Archive for January, 2009

Now that you have lost the weight you want and are pleased with the results, you will need to learn tips to maintain that weight loss.  How can this be done?

That’s right.  You heard about this one before.  Exercise.  You have already established a good exercise routine.  Don’t stop it because you have lost the weight you wanted.  You will need to keep up with it and add a few more exercise regime so that you don’t become more with the same old routine.  There is no fast rule on which exercise to do.

How about incorporating movement in your daily life.  Park the car the farthest from the store.  Take the stairs and not the elevator.  Walk your dog.  That is if you have one.  Mow the lawn, no matter how small it is.  The object is movement.  Movement burns calories and calories help you maintain your weight loss.

Another way of losing weight that you have already learned about – dietary control.  You still need that control to maintain your weight loss.  You will still need to learn to watch what you eat, how much you eat and when you eat.  Nothing has changed.  You will need more discipline now than ever before.  It is so easy to slip back into the old routine and before long your scales will reflect it as you watch those numbers creep up.

A support group is a good thing to belong to.  Being around other people who are also trying to maintain there weight loss will keep you motivated.  You will learn new tricks.  Like how to cook to maintain that weight loss.  This is a wonderful source of encouragement.  Online groups seem to be better because there are some free forums that offer the needed encouragement 24/7.

Remember when you were fat?  Picture that.  If you don’t like that mental picture, then staying on the right road to maintain weight loss will be that much easier.  A picture of you in the past and a picture of you in the present should motivate you to keep on the right dietary track.

Reorganize your pantry and your fridge.  Snacks should only be healthy ones.  Candy should be a treat and eaten few and far between.  Stuffing food in your mouth is not a good idea.  You need to check each and every food for the ingredients and the serving size.

If you don’t, before long you will step on the scales and then have to dig out your “fat” clothes.  Again, you will be at risk for overweight related illnesses and this time your body may balk as you once again attempt to lose weight.  In other words – it will be even harder to do so.

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A healthy diet is more desirable for a person looking to lose weight.  Does a diet really need to be balanced in order to lose weight?  A balanced diet consists of every form of food and a large amount in order to supply the body with all the needed nutrients.

Some of these foods are harmful when eaten too much.  A healthy diet considers the person’s health and so meals are tailored accordingly.

The best diet plan consists of plenty of protein, a little carbohydrates and a small amount of fat.  Plenty of vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients should be a part of this diet plan.  This will ensure good health.

You need to know that any meal can supply your body with the essentials needed.  You will need to eat a meal that has little or no effect on your lipid profile.  Cholesterol needs to be kept out of the foods.

Let’s take each food group and discuss a little about them.

  • Fruits and vegetables.  Very little cholesterol is found in fruits and vegetables.  The fat intake is low as are calories.  Fruits are a good source of antioxidants.
  • Breads, cereals and potatoes.  These are grains and mainly are high in carbohydrates.  They provide an ideal source of energy which is easier to burn than fat.  They are also rich in vitamins.  A hypoglycemia affect will need to be considered when eating too much carbohydrates.
  • Milk and dairy products.  Diary products come in low fat products.  High quality protein is provided in milk and dairy products as well as calcium.  If dairy products are chosen not to be eaten, than dietary supplements will have to be a part of our dieting regime.
  • Meat and fish.  Meat is a very important part of a diet.  Chicken and fish are the most popular protein foods to eat.  They are low in cholesterol and really do not have an excessive amount of fat.  Of course, when cooking meat and fish, you will need to watch the amount of cooking oil that you use or you will defeat the purpose in cutting down fats.

As you can see, the food groups above are well represented.  Not only should these foods be eaten, but the serving sizes of each food item noted.  This can usually be found on packages, cans and if in doubt, the Internet.

By adopting a serving size, you will not be in danger of overeating and can concentrate on healthy choices from the different food groups.  You will then be on your way to a healthier you and a weight loss that is slow but sure.

After all it didn’t take you a few days to get where you are and it won’t take you a few days to get where you want to be.

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You are ready to lose weight.

You know the negative consequences as a result of too much weight and already you are beginning to experience joint pains and have been diagnosed with elevated blood sugar, elevated cholesterol, and high blood pressure.

You are still young and you know it is never too late to begin a diet plan and exercise program that will become a part of your healthy lifestyle.

Four methods are used to measure body fat.  These are Navy Method, Home Body Fat Scales, Skinfold Calipers, and Hydrostatic Weighing.  Three are commonly used and these are…

Home Body Fat Scales

By the use of biometrical impedance method body fat is measured by a very small electrical current which won’t harm you.   When the result of this test is compared to the weight, the body fat percentage can be determined.  This test, though, does have a margin of error.  The impedance is altered by other factors that can generate currents apart from your body fat.  The heart gives off electrical waves as does the skeletal muscles, water in your body, the skin’s temperature and physical exercise.  Because of this interference, you are not able to eat for three to four hours before beginning the test and no physical activities for 12 hours prior to testing.  This will guarantee you an accurate test, determining your body fat.

Skinfold Caliper

Using calipers, is probably the most preferred due to cost.  A professional would be your best bet in conducting this body fat test.  If that is not feasible, than a set of “commeasure calipers” can be purchased.

Hydrostatic Weighing

This type of weighing is done under water and is the most accurate way to calculate body fat.  Of course you will need to find a hydrostatic water tank to do the weighing.  The body density is measured by the amount of water you displace when you immerse yourself in the water.  A formula is used to then calculate the body fat based on your body density.  The tank would be the hardest item to find, yet this is the most accurate test to measure body fat.

You may wonder - why should I bother about measuring body fat?  Realistic goals will need to be set for a successful weight loss.  It is an important element in successful weight control.  Taking inventory of how much fat you have is the best way to lose weight.  You will be able to learn how many calories you will be able to eat on a daily basis in order to lose weight .

By measuring your body fat, you can objectively track the success or lack of success in your weight loss program and decide if it is finally time for you to start losing fat…

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Is there a difference between a healthy diet and a balanced diet?

A healthy diet is made up of natural, fresh and rich foods eaten daily.

A balanced diet consists of all the various nutrients in the right proportions to supply the body with all of the needed nutrients.

With a balanced diet you may have the tendency to eat your favorite food the most.  A healthy balanced diet becomes unhealthy even though it is still healthy.  A balanced diet may become unhealthy due to a health problem you are experiencing.

If you are a diabetic, hypertensive or have heart disease, a balanced diet may become unhealthy due to the kind of foods in the diet that makes it balanced.  For someone with diabetes, too much fruit may actually work against you.

Say you weight 400 pounds with a BMI of 41.  You are classed as morbidly obese.  You will need to avoid fatty and sugary foods.  So an unbalanced diet or healthy diet is your best bet.  Are you confused yet?  You will need to do research to figure out what is a healthy balanced diet for you.

Here is a scenario that is played out.  You are dieting due to needing to have your cholesterol low.  That means limiting your fat consumption throughout the day and during your meals.  Of course, you then came to the conclusion that meant you would be eating an unbalanced diet.  So you continue eating what you were eating but reduced the amount you were eating.  You experienced a rapid amount of weight loss in six months.  You soon became ill with what you thought was the flu and it lasted approximately a month.  Your doctor noted that you immune system was depressed.  You finally had to tell him about your dieting.  Your doctor concluded that you were deficient in many nutrients because of not eating enough.  You wonder, “How can I lose weight if I eat like I had before?”

You can lose weight by maintaining a balanced and healthy diet.  You just need to know what to eat and how to eat it to achieve your desired results.  Getting the right help and guidance will allow you to enjoy a healthy and balanced diet plan which will provide a variety of foods in the diet.  You really only need to reduce the harmful food stuffs that had caused your weight gain in the first place.  It is always a good idea to seek the advice of an expert nutritionist.

You will maintain your health by eating a balanced healthy diet and to be sure not a diet loaded with unhealthy food even though it may be balanced.

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Obesity has increased in an alarming rate.  If you have a BMI of 30 and over, you are obese.  Millions of dollars on research are being spent on this epidemic since it is noted that children are not immune from this health risk.

Figures have it that more than one billion adults are overweight and of this number, 300 million are diagnosed as obese.  Unfortunately childhood obesity is already an epidemic.  Approximately 22 million children under five years of age, worldwide are overweight.

The number of overweight children in the U.S. has doubled and the number of teens has tripled. You can say that this problem of obesity is global and is rising in the developing countries.

How does obesity impact your health?

Obesity is the known root cause of 40 different health illnesses.  There is the risk of cardiovascular and musculoskeletal events and the digestive system is no immune to the harsh reality of obesity.  There are a few diseases listed that are greatly impacted and is the result of obesity.  These diseases negatively impact your health and consideration of them will need to be done.

  • Blount’s disease:  This disease normally involves the lower extremities.  The bones in that area are still growing and are prone to deformities.
  • Arthritis:  The knee and the ankle joints suffer due to excess weight you are carrying.  Depending on your lifestyle, the wear and tear that occurs to these joints accumulates through the years and even at a faster pace when being overweight.  Weight loss can not be overemphasized.
  • Pseudotumor cerebri:  This disease is indeed very rare.  It occurs in teenagers and in adults and is characterized by increased intracranial pressure which can lead to headaches, vomiting and changes in vision.
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS):  Cysts on the ovaries develop especially when a girl is obese and periods are missed.  These hormonal changes may lead to infertility because the cysts are responsible for an increase in testosterone, worsening acne and a unique male type baldness.
  • Diabetes:  Diabetes is on the rise.  And more and more of the young children are contracting Diabetes II which is usually an adult set diabetes that comes with the aging process and affects people 40 years and older.  When you are carry excess body fat, cells become impaired to insulin and less glucose is taken into your body’s cells.  Glucose is built up in the blood and with a rise in blood sugar, a diagnosis of diabetes is not far behind.

Other problems that you may encounter with obesity are slipped capital femoral epiphyses, asthma, sleep apnea, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, gallstone formation, fatty liver, and depression with low self esteem.

The desire to stay fit is the only way to combat the epidemic of diabetes and you will need to make a commitment to live that healthy lifestyle.

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You cannot just think about losing weight.

You have to be motivated to lose weight. More and more people are on health kicks, diets and engaging in a fitness program in order to lose their weight.

Most don’t last with the program and revert back to their eating habits which promoted the increase in weight.  After all, it is one thing to want to lose weight but definitely another matter to incorporate a fitness program in order to lose weight.

A lot of bad habits will need to be thrown out.  Do you absolutely love ice cream?  How about those yummy chocolates and the squishy cake?  And what about beer on those hot summer days?  It takes motivation to lose weight and you will need to make up your mind to lose weight.  Only you can decide to learn that excess pounds reduces your life span, you self esteem, and you basic health.  Your physician no doubt has told you of the dangers of fat build up in your blood vessels that can cause premature heart attacks and strokes.

Wouldn’t you like to look into a mirror and see a fit person?  Most of us would.  A sense of pride is felt when you realize all that hard work done in a fitness program finally has visible results.  Your self esteem sky rockets.  You feel pleased with whom you see and all that discipline and sacrifice has paid off.

Perhaps the most important thing to do is set goals.  Once you have reached a personal goals, reward yourself.  Perhaps a long term goal of dropping 10 pounds in five months to be able to fit into a special article of clothing is our desire.  That is two pounds a month.

Each time you reach a loss of two pounds, you are that much closer to your goal weight.  You will stay focused and you learn that you are in charge of your weight loss program.

The greatest motivator to losing weight is a large reward.  Whether it is a special outfit, a year’s membership at an exclusive gym, the encouragement is in front of you to achieve your weight goal.

When you have set a date to lose weight, don’t look back.  Losing weight takes time.  The results take time.  Don’t look in the mirror daily or step on the scales daily.  Take each day as it comes and work on that day to maintain a weight loss program.  Don’t become discouraged by not seeing the wanted results in a few days.  It just won’t happen.  After all, you didn’t gain your weight in a few days.  How can you expect to lose weight in a few days?

It takes time, much effort but the reward is simply worth it.

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Weight loss involves your mind and your physical stamina.  It is almost impossible to lose weight with either diet alone or exercise alone.  Your calorie intake has to be reduced and only eat foods that are balanced and within your calorie limit. No matter how much weight you want to lose, you can only achieve your weight loss by combining healthy dieting and exercising.

The best way to lose excess calories is to exercise and burn the fat accumulated.  Determine how much you are able to eat on a daily basis; that will be your total calorie intake.

To lose weight you will have to get rid of more calories than you have taken in.  That means eat only the number of calories required to maintain a healthy body.  Any more than that and you will find the numbers on the scale creeping up.

There are ways to help you know how many calories you are consuming by keeping a detailed record of the food eaten.

  • Write down everything that goes into your mouth.  You will need to write down every single food that goes into your mouth.  Don’t forget butter used, mayonnaise used and those sugars in your cup of coffee.  Do this for a whole week and you will be surprised at how many “extra” calories you are eating.  Instead of learning to budget your money, you are learning to budget your calorie intake.
  • Do an itemized calorie count. Each food item has certain amount of calories.  You will need to keep track of those calories and total them at the end of the day.  A recommended serving size is usually smaller than what you are actually eating.  Listed foods on the internet come with their calorie count.  Even fast food meals have their total calorie listings.  You will really need a good estimate as to the number of calories you are taking in.

By taking a closer look at what you are putting in your mouth, you will be able to identify the problem areas. Maybe you will all of a sudden see a high intake of sugar calories or find that you are getting a lot of useless calories from dietary fats in which case taking a natural fat binder could be a good idea.

Some people insist that the number of calories you need to eat can be done by taking your desired weight and multiplying it by ten.  Unfortunately, you may be way off target.  Your calorie needs are different than the person next to you, depending on your daily activities and exercise routine as well as your likes and dislikes of foods.

By reducing 500 calories a day from your calories you eat to maintain will allow you to lose a pound of fat per week. However you really should never go below 1500 calories daily because it will tell your body that you are in starvation mode which will slow down your metabolism and once you start eating like you did before, the weight will just fly back on.

Remember to eat foods that will fuel your weight loss.  Some people find low carbohydrate eating helps.  Others prefer another dietary habit.  But…remember, weight loss is all about calories in and calories out, eating foods that nourish your body instead and exercise on a regular base.

If you are having a hard time sticking to your healthier diet, maybe you should try using a natural appetite suppressant like Proactol or Uniquehoodia so you can start taking control of your habits and change them into healthier ones while losing weight at the same time.

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Losing weight is not an easy task for most of us. And it is more difficult if we have developed poor eating habits. If your favourite foods consist of foods delivered through a drive-through window, or foods that come in disposable bags then you have to not only learn to make good food choices, but you also need to learn how to conquer your cravings for fast food.

Fast food is not just convenient. For many of us, fast food is comfort food. It’s the food we turn to when we want a quick pleasure fix. And what complicates matters most is that the fat and salt in the fast food is actually addicting. It is difficult to make wise food choices when your body has not only become accustomed to, but has learned to depend on a regular intake of fast food.

If you have grown accustomed to eating fast food, and want to change your unhealthy eating habits consider the following tips for conquering your fast food cravings.

Change your routine

If you are used to picking up a few donuts in the drive-through on the way to work in the morning, then change your route to work. Leave a few minutes early and drive a different route so that you won’t be tempted to purchase your regular donut in the morning. Eat breakfast from home and pack your coffee in a travel mug.

If you are used to picking up fast food at lunch, then take your lunch break a few minutes early and go for a walk. Bag your lunch with healthy foods. If healthy foods are readily available you are more likely to grab for them when you’re hungry and less likely to cave into your craving.

Make a plan

Plan out your meals at the beginning of the week. Prepare meals ahead of time if possible. You will be less likely to stop for fast food if you know a casserole is cooked and waiting for you at home.

Drink lots of water

Your body is most likely to go into major withdrawal if you quit fast food cold turkey. You can speed up the withdrawal process faster if you flush your system of that nasty salt build-up by drinking lots of water. Water also fills you up and can help fill the void when you are fighting the urge to eat greasy foods.

Take an appetite suppressant

This might feel like cheating, but if you have a lot of weight to lose you can need all the help you can get while sorting out just why your food cravings are out of control. Make sure though that you use natural and effective appetite suppressants like Proactol or Uniquehoodia, that don´t cause side-effects. After all you really don´t want to replace one problem with another!

Keep a food diary

Get your frustrations out on paper. Start a food diary and record when you eat, and when you crave to eat fast food. Let your emotions run free when describing why you want to eat fast food and you just might find some underlying psychological issues that mask themselves as fast food cravings.

Dealing with your emotions and facing problems head on can be one of the biggest ways you can help yourself conquer fast food cravings.

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The internet is full of diet plans, from free diet plans to diets plans that require membership and monthly fees. And every diet plans sells themselves as the answer to your weight loss dreams. But how do you find the diet plan that works best for your personality, your lifestyle and your current frame of mind? Here are some things to consider as you search for the perfect weight loss plan.

You don’t have to pay a fortune

You don’t have to purchase stacks of books, or pay exorbitant fees in order to successful in weight loss. Although some people have had great success in diet plans that require regular fees, others have found that the only thing they lost on expensive diet plans is money.

It’s also possible to find free diet plans. The internet is chock full of diet plans, and if you do your research you may find the plan that speaks the most clearly to your personality and lifestyle, without paying a cent.

It’s important to keep in mind that it’s not what you pay for a diet plan that makes it worthwhile, it’s what you are able to get out of that diet plan. If we could all pay to lose weight, we would not have the obesity epidemic that we face today. Look beyond the price tag, when choosing a diet plan, and find the plan that will allow you the most success.

If it sounds too good to be true…

Don’t get sucked into the gimmick diet plan. Use your head when it comes to searching for a successful diet plan. If the diet asks you to eat a crazy combination of foods, like grapefruit one day and nothing but salsa the next, then use your common sense and stay away.

Make sure that the diet plan is healthy, allowing you to get a well balanced intake of food each day. If the diet promises that you will shed buckets of weight in just a few days, be very weary. Diets that don’t promote slow and steady weight loss are often hoaxes (and often the ones that charge the most money!)

And even if the diet does cause initial weight loss, studies show that fast weight loss at the beginning of a diet is mainly made up of water. This often causes the body to go into shock, slowing the metabolism down to a crawl. And you are much more likely to gain back weight that’s lost quickly on a diet, and then gain even more, thanks to your slow metabolism.

It’s also not only unadvisable to lose weight at a fast pace, it’s also unhealthy! You put a major strain on your heart and throw your body into shock when you lose weight quickly.

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If you are desperate to lose weight, you may be tempted to try just about anything. But before you put any medication in your body, in terms of over the counter medication or pills purchased online, make sure you know the facts about weight loss pills- your long term health depends on it!

We all wish there was a fast and easy way to lose weight. But the hard and true facts are that in order to lose weight in a healthy manner you need to eat healthy, exercise more, and give it time!

Pills designed to help you lose weight come with risks. You may be putting your long term health at risk if you consume questionable weight loss pills. And the fact is that, unless you change your lifestyle and change your eating habits, the weight will return as soon as you stop popping pills.

Here are some facts about some of the more popular pills used to lose weight:

Clenbuterol

This extremely dangerous pill can be purchased online. Although you will lose weight by taking this pill, you will also put your life at risk. The drug is designed to treat horses and isn’t intended for humans. It will cause your heart rate to increase as well as your body temperature so that you can burn fat.

Some people refer to this drug as the Size 0 Pill because of its effectiveness in allowing people to lose so much weight; but at what risk? Your major organs are put at risk when taking this drug, and weight will pile back on as soon as you stop the drug.

Alli

This fat blocker is actually approved by the FDA and can be purchased at your local pharmacy. The pill blocks fat from being digested. You actually pass undigested fat with every trip to the bathroom. You will lose fat with Alli but you also are in danger of losing your bowel control.

If you consume too much fat while taking this pill you are in danger of causing permanent damage to your bowels.

Ephedra

This dietary supplement will suppress your appetite. But the drug is banned because it puts you at risk of heart disease and heart failure, as well as other medical complications. This banned substance can still be purchased online, but is considered dangerous.

Bitter Orange

Don’t be fooled by this so called Ephedra substitute. Although you can purchase this pill over the counter, it is believed to have the same adverse affects as Ephedra. Although doctors are unclear of the long term affects of taking this pill, it is believed to be a dangerous weight loss pill.

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