegetables. You can eat all of the beef and vegetables you can, as well as at least one bowl of the cabbage soup.

· Day Seven, you will eat as much brown rice, vegetables and unsweetened fruit juices as possible, as well as at least one bowl of the cabbage soup.

Cabbage Soup Diet Books

If you would like to learn more about the cabbage soup diet, you may want to look into such publications as The Ultimate Cabbage Soup Diet by Madeline Cooper and The New Cabbage Soup Diet by Margaret Danbrot.

More dieting and general health information and FREE exclusive diet and health magazines, are available on our web site: http://www.net-planet.org

Negative Effects of Dieting

2005-12-22T15:12:00.000-08:00

By Stephen Todd

When a person wishes to engage in a diet, they will be restricting what they eat or drink with the goal to either become healthier or lose weight.

Healthy dieting practices can improve the overall health of a dieter, as well as prevent complications such as diabetes and heart disease. However, when this process of dieting is not properly done, the individual may fall victim to some of the negative effects of dieting, such as a weakened immune system.

This negative effect of dieting can hinder the body’s ability to cope with the changes caused by dieting and adapting new behaviors.

In order to understand some of the negative effects of dieting, you will have to understand some of the variables that are encountered within the body that makes the difference in your dieting failure or success.

Calories

Calories are needed to provide energy and aid in the maintenance of proper bodily functions. If you consume too many calories during a diet, you will not only increase your body fat content, but you will notice a difference on the scale. Eating not enough calories causes your body to suffer for this deficit.

Carbohydrates

The negative effects of dieting when it comes to the consumption of carbohydrates can be seen when a dieter does not know how to distinguish between what is considered a “good carb,” as opposed to a “bad carb.”

Carbohydrates are a major source of energy for the human body. “Bad carbs” are found in foods filled with sugar, such as soft drinks and sweets.

To avoid the negative effects of dieting, you should choose carbohydrates that are readily available in whole grain cereals, rice and corn.

Fiber

Negative effects of dieting occur when a dieter does not get enough fiber into their system. Fiber can be found in grain products, nuts, as well as numerous beans like pinto and kidney.

Soluble fiber positively affects a dieter’s health because it can lower cholesterol levels. Insoluble fiber combats constipation and hemorrhoids.

Protein

If a dieter does not consume enough foods containing protein, then they will experience a few negative effects of dieting.

It is suggested that 10% to 20% of the calories consumed each day should contain protein. Proteins are used to create red blood cells, as well as regulate enzymes and hormones. Protein can be found in meat, milk, cheese and eggs. A dieter will be at a loss when avoiding such foods.
When a person begins a diet, one of the main goals they are trying to achieve is to lose weight to enhance or improve their appearance.

Unhealthy and Dangerous Weight Loss

One of the negative effects of dieting occurs when a dieter goes overboard and their attempt to lose weight becomes drastically unhealthy and dangerous. This may lead to life threatening conditions, such as bulimia nervosa, anorexia, as well as binge eating.

Bulimia is a negative effect of dieting because a dieter turns to reoccurring cycles of binge eating and purging which is not good for the body. Bulimics will often vomit, abuse laxatives and diuretics to achieve a certain look. Many bulimics often suffer from depression.

Anorexia is when a dieter struggles with the intense fear of becoming overweight.

One of the negative effects of dieting in this way is that these individuals attempt to maintain an emaciated body weight. This can lead to a host of problems that attack the body due to this style of dieting.

More dieting and general health information and FREE exclusive diet and health magazines, are available on our web site: http://www.net-planet.org

The Benefits of Green Tea for Dieting

2005-12-22T15:08:00.000-08:00

By Stephen Todd

There are many different ways to tackle the prospect of losing weight.

Many choose to restrict or calculate what they eat, while some focus on additional help received from supplements, vitamins, as well as other items.

Drinking tea can lead to beneficial results when dieting. This is especially true when it comes to the benefits of green tea for dieting.

The benefits of green tea for dieting and medical use have been recognized for centuries in countries like India and China.

The Health Benefits of Drinking Green Tea

Green tea has been proven to reduce cholesterol levels, as well as triglycerides. It can even prove beneficial for those who wish to increase their HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels.
A boost in the immune system, as well as weight loss, has been seen in those who drink green tea on a regular basis.

Green tea also provides anti-cancer agents that can also be found in black tea.
When dieting, some of the benefits of drinking green tea can be seen through the high concentration of antioxidants that can be found.

Reports have found that green tea possesses 50 times more strength than Vitamin E and C.
Studies have also shown that the benefits of green tea for dieting are visible when drinking one cup every day for one year. A loss of five pounds is one of the advantages to making this a habit.

Using Sweeteners with Green Tea

The benefits of green tea for dieting is drastically reduced when sugar or honey is added. This completely defeats the purpose of tapping into some of the benefits of green tea for dieting. When you absolutely cannot live without a sweetener, pick up the herbal replacement called Stevia.

How much can Green Tea can you Safely Drink?

When dieting, the benefits of green tea are not affected by the amount of tea that is drunk by the dieter.

There are no significant side effects and it is completely safe to drink green tea. Some people have been known to drink up to 20 cups of green tea per day. Decaffeinated selections are available, which does not decrease the benefits of green tea for dieting.

When integrating green tea on a regular basis, a newcomer may experience insomnia or restlessness, but these effects soon pass once the body has adjusted.

How to Prepare Green Tea

To fully reap the benefits of green tea for dieting, the way you prepare the tea influences its effects and strength. The size of the tealeaves should be small and loose, presenting the best choice because it provides quick infusion. It takes longer to prepare a large tealeaf.

Even though loose leaves are recommended, the most common way a dieter will prepare their green tea is by using a teabag. In order to increase the benefits of green tea for dieting, teabags should be dunked on a continuous basis to extract a higher amount of helpful polyphenols, which contain a high concentration of antioxidants and health benefits.

It is not recommended to leave teabags floating on the top of a teacup.

Using boiling water also increases the extraction of polyphenols.

In regards to the amount a time that a teabag is steeped, there are two routes to follow. If you want a high content of polyphenols, the steeping time should be high. A shorter steeping time creates a high level of caffeine, but sacrifices the polyphenol content.

More dieting and general health information and FREE exclusive diet and health magazines, are available on our web site: http://www.net-planet.org

Cravings and Yo-Yo Dieting

2005-12-22T14:41:00.000-08:00

By Stephen Todd

Yo-yo dieting, also referred to as “weight cycling,” is when cravings overpower any positive effects that a dieter has received by following whatever program allowed them to lose weight.
You usually hear cravings and yo-yo dieting mentioned when a person loses a certain amount of weight, gains it back, and then loses it again, feeding into a vicious cycle of dieting ups and downs.

The cravings that come with yo-yo dieting can be quite a physically, as well as emotionally draining process.

Unhealthy Practices

There have been studies done on people who feed into the cravings and yo-yo diet, determining that these repeated cycles of weight loss and weight gain is an unhealthy practice. It results in the weakening of the body, as well as decrease in the functionality and strength of the body’s major organs, immune system and overall health of the individual.
Looking for a quick solution to a weight problem is more likely to end in diet failure - these quick fixes come in many forms.

When people starve themselves in order to lose weight, they are more likely to give into craving and yo-yo dieting.

Fad Diets

Another way cravings and yo-yo dieting come into play, is when a dieter chooses to follow a fad diet. Some of these diets involve eating one particular type of food group, such as grapefruits or cabbage soup, as well as eliminating major elements from a diet, such as avoiding carbs. The weight soon returns when the dieter abandons whatever strict regimen they were following, giving into cravings and yo-yo dieting patterns.
Depression and fatigue are factors that also contribute to the failure of a diet not based on healthy eating habits accompanied by regular exercise.

Once the weight creeps back, the dieter then resorts back to the quick fix for help. This pattern continues until the dieter has decided to follow a sensible diet and exercise plan, leaving behind the cravings and yo-yo dieting.

Lifelong Diet Plan

Dieters must learn how to commit to a lifelong plan to losing and maintaining their weight through healthy means. If a person is unwilling to make this sacrifice of watching what they eat, then they are more likely to fall victim to cravings and yo-yo dieting.

Giving into cravings and practicing yo-yo dieting can lead to detrimental effects on the overall health of an individual.

Cholesterol

A study published in the Journal of American College of Cardiology stated that yo-yo dieters displayed low levels of the “good” cholesterol that prevents heart disease. It was also shown that women who had succumbed to their cravings and yo-yo dieted had the worst results. This was the case in women who had lost and regained at least 50 pounds.

Other complications arising from yo-yo dieting include the increased risk of developing gallstones, as well as a slight increase in a patient’s blood pressure.

Obesity

Even though the issues surrounding cravings and yo-yo dieting are disadvantageous to a person’s health, it is not worse than being an obese individual. Obesity increases a person’s risk for stroke, heart disease, diabetes, as well as cancer.

More dieting and general health information and FREE exclusive diet and health magazines, are available on our web site: http://www.net-planet.org

Weight Loss Supplement - Is There a Natural Food That Can Help?

2005-12-20T10:03:00.000-08:00

By Mindi Haehl

Natural weight loss

Many forms of obesity stem from an unhealthy lifestyle and diet. Many times the addition of a healthy supplement that can add essential vitamins can help regulate weight and weight loss. Many times substances marketed as weight loss supplements just add one more unhealthy product to your diet. Weight loss should be natural. Keeping the weight off should be natural too.

That is why I am here to tell you that there is a natural food that can be added to your diet every day and can decrease cholesterol, help you lose weight and give you healthier hair and skin. These are the benefits of the flax seed.

What makes flax seed work?

First and foremost flax seed is high in low density fiber. That is to say that flax seed contains less calories per gram than most foods. You can eat a lot without hitting your daily calorie limit. On top of that the fiber makes you feel full longer by stabilizing blood sugar levels.

Polyunsaturated fats that are provided by flax seed help with feeling full longer. These are the good fats necessary for weight loss. (These are not the fats found in french fries)

Is it easy to add to your diet?

For those that want to lose weight by adding flax seed to their diet it is quite simple. Just grind and add to any food. The simplest way to get going is to purchase a flax starter kit. With one of these you get two months worth of seed, a handheld grinder and a "How to" book that will give you recipes, diet ideas and all kinds of great tips. These kits should sell for about thirty dollars.

For a new healthy diet geared towards losing weight and feeling better flax seed is what you need.

Visit this link for more information and to purchase Flax Seed and start losing weight and living healthier today.

Weight Loss : 7 keys to Success

2005-12-20T09:57:00.000-08:00

By Janice Elizabeth Small

Successful weight loss is about much more than buying the latest diet and exercise program. You have to have the right mindset to make any weight loss program work. Without the right attitude you will have an uphill battle to succeed - but if you get your head together before you begin, and keep yourself in the right frame of mind throughout your program, you multiply your chances of losing weight successfully.

So what is the right attitude to ensure you succeed? Ideally you need all of the following:

1. Absolute desire

You have to want a new slim figure and better health more than that piece of chocolate cake. Work out why you want to lose weight and remind yourself every day (every meal time if necessary) why you are doing this.

2. Willingness to change

You have to want to lose weight so much you're prepared to change your attitudes and your lifestyle little by little until you're living the life that keeps you slim and healthy forever.

3. Commitment to do this for once and for all

Make a firm decision to achieve your target, put it in writing and re-read it every day. Constantly renew your commitment to yourself.

4. Knowledge of yourself

No matter what your circumstances, you need to accept that you are responsible for your current weight. Only you can say what passes your lips and what doesn't. Only you decide how much or how little you move every day. You need to understand the reasons why you put on weight in the first place so that you can undo those habits. You need to know your weak spots and look for the best ways to work around them, knowing what you know about you and your lifestyle.

5. Self-belief

You must know in your heart of hearts that you can do this, that you can rely on yourself to follow through your commitment and not let yourself down. Everyone can lose weight, but you must believe it too.

6. Self confidence

You need self-confidence to keep your commitments in the face of pressure from others, self-confidence to do new things, to try new forms of exercise, to join a gym or a new class. Surprisingly you also need to have self-confidence to face the world as a slimmer person because you will attract attention and admiring glances that you're not used to.

7. Determination and perseverance

When the going gets difficult the successful just keep going. If you choose the right weight loss program, one that is balanced, and fits your life your level of fitness and circumstances and just keep going with it, you'll succeed. So don't give up.

The great thing is that you can choose to have these personal qualities and attitudes today, simply by changing the way you speak to yourself, being more positive and acting as if you have these characteristics already. You can choose to change your attitude for weight loss success or you can choose to carry on as you are. It really is up to you (and your mind) to make your weight loss program a success!

Copyright 2005, Janice Elizabeth Small

Janice Elizabeth is a weight loss coach, slimming club owner and author of "The Diet Exit Plan", an 8 week coaching program for automatic permanent weight loss. Request her FREE 15 page report "How to lose weight without dieting - 7 secrets the diet industry doesn't want you to know" at http://www.simplyslimming.com/ TODAY!