Friday, March 31, 2006

Weight Loss Tips - Weight Loss Problems Gone Forever

Imagine if you would for a moment your weight loss problems gone forever. What would your life be like? What kinds of things would you be able to do as a result?

If you were not overweight you might discover what sitting comfortably in a movie theater chair might feel like, or what it would be like to take a long walk with your grandchildren or enjoy the excitement of participating again in your favorite sport. Even your daily routine of toileting, showering and simply getting dressed would be greatly improved.

Continue to imagine...what kind of dreams could you be fulfilling if weight was no longer a concern for you? How would you feel about yourself? How much money would you save? Imagine never again having to worry about gaining weight or losing weight. On top of that imagine being able to eat all you want and never worry about your weight!

You Can Lose Weight And Always Keep?It Off!

I know it sounds too good to be true. However, it's entirely possible to have all that and more. Eating a delicious whole foods, plant based diet can give you all that, plus the added benefit of promoting excellent health. According to T. Colin Campbell, Author of The China Study, a whole foods, plant based diet reduces your risks of heart disease, diabetes, arteriosclerosis, cancer and many other common diseases.

Obesity Is A Huge Problem

We all know obesity is a huge problem in America today. Yet, there's probably not one obese person who enjoys being that way. You don't need the statistics to tell you that 2 out of 3 adults in America are overweight; all you need to do is look around at your friends, family, church members and coworkers.

In 2002 American medical care costs related to obesity were listed at $100 billion dollars. Yes, that's billion! And believe it or not, that's $30 billion dollars more than was spent in 1999. Doesn't it seem absurd that we spend billions of dollars each year on medical care related to obesity when there are millions of starving children in our world! Promoting The Problem

It is unfortunate that we have a system that promotes obesity. Obesity is promoted by the "super size it", "more is better", and "I want it now" mentalities. On top of that, to solve the weight gain problems that our system encourages, the same system promotes "quick fix" weight loss solutions: diet drinks and foods, fad diets, calorie counting, carb counting and food exchange gimmicks.

Now The Solution

Life does not have to be this way. You can experience freedom from weight loss issues and enjoy the best health of your life! You can eliminate all the worries and the guilt associated with wrong eating. You can make eating a joy and a pleasure not a mathematical equation. According to Dr. Campbell, research has shown over and over again that vegetarians and vegans (people who eat no animal products) are typically significantly slimmer than those who eat the standard American diet. In one study overweight subjects were told to eat all they wanted of foods that were mostly low-fat, whole food and plant-based. In three weeks the subjects on average lost 17 pounds each.

Vegetarian Versus Whole, Plant Based Foods

I need to give a word of clarification here. One can be a vegetarian and still be overweight. What happens is some vegetarians simply replace meats with refined grains, pastas, breads and sweets. A whole food, plant-based diet is the key to weight loss and an ongoing healthy lifestyle.

You can eat all you want of plant based foods in their natural forms, i.e. foods that have not been or have been very minimally processed. Some examples would be fresh raw fruits and vegetables, soaked nuts and seeds (not raw or roasted), brown rice, oat groats, various legumes and beans. Examples of foods that don't fit the whole food criteria are breads, pastries, milk, cheese, products with refined sugars or artificial sweeteners, canned fruits, soups, and vegetables etc.

Making the transition to preparing delicious whole food dishes can be challenging at first. An excellent resource for helping you to do so is Rita Romano's recipe book, Dining In The Raw-. Another great resource is Hallelujah Acres at www.hacres.com .

Make Exercise Part Of Your Plan

We all know that exercise promotes weight loss. One study suggests that only 15 to 45 minutes of exercise a day will result in maintaining a body weight that is 11 to 18 pounds lighter than it otherwise would be. However, that's not the whole story. There is also some scientific evidence that suggests that vegetarians have on average a higher metabolic rate, meaning they burn more of their ingested calories rather than depositing them to fat. In another study, rats on mainly a vegetarian diet chose to exercise more than rats on a high animal protein diet.

You Have A Choice

Obesity and weight loss issues affect millions of people in our nation each year. Largely these problems can be eliminated with the proper education and attitude about what kind of foods promote health. Being overweight is not a problem that will ever be corrected by a diet program or a diet drink! Dr. Campbell says, "the diet that helps to reduce weight in the short run needs to be the same diet that creates and maintains health in the long run....we can control the cause (of obesity). It is right at the end of our fork."

What will you choose to do?

About The Author
Alan LeStourgeon along with his wife Jean run the web site www.ezHealthyDiet.com where they explore what it means to eat a healthy diet, have a healthy home and live a healthier life.

Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Weight Loss Tips - Effective Weight Loss

It doesn't take a genius to figure out that if you raise the amount of calories you burn and watch what you eat (both the food and the portions), you'll eventually start losing weight. Don't make it more complicated than this.

Exercise. You have to. Do cardio and this doesn't mean you HAVE to run. There are plenty of cardio exercises that will give you results and this includes walking at a good pace. And add weight training to the mix because the muscles you'll build will help you burn more calories.

Watch what you eat. You have to. Nutrition is where it's at and until you realize this, it's going to constantly be an uphill battle. If you feel guilty eating something, then don't eat it. Use your head because it's not that hard. Avoid the foods that you know you should avoid and watch how much sugar you take in. But have one day that you eat whatever you want because otherwise you'll go crazy.

There are also supplements you can take like CLA, Green Tea extract and thermogenic products. Supplements aren't the magic solution but adding them to a program that contains exercise and good nutrition can be very effective.

A leading health magazine I read also recommends:

1. Drink protein shakes throughout the day (yes, females too) because it will help prevent overeating. Plus, protein is important. Two shakes is good.
2. Get 7-9 hours of sleep to keep your body in top condition.
3. Add whole grains to your diet, like oatmeal and brown rice, because of the fiber they provide.

About The Author

Ryan Cote is the owner of http://www.SimpleHealth123.com, a website devoted to Life Force International's whole food supplements that help people take control of their health. Home business opportunity available as well.

Weight Loss Tips - Defrazzle Your Weight Loss

"The only time to eat diet food is while you're waiting for the steak to cook"

Julia Child

I hate dieting. It doesn't matter what diet I follow, I gain weight. It's so frustrating! If I do find one that works, I usually find that right about the time I'm getting used to the diet, my life ends up creating situations where I need to be eating out a lot, or spending time with friends and food. ARGH!

I've stopped dieting now. I'm just working on healthy lifestyle habits that I can work with anywhere, at any time and that allow for "life" to happen, so I don't need to panic.

Now, believe me, I'm no expert, so check with your doctor before you follow ANY of my advice - I'm just a fellow mom, trying to get back into pre-baby clothes! I have found some things to be consistent in the myriad of ever-changing diet/health rules, and I'd like to share them with you here. So ladies, if you want to lose those extra 10 pounds (or more) that just refuse to disappear, here are some tips that are finally working for me:

Pick Your Time Weight loss involves very personal issues for most people, and is closely related to their self esteem. It is crucial that you attempt to lose 10 pounds at the appropriate time - at a time where you otherwise feel good and satisfied with your life. If you try and lose 10 pounds during a period of time in your life where you have a lot of stress or other distracting things going on, you drastically increase your chances of failure, which will only make things worse.

Do It With Friends A great and fun way to help you stick with your plan is to undertake your project of losing 10 pounds with a friend. Not only will you be able to provide support for each other and track each other's progress, but you'll be able to engage in fun exercise activities together.

Make Your Plan Realistic It's important that you set achievable goals for yourself. For example, with just some basic changes in your lifestyle and eating habits, you can lose 1 pound a week. There's no need to be in a huge rush to lose weight, and trying to lose weight quickly often requires a regimen that is difficult to keep up. For most people, it is healthier to lose weight slowly than with drastic dietary changes.

Exercise in the morning on an empty stomach There are two main reasons why you can more easily lose 10 pounds by exercising in the morning. The first has to do with the fact that it is much easier to build into your daily routine. One of the keys to losing weight by exercise is to do it regularly, which many people find difficult: it's always hard to find time. So a great reason for exercising in the morning is that you'll have very little distraction. In many ways, you are literally "making time" for the exercise by starting your day earlier. The second reason is that if you exercise in the morning on an empty stomach, you're burning energy at a time when your body's carbohydrate levels are the lowest, and therefore more fat will be burned with the same amount of exercise. There have been studies that suggest over 250% more fat is burned when you exercise in this state.

Balance Your Diet Try as much as possible to balance your diet. This doesn't mean that you have to starve yourself -- rather make a point of getting no more the 30% of your calories from fat. Eat more fruits and vegetables and try to add as much variety to your diet as possible. Try new things, and new meal ideas. A great rule of thumb is to take a 9" plate and divide it into quarters. One quarter is starch/carbohydrate (potatoes, pasta, rice), one quarter is protein (meat, beans, tofu) and half is vegetables.

Keep Track Of Your Progress The problem with dieting for many people, especially in the early stages, is that even if the diet is working they can't see any results. It's hard to really notice if you lose 1 pound. For this reason it's important that your track your progress, so you can have a good sense of the accomplishments you've made. Don't just track pounds, make sure you are also tracking inches by keeping track of the measurements of the main body areas: bust, waist, hips, thighs, calves, and even your upper arm.

Incorporate exercise into your daily routine Another good idea is to try and get some exercise while you're at work. Think how often you end up staying in your office on your lunch break. Instead, why not take a walk? It may not seem like much, but if you did that every day, you'd be walking 5 hours a week, which is a pretty great start towards getting some more exercise. On the weekends and in the evenings, take up a sport or an active hobby like hiking. The key is to find ways that you can get exercise while also doing things you enjoy.

You can lose 10 pounds fairly quickly by starting a serious exercise regimen, of course, but that's not necessarily the best way to do it. If you make your exercise like work, it'll start to feel like work, and it will become tempting to put it off and avoid it. If you incorporate exercise into your daily routine, however, it won't seem like work at all - it will be fun. And the best part of all is that the more you exercise the more energy you'll have: instead of being tired when you come home from work, you'll feel like doing something active. Before you know it that 10 pounds you lost might become 20.

So, there you have it! Try implementing one tip a week and making a habit out of it. You'll drop those pounds in no time!

Tipping the scales in your favour!

Darlene Hull www.mom-defrazzler.com

About The Author

P.S. Want more weight loss ideas and a community to share frustrations and triumphs? Check out Darlene's March 2006 blog entries at her "Mom-Defrazzler Blog" http://mom-defrazzler.com/Mom-DefrazzlerBlog/nfblog/ (There's a contest, too!)

Weight Loss Programs and Pills: Is Your Weight Loss Program Safe and Effective?

In this age being ignorant is like committing a crime. With so much of knowledge around you, following a trend blindly doesn't confirm the fact that you are intelligent. But the catch here is, GO BY RIGHT KNOWLEDGE. No doubt, internet is flooded with the wrong knowledge and myths that leads you nowhere, but it isn't hard enough to figure out the pearl in the ocean. Every now and then, we see some supplements or pills making tall claims which they down the line do not seem to validate. We will soon establish as we go on reading this article that there is absolutely no substitute for eating healthy and sweating out.

In US, where weight loss has been a part of national consciousness for three decades, several studies have been done to evaluate the effectiveness of various weight loss aids. The major reason why most of these aids escape regulation is because they are branded as "food supplements" to escape the Drugs and Cosmetics Act that regulates the sale of medicine. Here are some findings:-

1) Diet or Slimming Patches: Considered one of the most popular way to lose weight, it claims to speed up your metabolism by wearing a slimming patch on your skin. It then breaks down the fatty tissues. Studies says these patches are neither effective NOR SAFE. The US Food and Drug Administration(FDA) eventually seized millions of these products from manufacture last year because they had terrible side effects.

2) Green Tea Extracts: You have pills under this category which contain polyphenols. Polyphenols are extracted from green tea and are thought to be strong antioxidants. These pills failed to prove their effectiveness too. It is advisable to consult your doctor if you are taking aspirin or blood thinning medications and you plan to take some green tea extracts because they may interfere with blood clotting.

3) Diet Pills with Ephedra: These pills have been banned in US but they are still available on internet. These pills are central nervous system stimulant that suppresses appetite. Generally, manufactures mix ephedra and caffeine which further increases the risk of high blood pressure.

4) Diet Pills with PPA: PPA stands for phenylpropanolamine. These pills suppress appetite. They come along with diet plan. Manufactures of drugs and supplements containing PPA voluntarily withdrew their products from market after it was found that these products were associated with strokes.

5) Fat Blockers: Another popular form of weight loss aids which bit the dust is fat blockers. It also made tall claims that it will absorb fats from the food you eat and flush it out. A university of California study found that chitosan (the fat-binding component of fat blockers) has absolutely no ability to absorb fats from the food.

About the Author

Jasdeep: for http://weightloss-health.com/ your complete and most comprehensive family guide on Health.