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5 Holiday Weight Loss Tips & Their Reality Checks

January 5th, 2010 Comments off

Do you find it almost impossible to stay conscious and contentious about weight and nutrition during the holidays? Of course you do. More than half of all Americans are overweight: You’re not alone.

A new government study might give you a ray of hope though: The study shows that Americans gain only about one pound over the holidays. The study found that people participating were influenced by two main factors over the holidays: The level of their hunger, and the level of their activity. In other words: Those who reported being less active or more hungry during the holidays had the greatest weight gain.

So common sense says: If you can stay focused on dealing with just those two things, you’ll probably win your personal holiday weight loss battle. At the very least, you’ll win by not adding more weight to what’s already waiting to be shed.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of weight gain,” says Dr. Samuel Klein, the Director of the Center for Human Nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis, MO. “Preventing the increase in weight is a lot easier and better than actually gaining weight and then trying to get it off again.”

So the answer seems simple: Eat less and exercise more. The reality of implementation of course, is far more difficult.

The good news is that most of the people overestimate how much weight they’d gained over the holidays. Fewer than 10% gain 5 pounds or more.

The bad news is: The small amount of weight gained is never lost. One pound of weight gain is quite a small amount, but since it’s not usually lost again: The weight adds up over time – to obesity.

Now we all know there are tons of tips out and about this time of year, designed to help us keep from putting on that extra pound or two during the holidays. Unfortunately what’s usually not talked about is: The reality of day-to-day holiday stress and situations. Let’s explore the tips… along with their reality checks… in depth:

Weight Loss Tip 1: Stay active. The best thing you can do is try to stick to your normal schedule and routine.

Holiday Reality Check: It’s pretty hard to have any kind of decent routine in the busy months of November and December. Busy people tend to sacrafice yoga classes, long walks, and visits to the gym because they need time for extra things like decorating the house, cooking, cleaning up before the visitors get there, and of course: Shopping.

The Good News: Walking around the shopping mall and stores is great exercise, and so is cleaning the house. In addition to those activities, decorating can be quite intensive too: You’re climbing up and down to hang things; lifting, lugging, and dragging boxes out of storage; bending, twisting and turning to get it all looking just right. So don’t beat yourself up about not making it to the gym… you’re getting plenty of activity and every little bit helps!

Weight Loss Tip 2: Don’t let yourself get too hungry. If you go to a party and you’re starving, everything will look even more scrumptious than normal. And of course, you’ll eat much more because of it. Try starting each day with a good, solid breakfast – particularly something with protein. And when you’re at the party, try muching on the veggies to help keep you feeling full. These two things will help your hunger stay under control, and will in turn help you refrain from “gorging” on anything you see just because you’re famished.

Holiday Reality Check: We’re all very busy during the holidays, and it’s not always possible to remember to eat – let alone eat well – particularly in the morning when we may have already overslept and are now running late for everything. And eating healthy at a party isn’t always possible either: Not everyone in this country serves vegetable plates, salads, or fruit bowls. Sometimes the only things in site are junk: Chips, candy, and cookies.

Here’s a suggestion: Try taking your own veggie plate to a party where you know there won’t be one available. A quick and easy way to do this is simply buy a bag or two of pre-cut veggies and some ranch salad dressing. Alternatively, eat a decent meal before you go to the party. Don’t overdo things, but don’t make it a light snack either. Eating first will help you to just “nibble” a bit on the worst of the holiday treats offered.

Weight Loss Tip 3: Stay away from the food. Literally. Just don’t go anywhere near the buffet table, appetizers, or treats… and you’ll be fine.

Holiday Reality Check: In most cases, the food is everywhere. And even if it’s not right in front of your face, you sure can smell it! Trying to just “stay away from it” is pretty unrealistic – and it can feel like torture for some of us. And for most people: When you can’t have something, you want it even more. So trying to stay away from the food will most likely just make you overindulge worse than you would have otherwise.

Try this instead: Allow yourself whatever you’d like. But with a catch. First: Take only half the amount you normally would. And take just one food item. Eat that and enjoy it without guilt. Then, wait a full 20-30 minutes before you get something else. Then repeat the process: One item, half the portion size as you normally would, enjoy it without guilt, then wait before getting something else.

Allowing yourself to eat gets rid of the mentality of “I can’t have it (and thus I’m more determined to have it)” It lets you enjoy the good food and the holidays, without beating yourself up. This is healthy and can help tremendously with the way you view food and eating in general. Only taking half of it though, will help you not take in as much calories, fat, sugar or other bad stuff you usually avoid. And then waiting 20-30 minutes before you get something else will help your body realize when it’s had enough… or too much. So you’re much less likely to overdo things, and feel horrible physically later.

Weight Loss Tip 4: Wear cloths that are slightly tight on you. This should help you feel full faster, and keep you from eating too much food.

Holiday Reality Check: We want to wear looser cloths because we’re looking forward to eating all that great food! Yes, wearing something tight might help us not go back for a second helping of potatoes… or it might ruin a favorite outfit.

In the end, how you approach this tip is up to you, and you alone. Make your decision and be happy with it.

Weight Loss Tip 5: Keep your portions small. Try to load up on salad and vegetables, and take just tiny amounts of anything else.

Holiday Reality Check: Taking just a “bite sized” amount of anything is going to put you into the have-not mental state mentioned earlier. You’ll feel as if you can’t have something, and you’ll want it all the more.

Try the tip noted above instead: Take half the size you normally would. Trying to have just a little bite of pie will whet your appetite for more, but having a whole piece is going a bit overboard – particularly if there’s 5 different pies for you to sample. So try actual sampling instead: Cut a piece half the normal size. This allows you to have a “whole slice”, and more than several little bites. Then wait about 20 minutes before you go and try the next pie. Even if you end up eating a bit of all 5 pies, by having a half-sized slice of each, you’ve drastically cut the amount of calories, carbs and sugars compared to what you would have had with whole slices. And you’ll still feel stuffed and satiated, instead of deprived and resentful.

So there you have it: 5 different, common holiday weight loss and eating tips, followed by the reality check of each, and a suggested compromise that should help you enjoy the holidays to their fullest, without depriving yourself of the great food we all look forward to.

Whatever you decide to do, remember to actually have Happy Holidays!

Weight Loss Surgery in Nebraska

January 4th, 2010 Comments off

Obesity – the condition of weighing more than is deemed medically healthy – is a health crisis in Nebraska. In fact, 63% of adults in Nebraska — seven out of every ten Nebraskan men and more than half of Nebraskan women — are overweight or obese. The state’s adult obesity rate increased in 2008 for the third year in a row. Rates of type 2 diabetes, a disease typically associated with obesity, increased in Nebraska again, as well.

We also have the undesirable distinction of being the least active people in the country, ranking 50th among the 50 states in fitness. And, our kids are suffering, too: 12 percent of Nebraska’s children age 10-17 are overweight, according to a 2005 survey by the Data Resource Center on Child and Adolescent Health. As if that weren’t enough, obesity is even hitting our pocketbooks. The cost to our taxpayers for dealing with obesity-related illnesses is a staggering $454 million per year!

The facts are clear. Obesity is killing our state – physically and financially. Obviously, something has to be done.  But what?

Facing the Crisis

Healthy weight is calculated not in terms of poundage, but in terms of individual body mass index (BMI). BMI is calculated as weight in pounds x 703 / (height in inches)2

A person whose BMI is at least 25 is considered overweight; someone with a BMI of 30+ is medically obese.

There is no easy road to beating obesity. For some of us, willpower is enough to maintain a healthy diet and activity level. Others try losing weight via drugstore-paperback-type diets or so-called weight-loss pills. Neither is a realistic long-term solution to the problem. For most obese people, the best option is a medically-supervised program of gradual weight loss my means of dietary and lifestyle modification. Sadly, however, some obesity cases are too far advanced for this to work.

Fortunately, another option exists: weight loss surgery (also known as bariatric surgery).

Losing It

Surgical weight loss is a proven remedy for severe obesity and obesity-related health problems for individuals with a BMI of 35 or higher. By physically altering a patient’s stomach so that they can eat only small amounts of food at any given time, these surgeries enable the patient to lower their daily caloric intake and lose weight.

The surgery itself is only the beginning, however. Patients who fail to follow postoperative instructions may regain the weight they lost or reach a weight-loss plateau over time.

Weight loss surgery is a serious medical procedure that exposes the patient to low but significant risks. There is always the possibility of major postoperative complications, including anemia, ulcers, internal hernias, calcium deficiencies and gallstone. And, the decision to undergo most types of weight loss surgery is generally irrevocable. Those considering surgery for the management of obesity should consult with their physician before making a decision.

Let’s Do It!

Nebraskans can face this crisis, but only as a team. By keeping the goal of a healthier Cornhusker State in mind, we can overcome the problems caused by widespread obesity. Let’s do it!

Weight Loss Surgery in Tennessee

January 3rd, 2010 Comments off

Country music and chicken, Beale Street and barbecue, Elvis and everything fried – the State of Tennessee will always be famous for good music and good cooking. But our state is becoming known for something less pleasant lately: our sky-high obesity rate.

Obesity is no joke. It is a serious public health problem. Over 64% of the population of the Volunteer State is overweight or obese according to data compiled by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. 30.1% of the population of our state is obese, compared to 28.1 percent in 2006. Only Mississippi and Alabama rank higher. That’s right – Tennessee is #3!

And when we consider that obesity can lead to life-threatening illnesses such as diabetes, cancer, heart conditions, and hypertension, we can see how serious a problem obesity truly is here in our home state.

But what is obesity? And how do we fight it?

It’s a Disease

Obesity is not just “being fat”. It is a medical problem that is diagnosed, in part, according to a person’s body mass index, or BMI. If your BMI is higher than 25, you are considered overweight; if it’s more than 30, you are clinically obese. (To calculate your own BMI, use this formula: BMI = weight in pounds x 703 / [height in inches]2 ).

But weight loss itself is not a cure for obesity. After all, anybody can lose weight like magic if they reduce their daily calorie intake below their body’s daily life-support needs. Once that happens, the body has no choice but burn its own fat to stay alive – and weight loss “magically” results. Just decreasing the amount of food eaten each day (or increasing the level of daily physical activity) is enough to do the trick for many folks.

Of course it’s not that simple. Obesity is about more than just overeating. It is a medical condition that requires comprehensive medical care. Only those willing to completely change their lifestyle and eating habits will succeed in beating this disease. The good news is that most obesity sufferers can recover completely by means of a structured program of medically-supervised education and diet. The bad news is that some obesity sufferers are beyond the help of this standard treatment. For them, one option remains: weight loss surgery.

About Weight Loss Surgery

Weight loss surgery takes three main forms. During the operation, a surgeon alters the patient’s digestive tract in order to limit the amount of food he or she can physically consume. This change, plus comprehensive post-op diet and lifestyle changes, will inevitably cause the patient’s weight to drop, usually dramatically.

Happily, the procedure itself is not particularly complicated (it is generally performed laparoscopically, and always with the patient under general anesthesia), nor is it dangerous in most cases; however, as do all forms of surgery, it does entail risk, including the risk of premature death.

But weight loss surgery is not a magic cure-all. It is one part of a total medical treatment plan for obesity. Lack of adherence to post-op lifestyle and dietary change instructions may cause the patient to regain any weight lost and/or experience other undesirable health effects. Always make major medical decisions in consultation you’re your physician.

Our Rich Future

Tennessee is state rich in history, music, and, yes, calories. A rib or two every now and then is fine, but our everyday lifestyle and diet have to change if we want to stay healthy. Common sense, medically-supervised treatment — and weight loss surgery when necessary — can make our proud Volunteer State a better home for all of us.

Weight Loss Surgery in Vermont

January 3rd, 2010 Comments off

A specter is haunting Vermont – the specter of obesity. Despite its hard-earned reputation as a healthy state, more than 57% of the population of Vermont is overweight or obese according to data compiled by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. That’s right: over 280,000 of us adults in our beloved Green Mountain State are overweight or obese, and overweight among children in Vermont is increasing at an alarming rate as well.

And that’s dangerous. Obesity may lead to life-threatening illnesses called co-morbidities, such as diabetes, cancer, heart conditions, and hypertension. It also wrecks lives through shame, guilt, and other forms of psychological damage.

It’s costing our state big money, too. Health care costs attributable to obesity in Vermont come to over $141 million dollars each year.

Can we afford to ignore obesity any longer? The answer is no. We must fight obesity – to win.

An Illness

Obesity is the condition of exceeding one’s healthy weight – but carrying extra weight is not the whole problem. It is a medical condition that requires comprehensive medical care. While it’s true that a person will lose weight when he or she reduces their daily calorie intake below their body’s daily life-support needs, dealing with obesity as a disease is not as simple as dropping a few pounds. Only those willing to completely change their lifestyle and eating habits can hope to recover completely.

Treatments

Happily, effective treatments exist. A simple, structured program of medically-supervised diet, coupled with appropriate counseling and lifestyle changes, is an effective means of safely reducing weight for the majority of obese people.

Unfortunately, some patients are beyond even these measures. For them, weight loss surgery is the treatment of choice.

About Weight Loss Surgery

Weight loss surgery takes three main forms, each a laparoscopic procedure, and all performed with the patient under general anesthesia. The surgical task involves the alteration of the patient’s stomach and/or digestive tract in order to limit the amount of food the patient can physically consume. With the adoption of a comprehensive post-op care program by the patient, weight will then decrease, usually dramatically.

Most bariatric procedures are relatively uncomplicated and safe for the majority of patients; however, they do entail risk, including the risk of premature death. Failure to modify one’s diet and lifestyle post-operatively may cause a patient to gain back the weight he or she lost, or to experience other undesirable health effects.

Simply put, weight loss surgery is a tool, not a cure. It is a part of a lifelong medical treatment of obesity, and should not be considered lightly by potential patients. The risks and possible outcomes of these procedures can only be assessed in consultation with one’s physician.

A Healthier Vermont

We can build a healthier Vermont – but only if we work together. Sensible lifestyle changes, along with weight loss surgery when needed, are the tool we need for the job. Let’s do it!

Weight Loss for Teens: Reality of Fast Weight Loss

January 2nd, 2010 Comments off

Do think there is fast weight loss?  Yes.  The fastest weight loss a teen can do is to stop eating or to starve until it can be tolerated.  It is the worst thing a teen can achieve as an empty goal.  Starving can lead to serious health conditions for some self-explanatory reason that eating is a basic need.  Not eating for quite longer will definitely not last long, especially for healthy teens with hectic activities.  Without explaining further, simply starving is frustrating, tough to do when energy is needed at most during the times of hurdling at school.Talking about real regimen for fast weight loss for teens will lead you to myriads of methods promoted by aggressive sales marketing people in the consumer world.  There is simply a drug created for every common ordeal in the face of the earth.  Diet pills flood the papers with the promise of ramp model silhouette as endorsed by top showbiz commercial personalities.  When an obese teen gazes at a slim lady doing ads of diet pills or delivering some other scripted testimonials, there is a tendency to get lured by the beauty on how they say the ad message.   The reality will only be proven by walking and looking around a crowded downtown where you can see people from all walks of life, in all shapes and sizes.  The ramp models comprise not more than .8% at large.  It means the average people are not endowed with such appearance as seen on TV.  Wake up!  The TV will only show the best part of the stage.  There is only a wall separating the re-enacted portrayals seen on shows, but behind is always the gaping reality:  not everyone is slim!But teens are becoming influenced by social stigma to look great.  It is indirectly associated with being trim all the time.  Sometimes it is not the issue of being overweight or not, but you will realize, it has something to do with wrong fat distribution in the body.  People of same weight would definitely look different:  one may have wide hips, while the other might be endowed with bulky upper body torso. Breasts have weight too.  Fats usually hide in favorite spots like the inner thighs, lower and upper abdomen, belly, and arms.  When too much fat are noticeable in the said areas of the body, it surely becomes an annoying burden to carry around all the time.  Exercise can re-shape the ugly fat concentration, but it takes courage to accept the simple truth that genetic make will always take its course in one’s physiological attribute.For teens aspiring fast weight loss, forget it.  Yes, there are fast ways to weight loss but they will only lead to fast rebound of loss body fats if the motivation to permanently keep trim is not seriously thought of.  There are accounts of success stories on slow weight loss regiment worked out of strong determination on a daily basis.  It is a combination of good diet, exercise, and stress-free indulgence of activities.  Weight loss has to be one’s goal in a very realistic sense.  Fats are stored in a slow fashion after the food and nutrients have been processed.  Therefore, the capability to think at hand is faster before one can pop a high calorie serving of dessert in every meal.  Open your mind!  The best dieting tool around is centered in one’s brain — the decision you make in every meal.

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How To Maintain Your Weight Loss

January 2nd, 2010 Comments off

Once you have started losing weight, it is crucial to think of how to maintain that weight loss in the days ahead.

It may seem hard to believe, but taking the weight off is the easy part. Maintaining weight loss for good is where the real challenge lies. If you are like me, you have tried countless diets, only to gain the weight back. People lose lots of weight on diets everyday, but 95% of them gain it back because they have focused only on the weight loss. They follow the diet until they get to a particular number on the scale and then, shortly after, they go back to the old lifestyle that made them overweight in the first place. Over time, of course, the weight comes right back.

The truth is, almost everyone can lose weight but only 5% keep it off. These are the Weight Loss Registry’s figures, not mine. The WLR followed highly successful dieters and came up with seven reasons why people were able to keep the weight off.

Here are the seven reasons the dieters were successful.

1. The dieters accepted failure and kept on trying.

2. The dieters did not deny themselves–they indulged from time to time.

3. They weighed themselves often.

4. They exercised one hour a day.

5. They added little bits of activity into their daily life.

6. They followed a high carb and low fat diet.

7. They ate 5 meals a day.

When I compare my own weight loss success to the list above, I would say I learned how to maintain weight loss due to the following: I do the best I can with what I have available. Sometimes I am not always in a perfect situation with the healthiest choices, but I make do with what is there and I stick to the plan. If I make a not so healthy choice, I don’t beat myself up for it.

I eat YUMMY and whole foods. Using the finest ingredients makes the most delicious meals and has helped me stick to Living Well. If I wanted to indulge, I would make it from scratch using the healthiest ingredients possible. To me, indulging does not mean eating junk.

I use a tape measure to keep tabs on my weight and occasionally weigh myself.

I really struggle with exercising regularly and I have NEVER exercised for one hour a day consistently. I will do heavy housework and other activities around the house to get my heart rate up and I try different forms of exercise all the time because I get bored easily.

I think it is vital to get moving every day, somehow, and it doesn’t always mean you have to be in an aerobics class or on some sort of machine to get your heart rate up.

I eat organic whole foods and healthy oils. I am not sold on the idea that low fat and high carb is the way to go. High fat is not the answer either, but healthy oils are not the enemy. The rights oils will actually speed up the metabolism.

I eat only 3 meals a day and rarely snack. I do better when I don’t snack or graze on food all day. BUT, you may be different. You have to do what works best for you and your unique body.

This is the MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL: I think of the health I have now and my future health EVERYDAY. I really want to enjoy my older years and I want to be healthy. I don’t want to sit in a rocking chair, talking about all my symptoms and the things that ail me when I am in my golden years.

The Weight Loss Registry tips and my maintenance tips are not the only path for everyone, but instead are some ideas you can use to come up with your own way to keep the weight off once you have lost it.

Ultimately, I think it is crucial to focus on your health when changing over to a healthy lifestyle. So many people are in a hurry to lose weight. They spend their entire lives putting on the weight, losing the weight temporarily on diets and just wanting to get rid of it as fast as possible, not taking into consideration their state of health. I know you have heard this many times before, but if you don’t have your health, you don’t have much. Being thin will mean nothing to you if you compromise your health along the way.

Even if you are losing weight slowly, good for you! The idea here is to take off the weight and keep it off for good. Even just a couple of pounds a month adds up over the course of a year. And for those that were doing everything they could and continuing to gain weight, just stopping that weight gain is a measure of success.

With these tips, you now know how to maintain weight loss. Give yourself time to adjust to a new and healthy lifestyle and enjoy yourself along the way. A year from now your body will be thanking you for it!

Christopher Guerriero, is the founder of the National Metabolic & Longevity Research Center and a best-selling author, speaker, and coach to millions. He is creator of the award-winning ‘Maximize Your Metabolism’ system. To learn more about this step-by-step program, and to sign up for FREE how-to articles and FREE teleseminars, visit: Maximize Your Metabolism

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Top 10 Holiday Weight Loss Tips

January 1st, 2010 Comments off

The days of festivities, joy, pleasure and plenty of eating and drinking are over and you may be stuck with extra unneeded weight if you weren’t careful about your nutritional intake.

This article will list important do able holiday weight loss tips and supplements that help with weight loss.

1. Take Charge
The first step to weight loss is setting a realistic goal. By using a BMI chart and consulting with your health-care provider, you can determine what a healthy weight is for you. If you plan to lose more than 15 to 20 pounds, have any health problems, or take medication on a regular basis, a doctor should evaluate you before you begin a weight loss program.

2. Are you overweight?
Overweight refers to an excess of body weight, but not necessarily body fat. Obesity means an excessively high proportion of body fat. Health professionals use a measurement called body mass index (BMI) to classify an adult’s weight as healthy, overweight, or obese. BMI describes body weight relative to height and is correlated with total body fat content in most adults. To get your approximate BMI, multiply your weight in pounds by 703, then divide the result by your height in inches, and divide that result by your height in inches a second time. (Or you can use the interactive BMI calculator at www.nhlbisupport.com/bmi/bmicalc.htm.) A BMI from 18.5 up to 25 is considered in the healthy range, from 25 up to 30 is overweight and 30 or higher is obese. Generally, the higher a person’s BMI, the greater the risk for health problems, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI). However, there are some exceptions. For example, very muscular people, like body builders, may have a BMI greater than 25 or even 30, but this reflects increased muscle rather than fat. In addition to a high BMI, having excess abdominal body fat is a health risk. Men with a waist of more than 40 inches around and women with a waist of 35 inches or more are at risk for health problems.

3. Change eating habits
Dieting may conjure up visions of eating lettuce and sprouts–but you can enjoy all foods as part of a healthy diet as long as you don’t overdo it on fat (especially saturated fat), protein, sugars, and alcohol. To be successful at losing weight, you need to change your lifestyle–not just go on a diet, experts say. Limit portion sizes, especially of foods high in calories, such as cookies, cakes and other sweets; french fries; and fats, oils and spreads. Reducing dietary fat alone–without reducing calories–will not produce weight loss, according to the NHLBI’s guidelines on treating overweight and obesity in adults. Eat less and move more. Your body needs to burn more calories than you take in.

4. Increase physical activity
Most health experts recommend a combination of a reduced-calorie diet and increased physical activity for weight loss. Most adults should get at least 30 minutes and children should get 60 minutes of moderate physical activity on most, and preferably all, days of the week. Exercise does not have to be strenuous to be beneficial and some studies show that short sessions of exercise several times a day are just as effective at burning calories and improving health as one long session.

5. De-stress yourself
The holiday season can be stressful and in some individuals this may lead to overeating due to stress further leading to increase in weight. If you identify yourself as one these people and feel the need to eat in between meals then at least eat healthy instead of munching on chips and cookies etc try veggies and fruits.

6. Don’t skip meals
Otherwise it will encourage you to over eat at the next meal. If you have to snack in between meals try snacking on fruits and veggies.

7. Food Allergies
Make note of foods you are allergic to. Food allergies disrupt metabolism and thus hinder weight loss.

8. Crash Diets Avoid them.
They are mostly self-defeating and serve only as a temporary band-Aid solution.

9. Drink plenty of water
To flush out the toxins from your body.

10. Tips for Eating Out
Choose foods that are steamed, broiled, baked, roasted, poached or stir-fried. Share food, such as a main dish or dessert, with your dining partner. Take part of the food home with you, and refrigerate immediately. You may want to ask for a take-home container when the meal arrives. Spoon half the meal into it, so you’re more likely to eat only what’s left on your plate. Request your meal to be served without gravy, sauces, butter or margarine. Ask for salad dressing on the side, and use only small amounts of full-fat dressings.

No Laughing matter
We’re putting on the pounds at an alarmingly rapid rate. And we’re sacrificing our health for the sake of super size portions, biggie drinks, and two-for-one value meals, obesity researchers say. More than 60 percent of U.S. adults are either overweight or obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). While the number of overweight people has been slowly climbing since the 1980s, the number of obese adults has nearly doubled since then.

Besides the above weight loss tips certain supplements may also help in weight loss.

Some of these supplements are listed below.

1. GREEN TEA (Popular for weight loss, also a powerful antioxidant)

2. Garcinia Combogia

3. Chromium Picolinate

4. Flaxseed Oil

5. Lecithin

6. L-Carnitine

7. Fennel

8. Fenugreek

Exercise and weight loss

January 1st, 2010 Comments off

The answer is not difficult: the number of calories you burn up during the day must be higher than the number you consume in your meals.

If you burn as many calories as you eat, your weight will be maintained. If you eat more than you burn up, you will put on weight. The recipe itself is simple. But converting it into a program of diet and exercise that will show results is difficult.

For many years it was assumed that physical activity played hardly any role in weight loss program. The amount of physical exercise necessary to lose even one pound of weight seemed to be unreal for an ordinary person to work into a daily schedule of commitments.

Hence, diet seemed to be more important; and as the diet had to reduce calories, most people understood it as a greater degree of hunger. Many weight loss diets consisted only of reducing the amount of food consumed. The result was starvation only, instead of weight loss. However, most people quickly give it up, because nobody wants to starve for a prolonged period of time.

Today we know that nobody has to starve in order to lose weight. Overweight people have to restrain their eating and adjust food they consume to include the right foods and combine the proper kind of physical activity to accelerate weight loss.

What is the role of physical activity in the weight loss process? If you want to lose one pound you have no choice but to burn 3,500 calories.

This seems to be an overwhelming task, especially when you take into account that to burn up 100 calories you must walk vigorously or run one and a half kilometers. Of course, when running, you’ll burn up the calories more quickly. So, if it were for exercise alone, you might quickly come to conclusion that there are more relevant and more pleasant things in life than doing this exercise.

Now, take under consideration what will happen if you combine an exercise program with a low calorie, non-starvation diet. It should be an enjoyable kind of diet and exercise plan leading to 2-3 pound weight loss a week.

Now, if you count your weight loss in a month’s time, you can easily lose 8 to 12 pounds in a very easy way.

Look what happens when you combine physical activity and non-starvation diet.
When you cut down on calories, your body’s first reaction is to suppose (we’ll assume your body can “think” at the moment) that you are going to starve. So, it decreases its metabolism automatically and as a result you begin to burn less amount of calories.

But when you start to exercise, your metabolic rate accelerates again. Your muscles activate again and help burn more calories. Your body starts “thinking” that you are not starving. Therefore, a lot of physical activity along with fewer calories eaten means greater weight loss.

You will probably ask what are those low-calorie foods to consume to make you lose weight. Use your common sense.

Avoid fat, fried foods, as well as sweets. And when you finally get your desired weight, you can eat your favorite food again, of course in moderation.

With regards to what type of exercise you can do to help activate some more your metabolism and burn more calories, you have to do exercises stimulating your muscles, like strength training and aerobic. Should you have any further questions about weight loss, do not hesitate and visit me in my fitness center.

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Hoodithin for Weight Loss

December 31st, 2009 Comments off

Does Hoodia really work for weight loss?
Instead of asking yourself this question, try to look at it like this. Does Hoodithin really help make weight loss easier and more enjoyable? Absolutely!
Hoodia is the #1 appetite suppressant in America helping thousands of people controlling their hunger cravings throughout the day for better results than ever before. Not only is it the #1 weight loss diet product in America, it is believed to be the fastest and most effective weight loss supplement available in the world!
Hoodia will have you feeling fuller faster and longer with no side effects making dieting a breeze. What an example? In a 15 day study, a group of people that took Hoodia reduce their food in take by 1,000 calories while not even feeling hungry. No wonder it was featured on Oprah, MSNBC, CBS the Today Show, 60 Minutes, and the BBC.So what is Hoodia?
If you haven’t heard of Hoodia yet, you soon will because it is being touted as the new miracle supplement for safe, effective weight loss. Hoodia gordonii, (Hoodia) is the botanical name for a cactus like plant that grows in Southern Africa. Scientists have recently isolated several compounds in this amazing plant that are responsible for dramatic weight loss. This all-natural appetite suppressant is also being applauded for containing no dangerous stimulants that caused adverse side effects associated with weight loss products of the last decade.Basically, how does Hoodia work?
It basically tricks the brain into thinking that you’re full. The chemical constituents in Hoodia work within the satiety center by releasing a chemical compound similar to glucose but much stronger. The hypothalamus in the brain receives this signal as an indication that enough food has been consumed and this in turn stunts the appetite.Hoodithin Facts:
1) Pure Hoodithin is 100% All Natural. Hoodithin is not a drug. If you buy the right kind it will work. You will eat less, feel full, not be hungry as often, and lose weight.
2) Pure Hoodithin is Caffeine, Ephedra and Stimulant free.
3) EVERY clinical case has shown people have been able to reduce their calorie intake by 900 to 1,100 calories daily. This is enough for most people to lose a pound every three-four days.
4) Hoodithin has no known side effects, no heart racing like you get from ephedra
5) Helps you lose weight naturally by suppressing appetite and allowing for comfortable normal feeling calorie reduction.
6) There are 13 species of Hoodithin which are native to Southern Africa but ONLY ONE variety – the “Gordonii” has the needed natural ingredients for weight loss.
7) If you purchase the cheap imitation products sold by people out of their garage that you see on EBAY, and in the Google and Yahoo ads you will NOT have the results shown on the Personal Diet Results pages. Folks I have been through this over and over – read about the nineteen companies that have sent me Hoodithin Gordonii Cactus products to test and how only a couple of them really work.
8) Rats, a species that will eat anything from meat and plants to indigestible fiber, lowered their dietary calorie intake to a degree that made them get thin when fed comparative amounts of hoodoo.
9) Hoodithin is the most effective plant ever found for reducing your appetite
10) Laboratory experiments show animals automatically restrict their food intake when taking hoodithin orally.
11) Hoodithin effects the central nervous system by exhibiting powerful feelings for weight control, where changing your behavior reduces caloric intake.
12) Multiple scientific studies prove effectiveness.
13) The active ingredient called P57 is patented.My personal experience: I ordered my first dosage of Hoodithin awhile ago and began taking it right away. After taking Hoodia for the first night I noticed an incredible difference as almost all my hunger cravings had vanished. The plant is so strong it even takes away your thirst, so make sure and drink lots of water! For a month I took Hoodia and people thought I was starving myself but I was never hungry. It felt great not being controlled by stomach pains the whole time while dieting, and made sticking to healthy eating habits easier than ever.
After hearing of so many people making so many mistakes and losing so much money on the wrong weight loss programs and diet products, I decided to provide this free information to the public. Hoodithin is not a fat burner but does exactly what you will need to overcome hungry cravings, and sticking to a healthy eating plan. It really does take away your appetite and works wonders for giving you a great start with basic fasting. The first time I took Hoodia, I was able to eat 1,000 calories less than I normally did with no annoying hunger cravings that can absolutely make your life miserable.
I was able to do this because I use to eat out of habit, so I thought about eating but I wasn’t actually hungry. As for discomfort – NO HUNGER pains. Reaching my body fat goals is finally becoming a reality as I am closing in on the 6% mark. With Hoodithin as a lifesaver on eliminating hunger cravings, healthy eating habits, and moderate exercise weight loss could never be easier.

Categories: Weight Loss Tags: ,

5 Holiday Weight Loss Tips & Their Reality Checks

December 31st, 2009 Comments off

Do you find it almost impossible to stay conscious and contentious about weight and nutrition during the holidays? Of course you do. More than half of all Americans are overweight: You’re not alone.

A new government study might give you a ray of hope though: The study shows that Americans gain only about one pound over the holidays. The study found that people participating were influenced by two main factors over the holidays: The level of their hunger, and the level of their activity. In other words: Those who reported being less active or more hungry during the holidays had the greatest weight gain.

So common sense says: If you can stay focused on dealing with just those two things, you’ll probably win your personal holiday weight loss battle. At the very least, you’ll win by not adding more weight to what’s already waiting to be shed.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of weight gain,” says Dr. Samuel Klein, the Director of the Center for Human Nutrition at Washington University in St. Louis, MO. “Preventing the increase in weight is a lot easier and better than actually gaining weight and then trying to get it off again.”

So the answer seems simple: Eat less and exercise more. The reality of implementation of course, is far more difficult.

The good news is that most of the people overestimate how much weight they’d gained over the holidays. Fewer than 10% gain 5 pounds or more.

The bad news is: The small amount of weight gained is never lost. One pound of weight gain is quite a small amount, but since it’s not usually lost again: The weight adds up over time – to obesity.

Now we all know there are tons of tips out and about this time of year, designed to help us keep from putting on that extra pound or two during the holidays. Unfortunately what’s usually not talked about is: The reality of day-to-day holiday stress and situations. Let’s explore the tips… along with their reality checks… in depth:

Weight Loss Tip 1: Stay active. The best thing you can do is try to stick to your normal schedule and routine.

Holiday Reality Check: It’s pretty hard to have any kind of decent routine in the busy months of November and December. Busy people tend to sacrafice yoga classes, long walks, and visits to the gym because they need time for extra things like decorating the house, cooking, cleaning up before the visitors get there, and of course: Shopping.

The Good News: Walking around the shopping mall and stores is great exercise, and so is cleaning the house. In addition to those activities, decorating can be quite intensive too: You’re climbing up and down to hang things; lifting, lugging, and dragging boxes out of storage; bending, twisting and turning to get it all looking just right. So don’t beat yourself up about not making it to the gym… you’re getting plenty of activity and every little bit helps!

Weight Loss Tip 2: Don’t let yourself get too hungry. If you go to a party and you’re starving, everything will look even more scrumptious than normal. And of course, you’ll eat much more because of it. Try starting each day with a good, solid breakfast – particularly something with protein. And when you’re at the party, try muching on the veggies to help keep you feeling full. These two things will help your hunger stay under control, and will in turn help you refrain from “gorging” on anything you see just because you’re famished.

Holiday Reality Check: We’re all very busy during the holidays, and it’s not always possible to remember to eat – let alone eat well – particularly in the morning when we may have already overslept and are now running late for everything. And eating healthy at a party isn’t always possible either: Not everyone in this country serves vegetable plates, salads, or fruit bowls. Sometimes the only things in site are junk: Chips, candy, and cookies.

Here’s a suggestion: Try taking your own veggie plate to a party where you know there won’t be one available. A quick and easy way to do this is simply buy a bag or two of pre-cut veggies and some ranch salad dressing. Alternatively, eat a decent meal before you go to the party. Don’t overdo things, but don’t make it a light snack either. Eating first will help you to just “nibble” a bit on the worst of the holiday treats offered.

Weight Loss Tip 3: Stay away from the food. Literally. Just don’t go anywhere near the buffet table, appetizers, or treats… and you’ll be fine.

Holiday Reality Check: In most cases, the food is everywhere. And even if it’s not right in front of your face, you sure can smell it! Trying to just “stay away from it” is pretty unrealistic – and it can feel like torture for some of us. And for most people: When you can’t have something, you want it even more. So trying to stay away from the food will most likely just make you overindulge worse than you would have otherwise.

Try this instead: Allow yourself whatever you’d like. But with a catch. First: Take only half the amount you normally would. And take just one food item. Eat that and enjoy it without guilt. Then, wait a full 20-30 minutes before you get something else. Then repeat the process: One item, half the portion size as you normally would, enjoy it without guilt, then wait before getting something else.

Allowing yourself to eat gets rid of the mentality of “I can’t have it (and thus I’m more determined to have it)” It lets you enjoy the good food and the holidays, without beating yourself up. This is healthy and can help tremendously with the way you view food and eating in general. Only taking half of it though, will help you not take in as much calories, fat, sugar or other bad stuff you usually avoid. And then waiting 20-30 minutes before you get something else will help your body realize when it’s had enough… or too much. So you’re much less likely to overdo things, and feel horrible physically later.

Weight Loss Tip 4: Wear cloths that are slightly tight on you. This should help you feel full faster, and keep you from eating too much food.

Holiday Reality Check: We want to wear looser cloths because we’re looking forward to eating all that great food! Yes, wearing something tight might help us not go back for a second helping of potatoes… or it might ruin a favorite outfit.

In the end, how you approach this tip is up to you, and you alone. Make your decision and be happy with it.

Weight Loss Tip 5: Keep your portions small. Try to load up on salad and vegetables, and take just tiny amounts of anything else.

Holiday Reality Check: Taking just a “bite sized” amount of anything is going to put you into the have-not mental state mentioned earlier. You’ll feel as if you can’t have something, and you’ll want it all the more.

Try the tip noted above instead: Take half the size you normally would. Trying to have just a little bite of pie will whet your appetite for more, but having a whole piece is going a bit overboard – particularly if there’s 5 different pies for you to sample. So try actual sampling instead: Cut a piece half the normal size. This allows you to have a “whole slice”, and more than several little bites. Then wait about 20 minutes before you go and try the next pie. Even if you end up eating a bit of all 5 pies, by having a half-sized slice of each, you’ve drastically cut the amount of calories, carbs and sugars compared to what you would have had with whole slices. And you’ll still feel stuffed and satiated, instead of deprived and resentful.

So there you have it: 5 different, common holiday weight loss and eating tips, followed by the reality check of each, and a suggested compromise that should help you enjoy the holidays to their fullest, without depriving yourself of the great food we all look forward to.

Whatever you decide to do, remember to actually have Happy Holidays!