Why Weight: August 2006

How to Shed Those Extra Pounds and Get Rid of Love Handles

Using a Treadmill to Lose Weight
Are you trying to shed a few pounds and some extra body fat? Can't seem to lose weight? Why not start using a treadmill to lose weight and get rid of love handles. Most people may not know this but walking is the most natural form of exercise. And, a treadmill is designed specifically for walking, jogging, or running. If you can walk, you can lose weight using a treadmill.

How to Shed Those Extra Pounds and Get Rid of Love Handles
Weight loss is all about burning more calories than you consume. You don't have to be a Jesse Owens to efficiently burn those extra calories. Walking is a successful method of losing weight if performed for 45 minutes or more, at least 5 to 6 days per week. If you walk 3 days per week, you won't lose much weight ! Frequency and consistency of walking are just as important as the duration of your workouts for weight control. Exercising on a treadmill for weight loss allows you the convenience of working out in the safety and comfort of your home...anytime of the day or night.

Exercising on a treadmill is a low-risk activity. Risk of injury to your joints, hips, and back is minimal. By taking care not to injure your body during exercise, you're more likely to be able to perform such exercise throughout your life to control your weight and keep your muscles firm, lean and strong. Your heart will benefit from the treadmill workouts, as well.

Walking outdoors, on a flat surface, requires walking longer distances to burn enough calories to promote weight loss. However, when walking on a treadmill, you can increase the intensity of your workouts by walking on an elevated grade. This causes your heart rate to rise more rapidly and your body to exert itself harder. As a result, you'll burn those calories more efficiently in less distance covered. Soon, you'll start seeing those curves because the pounds will fall off and stay off. A point to remember - the pounds will stay off if you continue to work out consistently.

Nowadays treadmills are being sold twenty-to-a-dozen. Everyone wants to lose weight or regain their youthful figure effortlessly. There is nothing wrong with that. A number of brands are available for walking off those calories and unwanted love handles. You can choose and pick to suit your needs and your pocket. A number of resources are available online so do your research well before you decide to buy a particular brand of treadmill.

Kavita Masthoff is working as a Senior Manager in a renowned business school in India.

Between work, she spends her time writing articles on Weight Loss, Gardening Tips and Tools and Pet Accessories. To find out more on weight loss, different types of treadmills, their use and maintenance, please visit www.nichesiteonline.com/treadmills You will find some very interesting resources and expert advice on treadmills and weight-loss.

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Alternatives to Liposuction

By Celia Namart

In today’s society, everyone is struggling to be perfect. The perfect smile, the perfect skin, and the perfect body. Liposuction is a medical procedure that can sculpt the body into a more aesthetic shape. However, it is an extremely expensive procedure and can have a number of side effects.

There are alternatives to liposuction for those who cannot afford liposuction or are hesitant to go under anesthesia. One such alternative to liposuction that all doctors recommend is diet and exercise. Doctors stress the importance of diet and exercise as it gives the body’s metabolism a natural boost.

Another alternative to liposuction is called Mesotherapy. There is no surgery involved. The procedure includes injecting a series of medications including anti-inflammatory medication, hormones, nutrients and antibiotics into the fat layers. This type of treatment only works with the proper diet.

It is important to remember that there are no food supplements or drugs for Mesotherapy that are approved by the FDA. If you do not want to wait for the results of diet and exercise, then there are herbal remedies that are considered to be an alternative to liposuction. Seaweed wraps and other alternatives advertise that they are as effective as the surgery itself.

Having the liposuction surgery as many advantages. With liposuction alternatives, you cannot target just one area. With liposuction surgery you can target just one area to sculpt. There are some areas of the body that diet and exercise cannot reduce. With liposuction all areas of the body can be treated. Liposuction is considered an outpatient surgery with a very fast recovery rate. With liposuction surgery, there is almost no blood loss and the scars are virtually unseen.

As with any type of surgery, there will be some pain with liposuction. Although it will be minimal, there will also be bruising in the area that is treated. Swelling also occurs with liposuction. Doctors recommend that the affected area be wrapped tightly until the swelling dissipates. When you choose to use liposuction alternatives, there are usually none of these side effects because it is not an invasive surgery.

The costs of liposuction and its alternatives are usually not covered by insurance. The costs of both methods can be high and payment is due at the time the services are rendered. A standard liposuction treatment starts at around $3,500 dollars. Depending on how many areas you want the treated, it can cost up to $15,000 dollars. Many cosmetic surgeons take this into consideration and will set up payment plans as long as you pay half in advance. Everything that is required for the procedure is included in this amount, so there are no hidden costs. If a hospital stay is required, only those charges will be added.

Liposuction was developed in the 1970’s and has evolved into a million-dollar industry. It was made popular in the late 1980’s when many celebrities had the procedure done with good results. Doctor’s caution that liposuction and its alternatives should not be used as a weight loss tool. Although the fat that is removed cannot be reproduced, more fat can develop if a proper diet and exercise routine is not established.

Celia Namart has been meeting with eating disorder patients for a few years, she has given advice to many on the topics of weight loss and adopting workout routines, she is now writing tips and advice regarding liposuction Alternatives at http://liposuction.zupatips.com/

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Why Knowing Your Body Mass Index Number Is Crucial To Your Diet

By Gregg Hall

When you are trying to lose weight, you will likely find that is a big numbers game, more so than any other factor in this society. Think about all the numbers there are to keep track of, how many pounds do you need to lose, in how many weeks do you need to lose it? How many inches is your waist and how many should it be? What is your body fat and what should it be? When you look at this is way, it is easy to see why so many people have trouble losing the weight they want to lose.

There is one very good way to determine where you sit and where you should be sitting in terms of dieting. Even though there are a variety of numbers you are to keep track of, there is only one set that doctors seem most concerned with, and that is your body mass index (BMI). BMI, is a fairly new concept in America. The reality is it has been around for quite a while. The idea was created by Lambert Adolphe Jacques Quetlet. He was a Belgian mathematician and was extremely famous both then and now, because of the numbers systems he implemented in improving lives. This system has become the best measurement of determining if a patient is overweight or obese.

Many people still do not quite understand what body mass index is and often become confused by it. To them, they see it as another system of numbers that have to document and remember. The body mass index contains the ratio of a persons height and weight. Implementing the formula allows physicians to determine if he or she is overweight or obese.

While the word formula may scare you at first, determining your body mass index, is really not all that hard. First, you must determine your height in meters squared and your weight in kilograms. There are many websites available just for that reason, if you do not know how to determine those figures. After finding your metric height and weight, you divide your weight with your height. If you simply do not want to conduct this calculation, your physician should be able to provide you with a body mass index chart.

The average healthy person should have a body mass index of somewhere between 18.5 through 25, depending on their height. Those that fall between 26 and 29 are considered overweight. A body mass index between 30 and 39 is considered to be obese and 40 or more is morbidly obese. As the BMI increases, so do the risk of serious health problems.

Gregg Hall is an author living in Navarre Florida. Find more about dieting and Atkins Diet Products at http://www.atkinsdietplus.com

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9 Steps To A Healthy Weight Loss Program

By Donovan Baldwin

So who cares about healthy weight loss? Well, if the information below means anything there is a large portion of society which should care.

Over 65% of adults 20 years or older can be classified as obese. Additionally, 17% of adolescents of ages 12-19 years are overweight and 19% of children age 6-11 years. Obesity is and will continue to be a serious problem in the future. In fact, it is predicted that obesity will reach epidemic levels by the year 2020.

While everyone understands that being overweight, or obese, is "not good for you", many people do not understand the risks they and their loved ones face if they fall into this category.

Obese or overweight people are at increased risk for some or all of the following conditions:
1. Various forms of heart disease2. Strokes 3. Diabetes4. Cancer5. Arthritis6. Respiratory problems7. Psychological disorders6. High blood pressure or hypertension
It is estimated that 300,000 deaths in the U. S. each year are associated with obesity, and the economic cost of obesity in the United States was about $117 billion in 2000. Economic costs include the out-of-pocket expenditures of the individuals involved, the costs of the institutions and organizations which help provide services, and the costs born by every member of society whether they are in this group or not.

A healthy weight loss program could do much to help individuals avoid the personal and financial risks associated with being overweight while helping them achieve longer, happier, more productive lives more years of healthy enjoyment once they leave the work place behind them.
Unfortunately these days, one is more likely to hear of a "fast" weight loss program than a healthy weight loss program, and it is next to impossible to include both terms in the same sentence. The fast weight loss programs which are so prevalent are short term, temporary "fixes" when they fix anything at all. These programs, which commonly involve drinks, supplements, pills, or exotic exercise equipment, simply do not work, at least not for permanent, healthy weight loss.

Worse, many of these fast weight loss programs may actually contribute to further weight gain, decreased enjoyment of life, diminished health, and, in extreme cases, even death.
Fortunately, there are healthy weight loss programs, plans, systems, and options which can provide, or contribute not only to healthy weight loss, but a lifetime of healthy weight management.

While a full program would take a book to explain all the possible actions you can take for healthy weight loss, here are a few tips that can help anyone get started on a lifelong program for health and fitness.

Here are some tips on how you can lose those unwanted pounds the healthy way:
1. Start moving. One of the most effective weight loss strategies around is exercise. Sadly, many people have no idea how much or which exercise they should do. Many do not even realize that simple, enjoyable activities such as gardening, swimming, or playing tag with the kids can be part of an exercise program. Exercise is such a diverse topic that anyone serious about losing weight should do a little research on the types of activities that may possibly be a part of their weight loss program.

2. Eat smart. There is a lot you can do to improve what and how you eat, but some of it takes training and knowledge most people do not have. It also involves all sorts of convoluted decision making, sometimes based on charts and lists, good carbs, bad carbs, high glycemic index foods and low glycemic index foods. If you are able to learn all that great, but just use come common sense in the meantime. Eat lots of veggies and fruits, have some protein, but not a ton, and stay away from stuff with sugar. Teach yourself to use artificial sweeteners instead of sugar, and start looking at labels.

3. Eat small. Eat small, healthy meals and snacks several times a day. One failure mechanism built in to a diet is the denial of food. It is not just the denial of pleasure of food and eating, but your body also reacts one way when food is denied, and another when it is regularly supplied daily with small healthy meals and snacks.

4. Team up. Get together with a friend who has much the same goals as you. Take a walk with them every day. Meet them for lunch. They won't make faces when you order something for your health rather than for the fun of it. In fact, why not get a group together? That way, if one person is not available, maybe someone else will be. Plus the social interaction is good for you. People who "go on diets" tend to start avoiding people, and that often is at least a part of the reason they fall off the diet wagon.

5. Think health. Don't try to lose weight. Instead, try to get healthy. First of all, a positive goal is easier to work towards than a negative one. Second, doing things to make yourself healthy is easier to sell to yourself and to others than "trying to lose weight". Also, there will be setbacks along the way. These are normal. If you fail to lose weight as fast as you think you ought to, or if you gain weight, in your mind you will have "failed". If however you eat a second piece of pie, you have slowed down on your path to health, but you can get back on track within minutes simply by going for a walk or remembering to use sweetener in your drink rather than sugar.

6. Get rest. When your body is tired, certain chemical changes take place and substances are released that contribute to weight gain or slow weight loss. It is easier to get involved in activity when you are rested.

7. Have fun. Two of the reasons you want to lose weight is so that you can feel good, and feel good about yourself. You want to enjoy life. It works both ways. If you lose weight and feel healthy, you will want to enjoy life, and you will feel good about yourself. If you go out of your way to enjoy life, you will probably be more active, and this, combined with other beneficial effects related to weight gain and weight loss will help your healthy weight loss program.

8. Drink water. Many times we interpret the body's signals as hunger when they are actually thirst. Often, a glass of water will satisfy what we believe are hunger pangs. Keeping the body properly hydrated helps it process toxins and perform a myriad of functions more efficiently.

9. Don't quit. When you are on a healthy weight loss program, your weight loss will be slow. Many people are disheartened when they think of only losing one or two pounds a week on average. However, that would be a weight loss of 52 to 104 pounds in a year and 104 to 208 pounds in two years! To put that in proportion, I had a friend who had a gastric bypass. She was told that even with surgery, she would probably only lose about 75 pounds in her first year, and the weight loss would slow down in the second year! Many people could accomplish similar results just by building up to a daily 20 to 30 minute walk and by cutting a few empty calories out of their diet.

By the way, if you have not been exercising and begin exercising as part of a healthy weight loss program, it is highly likely that you will actually GAIN weight at first. Don't let this dishearten you. It is entirely normal and can actually be considered part of the body's preparation to lose weight and live a healthier life!

Be happy with your results. If you are living in a healthy manner, you will lose weight. Certainly, how much weight you lose will depend on a lot of factors, and, if you are walking 20 minutes a day and haven't lost what you would like to lose, you can walk 30 minutes a day, or 15 minutes twice a day. Adapt and move on. However, do not expect to be the man or woman you were in high school or college. You might never fit into your old prom dress or army uniform again. I don't, and I exercise regularly and try to eat right. I feel great and am in excellent health, but my old army uniform is just a memory hanging in my closet now.

Go on. Have some fun. Do what you can. Reward yourself for your gains and forgive yourself for non-gains. I refuse to call them failures. There is no failure until you give up completely.

Donovan Baldwin is a Dallas area writer. A graduate of the University Of West Florida (1973) with a BA in accounting, he is a member of Mensa and has held several managerial positions. After retiring from the U. S. Army in 1995, he became interested in internet marketing and developed various online businesses. He has been writing poetry, articles, and essays for over 40 years, and now frequently publishes articles on his own websites and for use by other webmasters. He has a blog on weight loss, and a website where he reviews weight loss products. He also provides affordable health care benefits to individuals, households, and businesses.

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Empty Those Calories!

By Kathryn Lively

If a calorie falls into your mouth, does it make a difference?

A bite of a mini candy bar here, and a taste there of a sample at the grocery store may not seem like much when you are eating, but do it enough and it adds up. You want to be careful not to taste test your way to weight gain, and consuming enough "empty" calories can contribute to that.

Contrary to the term, an empty calorie does not refer to a food that is low in calories, but a caloric food with very little nutritional value. For example, a breakfast fruit bar and a candy bar may have the same number of calories, but where the fruit bar contains fiber and some vitamins and minerals essential to good nutrition, the candy bar may be completely sugar. You could consume one or the other for the same amount of calories to burn, but in the end which is healthier for you? Which food will provide you with more energy and health benefits throughout the day? Which food will be processed better to feed your body valuable nutrients, and which food will be processed immediately into fat?

Some calories may be empty, but be assured they can be full of trouble.
Foods high in empty calories may include some daily staple, but often they are classified as "junk" foods:

Candy - Chocolate bars, hard candies, mints and gums

Soft drinks - Sodas, flavored drinks with a low percentage of juice as opposed to sugar content
White bread - Made with white flour, this starchy food has to be fortified to give the appearance of a healthy food

White rice - High in starch and natural sugars

Olios - Margarine, butter, shortening, and other spreads

Alcohol - Beer, wine, and hard liquors

Fast foods - Staples like hot dogs and burgers, French fries, fried chicken and other foods traditionally fried in fattening oils and olios

For a proper, nutritious diet, foods such as the ones listed above should be avoided or severely limited. To improve eating habits and consume calories that will prove beneficial to your body, make thoughtful replacements. For a sweet snack, enjoy some fruit instead of candy. Try a whole grain bread for your sandwich, long grain rice or a green vegetable as a side instead of white rice, and water instead of soda.

But what about spreads for your toast? Most jams and jellies could be considered empty calories as well for their high sugar contents. If you must have a spread, check labels to see what you are eating. A homemade apple butter may have more nutritional value than the squeezable bottle of grape jelly.

Such substitutions add up in the long run, and you just may find that as the empty calories go away, so will the fat.

Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer of health and diet articles for Compuslim (http://www.compuslim.com), a personalized weight loss program design to custom fit various bodies and lifestyles.

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Healthy Diets Rock! How To Eat Great Tasting Healthful Food And Still Lose Weight

By Rebecca Chan

Everywhere you look everyone is talking about the newest diet sensation, the newest diet pills and the miracles they will perform. It all comes down really to having a healthy diet. When you watch your portions and what you eat and increase your exercise most of the time you will lose weight. Now I know some people do have slower metabolism and may need a jump start losing weight.

Have you called your doctor to discuss your options before you jump on the latest bandwagon of diet sensations? Your doctor knows your health situation better than the peddlers of diet pills. Make an appointment with your doctor so you can discuss with him or her how much weight you need to lose, be sure you are healthy enough to start a diet, and plan a healthy diet alternative to diet pills.

Many of the benefits of having a healthy diet:
*You feel healthier*Lowers your Cholesterol
*More energy
*Be able to handle stress better
*Be able to fall asleep faster

So how do you go about starting a healthy diet? No need to worry about purchasing a diet plan or specialized foods. No need to count carbs or calories or fat grams! All you have to do is go back to the basics. So what are the basics of a healthy diet?

*Eat more fruits and vegetables and I don’t mean from out of a can either. You need to eat raw fruits and vegetables in order to gain from the nutrients they offer.

*Cut out as much sugar consumption as possible. This is going to be a hard one to get use to but it’s worth it, if you were to actually write down how much sugar enters your body each day you would be astonished.

*Drink at least 8 glasses of fluids a day. They used to say at least 8 glasses of water a day, but now that means items like Crystal light, 100% fruit juices, coffee (yes it includes coffee but remember to that this is black coffee no sugar or creamer), herbal teas etc.

*Eat smaller meals throughout the day. The best is 6 small meals a day. You have your regular breakfast, lunch and dinner now add 3 small snacks a day. Like an apple with peanut butter for protein and a glass of water or tea.

*For a filling snack have a fruit smoothie. Blend a 8 ounce glass of 1% or skim milk with your favorite fruit, some ice and a scoop of Whey protein mix and blend.

*Have finger foods already made up for those snack attacks. For instance have celery already cut up, a bowl filled with your favorite fresh fruit. This way when you get the munchies its easier to grab something that is already prepared instead of hunting through the cupboards and running into a temptation.

*Temptation? Ok we all are going to want to eat that chocolate chip cookie or fudge brownie. Once in awhile is ok, but you will need to increase your exercise routine for that day. Better yet if you are serious about losing weight with a healthy diet, go through all your cupboards and box up all your temptations and donate them to a local food bank. This way not only are you helping yourself but someone else in the process.

This is a simple list of steps you can go through to get started on your way to losing weight with a healthy diet. I challenge you to get out a piece of paper and write down all the foods you eat this week. Write down what you add to your meals, for example: Coffee-how much sugar in each cup? How much creamer? Remember you have to add those into your diet factor. You will be amazed at how much extras you can cut out and still have a tasteful meal. Then go through your cupboards and get rid of the temptations. Write down your favorite fruits and vegetables, look for new recipes to try out, stop frying your foods, and go to the store with your new shopping list. As with any “diet” eating healthy takes time to learn.

Don’t get discouraged if you fall off the plan, just get back on and keep plugging away. Soon it will be second nature to you. Have a healthy day.

Rebecca Chan is a freelance writer. She is particularly interested in diets and weight loss plans.

See http://www.weightlossquest.info An example of her work is located at http://www.weightlossquest.info/diets/healthy.shtml that you can read and digest in the comfort of your own home.

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How Do I Stop Eating -- Advice for Bingers

By Hugh Campbell

Not so long ago I was 70 lbs overweight (around five stone). My eating had become a problem. Although there were many foods I binged on, my worst crime was chocolate abuse. Yes sir, I was addicted to chocolate. Every single day I had to leave the house with the express purpose of buying a big bag of my favourite chocolate sweets. So if you find yourself screaming "How do I stop eating", then believe me, you are not alone.

Today I am 70 lbs lighter, because I managed to crack my binging habit, and in this article I will give you a good idea of how I did it.

When I binged, I didn't enjoy it. I knew exactly what I was doing to my body, and I hated myself for it. But I felt a pressing need every day to binge on certain foods. Each morning I would wake up with a huge desire for chocolate and, feeling unable to resist it, would try to figure out which shop to go to get my supplies.

But one day I sat down and really examined why I did what I did. I started writing down how I felt about my binging, what I felt it gave me, and why I felt I had to get supplies every day. The only conclusion I could come to was that I used food to make me happy. It was a vicious cycle -- I was fat, and had low self-esteem, and was therefore unhappy. Yet perversely, food made me happy (though only temporarily). All I was doing was consolidating my condition.

So I just said to myself "Hang on. What if I just let junk food go? What if I just stopped eating chocolate?". I knew it would be a rough few days to start with, but what if I could suck it up and accept the feelings of initial unhappiness? Eventually the weight would start to drop off. And guess what? That is exactly what I did. I stopped resisting. I let go of the dependence on junk food, got through the tough first week -- like a withdrawal period -- but then found it plain sailing. After a few weeks, I found myself with no desire for junk food whatsoever.

If you're screaming "How do I stop eating", you have to realise that in 99% of cases, your over-indulgence is an emotional dependency. I'm willing to bet that deep down, you're feeling unhappy. Now will you please realise that by eating junk food, you are simply satiating the unhappiness for a limited period of time.

It is like a smoker. Nicotine isn't actually a particularly strong physical addiction. Smoking is primarily a psychological addiction. If a smoker has a cigarette, then they put nicotine in their body which gradually subsides. As the nicotine disappears, so does the "hit". As a result, the smoker lights up another cigarette in order to feel good. All the smoker would have to do to stop smoking is simply…stop smoking! Let go. Stop instilling the nicotine which just starts a vicious cycle.

It is the same thing with junk food. You feel unhappy -- you eat junk food -- you get a sugar "hit" -- the hit starts to subside -- you feel unhappy again -- you eat more junk food. Do you see what a devastating cycle this is? If you want to beat the food addiction and actually live in a permanent state of happiness, then simply stop eating junk food. It is literally that easy. That doesn't mean the first couple of weeks will be plain sailing -- you will have to live with the unhappiness without the hit. But once you're through that, the addiction could be kicked and the weight could fly off.

Hugh Campbell lost 70 lbs after a radical shift in mindset and the adoption of a dynamic new weight loss plan. If you would like to find out more about how Hugh did it, feel free to visit: (http://www.hottestpicksonline.com/The_Weight_Loss_Black_Book.html)

The Black Book of Weight Loss

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Mini Digital Scales

By Kristy Annely

Mini digital scales are ideal for day to day usage. The scales come in different colors including charcoal gray, electric blue, metallic silver, and rubber black. They have different weighing modes such as grams, ounces, grains, carats, and penny weights. Most scales come with stainless or chrome steel platforms. The scales are obtained in different shapes, including circular and square. The models and prices vary too.

Mini digital scales have tare function so that the contents are weighed properly without including the weights of weighing trays. It is easy to recalibrate these scales for accurate weighing. The scales are compact and appear smaller than standard digital scales. These can be easily taken from one place to another. Other features in most scales are large LCD displays, backlight digital displays, countdown timers, low battery indicators, and auto off function.

Mini digital scales can be bought from online stores at discount rates. In most cases, the scales are obtained with accessories such as calibration weights, protective cases, expansion trays and bowls, and batteries. The accessories thus obtained facilitate the immediate use of these scales after purchase. Some stores provide batteries and cases free of cost.

To enable ease of use, a reference manual is also provided along with the scales. In addition, most stores offer scales with warranty options. However, the scales are not replaced for damage or destruction occurring due to improper handling and other abuses.

Mini digital scales have been in great demand in the market from its beginnings in 1987. The scales find usage in a wide variety of fields such as letter and mailing, laboratory, mold making, and diet scales. In jewelry, these scales are used to weigh gold, silver, diamond, and other precious and semi precious stones.

Digital Scales provides detailed information on Digital Scales, Digital Baby Scales, Digital Bathroom Scales, Digital Food Scales and more. Digital Scales is affiliated with Best Weight Scales.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristy_Annely

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Digital Nutrition Scales

By Kristy Annely

Digital nutrition scales are a good choice for those persons who are conscious about the intake of foods. These are considered ideal to monitor and record calories and diet measurements on a regular basis. Digital nutrition scales can display nutritional values for multiple food entries and allow you to track your food intake for long time periods.

Digital nutrition scales are obtained in different shapes and price ranges. These vary in sizes, which include small, large, and extra large. The designs can be sleek or modern. The scales feature an efficient weighing system inside. They have built-in memory, which stores nutritional information of more than 800 foods and ingredients in a pre-programmed manner. This information is based on the nutritional details provided by the USDA National Nutrition Database.

Digital nutrition scales have a display unit and weighing surfaces. The display unit shows the nutritional values for salt, protein, fat, cholesterol, fiber, carbohydrates, proteins, and sodium contents. The weighing surfaces most often come with stainless steel platters that can be easily removed for cleaning. There are surfaces that come with glass platforms.

Digital nutrition scales are generally light, compact, and can be taken anywhere without risks. They operate with batteries at a room temperature of 0 to 40° Celsius. The scales can hold a weight up to 3 kg, in normal cases. Extra large scales have the capacity of about 5 kg weight. Moreover, the scales have on, off, and tare features for easy and quick operation. Some scales even have automatic switch off features.

Digital nutrition scales are easy to handle. The user has to simply place the items to be weighed on the weighing surface. Then, he has to enter the code as per the instructions on the manual. Once the two processes are over, the user needs to press the nutritional value button to know the markings. With digital scales, measurement is marked either as imperial systems in terms of pounds and ounces or as metric systems in grams and kilograms.

Digital Scales provides detailed information on Digital Scales, Digital Baby Scales, Digital Bathroom Scales, Digital Food Scales and more. Digital Scales is affiliated with Best Weight Scales.

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Accurate Digital Scales

By Kristy Annely

Accurate digital scales maintain accuracy for longer periods without using any time consuming calibrations. The scales display measurements in ounces, pounds, grams, and kilograms. These can be battery or AC operated. Most scales come with automatic power off features. Some scales have facilities to display the weight even after the weighing items are removed.

Accurate digital scales are obtained in various brands, models, shapes, and sizes. Good quality scales show exact readings. They do not show much fluctuation even when the objects are being kept on the weighing surfaces. The scales are ideally bought from stores that deal with weight measuring products and other specialized stores that sell products for particular needs. Operation manuals and warranty options are available along with scales.

There are certain tricks for increasing accuracy for digital scales while taking individual weights. First, it is better to place the scales on an even surface. Flat boards serve as a means for scales on uneven surfaces. Secondly, the person has to stand properly on the scales. He should stand in the center with his feet kept in the right manner. Otherwise, the whole body is tilted to either the right or left side. This may lead to improper readings.

Accurate digital scales are important for various applications, especially in postal services. Accurate scales are needed to take the exact weight so that the correct rates can be calculated. The use of inaccurate scales may lead to difference in weights without producing accurate results. If the scales show erratic weight, the amount charged may sometimes become twice the original amount.

Accurate digital scales are of great practical use in fitness centers, physicians’ offices and clinics, kitchens, commercial establishments and shops. These are also beneficial in packaging industries where accuracy is important. With accurate scales, dieters can expect exact readings in their weights.

Digital Scales provides detailed information on Digital Scales, Digital Baby Scales, Digital Bathroom Scales, Digital Food Scales and more. Digital Scales is affiliated with Best Weight Scales.

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8 Steps to Losing Weight the Healthy Way

By James Ellison

Approximately 105 million Americans were overweight or obese in 1999. Up till now, obesity proceeds to be a serious problem and is expected to reach epidemic levels by the year 2025. One method to stop this sequence of possible events is to make people aware of the dangers of being overweight or obese.

Losing weight helps to control and check these diseases. Here are a few diseases where you are placing yourself in jeopardy if you are carrying a lot of additional pounds:

1. hypertension2. heart disease3. stroke 4. cancer5. arthritis6. diabetes
The rapid weight loss methods which have circulated like fire these days do not allow lasting results. More frequently than not, dieting methods which call for dietary drinks, foods and supplements or pills don't work. If they do, the effects are just part-time. It is best to count on a healthy weight loss alternative which will give lifetime results. You have to set practical goals and not anticipate losing a lot of pounds in a short period of time. Following are some tips on losing those unwanted pounds the healthy way:

1. Do not go without food.
The healthier way of losing weight is don't diet. You may appear happy and sense that you are losing that undesired body fat on your belly and thighs by cutting meals. But bear in mind that this will not last long. Your body cannot endure having inadequate food to stimulate the energy that you use up daily.

If you become used to cutting one or two meals everyday, your accumulated calories will be used up in lieu of the energy that should have been furnished by your meals. So if you only eat one large sandwich in 1 day, it will go straight to your thighs, buttocks and hips.

2. Begin your day properly.
Mothers always say that the first meal of the day is the most important meal of the day. Have a nutritional meal in the morning to boost your metabolism. The food consumed after you wake up will be utilized to burn fat the whole day.

3. Eat small, nutritional meals often.
5 small snacks every day is better than three square meals. Eating more often, and in smaller servings, can halt over-eating. This will also step-up your metabolism and cause calories to burn faster.

4. Choose how much weight you wish to lose.
Keep your goals down-to-earth. In the long run, it is almost impossible for you to lose 45 pounds in two weeks. Keep a mentality that you want to eat healthy to stay healthy from now forward. As soon as you have settled on a weight loss plan, stay to it and make certain that you follow your own set of dieting principles.

5. Drink plenty of water.
Your body requires enough water to burn fat and maintain your cells to stay hydrated and healthy.

6. Stay way from a lot of sugar.
Design your meals around lots of fruits and vegetables, a little bread, rice or pasta, for that carbo fix that you want, lean meat and protein rich foods. Candies, sodas and pastries should be once in a great while only.

7. Track your fat intake.
Fat is not the perpetrator to being overweight. You require this to maintain your weight at the correct level. There are healthy fats. Canola, Olive and peanut oils have them. Mackerel, tuna and salmon have omega-3 fats which is great for the heart.

8. Exercise.
Don't take your car if you are just a few blocks from home, using the stairs instead of the elevator, jogging, cycling or skating. Employ these activities and other home tasks if you are too lazy to go to the gymnasium and try exercise classes. Make sure that you do this often and you will not even see that you are already dropping pounds with these everyday activities.

Its immaterial how much weight you plan or need to lose. What is significant is that you set down-to-earth goals for yourself.

Go easy. If you already have lost 6 or 7 pounds, provide yourself a break then seek to lose the next 6 pounds. Eat correctly, drink plenty of water, have plenty of sleep and exercise. This will allow you an opportunity of losing weight and improving your health, which will lead to a new, healthier you.

This article is provided courtesy of Low Carb Dieting Secrets

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Save Yourself: Don't Diet - Change!

By Drew Vics

I'm getting tired of all these spam emails that are pushing some diet strategy, with subject lines like, "Melt away fat easily!" or "Shed those unwanted pounds!"

I'm tired of infomercials, commercials and booklets about "dieting" and the "Ultimate Weight Loss" programs that spring up all over the place. Products designed to "help you shed all that unwanted fat!" Keep in mind folks, that's marketing, and marketers stand to make money whether their plans and products help us or not! What matters most to companies selling books and exercise products? Their bottom-line... Profit.

These are your Top Priorities: think for yourself, educate yourself, do your homework, and don't believe what TV or tabloids tells you. Learn! YOU are in charge of your life, no one else.
I'm not overweight, so I don't really need to take my own advice. But I'm not skinny either, and I'm far from perfect. I have love handles and a moderate gut (depending on how many beers I drink that week) but I'm trying to keep my man-boobs at bay. When I started at a desk job back in 2001 I put on 23 lbs. within six months.

I have been successful in shedding most of that extra weight and I'll let you know how I did that shortly.

While some diet programs do help a lot of people, there are plenty of scams that just know their plan won't work for everybody, but will happily take your money anyway.

The key to those who benefit from these weight loss programs is will power. Bottom line folks, you can "diet" all you want but you won't see a damn result unless you have the will power to see it through. I know there are people out there who are really struggling with their weight and would love to feel better and get in better shape. It's tough to undo what's been overdone for years.

Maybe you don't have enough will power, maybe you do. Maybe you will succeed in losing weight, maybe you won't. The answer does not lie in what "diet" product you use, or what program you follow, it lies in you: your determination, and resolve. I offer my weight loss advise here FREE OF CHARGE! But it requires that you are willing to accept change and willing to take control of your actions.

I am not a weight loss expert, personal trainer, or life coach (whatever the hell that is)! I use common sense, and a little research and studying to understand how the body works and what the heck we do to it that causes us to gain weight. You know what I found out? It's really quite amazing. We eat too much and we don't exercise enough. Yes, metabolism has a lot to do with it, but exercise will increase your metabolism so a slow metabolism should not be an excuse. In fact, you need to stop making excuses for it anyway.

Notice I did say "we" and I meant it. I could benefit greatly from long evening walks. I could take them with my wife. Do we? Not often enough! I also love desert, and eat like a shark most of the time, so I need to be responsible for my actions. If I sit on my but and watch TV every night while snacking there is only one thing that will happen. I will gain weight!

If we eat in moderation -- in other words, DON'T OVEREAT -- reduce our consumption of between-meal snacks (or between-meal meals!) then we're on the right track to controlling our weight.

Contrary to popular misconception, you will not lose weight by drinking Diet Cola, chewing sugar-free gum or breath mints. In fact those products can actually do you harm if you consume large quantities! Many "diet" products contain a sugar substitute called aspartame. The FDA requires manufacturers to include a warning label on any products containing this substitute. Why on earth would you want to drink something that has a warning label on it?

You could say the same thing about cigarettes but that's another story in itself.

The point is that manufacturers and marketers saw profit in the booming diet market, so they introduced their "diet" sodas and sugar-free products to appeal to that audience, in order to MAKE MONEY!

A very informative website about the dangers of aspartame is SweetPoison.com. I'd like to share a couple of items quoted from that site:

"Phenylalanine is a hidden danger to anyone consuming aspartame. Most consumers don't know that too much Phenylalanine is a neurotoxin and excites the neurons in the brain to the point of cellular death."

"ADD/ADHD, emotional and behavioral disorders can all be triggered by too much Phenylalanine in the daily diet."

"The 1976 Groliers encyclopedia states cancer cannot live without phenylalanine. Phenylalanine makes up 50% of aspartame."

Oh, what do the labels do? If someone has severe side effects of consuming large amounts of aspartame because they're too ignorant of the facts, they have no claim because the product manufacture put a warning on the can. So, lowly consumer, shall we pay more attention to what's going into our bodies, or should be trust manufacturers who could care less about anything other than their bottom line?

Our body responds to what we put in it. It doesn't make things up on its own, unless there is some specific genetic defect or disorder present. I'll bet that more than 80% of overweight people can help their situation through a change in their eating and living habits. But who wants to change?

Do you want to live to a ripe old age? I do. I want to be a wise and healthy old man, so I choose to educate myself and control my dietary intake. No, I don't count calories, I don't measure my portions, and I don't eat "diet" foods.

How did I lose my extra weight and keep it off? I used common sense. I took a little look at my eating behavior and noticed all the extra crap I was consuming that I just didn't need. I also took a look at the portions I was eating and deemed them a bit too large. There's no reason I need to fill my damn plate to fill my belly, my belly doesn't need to be that big, and the fact is it will shrink to a more normal size if I consistently eat portions that satisfy my hunger and provide nutrition.

Yes, a stomach will shrink. And you'd better believe the sucker will expand too, if you eat large portions and keep loading it with snacks and stuff!

Here's a little known fact that is key to over-eating and weight gain: Your stomach is quick to tell your brain when it's empty, but it's significantly slower at notifying your brain when it's had enough. The problem here is that most people eat real fast, and by the time the brain receives the message they've succeeded in over-filling their stomach, which has stretched to accommodate the larger portion of food.

Keep that routine going and the stomach will continue to enlarge, allowing more and more food intake. And the extra food, which your body can't convert and burn right away, will be stored as fat, or just sent right through to the exit in which case many people may end up with digestive problems and issues with bowel disorders.

So, what do we avoid? I'm not going to make some list for your of what you should and shouldn't eat. Most foods, unless you have a specific allergy, are perfectly suitable for most people.

Personal tastes and preferences aside, basic foods can easily be obtained and prepared for consumption.

There are only two things that can make this more of a challenge than it needs to be: an overly busy schedule, or complete laziness. Slow down and take time to take care of yourself, and get the hell out of the drive-thru at that fast food joint! Or get off your butt and stop at the store, learn how to cook, it's not that hard!

Bottom line: Take care of yourself! Use common sense, eat normal meals -- no need to get up for seconds, or THIRDS! Do not eat to make yourself happy, eat to make yourself healthy. Your body needs fuel to function, that "comfort food" your eating isn't doing you any good.

Sure, we all splurge from time to time. I'm notorious, just ask my wife. I'll get done with dinner and say I'm full, but 5 minutes later I'm looking for desert. And I'm the worst at late evening snacking. I do like to watch TV sometimes, and when I'm there I like to have a snack.

You know what? Do it. Have a snack if you want, but don't make it a habit! And you're better off if that snack is celery sticks and peanut butter, or ranch dressing. Oh, and you don't need a tub of the stuff either.

The only person who can help you lose some weight is you. Observe your daily habits and start trying to make a change. You don't need to "diet," you just need to change some habits. With some will power you can take control of your life and your situation. And lay off the diet soda.

Drink more water, and if you ned a soda go for the regular Cola or GInger Ale. Ginger Ale is better, because even though it has sugar, it is naturally caffeine-free.

Well, that's my gripe on the "diet" industry. The next time you watch one of those infomercials with the fast talking moron trying to sell you a sit-up machine or a food processor with great health benefits, or a diet plan for only $49.99 per month, sit back and look at what they're really doing: trying to make money.

Save yourself. Think for yourself, and help yourself. Your life is about you!

Drew Vics is an artist, musician and writer from Northern New Jersey. Many of his articles are published on websites across the internet, on topics such as living, relationships, music, the unexplained and paranormal, and skepticism.