Fat Loss Herbs Part 1 - Green Tea
By Jason Conley
You can't read anything about green tea these days without quickly encountering the terms "free radicals" and "antioxidant," but what do these terms mean? Why are free radicals so evil (or are they?) What, exactly, is an antioxidant anti-ing, and how does all this relate to health and fat loss?
You already know oxygen is required for life. One reason is that oxygen reacts with food to create energy, more specifically metabolic energy. How well this process works helps determine your metabolism. This reaction with oxygen is called oxidation. One result of this oxidation is the creation of free radicals.
Free radicals are atoms or groups of atoms (molecules) with an odd (unpaired) number of electrons. Because of the unpaired electrons, free radicals are highly reactive and will steal an electron from other atoms causing further oxidation. When important molecules in the body, such as those that form artery walls, become oxidized they become unstable and break easily.
Free radicals also react with important cellular components such as DNA, or the cell membrane.
When DNA is damaged the cell can mutate. It is believed that this is a primary cause of diseases like cancer. Free radicals are also necessary for life. The body's ability to turn air and food into chemical energy depends on a chain reaction of free radicals. Free radicals are also a crucial part of the immune system. The danger is primarily when there are more free radicals than the body can handle. To prevent free radical damage the body has a defense system of antioxidants.
Antioxidants are molecules which can safely interact with free radicals and stop the chain reaction before vital molecules are damaged. Antioxidants easily react with free radicals (the oxidant part of anti-oxidant) and prevent them from damaging other cells. Some popular well known antioxidants are vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene. Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), an antioxidant found in green tea, may be up to 100 times more effective than vitamin C and 25 times more effective than vitamin E at protecting cells and DNA from damage caused by free radials.
So what does this have to do with fat loss? Green tea is a source of powerful antioxidants known as Flavonoids. Flavonoids, along with the caffeine found in Green Tea, help metabolize fat stores in the body. Clinical trials conducted by the University of Geneva, indicate that green tea may also raise metabolic rates and speed up fat oxidation.
Free radicals are a normal part of life and should not be viewed as something to destroy completly. Antioxidants help regulate the amount of free radicals in the body and control the damage they can cause. Green tea should not be considered a miracle fat loss product. There is strong evidence that in addition to its antioxidant benefits it may also help reduce fat, but it is only one piece of the puzzle. A healthy lifestyle includes a healthy diet and regular exercise.
For more information and tips on rapid fat loss using methods you have never tried before, visit http://fat-loss-eating.com Jason Conley struggled with weight loss on and off for years. While in the military he often needed to drop a few pounds before a PT test and weigh-in. He now tries to help others who would like to lose weight quickly and keep it off for life.
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Why We Eat
By Pat Barone
In the quest for weight loss, the diet industry puts a lot of attention on what we eat but focusing on why we eat may be more important.
After losing over 70 lbs. permanently and becoming a weight loss coach for others, I've found most people have a pretty good idea of what they should eat. We have no problem categorizing foods into healthy and non-healthy lists. But ask someone why they eat and the usual response is "hunger." Unraveling the deeper reasons beneath the pre-emptive response of "hunger" may take a little detective work!
Here are a few things that might be lurking beneath the surface of hunger. Keep in mind that the categories can overlap and coexist!
Learned Behavior
Some people learn behaviors at an early age and never question them. A good example is milk and cookies at bedtime or a larger-than-usual meal on Sunday nights. We rarely think about Learned Behaviors, we simply do them unconsciously. However, the calories still count!
Availability of Food
Imagine you ate a satisfying breakfast. You don't feel hungry at all. Then, someone brings donuts to work. Imagine further that you don't even like the type of donuts that appeared! How many times would you eat them anyway? Nine out of 10 times? Availability of Food can be a real quagmire along the weight loss route, especially in the United States where food is abundant and relatively inexpensive.
Other examples of Availability of Food are all-you-can-eat buffets and social occasions.
Cravings
Cravings for food are chemical. For example, when the brain needs serotonin, the brain causes carbohydrate cravings. When blood sugar levels are low, we may crave sugary or sweet foods. When we experience cravings, eating what we crave will satisfy the body for a very short time, then the craving will return full force. Protein is actually a better choice when intense desire occurs because it will break the craving cycle.
Emotional Eating
Food can dilute, soften or dull emotions we term "unpleasant" like anger, resentment, frustration, guilt and hatred. Even emotions we label "desirable" can be so intense, food may be used to dull the feeling back into a manageable or tolerable level. Prime emotions for this type of eating are joy, happiness, desire, elation and excitement.
At other times, we may eat to substitute for a lack of feeling. A good example of this is boredom. Eating when you are bored can bring on feelings of self-hatred, humiliation, and shame, but the bored, empty feeling is gone!
Habits
A habit is a stable behavior formed through repetition over time. Many people ask how this is different than Learned Behavior. The difference is that Learned Behaviors are learned from other people, usually family, and have a long history. We are solely responsible for forming Habits. The good news is that good habits are as easily formed as bad habits.
Social Eating
It is rare to socialize in any way today in America without the involvement of food. Watching a football game at a neighbor's house, meeting friends you haven't seen for a while: these things don't need the involvement of food but it usually becomes an integral part of any social plan. This often intersects with Availability of Food. It might be wise to ask yourself if you are really hungry or just eating because it seems the acceptable and expected thing to do.
Environmental Eating
Does a visit to the ball park always mean hot dogs? Does a movie have to include 2000 calories of popcorn? Certain environments trigger eating that is unhealthy. Sometimes it can be any environment that is not home. For instance, do you always eat more than necessary when dining in a restaurant?
Hunger
Hunger, true hunger, is another reason to eat. And, ideally, it's the only reason. Humans were designed to eat to fuel their bodies. Fuel to survive. Fuel for the massive amounts of maintenance, healing and growth our bodies accomplish every day.
The first step in straightening out a negative eating style is to be able to recognize the why as it's happening.
It may take a bit of work to get to the point where true hunger can be recognized but we'd all be thinner and healthier if we ate only when we were hungry.
Pat Barone earned her title "America's Weight Loss Catalyst" by coaching thousands of clients toward permanent weight loss. Her status as an expert is heightened by her own personal weight loss success. Receive her free newsletter "The Catalyst" by visiting http://www.patbarone.com/sign_up.htm
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Drinking Your Way To A Healthy Body
By John D Scott
While dieting it is important to watch what you drink just as much as you watch what you eat. A great number of beverages and "healthy" fruit juices are packed with high amounts of sugar and will cause weight gain if not properly burned off. This actually defeats the purpose of dieting because by drinking all these beverages full of sugar, you are actually working against your goal.
Here are a couple of rules when it comes to what to drink while dieting.
Rule # 1:
Drink plenty of water. I know, you've probably heard this a million times but it's true, this is a key ingredient of a healthy lifestyle.
If you are the kind of person who just can't stand drinking water because it doesn't taste like anything, try adding a lemon wedge to give it a little twist in flavor.
Rule # 2:
Lay off the booze. We all know about the beer bellies but what many don't know is that it has been proven that alcohol has elements which actually make it more difficult to burn off fat.
This isn't to say you can never drink again but you shouldn't exceed 1-2 drinks if you are looking to be healthy. Our liver is one of the organs mainly responsible for metabolizing fat. Since alcohol seriously impinges on proper liver function, too much alcohol means your body isn't being able to metabolize fat and therefore, you're not burning fat like you should.
Drinking alcohol also dehydrates the body which completely defeats the whole idea of drinking enough water. Not to mention the fact that alcohol contains almost as many calories per gram as fat
The fact is that if you are serious about getting in shape and losing the extra pounds, you have to lay off the serious drinking. If you must drink, try light beer or a small glass of wine.
Rule # 3:
Try not to drink too much coffee. Although coffee is very controversial, the truth is that a couple of cups a day isn't going to do too much harm.
Coffee does, however, dehydrate the body as well and extra water should be consumed if you want to keep hydrated.
If you are looking to lose weight quicker, then stay away from the creamy latte's that are packed with fat milk and creams and loaded with too much sugar.
Rule # 4:
Don't over due low-fat drinks. The fact is that diet beverages, be it tea, soda, sports drinks, etc., often bring a lot of sugar which, as we all know, is completely detrimental to losing weight.
Again, the best way to hydrate is water.
Anyhow, diet drinks haven't been proven to help you lose weight and sometimes they may even cause cravings for real sugar which can work against you.
The article is posted and written by John Scott, the researcher and writer for compareop.com (Phentermine OPs Reports and Discussion board). Remember that the consumption of excessive liquid may cause the onset of Cellulite. Read more about Cellulite
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How To Get Rid Of Love Handles
By William Hutchinson
How to get rid of love handles is a burning question in a lot of peoples minds these days, since with the hectic lifestyles and lack of time to eat proper meals most of use turn to fast food.
There are literally thousands of products that promise to get you in shape and lose weight. From diet pills to supplements to new amazing exercise equipment all with promises of that miracle fix to one of the biggest problems in this country today, weight. Today we are going to look at the only real cure for this problem and at the same time learn how to get rid of love handles and stomach fat.
It is amazing that so many of use continue to look for a miracle solution on how to get in shape and lose weight with out changing any of our destructive habits. Well there aren’t any miracles or secrets.
The closest thing to a miracle is liposuction, and that is not a permanent fix with out a change in lifestyle and bad habits.
When you thank about it, you probably did not get out of shape over night. To solve the problem and reach your goals you are going to need a structured diet and exercise program that you will have to follow and work at to reverse the affects of years of bad habits.
A proper diet is a good start to in achieving your goals. Eliminating some things such as soda, candy and other snack foods that so many of eat throughout the day will produce a big difference and is a good start to a healthy diet. If you combine this with smart meal choices and smaller portions you can achieve great results and is a good start on getting rid of your love handles. But this is only a start.
Besides diet you will need to increase your activity level. The best way of doing this is to establish a good solid exercise program to follow. I am not talking about any of those infomercial miracle programs either. You will need to follow a legit exercise program, and when you first start the program that you choose should be structured to you fitness level.
This information is not anything new but from time to time we need to be reminded. For some reason everyone knows what it takes to stay in shape and are not willing to do what it takes. How to get rid of love handles is no secrete, but most people just don’t do or change the things that are required to reach their goals
About The Arthur: William HutchinsonI am a diabetic and struggle with this daily. There are little tricks and methods to slightly speed up your results. To learn more visit: www.HutchesAffiliateMarketing.com/lovehandles
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Is it Worth the Weight?
By Dave Gleason
Lose 6 pounds in 3 days! Take off 10 pounds by summer guaranteed! The 5 secrets to shedding unwanted pounds for good!
Familiar headlines? Spend a bit of time at the magazine section in any store and count how many headlines grab you because they depict an article about losing weight. After all, the weight loss industry (yes it is an industry now) is a multi-billion dollar entity.
Most of us have heard that muscle weighs more than fat. But what does that mean. Does the general public really care? Do you care?
The scale is an easy way to judge ourselves and how we are fairing on the battle against the bulge. The scale is of no value by itself because it is only telling you part of the picture and there are much better ways to deal with your progress that will help ensure the “stick-to-itiveness” needed to change your body.
What if you could drop 1, 2 or 3 sizes…only to see the scale move in your favor by a few pounds?
Would know, or would you just be accepting the compliments as they come rolling in? Better yet – would you tell anyone?
What actually happens to real people needs to be explained so the endless cycle of start, discouragement, stop, restart with a new plan, discouragement, stop, etc. - ceases once and for all.
Here is the deal: Roughly 80% of you muscle tissue is made up of water. Muscle loves water.
When a muscle is used on a regular basis (i.e., exercise program) it tends to hold a bit more water compared to the muscle tissue of a couch potato. With that said, we all know that water is heavy. Don’t believe me…go pick up a gallon of water which is coincidently about the amount of water you should consume per day.
Now, let me share a very real life experience with you. Suppose someone you know has been doing everything right for 4 weeks.
That includes: Eating soundlyResistance trainingCardiovascular exerciseRest
At the completion of the 4 weeks your very excited friend steps on the scale for the first time…”I ONLY LOST 1 POUND!” I knew it wouldn’t work - again!
Little does you friend know that the likely scenario is as follows: 4 pounds of fat have vanished from their body and their now healthier muscle tissue is holding 3 pounds of water. That is a 7 pound change in 4 weeks and that is a great accomplishment. Sure it doesn’t stack up to the “guaranteed 20 pound loss” to join your gym or if you buy that be-all end-all exercise machine…but that’s my point.
A seven pound change will elicit a change in the way one’s clothes look and feel! Now some people will lose more than others due to too many factors to list here (an article for another time). I will say this…the percentage of the population that has medically related issues, metabolic or otherwise, is very small. For most of us – we create our metabolism we are not victims of it.
It’s time we are honest with ourselves and start celebrating every change we make.
4 ways to evaluate your own progress:
1. How do your clothes fit? Are they getting loose? Are you tightening to another belt loop? If so, you are losing FAT!
2. Scale weight – Weigh yourself once a week at most. Take an average every 4 weeks. You are looking for 1-2 lbs. of scale weight on average…that means some weeks you are down and some even up!
3. How do you feel? Are you full of energy? Are you feeling stronger? Are you sleeping better? If so, you are on the right track.
4. Do you feel hungrier now that you have begun to exercise consistently? If so, most likely you have already begun to increase your metabolism. Do yourself a favor and DO NOT eat more unless you are feeling more fatigued and or your workouts are becoming more difficult without adding any intensity (weight, reps, speed, base of support, angle etc.).
Take these tools and celebrate your successes no matter how small they may seem. There is more that meets the eye when it comes to judging ourselves by only stepping on the scale.
I think you will agree that when you: look better, have more energy, reduce the risk of many diseases, can do the things you want to do…pain free, look younger, have more strength, have more flexibility (need I go on?) weight loss on the scale will be a nice fringe benefit!
I know prevention and intangibles are a tough sell compared to straight weight loss…but I had to try!
Dave Gleason CSCS is owner of Movement 4 Life Personal Training, serving clients in Massachusetts' South Shore and Metro West areas. Learn more about Dave and his services at http://www.fitnessmistakes.com
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8 Killer Foods That Make You Fat and Sabotage Your Weight Loss
By Peter Fong
If you're trying to lose weight or are on a healthy diet, you should stay away from these killer foods. They make you fat very quickly and destroy your body's fat burning mechanism.
1. Donuts, Cookies and Pastries Saturated fat and refined sugar is abundant in these foods which also contain dangerous trans fatty acids. A small plain donut contains about 170 calories and 10 grams of fat. Donuts also contain chemical agents to keep them soft.
2. Soda, Fruit Drinks and Sugar Sweetened Beverages These drinks are sweetened using sucrose and high fructose corn syrup. When you consume liquid calories, you tend not to compensate by cutting back on the food you eat. The result is that you take in excess calories which are stored as body fat.
3. Fried Foods Fried foods are high in calories and mostly fat. A McDonald's super-size fries contains 610 calories and 29 grams of fat - 10 grams saturated. Saturated fat and/or trans fat clog the arteries and kills your health.
4. White Sugar, Candy, Chocolate and Sweets These refined carbohydrates are very dense in calories, which makes it extremely easy for you to eat too many calories. Sugar is "empty calories" i.e no vitamins, minerals, fiber. Refined sugars wreak havoc on your blood sugar and insulin levels, which increases fat storage and prevent stored fat from being burned.
5. White Bread and Sugary Breakfast Cereals White bread is a refined carbohydrate with no nutritional value, and is treated in the body the same way as white sugar. Anything made from white or enriched flour will easily turn to fat. This includes cereals, pretzels, bagels, breads, pitas and crackers.
Boxed cereals found in supermarkets contain large amounts of sugar, some more than 50% sugar. Many cereals deceptively appear healthier by "fortifying" them with vitamins and minerals.
6. Potato Chips, Nachos, Corn Chips They're loaded with high amounts sodium which increases the risk of high blood pressure. Some brands contain more than 680 milligrams of sodium! They also contain lots of calories, fat and flavor additives.
7. Ice Cream Ice cream is loaded with fat and sugar - the ultimate fat storing combination. To make things worse, it contains artificial coloring, flavors, preservatives, emulsifiers and stabilizers. One small cup contains approximately 350 calories and 20 grams of saturated fat.
8. Bacon, Sausages, Hot Dogs, Fast Food Burgers These are not pure, but processed meats. This means that they consist of some meat mashed up with fillers, stabilizers, sodium, preservatives, artificial colors and artificial flavors - a compact mix of chemicals and additives.
One strip of regular pork bacon has 130 calories and 13 grams of fat. A regular hot dog has 16 grams of fat. Hamburgers, while made from real meat, are made from some of the fattiest meat available.
Conclusion None of these should be part of your regular daily diet. If you do eat them, make sure you don't exceed your daily calorie balance. You can also eat a little on your planned "cheat day".
About the Author
Peter Fong is the owner of http://burnthefatrevealed.com/ He has spent 7 years researching the weight loss and fitness industry and shares his findings.
Claim your *FREE* "Fat Burning Secrets" Report HERE
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Best Fat Burning Tips That Are Really Tried And Tested!
By Sky Joe
Are you desperately in need of some fat burning tips? Are you thinking of different ways to lose your belly fat and trim down to your ideal weight before your wedding day? To lose weight, you do not have to spend loads of money buying those expensive slimming fat burning pills or complicated exercise equipment that may end up lying in corner of your house. There is a good chance that by following a few fat burning tips, you can get far improved results.
Don't use foods as a stress reliever! This is one of the best fat burning tips that you must remember. Most people have a tendency to seek out high-fat, high sugar foods under stress. It also appears that the more stressful you are, the more calories you will consume. If you are suffering from work related stress, you should try to substitute music, exercise, mediation or console games for food cravings.
It is advisable that you have breakfast everyday as people who skip this important meal of the day, usually wind up with a high-fat, high-sugar snack. Instead, a high-fiber, low-cereal with fruit and skim milk will keep you comfortable until lunchtime.
Another effective fat burning tip is to consume more vegetable and fruits, which are better choices than canned fruits loaded with salt or sugar. Make your meals attractive with colorful foods, carrots, tomatoes, broccoli in order to make them more appealing. This is because the more colorful the foods are, the more phytonutrients they contain.
Drink at least eight litres of water daily and cut down on the intake of artificially sweetened drinks, as they can increase your appetite due to the hypoglycemic effect. Cream, whole milk, or powdered creamers should be avoided in coffee or tea. They should be substituted with skim milk whenever possible. This fat burning tip is especially useful for dieters who are trying to reduce their caffeine consumption.
In addition, you should substitute low-fat or part skim milk cheeses for all other cheese. When you make the purchase, ensure that you check the total fat content per serving size. Low fat goat cheese, feta and ricotta cheese are good choices for cheese lovers who are considering weight loss.
Fresh or canned beans of any variety are excellent sources of fiber and vitamins. Their low fat content makes them excellent companions to any meal. However, make sure they are not prepared with any meat such as bacon. Avoid high-fat, refried beans and use vegetable skins instead, which are good sources of fiber.
Reducing excess fat is essential not only for improving your physique/figure and appearance, but also for overall good health. By following the above-mentioned best fat burning tips, coupled with a sensible diet, lifestyle changes and daily exercise, you can effectively combat obesity, and stay young and fit.
For more great ideas on weight loss tips, fast fat burning remedies and weight loss solutions, please visit the following website: Best Health Remedy
©Skyjoe. All rights reserved. This article may be freely distributed as long as it remains unaltered inclusive of the active links and the copyright notice. No alteration is allowed without express written permission from the author.
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Is There A Fast Way To Lose Weight Without Doing A Surgery
By Angel Abdulnor
Losing weight is a very complex subject. First of all, everyone’s metabolism is different, so all of us gain and lose weight at different speeds; this means it is impossible to decide that what worked for someone else must work for you as well. Losing weight without surgery needs to be planned in a personal way for every individual, consult specialists for exercises and diets that will best suit your body.
One of the best ways of assessing how long it will take you to lose weight is judging it will take about the same amount of time it took to gain that weight. Of course, this will also depend on the effort you put into losing the weight, it is not simply going to start coming off as soon as you decide you no longer want it. Losing weight requires a concentrated effort, often at a price, less snacks and smaller meals, not to mention regular tiring workouts.
Using surgery to reduce weight should be done only in extreme circumstances. In most cases, it is possible to lose weight through exercise, although it will take a lot more time and effort than surgery. Weight lost in surgery often comes right back, whereas weight lost through a serious commitment to a healthier way of living will often stay off, as the individual will continue to live a healthier lifestyle even after reaching their desired weight.
There are many different ways of losing weight, but there are also many false schemes and frauds that offer too good to be true ways of losing weight. These usually come at a hefty price and are just another hoax used to take money from desperate people. Losing weight takes a serious desire and regular planning, changing your eating habits and incorporating exercise into your schedule. Avoid any promises that will help you lose weight overnight through pills or magic tea. These illusions will not work and will end up leaving you with a frustrated feeling of hopelessness.
If you decide to opt for the long way of losing weight, get ready for what could possibly be months or even a year of hard work. That weight didn’t add up in a day, and it isn’t coming off any faster. Decide on a goal, make it realistic, consult a specialist as to what a realistic goal means for you. Look for a nutritionist to help you plan your meals, and stick to a strictly planned diet. Most people associate dieting with starvation, but that is not so. A healthy, balanced diet will allow you to eat many of the things you like, but it will help you eat proper amounts and eat them at the right times.
Weight loss secrets provided by Just Directory
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Free Weight Loss Tip
By Eric Sage
Are you trying to lose weight but failing?
How about a couple of free weight loss tip that require very little thought...as a matter of fact, you don't have to do much at all in order to implement them. There are no programs to follow, or diets to follow. Just follow these simple steps that will help you to lose weight each day.
The first thing you need to do in order to be successful with anything in life is get in the right mind set. If you are trying to balance your budget for example, you tell yourself that you are going to create a realistic budget and stick with it. The same is for weight loss. You are going to create a weight loss plan and stick with it.
Stay positive. This is vitally important. Once you begin a plan for losing weight you must absolutely stay focused. Temptation is at every corner so keep reminding yourself of what you are trying to accomplish....weight loss! This might mean hanging up a pair of pants that you want to fit into in 6 weeks in your bedroom. Keep some kind of motivation in front of you.
Make a realistic goal. Just like anything you do, goals are important. If you say you are just going to lose weight, then that is a very broad goal. Instead, make a goal to lose 5 lbs in the next 5 weeks. Then from there you can make a smaller goal to lose about a 1lb or more per week. Little goals will add up to one big goal in the end. Unrealistic goals will leave you defeated and unmotivated to continue once you realize how unattainable they are.
Make a plan. Now you are ready to achieve your goal of weight loss. You have got the right mind set and you have a goal in mind. Now, how are you going to get there? This is critical. You must have a plan. A plan is going to get you from your starting point to the ending point-lose 5lbs in 5 weeks!
Have a way to measure your progress. This is also key to your success. If you don't keep track of your results from one week to the next, you could easily lose motivation because you don't "see" the results. How excited you will be if you weigh yourself in week three and have lost 3 lbs? Will you be more motivated to lose those next 2 lbs? Of course you will.
If you want more weight loss tips or further motivation and information, head on over to http://provenweightlossreviews.blogspot.com/ and get motivated!
Eric is a health nut ever since he was diagnosed with high blood pressure and was told to lose weight. He has lost over 30 lbs in the past 9 months and his blood pressure is within normal range now!
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Star Jones: How Did She Do It?
By Angela Edwards
Speculation has long abounded about Star Jones Reynold’s dramatic weight loss. In the early days after the 100+ lb loss, you’d see headlines such as “Star Jones refuses to confirm or deny that she had weight loss surgery”. She’d talk vaguely about “eating right” and/or “exercising”, but on the specifics of her success, she was mum.
A year or so later, Star admitted that she had “medical intervention” for her weight problem. Her loss was fast and dramatic; the changes to her body appearing to be happening overnight. People would point to the “hanging skin” they saw on her neck and arms to prove to themselves and their friends that they were right about her having had surgery. In one photo Star was wearing a very revealing dress and I saw what appeared to be scars very similar to my own husband’s weight loss surgery scars. My husband had a laparoscopic procedure done to help him reduce his weight.
For the first time, Star has decided to come clean with what type of “medical intervention” she had for her longstanding weight problem and has written an article for Glamour Magazine that will appear on newsstands August 7.
What did she have done? For now, it’s only speculation. Her loss was fast and dramatic; most people in the weight loss community don’t believe that the surgery type LapBand was used, as that produces slower results than those seen on Star. In the United States, six types of surgeries are used. “Stomach Stapling”, as weight loss surgery was once known, is very seldom used anymore.
The website, ObesityHelp.com, gives great information on the surgeries and offers resources to find a surgeon, and has support communities available for before and after surgery. The following surgery types and their descriptions were taken from ObesityHelp.com This information can be found at http://www.obesityhelp.com/content/wlsurgery.html I would recommend visiting the site, because the site shows photos of how the surgeries “bypass” the stomach and/or intestines and there are pictures of the LapBand device as it appears on the stomach.
The types of weight loss surgery available in the United States are:
LapBand
Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy
Vertical Banded Gastroplasty
Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass
Duodenal Switch
Biliopancreatic Diversion
How Weight Loss Surgery Reduces Weight? Gastrointestinal surgery for obesity, also called bariatric surgery, alters the digestive process so as to achieve rapid weight loss. The operations can be divided into three types: restrictive, malabsorptive, and combined restrictive/malabsorptive. Restrictive weight loss surgeries limit food intake by creating a narrow passage from the upper part of the stomach into the larger lower part, reducing the amount of food the stomach can hold and slowing the passage of food through the stomach. Malabsorptive weight loss surgeries do not limit food intake, but instead exclude most of the small intestine from the digestive tract so fewer calories and nutrients are absorbed.
Malabsorptive weight loss surgeries, also called intestinal bypasses, are no longer recommended because they result in severe nutritional deficiencies. Combined operations use stomach restriction and a partial bypass of the small intestine.
Adjustable Gastric Banding (also known as the LAP-BAND) In this procedure, a hollow band made of silicone rubber is placed around the stomach near its upper end, creating a small pouch and a narrow passage into the rest of the stomach. The band is then inflated with a salt solution through a tube that connects the band to an access port placed under the skin. It can be tightened or loosened over time to change the size of the passage by increasing or decreasing the amount of salt solution.
Vertical Gastrectomy (also called vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy, Greater Curvature Gastrectomy, Parietal Gastrectomy, Gastric Reduction and even Vertical Gastroplasty) is performed by approximately 15 surgeons worldwide. The originally procedure, conceived by Dr. D Johnston in England, was called The Magenstrasse and Mill Operation. It generates rapid weight loss by restricting the amount of food that can be eaten (removal of stomach or vertical gastrectomy) without any bypass of the intestines or malabsorption. The stomach pouch is usually made smaller than the pouch used in the Duodenal Switch.
Vertical Banded Gastroplasty (VBG) VBG uses both a band and staples to create a small stomach pouch, resulting in quick weight loss. Once the most common restrictive operation, VBG is not often used today.
Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (RGB)This operation is the most common and successful combined weight loss surgery in the United States. First, the surgeon creates a small stomach pouch to restrict food intake. Next, a Y-shaped section of the small intestine is attached to the pouch to allow food to bypass the lower stomach, the duodenum (the first segment of the small intestine), and the first portion of the jejunum (the second segment of the small intestine). This reduces the amount of calories and nutrients the body absorbs. Rarely, a cholecystectomy (gall bladder removal) is performed to avoid the gallstones that may result from rapid weight loss. More commonly, patients take medication after the operation to dissolve gallstones.
Duodenal Switch (also called vertical gastrectomy with duodenal switch, biliopancreatic diversion with duodenal switch, DS or BPD-DS) is performed by approximately 50 surgeons worldwide. It generates weight loss by restricting the amount of food that can be eaten (partial gastrectomy (i.e., partial removal of the stomach along the outer curvature see diagram) and by limiting the amount of food (specifically fat) that is absorbed into the body (intestinal bypass or duodenal switch). This weight loss surgery is more controversial because it has a significant component of malabsorption (bypass of the intestinal tract), which seems to augment and help maintain long-term weight loss. Of the procedures currently performed for the treatment of obesity, it has some powerful and effective components. Due to concerns of possible long-term effects of malabsorption and the technical difficulty involved with this type of weight loss surgery, many surgeons don't perform it.
Biliopancreatic Diversion (BPD) In this more complicated combined weight loss surgery, the lower portion of the stomach is removed. The small pouch that remains is connected directly to the final segment of the small intestine, completely bypassing the duodenum and the jejunum. Although this procedure leads to weight loss, it is used less often than other types of operations because of the high risk for nutritional deficiencies. This surgery is not commonly done anymore.
None of these surgeries allow a person to “eat everything they want to and lose weight”. The person must follow the strict guidelines given to him or her after the surgery in order for the surgery to be successful. In some cases, people who do not follow the guidelines either do not lose weight afterward, or they gain more. Some of the surgeries will not allow patients to eat items such as sugar and dense, refined carbohydrates, or they risk severe intestinal discomfort and sickness. This is known as “dumping”.
Weight loss surgery is not for everyone, nor will all insurances pay for it. However, in the case of people with serious weight problems, such as Star Jones, it is often advantageous to have the surgery in order to reduce enough weight so that other health problems, known as “comorbitities” are reduced or eliminated. Too much weight can take years off a person’s life.
Angela Edwards lives on Washington State's Coastline in the Great Northwest.
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Easy Diet Plan
By Rien Vidad
When we are experiencing the battle of the bulge, we tend to go on yet another diet. We often look for an easy diet plan to follow. Heres the thing though, once we get off it, we find ourselves right back to where we started. The weight comes creeping back and then some.
I am not a big fan of the word “diet” just because of the negative connotations that come to mind when we think of the actual “dieting” part…irritability, hunger pangs, cravings. But by following a few simple steps we can make it a life choice and never have to utter the word diet again.
There are lots of gurus out there that will tell you to do this, take that, follow their easy diet plan and in no time you’ll have a ripped midsection and be kicking sand into someone else’s face. Fact of the matter is, sometimes they don’t work and the only thing you lose is money.
Here is my seven-step easy diet plan you can follow that will reap tons of benefits the more you practice them. Follow this easy diet plan and you will start shedding the pounds, but more importantly you will keep it off.
1. Eat 5-6 smaller meals. Instead of two to three large meals, eating more frequently speeds up your metabolism, which means more weight loss.
2. Make healthier choices when eating out. More and more restaurants are making it easier to eat out and eat healthy. Get a garden burger instead of the2 pound Angus beef or get a side salad instead of fries. Or be even crazier and eat a large salad altogether!
3. Drink more water. Your body retains water when you don’t get too much of it, which means more water weight. Drink more water and it adapts as such.
4. Make your own meals. Often when we buy meals from a lunch wagon or fast food joint, we have no idea how much fat, sodium and carbohydrates. Preparing your own meal is not only cheaper, but you can control the amount of fat and salt that goes into it.
5. Exercise. Even if it’s walking the dog after dinner, you must engage in some form of physical activity on a regular basis. Doing so burn more calories, which in turn burns off the weight.
6. Take the stairs. You’ll be amazed how many extra calories you can burn off by taking the stairs instead of the elevator.
7. Eat less processed foods. In one can of soup or microwave meal you will typically find almost a day’s RDA of sodium. Choose raw veggies and whole grain breads over their fatty and salt laden counterparts.
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Laxatives And Weight Loss - A Potentially Deadly Combination
By Terry Edwards
There is no doubt that dieting and weight loss can be difficult for many people, but some mistakenly believe that laxatives and weight loss is the answer to looking thin again. Here's why this method of weight control can have potentially deadly consequences.
The main thought process behind laxatives and weight loss is that the laxatives will help eliminate the food they have eaten before their body turns it into calories.
The results of this process being done over and over are not only harmful to your health, but they just don't work in losing weight.
Why doesn't this method work?
Without being too technical it's important to understand the digestive process so you can see why laxatives won't work in losing weight.
Your bowel gets food and other matters from your stomach and small intestine. (Remember the small intestine for later) When your bowel gets full, nerve endings are stimulated and a message that it's time to use the bathroom.
Taking a laxative stimulates nerves in the large intestine where your colon is. Your colon is the last barrier in your digestive tract and there is no nutrient material involved here. So, you are not losing food, only waste.
Also, taking laxatives removes lots of water from your system, hence the sudden weight loss.
But, as you rehydrate your body, the weight comes right back on. And if you don't hydrate your body then you will have some other very serious health issues.
Laxatives simply do not stimulate the small intestine which is where your food is digested and therefore can not remove the calories before they are absorbed into your body. And this is what people who abuse laxatives fail to realize.
This has been proven in numerous studies over many years. Further, by abusing laxatives you are doing irreparable harm to your intestines and colon.
Laxatives and weight loss; a lethal combination that doesn't work and should be avoided at all cost.
By the way, you can learn more about How To Lose Weight as well as see the results from the plan I've been on and much more information on weight loss on my blog at http://www.FatLoss4IdiotsReview.net
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Free Low Carb Food List
By Tony Newton
The popularity of low carb diets is increasing all the time. This is basically because they do actually work, as long as you stick to the particular plan you choose to follow. Obviously the Atkins Diet is the most popular and can have a dramatic effect in just a couple of weeks. An important part of following any of these diets correctly is to have a low carb food list.
This means you will know exactly what you can and cannot eat everyday. It also means you can vary the different meals to prevent you getting bored of each meal. So once you have your low carb food list, you can plan different meals for each day. Just because you are on a diet doesn't mean you cannot still eat foods that are tasty and filling. Low carb doesn't have to mean low food.
Here are some various types of low carb foods that you can add to your low carb food list - Swiss Cheese-Shredded, Blue Cheese, Beef Brisket, Beef Chuck, Beef Eye Round, Beef Jerky, Beef Short Ribs, Beef Tenderloin, Veal Breast, Veal Cutlet, Veal Loin, Veal Rib Chop, Veal Round Steak, Veal Scallops, Veal Shank, Veal Stew Meat, Tuna, Pork, Chicken.
It is important to eat these foods plentifully and avoid items with high sugar and carb content. Especially in the first two weeks of the atkins diet. This is when the ketosis effect is at it's highest and where you'll experience a rapid weight loss. A good idea is to pin your low carb food list onto a board in the kitchen or put it under a fridge magnet so that it is always in view. If you're not sure whether you can eat a certain item of food, just check your list to see if it is on there. If not, leave it alone and don't be tempted!
For more completely FREE low carb diet tips, just visit our site and we'll send you professional tips everyday. You'll have the body of your dreams in no time! Just visit - http://www.MyDailyFitnessTip.com
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Healthy Ways to Watch your Weight While on Vacation
By Roslyn Franken
You’re striving to shed your unwanted pounds, get in shape and live a healthy lifestyle. You’re finally starting to eat better and feel better, but there’s only one problem – you’re about to go away on vacation and can’t help but wonder how on earth you’ll be able to maintain your healthy diet and lifestyle while out of your usual routine and environment. The good news is you can put your worries aside. Going on vacation doesn’t mean you have to throw in the towel and revert back to all your old unhealthy habits that got you into trouble in the first place. Here are some healthy vacation eating and lifestyle tips to help you manage yourself well while away from home.
Be realistic:
Whether you’re traveling to another country, going to an all-inclusive resort, going on a cruise, or just going for a weekend roadtrip, for example, there is no doubt that temptation will abound with new and interesting restaurants and foods you’re going to want to sample. It’s all part of the fun of being on vacation. Is it necessary to completely deny yourself these new taste experiences in order to maintain your healthy weight and lifestyle? Not so. You’ll be much happier if instead you choose to allow for some special treats and indulgences WITHOUT guilt. Just be sure to recognize that there will be a price to pay if you over-indulge or indulge on too regular a basis. I suggest you pay close attention to portion sizes of these special treats. Focus on having less than you normally would of these less healthy indulgences and fill the gap with healthier low calorie choices. Many people can gain anywhere from 5 – 10 pounds over a holiday. If you can manage to maintain your weight or only gain a pound or two, that would be phenomenal.
Minimize Stress:
Many vacationers like to plan itineraries filled with lists of activities to do and sites to see. Do you not already have enough To-Do lists at home? If you put pressure on yourself to get everything done that you planned on, you may be just as stressed on your holidays as you are at home rushing from one place to the next and having to get everything done on your To-Do list.
This type of pressure creates stress that can lead to poor eating habits such as skipping meals resulting in overeating at meal time and possibly with not the best food choices, all of which translates into weight gain. So ease up on yourself and go with the flow. Avoid being too rigid. Remember things don’t always go as planned. Be sure to take time to eat properly throughout the day or bring some healthy snacks with you to tide you over till your next meal when in a pinch. When you get too hungry you can become impatient and irritable which will just take away from your enjoyment.
Increase your Physical Activity:
While on holidays you can’t use the excuse that you don’t have time to exercise. Be sure to make time for some additional physical activity to help burn off some of those extra calories you may have indulged in earlier in the day. Go for an extra walk around the deck if on a cruise, walk instead of taking buses and taxis while touring, go for a swim in the ocean or pool or hit the dance floor at the disco or bar. Just keep moving and HAVE FUN!
Watch the alcohol:
You might be tempted to give yourself permission to have more alcohol because you’re on “vacation”, but remember those extra “vacation” drinks can throw off your better judgment leading to poor food choices and overeating. Remember the alcoholic drinks alone can pack on loads of extra calories which translate to weight gain. Again, indulge a little here and there, but recognize there will be consequences when you indulge or maybe even over-indulge on too regular a basis.
By keeping these healthy tips top of mind you can come back from your vacation continuing to feel great about yourself. Be sure to give yourself permission to indulge from time to time and focus on making healthy choices the rest of the time. Also be sure you get extra physical activity in to burn off some of the extra calories consumed. Have a great trip!
Roslyn Franken is the author of The A List: 9 Guiding Principles for Healthy Eating and Positive Living, a book that outlines a powerful self-directed change process for achieving your long term health, lifestyle and weight management goals.
Roslyn has overcome her own food and weight issues and has helped many others through her personalized counseling program and professional speaking services. She counsels clients by telephone and email across North America who are ready to build a healthy and positive lifestyle maintainable for a lifetime.
Roslyn also inspires and motivates corporate and community group audiences toward the practices of healthy eating and positive living through her professional speaking services.
To purchase The A List book and for more information on Roslyn Franken’s personalized counseling and professional speaking services please visit Roslyn online at www.theAlistbook.com Take your complimentary online Readiness Assessment and be sure to sign up for your FREE Healthy Hints newsletter.
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Weight Loss Effectiveness
By Roger Grant
The first method of weight loss is presented only to show an example of what not to do. It is the rapid weight loss method by way of a starvation diet. This diet involves depriving the body of a vital nutrient that it needs, which forces the body to break down muscle tissue to provide the nutrient.
Because muscle is much denser than fat, this will create a very rapid initial weight loss. Any real fat loss is due to a shortage of calories which is created. However, this loss in muscle tissue will cause a reduction in the resting metabolic rate, which will cause the caloric deficit to become a caloric equilibrium. While this is happening, the starvation state will cause the body to activate some very powerful defense mechanisms to protect the person from the environment as well as from himself.
One of these mechanisms is to discourage the person from wasting energy, which will manifest itself as lethargy and muscular weakness. The other defense mechanism is to encourage the person to consume concentrated sources of the deficient caloric nutrient as well as calories in general. This results in severe cravings, and explains why people in starvation mode are more likely to crave pizza or ice cream than celery or spinach. If the person inevitably succumbs to these cravings, then he or she will gain back all of the weight in fat, resulting in a higher percentage body fat than he or she had before the diet. If the person does not succumb and terminate the diet, then he or she will eventually die of starvation. As a result, this type of weight loss program is all but unsustainable, and creating beneficial habits are out of the question. Unfortunately, it is probably the most popular way for people to try to lose weight.
The next method is the first proper method of fat loss, and is the quickest healthy way to lose fat. This method causes fat loss at a rate of about 1 to 2 lbs per week, and provides the body with the vital nutrients needed for proper functioning while creating a shortage of the calories needed to power the Krebs cycle. This forces the body to tap into its own fat stores for the needed calories and will result in fat loss. In addition, both resistance and cardiovascular exercises are used to enhance the caloric deficit along with fat loss. As the person reaches his goal, he will increase his caloric intake to create a caloric equilibrium and maintain his new condition.
Because this method keeps the person out of starvation mode, it is perfectly sustainable and is suitable for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. However, the difficulties encountered in this program are likely to be psychological. The truth is that people are creatures of habit, and a fat loss program such as this demands major changes to those habits. It involves performing exercises when the person is used to being sedentary, and refusing hot dogs, potato chips, and other junk food that the person is used to eating regularly. In addition, the increased lean mass will often show an initial increase in weight even when girth measurements are shrinking. This can be discouraging to an impatient person.
The second proper method of fat loss is a slower way to lose fat, and it mainly involves increasing the lean mass. The resulting increase in the resting metabolic rate is a major factor in providing the caloric deficit and resulting fat loss. However, proper nutrition is still a cornerstone of this program, and it provides all of the vital nutrients without adding an excess of empty calories. The result is a noticeable increase in muscle mass combined with a loss of fat.
Like the previous method of fat loss, the increase in lean mass renders weight measurements to be unreliable. Also, the slow rate of fat loss can be discouraging to someone who wants to see results quickly. However, because there is a less drastic reduction in caloric intake, it is much less stressful and much easier to maintain. In addition, the length of time required to reach the goal increases the chances that it will form a lifetime habit.
The proper methods have their advantages and disadvantages. A method that shows results in a reasonable amount of time, usually involves major changes in habit patterns. This makes it all too easy for the person to abandon the new habits in favor of the old bad habits. On the other hand, a slower method would involve less drastic changes in caloric intake, and makes it easier to form new habits. It is no surprise that most proper fat loss programs are somewhere in between these two types of programs. It also shows that the more quickly someone loses fat, the more difficult it is to keep it off.
In addition to maintaining his career as a professional pilot, Roger has spent much time pursuing formal and self directed studies of the human physiology and metabolism. He is also qualified as a health nutritionist and a fitness trainer. He has written articles for www.spartafit.com
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The Real Reasons Dieting Doesn't Work and The Best Life Diet Solution
By Rachel Cohen
Being overweight and overeating are symptoms of the real problem, which is usually some sort of deeper feeling of frustration, sadness, loneliness, or pain. Most rapid weight loss products and methods only temporarily address the weight issue, and leave the underlying causes of overeating unaddressed. Hence, you see the yo yo syndrome of losing and gaining the same 10 pounds over and over again.
Each diet has a list of "allowed" foods and the ones that aren't allowed. Depending on the diet, some seemingly normal foods, including some fruits and vegetables, may or may not be allowed.
Along with this, some of a dieter's favorite foods may also not be allowed. Besides that, a deprived body brings about high-sugar, high-carb, and high-fat cravings and soon or later dieters succumb to them and binge. The human body craves what is forbidden which makes following this course in the long term very difficult.
This in itself, proves that dieting is just a temporary solution. A lot of people do not have a problem with the temporary aspect of diets because they mistakenly believe that once they lose the weight, that will be the end of it. Unfortunately, with little or no guidance on how to modify their eating habits for life, most dieters quickly gain their original weight back, and then some.
The BestLife Diet program from Bob Greene provides an alternative method. It is designed to be a system for improving your lifestyle and losing weight along with it. Natural weight, health, and beauty will come naturally as we tune into our own bodies and minds and start living life in harmony with ourselves, rather than creating internal conflicts. Only through a genuine relationship with ourselves and food can we achieve a healthy body, a healthy life, happiness, energy, and peace with food.
Bob Greene tries to achieve that harmony with the BestLife Diet program. It is a fitness and nutrition program that takes you through a 3 phase program. The phased approach helps with gradually adjusting your mindset and habits. The first phase focuses on developing good habits like eating 3 meals a day, increasing exercise activity, and taking vitamins. The second phase guides you towards making healthier food choices, dealing with hunger, and losing weight more aggressively than the first phase. The last phase of the BestLife Diet is called the lifestyle phase and provides eating and exercising ideas that you can continue on for the rest of your life. While it will not solve the problem of someone in desperate need to lose quick weight, it is a realistic alternative for people who have a little more time and patience to invest in their weight loss journey.
Rachel Cohen professionally scrutinizes the latest diet releases.
Her latest website, The BestLife Diet Review, does an in-depth review of the pros and cons of The BestLife Diet. To learn how you can get a free trial of Bob Greene's BestLife program and test drive it for yourself, and to get a free copy of the eBook "Boost Your Metabolism", visit http://www.bestlifedietreview.com
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Apple Cider Vinegar - Can it Really Help You Lose Weight?
By Phillip England
It is a fact that many people are struggling with their weight. Given with this situation, many companies have released so many diet supplements, pills and drinks in recent years. While many of those products actually work, some people would prefer natural and fresh ingredients to aid them in their weight loss. For this people, apple cider vinegar may be the answer.
Apple cider vinegar actually has been used since ancient times for weight loss. Not only that but it also used as a health aid for various ailments such as diabetes, heart disease, chest congestion, sore throat, arthritis and yeast infections.
You might be wondering how apple cider vinegar can do all this. The answer lies in its components. It is very rich in nutrients, vitamins and minerals. Apple cider vinegar contains vitamins A, C, E, B1, B2 and B6, minerals such as iron, manganese, sodium, phosphorus, fluorine and chlorine and enzymes like amino acids, propionic acid and apple pectin. It is apple pectin that helps people lose their weight.
Apple pectin is derived from the fermentation of apple juice. This natural substance is a soluble fiber that binds with fat and cholesterol globules and removes them from the body. This is important not just for weight watchers but also those with coronary diseases. For weight maintenance, the vinegar is also very helpful because it can speed up a person's metabolism and also reduce one's appetite.
Taking apple cider vinegar is no problem since it has no side effects and is safe enough to be taken by children. Just take two teaspoons of the vinegar mixed in water before every meal and you are on your way to your dream weight. For faster results, take apple cider vinegar with kelp and lecithin and drink an additional 2-3 glasses everyday to help your body flush the fat and cholesterol out. Apple cider vinegar also comes in capsules and tablets.
With all the benefits it provides to our health, the old saying is actually true: an apple (cider vinegar) a day keeps the doctor away!
Phillip England is a weight loss expert and Author of the popular report "The Ultimate Weight Loss Secret". To receive your free information on the secret that doctors, and health companies either don't know, or don't want you to know, please see http://www.theultimateweightlosssecret.com/secret
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A Weight-Loss Method That Simply Works
By Jay O
Introduction
I am just a regular guy who was overweight for years. I found a method for losing weight that worked for me and I will share it. However, I’m not a doctor or health care professional and I have always been fairly healthy. Please consult with your doctor to finalize a weight loss plan that is right for you.
STEP1: Is There a Problem?
Many people feel the grass is always greener on the other side. Being overweight is not the source of all a person’s problems. Is your current weight causing or likely to cause you health problems? Is your current weight making it harder for you to perform tasks at home and work?
STEP 2: Assess and Monitor the Problem
Calibrate your scale to read 0 when you are not standing on it. Weigh yourself consistently everyday and record your weight. Your weight will fluctuate several pounds throughout the day, so try to be consistent and honest with yourself (its just a number). After a week of recording your weight look at the results to see if your gaining weight, losing weight, or holding steady.
STEP 3: Search for an Activity You Enjoy That Happens To Be Exercise!
While I’m exercising, I never think about burning calories or losing weight. If I did then time would pass very slowly and I would want to quit. Instead, I let my mind wander freely on something else. The truth is I don’t exercise for the sake of exercising! I like to look for deer at a national park for an hour or two. While I’m looking I happen to be hiking. Look for one or more activities you can do frequently (group football or basketball may be fun, but how often will you play?). You may have to experience many different activities before you find one that works for you. Brainstorming activities doesn't lose weight, so get out there and try new things. It may take you some time to find an activity you like, but when you do it will be worth it.
STEP 4: Control Food Cravings
Food cravings can be spontaneous, strong, and relentless. Fatty, unhealthy, inexpensive and tasty food is easily available 24 hours a day. Cravings can be overbearing if you are hungry from trying to lose weight by eating less of everything. Try to eat healthy meals when you are hungry (lots of fruits and vegetables), not snacks and dessert. Anticipate cravings and have healthy food available. I find that exercise (your activity in step 3) suppresses my appetite.
STEP 5: Set Gradual Weight Change Goals
If your assessment results (step 2) show you are gaining weight then your first goal should not be to lose weight. Instead set a goal to keep your weight fairly constant (stop gaining weight) for a week. Next set a new realistic goal to lose a few pounds at a time. Remember that good results will motivate you more than anything will. Setting unrealistic goals may demoralize you.
STEP 6: Adjust Your Activity’s Intensity Duration and Frequency to Reach Your Goal
If my results from step 2 show I am gaining weight, then I may spend 2 hours looking for deer instead of 1 hour. I may look every day instead of every other day. I may decide to hike a little faster. I don’t recommend exercising at a dangerous intensity, duration, or frequency to accomplish unrealistic goals.
STEP 7: If your not satisfied with your results or your situation changes go back to step 3
Maybe your activity doesn’t have the calorie burning potential that you thought it might. Perhaps you have just grown tired of it. Don’t give up! Try something else. If a natural disaster closes the park near me then my situation has changed. I will go back to step 3 and search for a new activity.
For great ideas on how to improve your fitness you’re welcome to visit Jay’s website
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Does Counting Calories Help You Lose Weight?
By John Barban
Counting calories is a popular tool people will eventually try in their quest to lose weight. But does this actually help with portion control or maintaining any sort of strict diet? The goal of calorie counting is to know almost exactly how many calories you are consuming per day and per meal. In theory once you know how many calories you are putting in your body, you can then decide how many less you would like to consume in order to lose weight. This is where the calorie counting strategy falls apart. Lets look at a fictional example to explain why this is not an effective tool.
A pound of fat has approximately 3500 calories of stored energy in it. Lets say your goal is to lose 1 pound of fat per week (and this is a rather lofty goal considering that would be 52 pounds lost by the end of a year!). This would equate to reducing your calories by 500 calories per day.
Lets also assume you eat 3 meals per day (even if its one big meal and a couple snacks). This would equate to reducing approximately 166 calories per meal, which isn’t very much. It could be difference of a few more bites of your favorite pasta dish, a couple chicken wings, or the difference between some cheese on a burger or sandwich and a bit of mayonnaise. These changes are almost unnoticeable from meal to meal, but they are the difference in gaining or losing weight over the long haul. Being this specific at each meal is what is required to make calorie counting work.
It is very difficult if not impossible to keep track of changes this small this often. Considering these changes are so small from meal to meal, it is also just as easy to over do a meal or two by the same few calories, which just puts you right back where you started. You could be reducing your calories from meal to meal perfectly for 3 or 4 days, and one or two slip ups on day 5 and 6 will put you right back where you started. For this strategy to work, you can’t miss hitting your target for even one meal. If you do, it will negate the effect of the previous meal. For example, if you successfully reduce your calories by 166 at breakfast, but overdo lunch by 100, you’re now only down 66 calories for the day. The only way to hit your target now is to reduce your calories even further at dinner. On top of all of this, recent research shows that people who are asked to count their calories for scientific studies will routinely underestimate the amount of food they are eating by up to 30%. This just shows how hard it is to accurately keep track of calories at all. This system of calorie counting is a recipe for failure and makes each meal a stressful event, and makes eating just down right not fun.
For the most part calorie counting will just show you how little the changes are that need to be made in order to lose weight. It will also show you how hard it is to make these changes by counting calories at every meal. A simpler solution is to look at your lifestyle and eating habits.
Try to take account of the times, places and situations where you end up in a ‘big eat’ mode like (holidays, work events, dinners out, at the movies etc…) and the times when you can be totally satisfied with a sensible meal with moderate calories. Striving to have more of latter favorable eating situations and less of the ‘big eat’ situations is a better more effective way to reduce calories without ever getting the calculator out again.
John Barban is a Varsity Strength and Conditioning Coach and has his Masters degree in Nutrition. He is the author of a womens specific workout called the 6 Minute Circuits Workout you can find at http://www.6minutecircuits.com He is also the performance Training Advisor to a womens exercise and nutrtion resource http://www.grrlathlete.com . You can also get nutrition and workout answers directly from John at http://www.grrlathlete.freeforums.org
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Who Else Wants To Look Like A Movie Star?
By Terry Schierer
Who else wants to look like a movie star? Probably the truth be told, just about every one of us when we have to confront our naked bodies in a mirror. You might be close to your desired weight or you might be grossly overweight but the point is there is room for improvement.
Movie stars are no different than you and I. They just have resources available to them that most people only wish they had. Personal trainers are at their beck and call and ready to help them whenever the need arises.
They have chefs that work with the personal trainer to provide great tasting food that meets their required intake to maintain and strengthen their bodies. In essence they have at their command what ever it takes to keep the weight down and maintain that great looking body.
I can hear you saying to yourself, I don't have all that. What you just said was true up until a couple of years ago. The great news is that today you have at your beck and call the same system that the movie stars have to help you lose the weight you want and best of all work with you to keep you looking "fine".
For years there have been diets. As a matter of fact, countless numbers of diets. Most of them are not worth the paper they are printed on but never-the-less they are diets.
There have been exercise programs around for years. Every body builder or personal trainer had there own program that they pushed off on you. Heck it worked for them why wouldn't it work for you?
The problem was that often time the diet program didn't compliment the exercise program. The result was that countless thousands of people failed and gave up at diet and exercise until the next flashy ad convinced them to try again - only to fail again.
A few years ago some great dietary chefs along with knowing and caring personal trainers decided to come together and provide a diet and exercise program along with peer support, which had been missing altogether that would work to give the participant a win, win situation.
The resulting combination of a flexible, tailored to the customers diet along with a customized exercise program was missing just one thing. That one thing was the support of others going through and experiencing the same body changes.
No one wants to be an island to themselves. We all need the support and encouragement of those who have been down our path before. This alone has been the cause for many, many untold successes.
In the beginning God said it not good for man to be alone. That is still true today. We need the support of others to get though difficult times and loosing weight and keeping it off can be difficult at times. Especially when you hit a plateau and can't seem to lose another pound having the support of those going through and already been there is crucial to our success.
It's also a great feeling after you had success to help a "newbie" out and encourage them.
Unfortunately there are still a lot of useless diet and exercise plans out there. In choosing one make sure it has all three essential ingredients. To be successful a diet and exercise plan needs to have a diet for your type, an exercise program tailored to your needs and then it must have a communication medium for support and encouragement.
If you stick to those important ingredients you too can look like a movie star!
Picking a great diet and exercise program is time consuming and costly. Go to the complete review of diet and exercise programs, pick the program thats perfect for your situation and your on the fast track to having the body of a movie star!
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Maximize Fat Loss Through Simple Ideas
By Kristen Van Beaver
If anyone has even thought about losing weight, they are sure to be swamped with advice from friends, co-workers, as well as the millions of advertisements for diets and diet pills. You may know that losing weight may sound easy, but losing it and then keeping it off is the real battle.
Although there are diets which claim that you can lose ten pounds in one week, there are not healthy nor will the results last after you go back to eating real food. Obviously you cannot eat whatever you want and lose weight. If that were true, everyone would be skinny. But implementing simple changes in your life can make you healthier one day at a time and keep you motivated. After a few weeks, the changes will become habits, and so will healthy living.
It takes discipline to eat healthy at first, but once you do it becomes much easier. You start to crave healthier foods. When you do eat unhealthier options, they will make you feel lethargic and even give you headaches.
The trick to healthy eating is…well there is no trick but there are several ideas that make it easier. First, add gradual changes to your diet. You can still eat food you like, such as pizza and ice cream but only eat it 1-2 times a week. Or if that sounds too hard, try to eat smaller portions, such as ½ cup rather than a half gallon of ice cream of a whole pizza. Try to eat slower as well, if you need some help listen to soft music while you eat and you will automatically eat slower. Or you can picture where your food came from. All these things will allow you to eat less.
Another key is to add healthier alternatives to your diet. Rather than eating white bread or pasta, switch to whole grain. If you can’t bear that, try the whole grain white, which offers more nutrients. Rather than drinking juice, grab whole fruit instead. Eating whole foods is better for you because it gives you quality nutrients. Try substituting a candy bar with a handful of nuts or trail mix. Try an apple and peanut butter, my favorite snack. Healthy substitutions are simple to make.
After deciding to eat healthier, come up with a plan so you continue to follow through. Plan your meals for the week and shop for that menu. Don’t go to the store hungry, and stick to the list. Impulse buying can hurt your waistline and your budget.
When at the store, try to stay to the outside aisles, the loop around the supermarket that has whole foods. If you buy snacks or other items, try to find low-sodium and low-sugar, rather than fat-free. These will often contain fiber and other nutrients that will fill you up, unlike “fat-free” which are often empty calories.
Now that healthy eating is on the menu, the next step is the dreaded exercise. I’ll admit I hated this at first too. But I was determined to not get any heavier so it was the inevitable choice. At first I felt stupid so I exercised at home with fitness tapes and DVDs, my favorites were Pilates and kickboxing. As I progressed, I found running outside very relaxing.
Adding weight training really helped me slim down faster too, plus it made me feel stronger every day. Get a workout from a fitness magazine or schedule a session with a personal trainer.
Just add a few more minutes everyday and try to push yourself slowly. It takes about a month to make a habit so stick with it. Exercising can be painful, but it is easier with a partner or when you like the activity, such as dancing, swimming, or biking.
Next, besides healthy eating and exercise there is the option of supplements. Although this is not necessary, it is an important option. If you don’t have the proper nutrients in your body, it is harder to lose weight. And did you know that Vitamin C can help you burn more calories? So I suggest a multi-vitamin to make sure all the bases are covered.
If you can’t seem to burn those last few pounds or you are stuck in rut and have tried all the other options, sometimes a fat burner like Akavar can help. These usually limit your hunger so you don’t have to focus on dieting and you end up eating a few hundred calories less and lose weight faster.
If you stick to healthy habits and try to push yourself a little farther each day, you can reach your fitness goals. To stay motivated, hang up pictures around the house or get a friendly nudge from family or friends. Celebrate each success! Good luck!
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Fat Loss 4 Idiots - Why Does It Work?
By Terry Edwards
Without a doubt, Fat Loss 4 Idiots has become hugely successful in the world of weight loss plans and is change of pace from any other diet plan on the market, but why does it work?
There are several aspects of Fat Loss 4 Idiots that make it a successful diet program. Because of how it is set up it is a simple plan to follow. There is no counting calories or carbs, no costly foods to have to buy or monthly memberships. With its unique menu generator and 11 day cycles, this weight loss plan makes losing those extra pounds a lot easier than most anything on the market.
With that said though, it will still require some effort on your part to make Fat Loss 4 Idiots, or any other diet plan, work out for you. The good news is that this program is so simple that if you can just be motivated to give it some effort, you will see success.
The menu generator takes 14 of your favorite foods that you tell it you like and produces a complete 11 days menu plan based on that information. It provides for 4 meals per day that if you stick with it, will produce the results you are looking for.
One of the biggest keys I believe this plan has over others is that after an 11 day cycle you have 3 days of being able to eat anything you wish in moderation. So, if you want hamburger, or pizza, you can have it. This gives you something to look forward to every 11 days and helps in staying motivated. After the 3 days you simply start back on an 11 day cycle again.
One of the secrets in maintaining long term weight loss is exercise. Fat Loss 4 Idiots will provide you with a plan and the tools to achieve it, but you should also add some exercise to your life as well.
Exercising does not mean you have to go to the gym and work up a big sweat. No one wants to have to do that and even if you did it probably wouldn't be for long. Instead, exercising can be as simple as a 30 minute brisk walk 3 times a week. Not only will the walk do your body good, but it will also help reduce the stress of day to day life.
Combining Fat Loss 4 Idiots with regular exercise can be a powerful one-two punch. Together I think you will like the results.
All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active and do not edit the article in any way.
By the way, you can learn more about Fat Loss 4 Idiots as well as see my results from using the plan and much more information on weight loss at http://www.FatLoss4IdiotsReview.net
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Herbal Ways To Lose Weight
By LA Ziegler
These days, there is a great need for overweight Americans to lose those excess pounds. Being healthy would not only lead them to have a healthier lifestyle but it will also literally lighten their load, and improve their overall well-being.
There is a long list of dieting options available. There are exercise programs, exercise machines, dietary supplements, dietary food and drinks, diet pills - there are even soaps which claim to help you lose pounds while you bathe.
One other available option to shed off those unwanted pounds is to go herbal.
Herbal weight loss products have been in great demand for people who want to lose weight the natural way. However, when you take herbal supplements to lose weight, you would have to wait for a longer time for the results because of the more subtle effects of medicines which came from plants and natural herbs.
Here are some herbal weight loss options that you might want to consider:
1. Herbal weight loss products
There are a lot of herbal weight loss products available in the market now. You can check out the Internet and you will find a lot of herbal weight loss pills and products.
Be careful, however, as there are some products which claim to be safe and natural because they are herbal, but some actually have side effects because of non-extensive research on the effects of these products.
Here are some ingredients and chemicals which make up some herbal weight loss products that you should watch out for, as they might have harmful effects to your health:
> Senna. This is an herbal laxative. Senna is a main ingredient in weight loss teas, and it works by stimulation the colon. The downside effect of this herb is dehydration. It can also lead to colon problems and can become addictive. Some people, when addicted, are unable to perform bowel movements without it, so watch out.
> Chromium picolinate. This is a synthetic compound found in herbal weight loss products. Chromium is a nutrient which helps regulate blood-sugar level. However, this ingredient, when taken in high doses, may cause damage in the chromosomes. It can also lead to dehydration.
> St. John's wort. This supplement increases the production of a chemical in the brain. If not used properly, it may cause eye and skin sensitivity, mild gastrointestinal distress, fatigue and itching.
Although a lot of herbal products claim to be safe and natural, it is better to scrutinize the ingredients and research about the effects of the product itself before going for these herbal dietary pills.
2. Organic food.
In Wichita, Kansas, organic food has found its way to more homes and restaurants. Organic food devotees believe that consuming organic goodies help their bodies as well as the environment.
A person who buys organically raised eggs and vegetables claim to be healthier, and they are not spending money on doctors and prescriptions as these keep them healthier and away from the hospital. This could also be an option for weight watchers, as organic food is known to be kinder to your weight than chemically-processed food products.
3. Green Tea.
Studies show that intake of green tea, or green tea extracts burns extra calories. Also, green tea with caffeine can increase fat burning by up to 40% thereby reducing fat.
This is one good option for those who want to lose weight. In a study done, people who took green tea were found to lose 2 to 3 times more weight than those who did not drink green tea.
These results show that green tea is a natural product for the treatment of obesity. Thus, it also makes for a healthier dietary option, not to mention the good effects that it has on the body as compared to caffeine. A cup of tea gives an immediate energy lift without the side effects of caffeine.
3. Caffeine.
Coffee provides an energy boost to increase fat burning. Caffeine also provides a likelihood to be active, which in turn increases your rate of calorie burn.
4. Immortality Herb
This herb, whose scientific name is Gymnostemna Pentaphyllum, is known to have the following benefits:
> increases healthy blood flow
> reduces artery blocks
> aids healthy blood pressure
> increases the rate of fat burning
5. Apple Cider Vinegar
There are pills and food supplements whose main ingredient is apple cider vinegar. Here are the benefits of taking this herbal option:
> weight loss> improved cholesterol level
> improved high blood pressure
> helps prevent rheumatoid arthritis
Until next time, keep living your best life!
LA is a free lance writer with a background in fitness and medical field. For more info on health and fitness visit
http://bestlife-la.blogspot.com
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