The Truth About Dieting And Weight Loss

You may not like what I’m about to say, but dieting alone will not help you to lose weight. Watching your diet alone is not going to yield results unless it is coupled with proper exercise. You have to make a conscious effort for this. And the solution for this is a workout routine. Yes there are people that lose weight just from cutting down on their fat intake, carbohydrate intake, protein intake, or calories in general; but have you seen the results under their clothes? It is not a pretty sight! Without exercise (weight training in particular) your body has no way of toning up, and you could be left with near sagging skin with a non attractive shape. Also, losing weight from diets is mostly water weight loss and not fat loss. Do you want to lose water from your body and become dehydrated? Or do you want to lose Fat? The absolute only way to burn a high percentage of body fat is through exercise. The only reason why anyone should choose a diet plan is to see which one can help complement their workout program. The diet plan you choose should be one that you can stick to for the rest of your life, and it should be healthy for your body. Diet is such a short term word, so think of dieting as changing your eating habits for the long term. Your eating habits should provide you with enough protein for your muscles and enough carbohydrates for energy as well as other vital nutrients.
Stay away from diets that focus on losing weight quickly...
Not only are they unhealthy, but most of the weight you lose is water weight. Once again, do you want to lose water or fat? If you want to lose fat, you most definitely will not be losing it quickly unless you know how to burn fat. Being that you are losing mostly water on these quick weight loss diets, you will soon find out that you will gain the weight back just as quick as you lost it (if not faster).
You must eat! If your body thinks you are starving, it will feed on your muscle tissue for energy. It is not enough to just take in enough calories each day for energy, but it is how often you feed your body the calories. In order for your metabolism to function correctly, you must eat at least 5-6 meals per day. The total calories of the 5-6 meals should equal the amount of your daily calorie intake. Eating throughout the day, gives your metabolism fuel to keep burning your stored body fat. That said, you should still cut down on your calorie intake to lose weight, but you also must know how many calories per day is right for your body.
Stay away from diets that say you must eat protein and carbohydrates separately...
Protein and carbohydrates work together within your body; they are team players, not individuals.
Think of it like this:
Mr. Protein needs to take a taxi to get to the muscles cells to help build and condition them. Mr. Insulin is the taxi and Mr. Protein is not capable of calling a taxi, so Mr. Carbohydrate will always call Mr. Insulin to transport Mr. Protein to the muscles. The muscles cells love Mr. Protein, but they also must have Mr. Carbohydrate for energy. Mr. Carbohydrate is very outgoing and there is a lot of him to go around, but too much of him is bad. On the other hand, not enough of him is also bad.
Muscle cells only need enough carbohydrates to fill the glycogen stores. If more carbohydrates are present, it will get stored as fat. Eating protein and carbohydrates will slow down the absorption of carbohydrates which means that your body will have time to burn off the extra carbohydrates before they are stored as fat. So why not just significantly lower your carbohydrate consumption? Because too much protein and very low carbohydrates will cause you to overburden your liver and kidneys; could cause dehydration (most people do not realize that metabolizing protein requires you to drink more water); and your body will not get the right amount of its preferred source of energy-carbohydrates.
So you see, eating these two nutrients together allows your body to function like it should. The key is to know how much carbohydrates and protein is the right amount to satisfy your body’s needs.
Bottom Line when it comes to dieting and weight loss: Losing weight is easy. Losing weight by losing fat the healthy way is more of a challenge. Don't get caught up into just losing weight. Understand that you need to stay healthy at the same time that you are losing weight by losing fat.

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By Vernita Sherman

This article was written by Vernita Sherman of Ultimate Fat Burning Secrets. Ultimate Fat Burning Secrets is an online resource dedicated to exposing fat burning secrets that weight loss companies are keeping from you. Vernita focuses on teaching you the truth about how to permanently lose weight the healthy way at http://www.ultimatefatburningsecrets.com

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What is Organic Food?

"Organic" has some quite specific legal definitions in most developed countries.

In the U.S, all farms or products claiming to be "certified organic" must be guaranteed by a USDA-approved independent agency to be meeting the following guidelines:

* Sound records kept of all operations

* No use of antibiotics or hormones in livestock

* No use of genetically modified organisms

* No irradiation

* Use sound soil conservation and crop rotation practice

* And most importantly, that there has been no useage of prohibited materials within 3 years prior to certification, or at any time during certification.

The USDA defines 'prohibited materials' as synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and sewage sludge. It is also a requirement that there is no cross-contamination during processing, which means organic wheat for example cannot be ground in a flour factory that also handles non-organic material.

Produce grown organically certainly tastes better than the usual supermarket stock. It also contains higher levels of nutrients and far lower residual pesticides. You can read all the latest Organic Food articles and research at http://www.ge-free.com/

In general food grown free of pesticides, herbicides and genetically modified organisms (GMO) is organic to some extent. Certified organic food is that which meets the strict criteria of the USDA as described above. Most countries have their own version of regulation.

Organic food can be classified into two groups, fresh and processed.

There are many additional requirements for certification of processed organic food:

* contains a minimum percentage of organic ingredients.

* has no added artificial ingredients like preservatives etc.

* is processed free of artificial methods like chemical ripening or irradiation.

Most processed organic food is now available in supermarkets. There are also organic only stores in most large cities now, and there will be many more similar stores as the production of certified organic food increases.

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By Jeremy Pickles

Jeremy is the owner of http://www.ge-free.com/ and publisher of the Organic News blog. Go to ge-free.com for all the latest organic food articles and news.

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The Real Challenge Of Weight Loss

Weight loss is never easy. Although this is stating the obvious, it is nevertheless very true. People who need to lose weight are not in their overweight condition out of choice. Many people falsely believe that if individuals were to stop eating so much they would lose weight. It is time for not only those who need to lose weight to wake up, but for those that do not understand the weight loss troubles of individuals to wake up as well. Here, we will touch on why people are overweight. And, we will talk about getting to the root of the problem, the challenge of weight loss.

First of all, those who are overweight must find a way of finding out their true trauma or reason that they over eat or are over weight. This is not to be harsh, but the fact is there is a reason why you are the way you are. Finding this reason is sure to open doors to the way out. It is far from easy to do this, though. You will need to put yourself in a vulnerable position to see what is happening within you. For those who are in denial, there is no way out unless you take the time to explore within yourself the reasons why you are where you are today. Simply, be honest with yourself.

The next, difficult task that you need to go through is being willing to lose weight. That seems silly almost because doesn't everyone who needs to lose weight want to? The truth is that you have to be ready to work for it. You have to want it enough to do whatever it takes to get to that point. Absolutely no one said it would be easy. But, the challenge will be well worth if. So, if you truly want to lose weight and you are ready to give up the reasons you are in the condition you are in, then, you can move forward.

Now, we can get to the real meat of the issue of weight loss. Remember how we said that many individuals who are overweight eat or do not take care of themselves for a reason? Well, that is what we will now focus on. For those who are not overweight, it will be hard to understand the relationship people often have with food. You may not really understand how this can happen, but instead of questioning it, accepting it would undoubtedly help the individuals in your life who are overweight pull out of it. Acceptance of the problem will allow you to help them.

Why do you eat? Many people who are overweight eat not because they are hungry, but out of things like fear, anger, and frustration. Stress is often a cause as well. There are hundreds of other reasons as well. The point is that people, who eat not because they are hungry, but because they have emotional problems, need help in order to get out of this situation. Realizing what this reason is the most important first step. Asking questions like the following will help you determine why you eat.

* Do you eat before work or school?

* Do you eat after an argument with a friend or relative?

* Do you find yourself bingeing when you are afraid?

* Do you worry about things you can not control?

* Are you depressed with any area of your life?

* Do social situations bother you?

We can and will talk about different questions that you may relate to in a bit. But, for those who answered yes to any of these, it is possible that you have an emotional eating disorder. This can be a quite common thing for people who are constantly worrying or under pressure and stress in any part of their life. In order to correct this eating problem, there are several things you will need to do.

First of all, you will need to know why you are doing this. Dig deep and really pull out what it is. A fear of failure, a stressful life experience, or just plain old stress can trigger this type of disorder. It is up to you to find out just how this is happening. Once you know what it is, you can begin solving the problem in order to stop the eating and take back your health. If you do not get to the root of the problem, but try to diet and exercise, you will continuously find yourself falling back to your old ways. You have to take this step first.

Once you have determined just what the problem is, then you can work for the solution. Honestly, you may have to talk to a psychiatrist or at least a doctor. In any case, the method is the same. Drawing out the reason and then solving it is necessary. When you are at this point, you will have to find a solution to your problem. For example, if you are under too much stress, you have to find a way out of some of it. If you are a worrier, you will need to find a way to slow it down, possibly with medication. If you are depressed, have anxiety, or have other issues like this, you will need to talk to your doctor about this as well. Weight loss can not happen until these situations are resolved.

Weight loss that is built on emotional issues like these need to be taken care of. Not only is it unhealthy to live in an overweight condition, but it can be very taxing on your life to live under the pressure that is causing you to be like this. It could be as simply as relieving pressures or reducing stress. Weight loss programs that are used after this point will be more effective. Weight loss can happen when you are not fighting against yourself any longer. So, start with step one and find out what it is that is challenging your weight loss.

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By Hilda Maria

Hilda Maria is a freelance writer with 5 children who knows the importance of a balanced diet for them. She enjoys providing useful knowledge about weight loss and exercise to her readers as well as to her children.

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The Simplest Diet Plan Ever - 3 Easy Steps to Healthy Living

You've heard the popular advice on weight loss diets. Cut the fat! Cut the carbs! Cut the calories! Eat a balanced diet! But how can you cut though all of the confusion, and eat a diet that's balanced and healthy?
Here's the advice from nutritional science:
Cut the JUNK fats: Most people do not need an ultra low fat diet. But most of us could improve our diet by cutting out the junk fats. Basically, these are the processed fats: hydrogenated fats, polyunsaturated oils that have been heated, and fats that are combined with junk carbs. Processed fats are the fats most likely to put on flab and clog your arteries.
Cut the JUNK carbs. Most people do not need an ultra low carb diet. But unfortunately, so many people who go on a low fat diet continue to eat highly processed foods - they switch from processed high-fat to processed low-fat. And when food manufacturers create low fat foods, they tend to replace the fat with junk carbs, that tend to pile on the pounds. Basically, junk carbs are low-fiber carbs. Like sugar, fructose (and all the other *oses), flour, cornstarch, fruit juice. Yes, fruit juice is a junk carb too! - After all, how much fiber is there in fruit juice? - Virtually none - its yet another junk carb. You should eat the whole fruit instead, with its fiber intact.
Cut the JUNK calories. Most people do not need an ultra low calorie diet. But just think what your diet would be like if you dropped the processed fats and the low-fiber carbs. You'd be eating mainly natural proteins, with lots of vegetables plus whole fruits - and the odds are that you would be eating far fewer calories as well. That's the kind of calorie cutting most of us should be doing.
Eat a balanced NATURAL-FOODS diet. By natural foods, we mean the foods that would have been eaten by your hunter-gatherer ancestors: - lots of whole vegetable foods for vitamins and fiber; moderate to small portions of meats, fish, seafood, and other animal and protein foods, grilled, stewed or baked; and small portions of fresh whole fruit in season. This is the diet on which the human race evolved, and the diet which, for the vast majority of people, makes for optimum health
So the next time you're about to order a meal with fries and sugary soda, think about how it could be improved. Replace the fries with a salad, and the soda with mineral water, and you've already made significant progress towards a more healthy, balanced meal.
And at home, look for recipes that use whole, fresh foods, with a minimum of processing. Make sure your meals include natural unprocessed foods, with lots of healthy vegetables, both cooked, and raw in salads. Avoid processed fats and processed low-fiber foods.
A sample menu:
- grilled fish with steamed green beans, and peppers
- large mixed salad, dressed with small amounts of olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice
- fresh fruit platter
Yes - A healthy, balanced diet can be that simple!
The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any health care program.

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By Emily Clark

Emily Clark is editor at Lifestyle Health News and Medical Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on topical health matters.

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Weight Loss: Weight Loss is All in Your Mind!

"The kind of thoughts that you plant in your mind, determine what you produce in life." Letting negative thoughts rule your mind can never make you achieve your goal. The magic key is to identify these negative thoughts which are keeping you away from your goal, keep throwing them out of your head as soon as they try to overpower you, brainstorm new positive thoughts (your inspirations and motivations), write them down and keep reading them until they don't become a part of you.

If negative thoughts like i will always be fat, i just don't have discipline to follow a healthy diet, or exercises are not meant for me as they are too hard and time consuming, keep you from losing weight, then you are not alone. But some of these same people eventually lose weight, reach their goal because they decide to fight, they decide to overcome their negative thoughts, THEY DECIDE THEY WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN. The idea here is to be focused and overcome your negative thoughts because everyone of us deserves to lead a healthy life.

Tip: Enjoy the journey and you will definitely reach your destination.

First of all, imagine the life after you lose weight. It might make you feel more confident at work, sexier to your spouse, so energetic with your kids and above all, will give you eternal happiness. Right down your reasons to lose weight and keep it in your wallet, stick it at your desk or on your fridge. Its obvious that when you are trying to change your behavior, you might experience stress, anger, sadness or depression. Instead of finding poor substitutes like alcohol, video games, shopping, television etc, you can fight these experiences. Fight in the sense, that whenever these negative aspects occupy your mind, just catch hold of them and throw them out. It isn't as easy as it sounds BUT THEN NOT EVEN IMPOSSIBLE.

--> Learn how to fight Depression here at http://www.weightloss-health.com/Depression.htm
Most of us know what we have to do in order to lose weight but only few of us can actually lose weight. Why? Why are not you able to do it? Because bridging the gap between knowledge and action requires mental strength, requires you to get in control of your life completely and don't allow external factors like depression, anger, sadness to rule your life. Getting in control will not only help you lose weight but will help you in every sphere of life.

Fact: Weight loss is 90% mental and most programs don't address mental strength training in their training schedule and hence it accounts for their failure. If you are tired of mundane weight loss programs, tired of trying various supplements which don't fetch you results and you end up weighing the same, then its time for you to try something new.

Make losing weight an enjoyable endeavour. It requires commitment, goal setting and planning. Stick on to wall your specific goal, goal date, reason to lose weight, life once you lose weight and read it every morning. Be loyal to yourself and there's nothing which can stop you from losing weight. Wish you all the best in your endeavour!

_______________________

By Jasdeep Singh

Jasdeep: for http://weightloss-health.com/ your complete and most comprehensive family guide on Health.
To try the much improved Atkins Diet and SouthBeach Diet addressing your mental strength too with immense motivational tips, visit http://weightloss-health.com/weight.htm
If you wish to reproduce the above article you are welcome to do so, provided the article is reproduced in its entirety, including this resource box and LIVE link to our website.

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How Green Tea Can Help You To Lose Weight

Green tea has been highly valued in Asia for centuries for it's medical properties. In the recent years green tea benefits caught the attention of western scientists. Alongside with confirming many of the green tea benefits scientists indicated that green tea can also help you lose weight.
During their research they've made an amazing discovery. Even though green tea did contain caffeine it have not change the energy expenditure nor it have significantly change a heart rate.

That led to a conclusion that green tea helps to lose weight naturally and safely. In this respect, green tea or green tea extract is different from most of the prescription drugs for obesity or herbal products like ephedra, which can raise heart rates and blood pressure, and are not recommended for many individuals sensitive to stimulants.

The secret of such influence on the body lays in high concentrations of catechin polyphenols. These compounds work with other chemicals to intensify levels of fat oxidation and thermogenesis, where heat is created in the body by burning fuels such as fat. Green tea causes carbohydrates to be released slowly.

This prevents sharp increases of insulin in your blood (insulin stimulates the transformation of fatty acids into fat molecules which are stored as fat droplets). As the result fat is burned faster without being "locked" in the fat sells. I want you to remember that even a small effect can go a long way when you are dealing with your metabolism. For example, just by drinking one cup of tea a day or by taking green tea extract in the form of supplement you will burn about an extra 78 calories. This adds up to over 28,000 calories in a year. Which is about 8 extra pounds of weight.

There is also clear evidence that green tea's polyphenols (EGCG) helps depressing leptin (a protein produced by fats that plays an important role in how the body manages fat storage through brain signals). Lower leptin levels decrease the appetite. It means that you will get that "I'm full!" felling faster and as a result consume less food.

It is quite certain that green tea is now holding promise in various areas of weight loss. Drink a cup of your favorite green tea every day and lose those extra pounds easier and faster. Good luck!

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By Arina Nikitina

Arina Nikitina is the owner of the website GreenTeaSecrets.com, where you'll find a lot of free information about green tea, learn how green tea can benefit to your health and how it can help you lose weight. Visit: http://www.greenteasecrets.com

Copyright 2005 Arina Nikitina

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Vinegar and Weight Loss

The Sour Truth

Question: I had a baby 6 months ago and would like to lose some weight. I know that if you're nursing, you're not supposed to diet. I have been eating healthy foods high in nutrients, and I have lost a little weight. Would it be harmful to the baby if I started taking apple cider vinegar pills to help with weight loss?

Answer: A few vinegar pills probably won't hurt you or your baby, but they won't do one bit of good in helping you lose weight either. This old diet fad dates back to the 1970s, when a combination of apple cider, kelp, vitamin B-6, and lecithin was touted as the miracle cure for weight loss. The rationale for this concoction was that it tricked your body's metabolism.

According to the claims, lecithin emulsified body fat, B-6 metabolized the loosened fat, kelp supplied iodine to stimulate the thyroid gland to manufacture more thyroxin to speed metabolism, and vinegar supplied potassium. Like salad dressings where oil and vinegar don't mix, this was supposed to help rid the body of fat.

There Is No Proof

There is no scientific basis, or even rational reason, for any of these claims. For example, a teaspoon of vinegar contains only five milligrams of potassium, a meager amount compared to the 400 milligrams in a cup of grapefruit juice. Swallowing more iodine will jump start a thyroid gland only if you are deficient in this mineral (you'll know if you are iodine-deprived because you will have developed a goiter, or an enlargement of the thyroid gland). When people lost weight on this regimen it was because they also followed the accompanying low-calorie diet. Like all the other diet fads, from starch blockers and collagen products to herbal diet teas and hydroxycitric acid (HCA), the vinegar pills fit most or all the criteria of a useless gimmick:

• They promise to melt away fat.
• They promise fast and effortless weight loss.
• They promise weight loss greater than one to two pounds a week.
• They focus on one or a few foods and limit or exclude whole food groups.
• They are based on pills or "secret formulas."
  

Start Your Weight Loss Program After Breastfeeding

Save your money and follow the advice of thousands of people who have not just lost weight, but maintained the weight loss. Consume daily a wide variety of nutrient-packed vegetables, fruits, whole grains, extra-lean meats and beans, and nonfat milk or yogurt. Watch your portions, and, most importantly, exercise each day. You also are right about not dieting while breastfeeding. It took nine months to gain the weight during your pregnancy. Plan to begin your weight-loss plan after you've stopped breastfeeding, and give yourself at least nine months after that to regain your figure.

Source: WebMD

You have permission to publish this article electronically or in print, free of charge, as long as the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

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By Michael Lewis

Michael Lewis has been collecting articles and information on Weight Loss and HGH (Human Growth Hormone) and related health benefits. He has created and edits numerous web sites about this subject. Michael is a staff writer for http://www.ageforce.com and several other websites. If you would like to contact Michael you can e-mail him at Michael@AgeForce.com or if you would like to know more about Weight Loss, HGH (Human Growth Hormone) and related health topics please visit us at AgeForce.com.

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Zone Diet Weight Loss Program

The Zone Diet as a weight loss program has been discussed in detail by Dr. Barry Sears in his book The Zone: Revolutionary Life Plan to Put Your Body in Total Balance for Permanent Weight Loss.

What does ‘Being in the Zone’ involve and more importantly, is it a healthy weight loss regime? Barry Sears, as creator of The Zone Diet was of the opinion that if a person eats carbohydrate, protein and fat in the right ratio of 40:30:30 then he or she will improve his or her health, weight, and performance, because certain hormones will be balanced and therefore be in the preferred "zone."

The hormones focused here are insulin (necessary for glucose to enter our cells) and eicosanoids (hormone-like substances that regulate inflammation). The Zone Diet is a popular choice for some, as it is believed to be a scientific weight loss program.

The Zone Diet works on the theory that excess insulin, a hormone that helps control our blood sugar levels, makes us over weight. So Zone Diet can be defined as keeping the hormone insulin in a ‘tight zone’. Zone diet regulates our blood sugar levels by regulating insulin levels thereby burning body fat more efficiently so that we lose weight.

To control blood sugar and consequently insulin levels, maintaining a perfect balance of carbohydrates, proteins and fats in every meal is essential. Zone Diet is all about a low carb - high protein diet.

The Zone diet encourages meals every five hours. It also eliminates foods people tend to overeat; such as sweets, chips, certain starches, and other junk food. It concentrates on including a number of healthful foods — low glycemic fruits and grains (such as cherries, grapefruit, nuts, and lentils which help maintain blood sugar levels), vegetables, lean proteins, monounsaturated and omega-3 fats.

Sometimes it may feel difficult to mathematically calculate the food requirements in your diet. This is where the block system comes in. A 1:1:1 ratio of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats constitute what is known as a Zone Block.

Food like white potatoes, corn flakes, and dates are a no-no. The Zone diet works because it is actually a low calorie diet. For instance, the sample meal plans for an average person totaled approximately 1800-2000 calories per day. Most people (men) would lose weight at this level of caloric intake if the zone diet is followed. The Zone diet is best for hypothyroid patients.

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By Lana Hampton

Lana Hampton is the webmaster of http://www.zonedietnews.com. Visit her site today for the latest zone diet information and reviews. Reprinting this article is permitted with this footer included.

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Weight Loss: It's Not About the Numbers, It's Your Approach!

Today obesity, diabetes and heart disease runs through us at epidemic levels. Why? The answer lies not in the thousands of different kinds of diet, weight loss and workout programs offered, the answer lies in the approach. But, no one wants to talk about that. Do you ever wonder why that is?

Do we not want to know, or could it have something to do with the doctor’s and those in the fitness industry not wanting to explain the best approach to us? Maybe they don’t even know the right way themselves? But, I think deep down we want and need too know.

Quote:

“While exercise and eating guidelines are based on good scientific principles, they do not go along with human nature or common sense. Recent history is telling us this; we are better off with encouraging the mediocre people who are willing to include exercise in their daily lives, rather than cramming guidelines down throats that are far beyond the reach of the majority of people. In the end, keeping things simple combined with support usually works better.” -- Greg Ryan
From his e-book: “Just MOVE it,” www.resolutions.biz

Over the years most of us who are out of shape and want to lose a few pounds and feel a little better about ourselves, developed many different behaviors toward exercise and food. Some are good ones, but most are just barriers we have built in our minds. I guess you could also chalk it up to pure laziness.

However, the bottom line is we are going to continue down the path of destruction until someone comes up with a plan to help people deal with the reasons behind such behaviors.
No pill will do it long term, no eight minute ab’s routine will concur the patterns; the only thing it will take is introspection. But, do we want to hear that? Maybe, that is just too painful to even think about right now.

Do you mean I will have to take a good long look at myself? Maybe so. At the end of the day, you are going to have to ask yourself, “Do I deal with it now or do I deal with the consequences later? Because that’s really want it comes down to. Face the truth on your terms today, or face the reality on life’s terms down the road in a hospital bed.

I chose to deal with it now.

So where is the magic? It’s not in the pills or programs being fed to us today and it’s also not found so much in the numbers on an exercise chart, the amount of weight you lift, or the miles on a treadmill.

Our success lies in how willing we are to deal with the roots of the unwanted behaviors. Figuring out what truly motivates us and developing a great support system.
Do we really want to continue to put a bandage on bleeding artery? Or do we get serious and do some mental surgery that takes care of the weight problem once in for all.

_________________________

By Greg Rryan

Greg Ryan is the best selling author of the Changing from the
“INSIDE OUT”, book series and former Kathy Smith Employee. Discover the five step common sense way to lose weight and get in better shape. A formula the medical and fitness industry DON’T want you to know about!
Visit http://www.resolutions.biz - 4 BONUS Sections

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The Key To Successful Weight Loss - Balancing Blood Sugar Levels

When you talk about losing weight you're really talking about losing fat. Successful weight loss is not just about losing that excess fat, it's about keeping it off.
Diets, be they low fat, high protein, calories controlled don't work. As soon as you come off the diet the weight just starts piling on again. Diets are just a short term fix. They are often boring and may not give your body the full range of nutrients it needs to keep you healthy. Diets do not provide a long term solution to your weight problems.
The answer is really quite simple. It's eating foods that keep your blood sugar in balance.
Why are blood sugar levels so important to successful weight loss? Every second of every day your body strives for balance and if it cannot achieve this balance your health is compromised. Failure to keep your blood sugar levels in balance leads your body to store more fat and can increase your risk of diabetes and heart disease. When you eat carbohydrates your body turns this into glucose and it travels through the bloodstream to your cells where it will be used for energy. Your very own rocket fuel! Problems start, however, when your blood sugar levels go too high. The pancreas produce a hormone called insulin whose job is to move glucose out of the blood. The more glucose in your blood, the more insulin you produce. If your body does not use the glucose for energy then it will be stored as fat. That's bad news but it can be even worse. Too much insulin hinders the body's ability to breakdown fat that has already been stored. That's certainly a double whammy. And let's not forget the risk of diabetes and heart disease. So now is the time to consider the effect of what you eat on your blood sugar levels
Does this scenario sound familiar? You're running late so you pick up a large latte and a bagel on the way to work. Around about eleven you're feeling peckish so you have a coffee and a biscuit or two or three. For lunch it's a cheese sandwich made with white bread and a large cola. Around about three you're feeling tired so it's a large coffee.
Your blood sugar levels have been rising too high and then falling too low all day. Your blood sugar levels have been out of balance all day. It's not just the food consumed that's been playing havoc with the blood sugar levels. The stimulants, including caffeine, found in cola and coffee (remember decaffeinated coffee still contains stimulates other than caffeine) force the body to produce adrenalin and this too raises the blood sugar level.
So that's the problem, now let's focus on the solution.
Keeping your blood sugar levels nice and steady throughout the day is the key to long term weight loss success. The goal is steady weight loss based on an enjoyable, varied eating plan that you can stick to for the rest of your life. You'll eat protein, carbohydrates, lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and some fats. Remember, this is not a diet.
You've probably heard of the glycemic index (GI) which rates carbohydrate food for its effect on blood sugar levels. A high GI number indicates the food is fast releasing. A baked potato scores 85, a sweet potato scores 61 but whole-wheat spaghetti would be a better choice at 37. To keep blood sugar levels steady, your carbohydrate intake should be based mainly on slow releasing foods. If eating a fast releasing carbohydrate, and these should only be eaten occasionally, then it must be combined with some protein. There are many books available listing the GI scores of common foods.
There is one problem with GI. It fails to take account of the quantity of food eaten. Carrots and chocolate have roughly the same score, they are both in the high 40s but you may nibble on one small carrot but, let's be honest, you don't just have two pieces of chocolate, you have the whole bar.. That's where GL (glycemic load) comes in. It takes into account both the GI score and the available carbohydrate (total carbohydrate less fiber) in the quantity of food being eaten. This is going to be the next 'hot topic'' in weight loss. There are already a number of books on the subject plus there are GL tables on the Web.
Protein has a role to play, too. Combining proteins with slow releasing carbohydrates helps you to burn fat. Your pancreas will produce a hormone called glucagon and your body will break down your stored fat and burn it for energy when it needs more than it is getting from the food you eat.
Okay, that's the theory but what do you eat? For a start, you are not going to go hungry. You are going to eat three meals and two snacks a day eating between 38-42 GLs a day whilst you're trying to lose weight and 45-50 GLs a day when you've reached your target weight.
For breakfast you must have both carbohydrate and protein. You could have 2oz of porridge, half a cup of blueberries, a dessertspoon of ground flax and pumpkin seeds served with some skimmed or soya milk. Or how about low fat live yogurt with half cup of blueberries (or strawberries or an apple or pear) and a dessertspoon of ground flax and pumpkin seeds. Or try a sugar free muesli, a dessertspoon of ground flax and pumpkin seeds, soft fruit of your choice and skimmed milk or soya milk or natural yogurt. Or would you prefer scrambled eggs on one slice of whole-wheat or rye toast. Aim for a breakfast of between 9 and 12 GL.
For lunch and dinner, imagine a medium sized plate. Your going to fill one half of it with non starchy vegetables such as salad leaves, aubergine, broccoli, cabbage, celery, zucchini, cucumber, mushrooms, onions, peppers, tomato and spinach. One quarter of the plate will be filled with protein. Choose from tofu, skin free turkey, skin free chicken, fish, eggs, quinoa, lentils and beans. You can have lean red meat no more than three times per week. The remaining quarter is carbohydrate such as pumpkin/squash, carrots, corn on the cob, pasta, brown rice or potato. Aim for each meal to be between 9 and 12 GL. These meals may be smaller than you are used to but remember you get a morning and afternoon snack too.
For snacks have fruit such as strawberries, apple, plums, cherries, peaches or some melon. Eat with a few nuts (nothing added) or pumpkin seeds. Or you could have some hummus and raw vegetables such as broccoli. Aim for each snack, to be no more than 5GL
Plan your meals and snacks in advance so that you can make sure you are keeping within your GL limit for each day.
Use GL and count your way to weight loss success and lifelong weight management.

_______________________

By Isobel Whytock

Isobel Whytock is the author for http://www.1st-for-weight-loss.com where you can find many tips and inspirational articles on weight loss. This article is Copyright 2005 1st-for-weight-loss.com and may be reprinted and used on other sites providing this information and credit remains on the article with all links intact.

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How The Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health

When was the last time you consumed soda? Most likely, it wasn’t that long ago. You may even drink several cans or bottles each day. In the U.S, carbonated soft drinks are a huge business. Every year, they generate more than $50 billion in annual sales.

Two companies – Coca-Cola and PepsiCo -- dominate the soda market. They are in a constant battle for the market share of the product – a conflict known as the “Cola War.” Hundreds of millions of dollars are spent annually for advertising. Not surprisingly, the companies are always looking for new markets. And, increasingly, they are directing their attention to adolescents and children.

For decades, schools have allowed soda to be sold in on-site vending machines. So, generating income for schools from the sale of soda is not a new policy. However, in the early 1990s, pouring-rights contracts emerged. These put a different spin on the sale of soda in schools. And, over the years, they have increasingly gained in popularity.

In return for the exclusive sale of one-company’s product, pouring-rights contracts give school districts large lump-sum payments and extra payments and/or gifts over a period of five or 10 years. The contracts provide additional incentives for consumption levels that surpass quotas. So, they tend to encourage the consumption of higher amounts of soda, even by the youngest students. In one of the most extravagant contracts, a 53-school district in Colorado, gave up its Pepsi vending machines and signed an $8 million, 10 year agreement with Coca-Cola that included cash bonuses when sale targets were exceeded and a new car for a senior with high grades and perfect attendance. But, even the smaller contracts tend to be generous. The goal is to create brand loyalty among young people – a loyalty that could continue throughout their lives. Without a doubt, administrators in cash-strapped school districts have a litany of reasons to be enticed. But, adherence to the contracts may be taken to extremes. For example, a Georgia student was suspended when he wore a shirt with a Pepsi logo to a student government-sponsored “Coke Day” rally.

So what is contained in a typical soda that may be found in a school vending machine? A 20-ounce screw-top plastic bottle of soda has 275 calories. While there are other ingredients such as flavorings and caffeine, the soda is primarily sugar and carbonated water. High in calories and zero in nutritional value, it is the quintessential “junk food.” The Center for Science in the Public Interest refers to soft drinks as “liquid candy.” Since the bottles have screw-tops, the liquid may be sipped throughout the day, thereby bathing the teeth with sugar and upsetting dentists. While it is unclear how many sodas a typical student might drink in one day, one is not a bad guess. Just one a day means 1925 empty calories per week. Heavy users drink more than one soda per day. Children who begin drinking soda when they are still young tend to increase the amount they consume through adolescence into young adulthood. Many children drink more soda than juice or milk. While juice and whole milk contain about the same amount of calories as soda, they contain useful vitamins and minerals. Juice and milk are far better nutritional options.

Although the relationship cannot be proven conclusively, soda consumption correlates with obesity. Children who drink sodas take in more calories, are fatter and have worse diets than those who don’t. If you need to lose weight, start by replacing sodas with water, fat free or 1% milk, or 100% juice (but not too much).

____________________________

By Joey Dweck

Joey Dweck is the founder of http://www.WeightLossBuddy.com committed to helping you find a 24/7 buddy who will not only help you lose weight but who also will get you to change to a healthy lifestyle. You choose your own diet and your own exercise regime, and we find you a buddy who literally will stick with you through thick and thin. Signing up for a buddy is free. Simply go to http://www.WeightLossBuddy.com or call 1-877-BUDDY-UP.

Copyright © 2005, by Weight Loss Buddy Press

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3 Surprising Statistics About Our Weight

To say that Americans are obsessed with dieting is an understatement! Pick up any magazine, tune-in or turn-on any source of advertising and you're bombarded with the latest diet schemes and food fads. More often than not, they are endorsed by some familiar Hollywood celebrity, or promoted using some other cleaver technique.

It's no mystery that the weight-loss industry has built a thriving empire. In America, for example, we spend about 35 billion dollars every year on an assortment of weight loss products and plans. In addition, we spend another 79 billion dollars for medication, hospitalization, and doctors to treat obesity-related problems. Even with this, the obesity epidemic continues to spread. Sadly, we have become the heaviest generation in our Nation's history.

The National Center for Health Statistics reports that we have some very good reasons to be concerned about our weight-gain. Americans, for example are packing-on the pounds faster than ever before and weight-related medical problems are taking center stage. Diseases like heart disease, diabetes and yes...even certain forms of cancer have all been linked to obesity.
Here are a few of the surprising statistics about our weight:

- A whopping 64 percent of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese. That's up approximately 8 percent from overweight estimates obtained in a 1988 report.

- The percent of children who are overweight is also continuing to increase. Among children and teens ages 6-19, 15 percent or almost 9 million are overweight. That's triple what the rate was in 1980!

- Nearly one-third of all adults are now classified as obese. At present, 31 percent of adults 20 years of age and over or nearly 59 million people have a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater, compared with 23 percent in 1994.

(The BMI is a number that shows body weight adjusted for height. For adults, a BMI of 18.5 - 24.9 is considered normal. A BMI of 25.0 - 29.9 is overweight and 30.0 or above, is considered obese.)

Modern life both at home and at work has come to revolve around moving from one "seated" position to another: whether it's television, computers, remote controls, or automobiles, we seem to be broadening the scope of our inactive endeavors.

At times, life seems to have gotten almost too easy! For entertainment, we can now just sit-down, dial-up our favorite TV program or DVD movie and enjoy hours of uninterrupted entertainment...

And all those simple calorie burning activities that were once a normal part of our daily routine not so long ago? Long gone! You know the ones I'm talking about...activities like climbing stairs instead of using escalators and elevators. Or, pushing a lawn mower instead of riding around on a garden tractor. And what about that daily walk to school? Now, our kids complain when the school bus happens to be a few minutes late getting to the bus stop!

Along with the convenience of our affluent lifestyle and reduction in energy expenditure, have come changes in our diet. We are now consuming more calorie rich and nutrient deficient foods than ever before.

Here are a few examples of what we were eating in the 1970's compared to our diet today (information is taken from a recent U.S. Department of Agriculture survey):

- We are currently eating more grain products, but almost all of them are refined grains (white bread, etc.). Grain consumption has jumped 45 percent since the 1970s, from 138 pounds of grains per person per year to 200 pounds! Only 2 percent of the wheat flour is consumed as whole wheat.

- Our consumption of fruits and vegetables has increased, but only because the U.S.D.A. includes French fries and potato chips as a vegetable. Potato products account for almost a third of our "produce" choices.

- We're drinking less milk, but we've more than doubled our cheese intake. Cheese now outranks meat as the number one source of saturated fat in our diets.

- We've cut back on red meat, but have more than made up for the loss by increasing our intake of chicken (battered and fried), so that overall, we're eating 13 pounds more meat today than we did back in the 1970s.

- We're drinking three times more carbonated soft drinks than milk, compared to the 1970's, when milk consumption was twice that of pop.

- We use 25 percent less butter, but pour twice as much vegetable oil on our food and salads, so our total added fat intake has increased 32 percent.

- Sugar consumption has been another cause of our expanding waistlines. Sugar intake is simply off the charts. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, people are consuming roughly twice the amount of sugar they need each day, about 20 teaspoons on a 2000 calorie/day diet. The added sugar is found mostly in junk foods, such as pop, cake, and cookies.

- In 1978, the government found that sugars constituted only 11 percent of the average person's calories. Now, this number has ballooned to 16 percent for the average American adult and as much as 20 percent for American teenagers.

The days of the wholesome family dinners so near and dear to our hearts, where we all sat around the kitchen table to discuss events of the day, are now a part of our sentimental past. They have been replaced by our cravings for take-out and fast-food. We have gradually come to accept that it's "OK" to sacrifice healthy foods for the sake of convenience and that larger serving portions mean better value.

And, since I have been throwing-out statistics, here's one more: Americans are consuming about 300 more calories each day than we did twenty years ago. We should actually be eating less because of our decreased activity level, but instead are doing the opposite!

Decide TODAY that healthy eating and exercise habits will become a permanent part of your life!

Begin to explore your values and thoughts and other areas of your life where change may be required, and then take action. Begin slowly, but deliberately to make improvements in the areas you identify. And remember, it has taken a very long time to develop your habits, and it will take some time to undo them…so be patient!

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any health care program.

__________________________

By Emily Clark

Emily Clark is editor at Lifestyle Health News and Medical Health News where you can find the most up-to-date advice and information on many medical, health and lifestyle topics.

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Weight Loss Fads that Don't Work

No matter what the reason, successful weight loss and healthy weight management depend on sensible goals and expectations. If you set sensible goals for yourself, chances are you'll be more likely to meet them and have a better chance of keeping the weight off. In fact, losing even five to 10 percent of your weight is the kind of goal that can help improve your health.

Most overweight people should lose weight gradually. For safe and healthy weight loss, try not to exceed a rate of two pounds per week. Sometimes, people with serious health problems associated with obesity may have legitimate reasons for losing weight rapidly.

What you weigh is the result of several factors:

-how much and what kinds of food you eat
-whether your lifestyle includes regular physical activity
-whether you use food to respond to stress and other situations in your life
-your physiologic and genetic make-up
-your age and health status.

Successful weight loss and weight management should address all of these factors. And that's the reason to ignore products and programs that promise unrealistic quick and easy results, or that promise permanent results without permanent changes in your lifestyle. Any ad that says you can lose weight without lowering the calories you take in and/or increasing your physical activity is selling fantasy and false hope. In fact, some people would call it fraud.

Why Fad Diets Don't Work

The world has an unhealthy obsession with 'fad' diets. This is due to the American culture's need for a magic bullet or solution that provides immediate gratification. Technically a diet simply refers to what you eat any day. In the truest sense, we are all on a diet daily - the question is, is it healthy or not.

It can get pretty confusing because one is assaulted daily with claims from diet gurus. Also sky-high book sales from diet plans promoting diets that restrict certain foods or food combining tells us that these diets are healthy. This is not necessarily true. The diet may work for the short term but you could end up with a heart attack, problem skin, kidney failure and even malnutrition!

There is continuing controversy between the "diet" experts about which diet works best. One book advises to avoid all carbohydrates, yet another promotes carbohydrates. Some suggest that you consume a high fat, high protein diet consisting of no carbohydrates, while another may say that eating no fat is the key to weight loss success. Who do we believe, and what do we believe? I’m not discred iting all weight-loss programs and products. Those few that focus on permanent lifestyle changes, correct information, and proper nutrition are the weight loss programs that are the most successful.

Fad diets don't work because they cause you to focus more on food than you would if you were not dieting. Most of them are based on self-deprivation. Depriving one’s self of a craving usually doesn't last for more than a day. The next thing you know the person is breaking the diet, feeling the failure of that and then giving up altogether. The idea is to adopt a healthy eating and exercise plan to avoid this common dieter's pitfall.

Another drawback of fad diets is that many of them don't work at all. Some, such as those based on diuretic herbs simply cause a loss of water rather than fat. This water is simply regained back by the body and then retained with a vengeance after you are off the diet. This is known as rebound weight gain.

Diets fail because they offer no long-term solution. When people initially start dieting they’re highly motivated. They immediately stop eating fast food, stop-consuming alcohol, stop eating sweets, and start exercising. But as time passes, they fail to exercise, as often, they don't watch calories as closely as they once did, and they lose the motivation they once had. As a result, they fall back into old habits, patterns, and eventually a lifestyle. You can prevent this phenomenon by introducing changes at a gradual pace. Don’t attempt to change your entire lifestyle overnight. For example, cut back on sugar consumption and add exercise to your daily routine two or three times a week. A few weeks later add another day of exercise and limit junk food consumption to once or twice a week; continue until a balance is reached and you feel in control.

The reason that most diet gurus sell a lot of books is because they are selling hope, not realistic expectations. Many people place all their trust in the book, and not themselves. As a result, they don’t accomplish their weight-loss goal because the secret isn’t found in a diet book. Succeeding at weight-loss requires far more than just reading a book, it requires the accumulation of knowledge, patience, planning, good choices, and of course, realistic expectations.

It’s essential to make good choices. Once you make a choice, it then makes you. Choices feed habits, habits define lifestyle, and lifestyle determines your future. Learning to make good choices is an important step in establishing long-term weight loss goals.

________________________

By Roy Barker.

Roy has an indepth and long established background with the vitamins, minerals and health industry and has researched and experimented with many diets over a thirty year period. Roy is also the author of Safe and Easy Weightloss, a downloadable e-book based on the famous Mediterranean Diet and often used by those with heart conditions and those who seek a safe way to shed weight. It can be viewed at http://www.safe-and-easy-weightloss.com. Further articles, and related health and weightloss sites can be found at http://www.weightloss-diet-health-vitamins.com

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Simply Weight Loss -- Losing Weight is Easy if You Stop Dieting

In theory, if you're starving, exercising less helps conserve energy. But obviously you're going to place finding food and eating at the top of your to do list. But dieters today do exactly what they shouldn't do...exercise less if they were to starve and start dieting when trying to lose weight.
The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System recently published their findings from a 21 state study with over 112,000 participants on how weight loss methods affect dieter's success.
Each participant was placed into one of four categories based on the weight control method they used.

1. Increasing physical activity

2. Eating fewer calories

3. Combination of fewer calories with exercise

4. None (not trying to lose weight)

For those who were trying to lose weight, the most common weight practices were eating fewer calories without other methods (32.3% of women, 24.1% of men) and eating fewer calories with exercise (33.8% of women, 19.9% of men).

Increasing physical activity as a sole weight-loss practice was reported by 3.4% of women and 4% of men.

The last statistic on exercising without dieting is where I get lost. It's hard for me to understand how only 3% of women and 4% of men use exercise as their sole weight loss practice. Is anything wrong with this?

Yes, we are wrong. The entire weight loss industry is wrong!

It all reminds me of a slogan from a few years ago, "Simply Weight Loss." It represented a return to diet basics. And that's when it hit me, a return to diet basics is what is wrong.

Dieting is Wrong

You're too heavy and you need to lose weight. The extra pounds pushing you above your ideal weight, resulted from a chronic state of positive energy balance...eating more calories (energy) than the body needs.

This is usually followed by the question, "Why doesn't my body just get rid of the extra energy?" I totally agree. Just get rid of all that extra energy, send it on it's way.

Unfortunately, the laws of thermodynamics are what mess things up.

The tough law to get around involves the whole idea that you can't create or destroy energy. It's constant. Since you can't simply destroy energy, you have no choice but to use the extra energy (packed into calories) or store it.

So, how does this make dieting wrong? Dieting only works in theory. In theory, dieting, which is synonymous with calorie restriction, causes total body energy to decrease in hopes of creating an energy deficit.

To make up for this deficit, the body will tap into energy stores to cover immediate needs. So, in theory, dieting causes weight loss.

Is this what occurs in dieters? Yes and no.

The Best Method for Using Stored Energy

Dieting, a.k.a. calorie restriction, slows down the resting metabolic rate, throwing the body into a state of energy conservation. This is not conducive of weight loss but instead is perfect for gaining weight.

Those dieters that do lose weight and keep it off, practice my concept of Slow & Low.

Now what? Exercise.

What is the best method for using the extra energy we didn't use in the past? Exercise. Start an exercise program first, one that centers on muscle tone and strength, then use dieting on an as needed basis to lower total body energy.

The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System published perfect statistics. We should be using exercise as a sole weight loss method more often.

To Healthy Living!

____________________________
By Michael Smith, MD
Michael Smith, MDChief Medical ConsultantDiet Basics Website
Dr. Michael Smith is the Chief Medical Consultant for Diet Basics, a content based website dedicated to the on-line dieter. Please visit Dr. Smith at the Best Weight Loss Program and learn about things like, "Your Real Dieting Problem" and "Diet Shock." Dr. Smith's site is true cutting edge material. In an internet full of weight loss "experts" it's obvious when you find a real professional -- The Diet Basics Website.

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Technology & Weight Loss: Putting An Online Tool to Use

Because the Internet allows so many millions of people to be connected to any single site, function or feature, many programmers and marketing folks have put their heads together to come up with some really neat online tools. Many of these tools are not only useful and convenient, but they are often times free to use. We like free! Some examples include area code locators, mortgage calculators, metric conversion charts and many, many more.
Today I ran across a free tool that is available to us courtesy of the US Government. The Deparment of Health & Human Services, National Institutes of Health, makes this tool available. The tool is called an Interactive Menu Planner and it's worth spending a few minutes exploring.
The tool's original intent seems to be as a menu planner that one would use on a daily basis in order to calculate the total calories, total fat and total carbohydrates for all three meals each and every day. Because the interface is a little bit "clunky" and the tool takes a while to plug in an entire day's meals, I don't think it's really practical to use every day. However, that doesn't mean that it's not useful. Load it up in a browser and take a peek for yourself while I point out a few things that I found interesting.
The first thing you need to do is to select the number of daily calories you plan to consume. The number can range from 1200 to 2000. There are no guidelines as to how many calories you should start with so use common sense to select a number. Factors such as body size (less the fat you want to lose), type of occupation, amount of daily exercise, and age should be taken into consideration. Your doctor may have a suggestion as well.
Once you've selected a daily calorie target, select "Breakfast" as your first meal. Mentally segment your daily calories into three fairly equal parts. If you've selected 2000 calories, you should try to aim for around 600 - 650 calories per meal, leaving a few left over for an evening snack. Move over to the right where the food itself is located. Start at the top and select a food item from the food groups you typically eat for breakfast. It doesn't matter if it's what you ate today, or are planning to eat, the education is in the experience.
As you select a "food item" you must remember to also select the number of servings in the next column. For instance, if you typically eat two kiwi fruit at breakfast, select "1 Kiwi" from the "food" column and select "2" from the servings column. The thing that I really like about this tool is that it updates after every item is selected. Continue on through breakfast adding items as you go. You may select multiple items from any of the food groups. As you continue, you will see the menu for breakfast grow longer for each added item.
Try to ignore the totals on the left-hand side until you have finished selecting each of the items that make up your typical breakfast. Once done, look at the totals to see how much damage you've done. If you find, like I did, that you need to make some adjustments to each meal if you want to get three meals a day in, you can remove some of your items or reduce the number of servings. To do so, simply select one of the items already in your breakfast menu and change the servings to zero to remove it completely, or just lower the number to reduce it.
Once you've set your breakfast menu, continue on to lunch and repeat the process. After you've finished your lunch menu, repeat the process for dinner. If you still have some calories left over, you can go ahead and treat yourself to a snack; if you exceed your total allowed calories at any time, a warning message will pop up.
There are a few things about this exercise that I believe are particularly educational. The first is the degree to which the daily calories can be thrown off by simple things such as beverages. For my breakfast I selected a bagel. I watched carefully as I slowly added a tablespoon of cream cheese and some jelly, thinking they would cause a dramatic increase. To my dismay, a couple teaspoons of jelly and a tablespoon of cream cheese added only 75 calories. It was the bagel that was the major offender, coming in at a whopping 320 calories!
I decided to see how much the daily totals would be affected by selecting a large glass of "Kool Aid" as a drink. I have children in the house and "Kool Aid" is available and convenient. But is it a good decision?
For my lunch menu, I selected "8 oz. Kool Aid" as a beverage. But wait, do you know how small an 8 oz. glass is? I plugged in "2" servings just to be safe. To my horror, that single beverage selection came to 232 calories, or just over 11% of my daily total! I quickly "zeroed out" the "Kool Aid" and opted instead for water.
Another shocker was the cream that I use in my morning coffee or tea. Drinking two cups of black coffee adds only 20 calories to your daily menu. However, if you lighten up those two cups of coffee with a couple of tablespoons of cream each, you can add nearly 100 calories to your diet. A teaspoon of sugar adds only 15 calories, and that's typically the item we'd be inclined to abandon first.
The second thing that I realized is that, with a little bit of planning, a person can still eat a substantial amount of food and stay within their daily caloric budget, especially if you choose wisely. I'm a substantially sized guy with an active lifestyle who should be able to consume 2000 calories per day and still lose weight. Using this tool can help me do so without starving and without busting my budget.
Again, I don't think it's terribly practical to suggest you use this tool every day, but referring to it every now and again can help you ascertain the average number of calories you are consuming each day, make sure you aren't making any bad menu decisions, and help you to win the battle of the bulge!

________________________

By Michael Calle
Michael Callen is the author of the Weekly Weightloss Tips Newsletter and the Chief Technology Officer for WellnessPartners.com, an online retailer of dozens of health and wellness products.

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The Seven Secrets of Weight Loss

When embarking on a weight loss program people will almost always focus on just one or two of the seven necessary components needed to achieve their goal. In order to maximize ones weight loss results they must combine all seven components. I like to call these components the “Seven Secrets of Weight Loss” do to the fact that they are almost never explained in simplistic terms to the average person making them somewhat of a secret. Below you will find a brief description of the seven secrets that will help you achieve maximum weight loss.
Each of the seven secrets represents the seven necessary components needed to achieve maximum weight loss.

Secret #1 (Proper Mind Set)

A proper mind set is an essential part of any successful weight loss program. You must first ask yourself why losing this weight is important to you. Write it down so you can read it aloud to yourself every day. Make a commitment to yourself to follow through with what you start. Create a schedule for your meals and workouts. By scheduling something it will become reality. Without a proper mind set, a true commitment to succeed, and plan of action it will be very unlikely that you will reach your goal.

Secret #2 (Caloric Intake)

A decrease in caloric intake and an increase in daily activity will create a natural caloric deficit which is the foundation of all weight loss. Reducing your calories can be achieved by eating smaller portions, increasing the quality of your foods and eating small meals about every three hours to regulate blood sugar. The regulation of blood sugar levels will keep you from getting hungry and making poor food choices.
Protein portion sizes should be about the size of your palm. Carbohydrate portion sizes should be about the size of your clinched fist. Vegetable portions sizes should be about the size of a small handful. Combine a protein with a carbohydrate to make a small meal. Add a serving a vegetables to two of your meals. In addition it is recommended that you have an Omega 3 fatty acid food source with one meal per day. (See food quality for Omega 3 sources)

Secret #3 (Food Quality)

Quality food choices are usually low in calories and loaded with a variety of vitamins, nutrients, anti-oxidants, and fiber which are the building blocks of a healthy lean body. Some quality foods choices include lean proteins (egg whites, chicken/turkey breast, fish, etc.), quality complex carbohydrates (sweet potato, oatmeal, brown rice, bran cereal, etc.), vegetables (broccoli, green beans, asparagus, spinach, etc.) and Omega 3 fatty acid sources (flax seed oil, canola oil, salmon, tuna, walnuts, etc.).

Secret #4 (Water Consumption)

Consume at least 8-12 glasses of water throughout the day or a ½ ounce of water per pound of body weight. Water is the most important nutrient in the human body and has many benefits involving weight loss. Proper hydration will increase the amount of oxygen in the bloodstream which in return will increase the body’s fat burning ability and overall energy output.

Secret #5 (Meal Frequency)

Eat five to six smaller meals spread approximately three hours apart over the course of a day. Your body only has the ability to process so much food at one time. By eating smaller meals every three hours you will never overload your body with fuel (food) yet there will always be fuel (food) to burn do to adequate frequency. Meal frequency will also regulate blood sugar levels which will ease hunger.

Secret #6 (Resistance Training)

Muscle is the primary part of your body that burns calories from fat stores. Resistance training will improve the conditioning of your muscles resulting in an increase in metabolism. Metabolism is often defined as the rate at which your body burns energy (including fat stores) to sustain itself. By improving the condition of your muscles you will burn more calories 24 hours a day, seven days a week and help in the reduction of body fat. It is recommended that some type of resistance training be performed at least 3 times per week focusing on all of the major muscle groups.

Secret #7 (Aerobic Training)

Aerobic training perform at intensity of 65% to 80% (Target Heart Rate Zone) of ones maximum heart rate will use fat stores as a primary source of fuel. Aerobics training is a great way to increase your daily calorie expenditure while using fat stores as a primary source of fuel. Perform aerobic activity 25 to 45 minutes 3 to 6 times per week. Aerobic exercise for fat loss is most effective when performed first thing in the morning before a meal or immediately after resistance training.

Target Heart Rate Zone
220 – Age x .65 = BPM (Beats Per Minute) 65%
220 – Age x .80 = BPM (Beats Per Minute) 80%
(Perform aerobic exercise at a heart rate between 65% and 80%)

In conclusion we must all remember that we are all individuals with different genetics. In some cases results may vary due to hormone imbalances or other medical conditions. The seven secrets of weight loss are the components that will drive you towards your genetic best and vastly improve your overall health.

_________________________

By Craig LePage

For additional information about this article and articles similar to this please visit www.lakenormanfitness.com or you can e-mail me at craiglepage@yahoo.com
Craig LePage, CSCS, NASM-CPT
Precision Fitness, Director
Craig is a well-known Fitness Professional in the Charlotte, North Carolina area. He has been helping people reach their fitness and wellness goals for more than 12 years. His credentials include a Bachelors of Science Degree from the University of Bridgeport Connecticut, CSCS credentials from the NSCA and a Personal Training Certification from the NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine). Craig has written for Charlotte, NC area Newspapers, authored his own fitness & nutrition program and is a frequent guest on a Charlotte area radio show that focus’ on health and wellness. He has recently co-authoring a golf specific exercise book (Play Better, Longer – Golf) and is also working on a book of his own that should be available sometime next year.

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Advanced Body Acceptance: The Secret To Weight Loss Success

Self-acceptance and body love can be tough concepts to grasp and even tougher to incorporate. The degree of difficulty doesn’t seem to matter if you’re thin or very large or somewhere in-between. It takes time and persistence to create a new belief about one’s self and one’s body. Don’t worry so much about losing your old beliefs about yourself. Instead, take the time to build new beliefs.

In a way, building self acceptance and body acceptance are a little like creating a homemade tapered candle. You start with only the wick. The wick represents your desire to create something new. You begin by dipping the wick into a vat of wax, pull it out and wait for it to dry, and continue the process over and over again until the candle is perfectly formed. The same with self-acceptance. If you currently hate your body, your body parts, and/or yourself, it’s time to begin somewhere. At first, you might not notice much change. Yet with each new thought that is consciously entered into the mind, we can create new beliefs and a new sense of self-acceptance. Like the gradual layering of the wax upon the wick, we can create positive, self-loving thoughts that begin to take hold and form shape.

Make Peace with Yourself

Don’t believe everything you think. Start thinking from your heart instead of your head. Allow your heart to be in control and believe it over your mind. Your heart is kind and loving and wishes to receive love into itself. Open your heart. Flow this love deep into your body. Imagine yourself drinking deeply, taking this love in, digesting and absorbing all this love into your own physical body.

Look in the Mirror

Make the bold move to have heartfelt generosity for your body. Hear your objections and then . . . surrender. Take a moment in the mirror to stop and consciously be grateful for the gift of your body. Concentrate on your wealth! Look at everything you have - tangible or intangible - and feel grateful for your wealth. Feel good about your body today and it will become easier to eat healthy. Show up in front of the mirror with an idea you are really wanting. Allow yourself to be clear that it is the feeling you are really wanting, not just the better body.

Live In The Now

When you are waiting for something to occur, you are not focused on what is occurring now. Yes, it is wonderful to be excited by the expectancy of achieving your goals. It is wonderful to feel the excitement fill your body as you imagine having what you want. But then it is necessary to bring your joy back into the present time of now. Ask yourself how you can bring fullness into this moment. What could you focus on to enhance this moment of now? What is there in this moment to feel gratitude for?

Accept What Is

For most people, accepting their current physical body is the last thing they want to consider. How can you accept something you wish to change or something you hate? The immediate reaction is to make the present situation go away. To escape from it. But there is no escape from anything. What we resist persists. Only by allowing reality and embracing it can we then create something new. The only way out is through. The way to achieve the body you want is to first be in harmony with it. The body is not your enemy. The body loves you and simply reflects the energy within. Accept what is without resistance. Ask yourself (with gentleness), “What are the feelings within me that have created this situation?” All along, soothe yourself with a wisdom that reassures you are now creating an opportunity to know more about your heart, to know more about love.

Mind over Matter

Negative self-talk is destructive to your happiness and your goals. We are all human and almost everyone’s body has some perceived flaws or imperfections. Yet our flaws make us unique.

To love our body we must begin somewhere. Even if that beginning is a lie, we must begin. In the group AA (Alcoholic’s Anonymous) there is a saying, “Fake it until you make it.” Meaning, say and do the behaviors you wish to embody until they become real. This takes courage, responsibility and risk. And yet, if you never begin, if you never risk, you will never know the divine truth of who you really are.

Treat Your Body Well

When we understand and appreciate our bodies, we are able to work with them, not against them. Learn to be in loving acceptance of your own beauty. Allow for the possibility that you deserve what you have requested, and you deserve to know and appreciate who you are. Imagine your life as you incorporate more and more self-loving aspects:

• Be attracted to what lifts you up. Let go of what pulls you down.
• Consciously seek out more experiences that feel good.
• Focus your eyes on what is larger more than on what is smaller.
• Laugh so hard tears come from your eyes.
• Dance and sing with wild abandon while listening to your favorite song.
• Tell yourself you are beautiful.
• Swing on a swing in the playground.
• Mail yourself a love letter.
• Clean out your closet and get rid of any clothes that don’t fit you.
• Wear clothes that fit you, and that you feel good in.
• Develop a partnership with food.

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By Annette Colby

Dr. Annette Colby, RDNutrition Therapist & Master Energy HealerFor free inspirational newsletter, articles & info visit: http://www.LovingMiracles.com

972.985.8750"Opening Creative Portals to Success"

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After WLS: How Much Weight Have You Lost?

I had lost nearly fifty pounds before anyone mentioned my weight loss. Then, all of the sudden, everybody noticed! As soon as they noticed the questions began. The most often asked: “How much weight have you lost?” People who I barely knew asked me this question as if it were their right to know. I was never sure of the motive for the question? Did they want to celebrate my weight loss? Did they want to gasp knowing just how fat I was?

How much weight have I lost? I have shared the answer with very few people – it’s nobody’s business. I know many weight loss patients who are proud of this number and I admire them. I wish I had more confidence in myself. But truthfully, I’m embarrassed by how fat I was and how much weight I had to lose.

These days when I’m asked this question, with a curious tilt of my head I ask back, “Why do you want to know that?” Never has anyone answered my question with a valid response. This data, the number on a scale, means nothing to anyone but me. I don’t care to give someone an opportunity to marvel at just how huge I must have been that I could lose that much weight.

Most of the time when I ask in return, “Why do you want to know?” the busybody retreats. In general, we know when we’ve crossed the line – sometimes it just takes a gentle reminder. If, however, they persist, I say I prefer not to share that information. Only on one occasion has a nosy person continued to pester me, at which time I said I wouldn’t answer a rude question.

I admire the courageous patients who openly and proudly answer this question. Patients who are comfortable sharing this number must by all means include others in their weight loss celebration. We are all different and whether our approach private or public we have only have to answer to ourselves.

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By Kaye Bailey

Kaye Bailey is a weight loss surgery success story having maintained her health and goal weight for 5+ years. An award winning journalist, she is the author and webmaster of http://www.livingafterwls.com and http://www.livingafterwls.blogspot.com
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Fad Diets, And Why They're Bad For Your Weight Loss And Long Term Health

If you're serious about losing weight and getting fit, you probably can't go a week without hearing about the latest fad diet, and why you should drop what you're doing to buy the book. Each new diet gives us proof that fad diets aren't all that they're cracked up to be. Sure, you'll probably lose some weight during the diet, but there's a 99.9% chance that you'll gain it all back as soon as you stop the fad diet.

The typical fad diet isn't safe or healthy enough for you to use it for more than a couple of weeks; and even then, some may wreak havoc on your metabolism and immune system, decreasing your energy level, mental alertness and ability to continuously burn calories.

Some fad diets such as the Scarsdale diet force you to limit your daily calorie intake to 1,000 calories. Naturally, you will lose weight; but what are the secrets that they don't want you to know? I'll start the list off with kidney problems. Eating only 1,000 calories a day is too low for your body to operate normally, so you'll be burning away protein (from muscle) in addition to the fat, and losing water faster than normal. This causes heightened levels of nitrogen in your kidneys, and this can be damaging.

Even the famous and seemingly harmless South Beach Diet has a possible danger during first two weeks known Phase 1. It is common to lose between 8 and 13 pounds in that time, which is unhealthy. However, I must recommend the South Beach Diet as the healthiest I have found besides the Zone Diet, which is more of a healthy science experiment than a bunch of small diet changes.

If you're committed to making an improvement in your lifestyle and weight, you'll steer clear of these diets and choose to follow the time-tested, healthy, gradual weight loss plans that incorporate all the nutrients your body needs.

The only way you can succeed in your weight loss journey is by making the decision to maximize your health through safe methods. Think of weight loss as a side effect of your good decisions, and you'll be much happier with yourself!

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By Ian Mason

Learn more about health, diet and exercise at our weight loss forum.
PhenForum.com is a popular discussion forum for weight loss programs, diet advice, and tips to help you burn fat.
All the best,
Ian Mason

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