Online Weight Loss Programs - Reviewed

There are many subscriber programs available both online and in the real world for dieters. In order to help choose one or just learn more about them in order to help round out your daily life and coordinate your activities, foods - - i.e. perfect diet lifestyle, here are some of the membership programs available.

South Beach Diet – Online at www.southbeachdiet.com , the South Beach Diet , developed by a cardiologist named Dr. Arthur Agatston, boasts being not about low-fat or low-carb. But rather they teach you about the right carbs and the right fats. Subscribers receive daily tips, recipes, guidance from Dr. Agatston, tips to stay on track, and tools to track your dietary goals, weight and progress track, and program phase. They also receive nutritional tools and a meal planner and scheduler to log daily meals and plan for meals up to a week ahead.

A handy online Shopping List Generator is also available for members for quickly and automatically creating and printing out lists. And message boards and a journal are also handy subscriber tools. Through posts, dieters and share recipes, motivation, advice, success and failure stories and support one another. And they can journal via online progress diary entries and read how their fellow members are doing.

eDiets - Online at www.ediets.com , eDiets offers a wide range of dietary planning by combining well known company program options (like Atkins and Slim Fast) and others- including their own - and personalizing the delivered end product or comprehensive diet plans right to you. They feature email, ezine news, helpful articles, recipes, menus and tips.

eDiets also offers options. You can add an online personal trainer package with community boards, customizable fitness planning, live support, mentors, chats and experts to help you along. The virtual trainer shows step-by-step exercise routines so that you can watch on your computer screen and then copy the movements in the privacy of your own home or office. And the package can be tailored personal fitness goals, health issues and exercise preferences. You can also opt to add an online anytime-meetings 24/7 package with reviews of the latest nutritional products on the market. Or you can opt to add a recipe club package with over 2,000 recipes, grocery list aids, recipe finder and other dietary planning solutions.

Mix and match, upgrade or downgrade options at any time. They focus on offering a combined health, nutritional and lifestyle for helping with the perfect diet plan.

Atkins – Atkins offers a paid subscription program, customized through eDiets.com above. And they offer a no-cost version with less features through their website at https://atkins.com/myatkins/index.html. Their free version features a personal journaling section, recipe box, shopping list and file cabinet. Set health and fitness goals in your journal and monitor your progress. Have a handy place to keep your recipes. As you need to buy ingredients, simply click and add them to your shopping list. Save favorite tips, articles, Atkins information and more in their file cabinet area.

Slimfast – Similar to Atkins, Slimfast offers a paid subscription program that is customized through eDiets.com. And they offer a no-cost version through their website at http://www.slim-fast.com/membership.asp. Some of the goodies offered for free membership are individualized meal plans, personalized fitness program, food & exercise journals, weight charts, automatic notification of promotion & coupon offers, shopping lists, buddy program, “Ask a Dietitian,” live chats, success stories, a ergular newsletter and a Body Mass Index (BMI) calculator that uses height and body weight factors.

Weight Watchers – Online at www.weightwatchers.com, Weight Watchers offers a few choices. They have a couple different food plans; monitor points or simply go with food choices. Then opt for a real-world membership with weekly meetings where you learn about healthy food choices and activities, hear inspirational leaders/ speakers, pick up tips and program information, recipes and menus and have confidential weigh-ins. How meetings work is that you attend once a week for about an hour from a huge list hosted all over. You pay a small fee when you attend (beginning around $9 - $10 per week with special packages / plans available, depending upon the area). Find a meeting place online by entering your zip code or call 800-282-8908 (24/7).

Or opt for cyber-planning with Weight Watchers online tools. For a little less money per month, around $5 per week, you get recipe and meal ideas in a click, a points tracker and calendar, progress charts, restaurant guide and other resources. And connect with their online community 24/7 instead of driving around town juggling meetings in your schedule.

Jenny Craig – Available online at www.jennycraig.com for around $11 a month (or choose package deals). Online they feature eTools, a new product that is tailored to go hand-in-hand with the original real-world Jenny Craig Program. You can purchase foods from them or use their recipes / cookbooks. With the eTools, member also receive an online journal, they can track and mark off meals from daily menus, monitor exercies / activities, calculate number of calories burned, include your feelings about your weight loss. These eTools also offer access to plan and print an unlimited number of Menu Plans.

There is also a Recipe Box with additional Jenny Craig recipes from their quarterly cookbooks. There are free message boards available for all members (eTools or not). Some may offer “member-only sections” in the future. For programs in your area and pricing information, call: 800-597-JENNY.

The Weight Down Workshop – Gwen Shamblin’s Bible-based weight loss program is online at www.wdworkshop.com. Not a diet plan, the Weigh Down Workshop does not incur costs for consultants, foods or exercise plans. One program, “Exodus Out of Egypt” costs around $118 in fees (plus $7 for shipping and handling) that include your attendance at 12 weeks of class lessons, plus a set of 12 audiocassettes with workbook, access to toll-free advice, encouragement and help. The program teaches you to spend and eat less of regular foods you find about anywhere. Find a real-world workshop by completing an online form or by calling their toll-free number: 888-829-7500. For online support, information, packages and payment information, call them toll-free: (888) 751-5767. They have several plans available and people have to call to get descriptions and pricing.

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By Samantha Murray

Weight Control Services, a site dedicated to providing current health and fitness information. The article you have read is available for your use in its entirety as part of a collection of ebooks offering valuable information on a variety of Health and Fitness topics.

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Weight Loss/Control Glossary of Terms

A Little Help With Some Difficult terms

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Aerobic Exercise. Any activity involving large muscles, done for an extended period of time. Aerobic exercise can be done for weight loss, but it also provides cardiovascular benefits. Examples of aerobic exercise include walking, biking, jogging, swimming, aerobic classes and cross-country skiing.

Aloe. Herbal product derived from the aloe plant, it is often added to herbal weight loss products. However, it has not been shown to effectively promote permanent weight loss. Different parts of the aloe plant may be used. Aloe gel may lower blood glucose and keep other medications from being properly absorbed. Aloe leaf lining has more side effects, including nausea, diarrhea, lowering of serum potassium and laxative effects that could be dangerous to individuals not in good health.

Appetite Suppressants. Medications that act upon the brain, "tricking" it into believing that it is not hungry or that it's full.

Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis. A body composition test that works by sending a small electrical signal through the body, enabling the amount of fat, muscle and other lean tissue to be measured.

Body Composition Test. A test used to determine the current percentage of body fat a person has.

Body Mass Index (BMI). A popular method used to gauge whether or not a person is overweight. BMI is calculated by dividing a person's weight (in kilograms) by his or her height (in meters, squared).

Calorie. A unit of measure for the amount of energy released when the body breaks down food.
Carbohydrate. Any of a large group of sugars, starches, cellulose and gums that the body uses by converting into glucose, a simple sugar, for fuel.

Cascara. A common ingredient used in weight loss products. One of the few herbs approved by the FDA as an over-the-counter drug. It is a strong stimulant laxative.

Catecholamine. A chemical in the brain that affects mood and appetite.

Chitosan (KITE-o-san). A dietary supplement made from chitin, a starch found in the skeleton of shrimp, crab and other shellfish. It has not been shown to contribute to permanent weight loss.

Cholesterol. A type of fat that circulates in your blood. It comes from two sources. the body makes its own regardless of what is eaten and from foods containing animal products.

Dietician or Dietitian. A person who specializes in the study of nutrition.

Diuretic. A drug that promotes the formation of urine by the kidney.

Diuresis. Water loss

Duodenum. The beginning portion of the small intestine.

Ephedrine (Ma-Huang). A common ingredient in herbal dietary supplements used for weight loss. Ephedrine can slightly suppress your appetite, but no studies have shown it to be effective in weight loss. Ephedrine is the main active ingredient of ephedra. Ephedra is also known as Ma Huang, not ephedrine. High doses of ephedra can cause very fast heartbeat, high blood pressure, irregular heart beats, stroke, vomiting, psychoses and even death.

Extensive Gastric Bypass. A gastric bypass operation in which portions of the stomach are removed. The small pouch that remains is connected directly to the final segment of the small intestine, thus completely bypassing both the duodenum and jejunum.

Fat. Organic compounds that are made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, it is the body's most concentrated source of energy. Like protein and carbohydrates, fat is a principal and essential component of the diet.

Fat Absorption Inhibitor. Medications that work by preventing the body from breaking down and absorbing fat eaten with meals.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Government agency whose mission is "to promote and protect the public health by helping safe and effective products reach the market in a timely way, and monitoring products for continued safety after they are in use."

Food Triggers. A situation or emotion that causes a person to eat such as stress or depression.
Gastric Banding. A surgical procedure in which a band made of special material is placed around the stomach near its upper end, creating a small pouch and a narrow passage into the larger remainder of the stomach.

Gastric Bypass. A type of operation that combines the creation of a small stomach pouch to restrict food intake and the construction of bypasses of the duodenum and other segments of the small intestine to cause malabsorption (decreased absorption of nutrients).

Glucomannan. Made from the root of Amorphophallus Konjac, an herbal supplement that is said to contribute to weight loss by delaying the absorption of glucose from the intestines.

Guarana. A nervous system stimulant derived from the seeds of a Brazilian plant of the same name, it is often found in herbal supplements that promote weight loss.

Guar Gum. Also known as guar, guar flour, and jaguar gum, it is a dietary fiber obtained from the Indian cluster bean. Used extensively as a thickening agent for foods and pharmaceuticals, it is commonly sold as an herbal supplement to promote weight loss.

High Protein Diet. Diets that recommend receiving up to 30% of calories (or more) from protein as opposed to the recommended 10%-15% from protein. These diets also recommend low carbohydrate consumption and are often high in total fat.

Hydrostatic Body Fat Testing. A body composition test performed by submerging the person in water and then measuring his or her underwater weight.

Jejunum. The middle section of the small intestine.

Ketone. Waste products in the body that are a result of fat burning.

Ketosis. An abnormality of the body's metabolic process, resulting in an increase of ketones in the blood, which can increase the risk of developing kidney stones. Ketosis is prevented by eating at least 100 grams of carbohydrates a day.

Ma-Huang. See ephedrine.

Meridia. See Sibutermine

Metabolism. The amount of energy (calories) your body burns to maintain itself. Metabolism is the process in which nutrients are acquired, transported, used and disposed of by the body.

Monounsaturated fat. A type of fat found in large amounts in foods from plants, including olive, peanut and canola oil.

Mortality. The rate of death.

Obesity. An excess proportion of total body fat. The most common measure of obesity is the body mass index (BMI).

Orlistat. A commonly prescribed fat absorption medication, it is sold under the brand name Xenical.

Phen-fen. A weight loss drug made up of fenfluramine and phentermine. Its use has been linked to heart valve problems and has been banned by the FDA.

Phenylpropanolamine (PPA). Once a common weight loss ingredient in appetite suppressants, recent studies have linked PPA to an increased risk of stroke. The FDA warns consumers to avoid use of products containing PPA.

Polyunsaturated Fat. A type of fat that is found in large amounts in foods from plants, including safflower, sunflower and corn oil.

Protein. An organic compound that is the "building block" of the human body. Protein builds and maintains muscle tissue.

Pyruvate. Formed in the body during digestion of carbohydrates and protein, some studies indicate that it may help with weight loss. Although it appears to be safe, claims of boosting metabolism, decreasing appetite and aiding in weight loss require further study.

Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA). The level of essential nutrients required to adequately meet the known nutrient needs of practically all healthy persons, according to the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences.

Restriction Operation. The type of surgery most often used for producing weight loss. Food intake is restricted by creating a small pouch at the top of the stomach where the food enters from the esophagus. Examples of restriction operations include. gastric banding and vertical banded gastroplasty.
Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RGB). The most common gastric bypass procedure. First, a small stomach pouch is created by stapling or by vertical banding. This causes restriction in food intake. Next, a Y-shaped section of the small intestine is attached to the pouch to allow food to bypass the duodenum as well as the first portion of the jejunum.

Saturated Fat. A type of fat most often found in animal food products including milk, eggs, meat and butter. Saturated fat is also found in vegetable products such as coconut and palm oil. Studies show that too much saturated fat in a person's diet increases heart disease risk.

St. John's Wort. An herb that is primarily used as an antidepressant due to its effects on serotonin. There is limited research indicating its use for weight loss.

Serotonin. A neurotransmitter found in the brain that affects mood and appetite.

Sibutramine. A common prescription appetite suppressant, it is sold under the brand name Meridia.

Vertical-Banded Gastroplasty. The most frequently used restrictive operation for weight control. During it, both a band and staples are used to create a small stomach pouch.

Very Low Calorie Diet (VLCD). A short-term weight loss diet, VLCDs are commercially prepared formulas of 800 calories or less that replace all usual food intake. Not all VLCD need be formulas; they could just be low calorie meal plans. These diets (in fact most diets less than 1000 calories) are low in essential nutrients and require vitamin/mineral supplementation.

Xenical. See Orlistat

Yerba Mate. Also known as Paraguay tea, this strong central nervous system stimulant is often sold as a dietary supplement. It has not been proven to cause weight loss.

Weight Cycling. The repeated loss and regain of body weight. When weight cycling is the result of dieting, it is often called "yo-yo" dieting.

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.

_________________________

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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Fat Burning Secrets For Cardio Workouts

Lets face it, most of us live pretty busy lives and the amount of time spent exercising does eat up what little free time a lot of us have. I don’t like to waste my free time anymore than anyone else so if I am going to use it up on an activity, I feel the rewards of the activity should out way the cost.
That being said, one of the activities that I add to my workout routines is a cardio program. I’ll be blunt in stating that I love to lift weights but I absolutely loathe doing cardio. I personally do not enjoy cardio at all but I do understand how it is very important to my workout regimen. So, if I am going to invest my time in a cardio routine, you better believe I am going to make sure that I am maximizing the benefit of that routine.
There’s a lot of great cardio equipment out there and I personally use a variety of them ranging anywhere from treadmills, to exercise bikes to stair steppers and more. My main focus for this article will be treadmills since they appear to be the most popular of the cardio equipment. However the same principles can be applied to other cardio equipment too.

Slow down, it’s not a race

I have found that I burn fatter moving at a moderate pace than an all out sprint. When you go out at a 100% you burn more glycogen than fat. Basically your burning carbohydrates instead of your fat stores. The idea to effectively burn fat is to go at a moderate pace for a longer period of time.

Moderate pace means just that, not too fast and not too slow. On a treadmill I like to walk at a fast enough pace where I am building up a sweat but I could also hold a conversation without panting. The keyword here is walk, I believe that once you start jogging and running you are really moving away from the optimal fat burning pace.

Short and sweet isn’t the key

Your cardio time should range anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes. However, I also believe that your body can only take so much exercise at a time. Therefore if you plan on an hour and a half cardio session I would recommend splitting up your cardio into two sessions: one for the morning and then one in the evening. I have tested all types of cardio durations and workout times on my own body and found that a good 40 to 45 minute session in the morning works the best for me.

If you’re going to do it, do it right

Always perform a full range of motion on your exercise equipment. Don’t cheat yourself by taking baby steps. On the treadmill take long strides instead of short little steps. By taking the longer strides you will work the hamstrings and glutes (back of the leg and buttocks) more.
In addition to talking longer strides try to avoid holding on to the rails of the treadmill. Let your arms move back and forth as you would when running. You will be surprised of the difference of not holding on to the exercise equipment if you are already use to holding on to the treadmill, stair stepper or any other exercise equipment while performing the exercise.

If you don’t believe me, try it out for one workout and I promise you will feel the difference in a matter of minutes.

Note: If you feel that you must hold on to avoid falling or getting hurt then by all means hold on.

Breathe

I like to take deep breaths in the nose and out the mouth when doing cardio exercise. I find that I focus more on the activity at hand when I concentrate on my breathing. I also have found that I sweat more too. I know it sounds crazy but give it a try and I bet you will notice a difference too.

Note: Not over exaggerated deep breathes but not short breaths either.

Tying it all together

I conclusion I personally feel that if I am going to add cardio to my workout routine then I want to do whatever it takes to maximize the workouts benefits. I have personally found that I more efficiently burn body fat by slowing my pace down, increasing my cardio workouts over a longer duration, using full range of motion on the equipment and breathing correctly. Go ahead and give these ideas a try and see if they work for you too.

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By Gerald Gore

Gerald Gore is the owner of the online fitness review site One4Fitness. For more health and fitness related tips and reviews on workout equipment visit Gerald’s site at http://www.one4fitness.com.

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Weight Loss Surgery May Add Years to Life

Stomach-Stapling Surgery

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There's no doubt that stomach-stapling surgery leads to dramatic weight loss. But new research shows that the procedure might also add years to life.
As the number of obese people in the U.S. has soared, so has the popularity of the surgery. In fact, East Carolina University researchers estimated that the number of people undergoing weight-loss surgery increased from 40,000 in 2001 to 86,000 this year and will reach 140,000 next year.
Past research has shown that gastric bypass improves diabetes, high blood pressure, and other diseases related to excess fat. But the effect on a person's life span has been unknown, until now
To answer that question, researchers at New Hampshire's Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center first looked at data from previous research that showed how much a weight an average person loses after having the surgery. Then they looked at the average life expectancies of people at various heights and weights. In this way, they could estimate how much the change in weight caused by surgery would affect patients' life span.
The results suggest that most people eligible for the surgery would benefit, says lead researcher G. Darby Pope, MD, surgery resident at Dartmouth-Hitchcock. "By undergoing the surgery, they will gain life years," he said. Pope presented the study this week at a meeting of the American College of Surgeons in San Francisco.
People with a BMI, a measure of obesity that takes both height and weight into account, over 25 are considered overweight. But according to U.S. government guidelines, patients should have a BMI of at least 40, or a BMI of 35 with a related serious disease, to be eligible for gastric bypass surgery. Most such patients are more than 100 pounds overweight.
The results varied according to the patients' age, gender, and body mass index (BMI). According to the researchers, a woman with a BMI of 45 at age 40 would gain three years of life. A man of similar age and size could expect to gain 3.9 years.
These results are better than those obtained by heart disease surgery, Pope said. But he cautioned that no one should interpret these findings literally. The actual effects of the gastric bypass surgery will vary a lot from one individual to another.
Questions about the benefits of gastric bypass surgery will be answered with more certainty by studies now under way on large groups of patients, Pope says.
The surgery is getting more popular not only because more people are obese, but also because surgeons have improved their techniques. In earlier weight-loss surgery, doctors routed the digestive track past much of the intestines, resulting in malnutrition.
In the kind of surgery in the Dartmouth-Hitchcock study, most of the stomach is stapled shut so that food can only enter a small pouch at the top. A branch of the intestines is connected to this pouch. (The unused part of the stomach is connected to this branch downstream in order to drain its fluids.)
Patients vomit if they overeat, but feel full with much less food. Typically, they lose about three-quarters of their excess weight in the first year, then gradually gain some back. After ten years or more, most carry about half the excess weight they had before the surgery, says Pope.
Patients must take nutritional supplements for the rest of their lives, and there is a chance of dying from complications of the surgery. But Pope and his colleagues took this risk of complications into account in their study and the results suggest that the risk of death from the procedure are much less than the risk of death from obesity.
The main problem with this type of surgery is it is only a short-term solution. Usually overweight people have poor eating habits and do not exercise. Having surgery does not correct either. It is vital to have a change of lifestyle to undergo healthy weight loss. Without the change, the body remains in an unhealthy state.
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.

__________________________

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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Lose Weight, Get Fit, and Live Longer

If all we have to do is exercise to live a fuller and healthier life then why isn’t everybody doing it? Not enough time? Too expensive? Unmotivated? Well the fact is everybody wants to be healthier but it is time consuming and expensive. Or is it? The problem is that an individual’s health is not given a high priority until it’s gone.

Not enough time?
Whether the person realizes it or not, they are just procrastinating. They seem to think that they will have more time in the future. To add to this the longer they wait the lower their health will become. Time must be allocated in your schedule or it will never be done because something will always come up. And lets face it, its no good having a big house and a luxurious car if you are no longer around to enjoy it! If you can’t spare 30 consecutive minutes each day then three, ten-minute sessions can still improve your condition.

Too Expensive?
Exercise costs nothing! Just walking each day is enough to ensure a long and healthy life. This is something just about everyone can do so it also provides a great opportunity to spend time with family and friends.

Unmotivated?
Well at least you’re honest! The trick is to find something you enjoy. Try something social like a group walk, tennis, or golf. If you would rather spend time alone then go for a walk, take your headphones, and listen to your favourite music. If you get bored easily then try a Personal Trainer. Even if it only for one session. They can provide you with variety and ideas on how to keep the exercise program interesting.
However it is easy to see why people get confused when trying to improve their lifestyle with so many diets and eating plans that seem to contradict each other. Then there’s the abdominal machines, home gyms, and crosstrainers sold through the media that promise great results but always end up as expensive dust collectors.

The trick is to keep it simple.

• When it comes to your food intake consume low fat meals: it makes sense that the less fat that goes into your mouth, the less fat that will stay on the body.
• Eat meals with plenty of variety: the more variety, the greater intake of all the required nutrients. And keep portion size relative to what you require: eating low fat foods will still make you put on weight if you are eating enough for two people.
• Eat foods high in fibre: these foods are more filling.
• When it comes to exercise, just move more! You must burn more calories than you put into your mouth. Walk to the shops, take the stairs, or hide the remote control for the TV. It all adds up.
• If you can’t exercise on a given day, then be even more vigilant with your food intake.
• Exercise doesn’t have to be hard, just regular. It just takes thirty minutes each day to ward off our biggest killer: heart disease.

So, the simple solution to a healthier body? USE IT OR LOSE IT!

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By Ray Kelly

Ray has worked extensively in the health and fitness industry for over 15 years. He has a degree in Exercise Science and is a Level 2 Strength and Conditioning coach. Ray has been involved in athlete development for the Olympics and world championships for 10 years, also lecturing at coaching accreditation courses.

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Cucumber & Pork Soup

Due to the fact that cucumber is rich in all kinds of vitamins as well as calcium, phosphorus, iron, and other sorts of minerals, it is one of the essential vegetables that we cannot live without at our dining table. The traditional Chinese medicine believes that cucumber is diuretic, it subsides swelling, improves our looks, even more, it fights tumor! No matter how you cook cucumber - stir fry, eat it uncooked, or tossed cold with sauce, they all taste good. But, have you tried cucumber soup? If you cook a cucumber soup by following the recipe below, I know you will be pleasantly surprised - hmm.. delicious!

Ingredients:
a). For step 1:
120g (4.2 oz) pork
1 teaspoon soy sauce
dash of ginger juice
1 teaspoon cooking wine

b). For step 2 & 3:
1 cucumber
6 cups (1200cc) soup stock
cornstarch

c). For step 4:
1 tablespoon cooking wine
2 teaspoons salt
dash of monosodium glutamate
1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
dash of pepper

Method:
Cut sliced pork into bite size pieces. Marinate in soy sauce, ginger juice and wine
Peel cucumber. Slice slantwise
Bring soup stock to boil. Dip meat in cornstarch. shake off excess and drop into boiling soup
Add cucumbers and seasonings from c). Serve immediately.

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Nutritional information:
Yield: 4 servings
Each serving provides:
Calories: 52
Protein: 8.3 g

Note: You may freely republish this recipe as long as author bio and active hyperlinks are kept inactive. Thank you.

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By Jacklyn Chen

Jacklyn Chen - Webmaster of news-blogs.com, satellite info, and emobile-news.com. She is a full time mom who works very hard to make living with multiple web sites.

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Easy Holiday Quick Bread Recipes

Quick breads are a quick, easy accompaniment to any holiday meal.
For the best-tasting holiday quick breads, here are some helpful hints:
- Only grease the bottoms of the loaf pans or the sides of the bread will pull away from the sides of the baking pan.
- Bake in the center of the center rack of the oven.
- When adding liquids to the dry ingredients, stir only until dry ingredients are moistened. Batter will be lumpy.
- Quick breads can be made ahead and frozen from 1 to 2 months.

Cranberry Pumpkin Bread
2 eggs, beaten slightly

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup canned pumpkin

2 1/4 cups flour

1 cup chopped cranberries

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine eggs, sugar, vegetable oil, and pumpkin, mixing well. Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center of the batter and add the pumpkin. Stir in cranberries. Spoon batter into 2 greased and floured loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour.

Cranberry Bread
2 cups flour

1 egg

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup cranberries, sliced

1 cup sugar

1 cup nuts, chopped (optional)

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon baking soda

Juice and rind of 1 orange

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Add water to orange juice to make 3/4 cup liquid. Mix all ingredients together and pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake for 30 minutes.

Pumpkin Bread
5 cups flour

4 cups sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

4 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 large can pumpkin

2 cups nuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together vegetable oil, sugar, and eggs. In another bowl, mix together flour and baking soda. Add flour and pumpkin alternately to the egg mixture. Add nuts. Pour into 2 greased loaf pans. Bake for 1 hour.

Apple Bread
3 cups flour

2 cups sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 1/4 cups oil

2 apples, chopped

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup chopped nuts (optional)

1 teaspoon baking soda
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients until well blended. Pour batter into 2 greased loaf pans. Bake for about 1 hour.

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By Rachel Paxton

Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What's for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For more recipes, organizing tips, home decorating, crafts, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com.

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ARMENIAN CUISINE

Armenia’s origin dates back to as far as 6000 years. Its pre-Christian kingdoms comprised a vast area of what may be described as historical Armenia. Covering the eastern third of today’s Turkey. Today Armenia is an independent republic after 60 years of being one of the Soviet Socialist Republics located in the Caucasus with approximately 3.5 million inhabitants. However, hundreds of thousands of Armenians live in many Middle eastern countries, Australia, western European republics, Russia, the U S A , Canada and Argentina.

Throughout history, incursions by Persians, Byzantines, Arabs, Mongols and Turks left their impact on the customs and cuisine of Armenia. Food and its preparation are one of the cornerstones of Armenian culture. It is a fact that Armenian cooks influenced Middle Eastern cuisines, and their specialties are accepted as the tastiest of them all. Because of the fertile land the nation inhabited and still does, and because of their inherent love of good food, Armenians have a varied and superb cookery, which more often than not requires lengthy preparations. It is quite common for homemakers to shop daily for produce and devote a good part of the day to preparing both lunch and dinner. On the other hand, breakfast is a light affair consisting of a few slices of cheese, bread, olives and tea.

Many Armenian specialties carry Turkish name simply because they were invented in the imperial kitchens of sultans by Armenian cooks who represented the majority of chefs. Sultans insisted that Armenian chefs be hired to cook for them and their entourage. It must also be mentioned that a particular recipe may be seasoned differently pending on the region. As is well known and documented after the 1915 genocide perpetrated by Ottoman Turks on the nation during which one-and-a-half million innocent people were literally massacred systematically, by a detailed government plan, hundreds of thousands of families fled to Syria, Lebanon, Iran, Jordan, Palestine and Egypt. In these countries recipes had to be adapted to local ingredients and seasonings.

Armenian cooks use by and large eggplants, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, green beans, fava beans, artichokes, carrots, potatoes and cabbage are used as vegetables, along with lamb, fish and chicken. Pine nuts, walnuts, olive oil, herbs and spices also play an important role. Bread is the main starch, followed by rice. Noodles are used for special occasions, Armenian bread, a.k.a lavash, is an ingenious recipe. It can be prepared and stored for long periods without deterioration. Sprinkling with water and reheating it makes it as palatable as when the thin bread was freshly cooked.

Armenians, eat, by necessity, a lot of legumes; chickpeas, lentils, soybeans and split peas which are nutritionally important for as well-functioning body. Many vegetables are stuffed including vine leaves. The stuffing consists of ground lamb, salt, pepper, cinnamon, thyme, rice chopped onion, pie nuts and olive oil for hot dishes, whereas for cold specialties rice, onion, salt, pepper, dill, pine nuts, red currants are employed, Generally peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, zucchini are stuffed. Armenian soups like yoghurt-, wedding, and vegetable soups are flavourful and nourishing. Of course shish kebab (marinated skewered pieces of lamb, and grilled vegetables are popular during week-end outings, and stews of all kinds are everyday fare. Armenian homemakers even stew quince with lamb.

A typical Armenian dinner may consist of a series of appetizers: salted and roasted almonds, marinated olives, spicy sausages, stuffed vine leaves, chickpea dip followed by a soup and there is a good array of them. The main course may be roast lamb, fish, poultry, or vegetable stew with chunks of lamb accompanied by cracked wheat (bulgur), bread and/or rice. Salads change seasonally and are always dressed with olive oil, salt, pepper vinegar and lemon juice. Dessert usually consists of fresh fruit, dried fruit compotes in winter, followed by dark, strong coffee.

Although Armenians are said to have invented and perfected wine, today this beverage is less popular than beer, perhaps because many Armenians live in Muslim countries where alcohol consumption is discouraged and in some cases even forbidden like in Saudi Arabia, Persia and Libya.

Armenian cuisine is inventive, adaptable, frugal and eminently exquisite. Try it and you will enjoy!

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Article contributed by Hrayr Berberoglu, a Professor Emeritus of Hospitality and Tourism Management specializing in Food and Beverage. CLICK HERE for a list of books by Hrayr Berberoglu

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Eating Out! - 5 Healthy Tips

It’s one thing to stick with your diet regimen when you’re at home, in control of the contents of your refrigerator and your portion sizes. But what about going out to dinner with friends? Worse, how do you stay on track when your dream vacation has you seated by the dessert cart at every meal?
Eating right when you’re out of your comfort zone can actually be easier than when you are at home, so long as you think smart and plan ahead.
Getting in shape can be an arduous journey, and you should allow yourself to celebrate along the way! However, celebrating doesn’t mean two helpings of dessert. Instead, focus on these simple tips to help you enjoy your dinners out on the town without compromising your weight loss goals.

Tip 1: Daily Plan
Incorporate meals out like any others. Don’t skip meals beforehand, setting yourself up to be starving, then overeat. Plan. Don’t be afraid to call ahead and find out what the specials are going to be and figure out a couple of choices, so that you don’t stress out when you arrive and order foods that are not the best options for your diet.
If the restaurant or event is going to serve you buffet-style, again, call ahead to plan. If that’s not an option, here are a couple ideas. First, ask someone with whom you’re comfortable sharing your dietary concerns to help you. Tell him or her what foods you can eat (or what you cannot eat) and ask the person to fill a plate for you. Or second, walk up to the buffet table(s) beforehand with no plate. Just take a casual stroll around and see which foods are being served. Then decide if you would like to ask someone else to place your selections on a plate for you or if you would prefer to get them yourself.

Tip 2: Slow and Steady
First of all, use manners and eat slowly. Not only will this help with your digestion, it slows your eating down so that you don’t “gulp” and be a chow-hound, eating everything in sight.
If out with others, remember you are also there for socializing, so talk between bites. Set your eating utensils down while you chew. Have a sip of water between bites. The goal is not to see how fast can you wolf down the food while someone else is talking.

Tip 3: Avoid temptation
There is no law that says you must have a basket of bread, butter and oil before a meal out. If it is on your table when you are seated, request that it be brought back to the kitchen.
If your dinner mates are eager to start off with the carbs, then order a glass of water and take a sip each time you are tempted to break bread. Besides, you’ll want the time you would have wasted buttering and dipping to spend reading the menu for smart, sensible choices.
Don’t assume that you’ll be able to hold out on temptations throughout the entire meal. Set yourself up for success when you order by requesting they leave off the oils and sauces. Request that your meat and vegetables be steamed, not fried. Order a salad (with light or no dressing, on the side) or side of veggies instead of fries or mashed potatoes.

Tip 4: Fill up on the good stuff
Drink plenty of water before you leave for the restaurant, and while you wait for the food to arrive. This will help fill you up and prevent hunger-inspired indulgences.
Request your salad (and/or soup, if it’s not creamy) be brought out first, and dig in. By the time your food arrives, you should be able to more rationally determine what portion sizes are appropriate, and if anything needs to be avoided.

Tip 5: Dreaded desserts
First of all, do not order dessert until you are completely finished with your meal. You may be full and not want anything. And that’s certainly not a crime!
After the meal, if everyone is splurging on the dessert menu, keep in mind that you don’t have to join in just to be part of the “gang.” Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea to end your meal. Or ask someone to split a dessert with you. Hint: Doggie bags can also be used for desserts! So split it in half and take part home for another day or your neighbor. You have to be left out of choosing a neat dessert, either. See if the kitchen can put together a fruit bowl or a sorbet dish to satisfy your cravings without putting all your conscientious work at dinner to waste. This might be something to call ahead about..hint!
With the right approach, eating out can be a pleasurable experience. Remember, a successful diet is a lifelong lifestyle modification. You need to be able to incorporate healthful eating out activities into your routine.
What happens if you DO stress? Add extra activities to your schedule. Swim some laps. Walk or jog. Leave your wallet in the trunk and go to a mall for a shop-walk. Take a tour. Visit a museum. Enjoy a park and feed the ducks. Just get out, focus on something else and enjoy life.

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By Samantha Murray

Samantha Murry is a staff member at Weight-Control-Services.com, a site dedicated to providing current health and fitness information. All information is provided to encourage or "nudge" the person reading to take charge of their health and well being. The article you have read is available for your use in its entirety as part of a collection of ebooks offering valuable information on a variety of Health and Fitness topics.

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Dieting Effects – Diet Pills

When it comes to our weight and the appearance of our bodies, most of us are concerned about one thing or another. We have a hard time fitting into our clothes and we want to do something about it. Hard work and dedication usually work the best, but somehow we are fascinated by the easy way out.
Dieting is not supposed to be easy, but many of us will do what we can to make it easy on ourselves. There are more diet plans than ever before, each one promising more results with less work. You’ll see from diet pill infomercials that these pills work for anyone wanting to lose weight and get slim.
There are some diet pills that work better than others, but there are also some things to be concerned about. Your weight loss goals are the most important factor in considering diet pills. People that are in the obese range should stay away from over-the-counter diet drugs. The first step is getting together with a health care professional to discuss more conventional diets. If pills are prescribed, it is important that they are used under the supervision of a doctor. Lifestyle changes may be necessary to lose the weight and keep it off.
If you are looking to drop just a few pounds, take careful though in buying diet pills. There are a couple of basic functions that weight loss and diet pills attempt to accomplish. They attempt to suppress the appetite, and to make the digestive process more efficient.
The major problem with diet pills is that most of them are unregulated. Physician prescribed pills are monitored by your doctor and the FDA. The monitoring doesn’t make the perfect, but makes reporting easier to control. Statistics are evaluated and the drugs are tested to maintain safe standards.
The dangers associated with dieting pills are many. This is not to say that all pills will bring about dangerous side effects, each person will react differently. Side effects can include a feeling of nervousness, increased heart rate, higher blood pressure, and even shakiness. The effects may have a lot to do with the amount of food in your stomach and brain activity.
Some diet pills work by changing the activity in the brain, while others work on the stomach.

Your individual case may vary, but the simple recommendations work the same:

• Use common sense. Some advertisements sound too good to be true, and probably are.
• Do the pills follow your weight loss goals? Do they make promises for the long term?
• Do you know anybody who has tried them? Can you find other research on the pills?
• re there other methods for losing weight and controlling your diet?
• Follow directions and usage amounts very carefully. Don’t take more than suggested. Even all-natural and herbal diet supplements can have bad reactions on the body.
  

Whatever you decide largely depends on the weight loss goals you have in mind. Just be careful to cover all of the bases in your decision making process. Gather all the information you can to make sure you are making the right decision. Not all pills work the same for all people. Common sense is the best method of finding the best solution for your needs.

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By Robb Ksiazek

Robb Ksiazek writes and publishes information on healthy diets and body at Body-Mass-Index-4U.com. He believes that taking care of your body now will provide longevity and fulfillment.

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Nuts To You... Just One Way to a Healthy Heart

Nuts are readily available and provide a highly nutritious food. In addition to protein, carbohydrate, and fat, nuts contain many other important nutrients: fiber, vitamin E, folic acid, potassium, and magnesium. Although on some food charts you may see nuts listed in the same food category as diary products, eggs, and red meat because of the fat content, new information calls into question this designation.
While nuts do contain a high proportion of fat, tree nuts such as almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazel nuts, Brazil nuts, and macadamia are actually low in saturated fat. Most of the fat comes in the form of monounsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids, which are considered to be acceptable forms of fat that actually "reduce" the incidence of heart and vascular disease.
Several large studies have examined the relationship between the risk of heart disease and intake of omega-3 fatty acids from plant sources. In the Seventh Day Adventist Health Study researchers found that those who reported eating nuts more than four times per week had a 50% lower risk of heart disease than those who rarely ate nuts. The Nurses' Health Study found that heart disease risk was reduced by 35% in those who ate nuts compared with those who rarely ate nuts. An addition study found that the risk of type 2 diabetes went down by nearly 1/3 in women who consumed 1/4 cup of nuts five times per week compared to those that did not eat nuts at all.
One recent study looked at almonds in particular. They examined the effects on LDL ["bad"] cholesterol values. Each person served as his own control and they were each on three different "diets": almonds representing about 1/4 their entire daily calorie intake, OR a "handful" of almonds per day, OR a muffin [containing about the same number of calories as a "full dose" of almonds]. The LDL cholesterol went down about 10% when the subjects took a "full dose" of almonds, went down about 5% with intake of a "handful" of almonds, and did not go down at all with eating a muffin. In those with the higher "dose" of almonds, the "ratio" of bad to good cholesterol [LDL/HDL ratio] went down by 12%.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recognizes nuts [including almonds, walnuts, pecans, peanuts, macadamia, and pistachios] may help to lower your blood cholesterol and may be a very healthy "snack". However, they also warn that they are a source of calories and should not be used to great excess in those with calorie restricted diets and that you should avoid nuts with added oils or added salt. The AHA recommends eating an overall balanced diet that is high in fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and includes low-fat [or non-fat] diary products, fish and lean meats. If you add nuts to your diet, just be sure that you don't inadvertently add considerable total calories - despite the benefits of nuts, maintaining an ideal body weight is more important. Weight is often a simple lesson in physics - what comes in either stays [as increased pounds] or is used up for energy and metabolism [which is increased by a regular exercise program].

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By John Rumberger, PhD

Dr. John Rumberger's experince in the field is extensive, and includes achieving his doctorate in 1976 (Bio-Engineering/ Fluid Dynamics/ Applied Mathematics) from Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio, with a dissertation on, A Non-Linear Model of Coronary Artery Blood Flow.
He then continued his education into medicine, in 1978 he became a M.D. graduating from the School of Medicine at the University of Miami, Florida. Since then, he has pioneered how the medical field views the process of blood flow through the heart. From my appointment as professor at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, to Medical Director at the HealthWISE Wellness Diagnostic Center in Ohio. He has just completed his book The WAY Diet available on amazon.com or direct through the publisher at http://www.emptycanoe.com

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Your Kitchen Wants To Be Sexy - Top 5 Snazzy, Sexy Coffee Makers That Are Sensational

When it comes to coffee makers there are thousands to choose from. Among these thousands there are differences in price, functionality, warranty and style. Sure, you can go to the closest big box store and pick one up for about 20-bucks, but generally the machine is just plain boring. Why not spend some more cash for better longevity, better functionality and sexiness-factor? We all like to be sexy, so why not your kitchen?

The roasting drum roll please… The top 5 snazzy, sexy and sensational coffee makers for 2005 are:

1. The Cuisinart Grind & Brew Thermal Coffee Maker: Best of all is it’s timed grinding and brewing feature. You wake up in the morning to the sound, smell and taste of the freshest ground coffee. This model is very tall and looks exceedingly modern with all of it’s stainless steel. You have to ensure you have enough space in your kitchen for the Grind & Brew – not only in terms of the overall length, but the lid, which is located on top, has to open to pour the water in. It has a thermal carafe, so it doesn’t burn your coffee and you can get warm coffee up to 2-hours later. It also uses charcoal water filters to clean the impurities out of your water. It has a 3-year limited warranty.

2. The Melitta Javapod One:One, Coffee Pod Machines: This is a space age looking coffee machine which makes one cup at a time. The only bummer with this type of coffee maker is it can’t be used in high elevations…or kaboom! It comes in five snazztacular colors: red, white, black, mango and kiwi. It makes one bold cup of coffee in about a minute. It can host many other brands of coffee pods, so you are not just stuck on one kind and it can also make tea. It has a 1-year limited warranty.

3. The Hamilton Beach Eclectrics Coffee Makers: These metal beauties come in the most fantastic modern-retro designs and colors. Colors really wow you with intensity. Think about this…we pick paint sometimes because we like the name and now you can pick a coffee maker for the same reason. The Eclectrics series comes in Intrigue Blue, Apple, Moroccan Red, Sugar (ok, this one’s white), Pineapple, Licorice (black) and Seabreeze. For color and design alone these coffee makers are snazzy, sexy and sensational. An added bonus is its warranty: 3 years, one of the best in the industry.

4. Kitchen Aid Pro Line 12-cup Coffee Makers: So you like coffee and you like lot’s of it. This machine will be your Godsend. It comes with a portable second warmer. This second warmer is great for those winter Sundays, where you can put it on your bedside table to read and drink coffee all day long, without having to get up. It is also great if you want to brew two types of coffee like decaf (it even comes with an orange lid) and regular at the same time. It’s made of die-cast metal, has a timer and a two temperature heat setting. For great tasting coffee this gem comes with a Ion exchange water filter. It has a 2-year warranty and if you, for some reason, get a replacement the replacement has a 2-year warranty.

5. Capresso CoffeeTEAM Luxe Coffee Maker : Capresso coffee and espresso machines are simply the crème de la crème of coffee makers. This pearl has a programmable grind and brew feature, it holds a quarter pound of coffee beans and it has a filter indicator to tell you when your water filter is pooched. It brews to over 200 degrees, so it really extracts the flavor from the beans. It has a one year warranty, but I doubt you will need it. It only comes in black or white.

There you have it, 5 snazzy, sexy and sensational coffee makers to make your kitchen smile with pride. Do yourself a favor, buy a good coffee maker. It will last longer and it looks good in your home…best of all your coffee will taste better.

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By: Kate Simpson

Kate Simpson is a freelance writer who contributes for the Coffee Bean Queen - http://www.coffeebeanqueen.com - a website offering information on everything from coffee beans to coffee makers and specialty coffee types.

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The Folly of Diet Recipes

Have you ever wondered why diet books always seem to have a section of recipes?
Apart from the desire to make the book look larger and therefore more worthwhile, why should we be so interested in studying foods and ways to serve it when we are trying to avoid it as much as possible?
It is inconceivable that we have reached adulthood without the basic skills to boil, bake, steam, or roast our food.
We all know that these are the only low fat methods we should be using on any diet. And whatever we eat, plainer is better to control calories.
So what are all these recipes doing in a book that is supposed to be redirecting our attention away from food?
Is it a case of mutual fool-yourself-time?
The diet authors know that unless their menus have taste, and enticing pictures or detailed ingredient lists, no one will select their plan and they'll lose money. In their real diet plan outline, they identify what is allowed and what is forbidden. Their recipe section might have been written by someone else. Certainly there are substitutions made to qualify as diet food but desserts, dips, and brunches?
We bury our heads in the sand, keep taunting ourselves with those addictive sweet flavors, and crow about the minimal number of calories in a serving of the dish (a thimbleful size - check the small print on how many people this little dish is supposed to serve).
Admit it, the only reason we crave recipes is to spice something up, to increase our pleasure and make the whole dieting task less painful. We can eat food plain without any fancy recipes but that would be no fun.
So we convince ourselves that all the stuff we are adding to our basics: low fat gravy, liquid margarine instead of butter, lemon and capers in place of tartar sauce, vinegar and oil rather than creamy Ranch, and a variety of sugar substitutes are all allowed in our plan so we might as well enjoy.
And then we are surprised and disappointed when the weight loss stops.
It must be my glands!

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By Virginia Bola, PsyD

Virginia Bola is a licensed psychologist and an admitted diet fanatic. She specializes in therapeutic reframing and the effects of attitudes and motivation on individual goals. The author of The Wolf at the Door: An Unemployment Survival Manual, and a free ezine, The Worker's Edge, she recently published a psychologically-based weight control e-workbook, "Diet with an Attitude" which develops mental skills towards the goal of permanent weight control. She can be reached at http://www.DietWithAnAttitude.com. She provides support and guidance in use of the workbook through her regular blog, http://dietwithanattitude.blogspot.com

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Dieting Effects – Alcohol

Dieting presents many complications if you are not fully committed to changing your lifestyle. Many people are more than willing to pick the parts of the diet that they are comfortable with, only to hang onto the bad habits that got them there in the first place.
Alcohol can play in important role in your diet more than just the added calories or carbohydrates:
Alcohol creates an acidic environment in your body. The kidneys have a hard time ridding your body of the waste and create problems in cellular function. You won’t get the most out of your body since it is concentrating on other functions that can be alleviated. If you smoke when you drink, it just adds more acid forming ash into the process.
Sleep patterns are affected by alcohol. Your body is not properly rested after a night of intoxicated sleep. Hangovers are the proof you need. If you are dieting, your body will need to work overtime. Alcohol doesn’t help the situation, and actually makes it worse.
Munchies. Most of us eat more when we drink. Our bodies become hungry because they need to balance out the consumption. Fruit just really doesn’t go that well with beer. How many late night pizzas have you had? They are tasty, but no good for your weight loss plan.
Alcohol impairs your judgment so you really don’t care about your diet. You’ll regret it in the morning, but you are just concerned about right now. Eat, drink, and be merry, and least for tonight.
Dehydration. Cotton mouth is the least of your problems. Muscle stiffness and lack of thought process might be more of a hindrance throughout the day.
Of course, it is acceptable to have a couple of social cocktails every now and then. But you need to close the gap on the separation of what you know you should do and what you want to do. That’s where dedication and motivation come into play. Get the most from your efforts by focusing them in the right place and sticking to your well-thought-out plan.
You do need to reward yourself for all of your good efforts, but don’t pick something that will reverse all the hard dieting goals you’ve met. Moderation is the key in losing weight, and alcohol is no different.

_________________

By Robb Ksiazek

Robb Ksiazek writes and publishes information on healthy diets and body at Body-Mass-Index-4U.com. He believes that taking care of your body now will provide longevity and fulfillment.

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Alcohol as a Key Ingredient to a Healthy Diet

Evidence suggesting that alcohol is "cardio-protective" first appeared in the literature about 30 years ago. The Framingham Heart Study [the longest running population study of heart disease which began in 1948] provided the first solid evidence of this association. The relationship has now been confirmed by dozens of large population ["epidemiological"] studies. However, physicians have been reluctant to recommend alcohol consumption to patients because of the well-known health consequences of excessive drinking [hypertension, liver disease, increased rates of cancer, violent or accidental death] and the horrors that are associated with "drinking and driving".

Moderation is the key. Many large studies have found that men and women who consume light to moderate amounts of alcohol per day live longer than those who abstain completely. The Physicians' Health Study involved long term follow-up of 89,300 men. The study found that men who drank five or six alcoholic drinks per week had a 20% lower risk of all-cause mortality than those who drank no alcohol. On the other hand, the same study showed that men who had more than two alcoholic drinks per day had a higher risk of death than nondrinkers. That means that, when drinking moderately, it appears to be quite beneficial; however, higher alcohol intake increases the risks of cancer and motor vehicle accidents so much as to overwhelm any cardiovascular benefits.

How does alcohol protect the heart? A large portion of the benefit may be attributable to increased levels of HDL ["good] cholesterol. Alcohol also has "antiplatelet" effects [making these natural blood elements less sticky and then less likely to clog arteries during plaque rupture] in much the same way as aspirin.

Moderate alcohol consumption may also help improve insulin resistance, which is just about one step below true diabetes and recognized as another independent predictor for cardiac risk. The Physicians' Health Study also showed that in subjects who consumed alcohol daily, the risk for heart disease was reduced by 60% in diabetic patients, compared to a 40% decrease in persons who did not have diabetes. Moderate alcohol intake also decreases blood values for CRP [C-reactive protein], a metabolic marker for inflammation (elevated when you are in an increased state of oxidative stress).

The jury is still out as to whether or not wine provides a better protective effect compared to other forms of alcohol. Red wine is rich in flavonoids, which slow down oxidation of LDL ["bad"] cholesterol [which is one of the last steps before it is deposited in your artery wall]. One recent study suggested that light drinkers who avoided wine reduce their risk of all-cause mortality by 10%, while light drinkers who preferred wine had more than a 30% decrease in this risk. However, other studies have found that all forms of alcohol [beer, whiskey, etc.] were equally protective.

It is important to emphasize that alcohol [of ANY kind!] should be limited to one drink daily for women and at most two drinks daily for men [this is based merely on general body size and nothing else]. One drink is defined as 1.5 oz of distilled spirits (such as whisky, gin, and vodka), 5 oz of wine, or 12 oz of beer. Patients who have liver disease, who have a personal or family history of alcohol abuse, or who cannot limit their intake in a responsible manner should NOT start! However, since "all things in moderation" is a good adage for much of life, others can enjoy a daily alcoholic drink as part of a generally healthy diet.

Disclaimer: If you are under 18, pregnant, nursing or have health problems, consult your physician before starting any weight loss plan. The information here is not intended as a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your physician before beginning any course of treatment.

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By John Rumberger, PhD

Dr. John Rumberger is the Author of The WAY Diet, The complete lifestyle plan to live longer, reduce stress, and lose weight the healthy way.

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Six Steps to Weight Loss Success

What does it take to lose weight?

When it comes to losing weight there is so much conflicting information out there that a lot of people just are not sure where to begin. There is an old saying that states "if you want learn how to get rich then hang out with rich people" Well, that old saying can also be applied if you want to lose weight. The bottom line is, if you want to lose weight follow the advice of those that have successfully done so. When it comes to reducing body fat, Bodybuilders are the Kings and Queens to losing weight. Although many of their practices are too extreme for most people, there are some great secrets that should be used by everyone. Before we begin we should first cover a few basic rules.
Rule number 1, there is no such thing as a magic pill! Yeah, I know that stinks but the facts are the facts. Although there are diet supplements and diet pills/ patches that will assist with weight loss they are not the magic solution. You will still need to add in a good diet and exercise program, which leads us into Rule Number 2.
Rule number 2, Proper diet and exercise is key. If you want to lose weight for the long term then you will need to have a good exercise and diet program. We will cover this more in detail later.
Rule number 3 encompasses both rules 1 and 2. For most people they just need to take the steps to safely increase their metabolism. Most people have slowed their metabolism down so much that they seem to not be able to lose weight even if they eat only once or twice a day.
Steps to increase your metabolism and burn unwanted body fat

Step 1: Drink a gallon water everyday
Most of us are already aware that our bodies are mostly made up of water. So much of it that approximately 65 percent of our bodies is water. The brain uses it, the organs, the skin, bones and even the way nutrients and waste are passed in and out of the cells. Drink too little water and you may be at risk for headaches, muscle cramps, dizziness, constipation and other nasty symptoms. However, if you drink an adequate amount of water you gain some great benefits such as a clearer mind, more energy and even help your body metabolize body fat.
As a general rule I try to start out at a gallon a day and move up from there. Yes it is difficult at first but in a short amount of time your body will adapt. I have also added an extra step to my water consumption by drinking it ice cold. You not only get the benefit of metabolizing body fat by drinking a gallon of water a day but you also get an extra benefit with cold water by expending more calories trying to warm it up.
How to prepare – get an empty one-gallon plastic milk carton (or water jug) and fill full of water and put it in the freezer the night before you need it. The next morning a wall of ice will form inside the milk carton. Take a butter knife and punch a hole through the top layer of ice. You now have an ice-cold water jug that you can carry with you throughout your day.

Step 2: Eat six (6) small meals a day
I know this sounds all wrong but I am going to paint a little picture for you to help you grasp this concept. Your body is a very adaptable machine that is going to adjust itself to survive as efficiently as possible. If you only eat one meal a day, large or small, your body will make adjustments according to your current caloric intake. In other words, if you are only eating once a day your body will want to store calories as fat so that it has an ample supply of energy to live off of before the next feeding. The less you eat the less your body is going to burn therefore slowing down your metabolism.
Now, that doesn’t mean you can eat six servings of fast food or junk throughout the day and lose weight. You need to live on a well-balanced diet that is full of protein, fruits and vegetables and good carbohydrates (yams, brown rice, oat meal, etc…). Does this mean you have to give up junk food and sweets? Nope, this leads us into our next step.

Step 3: Add a cheat meal to your diet
As stated earlier your body is an amazing machine. Not only is your body going to do what it can to insure its survival, it will also try to maintain balance by adapting to its environment. In other words, if you eat the same thing day in and day out your body will eventually adapt to your current caloric intake by adjusting your metabolism. For example, if you were eating 2000 calories a day and dropped down to 1500 calories a day, your body will eventually adjust your metabolism to efficiently run on 1500 calories a day.
The key is to trick your body and keep it guessing. One of the greatest, and most fun I might add, tricks used by bodybuilders is to add a cheat meal to their diet. For one meal a week you can go hog wild and eat whatever your heart desires, whether it be pizza, ice-cream or a meal full of Snickers. Now I understand there are those that would prefer to eat a cleaner diet so for them I recommend that they just double their carbohydrate intake one to two full days out of the week (this is what I actually did when preparing for bodybuilding contest)
The real asset of the cheat meal is that it keeps you honest with your diet. If your cheat meal is on Saturday and Wednesday your getting a really bad pizza craving, you can simply convince yourself to stay on track by reminding yourself that in three more days you can have whatever you want. Pushing your cravings off to your cheat meal date becomes a little goal for you to achieve while allowing you to maintain your sanity.

Step 4: Change diet later in day
As your day progresses you will want to shift your diet from the more complex carbohydrates such as rice, potatoes and bread to more fibrous carbohydrates such as broccoli and other vegetables. The fibrous carbohydrates take longer to burn and you will not have to worry about spiking your insulin levels before you go to bed. Once exception to this rule is if you are working out in the evenings. In this case you will need to take an adequate amount of carbohydrates for your workout.
*Note: A good diet program should be designed for each individual. I would recommend consulting with a good nutritionist to be put on a diet program that works for you.

Step 5: Cardio in the morning
A successful weight loss routine involves both diet and exercise. If you are looking for long-term results, one does not go without the other. If you avoid doing either one or the other, you may experience some short-term success followed by long-term frustration. A great example of this is to watch people who are always doing the yo-yo diets. They lose weight one week only to gain it back plus some a few weeks later. Hey, we have all done this so keep in mind that both exercise and diet is the key to long-term success.
One trick that I have found works is to do your cardio workouts in the morning. Ideally I would walk on the treadmill or stair stepper at a moderate pace for 45 minutes in the morning (moderate pace meaning that I was breaking a good sweat but could maintain a conversation if necessary (Too fast of a pace and you will burn carbohydrates instead of fat). The benefits to this are that you not only increase your metabolism for the day you also will feel better too.
Even though I appear to have been stressing the benefits of a good cardio program, it would be irresponsible of me to not also point out the benefits of weight training. Simply put, the more lean muscle mass you have the more calories your body will burn. I highly recommend you consider adding a weight resistant workout to your body fat reduction arsenal.

Step 6: Supplements
I would like to stress that diet supplements are a tool to help you reach your goal. Supplements alone are not a magic pill that will give you instant results. However, that being said, a good diet supplement added to a solid diet and workout program will help accelerate your results.

Tying it all together
I have personally used these six weight-losing principles to help me reduce unwanted body fat to win several bodybuilding contests. For example, I applied these exact principles to reduce my body fat from 28 percent to less than five percent in a six and a half month period. Although some of the diet practices applied for a bodybuilding show may be extreme, these six principles can be applied and adjusted for everyone looking to reduce body fat. In conclusion and to recap, the six basic steps to weight loss success is to drink a gallon of ice cold water a day, eat six small meals a day verses the traditional large three, add a cheat meal to your diet program, adjust your carbohydrate intake towards the end of the day, do cardio workouts in the morning and finally add supplements as a tool to your diet and workout program.

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By Gerald Gore

Gerald Gore is the owner of the online fitness review site One4Fitness. For more health and fitness related tips and reviews on workout equipment visit Gerald’s site at http://www.one4fitness.com.

More about → Six Steps to Weight Loss Success

Busy Mum's Guide to Losing Weight

Hormonal changes during pregnancy, and quite normal fat gain often makes many women feel unattractive and sometimes quite depressed. Many women still believe that “eating for two” is the way to go during pregnancy. I am sorry if I disappoint some of you, but this really is not the case. If a woman eats to satisfy her appetite, her weight will usually increase by about 3.5kg (8lb) in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy and then by about 0.5kg (1lb) a week until the end of the pregnancy. The total weight gain during pregnancy will be about 12.5kg (27lb). Gaining too much weight during pregnancy can raise blood pressure and increases the risk of becoming obese (very overweight) in the future. Although women should not restrict their food intake or go on slimming diets when pregnant, there is no need to increase food intakes significantly until late pregnancy. Incidentally, those who do gain weight over and above what is normal are the ones who struggle most with post-pregnancy weight loss, and fatigue.
LATE PREGNANCY

The estimated averaged requirement for energy (EAR) increases during the last three months of pregnancy by an average of 800kJ (200kcal) per day... equivalent to 2 oatcakes with ricotta cheese and fruit spread and 2 dried figs - a snack like this would provide extra iron and calcium too – 2 vital nutrients to increase during these latter stages! At this time a woman’s energy expenditure from physical activity is usually reduced.
So what can you do to lose any unwanted pounds gained during pregnancy?
For new mums!The most natural, safest and easiest way to lose weight after giving birth is to breastfeed! Breastfeeding can burn up to 500 calories a day (the equivalent of a good workout) so helps drop excess pounds and enables many women to get back to their pre-pregnancy weight without too much effort.
Breastfeeding not only gives your baby the best possible start in life, but it also gives you added incentive to eat healthily and sensibly. Breast milk is not only the perfect food for your baby; it is also your baby’s main protection against disease and infection. Baby’s first milk or “colostrum” provides vital IgA antibodies (the first-line defence antibodies) received in the first 24-48 hours of life! These are not found in formula milks. Naturally the health of the mother is paramount in passing on healthy immunity to the child. Many protective antibodies are “anti-allergenic” protecting the baby against developing food allergies, asthma, eczema and other allergic conditions. Breast milk has the perfect fat and protein profile for the baby, and nutrients such as iron and manganese are much more absorbable in breast milk than they are in formula milks. Furthermore, only breast milk contains chromium (essential for controlling blood sugar levels), selenium (an important antioxidant), and normal levels of essential fatty acids (EFAs), which are vital for the baby’s brain development. Lastly, breast-feeding helps to establish a protective bacterial population in the infant’s digestive tract – yes, those “friendly bacteria” we hear so much about!
During the early weeks of motherhood… breastfeeding, regular daily walks, and “intelligent” eating is the way to go.

N.B. DO NOT DIET WHILE BREAST FEEDING

Fat cells contain toxins and nasty “residues” of foods eaten in previous years! Losing weight too quickly releases these stored toxins into the bloodstream. Often the liver cannot clear them quickly enough, and for breast-feeding Mums, these can easily be transported into breast milk. Remember you’ll gradually lose weight quite naturally if you can breast feed. Dieting only reduces the nutrient quality of your breast milk, reduces the level of sugar in the blood and the level of certain brain chemicals. This leads to binge eating and mood changes - so DO NOT diet, especially while breastfeeding!
You must look after yourself…In order to give your baby the best start in life, the first consideration has to be the food you eat. It is important to have an adequate intake of nutrients, particularly the B vitamins, zinc and EFAs. Foods such as oily fish, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, avocados, almonds etc. contain all these types of nutrients making them excellent snack foods or additions to salads, soups and stir-fries. The quest to cut down on calories by avoiding all fatty foods generally results in a deficiency of EFAs, which are vital to the body’s metabolism.
Suggested meals and eating times for pregnant or breast-feeding Mums:
7-8am - Breakfast (Oat porridge with soya milk, chopped banana + pumpkin seeds or ground linseeds)

10-11am - Snack (a pear and 6-8 almonds)

1-2pm - Light Lunch (Small baked sweet potato with tuna, tomato, avocado and salad)

4-5pm - Snack (fresh fruit, rice cakes and fruit spread)

7-8pm - Evening meal (poached fish or grilled chicken, salad, steamed veg & brown rice)

Other snacks (nut and seed mix, fresh fruit, raw crudités and ricotta dip)
N.B. Try almond or rice milk occasionally on homemade cereal. Use Tahini (sesame seed spread) or almond butter on breads & crackers, pure fruit spreads instead of jams, and use cold flax seed oil (rich in omega-3 fats) daily. Other beneficial oils include olive oil for cooking, and using cold walnut oil and pumpkin seed oil on salads, rice and vegetables.
In terms of portion sizes, work more to your natural appetite, and begin to better recognise TRUE hunger signals. If you think of hunger on a scale of 1-10, only eat when feeling about 2/3, and STOP when you feel satisfied, around 7-8. This “appetite scale” is a key tool and one I often use when helping people with weight problems and “emotional” eating – i.e. eating to fill an emotional void, rather than purely for fuelling reasons!
Dietary advise for all MumsWatch your sugars! Sugar is a major culprit in weight gain and obesity. Being hooked on sugar and sugary foods is easily passed on to children and a recipe for developing blood sugar and energy imbalances, behavioural and weight problems. Biscuits, cakes, chocolate bars, processed foods and low-fat foods contain the most “hidden” sugars. Read food labels carefully, and try and get you and your children used to more natural foods and natural sugars. Natural sweetness is present in many fresh foods. Try doing taste tests with the children, identifying different flavours and degrees of “sweetness” in fruit and vegetables, dried figs, apricots and raisins. Use honey used in cooking or drizzled on plain yogurt! Eat up to 4 pieces of fruit a day and encourage your children to do the same. Fruit such as bananas, apples, pears and berries in the summer are great snack foods to have between meals. Get out of the habit of giving sweets or sweet food as treats. This only becomes a learned habit and one, which you were probably taught as a child! Sweet things soon become something we turn to when feeling low or depressed, or something we often reward ourselves with. Try also not to use high fat and sugary snacks to fight boredom. Engage the children in a game, or take a trip to the park.
Healthy snack foodsIt is OK to snack, providing a) that you are hungry and b) the foods that you snack on are nutritious. There are some good examples below! Protein foods eaten as snacks tend to fire up the metabolism more effectively than carbohydrate dense foods such as bread, biscuits, scones, flapjacks and cake. These are not the best foods for maintaining energy levels or burning fat due to the disruptive effect they have on blood sugar levels, and the ease at which excess is eventually stored in fat cells as FAT! Slow-releasing carbohydrates (fresh vegetables and wholegrains, and low-sugar fruits) and protein foods better balance blood sugar, promote energy and help to burn fat.
Here are some perfect examples of small snacks and meals to give you energy and kick-start the metabolism:
An apple or pear and a palmful of almonds

Other fresh fruit with a handful of pumpkin or sunflower seeds

2 oatcakes with mashed avocado, or Tahini spread

A tuna or poached salmon salad

Aduki bean and chickpea salad with lettuce and tomatoes

Vegetable crudités and hummus

A bowl of chunky homemade vegetable soup

Stir-fry tofu or chicken and vegetables

Feeding children healthy snack foods is critical to develop good eating habits. It also means that if you are tempted to finish off leftovers, at least they will be healthy leftovers!
Great snack foods for the children (and Mum!):Mini rice cakes thinly spread with almond butter or pure fruit spread. A few strawberries, pieces of pear or some grapes.Carrot sticks and cherry tomatoes.Popcorn - instead of crisps - use olive oil over high heat. Sprinkle some whole corn kernels into a pan. Cover and wait for the popping to finish. Empty pan immediately to avoid burning.Yogurt lollies - Mix fruit juice concentrate with natural yogurt to desired taste and freeze in lolly moulds.
With children, it is better to give a couple of alternatives for snacks or foods at meal times, rather than saying “What would you like? Offer them an apple or a banana when they come in from school or nursery. Children need your authority (not your lack of willpower!). Lay the lunch or dinner table with 2 or 3 choices of things they can eat, and use lots of colours and shapes.
Children’s health and vitality largely comes from the food they eat. By teaching your children to eat healthy, nutritious foods, you will also be teaching or re-training yourself to understand how diet can make all the difference when it comes to looking and feeling your best!
Dietary advice for MumsEat regularly, 4-5 times a day.Eat 4-5 pieces of fruit a day.Keep sugars and refined carbohydrates to an absolute minimum.Avoid carbohydrate-dense foods such as bread, scones, biscuits etc. during the day.Snack on fresh fruit, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, walnuts, ½ an avocado etc. All these foods keep blood sugar levels stable, reduce sweet cravings, and nuts and seeds contain EFA’s. Remember, EFA’s are essential for normal metabolic functioning and remove stored fat from fat cells.Try and eat fish as a main meal at least 3 times a week.Drink at least 2 litres (3 ½ pints) of filtered tap water a day.Don’t eat late, especially not a high fat, high calorie meal.Eat a large bowl of fresh salad everyday.Cut right back on tea and coffee and avoid all together if breast-feeding.
Suggested meals and eating times if you want to lose weight:
7-8am - Breakfast (Chopped apple & pear, live plain yogurt + 1 dessert spoon of seeds)

10-11am - Snack (2 oatcakes with Tahini spread)

1-2pm - Light Lunch (large salad with tuna, tomato and avocado)

4-5pm - Snack (1-2 pieces of fruit)

7-8pm - Evening meal (steamed or grilled fish, tofu or chicken, salad, steamed veg & 1 tbsp. wholegrain or basmati rice)

Other snacks (peaches, raw carrot, olives, celery and tomato)

N.B. Try soya or goat’s milk on cereal. Use dairy-free spreads such as Vitaquell margarine or Tahini (sesame seed spread) on bread & crackers, pure fruit spreads instead of jams, and try flax seed oil (rich in omega-3 fats), sesame oil, or walnut oil on salads, rice and vegetables.
Some exercise advice when you’ve found your “me time”!!! Exercise (coupled with a healthy eating regime) makes all the difference when trying to regain pre-pregnancy, or simply an ideal weight and shape. Exercising regularly can be difficult with babies and young children… BUT, it is not impossible!
Keeping fit and toned creates a happier person, a happier Mum, and happier children. Surely that’s incentive enough! Staying active with energetic children is easy, and at the same time it’s helping keep the metabolic rate active. However, to really burn excess fat, it’s necessary to literally “train” the body to do this. Regular cardiovascular exercise that significantly raises the heart rate has to be a major consideration when wanting to lose weight. The sooner you can start a regular programme of aerobic activity the better.
Brisk or power walking, jogging, steady cycling, mountain biking, aerobics classes, step classes or swimming are great examples of cardiovascular activities that are particularly effective at teaching the body to better burn body fat. Try these exercises for 30 minutes 3-4 times a week if possible. It is important to take time out for yourself, so don’t feel guilty about doing this. Husbands, partners, parents, friends etc. can watch the kids while you go for a 30 minute brisk walk, a gym workout, a swim, or continue with your favourite exercise class. Alternatively, crèches nowadays are very accessible and a ‘haven’ for many busy Mums. They can be very useful, and a great opportunity for your child to begin interacting with other young children.
Sitting at home is a recipe for eating too much so try and spend as much time being active with your children. Weather permitting, spend time in the garden or park, go walking, and involve yourself and your child in activities such as throwing and catching a ball, swimming or tennis.
Pelvic floor exercises - essential after giving birth! Try and perform some “pelvic floor” strengthening exercises. These can be done literally anywhere and at any time of the day. The pelvic floor muscles become weakened after pregnancy so need to be worked in order to avoid embarrassing “leaking”! The easiest way to do this is to imagine you’re desperately trying to stop the flow of urine. Squeeze the muscles upwards, HOLD for 30 seconds, and then release. Complete this exercise up to 20 times, twice a day if you feel these muscles have become weak. It is also important to re-strengthen weak abdominal muscles. Abdominal curls are one of the best exercises to tone and flatten the abdomen, so try and do a couple of sets after your 30 minute aerobic sessions. With any exercise, perform the movements slowly and in a controlled way, working to the point of “muscular fatigue” (i.e. the last few are hurting!).
Tips to remember* Be active as much as possible* Take time out for yourself* Try and routinely do 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise 3-4 times a week* Cut out sugar and sugary foods* Get used to naturally sweetened foods such as figs and grapes, and raw vegetables such as carrots and tomatoes* Replace desserts with fresh fruit or have a salad starter instead* Avoid carbohydrate dense foods throughout the day* Drink part fruit juice and part water to increase fluid intake* If you’re a new Mum, remember breast is best for natural weight loss!

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By Lucy-Ann Prideaux

Lucy-Ann Prideaux MSc BSc RNutr Registered Nutritionist

More about → Busy Mum's Guide to Losing Weight