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Wednesday, January 30, 2008

The Key To Lasting Weight Loss Is All In Your Head

By Nordine Zouareg

There is no denying the fact that the brain can do a lot of wonders to us. It is, after all, what makes you. But the brain’s power is not limited to making us function alone. Its power goes even beyond that, and the cliché "mind over body" is a perfect example of such.

Importance of Mind over Body

I have just written a new book titled "Mind over Body: The Key to Lasting Weight Loss is All in Your Head." The book tackles exactly that - mind over body. It teaches you of the importance of thinking and believing in what you want and who you want to become.

Here is a perfect example. A person who wants to lose weight yet thinks only of the obstacles ahead of him will not go far. In the end, he will not have a successful weight loss program because he focused on the trials and difficulties, which made it really harder for him to achieve his goals. If he had, in the first place, focused on his goal and what he wanted to get, then everything would have fallen into place, and he will be at his target weight soon. His brain would have worked for him, not against him, into making it easier to achieve his goals. Can you see now the importance of mind over body? What our brain constantly thinks will be manifested outwardly by our bodies. Like attracts like, never forget that.

Of Dieting and Exercising

Knowing now the importance of mind over body will make is crucial in reaching your goals. Here are some steps on how to achieve just that.

1. Identify Your Core Desire 2. Use The Power Of Your Intention 3. Make An Appropriate Action Plan 4. Apply Your Resolve and Make It Automatic

These four steps will help you stay focused on becoming slimmer and healthier. No diet program or exercise program will work if you do not employ these secrets in your life.

My book also teaches you the correct way of dieting and exercising. It also teaches you about metabolic rates and caloric intakes and how these two can affect your weight loss program.

But your mind should be your greatest ally when it comes to losing weight. What is great about the teachings in this book is that it is not only applicable to weight loss programs alone, but it is very much applicable to our daily lives.

Nordine Zouareg is a former Mr. Universe, an International Fitness Coach, Speaker and Author of the book Mind Over Body: The Key to Lasting Weight Loss Is All In Your Head.

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How Herbal Weight Loss Helpful in Lose Weight

By Dr Anne

The market is awash with a whole slew of weight loss options, but herbal weight loss can be considered as the best of the rest. It is mainly due to the increasing awareness in terms of benefits without any apparent side-effects associated with the usage of herbal products that make people to get more inclined day by day for using herbal weight loss remedy. Herbal products ensure loosing the extra weight by following a time consuming but effective procedure.

Overview of herbal remedy

In the fast paced world, we hardly get the time for ourselves during which we take a great care of us. Different daily hassles, hard competition and life style affect our diet very profoundly, which results our dependency over fast foods, snack and junk foods. The ultimate outcome leads to experiencing obesity, increasing blood cholesterol level, cardiac problems and other difficulties.

Apart from the health issue, obesity is directly linked up with social stigma. It affects everyone, especially women. Its effect is so profuse in one's life, that an individual suffering from obesity may take any drastic step to reduce her weight. It may range from having hotchpotch diet to non-verifiable artificial weight loss supplements as well. This may, in turn, result to severe side-effects by disputing metabolic system, while apparently resulting in temporary weight loss.

Herbal weight loss supplements in association with herbal weight loss programs are considered to be the most effective solution for acquiring a perfect health. It is particularly beneficial for those who want to be aligned with Mother Nature. However, there are great varieties in herbal weight loss products, and there is no specific guarantee of its effectiveness. The efficiency also largely depends on the type of the product chosen and on its specific requirement for its user. The consumers must be gather sufficient knowledge regarding possible side-effects regarding the product both in short term and long term.

Weight loss mechanism

Essentially, the herbal weight loss supplements work best following three mechanisms. The product increases the amount of the discharge of urine and stool, thus, helps cleansing the body by protecting against the accumulation of bodily wastages. It also enhances and rejuvenates central nervous system and helps promoting homeostasis through holistic approach. It also increases the serotonin level in the body, which eventually makes an individual more vigorous and serene in mind and health.

Variety of herbs used

Most commonly a great variety of herbs are used in the weight loss programs. However, there are few that actually got the crown to receive the honor. Let us verify few of them here.

Ma-huang: This is also known as ephedra. This is one of the most common ingredients used in the various weight loss supplements, however, the health research units and medical practitioners highly discourage its prolonged usages by putting a special emphasis of its harmful side effects on health.

Cascara: It holds a significant place in most of the herbal weight loss supplements. It is generally used as an internal cleanser. However, it has side-effect as well. It is supposed to create disturbances in electrolytic balance.

Aloe Vera: Aloe Vera is well-respected among the mass for its versatile qualities. It is commonly found as an important ingredient of weight loss supplement. It also helps cleansing body. However, there is no clinical evidence found yet to ascertain long term benefits of weight loss from Aloe Vera.

Glocomannan: This helps absorbing glucose from intestine, hence creating a feeling of fullness in an individual. Quite obviously, it results in less intake of food. It is effective in reducing weight effectively; however, the impact of this herb is not free from side-effects. It may create gastrointestinal complications in long run.

Dandelion: It works as an effective natural diuretic as it helps releasing water from body. But one needs to be very careful about drinking a plentiful amount of water while taking this herb. If the amount of water intake is insufficient, the individual is on high risk of having dehydration and allergic reactions.

If you are looking for more information, read about Natural Weight Loss and Herbal Weight Loss. If you are looking for any Information on Dental Care then read about Loose Teeth

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Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Weight loss programs for Teens

By Chris Harris

Teen weight loss programs are a bit different then programs for adults, mostly depending on the age. However, being a teen doesn't mean that it will be harder for you do achieve anything, because as with any other person on this world, achieving goals is all in the mind.

By saying that it's in the mind I mean that the crucial parts of your path to your goal will be:

Having a strong burning desire is the must have if you want to ever achieve your goal.

Would you really like to change? Are you prepared to invest your time, energy and sometimes even money? Because if you aren't 100% sure, there is a high chance that you won't follow through it.

But there is a way out even if you don't have the desire which would drive you. The first step is to understand that you are the one who motivates yourself and on the other hand, you need to act to be motivated, and not necessary the other way around.

Knowing the pleasures you will experience when you will be happy with yourself and the pain you will have to go through if you aren't happy with yourself will be a driving force in your motivation. Write down the good feelings that you will feel and why, and write the bad emotions you might experience.

Having a specific plan will help you act now, because the worst thing you can do is to be motivated and do nothing about it. With a proper plan you will be able to direct your energy and start working toward your goals.

After you start acting you need to motivate yourself on daily basis. Studies have shown that a repeated act becomes your habit after about 21 days. So follow through the plan for at least 21 days and it will become way easier to make your goals your reality. Also, find someone with the same goal as you have, so that this way you will be able to motivate each other.

Decide in advance what will you do and exactly how. And do it even if you don't feel like it.

About the author: Chris Harris is a physician by profession but he is also writing articles on Weight loss drugs for a long time. To know more about weight loss medicine, Acomplia weight loss pill, acomplia, Acomplia rimonabant, buy acomplia, acomplia diet pills visit http://www.acomplia.p5.org.uk

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Eat and Exercise for weight loss

By Chris Harris

With the holidays over and the year 2007 gone, many of you wind down with one thought: "What happened to your year-round bodybuilding discipline?" Was the holidays and vacation worthwhile to have thrown all your efforts to one big feast?

Many have failed and many, have fairly got through the temptations of food, food and more food! Though it may seem a perfect time for relaxing and giving yourself a break, it certainly is not a brilliant idea to feed yourself with calories.

There may be slight changes on your already tight schedule or you probably have more time to spend in the office than at home or the gym. In this case, don't force yourself to get up and slip in to your bodybuilding garments as this is not the proper way how you should start your year to keeping fit. If you can't handle your schedule well and think that you don't have enough time to do all the needed activities in one day; you can start and still maintain your healthy figure by sticking to what you should properly eat.

If you are hungry, eat a properly composed meal and don't ever substitute sugar bars to suffice your hunger. If you can't make it to the nearest cafeteria, bring with you fruits that are rich in fiber. This way, you don't have to be bothered in running to the snack zone. You can be full and stay healthy by grabbing that apple from your desktop.

A good alternative too is to run your way to the office or to wherever you need to be in a hectic day. This will cause a steady release of endorphins from your brain which will practically make you feel happy. You will be in a good mood and there will be no need to worry about anxieties or memory decline as being and staying "happy" prevents any brain damage as well.

You can still be physically active and healthy if you know how to accomplish little details that matter to your health. When you have the time though, don't forget to drop by the gym and release a good amount of sweat!

About the author: Chris Harris is a physician by profession but he is also writing articles on Weight loss drugs for a long time. To know more about weight loss medicine, Acomplia weight loss pill, acomplia, Acomplia rimonabant, buy acomplia, acomplia diet pills visit http://www.acomplia.p5.org.uk

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Lose Fat, Lose Weight - The Four Essential Steps

By Peter Halpin

Welcome to the wonderful world of weight loss. We are about to share with you the four essential steps you should be aware of if you want to lose fat and reduce your weight.

This article discusses the first step. You'll find links to other pages which continue the story, at the end of this article.

STEP ONE - Understand How Weight Loss Occurs

If you're an overweight young adult, you probably eat more than you need. Your body requires a certain number of calories to sustain itself, and if you consume more than that number, you will put on weight. If you eat less calories than you expend, you will lose weight - it's really that simple. Don't let anyone persuade you differently. Unless you have some kind of illness, this technique will work for you. So take on board what you're about to read, talk about it with your physician, and adopt it if he or she approves.

The equation identified above is complicated by the reality that your body doesn't want you to consume less than it needs - it will think you're starving. If you go on a severely restricted diet, your body will do a number of annoying things, such as giving you hunger pangs, causing you to feel wearied and sluggish, finding the energy it needs from your muscle tissue in addition to your fat deposits, etc. Consequently, you shouldn't attempt to lose weight by dieting alone.

It is essential that you exercise as well as eating less. When you exercise, your body receives the message that you are still going well and so will be triggered to maintain your lean body mass and live off your fat. If you consume less calories than your body requires, but don't go below your requirements very much, and get adequate exercise so that your body continues and burns even more fat to do so, then you will slim down nicely.

A pound of fat represents about 3500 calories of stored energy. In order to lose a pound of fat, you must use 3500 more calories than you take in. It's better not to do this over the period of just one day or you'd probably harm yourself, and your body would in all likelihood have some extreme response which would not include you losing any real weight. It's more beneficial to spread this out over a week, so that you aspire to exceed your caloric requirements by 3500 to 7000 calories per week. This will result in weight loss of one to two pounds per week. It isn't healthy to attempt to lose more than two pounds in a week. If you do try to do so you're unlikely to be successful.

Let's suppose you would like to lose two pounds per week. To do so, you need to work out how many calories a person of your age, sex, and weight usually requires in a day, subtract 500 from that amount, and follow a diet that provides you with that many calories. For example, if you would normally need 3000 calories in a day, you would stick to a 2500 calorie per day diet. Then you work out how much exercise an individual of your weight would need to do to burn 500 calories per day, and you get off your butt and do it. The result is simple. 500 fewer calories consumed plus 500 more calories used equals a 1000 calorie per day shortfall, which, over the course of a week adds up to 7000 calories, or two pounds. Your mileage may vary, but there's no avoiding it. If your body is consuming fewer calories than it's using, something's got to go.

That's how it goes. So now you just have to learn how to eat less and exercise and you will definitely lose some weight. Then you want to know how to keep it off.

About the author: For further information about the Four Steps to Lose Fat and Lose Weight, visit http://losefatloseweight.com

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Monday, January 14, 2008

Lose Weight by Eating More -- Food that is Virtually Impossible to Store as Body Fat

By Marty Gallagher

Certain foods are extremely difficult for the human body to convert into body fat - not impossible but damned near impossible. By consuming calories derived from these foods, the anabolic margin of error is extended dramatically, which means it will be easier to lose fat and gain muscle, if you choose.

Lean protein, protein devoid of saturated fat, has been the staple, the bedrock nutrient of elite athletes for 50 years. Why? You can eat a mountain of lean protein and not get fat - assuming you train with intensity sufficient enough to trigger muscle growth. Lean protein is difficult for the body to break down and digest. As a direct result of this digestive difficulty, the body kicks the metabolic thermostat upward to break protein down into subcomponent amino acids.

The human body wants to preserve stored body fat as a last line of defense against starvation. If overworked and under-fed, the body will preferentially eat muscle tissue to save precious body fat.

Obese people that go on crash diets, precipitously slashing calories, might lose 100-pounds of body weight, yet still appear fat. Despite losing from say 350-pounds to 250-pounds, they still appear fat because they still are fat. The body has cannibalized muscle tissue and saved the fat. Though they might weigh 100-pounds less, they still possess 25-40% body fat percentile.

Lean protein is the bedrock nutrient in the physical renovation process because it supplies muscle tissue battered by a high intensity weight workout with the amino acids needed to heal, recover and construct new muscle tissue. Lean protein is a bedrock nutrient in the physical renovation process because it causes the basal metabolic rate (BMR) to elevate; the metabolic thermostat, the rate at which our body consumes calories, increases when digesting protein. Lean protein is a bedrock nutrient in the physical renovation process because it is damned near impossible for the body to convert it into body fat.

The other bedrock nutrient in the physical transformation process is fibrous carbohydrates: carrots, broccoli, green beans, bell peppers, spinach, cauliflower, onions, asparagus, cabbage, salad greens, Brussels sprouts and the like. Fibrous carbohydrates, like lean protein, are nearly impossible for the body to convert into body fat. Fibrous carbohydrates require almost as many calories to digest as they contain. A green bean or carrot might contain 10-calories yet is so dense and difficult to break down that the body has to expend nearly as many calories to break down that bean or carrot as the vegetable contains.

Fibrous carbohydrates have a wonderful "Roto-Rooter" effect on the internal plumbing: as they work their way though the digestive passageways they scrape mucus and gunk off intestinal walls and help keep sludge buildup to a minimum. For this reason fibrous carbohydrates are the perfect compliment to a lean protein diet. Too much protein can cause bile buildup: fiber is the Yin to protein's Yang. The two nutrients should be eaten together.

Both protein and fiber have a beneficial dampening effect on insulin secretions. It is no accident that professional bodybuilders, the world's best dieters, capable of reducing body fat percentiles to 5% while maintaining incredible muscle mass, construct their eating regimen around protein and fiber.

The best way to eat is to eat often. If you eat 3,000 calories a day the best way is in five 600-calorie feeding or six 500-calorie feedings instead of a breakfast containing 400-calories, a lunch of 1000-calories and a late dinner of 1,600-calories. Avoid calories easily converted into body fat.

Eat multiple small meals in the 400-600 calorie range comprised exclusively of foods near impossible for the body to convert into body fat. Plus, these foods cause the metabolism, the BMR, the body thermostat to elevate in order to digest them. Optimally you should eat every three hours: in about the time the nutrients from the previous meal have dwindled, been expended and exhausted, in about the time the elevated metabolism is 'settling back down to normal,' eat another small protein/fiber meal. This reestablishes anabolism, kicks the metabolism upward once again and gives the body more practice at assimilating and distributing quality nutrients.

They say practice makes perfect and by eating small, power-packed, tough to digest meals every three hours, the metabolism is kept elevated, anabolism is established and maintained and the individual never feels hungry. A person who is not hungry is far less inclined to binge on sweets and treats, junk and trash then the crash diet/calorie cutters who always feel hungry, deprived, listless and lacking energy.

The small meal/protein/fiber approach has been used successfully by elite athletes for decades and is not some untried dietary abstraction - rather it is the proven method of choice, one that has withstood the test of time, one that has been used for decades and been proven effective time after time.

If a person is able to establish a multiple meal schedule comprised primarily of lean protein and fiber eaten every three hours, then adds to this eating schedule some serious weight training and a cardiovascular regimen, physical transformation is a biological certainty.

Author Bio: Coming soon! "The Obesity Solution" is designed to help overweight men and women physically transform themselves into healthier, thinner, more fit individuals. Designed by Marty Gallagher, a world champion coach and former www.washingtonpost.com fitness columnist, he will take you by the hand to help you achieve permanent fat loss. For more information, visit www.purposefullyprimitive.com/article.html and get a FREE special report on how to stick to a diet the easy way!

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Eat More Pectin For Successful Weight Loss

By Lee Dobbins

Wouldn't it be great if there was a way to not feel so hungry all the time when you are trying to lose weight? Well there is a way and it's not some new fad either, it's something that's natural, has no adverse side effects and might be sitting right in your fridge - fiber.

One type of fiber that you probably already have been eating is called pectin. Pectin is found in fruits, such as apples, strawberries, and peaches, along with vegetables including carrots, sweet potatoes and beans. Pectin is a carbohydrate that has no calories.

Pectin is a great source of fiber, which we all know is important for a healthy diet. Aside from helping you feel full longer, pectin can help to cut cholesterol and blood sugar levels. It may even aid in the prevention of colon cancer.

Pectin can help you lose and maintain your weight because it causes the stomach to empty more slowly. As a result, after eating pectin, you feel satisfied longer. This means that you will eat less, which will lead to weight loss. And if you think you'll have to be gobbling down hundreds of apples or guzzling pectin drinks, think again - research has shown that as little as a single teaspoon can help you to feel satisfied.

Where Can You Get Pectin?

Thankfully, you won't have to drive miles out of your way to get your supply of pectin because it is sold right in your local grocery store. It comes in a powder, which may be known as Sure-Jel, or a liquid, known as Certo. Derived from grapefruit and apples, pectin is usually found with the baking supplies in most supermarkets.

How To Take Pectin

You can mix pectin with orange juice, water, or soft drinks. It has no taste so shouldn't affect the taste of the beverage you mix it in. It is best to increase your intake gradually to let your system adjust to the added fiber. Start off with a teaspoon a day and then gradually add more in to a max of 3 teaspoons a day. You can also add pectin to broth or soups, applesauce and even baked potatoes.

Author Bio: Lee Dobbins writes about Low Carb and Low GI eating as well as other weight loss issues. Visit www.lowcarb-resource.com for more articles on healthy dieting.

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Getting Enough Fiber Is Important For Weight Loss

By Lee Dobbins

Fiber is an important part of a healthy diet, but did you know it can help you in your weight loss efforts? Filling up on fiber can help you to feel full for longer, therefore causing you to eat less overall which will result in healthy weight loss.
In addition to helping you lose weight, fiber also has many positive health effects. Fiber has been linked to managing diabetes, cutting cholesterol, and limiting heart damage. One Swiss study found that eating a high-fiber meal reduced hunger more than a meal which was low in fiber.

How Much Fiber Do You Need?

You should consume between 25 to 35 grams of fiber a day. While that might not sound like a lot, most Americans only get about 15 grams and many much less. Fiber can be found in most fruits and vegetables including carrots, peas, broccoli, spinach, and cauliflower.

In addition, there are many cereals and breads that have a good amount of fiber, but you must read the labels to determine which ones. Typically anything made with whole wheat or whole oats or bran will have fiber - plus these cereals tend to be natural and low in fat and sugar which also help with your weight loss and are better for you overall.

How Can You Eat More Fiber?

There are some easy ways that you can increase your fiber intake. Think about adding garbanzo beans to a salad or soup, or add a tablespoon of bran to your cereal. Leaving the skins on fruits and vegetables will also increase your fiber intake. The actual fiber content of each individual food isn't that much so it is best if you simply eat more types or servings of fiber rich foods each day.

Consider eliminating meat from some of your meals. Meat has no fiber, and it doesn't give you the benefit that you get with fiber-rich food. Instead, try eating more grains, fruits, and vegetables. In this way, you can be sure your meal has a healthy concentration of fiber.

Add Fiber Gradually

It might be difficult for your body to become accustomed to a diet that is rich in fiber. It is indeed counter-cultural, since many families grew up consuming a great deal of meat. However, if you're really want to lose weight and be healthy, you'll give fiber-rich meals a try. Fiber rich foods, combined with sensible eating, can help you lose weight and keep it off.

Don't try to totally change to a high fiber overnight. It may require a great deal of trial-and-error before you hit upon the right amount of fiber. However, in the end, you may be amazed at the positive role that fiber plays in your diet. And it may inspire you to encourage your loved ones to add more fiber to their own diets as well. A diet high fiber diet can help you to manage the amount of food you eat and has many health benefits. So load up on fiber-and watch your waistline shrink as a result!

Author Bio: Lee Dobbins writes about Low Carb and Low GI eating as well as other weight loss issues. Visit www.lowcarb-resource.com for more articles on healthy dieting.

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Sunday, January 13, 2008

How Does Calorie Cycling Help Me Lose Weight?

By Rachel Jenkins

A brand new way to lose weight has been hitting airwaves all over the United States.

This diet, called "calorie cycling", allows people to effectively lose large amounts of weight in short periods of time. But before you dismiss it as a fad diet, read on.

This way of eating teaches people to switch up the amount of calories that they eat day-to-day. By doing this, their body can never figure out how many calories are coming to it (as is often the case with low calorie or low carbohydrate diets), and therefore it can't adjust... or plateau.

The diet actually enforces cheat days and says that it wouldn't be successful without it.

Rachel Rofe, calorie cycling expert, explains that our bodies are used to this way of eating. During the cavemen era, our ancestors would have to go hungry for days at a time. Whenever they got the opportunity to eat, they would binge in order to stay satisfied until the next time they had the opportunity to eat.

Cheat days are similar to the days that our ancestors fasted. Because the metabolism never expects these days, it can never adjust to a certain way of eating, and the body is literally forced to continue dropping unwanted pounds.

Because people get to have these cheat days where they can literally eat anything they want, psychologists heartily recommend this diet. They love that dieters don't need to feel deprived of malnourished. Doctors love it because it's a natural way to lose weight without people having to deprive themselves of nutrients, food groups, or even "bad" food.

Because calorie cycling is much easier to stick to than a typical weight loss plan, it has a much larger retention rate than many of the other diets.

Rachel has lost 100 pounds herself, and is passionate about helping other people do it too. She has been featured in Woman's World, among others.

You can check out more about calorie cycling on her website at www.yayFOOD.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rachel_Jenkins

Tips for Maximizing Your Weight Loss While on an HCG Diet

By Marion Goldsmith

"When going on an HCG diet, there are several steps you can take to help maximize the effects of the hormone so you can get the best results possible. In addition to following the low calorie diet, adding in these simple strategies will help you experience some great results while keeping your body as healthy as possible.

• Take a multivitamin every day. That way, you can be certain your body is receiving all of the nutrients it needs each day.

• Add exercise to your routine. You don't need to kill yourself at the gym every day. Rather, simply adding 15 minutes of cardio activity to your routine can help to further boost your metabolism and increase the amount of weight you lose.

• Drink eight 8 ounce glasses of water each day. Drinking plenty of water each day helps to cleanse your body and further helps to suppress your appetite.

• Consume 30 grams of fiber each day. Whether you get it through your food or through supplements or capsules, fiber will help your digestive system work more efficiently.

In addition to these simple extra eating habits, there are some behavioral habits that you can change as well. For example, if you are having a hard time fighting the temptation to eat foods that are not on your diet plan, you might want to consider ordering your food from a grocery delivery service. This way, you can order the food on the Internet and have it delivered directly to your house so you never have to step foot in a grocery store.

There is a great deal of evidence to suggest that eating an organic diet is also beneficial when it comes to losing weight. Not only will this help to increase the number of pounds you burn, it is also far healthier to follow an organic diet because you won't be consuming preservatives and artificial additives.

You should also be sure to plan your meals wisely. It is always a bad idea to eat when it is close to bedtime. This is because your body has a tendency to store fat while you sleep. Therefore, try to eat your last meal for the day more than three hours before going to bed. If you go to bed on an empty stomach, you won't have to worry about your body storing that extra fat.

By adding these extra steps, you can increase the amount of weight you lose from just half a pound per day to two or even three pounds. In addition, since the HCG helps to contour your body, you won't have to worry about unsightly skin flaps developing as the result of such rapid weight loss."

Marion Goldsmith is the public relations director of HCG Medical, a medical hcg weight loss clinic located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Marion is a former medical weight loss physician has written articles on a variety of topics, but currently focuses on the HCG diet.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marion_Goldsmith

10 Steps To Natural Weight Loss

By Dominic Ferrara

A Successful Losing Weight Diet Plan will require you to follow guidelines that have been proven to work. There is no magic pill that will work just these simple techniques that will have you on the road to weight loss and perfect health.

1) You need to set a goal of how much body fat you want to lose and please be realistic. Men and women require a different caloric intake. A safe plan is to eat 300 to 500 fewer calories a day to lose 1 to 2 pounds a week. Set a goal for yourself and get real about achieving it. You goal need to be specific and written down. If losing body fat is what you want to do, you simple must take in less calories than you burn everyday. One great motivator that helps many is Tony Robbins. Check him out for some good inspiration.

2) Begin exercising now, it's really not hard. Here's a big tip...tell yourself you are just going for a nice nature walk. When possible, make sure you get out for at least a 30 minute walk. The idea is to use up more calories than you eat. Look for sports or activities you enjoy. You don't have to pump iron at the gym or run marathons. Do whatever you enjoy, whether it's taking long walks, gardening, or playing Frisbee. Cardiovascular exercise will increases your metabolic rate so that the rest of the day you will burn off more calories.

Remember to talk to your doctor first.

3) Eat In Moderation. Many of use eat too much of even lowfat foods. Most Fast Food Restaurant amounts are way to large for just one person. Make sure you eat Breakfast, this gets you started for the day. Some people find that measuring food for a week or two helps them learn healthy portion sizes. Your stomack is not much larger than your hand so your intake should be approximately that size.

4) Eat 5-6 small meals a day. This technique will increase your metabolism and energy levels. It will also help curb your feelings for munching which leads to cheating. This secret will teach your body to burn fat fast. But look at point 7)

5) Eat Less Sugar and Carbs. Learn to prepare healthful, low-calorie foods that taste good by checking healthy cook books for new recipes. Eating well doesn't have to mean eating dull. Will find that over the days and weeks your craving for sugary and fatty food will decrease and you will desire higher quality food.

6) Drink lots of water and as often as you can. Water is used in every single cell of your body. Water will help you increase your energy and help make your stomach feel more full. Make sure you drink 3-4 big glasses of water per day. Keep a bottle wherever you spend most of your day, at your desk at work, in your car, etc. Remember to drink plenty of water when wearing the sweat suit.

7) Don't Eat After 6 PM. If possible, try not to eat in the hours before turning in for the night. Most people are not as active after their evening meal as they are earlier in the day. It is best to keep the total calorie level, as well as carbohydrate level, lower in your later meals. This will prevent extra fat storage that would occur as we sleep.

8) Cut down on soda and other sugary drinks. Soft drinks provide a lot of hidden calories without making you feel full. For every cup of soda you replace with water, you'll reduce your caloric intake by about 100 calories.

9) It's very important to eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Nearly every major health organization makes this simple suggestion, since most fruits and veggies are nutritious and naturally low in fat and calories.

10) Learn to control your stress. Most people say that they eat more when they are stressed out. Simple solution, learn to control your stress by doing your exercises, going for a walk or talking to a friend. Remember, as with any change you try to achieve, it's a mind game. Get you mind off of food and onto a healthy life.

For A Free Report about How To Lose Weight Naturally go to http://www.WeightLossDietPro.com . You will discover how you can lose weight naturally and how to keep it off for good. Get our Free Newsletter today...

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Thursday, January 10, 2008

Natural Sweeteners: Which One Should You Take?

By Megri Soft

Sugar consumption in the United States is higher than most other countries due to fast food diets. Diabetes is also high in the United States. Natural sweeteners like stevia, luo han, and xylitol can help fight diabetes while keeping your taste buds happy.

There are many natural sweeteners to choose from if you want to avoid sugar, but don't want any of the artificial sweeteners over which there are a few questions. You can choose from xylitol, luo han, stevia and others, but before discussing these, let's have a look at the problems with sugar, artificial sweeteners and the American sugar industry.

Sugar as most people know it originates either from sugar cane or sugar beet, though by far the biggest American industry is in the cane. There are many different types of sugar, though that obtainable from cane sugar is sucrose. Sucrose is a disaccharide and carbohydrate, stored by plants as a reserve energy source to be used when needed. Humans cannot directly use sucrose, and it is metabolized in the body to glucose which needs the hormone insulin to help convert it into energy.

Insulin is produced in the pancreas, and a lack of it, or the body's failure to use it properly, is referred to as diabetes. There are two types of diabetes:

Type 1: A total lack or deficiency of insulin due to the pancreas producing insufficient quantities of insulin, or even none at all. This is often seen in young people and is generally cause by the immune system attacking the insulin-producing sells in the pancreas. The treatment for type 1 diabetes is to introduce insulin to the blood, normally by means of injections, plenty exercise and the adoption of a high carbohydrate low fat diet.

Type 2: This is strongly associated with obesity and weight, and is due either to insufficient insulin production by the pancreas (but not as deficient as for Type 1 diabetes) or an inability of the cells of the body to properly use insulin. Type 2 diabetes does not always require insulin injections, and can be treated by exercise, diet and weight control. However, there are occasions where insulin injections are also required. It tends to affect people older than those with Type 1 diabetes and 90% of cases are of this type.

Both types, however, are connected with an excess of glucose in the blood, into which most sugars are converted. A diet low in sucrose will go a long way towards helping people that suffer from either type of diabetes, and control of carbohydrate intake should include a reduction in the intake of sucrose in the form or beet or cane sugar. This accepted, then if you need a sweetener, a saccharide free natural sweetener would appear to be the logical choice.

You could opt for a synthetic sweetener, but they also have their problems. There is evidence that saccharin could be a carcinogen, and 'aspartame' disease is not a myth. The other artificial sweeteners also have sufficient questions that natural sweeteners would appear to be the obvious choice. But which? That is the question. Let's have a look at some and check out their pros and cons.

The first is Stevia. This is a South American herb that is 400 times sweeter than sucrose and yet is very low in calories and does not affect diabetics. Used throughout most of the world, it has not been approved by the FDA as a food additive due mainly, it would appear, to lobbying by the American sugar corporations. This is understandable, since mass substitution of sugar by stevia in processed foods is entirely possible, but would cost the sugar corporations billions.

However, it is available to purchase from health food stores, and does not appear to possess the problems that aspartame does. Unlike that sweetener, it can be used in baking and cooking, and is ideal for diabetics and people suffering from yeast infections such as candida. Such infections are aggravated by sugar in the colon, since yeasts love sugar, but they cannot survive on stevia. The safety of stevia has been proven through hundreds of years of popular use without any problems.

However, there are others. Luo Han Guo is a sweet Chinese fruit of which extracts are marketed as a natural sweetener. The plant it comes from is the Momordica grosvenori, a member of the cucumber squash family that grows in the mountainous areas of southern China. The sweeteners it contains are called mogrosides that are terpene glycosides, of which there are five different forms, the main one being termed mogroside-5.

The extract is available in the form of a powder consisting of around 80% mogrosides, and possesses around 250% of the sweetness of sucrose. This, too, can be used in cooking; because it is stable to heat and contains about 2% of the calories of ordinary sugar (one half teaspoon is equivalent to 25 teaspoons sugar). You can help 50 medicines go down for the same calories of getting one down using sugar!

Not only that but, like stevia, there are no known side effects. It has been used for many centuries in Chinese medicine in the treatment of gastrointestinal conditions and conditions of the respiratory tract. Unlike natural sweeteners, luo han has been found to be useful in helping to manage diabetes since it does not cause insulin levels to rise and are not involved in energy production, so have no effect on your weight. The mogrosides from luo han are also under study as inhibitors of certain tumors, and might be able to inhibit skin tumor growth. Other possible medical advantages include helping to reduce atherosclerosis and heart disease, so would appear to be a useful sweetener to use in your coffee!

Finally, xylitol. It was during World War II that Finnish scientists rediscovered xylitol that had been previously used in Germany as a sweetener in the late nineteenth century. The sugar shortage resurrected this substance that can metabolize without the need for insulin.

Xylitol is a substance that is found in some fruits and vegetables and also in corn cobs. In fact, it is a product that appears in animal metabolism, and so is perfectly safe. It is known to help support the immune system, and to help reduce the effects of aging. It possesses antibacterial properties due to its 5-carbon ring and has been approved by the FDA. Xylitol can replace sugar in most of its domestic uses, including in baking and as a natural sweetener. It is also used extensively in chewing gum as a sweetener that does not cause dental cavities due the acid caused by bacterial attack on the sugar.

However, one use to which xylitol cannot be put, nor any of the other natural sweeteners mentioned here, is in fermentation. Try these for your wine or beer and you will be very disappointed at the low alcohol level of your brew! This is also, however, one of the benefits of xylitol: it cannot feed the yeasts that cause candida or any other yeast infection. Although it is a saccharide, it is the same as the others in this respect.

So, which of these natural sweeteners should you take? The choice is yours since each has its own benefits with very few disadvantages and certainly no recorded side effects that we know of. Use stevia for superior sweetening effects, and make up a concentrated solution of it in water for your cooking. Use luo han if you have gastrointestinal problems, and use xylitol if you want fresher breath and to protect your teeth.

Use none for brewing or winemaking, and use any of them if you are diabetic. The choice is yours. These sweeteners are available at your local or internet health food store.

More information on natural sweeteners can be found at VitaNet, LLC Health Food Store. http://vitanetonline.com/

Finding easy weight loss diets

By Sumesh

Although the title of this article is ‘easy weight loss diets’, I am not sure about it. Is any weight loss diet really easy? I don’t think so. Enter the market for weight loss diets and you will be bombarded with information about different kinds of diets like the atkins diet and the south beach diet.

But which one is really best for you? Will a low carbohydrate diet work for you? Or will a normal high protein diet be the best one?

The worse part about diets is that what may work wonders for others may not work for you. Every individual is unique and hence has unique needs and requirements. This needs to be analyzed first before plunging to any weight loss program.

Why it doesn’t work?

To understand why weight loss diets do not work for you, it is important to have some information on body genetics and metabolism. Every human being has a metabolism rate or the ability to burn off calories. Similarly, every human being has a particular body structure. Some have broad shoulders and hips with minimum fat content. Others have droopy shoulders with a lot of fat deposits around the waist. This depends a lot on the genetics of the person.

So if you are genetically pear shaped, do not expect that easy weight loss diets will change you into a muscle machine. Or if you are an obese girl genetically, do not even attempt to turn into tyra banks. That’s not going to happen.

Have realistic goals

Set yourself realistic goals and start slow. For example, if you are starting your diet plan on New Year, target a weight loss of 4 to 10 pounds by March.

This should be achievable provide you stick to your diet and exercise routine. And make sure that you stay motivated on the diet. A lot of people quit midway due to lack of results. Perseverance is a virtue that you definitely need to succeed.

Click here now for more information on Weight loss diets Visit weight loss diets.

Best Plan for Permanent Weight Loss

By Kathryn Martyn Smith M.NLP

Why Do We Start Diets on a Monday

We've grown up counting off the days, weeks and years like worry beads. Birthdays mark one year older and wiser, New Year's Eve marks a new beginning; the first day of the month, the first day of the week; all mark a new beginning. There is no reason you can't simply decide to start getting healthier right here, right now. You can decide to start at any time. You don't need to wait until Monday. "But, I always start a new diet on Monday!" Ah, but this isn't a diet, this is a lifestyle change. A lifestyle change isn't about being ON or OFF a program, you are just living, and this is about taking that first step. Whether today is Tuesday or Saturday doesn't matter.

Lifestyle Changes Work Best For Long-term Weight Loss

It may take longer to lose weight by changing your regular habits, but it doesn't really. Think about all the diets you've been on, all the days, weeks, months you've wasted dieting, that have added up to a big fat nothing, except maybe more weight. That seems to me to be taking a very long time, and in fact chances are you'll never truly succeed with any ON again, OFF again program. They don't work over the long-haul because as soon as you go back to your usual habits, your usual weight comes right back. How could it be otherwise? Contrast that with a lifestyle change where it may be a month before you notice a difference but once you've lost that 10 pounds, it's gone for good (unless of course you quit doing what's working and run right back to your old lifestyle).

Eating Off Plan Is Not a Lapse, It's a Life

Practice makes perfect. Since there is no way to be perfect, it's far better to decide you'll do your best and then proceed about doing it. Eating something "off plan" is not a lapse, it's a life, it happens. Lots of us have treats at birthdays and too much to drink New Year's Eve but we don't continue that pattern the next day, so why think you must eat perfectly from now on? You set yourself up to fail if you expect perfection.

Choose to Make One Small Change, Then Another

Fad weight loss diets work over the short-term because you are drastically changing your habits, but drastic changes rarely stick. Who wants to live a life of deprivation? Not me. Instead, decide right now to make one small change. Choose something in your lifestyle that could be improved on and improve it. This is an ongoing process. As you lose some weight, you'll need to decide again and again whether you want to make any additional changes.

I lost 80 pounds in nine months over 20 years ago. Over the years since then as my diet and daily habits shifted so did my weight. A few times I noticed I had put back on 10 or 20 pounds. That's when I'd begin to notice my clothes don't fit well and I either must buy bigger clothes or make some changes.

My diet had shifted from a very healthy one to a pre-sweetened cereal for breakfast, cookies for lunch and grab what I can find for dinner lifestyle. Slowly the weight came back and despite thinking I wasn't eating that many calories, I actually was eating far more than I realized, plus the nutrition was poor quality. Your body needs quality food. Without it, you'll continue having hunger pangs despite having just eaten. Until you get some real nutrition you can expect to continue feeling hungry. The nutrition I was eating was poor and my body reflected that, plus I had stopped exercising completely.

How to Lose 10 Pounds Without Really Trying

I turned it around by returning to regular, consistent exercise (No. 1 best way to lose weight and keep it off is to exercise consistently), and I switched from pre-sweetened cereal to Grape Nuts cereal, oatmeal or other whole grain cereals. I still like cereal and eat it most mornings. I started to snack on fruits and vegetables instead of store bought cookies, and I started to eat quality protein with vegetables and salads for dinner.

I still eat dessert most every night but now it's one-third the quantity it was when I had let my weight creep up. Small changes, but basically I'm still eating and living the same lifestyle. My choices are slightly different but that doesn't mean I wouldn't ever eat pre-sweetened cereal again. It does mean I know if I do eat Corn Pops (one of my favorites) I'll likely be hungry for something sugary sweet by 10 AM and keep that preference all day. It's also very likely if I eat sugary foods (highly processed like chips, pastries) for three or four days in a row, then it's going to be tougher to switch back to a healthier lifestyle. Consequently, I make an effort to not let the worse eating become a habit by nipping it in the bud.

I still order a giant double-cheese burger with a family pack fry if I go to Dairy Queen but it's about twice a year instead of once a week. I tried to order a smaller burger and it didn't satisfy me, but cutting back the frequency was painless. Switching from eating at Dairy Queen once a week to twice a year makes a big difference. Another change for me was my weekly Thursday night Chinese food take-out habit. Eating take-out once a week isn't the problem, but I'd get enough for three days, so I was eating Chinese far too often. This is store bought, highly sugared Chinese food not clean healthy Chinese food you might cook yourself or get in a better quality restaurant. In fact, Chinese food is very healthy if it's not Americanized but I was eating breaded and sweetened things like Orange Chicken (you won't find that in any Asian country) and deep fried shrimp with red sticky sauce (tomato candy).

Examine your usual eating habits and see where you might make small changes. Keep a notepad handy and jot down everything you eat for one week. It's not easy to do, but it's so valuable to really discover what you usually eat, and then make small changes either in frequency or quantity of those things. If you always eat french fries, then maybe once a week you could instead have an orange. Not the same I know, I'm just tossing out ideas. It's up to you to decide what you'll have instead.

Remember, it's not about simply stopping your usual routine but switching to a new routine. No matter what you decide, start now. You aren't going to be eating perfectly, you're just going to work on eating a bit better, so get started.

~~Kathryn Martyn Smith, Master NLP & EFT Practitioner, Weight Loss Coach, Author "Changing Beliefs, Your First Step to Permanent Weight Loss," teaches how to use EFT for weight loss. Get The Daily Bites http://www.OneMoreBite-WeightLoss.com/getnews.html

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Weight loss in teenagers

By Robert Baird Baird
Obesity has emerged to be a matter of real concern amidst societies all over the world and it is distressing it note that statistics have revealed that in current times it is not only the adults who are falling victim to obesity but even the teenagers and youngsters are not excluded. With the progress of time a growing percentage of youngsters are suffering from obesity and the percentage is steadily increasing. There are several factors which have contributed to this. One of the major reasons behind this is the changing lifestyle of modern children. Not only are their day to day routines very injurious for health, most of them are addicted to junk foods which contain huge proportions of calories. Such addiction to high calorie foods and their daily consumption have facilitated obesity among young children. Moreover, another factor which has furthered this cause is the lack of any form of physical exercising. As a result obesity is a common problem among youngsters today and it is an alarming situation as obesity is known to make individuals susceptible to contracting fatal diseases like cancer, coronary heart ailments and diabetes. Therefore, the main agenda in this case is to ensure that teenagers today maintain a healthy diet and also exercise rigorously and the same is prescribed for those who are overweight.

Physical exercising is the most effective means of losing weight and youngsters can engage themselves in some form of sporting activity in order to ensure swift weight loss. Apart from aiding weight loss it would be good for health too.

It is significant to remember that the human body requires moderate quantities of fats, proteins and carbohydrates and therefore it is necessary for one to consume al these in adequate quantities without overdoing it. However in cases where one is immensely obese, the prescription may differ. It is necessary to ensure that carbohydrates and fats are consumed within limited quantities as both of them are extremely conducive to excess weight gain. Even meat, eggs and poultry along with dairy products like milk should also be taken in fair amounts. Fresh fruits and vegetables are not only excellent sources of vitamin and mineral content but at the same also aid in weight loss and maintaining body weight. It has been estimated by researchers that one's daily diet should comprise pf fruits and vegetables, complex carbohydrates like cereals, bread and rice in moderate quantities as well as proteins like milk and meat. The remaining portion should be contributed by fats.

About the author: Many weight loss diets fail from lack of discipline.

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Running for weight loss

By Robert Baird Baird

Obesity has emerged to be a matter of great concern in recent times with an increasing section of the population falling victim to it. However, it is not only the adults who are obese, a growing number of children are also overweight. Therefore, it is high time that obesity is curbed and the only effective means of countering obesity is by means of losing weight. It is necessary to mention here that there are several weight loss supplements and pills available in the market which assures quick weight loss. However, most of them are actually quite useless and some in fact are harmful for the body. Therefore it is always advisable to stick to the traditional means of losing weight, i.e. by maintaining a balanced diet and following a regular physical training session. There are various forms of aerobic exercises which are considered to be immensely beneficial in aiding weight loss in obese individuals. Running is the foremost among them. Running or jogging is one of the most effective means of losing weight and apart from aiding in weight loss, running has several other benefits as well. With the help of running, it is possible for an obese individual to shed those extra calories and fat deposits that have accumulated in his body and running facilitates toning of the muscles of the body providing a healthy physical appearance. In fact a regular course of jogging or running in any part of the day can be very useful in facilitating swift weight loss. Unlike the various artificial supplements available in the market, running would not produce any adverse effect on the body. It is quite true that in the present world, the scenario is such that it is quite difficult for individuals to make out spare time form their rigorous professional schedules to devote to some physical activity. As a result of this lack of physical exercising, as a person grows older, there occurs considerable weakening of the bones and muscles of the body. Running prevents the weakening of the bones and muscles of the body and rather facilitates their functioning and strengthens them considerably. Moreover, unlike rigorous exercising in the gym, running seems to be a better and more comfortable option for attaining weight loss.

Obesity is responsible for increasing an individual's risk in contracting lethal diseases like cancer and heart ailments. Running greatly curbs such tendencies. Much on the contrary running greatly increases the functioning of the body's immunity system and regulates blood pressure. It therefore also lowers the risk of these fatal diseases.

About the author: Many weight loss diets fail from lack of discipline.

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

The Best Ab Exercises To Get A Flat Tummy

By Todd Scott

You don't need a lot of fancy ab exercises to flatten your stomach. The fact of the matter is, ab exercises don't even flatten your stomach. They work just like any other exercise does for any other muscle to:

Create additional stress on the muscle and to break down the tissue to heal bigger, stronger, and more dense.

Period.

So, the notion that abs exercises create a flat belly is a myth at best, handed down year after year after year. The key to getting a tummy begins in the kitchen. With the right foods and the right training program, your belly will be flat as a pancake in record time.

Once you get your food choices in order, the next step is to begin with regular old training exercises. The fundamentals, nothing fancy, nothing complicate, just the basics.

Next you begin adding ab exercises to your program.

The best ab exercises in my arsenal are actually not even exercises you'd consider to be abs exercises at all.

Here are my favorites:

1) Heavy Dumbbell Squat - Hold the DB's at your shoulder and perform a squat. Nothing fancy, but the additional weight and added instability will force your abs to work double time.

2) Bent Over Dumbell Rows - Sure this works your biceps and your back, but it's a killer lower back and ab exercise

3) Mountain Climber Rotation - This is a regular mountain climber with a twist at the end, and it's a killer ab exercise.

To go advanced, the absolute best ab exercise out there is the weighted cable crunch.

Abs exercises train your abdominal muscles, but they don't make them flat. It's that simple. To burn body fat and flatten your tummy, focus on nutrition, a traditional full body training program, and interval training before you even consider adding any ab exercise.

About the author: Todd Scott is a training advisor to Men’s Fitness magazine and founder of the internet’s best selling book http://HowToGetSixPackAbs.com. To learn more go to the how to lose stomach fat homepage.

Also, grab a free report on the truth about losing body fat and abs workouts at Ab Exercises, Abdominal Workouts, Fat Loss for Abs

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Organic food for weight loss

By Robert Baird Baird

At present the market is flooded with scores of weight loss supplements and with the percentage of obese individuals increasing in number with the passage of time, it is doubtless that these supplements make brisk business. However, it is necessary to make individuals aware of the fact that most of these weight loss supplements are not effective in causing weight loss and the usage of some of these are detrimental to the body and its organs as well. Under such circumstances, it is safest to follow the various guidelines that have been set down by the United States Food and Drugs Administration or FDA and buy only those products which have been sanctioned by the FDA. The latest fad to have reached the market is organic food and it is considered to be very effective in causing weight loss. it is primarily necessary to realize what is meant by the term organic food. Organic food simply refers to those food components which have been produced naturally without the use of synthetic supplements or pesticides or preservatives of any kind. While at present certified organic food are widely available, researchers have opined that not only are these organic food extremely nutritious and beneficial for health, but at the same time they are quite tasty as well. One of the major reasons due to which organic food are considered to have an edge over cooked food is that heat used at the time of cooking changes the composition of the proteins, fat and carbohydrate contents and it also leads to the loss of various important nutrient elements and enzymes which are of good use to the body. On the other hand, organic food aids considerably in weight loss and the consumption of organic food makes a person feel more energized and full and as a result of swift bowel movements, the absorption of nutrients is faster and it prevents the accumulation of excess fat. Organic food helps in the cleansing of the blood stream and facilitates swift removal of toxins form the body.

Natural organic food not only aids in losing weight but in course of this process it does not compromise with the nutritional value of the food substances consumed. All nutritional elements that benefit the body are retained. Organic foods are natural substances and hence they are valuable for maintaining a healthy lifestyle while aiding in excess weight reduction and shedding of excess calories.

Many weight loss diets fail from lack of discipline.

Article Source: http://www.free-articles-zone.com/

How To Lose 10 Pounds Quickly

By Ken Black

Did you know that adult obesity has steadily and substantially increased since the late 1980's in the United States. It was recently reported in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's published Calorie Count - Report of the Working Group on Obesity, that being overweight has become a serious health problem in the United States.

Research has shown that 64% of all Americans are overweight today, and 30% are obese. Between the years of 1988 and 1992, less than 56% were overweight and less than 23% were obese. Therefore you can see just to what quantity the percentage has risen.

Being overweight and obesity are now rapidly becoming more concerning for children. This is because recent research, which has been taken by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, shows that 15% of children and adolescents which are aged between 6 and 19 are overweight. This is double the rate of two decades ago.

As Americans become heavier in weight, their health suffers. When overweight or obese, there is an increased risk of coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. According to estimates that have been taken, a minimum of 400,000 deaths happen each year due to obesity.

It is imperative that people be aware of the fact that, health can quickly be improved with just a small amount of weight loss. It is said by William Dietz, M.D., PhD., Director of the Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), that "it is common knowledge that physical activity along with the consumption of reduced calories can lead to the 5 to 10 percent weight loss, which is necessary to achieve remission of the obesity-associated complications."

Losing one to two pounds on a weekly basis is much safer and recommended by most doctors. This weight breaks down to 250 to 1,000 calories per day. This can be easily achieved if you follow some or all of the following guidelines:

1. Rather than whole milk or cream in your coffee, use skim milk.

2. Eat low fat yogurt rather than ice cream.

3. Eat more fruits and vegetables that are brightly colored, e.g. green, yellow, orange and red.

4. Reduce your intake of red meats and eat more lean fish, chicken and turkey.

5. Instead of eating white bread, change to whole wheat or multigrain bread.

6. Use a sugar replacement instead of actual sugar. Avoid using Aspartame at all times.

7. Drink plenty of water rather than soft drinks.

8. Avoid fried foods when eating out.

9. Exercise for a minimum of 30 minutes three or more times weekly, by walking, playing golf or tennis, or similar.

Even if over the next month you follow a couple of these rules every day, you will feel much better within yourself and you will also lose weight.

If being hungry constantly, or losing energy is something which you are concerned about, then you can take a safe appetite suppressant such as Herbal Phentermine. This supplement is not to be confused with the drug Phentermine, which can have side effects such as stomach upset, dry mouth and sleeplessness. The herbal variety is a non-prescription medication which has been tested for many years and has resulted in being safe for most people. Some of the ingredients which are contained in this product are green tea, acetyl L-carnitine, alpha lipoic acid, biotin and others. This product controls your appetite as well as increases your metabolism and energy levels.

It is important, of course, that before you proceed to take any herbal supplement, you firstly consult a doctor. It is imperative to seek advice if you are taking any other form of medication, as there may be possible interactions between the two. It is also essential to inquire if the product is suitable for you, if you happen to have any medical conditions.

If you proceed to follow these simple steps, then you are more likely to reach your weight loss goals and become a much healthier and slimmer person.

Kenny Black is a well known writer on weight loss matters. If you want to lose weight in the fastest and safest way possible, go to this site to find out about the leading weight loss supplements.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ken_Black

Benefits of Green Tea for Weight Loss

By Crizza Reyes

The benefits of green tea in our body are so extraordinary that it is believed that the key to a longer and healthy life may be brewing in your cup! Having a good health is a focus for most individuals. Medical experts tell us to take better care of ourselves if we want to live a longer life. There's an inconsistent information about what is and isn't good for us. And it's a beverage that does a body need.

Caffeine is found in coffee and also in this type of tea and is useful as a cardiac stimulant and also as a mild diuretic which increases urine production. We should wise to limit the number of cups we drink each day so that it doesn't make you nervous or nervy. So don't drink too much caffeine because it can affect your sleeping pattern and limit your consumption of green tea each day. Many people are trying to lose weight. Each and everyday they heard the new and supposedly effective weight loss plan. And one of the benefits of green tea is weight loss. Several people drink the tea either hot or cold and also take it in the form of a pill. You need to be careful if you do this routine on how much you drink as you don't want to overdose.

I heard that weight loss is one of the first benefits of green tea. I've heard that green tea can help you lose weight by raising your metabolism. And another one benefits of green tea is that it can help wash out fat and toxins from your system. I can not say if is true, but I know that when I drink a cup of hot green tea every night. I feel that it doing well for the most part of it and it is a good reason to keep drinking it.

Another one benefits of green tea here is that if you drink enough of it can help you control your appetite. I have read weight loss aids on the shelves at my local store that claim that this is one of the great benefits of green tea, and that they put this green tea into their product. I found out that there is a gum made of green tea, and that was supposed to help control your appetite in between meals. I don't know if the green tea helps, but I know that chewing gum in between meals can indeed stop you from eating. This is more of a psychological thing than anything else though. An antioxidant effect is the most well known benefit of green tea. From all benefits of green tea this one is perhaps the most important. As what you have seen, antioxidants are molecules which can safely interact with free radicals and terminate the chain reaction before vital molecules are damaged.

Antioxidants are intimately involved in the prevention of cellular damage, the common pathway for cancer, aging, and a variety of diseases. Antioxidants are proven to help prevent against some forms of cancer if you increase the amount of this. Lastly, one of the benefits of green tea is to add a cup or two to your daily beverage menu.

The soothing effects is another benefits of green tea which come down largely to the fact that it is a warm, comforting liquid, even so they are distinct. A recent study suggests that tea drinkers, whether they drink black tea, green tea, or a white tea, have lower stress levels. Naturally, you can get the same effect by drinking black tea, while the green tea has a lower dose of caffeine and more healthy antioxidants compared to black tea does and it is better for your health.
There are many types of herbal tea that comes from different varieties. As what I have found out, ginseng and honey variety is refreshing along with the peppermint green tea. Knowing all the benefits of green tea it's easy to see why it should be replacing regular tea as attach in your diet. Drinking of a nice warm tasty green tea each day can improve your health well so why don't you try doing this to have a good health.

Several people trying to take green tea concentrated to increase its effects. But the only problem with this is that the benefits of green tea have generally been studied with brewed tea. Although there is a good chance that capsules filled with tea would work every bit as well, it is not known for sure and for me a much better idea is not to risk. Enjoy a healthy cup of green tea every morning and every evening, and I assured you will enjoy its benefits. This is not only good for you, but you will appreciate the delicious taste as well. And there is nothing else compared like this.

The great thing about green tea is that it certainly will not harm you if you drink it. It doesn't really matter if you believed in the benefits of green tea that are good for you or not. If the only benefits of green tea makes you relaxed and calm each evening, and perhaps it is indeed worth the trouble you might go to. If you are wondering what it can do for you, even though you do some experiment a little to find out what will happen. Just add green tea to your life, and see if you find that you are feeling better, or possibly losing weight a little more easily.

Crizza For more information on how green tea can help you lose weight, please visit our web site

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Exercise And Weight Loss

By George Best

Most people know that exercise is an important part of any weight loss program, but there is considerable confusion over what type of exercise and how much is needed to produce maximum results. Even experts cannot agree as to what the "right" exercise is to produce weight loss, and in part this confusion lies in the fact that many experts rely on only a partial analysis of the available research on exercise physiology, and there is often a tendency to make "one-size-fits-all" recommendations, when the reality is that different people will actually get different results from different approaches.

Let's begin with what the current research on exercise physiology tells us. It is well-established that it takes approximately 30 minutes of any kind of exercise for the body to burn off its glycogen (stored sugar) reserves and begin burning fat. So, most experts recommend at least 30 minutes of exercise, and generally 60 minutes or more may be recommended to get a good amount of fat burning. Now, if you are going to be exercising for 30 to 60 minutes, or maybe more, what type of exercise would you be able to do for that length of time? It probably would have to be low to medium intensity. In other words, you're probably not going to be able to run full speed or do any other type of high-intensity exercise for 30 to 60 minutes without a rest, unless you happen to be an elite athlete, and even then you'd be struggling. So, by default, the common recommendation for exercise to lose weight has been 30 to 60 minutes of low to medium intensity aerobic exercise. Aerobic translates to "in the presence of oxygen", which in common language means that aerobic exercise is any type of activity that you can do without gasping for breath.

In recent years, some experts have changed their recommendations to using a more intense anaerobic ("without oxygen") exercise program for weight loss. This would include things like intense weight lifting, and something called "interval training". Interval training involves brief bursts of high intensity activity with periods of rest or low intensity activity in between. For example, you might run full out for 30 seconds or a minute and then walk for a minute or two until you catch your breath and then run again full out for 30 seconds to a minute, walk again, etc.. Since this type of exercise is much more physically demanding, it is done over a much shorter overall workout period - perhaps 20 to 40 minutes (with half or more of that time being rest or low intensity activity), as compared to the 30 to 60 minutes of continuous activity as recommended for aerobic exercise. The question is, how do the two types of exercise compare in terms of their ability to promote fat burning?

The aerobic exercise promoters point to the research that was mentioned earlier that has shown that any exercise, no matter how intense requires at least 30 minutes to use up the body's stored glycogen (the body will normally burn glycogen before it will burn fat) before fat burning can begin. So, they say, short periods of even highly intense exercise won't burn much fat and is therefore not a good choice for promoting weight loss. But they are only seeing part of the story. It is true that you must exercise for at least 30 minutes to begin to achieve fat burning - but that's at the time you are exercising. Brief bursts of intense anaerobic exercise does something that even quite a lot of low to medium intensity aerobic exercise does not. Intense anaerobic exercise stimulates the production of growth hormone, which is a strong stimulator of fat burning. The thing is, the release of growth hormone triggered by intense anaerobic exercise comes 24 to 48 hours AFTER the exercise, and then it produces considerably more fat burning than is possible with all but extremely long periods of low to medium intensity aerobic exercise.

Because of this effect, most people will lose weight much more easily by doing shorter periods of more intense exercise. 20 to 40 minutes of heavy weightlifting, interval training (which could be done on foot, on a bicycle, swimming, kickboxing, etc.Any kind of activity in which there are periodic bursts of intense exertion interspersed with rest periods, or periods of low intensity activity is typically preferable in the long run for weight control than even long hours of lower intensity aerobic exercise.

Now, you'll notice that I said "most people". There is an exception to the rule. Anyone who is seriously emotionally or physically stressed in his or her daily life is prone to overstimulated adrenal glands. The adrenal glands do a lot of things in the body, but with regards to weight loss, they produce two hormones. One hormone is cortisol, which promotes fat deposition in the lower abdomen. This is typically a saggy, pendulous fat held below the waistline. The other hormone the adrenals produce is adrenaline (also called epinephrine), which actually promotes fat burning. Since the adrenals produce cortisol which causes fat deposition and adrenaline which promotes fat burning, you might assume that these two hormones cancel each other out. Unfortunately, cortisol production can be carried out by a much longer time by the adrenal glands than can the production of adrenaline, so long-term, the effects of high cortisol production (deposition of fat in the lower belly), will overcome whatever fat burning might occur from the short-term adrenaline production.

The adrenals are influenced by physical stress as well as mental stress, so for someone who is under a lot of stress in general in his or her life, high-intensity exercise will only add to the total stress and will tend to make the adrenals produce a lot of cortisol, and therefore will tend to promote lower abdomen weight gain. That's right - the wrong kind of exercise in this situation can cause weight gain! This can be the source of considerable frustration when one is faced with the situation in which he or she is working out very hard to burn off that lower belly bulge, but never can seem to get rid of it. Due to the fact that the intense exercise is causing even more cortisol to be produced, their efforts are counterproductive. Because of this effect, it is recommended that people under a lot of stress and/or who have most of their weight held in the lower abdomen stick to relatively low intensity aerobic exercise. This type of exercise tends to help with stress control and lowers cortisol levels, allowing the lower belly fat to gradually be burned off.

I hope that this article has given you a better concept of how to maximize your exercise routine for the best possible weight loss results.

Dr. George Best has been a holistic healthcare provider for 15 years. For more information on natural weight loss, please visit http://www.TrainYourBrain4WeightLoss.com , or email to DrBest@trainyourbrain4weightloss.com.

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Which Foods Are Helpful To Lower Cholesterol?

By: Dr John Anne

Food plays an important role in managing the cholesterol level in your body. Apart from a well-managed lifestyle or proper medication, it is mandatory that you switch to fat-free, cholesterol-free healthy diet to manage the level of cholesterol. If you are suffering from high blood cholesterol problem, quite obviously you are having a high level of LDL; then you should consider about three important factors concerning your selection about food to lower cholesterol. These three factors are saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol. It is advisable that you make your meal absolutely free from these three diet components. Or else, at least limit the intake of these three diet components.

This article enlightens you on the important food to lower cholesterol level in your body. You may add any of the following foods to your diet to manage your blood cholesterol.

Beans, Peas and Lentils

This is an appropriate food to lower cholesterol level. Beans, peas, and lentils consist of high soluble fiber, which effectively manages cholesterol level in your body. You can always prepare a colorful salad dishes using these nutritional substances, and keep yourself and your loved ones healthy. Apart from that, you may eat apples, carrots, barely, and oats to fulfill the need of soluble fiber.

Soy

It contains high protein. Isoflavones, naturally found in Soy products are believed to mimic the role of hormones that help in regulating cholesterol level in the body. If you really care about lowering your cholesterol level, it is a must that you take a minimum of 25gms of soy proteins as a part of your daily diet. You may take soy yogurt, soy burgers, ground soy, soy nuts, soy milk, tofu, and tempeh in your regular diet.

Fish

Fish is an ideal food to lower cholesterol level. It meets the demands for omega 3, which is beneficial for lowering high blood cholesterol. It especially provides protection against LDL cholesterol. Omega 3 fatty acids are commonly found in mackerel, salmon, herring, sardines, tuna, and halibut. Fishes are the perfect option for getting omega 3, but you may also opt in walnuts, flax seeds, or almonds, to have the same benefits.

Olive Oil

Mono-saturated fats can effectively lower the level of high blood cholesterol, especially bad or LDL one. It has the ability to raise the amount of HDL cholesterol in the system. Olive oil is rich with mono-saturated fat. Hence, you can switch to this wonderful food to lower cholesterol, especially while cooking or preparing salads.

Flax seed

Flax seed is a perfect food to lower cholesterol level. It constitutes high protein, soluble fiber and omega 3 fatty acids. It consists of useful component called lignans. Lignans offers protection against cardiovascular problems by means of lowering LDL cholesterol level. Apart from that, it is assumed that flax seed has the ability to fight against few types of cancer like breast and colon cancer. It also helps protecting body from diabetes.

Garlic

Garlic is known as kitchen's pride. Its medicinal property is highly respected among different cultures for several hundreds of years. It has the ability to fight against different cardiovascular diseases such as high cholesterol, atherosclerosis, and high blood pressure. According to the results found in different scientific studies, garlic helps lowering cholesterol level. Garlic has two compounds, known as allin and allicin. These two compounds are assumed to intrude with the cholesterol metabolism function in the liver. Additionally, garlic also regulates the amount of cholesterol released in the blood stream.

Vitamin C and E

These two vitamins are well known for their anti-oxidizing property. They can help minimize the level of cholesterol in the body. The primary sources for deriving vitamin C are cabbage, oranges, potatoes, peppers, kiwi, and strawberries. On the other hand, for having vitamin E in your diet, you can easily depend on various healthy foods such as avocados, broccoli, mangoes, Brazilian seeds, peanuts, almonds, and sunflower seeds.

Dr John Anne is an herbal specialist with years of experience and extensive research on herbs and alternative health. Read about Low Cholesterol Food at Low Cholesterol Diet. Also Read about Cholesterol Treatment

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The Truth about How to Burn Holiday Fat

By Holly Rigsby

"Activity is not Achievement"

Does the solution to losing those unwanted holiday pounds really lie in doing more cardio? We justwrapped up a 6-week period where we were bombarded with strategies to burn off the dreaded holiday weight gain that sound great in theory but don't measure up in the real world.

They tell you that the more active you are, the more calories you burn, right? Sure, but how much time do you have? If "moving more" is THE solution, are you ready to make the time to add in the extra activity?

Did you eat a piece of pumpkin pie with whipped cream? Well it talked a lot of 'activity' to burn 450 calories.

Misleading Solution - Brisk Walking, to burn 3-5.7 calories per minute. So do you have 80 to 150 extra minutes just to burn this one indulgence off? What about all the other treats you indulged in over the holidays?

Do you want to Maintain or Achieve?

"So go ahead and indulge, just plan on some extra time on the treadmill, and you will be back to your pre-holiday weight."

This is a quote that is floating around out there that comforts us as we go back for second helpings!

Yes, there is a difference between maintaining your weight after the holidays vs. getting back to having the body you want.

Extended periods of cardio offer little return for the precious time you invest. Beating the holiday bulge is more than how many calories you burn during a workout. Rather, the solution lies in increasing and maintaining lean muscle through short burst exercise.

Cardio does nothing to increase muscle and in come cases actually breaks down your muscle! Unlike traditional cardio, short burst exercise will boost your metabolism and increase the number of calories your burn 24-7, essentially making your body work for you!

Do not abandon the basic principles of Fat Loss following the holidays. Working longer and harder will not get you faster results. Stop wasting your time with hours of traditional cardio.

Your Post-Holiday Fat Loss Solution lies in moderation and Short Burst Resistance Training and Intervals. With as little as 90 minutes a week, you can lose up to 2 pounds of fat. Practice a bit of balance and moderation with your diet and your results will be even greater! So integrate Short Burst Training into your New Year's Plan and watch those holiday pounds disappear!

Holly Rigsby is a nationally recognized women's fitness coach, certified personal trainer (CPT) and the author of the internationally popular e-book - Fit Yummy Mummy - Burn Your Baby Fat & Get Your Body Back. Go to http://www.fityummymummy.com to get your FREE copy of her special report: "The Top 5 Busy Mom Metabolism Boosters."

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How Fast is Too Fast When it Comes to Losing Weight

By Chuck Bluestein

There are many things that you can do too much of but this does not apply to things that the body controls. You cannot sleep too much, only as long as you need to. Some depressed people sleep 12 hours per day. You can fast too long or exercise too much.

Since you cannot control how long you sleep, you cannot do it too much. You can control how little you get but not how much you get. If you doubt this, then try it. Try to sleep 20 hours. You can lie there for 20 hours but will only be asleep if your body decides that you need it. Note that I am not talking about stage 1 sleep where you are drowsy and trying to get to sleep but you are not really sleeping.

The news announced in November 2006 that 70% of Americans have trouble sleeping. There is a McDougall website about getting over depression naturally. It says that sleep is depressing so you should not even get the suggested 8 hours. This shows that while there is a limit to genius, there is no limit to stupidity. His other ideas are good, though. The singer, Mariah Carey, had a nervous breakdown years ago and said that it was because of lack of sleep to warn others so the same thing does not happen to them.

I have seen on forums people giving rates of weight loss (weight loss/time) that are too fast. I checked this out and did not find reliable sources saying this. An MD on TV said that people on the same diet can lose weight at different rates. Also MDs think it is safe (and the FDA agrees) to lose many pounds of bodyfat in an hour with liposuction. Like with sleeping, you do not control how fast you lose weight. That is why you cannot lose weight too fast. Remember the above rule about exceptions, where someone with a serious problem can lose weight too fast.

Many have fasted for 5 days (trying to lose weight) and only lost 2 pounds. I have fasted many times but I was never overweight. People would ask how much I would lose but I did not notice any difference. So I got a scale so I could measure it scientifically. I weighed myself at the beginning of a fast and right before the end of a 4 day fast of pure water. I did gain one pound which does happen sometimes when people have reserve nutrients and are consuming air and water.

Someone could say "you just retained more water." But most people lose water weight during a fast. Regardless of whether I created more bone (people can mend broken bones during a fast) or retained water is the fact that I had no control over the rate of weight loss which in this case was negative one pound.

People can control their efforts to influence this rate. Fasting and exercise gives your body the chance to lose weight the fastest. Some exercise, like yoga, is OK during a fast. Allan Cott M.D. suggests walking 3 hours a day during a fast to lose more weight and for circulation. These are mild exercises. But you have to be careful about doing a lot of strenuous exercise during a fast. My mother could eat large amounts of fattening foods with lots of bad carbs and fat and still be thin without exercising.

Copyright 2007 by Chuck Bluestein

Chuck Bluestein is an herbalist, nutritionist and a fasting expert. His website has information on losing weight, healthy diet, fasting, neck and back pain, natural cures, teen girl advice and how to be happier. http://www.phifoundation.org/teen.html

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