A Soda a Day: How is it Affecting Your Weight?

Many people limit themselves to one soda a day especially those looking for a quick sugar or caffeine boost. However, new research shows that daily soda may be affecting your weight more than you think. A recent study in the Journal of American Medical Association showed that women who drink soda or fruit punch every day gain weight quickly and face a significant risk of type II diabetes.

The study which analyzed more than 50,000 American nurses found that those who drank just one serving of soda or fruit punch a day tended to gain more weight than those who drank less than one a month. One serving is equivalent to one 12-ounce can of soda or one 8-ounce cup of fruit punch. The bottles of soda and fruit punches you find most often in vending machines are often 2-3 servings, which make these findings even more important since many people may be taking in more than one serving a day.

Over an average of four years, researchers found that the women who gained the most weight were those who increased their intake of regular sodas or fruit punch from one or fewer per week to one or more per day. Such women gained an average of 10.3 pounds, compared with an average of slightly less than three pounds for those who consumed one drink or less per week.

In addition, those who had one or more drinks containing sugar or corn syrup per day were 83 percent more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than those who drank less than one such drink per month. It is also interesting to note that Type 2 Diabetes rose by 60% between 1990-2001.

The findings in this study suggest that there is something especially unhealthy about calories consumed in liquid form, said Caroline M. Apovian of the Boston University School of Medicine, who wrote an editorial accompanying the findings.

"It seems that when you drink your calories as opposed to eating them, your body may not sense that you've just taken in those calories and your appetite doesn't seem to compensate," Apovian said. "The appetite circuit might not be programmed to register liquid calories."

The take home lesson is use soda as a once in awhile treat but avoid drinking them every day for your health's sake.

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By Meri Raffetto
Meri Raffetto is a Registered Dietitian and a recognized professional in the area of nutrition and wellness. She is the owner of Real Living Nutrition Services providing online weight loss programs. Sign up for her free monthly newsletter to receive nutrition tips, healthy recipes, and more at http://www.reallivingnutrition.com

© Meri Raffetto, 2005

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Rating The Diets: A Mindless Exercise?

There has been a recent surge in the experts weighing in (pun intended) on popular and celebrity diets to rate them in terms of effectiveness, nutritional adequacy, and balance. Look at the latest crop of magazines, Internet news reports, and television specials.

What is a semi-motivated would-be dieter to do?

Every diet listed seems to give rise to a chorus of criticism. Either it contains too few fruits and vegetables, not enough fiber, not enough fat, or too few calories. The glycemic index is too high or too low, the nutritional content of its staples are not good enough, there is too much or too little of something.

Who rates what we are eating now? We simply pig out on everything from pizza, to fast food, to snacks (did you know that potato chips are the most popular snack food in America - accompanying 32% of our lunches?), desserts, ice cream and beer.

While it would be nice, I suppose, to have a population who ate only healthy foods, in moderation, exercised daily, and took care to ingest at least the minimum requirement of vitamins and minerals, that is not reality, my friend. We overeat on all the wrong foods, we avoid regular exercise like the plague, and huff and puff our way into enlarged bodies that are twenty to fifty pounds heavier than our frames deserve.

Any way that we can take off some or all of that weight is worthwhile. No one is going to stay on any of the popular diets for a lifetime, let's face it. We look at them as temporary (which is part of the problem, but I digress) fixes. The last thing we need are experts who make us afraid to start because we might not be obtaining the right nutrition. Or do we take a certain degree of self-satisfaction in telling ourselves that we can't start until the "perfect diet" is identified?

Are we eating the right way without a diet? No, our nutrition is still deplorable, it's just that we are eating a lot of everything. Let's have at least one expert come out and truthfully report that no matter the deficiencies of any specific diet - going on it is absolutely better than eating the way we are now!

Let's get our collective weight down, and then start worrying about nutrition and health. Diabetes, heart attacks, and gall bladders care a lot less about what we eat than how much.

Start a diet, ANY diet, and follow through for a few weeks and I guarantee you'll be in a much better place, physically and mentally, to start looking after your health and long term fitness than when hemmed in by too much blubber, reading scare stories from the media about how your intended diet is somehow unbalanced.

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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 is currently working on a psychologically-based weight control book: Diet with an Attitude. She can be reached at http://dietwithanattitude.blogspot.com

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Weight Loss Tips - Lose Weight with the South Beach Diet

It's the American Dream: "If I could just lose a little bit of weight..." The problem for many Americans is that they fall quickly into the trends. They've tried it all: the workout videos, the "as seen on T.V." gadgets, the low-carb cookbooks, the three-day diet, celery, melons, and green tea. The problem for many is that without a serious change of lifestyle, “fads” is all there is. In reality, the only way to lose the weight and keep it off is to change your lifestyle.

The South Beach Diet is a unique way to not only jump start your weight loss program, but also develop healthy eating habits that will continue to help you lose weight, and most importantly, keep it off. The place that a lot of diets and programs fail is with the promise of fast weight loss. Most of these plans can deliver the results that their subscribers expect. The problem is that once they have seen the results that they want, they fall back into their old habits and the weight quickly returns.

With the South Beach Diet, there are three clear stages to help you build a healthy program, whether you are obese, or just a little bit overweight. During the first stage of your weight loss program, all carbohydrates are restricted. This stage lasts for only two weeks, after which (during stage two) restricted items are slowly introduced back into your diet. During the first stage of the South Beach Diet, you can expect to see a weight loss of about eight to fourteen pounds.

During the second stage you will continue to lose weight at a healthy rate of about two pounds a week. The final stage is called maintenance, and is not just a weight loss program, but a way of life.

With this transition into maintenance, you will have built a new lifestyle that will not only combat obesity, but will help you to maintain a healthy way of life. The South Beach Diet is not just a fad for those who are looking to lose ten pounds of water weight. Anyone can use the diet to build and maintain healthy weight loss goals, and keep off extra pounds. There are tons of valuable resources online, including recipes, how to plans, and tips to make the healthy transition from your current eating habits to the South Beach Diet. In a matter of minutes, you can have all the resources you need to lose weight, feel more energized, and be on your way to an all around healthier lifestyle.

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By Carrie Reeder

Carrie Reeder is the owner of eZerk, an informational website with articles and the latest news about various topics.

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Weight Loss Tips: Get Free and Effective Weight Loss Tips!

Looking for Diet Programs on net is like looking for water in an Ocean. But trust me, looking for good Diet Program is like finding a pearl in the ocean. Me and my team have traveled from shore to shore and short listed few highly effective diet programs and weight loss programs. But, no matter what Diet Program we choose for ourselves, we have to be careful about our normal diet habits. This helps us a lot in shedding off the weight and keeps us healthy and happy.

Here are some effective weight loss tips for all kinds of weight watchers.

1) Metabolic rate is one thing which is very crucial. Metabolism is a process by which the body burns the calories and convert them into useful energy. High metabolic rate uses up the energy stored in the form of fat.
Know more about Metabolism and how to increase Metabolism at http://www.weightloss-health.com/Metabolism.htm

2) Exercise Regularly. Building muscles also burns the extra calories and helps in keeping you fit.

3) Don't rush in. Lose weight slowly and continuously . Advisable limit is 1-2 lbs per week.

4) Drink plenty of water. It cleans up your body, makes your digestion good and increases your metabolism.

5) Have Low Fat Diets. Avoid oily stuff.

6) Studies have shown children of over-weight parents specially mothers are more like to be obese by the age of 6. Read more about the study at http://www.weightloss-health.com/Obese_mothers_kids.htm

To get more weight loss tips and inside facts about weight loss, visit http://www.weightloss-health.com/Weight%20loss%20tips.htm

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By Jasdeep Singh

Jasdeep: for http://weightloss-health.com/ your complete and most comprehensive family guide on Health.
Also get free tips and tricks on weight loss and a chance to go through other informative articles targetting various health issues at http://weightloss-health.com/Articles.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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Diet & Weight Loss Tips: How To Stop Eating Junk Food By Finding Your Craving Hour

Even if you’re not overweight, you still could have a junk food craving; especially if you’re cooped up in an office building, working 9-5 and not exactly having the best day.

If you’re like almost anyone else, you’ve probably had your share of cravings for some kind of excitement or satisfaction in the form of junk food. It’s all around us, and once you try it, it’s so easy to end up wanting it again. After all, there aren’t many things in this world which can compare to the relaxing, creamy, sensual experience of chocolate.

So, what are you and I to do? I have the same problem to deal with because I like Whatchamacallit bars and a good cheeseburger every now and then. Ideally, the solution is to gather together all the will power you have, and force yourself to stay away from junk-foods for at least one week and begin doing cardiovascular exercise 5 days a week.

Well, too bad. Not everyone has time to do that, – especially people like us who have to do the 9-5 day just to put food on the table – so we need another solution… something you can do more gradually, and without taking up much time.

You must identify your junk-food hours. Start by putting an index card in your wallet or purse. Keep track of times in the day when you really want to hit the candy machine, coke machine, or the bags full of crunchy potato chips – anything that interferes with your good eating habits. For many of us, this time is usually mid-afternoon, but for others like me, it’s around 10pm-12am. Oh yeah… what a bad time to load up on carbs!

Track your self for a week using the notecard. If you have time, please share your progress or your life with us over at PhenForum.com. We really need more members to help our community flourish. If you’re up for it, expect a warm welcome!

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By Ian Mason

Ian Mason, owner of PhenForum.com, your source for weight loss support and diet tips.
Ian studies health, weight loss, exercise, and several martial arts; maintaining several websites in an effort to help provide up-to-date and helpful information for other who share his interests in health of body and mind.

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On A Weight Loss Plan -- Lose Even More!

Plan to eat two to three hours and pack health snacks to go. People who skip meals, especially breakfast, are more likely to be obese. Eating small, frequent meals helps keep blood glucose levels consistent and minimizes the impulse to overeat. "To-go snack options include a mix of dried fruits and nuts, fresh fruits, cut-up veggies or yogurt.

Add flax seed. Most supermarkets sell milled flax seed. I put two tablespoons of milled flax seed in a glass of orange juice and it makes me feel full all day. It has fat, but it's a good fat.

Substitute with whole-grain foods. Foods that are rich in whole grains, such as oatmeal, brown rice and whole-grain cereals, are better alternatives than their starchy counterparts, including white rice, white bread and sugared cereals. Not only will you cut fat and calories, but whole grains have been proven to help reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.

Are you a fast-food junkie? If you love French fries, you don't have to give them up, just order a smaller size -a large fries is 520 calories, but a small fries is only 230 calories. Swap a Big Mac (560 calories) for a plain hamburger (260 calories).

Try having just a little bit less. If you decrease the amount of peanut butter you use from 3 tablespoons to 1 tablespoon, you'll save 200 calories. Then play a game of tennis and burn 328 calories in an hour.

Revise your afternoon snack attach. Swap 10 small rice cakes for a snack bag of potato chips and save 400 calories. Or swap an apple (80 calories) for a large chocolate chip cookie (220 calories.) Trade your 12-ounce can of soda (150 calories) for diet cola or iced tea with sugar substitute (0 calories) or water. Reducing soda intake may be a good long-term change as well: 2 cans at 300 calories a day for 365 days is 100,800 calories a year. Wow!

Plan a healthy meal and lose. Sauté vegetables, meat or chicken in broth (1 calorie per tablespoon) or use non-stick cooking spray instead of oil, margarine, or butter and save 120 calories. Top a baked potato with 2 tablespoons of salsa (30 calories) or non-fat sour cream (30 calories) instead of butter (100 calories) or regular sour cream (120 calories), and avoid 70 to 90 calories. Steam veggies with some flavored vinegar instead of sautéing in fat, and save 100 calories.

Dump the dressing. Instead of a Caesar salad, substitute salad with lots of veggies and 2 tablespoons of non-fat salad dressing, balsamic vinegar, flavored vinegar or lemon juice, and you'll knock off at least 220 calories.

Have a craving for pasta? Don't ignore it, indulge! But have fettuccine pomodoro (with tomato sauce), not Alfredo (with cream sauce), and save 500 calories. Cut your portion size in half and save even more.

Skip the red meat occasionally. For dinner, have shrimp instead of steak: 20 boiled shrimp equal 106 calories versus a 5-ounce steak at 470 -- 364 fewer calories. After eating, walk the dog for a half hour and burn 82 calories.

Beware of prepared or microwave meats. They often have high calorie and sodium levels, so read labels carefully. Instead of choosing a breaded sole-fillet dinner (430 calories), opt for a frozen yellowfin tuna steak (168 calories) and save 262 calories. Take the kids out for a game of miniature golf and burn 285 calories.

Don't give up dessert. Just swap your Ben & Jerry's Cherry Garcia Low Fat Yogurt Pop (260 calories) for a half cup of Cherry Garcia Frozen Yogurt (170 calories) and save 90 calories.

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By: Susan Rutter -- Publisher, Nutritionist, and Instructor who assists patients and the public make healthy choices and changes in their lives. Web Site: Healthy YOUbbies http://www.geocities.com/healthyoubbies/

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Yoga As An Aid To Weight Loss

Yoga is wonderful for nurturing a state of mental and physical well being . It promotes a balanced and healthy lifestyle, and yoga techniques can be applied also to removing excess weight, thus bringing you an extra benefit, that is if being overweight is a problem to you.

Practicing yoga will increase your metabolism. An increased metabolism leads to an increase in the calorie burning process, so combining yoga with a calorie burning program may bring you excellent results. Of course, the use of yoga is no rapid weight loss method. Used over a period of time, though, it can bring good results. If you keep to the rigours imposed by yoga discipline, you should gain a holistic, long term solution to balance your life style and help you reduce and prevent any surplus weight. In addition to losing weight, you will also experience an increased ability to concentrate and focus, higher resistance to stress factors, and overall a healthier way of life.

Let me just explain a little more about how yoga will benefit you. Your metabolism is regulated by the thyroid, a component of the endocrine system. The thyroid is responsible for the chemical processes in your body that transform food into energy. Yoga uses a series of twisting poses that stimulate the work flow of the internal organs, thus boosting metabolism. This in turn burns more calories, and reduces your body weight. Improved local blood circulation is another direct effect of the use of yoga postures, which leads to a healthier, more energetic body. When the calorie intake is lower than the calorie output, your body will start burning fat cells to acquire the necessary energy. A perfectly healthy and strong metabolism takes this process even further, and you may well see better results than traditional weight loss formulas.

To stimulate metabolism, various back bends and forward bends are used. Poses that affect the neck area, where the thyroid gland is situated, are particularly helpful if the weight problem is caused by a hormonal imbalance. These poses can be those of the camel, rabbit, plow, bridge and shoulder stand. Moving quickly between a series of poses can accelerate the process. To those who are well overweight, some of the bends may prove to be a difficult. If you fall into that category, don't despair. You should gradually increase the difficulty of the postures until you have the confidence to go to more complex exercises. This is not a test or a competition; you need to be relaxed and at ease, and just do what you can. Each time, you will probably find it that much easier, and you can do a little more.

To strengthen muscles, you use standing poses, such as the warrior. The use of standing poses will aid a higher level of endurance, and an increased caloric output. You may energize the body and increase your metabolism even more by using Kapalabhati and Ujjayi Pranayama.

A good diet should also be followed to support this holistic weight loss system. You should try to eat foods that are rich in fibre, vegetables, fruit, whole grains, while eating less high fat and processed food items. Balance is essential in all matters concerning your diet. variety is good, as is modest consumption.

A gradual approach is essential with all yoga practices. Do not expect results to be spectacular and immediate, but this is one of the best long term weight loss methods available. In addition to weight loss, you can also benefit from an increased protection against adverse factors through your improved immune system and sense of well being. Hopefully, too, you will feel an inner peace that will assist you in losing weight without succumbing to all the pressures and temptations.

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By Roy Thomsitt

Roy Thomsitt is owner and part author of http://www.routes-to-self-improvement.com

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