Overcoming plateaus on the Atkins diet

If you are experiencing a stall or plateau in your Atkins weight loss efforts, you are not alone. This occurs from time to time. However, you first must make sure that you have actually reached a plateau point.

A plateau means that you have gone an extended period of time without losing weight or inches. It’s important to take your measurements before you start your weight loss plan, in addition to your weight. On some weeks it may not seem like you are losing any at all on the scale. But a quick look at your measurements will prove otherwise.

On the Atkins diet you are replacing fat with muscle, which is denser and heavier. You might actually gain a little weight because you are building muscle to replace your fat. The result will be an increase on the scale, but a decrease in your inches. Your body will be smaller and leaner, but you may weigh the same.

Before you start your program, measure your chest, waist, hips, upper arms, thighs and calves. You never know where you may be losing inches, so it’s important to have these comprehensive measurements to refer to. It is normal to go through periods where you body is readjusting. Remember that you are reforming the composition of your body and this process will take some time. Check your measurements once a week, just like your weight, and you can track your overall progress.

There may be periods of 3 to 4 weeks where you have a stall in weight loss, but a loss in inches. Or vice versa. Using both methods to track your fat loss is the best assurance for an accurate measure of your progress. These stall periods are not a reason to quit or to give up. They are natural parts of the weight loss process.

Stalls may occur more frequently if you are 5 to 10 pounds away from being at your goal weight. By following a low-carb, high-protein way of eating you have created a lot more muscle in your body. Your muscle-to-fat ratio is higher than ever before, so your body might be resisting losing anymore fat. It may be time to rethink your goal weight. Perhaps your body is trying to tell you something and its time to start maintaining your weight loss rather than trying to lose more.

There are some other possible causes of stalls and plateaus on the road to weight loss. If you’ve gone four weeks with no change in weight or measurements and you are nowhere near your goal weight, you can try a few different methods to get yourself out of the rut. First, make sure your carbohydrate level is in check. If you are eating too many carbohydrate grams per day, your weight loss will stall. Look for hidden carbohydrates in packaged foods, dressings and sauces to make sure they aren’t the culprits in your plateau.

Check your daily water intake. When you are dehydrated, your body will retain water and that can mimic a plateau. Water will also help flush ketones from your system and make more room for new fat burning ketones.


Undereating can also be a cause for weight loss plateaus. Make sure not to let yourself go hungry and eat smaller, more frequent meals. Remember, you are on a carbohydrate-restricted diet, not a calorie-restricted diet. Make sure to have some protein with every meal and snack. Never go more than 5 hours without eating something (except overnight of course). Also, eat freely from the acceptable foods. Don’t try to count calories or restrict your calorie intake. When your body gets too few calories, it goes into starvation mode and will hold onto fat cells.

Increasing your exercise level can help get you through a plateau as well. As your muscles get used to working out at a certain level, you’ll have to increase the duration or the intensity in order to keep challenging your body. Add a new exercise into the mix, or try increasing weight in resistance training.

Trying one of these methods will most likely get your weight loss back on track. Remember that occasional stalls are normal, but they do not have to last.

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Mediterranean Diet and the South Beach Diet: A Detailed Comparison

Good health and longevity interests people of all ages from around the world. As a result, the weight loss and fitness industries have been booming for years. There are so many diets that those seeking help with their weight loss or health needs don't know where to turn.


Two diets that have become extremely popular recently are the Mediterranean Diet and the South Beach Diet. Here's a detailed comparison of both diets.


Mediterranean Diet Explained

The Mediterranean Diet is often called "The Healthiest Diet in the World" because of its healthy weight loss benefits. Just as the name implies, the Mediterranean Diet has been enjoyed by people who live in the Mediterranean region, particularly Italy and Greece, for thousands of years and is now being adopted by many Americans and others around the world.

It is a diet low in saturated fat with healthy mono-unsaturated fats being provided through fish, nuts and olive oil. It features foods such as dried fruits, vegetables, whole grains, small portions of meat such as salmon, turkey, lamb, and tuna, and a small amount of wine.

The Mediterranean Diet is known for its many benefits such as help in the prevention of gallstones, breast cancer, heart disease, high blood pressure, Lou Gehrig disease, high cholesterol, and other diseases.


South Beach Diet Explained

The South Beach Diet is a newer "no carb" type diet where carbohydrates are prohibited during the first phase of the diet, and then are slowly introduced back into the diet after two weeks. There are three phases all together, with the third being for maintenance. The focus is on lean meats such as chicken, turkey, shellfish, and fish as well as nuts, eggs, and low-fat cheese. The benefits are weight loss with a long-term balanced diet plan to help with weight maintenance.


How the Diets are Alike

The similarities of these two diets include eating restaurant quality recipes and promoting healthy monounsaturated fats. Both diets are low in unhealthy saturated fats. The unhealthy fats are found in cheese and meat. Both diets promote healthy foods. Both provide an avenue for fast weight loss with a plan for lifetime maintenance. Also, both diets offer online support and memberships for delicious diet recipes. For instance, Ayhan's Mediterranean Menu Plans are available for those who want to change over to a Mediterranean way of eating.


How They Differ

With the Mediterranean Diet, alcohol (especially wine) is allowed in moderation. It is prohibited in the first phase of the South Beach Diet. The Mediterranean Diet is high in fiber while the South Beach Diet is low in fiber during its initial phase.

Portion control is the main focus of the Mediterranean Diet while the South Beach Diet restricts "what" is eaten by prohibiting certain fruits and vegetables. Another major difference is that those who adopt the Mediterranean Diet may order foods, dressings and seasonings online for their cooking needs. The South Beach Diet does not offer products such as these.

The South Beach Diet has only been around a few years while the Mediterranean Diet has been around for thousands of years. Studies have shown that those eating a Mediterranean Diet have less risk of major diseases and can even increase longevity.


In this comparison, we see that both diets offer health and weight loss benefits. However, the Mediterranean Diet appears to be better for long-term good health and has fared well in many studies.

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Atkins and Exercise

There is a lot of attention paid in the Atkins diet plan towards food and cooking. It’s true that your food choices on the diet are of utmost importance. But a lot of people make the mistake of ignoring exercise. The newly released Atkins food pyramid shows the importance of exercise. It shows an increase in food options with increased activity. Exercise is important on the Atkins diet, and important for everyone’s overall health.

Exercise is beneficial to body, mind and soul. It has many major benefits, even at limited levels. It not only burns fat but it boosts your metabolism and increases circulation. Daily exercise helps your body eliminate toxins through sweat glands and lymph systems. It is especially important to all low-carb weight loss programs because it regulates blood sugar levels.

Physical exercise is essential for Atkins diet success. Without exercise, your body isn’t configured to process carbohydrates successfully. Research has shown that sedentary individuals have extreme insulin reactions to even moderate amounts of carbohydrates. This means that exercise doesn’t only help you lose weight, it will help you keep it off too. Exercise will teach your body how to process the carbohydrates in your diet. When you exercise regularly, you’ll be able to eat more carbohydrates over time because your body will use them efficiently.

There are two basic types of exercise: aerobic exercise and anaerobic exercise. The best regimen combines these two forms each week.


Aerobic exercise’s primary goal is to increase your heart rate. This causes your body to consume more oxygen and it gives all of your cells a fresh supply of oxygen. If you’ve been without physical activity for a while, many of those cells have been deprived. Aerobic exercise will regenerate them and help you feel better in times when you aren’t exercising.


If you’ve been inactive for a while, it may take some time to get used to your new aerobic workouts. You may want to get some advice from your primary care doctor or a professional aerobics instructor. Make sure to start slowly to give yourself time to adjust to your new movements. It’s essential that you learn how to stretch and warm up correctly in order to avoid muscle strain. Some good beginning aerobic activities include walking, golf, tennis and dancing. These activities won’t cause a lot of strain on your body, but they will get your heart moving. Start slowly and set small goals for yourself. For example, if you are starting a walking program begin by walking four blocks. Then increase your training to five blocks, then six. Your body will respond well to the exercise…after all your body was meant to move!


Anaerobic exercise includes any activity that isn’t technically aerobic. Most of the exercises in this category build muscle mass. Weightlifting and strength training are examples of anaerobic exercises. Working out with weights is an important part of losing weight. As you lose fat, you’ll need to replace it with muscle in order to stay lean. Don’t be afraid of working out with weights. You won’t need to become a bodybuilder. Weight bearing exercises like isometrics and resistance training will help improve your bone density, your posture and your fat burning potential.


If an exercise program is not part of your weight loss efforts, you are setting yourself up for failure. Make a commitment to incorporating exercise into your weight loss efforts and you’ll see the results immediately.

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"DNA Diets" : Junk Science?

Dieting and weight loss products and programs are such a big budget, big profit business today. We've all heard dozens of sales pitches for diet and weight loss products, plans, books, and other items that will supposedly help us miraculously lose that extra weight we've gained with the least amount of effort possible.

Each of these programs, books and products also usually tout themselves as being based "unique" and strongly backed science and technology.

These hyped diet aids range anywhere from diet supplements that claim to burn fat and/or blast calories away, help to suppress the appetite, or even help to block carbs and fat from even entering the blood stream and being stored as fat or extra weight. But how do we as consumers really know that any of this will actually work?

One of these so called scientifically based diet fads, which costs a fairly lofty sum of money, called the DNA Diet, has recently been in the news for allegedly preying on customers for astronomical sums of money. The company which sells this idea is currently under government investigation for misleading consumers.

The DNA "kits" the company sells online are for swabbing the inside of your mouth and sending it in for "DNA analysis", along with an accompanying recommendation for your personally tailored diet.

The cost may be anywhere from $499 to $1,000, and a full year of this diet advice and accompanying diet supplements can cost you upwards of $1,800.

Investigators say there is not even any scientific proof that this method of diet advice and supplementation or anyalysis works, further casting doubt on the companies that offer this service.

This particular company also offers expensive diet supplements which are mostly made of concentrated vitamins, some of which analysts claim may actually cause more harm than good due to their high dosages.

Not only that, analysis done on the supplements showed there was no difference in the formula even when different DNA was sent in, so the idea that the supplements themselves are "custom tailored" genetically is assumed to be false.

The investigators created fourteen fake customers and purchased the DNA analysis kits from four different websites. They filled out the accompnaying questionnaires with varied client information, such as different lifestyles, age brackets, etc,. All questionnaires were paired with the DNA sample of an infant girl and a grown male.

The advice varied greatly, the first sign this was an unreliable or simply fake analysis, and many of the pieces of advice received contained generalities such as smoking leads to heart disease and other already well known facts.

The investigation is ongoing, and there has been no announcement whether the company will be forced to close or change their methods and practices.

This is a perfect example of why a consumer must be vigilant when purchasing or researching any claims of diet products, or any other self improvement products for that matter. You never know when the next phony product might come along.

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The Fallacy Of High-Protein Diets

You see them gripping on their respective exercise machines...all gritty with determination to lose those extra pounds and build muscles. Instead of taking weight-loss pills they have decided to improve their physique by getting that expensive gym membership where they can workout their way to optimum health. Aside from lifting weights, these “gym rats” also religiously follow a low-carbohydrate, high-protein diet prepared by their personal trainers and sports nutritionists. Each fitness gym promotes various fitness fads and routines from yoga, pilates, core fitness ball method, tae-bo, pole and belly dancing, and a host of other exercises. Still, the gym members are carefully taught that these exercises can only fully benefit them if they also follow a well-prepared diet. Workouts, they are told, will not work if the “weight watcher” refuses to limit food intake.


It is along those lines that diet formulas have gained popularity in the fitness world. One such diet formula is the Atkin's Diet, undeniably among the most well-known diets that had already gained a strong following. Developed by Dr. Robert Atkins, the diet was first promoted in the 1960s as a solution to the emerging weight problems among many Americans. Considered a high-protein diet, the Atkins' formula spawned other methods or plans to control food intake. The diet craze gave birth to the “Stillman” diet in the 1970's, and the “Scarsdale” diet in the 1980's --- both of which promised leaner bodies and smaller waistlines.

Atkins, Stillman, and Scarsdale made similar claims about the benefits of high-protein diets. They said that eliminating or taking minimal amounts of carbohydrates will lead to controlled weight and increased muscle size.


According to physiologists and diet specialists, muscles literally break down when one works out or exerts physical action. Protein, as a muscle-building substance, is needed to build and re-build the muscles that are in constant daily use. People, especially athletes, who regularly expend large amounts of energy and utilize different muscle groups need regular supply of protein to build or retain muscle mass. Without enough protein in the body, the goal to increase muscle mass cannot be achieved. Additional protein is also needed to develop hard and ripped muscles. Weightlifters, all of whom aim to gain muscle mass, are the foremost followers of these high-protein diets. They are often found gulping protein shakes and consuming lean meat and tuna.


High protein diets are popular because they initially cause one's weight to drop. Protein promotes the metabolism of body fat without reducing one's calorie intake. But doctors also warn that this drop is a reflection of fluid loss and not fat. Recent researches indicate these restrictions on carbohydrate intake coupled with fluid loss may cause an unusual metabolic state called ketosis. In ketosis, the body burns fat for fuel. During ketosis, a person may even feel less hungry and eat less. Still, ketosis has ben associated with health problems such as kidney failure, colon and prostate cancer, and osteoporosis. Ketosis may also cause less serious health problems such as weakness of breath, headaches. diarrhea, sleep difficulties, bone loss, and fatigue. Additionally, some studies claim that high-protein diets may lead to increased lactic acid in the body. Muscle pains according to studies may be experienced due to the increased lactic acid levels in the body.


However, it is important to point out the importance of protein as part of a healthy diet. Amino acids found in protein are actually the body's building blocks. These type of acids are responsible for the repair of muscles, red blood cells, and several kinds of tissues. Protein's primary function is to provide amino acids to maintain an anabolic state. Some health experts believe that the consumption of 20 to 30 percent of calories containing protein per day us the ideal amount. The general rule is for inactive people to consume 0.4 grams grams of protein per one pound of body weight. Active people or those who engage in regular exercise need 0.5 to 0.75 grams of protein per pound of body weight. Athletes, on the other hand, need as much as 0.90 grams.

A lot of popular low-carb diet books give people the impression that carbohydrates are bad for health. Many researchers claim that high-carbohydrate foods trigger the body to stock excess fat. In reality, carbohydrates must be consumed as fuel for the body. Carbohydrates are the main source of fuel for the human brain, heart, and several organs. Nutritionists believe that carbohydrates should compose 50 to 70 percent of one's calorie intake. Complex carbohydrates, natural sugars and a fair amount of protein are all necessary to have a health diet. It is also important to avoid the use of over processed sugars. Most complex carbs are low in calories and low in fat and are usually found in beans, whole-wheat pasta, and vegetables.

Understanding proper nutritional intake can make a difference in people's health and in the overall quality of their lives. Indeed, good food is the key to a good life!

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Dieting By Knowing Your Dairy Products!

This food group includes milk, cheese, yogurt and fromage frais. Calcium fortified soya alternatives to milk can also be included. This group does not include butter, eggs and cream as these fall into other food groups.

Try to eat 2-3 servings a day. A serving of milk is a 200ml glass, a serving of yogurt is a small pot (150g), a serving of cheese is 30g (matchbox size). Choose lower fat versions whenever you can, such as semi-skimmed milk, low fat yogurt and reduced fat cheese.

These foods provide:

Calcium: needed for development and maintenance of healthy bones
Zinc: required for tissue growth and repair
Protein: needed for growth and repair, and also a source of energy
Vitamin B12: required for blood cells and nerve function
Vitamin B2: needed for the release of energy from carbohydrates and protein
Vitamin A: (in whole milk products) for growth, development and eyesight

Healthy eating tips

• Choose low fat milk i.e. semi-skimmed or skimmed milk
• Choose low fat yogurts and reduced fat cheeses

Meat and Alternatives

This food group includes meat, poultry, fish, eggs and alternatives (see below). Meat products include bacon, salami, sausages, beefburgers and paté. Fish includes frozen and canned fish such as sardines and tuna, fish fingers and fish cakes.

Proteins are required for growth and repair. Proteins contain Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen and sometimes Sulphur. Proteins are very large molecules, so they cannot get directly into our blood; they must be turned into amino-acids by the digestive system. There are over 20 different amino-acids. Our bodies can turn the amino-acids back into protein. When our cells do this they have to put the amino-acids together in the correct order. There are many millions of possible combinations or sequences of amino-acids; it is our DNA which contains the information about how to make proteins.

Choose lower fat versions whenever you can. Some meat products, e.g. beefburgers and sausages, can be high in fat. Trim visible fat off meat where possible. The Government recommends that we eat two portions of fish each week, one of which should be an oily fish (e.g. salmon, mackerel, trout, sardines or fresh tuna).

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Dieting with Chinese Teas? Work or Not?

Chinese teas have long been considered great for dieters. In fact, many companies have manufactured and distributed these products labeled “Chinese diet tea” for those who wish to lose weight. Perhaps the main reason for this production is that many believed that tea by itself carries only 4 calories per serving, and the caffeine in tea is potent enough to increase body function to help burn more calories. Also, it is believed that the polyphenols in tea seem to aid in the digestion of fat, truly making it a Chinese diet tea.

Chinese diet tea, fasting tea, slimming tea, super dieter’s tea, weight loss tea, although they come with somewhat different names, all promote a common message – drink this tea and you will lose weight. However, many experts noted that what you are actually drinking from these products is a plant based laxative that can cause certain disorders like diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, fainting, chronic constipation and perhaps even death when consumed in excessive amounts.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) once stressed that the laxative teas and dietary supplements of most concern are those containing one or more of the substances, such as aloe, senna, rhubarb root, buckthorn, castor oil, and cascara. These products are derived from plants and have been used since time immemorial for their ability to relieve constipation and promote bowel movements. They are deemed effective for such purposes with occasional use.

When the labeled “Chinese diet teas” are excessively used based on the misconception that frequent bowel movements prevent the absorption of calories that problems tend to occur. Numerous studies have shown that the laxative-induced diarrhea does not significantly reduce absorption of calories for the reason that laxatives don’t work in the small intestine, where the calories are absorbed. It rather works on the colon, which is the lower end of the bowel.

Also found out is that when the Chinese diet teas are misused by steeping the tea longer than product labeling recommends can lead to short as well as long term adverse condition. This is also true when the Chinese diet teas are taken more than the recommended amount.

It has been noted that for those first-time users who drank Chinese diet teas more than the recommended amount, stomach cramps, vomiting, nausea and diarrhea are the common disorders to occur and will last for several days. When these laxatives are used continually, laxative dependency will tend to develop with bouts of chronic diarrhea, abdominal pain as well as constipation. In the most severe cases, these laxatives can cause fainting, dehydration and serious electrolyte disorders. As noted, these after-effects of excessive use of Chinese diet teas are most likely to develop in people who are nutritionally compromised due to rigorous weight-loss dieting.

Because of these concerns, the FDA is now considering requiring the manufacturers of labeled “Chinese diet teas” to place warning labels on all of their product stimulant laxatives. It is also important that those who are using Chinese diet teas for any purpose must read and follow the recommended directions carefully. The words indicated on the label under “warning” must then be given attention.

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Atkins Diet Foods

Atkins diet foods are easy to find and available everywhere. There are many varieties to choose from, whether you pick prepackaged low-carb diet foods or make your own meals. No matter how you want to do the Atkins plan, there is a solution out there for you.


You’ll need to keep the Atkins food pyramid in mind when you make food choices. The Atkins pyramid looks much different than the USDA Food Guide Pyramid. The base of the pyramid consists of protein sources such as eggs, fish, beef, chicken and tofu. On a daily basis, your diet should consist primarily of these foods. The second tier has low glycemic vegetables like salad greens, broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus and spinach.


















The third tier is made up of berries and avocado. Fruits should be used on an occasional basis after the initial stages of the Atkins diet. Vegetable and seed oils, cheese, dairy, nuts and legumes are used sparingly and in appropriate portions. While the FDA pyramid has oils and fats at the top peak, the Atkins pyramid places whole grain foods in this spot. Whole grain foods should be used very occasionally and don’t make up the mainstay of the Atkins diet.

When you start the Atkins plan, you’ll need to make sure you understand which foods are acceptable for your stage of the program. The Induction phase is the most restrictive, but it only lasts two weeks.

You owe it to your dieting success to stay within the acceptable foods list. One of the best ways to do this is to follow the Atkins menu plans that are printed within the New Diet Revolution book. There are also Atkins cookbooks and cookbooks that are geared toward other low carb diets that are helpful in formulating meal plans.

It’s a helpful idea to use a cheat sheet of acceptable Atkins foods wherever you go. If you are out and about and hungry, the last thing you want to do is to try to think back in your memory to figure out what you can and cannot eat. Carrying a list of acceptable foods with you will make finding a snack or meal while out on the run easy. You can’t always rely on “low carb” labels to tell you whether or not something is diet friendly. Ever since low carb became the new diet craze, manufacturers have been jumping on the bandwagon to attract Atkins dieters. They label items low carb to sell products and don’t have your health in mind. Relying on foods from your own personal list is the best way to stay on the plan.

Another good resource for keeping track of the appropriate Atkins foods is an online diet program. There are several available. Some are free and some have a small monthly fee. The programs require you to register and then they provide you with personal weekly menu plans based on your needs and your carbohydrate gram level. There are normally printable weekly shopping lists that make picking up your Atkins diet foods from the grocery store easy and quick.

Atkins diet food is easy to find once you know what you are looking for. The books, food pyramid and online resources can help you make better food choices and stay on the diet for the long term.

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The truth about loosing weight and diet

The topic entitled “the truth about loosing weight and diet” is a very interesting topic and speaks mainly about how to keep oneself fit and fine. Everybody wants to look healthy and beautiful and much younger than what they are. There are many commercial advertisements shown on the television on how to lose weight. These advertisements basically try to focus on some equipment and convince the customers to buy them. They actually try to portray that their products are the best and by using it they can reduce weight in just days. But actually they want to sell the product. These gym equipments do not help in any great way. The actual way to loose weight is to follow some free hand exercises and to have a diet which does not contain fat in any way. There should be a proper balanced diet which contains protein, fat, vitamins, and low calories.

Nowadays most of the people are very much health conscious and wants their body to be fit and fine. There are many online exercises available which could be followed or even some CD packs available which contains some of the latest techniques on how to lose weight. Increasing of weight and having an improper diet can also lead to many harmful dieases.This is the reason why most of the people have become so much health conscious and why so many fitness programmes are coming up. But buying any gym related equipment which is shown in the television or any miracle diet is not what it is shown to be. People do not get any result out of it. The only thing they lose is money.


There are also some sites available where you can find some of the updated techniques on how to reduce weight and here one will not even lose any money. Losing weight has many advantages. First of all you are going to look good. You will be free from all kinds of diseases. So everybody is trying to reduce their weight than what they are.


Nowadays junk foods have become a favorite with young people and they are consuming it in a big way. But these junk foods are very bad for health and increases fat very quickly. So people should take care about their diet as increasing of weight may lead to serious health problems. One should eat a lot of fruits, vegetables and milk and all other food which is free from fat or contains very low fat.

This article is mainly trying to inspire the today’s generation to be conscious about their health. By reading this article you will definitely understand the truth about losing weight. In order to get something you definitely have to lose something. So to look slim you have to sacrifice some tasty food and follow some free hand exercises or do walking or jogging everyday in the morning. This is only the truth of losing weight and staying fit. People who have followed this have gained in the long run.

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Popcorn Diet: Successful Or Unsuccessful?

There is a lot of confusion concerning diets around North America. One minute we are told that low carb, high fat, high protein diets are best, while the next we hear that high carbohydrate, low fat diets are the ticket to weight loss. However, there is no real secret diet that will work for everyone, and it is important to pick a diet that works well with your likes and lifestyle. In this article we will review a fad diet that was presented to consumers a couple of years back; the popcorn diet.

By now, everyone should know that fad diets fail to work because they are short term, unrealistic, and usually starvation diets that encourage our bodies to pack on the fat after we go off of them. There are some good aspects of the popcorn diet though, which includes snacking all day on air-popped popping corn. Popcorn is very high in dietary fiber which is key for losing weight because of it’s ability to make out stomachs feel fuller for longer without the added calories. Fiber is also essential in maintaining regular bowel health, preventing heart disease and certain cancers. Popcorn is also extremely low in calories which makes it a great food to snack on if you get the munchies.

On the down side however, most people don’t really like the taste of plain popcorn because it is really dry and bland. So instead of having a healthy low calorie snack, they load it up with butter and salt which makes it extremely high in sodium and in many cases, higher in fat than potato chips. Eating an excessive amount of corn can block the absorption of vitamin B, which can result in anemia, low energy levels, skin rashes, depression and short term memory loss.

Don’t let this turn you off from popcorn though! Popcorn can be a great contribution to your diet, and a little salt and butter once in a while won’t kill you either. Just remember, humans can’t live on popcorn alone, and this is why the “popcorn diet” is yet another failed fad. It is also important to note that popcorn belongs in the top five foods that children choke on under the age of five, so refrain from giving your little one popcorn until he/she is older, and make sure you don’t leave any popcorn laying around.

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Turn Off the Tube and Watch the Pounds Melt Away

You begin your typical day with a croissant and a coffee. By mid-morning, you’re a bit overwhelmed with work and so you eat some potato chips. At lunch, you’re starving again so you eat a few slices of pizza and more potato chips. By mid-afternoon, you’re bored again, so you decide to sneak in a candy bar. Dinner means a multi-course meal of steak, potatoes with sour cream, some pasta, and strawberry ice cream. Right before bed, you decide to sneak in another candy bar.

Of course, there are obvious problems with this kind of diet. But, aside from the questionable nutritional value of the food, there’s also the problem of the timing of the meals and snacks. When dieting, it’s not only a question of what you eat. When you eat also matters. But, if you’ve been conditioned to have three square meals a day and as many snacks as you want, how can you go about changing your behavior?

To begin with, you should only eat when you’re actually hungry. This means you should not eat out of boredom, sadness, fear, or for any other emotional reasons. Food exists as fuel to help rev up your body for the challenges you face each day. You should not look upon food as a means of comfort or a path to love.
At times, you may notice that you reach for a snack because you just want a break from your routine. Maybe your work is getting to you, or your children are trying your patience. You have to recognize the fact that eating for emotional reasons is a learned behavior; so, in order to reverse course, you simply have to unlearn the behavior. It may take some time, but eventually you’ll find that you are able to limit your eating to those times when your hunger pains start.

But you should also know that just because a person eats often, that does not necessarily mean that he or she is overeating. A number of reputable diet plans recommend eating five or six small meals a day in order to keep your metabolism humming and to ward off hunger. However, these meals should be carefully planned in advance. Otherwise, you could find yourself packing on the pounds because of your frequent snacks. For instance, you might plan to eat bran cereal for your first meal of the day, a bowl of strawberries for your second, some light turkey on whole wheat bread and some apricots for your third, a cup of yogurt for your fourth, some low-fat cheese and crackers for your fifth, and lean roast beef, green beans, and jello for your sixth meal of the day.
When should you eat your small meals? They should be scattered throughout the day—no more than four hours apart. In this way, you can keep your metabolism up, enabling you to burn calories consistently throughout the morning and afternoon. Generally speaking, however, you should only eat when you’re actually experiencing hunger.

A survey conducted in 1999 found that 60 percent of Americans skip breakfast. However, you should be aware of the fact that eating breakfast can be a key to losing weight. If you don’t skip breakfast, you’ll find that you’ll burn calories faster, leading to weight loss.

Try to avoid eating late-night snacks. This is because your body will probably store the calories rather than burn them off. Again, your snacking may not be the result of actual hunger but simply because you have nothing better to do at that time of the night. Simply changing your nightly routine may help you to keep away from food at the midnight hour.

No doubt, it can be quite difficult to change your eating routine. You may have eaten three large meals all your life, and you find it difficult to stop. However, just a few subtle changes will help to transform both your day—and your appetite. If you find yourself reverting to your old routine, forgive yourself, and start again. If you are kind to yourself, it’s more likely that you will eventually be able to find a diet plan you can live with—one that will not only help you lose weight, but keep you satisfied as well.

DISCLAIMER:
This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.
Since natural and/or dietary supplements are not FDA approved they must be accompanied by a two-part disclaimer on the product label: that the statement has not been evaluated by FDA and that the product is not intended to “diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.”

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Detox Diets – The Next Diet Fad

If you have been on the diet front lately, you have probably heard of detox diets. Basically, detox diets are the next big player in the fad diet game. Like Atkins, Southbeach, even the cabbage diet, different detox diets are popping up all over the internet and in bookstores. What exactly are detox diets, do they work, and are detox diets safe?

The premise behind detox diets is that your body is full of toxins, many of which come from the foods you eat. A basic detox diet will have you fast for a certain period of time, which means you will not eat at all. You will then only eat specific foods that are believed to be toxin free, completely refraining from other foods, such as sugar, red meat, wheat, and eggs. Most detox diets also call for a cleansing process during which colonics, or enemas, are used or herbal colon cleansers.

It is important to understand that detox diets are not really designed for weight loss; instead they are to cleanse your body of harmful toxins. The goal should not be to lose weight. Secondly, there is a great deal of controversy over these diets and whether they are safe.

For the most part, the diets are meant to be relatively short term, or at least the most stringent part is. You will only be required to fast and undergo body cleansing for a few days. Anything longer will definitely cause health problems. Fasting for any length of time will cause nutritional deficiencies, fatigue, dehydration, and possibly eating disorders. Likewise, the colon cleansers that are used to rid the body of waste are basically laxatives that can also cause dehydration and nutritional deficiencies if used in excess. So it would seem that you are doing something very dangerous, but because you only do it for a short time, they try to pick out the potential beneficial aspects of it.

While healthy people may be able to go on a detox diet, not have any complications, and potentially even benefit from it, a person that is not at their best should see a doctor before taking part in it. Likewise, children and teenagers should not go on a detox diet because their bodies still need a certain number of calories and fat grams to maintain healthy growth and optimal development. If there is any question, see you doctor before starting any diet plan.

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Top 10 Most Surprising Diet Busters

Beware of those so-called “health-conscious” food products you’re buying – they may be disguised as low-calorie, but these culprits could put a dent in your diet goals. Just when you think you’re getting a low-fat muffin, you’re snacking on tons of extra calories. And the ones that seem to be obviously good for you, well, that isn’t always the case!

Soups: certain soups can be packed full of calories and fat, especially favorites like New England clam chowder or cream of broccoli.

Sugar-Free Cookies: It's not uncommon for a fat-free or even sugar-free food to have nearly the same number of calories as its regular counterpart, and taste- wise, there's no comparison to the real deal.

Pork: Depending on the cut, the piece of pork in front of you can be comparable to low-fat, low-calorie chicken, or as high in fat as a hot dog. And adding sauces can de-lean it!

Coffee: Coffee drinks can be astronomically high in calories depending on the ingredients and size of the drink one selects

Salads: Throw on a creamy dressing, cheese, croutons, and bacon bits, and your lunch is starting to look less healthy, more calorie packed, and detrimental to your diet.

Breakfast Bars: Some breakfast bars look healthy and even have healthy looking pictures on the box - look at the actual calories and extra sugars in its ingredients.

Dried Fruits and Granola: Granola sounds great, but it's very rich in fat, so you have to watch how much you eat.

Juice and Soda: You have a juice midmorning, and a soda midafternoon, and next thing you know, you've consumed an extra 400 calories in liquids – they add up.

Low-Fat/Low-Cal Foods: Low calorie does not mean no calorie.

Nuts: Nuts are high in fat so they are only healthy if you can eat just one serving.

Before your diet goes south, consider the effects of the above diet busters. And before you pat yourself on the back for eating soup and salad for lunch, make sure you read the label.

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Shopping Your Way to Weight Loss

You begin your typical day with a croissant and a coffee. By mid-morning, you’re a bit overwhelmed with work and so you eat some potato chips. At lunch, you’re starving again so you eat a few slices of pizza and more potato chips. By mid-afternoon, you’re bored again, so you decide to sneak in a candy bar. Dinner means a multi-course meal of steak, potatoes with sour cream, some pasta, and strawberry ice cream. Right before bed, you decide to sneak in another candy bar.

Of course, there are obvious problems with this kind of diet. But, aside from the questionable nutritional value of the food, there’s also the problem of the timing of the meals and snacks. When dieting, it’s not only a question of what you eat. When you eat also matters. But, if you’ve been conditioned to have three square meals a day and as many snacks as you want, how can you go about changing your behavior?

To begin with, you should only eat when you’re actually hungry. This means you should not eat out of boredom, sadness, fear, or for any other emotional reasons. Food exists as fuel to help rev up your body for the challenges you face each day. You should not look upon food as a means of comfort or a path to love.
At times, you may notice that you reach for a snack because you just want a break from your routine. Maybe your work is getting to you, or your children are trying your patience. You have to recognize the fact that eating for emotional reasons is a learned behavior; so, in order to reverse course, you simply have to unlearn the behavior. It may take some time, but eventually you’ll find that you are able to limit your eating to those times when your hunger pains start.

But you should also know that just because a person eats often, that does not necessarily mean that he or she is overeating. A number of reputable diet plans recommend eating five or six small meals a day in order to keep your metabolism humming and to ward off hunger. However, these meals should be carefully planned in advance. Otherwise, you could find yourself packing on the pounds because of your frequent snacks. For instance, you might plan to eat bran cereal for your first meal of the day, a bowl of strawberries for your second, some light turkey on whole wheat bread and some apricots for your third, a cup of yogurt for your fourth, some low-fat cheese and crackers for your fifth, and lean roast beef, green beans, and jello for your sixth meal of the day.
When should you eat your small meals? They should be scattered throughout the day—no more than four hours apart. In this way, you can keep your metabolism up, enabling you to burn calories consistently throughout the morning and afternoon. Generally speaking, however, you should only eat when you’re actually experiencing hunger.

A survey conducted in 1999 found that 60 percent of Americans skip breakfast. However, you should be aware of the fact that eating breakfast can be a key to losing weight. If you don’t skip breakfast, you’ll find that you’ll burn calories faster, leading to weight loss.
Try to avoid eating late-night snacks. This is because your body will probably store the calories rather than burn them off. Again, your snacking may not be the result of actual hunger but simply because you have nothing better to do at that time of the night. Simply changing your nightly routine may help you to keep away from food at the midnight hour.

No doubt, it can be quite difficult to change your eating routine. You may have eaten three large meals all your life, and you find it difficult to stop. However, just a few subtle changes will help to transform both your day—and your appetite. If you find yourself reverting to your old routine, forgive yourself, and start again. If you are kind to yourself, it’s more likely that you will eventually be able to find a diet plan you can live with—one that will not only help you lose weight, but keep you satisfied as well.

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Emotional Eating: A Prime Ingredient for Obesity

You begin your typical day with a croissant and a coffee. By mid-morning, you’re a bit overwhelmed with work and so you eat some potato chips. At lunch, you’re starving again so you eat a few slices of pizza and more potato chips. By mid-afternoon, you’re bored again, so you decide to sneak in a candy bar. Dinner means a multi-course meal of steak, potatoes with sour cream, some pasta, and strawberry ice cream. Right before bed, you decide to sneak in another candy bar.

Of course, there are obvious problems with this kind of diet. But, aside from the questionable nutritional value of the food, there’s also the problem of the timing of the meals and snacks. When dieting, it’s not only a question of what you eat. When you eat also matters. But, if you’ve been conditioned to have three square meals a day and as many snacks as you want, how can you go about changing your behavior?

To begin with, you should only eat when you’re actually hungry. This means you should not eat out of boredom, sadness, fear, or for any other emotional reasons. Food exists as fuel to help rev up your body for the challenges you face each day. You should not look upon food as a means of comfort or a path to love.

At times, you may notice that you reach for a snack because you just want a break from your routine. Maybe your work is getting to you, or your children are trying your patience. You have to recognize the fact that eating for emotional reasons is a learned behavior; so, in order to reverse course, you simply have to unlearn the behavior. It may take some time, but eventually you’ll find that you are able to limit your eating to those times when your hunger pains start.

But you should also know that just because a person eats often, that does not necessarily mean that he or she is overeating. A number of reputable diet plans recommend eating five or six small meals a day in order to keep your metabolism humming and to ward off hunger. However, these meals should be carefully planned in advance. Otherwise, you could find yourself packing on the pounds because of your frequent snacks. For instance, you might plan to eat bran cereal for your first meal of the day, a bowl of strawberries for your second, some light turkey on whole wheat bread and some apricots for your third, a cup of yogurt for your fourth, some low-fat cheese and crackers for your fifth, and lean roast beef, green beans, and jello for your sixth meal of the day.
When should you eat your small meals? They should be scattered throughout the day—no more than four hours apart. In this way, you can keep your metabolism up, enabling you to burn calories consistently throughout the morning and afternoon. Generally speaking, however, you should only eat when you’re actually experiencing hunger.

A survey conducted in 1999 found that 60 percent of Americans skip breakfast. However, you should be aware of the fact that eating breakfast can be a key to losing weight. If you don’t skip breakfast, you’ll find that you’ll burn calories faster, leading to weight loss.

Try to avoid eating late-night snacks. This is because your body will probably store the calories rather than burn them off. Again, your snacking may not be the result of actual hunger but simply because you have nothing better to do at that time of the night. Simply changing your nightly routine may help you to keep away from food at the midnight hour.

No doubt, it can be quite difficult to change your eating routine. You may have eaten three large meals all your life, and you find it difficult to stop. However, just a few subtle changes will help to transform both your day—and your appetite. If you find yourself reverting to your old routine, forgive yourself, and start again. If you are kind to yourself, it’s more likely that you will eventually be able to find a diet plan you can live with—one that will not only help you lose weight, but keep you satisfied as well.

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If You Want to Lose Weight, Stay at Home

Some interesting new research indicates that you are better off staying home than eating in a restaurant, if you are trying to lose weight. Given the fact that as many as two-thirds of Americans are overweight, and many people spend at least part of their day in restaurants, the findings are particularly troubling.

According to Dr. Caroline Cederquist, a physician specializing in weight management, in 1978, less than 20 percent of the calories Americans consumed were eaten outside the home. As late as 2003, the number had climbed to 50 percent. Cederquist says that restaurant food tends to be higher in calories because it relies so much on salt, sugar, and oil. Also, restaurant portions tend to be larger, making it difficult to make healthy choices. It has been estimated that restaurant servings tend to be three to four times greater than typical serving sizes. Another problem is that restaurants often serve bread or rolls with a meal, which can cause dieters to pack on the pounds.

Restaurant appetizers tend to be extremely high in calories. For instance, a basket of fried onions can pack a whopping 2,000 calories. Now, while you might not devour the entire basket yourself, chances are you will have a good share of it if it is passed around the table.

A number of restaurants now offer free refills of soda. Soda glasses also tend to be large, meaning that you are receiving greater servings of this sugary beverage. Just the soda alone can put you far over your daily recommended allowance of calories for weight loss.

Another problem is that we have been conditioned to clean our plates. With plate sizes growing in restaurants, this becomes a critical weight issue. You may feel morally obligated to eat everything that’s placed in front of you—even if your weight and health will suffer as a result.

Once people become accustomed to large portions when eating out, they tend to increase their portion sizes at home as well. As a result, dieters can be sabotaged both in restaurants and at home. If you eat out more than once a week, toning down your portion sizes can be particular difficult.

Perhaps the greatest challenge to any dieter is the restaurant buffet. There are so many different foods being offered, it is difficult to limit yourself. Also, since you can go back to the buffet as many times as you want, you may be tempted to overindulge. As a result, dieticians recommend either avoiding the restaurant buffet altogether, or limiting your second portions to fruits and vegetables.

Yet another problem is the type of entrees served in restaurants. They tend to be rich in fat and calories. Fettucini Alfredo, prime rib, and fried chicken can all cause you to gain weight. A number of restaurants are now designating low-fat entrees on their menus, a trend which bodes well for the future. However, this experiment is still limited to a small portion of restaurants—it has not yet become a widespread trend.

Of course, eating out does not necessarily mean eating at restaurants. It can also mean eating in the car, where you may be prone to non-nutritious snacking, or eating at parties held at the homes of your friends and relatives. At parties, diet-saboteurs such as potato chips and cookies tend to be plentiful; at times, you may find such goodies hard to resist. Eating at home shortly before a party may be the best way to avoid gaining unwanted pounds.
What can you do if you are forced to eat out several times a week? Make sure that you stick to your diet plan. Don’t be tempted to indulge in the wrong kinds of foods “just this once.” Select entrees that are accompanied by vegetables, and resist the urge to order dessert. Consider eating only half of your entrée and boxing up the rest for your next meal. And don’t starve yourself prior to eating out. Such a tactic will cause you to overeat once you get to the restaurant. Following sensible eating patterns, both at restaurants and at home, will help you to achieve your ideal weight.

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Reward Your Way to Weight Loss

You’ve made the decision to lose weight as quickly as possible. You have your diet in place and you expect to follow it religiously. At this point, you may be wondering how much weight you can lose in a given week and whether fast weight loss can be dangerous for your body.

There are a number of things that can affect your weight loss. For instance, family history, or genetics, can play a significant role. Also, your weight loss may depend upon how much exercise you’re engaging in, as well as how much stress you are under. Your metabolism, or how quickly you burn calories, can also have a major effect.
Theoretically, you could lose as much as 20 pounds a week. However, much of that weight could be water weight. That means that, once you go off your diet, you are likely to gain much of that weight back. Also, unless you engage in strength training, you will be losing muscle as well as fat, since about ¼ of the body’s weight consists of muscle. It is interesting to note that, at most, you can probably lose four pounds of fat in a given week.
Nature has a way of protecting the body against excessive weight loss. If, for instance, your calorie count suddenly drops, your body will compensate for the fact by reducing your metabolic rate. As a result, you’ll need fewer calories to maintain your weight. This explains why some people lose weight up to a point and then cannot lose any additional weight, no matter how hard they try.

If you lose weight quickly, there’s a good chance that your health will be jeopardized. For instance, fast weight loss has been linked to the appearance of gall stones. Also, you may experience loose skin as your weight goes into free fall. Perhaps most distressing of all, if you experience rapid weight loss, there’s a good chance that you will gain the weight back again. This is because it is very difficult to maintain a healthy diet regimen. You may find yourself falling back into your bad eating habits after a period of deprivation.

Fast weight loss also places you at greater risk for an eating disorder. You may be tempted to starve yourself, leading to anorexia. Or, because your food cravings are so great, you may want to binge and purge, leading to a case of bulimia. This is why it is so critically important to lose weight under a physician’s care. Otherwise, you could be doing more harm to your body than good.

Although the body has the capability of shedding a great deal of weight over a period of time, most medical experts agree that one should not expect to lose more than one or two pounds a week in order to remain healthy. This can be disappointing to a dieter, especially one that needs to lose about 50 pounds. However, doctors believe that the go-slow approach is best for long-term weight loss. Otherwise, you could end up with a number of health problems you weren’t anticipating.

There are a number of approaches you can use to lose weight. For instance, you might follow the Atkins plan, the Zone, or the diabetic diet. You might try Sugar Busters or the Carb Addict’s prescription for losing weight. However, it is vitally important that you accompany your diet plan with an effective exercise routine. One of the best exercises you can do, in fact, is the easiest—walking. It has been said that you can lose as many as two pounds a week, just by walking alone.

As has been demonstrated here, rapid weight loss should be approached with caution. It is far better to lose a few pounds each week and maintain that weight loss over the long term. In essence, all good things take time, and that is particularly true when it comes to weight loss. Perhaps the best advice is to be patient. Follow a reasonable diet, get plenty of exercise, and drink a good amount of water. That way, you should be able to slowly lose weight—without jeopardizing your health in the process.

Try to look for safer alternative products that could  helps, remember watch out your health as well!
 

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The Food Diary: The “Write” Way to Lose Weight

You’ve made the decision to lose weight as quickly as possible. You have your diet in place and you expect to follow it religiously. At this point, you may be wondering how much weight you can lose in a given week and whether fast weight loss can be dangerous for your body.

There are a number of things that can affect your weight loss. For instance, family history, or genetics, can play a significant role. Also, your weight loss may depend upon how much exercise you’re engaging in, as well as how much stress you are under. Your metabolism, or how quickly you burn calories, can also have a major effect.

Theoretically, you could lose as much as 20 pounds a week. However, much of that weight could be water weight. That means that, once you go off your diet, you are likely to gain much of that weight back. Also, unless you engage in strength training, you will be losing muscle as well as fat, since about ¼ of the body’s weight consists of muscle. It is interesting to note that, at most, you can probably lose four pounds of fat in a given week.
Nature has a way of protecting the body against excessive weight loss. If, for instance, your calorie count suddenly drops, your body will compensate for the fact by reducing your metabolic rate. As a result, you’ll need fewer calories to maintain your weight. This explains why some people lose weight up to a point and then cannot lose any additional weight, no matter how hard they try.

If you lose weight quickly, there’s a good chance that your health will be jeopardized. For instance, fast weight loss has been linked to the appearance of gall stones. Also, you may experience loose skin as your weight goes into free fall. Perhaps most distressing of all, if you experience rapid weight loss, there’s a good chance that you will gain the weight back again. This is because it is very difficult to maintain a healthy diet regimen. You may find yourself falling back into your bad eating habits after a period of deprivation.
Fast weight loss also places you at greater risk for an eating disorder. You may be tempted to starve yourself, leading to anorexia. Or, because your food cravings are so great, you may want to binge and purge, leading to a case of bulimia. This is why it is so critically important to lose weight under a physician’s care. Otherwise, you could be doing more harm to your body than good.

Although the body has the capability of shedding a great deal of weight over a period of time, most medical experts agree that one should not expect to lose more than one or two pounds a week in order to remain healthy. This can be disappointing to a dieter, especially one that needs to lose about 50 pounds. However, doctors believe that the go-slow approach is best for long-term weight loss. Otherwise, you could end up with a number of health problems you weren’t anticipating.
There are a number of approaches you can use to lose weight. For instance, you might follow the Atkins plan, the Zone, or the diabetic diet. You might try Sugar Busters or the Carb Addict’s prescription for losing weight. However, it is vitally important that you accompany your diet plan with an effective exercise routine. One of the best exercises you can do, in fact, is the easiest—walking. It has been said that you can lose as many as two pounds a week, just by walking alone.

As has been demonstrated here, rapid weight loss should be approached with caution. It is far better to lose a few pounds each week and maintain that weight loss over the long term. In essence, all good things take time, and that is particularly true when it comes to weight loss. Perhaps the best advice is to be patient. Follow a reasonable diet, get plenty of exercise, and drink a good amount of water. That way, you should be able to slowly lose weight—without jeopardizing your health in the process.

Continue reading...

Why Your Diet May Not Be Working

You begin your typical day with a croissant and a coffee. By mid-morning, you’re a bit overwhelmed with work and so you eat some potato chips. At lunch, you’re starving again so you eat a few slices of pizza and more potato chips. By mid-afternoon, you’re bored again, so you decide to sneak in a candy bar. Dinner means a multi-course meal of steak, potatoes with sour cream, some pasta, and strawberry ice cream. Right before bed, you decide to sneak in another candy bar.

Of course, there are obvious problems with this kind of diet. But, aside from the questionable nutritional value of the food, there’s also the problem of the timing of the meals and snacks. When dieting, it’s not only a question of what you eat. When you eat also matters. But, if you’ve been conditioned to have three square meals a day and as many snacks as you want, how can you go about changing your behavior?

To begin with, you should only eat when you’re actually hungry. This means you should not eat out of boredom, sadness, fear, or for any other emotional reasons. Food exists as fuel to help rev up your body for the challenges you face each day. You should not look upon food as a means of comfort or a path to love.

At times, you may notice that you reach for a snack because you just want a break from your routine. Maybe your work is getting to you, or your children are trying your patience. You have to recognize the fact that eating for emotional reasons is a learned behavior; so, in order to reverse course, you simply have to unlearn the behavior. It may take some time, but eventually you’ll find that you are able to limit your eating to those times when your hunger pains start.

But you should also know that just because a person eats often, that does not necessarily mean that he or she is overeating. A number of reputable diet plans recommend eating five or six small meals a day in order to keep your metabolism humming and to ward off hunger. However, these meals should be carefully planned in advance. Otherwise, you could find yourself packing on the pounds because of your frequent snacks. For instance, you might plan to eat bran cereal for your first meal of the day, a bowl of strawberries for your second, some light turkey on whole wheat bread and some apricots for your third, a cup of yogurt for your fourth, some low-fat cheese and crackers for your fifth, and lean roast beef, green beans, and jello for your sixth meal of the day.
When should you eat your small meals? They should be scattered throughout the day—no more than four hours apart. In this way, you can keep your metabolism up, enabling you to burn calories consistently throughout the morning and afternoon. Generally speaking, however, you should only eat when you’re actually experiencing hunger.

A survey conducted in 1999 found that 60 percent of Americans skip breakfast. However, you should be aware of the fact that eating breakfast can be a key to losing weight. If you don’t skip breakfast, you’ll find that you’ll burn calories faster, leading to weight loss.

Try to avoid eating late-night snacks. This is because your body will probably store the calories rather than burn them off. Again, your snacking may not be the result of actual hunger but simply because you have nothing better to do at that time of the night. Simply changing your nightly routine may help you to keep away from food at the midnight hour.

No doubt, it can be quite difficult to change your eating routine. You may have eaten three large meals all your life, and you find it difficult to stop. However, just a few subtle changes will help to transform both your day—and your appetite. If you find yourself reverting to your old routine, forgive yourself, and start again. If you are kind to yourself, it’s more likely that you will eventually be able to find a diet plan you can live with—one that will not only help you lose weight, but keep you satisfied as well.

DISCLAIMER:
This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.

Continue reading...

The Diet Pill: A Quick Fix?

You’ve made the decision to lose weight as quickly as possible. You have your diet in place and you expect to follow it religiously. At this point, you may be wondering how much weight you can lose in a given week and whether fast weight loss can be dangerous for your body.
There are a number of things that can affect your weight loss. For instance, family history, or genetics, can play a significant role. Also, your weight loss may depend upon how much exercise you’re engaging in, as well as how much stress you are under. Your metabolism, or how quickly you burn calories, can also have a major effect.
Theoretically, you could lose as much as 20 pounds a week. However, much of that weight could be water weight. That means that, once you go off your diet, you are likely to gain much of that weight back. Also, unless you engage in strength training, you will be losing muscle as well as fat, since about ¼ of the body’s weight consists of muscle. It is interesting to note that, at most, you can probably lose four pounds of fat in a given week.
Nature has a way of protecting the body against excessive weight loss. If, for instance, your calorie count suddenly drops, your body will compensate for the fact by reducing your metabolic rate. As a result, you’ll need fewer calories to maintain your weight. This explains why some people lose weight up to a point and then cannot lose any additional weight, no matter how hard they try.
If you lose weight quickly, there’s a good chance that your health will be jeopardized. For instance, fast weight loss has been linked to the appearance of gall stones. Also, you may experience loose skin as your weight goes into free fall. Perhaps most distressing of all, if you experience rapid weight loss, there’s a good chance that you will gain the weight back again. This is because it is very difficult to maintain a healthy diet regimen. You may find yourself falling back into your bad eating habits after a period of deprivation.
Fast weight loss also places you at greater risk for an eating disorder. You may be tempted to starve yourself, leading to anorexia. Or, because your food cravings are so great, you may want to binge and purge, leading to a case of bulimia. This is why it is so critically important to lose weight under a physician’s care. Otherwise, you could be doing more harm to your body than good.
Although the body has the capability of shedding a great deal of weight over a period of time, most medical experts agree that one should not expect to lose more than one or two pounds a week in order to remain healthy. This can be disappointing to a dieter, especially one that needs to lose about 50 pounds. However, doctors believe that the go-slow approach is best for long-term weight loss. Otherwise, you could end up with a number of health problems you weren’t anticipating.
There are a number of approaches you can use to lose weight. For instance, you might follow the Atkins plan, the Zone, or the diabetic diet. You might try Sugar Busters or the Carb Addict’s prescription for losing weight. However, it is vitally important that you accompany your diet plan with an effective exercise routine. One of the best exercises you can do, in fact, is the easiest—walking. It has been said that you can lose as many as two pounds a week, just by walking alone.
As has been demonstrated here, rapid weight loss should be approached with caution. It is far better to lose a few pounds each week and maintain that weight loss over the long term. In essence, all good things take time, and that is particularly true when it comes to weight loss. Perhaps the best advice is to be patient. Follow a reasonable diet, get plenty of exercise, and drink a good amount of water. That way, you should be able to slowly lose weight—without jeopardizing your health in the process.
DISCLAIMER:
This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.

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Water: The Hidden Diet Ingredient

Water is vital for our survival. But it can also be critical in helping you lose weight. When beginning a weight loss program, many people fail to incorporate enough water into their diet, causing them to lose the benefits that water can provide. As a result, they don’t lose as much weight as they should.
It has been said that water is a natural way to counteract hunger pains. When you drink water, you tend to “feel full” quite quickly. It also flushes out your system, allowing your body to rid itself of harmful toxins. Water can also boost your energy level and improve your metabolism, allowing you to consume calories more quickly.
Research indicates that hunger and thirst may be inextricably linked. That means that at times, you may think that you’re hungry, while actually you’re thirsty. Drinking water during those periods can help you to feel satiated without expanding your waistline. As a result, by consuming water, you may feel less of a need to eat.
You might be wondering, however, how much water is enough. Generally speaking, you should be drinking eight ounce glasses of water eight times a day. However, if you are heavier, you might actually require more water than that. It has been proven that obese people need more water than thin people. You should probably check with your health care provider to determine how much water is right for you. You should also be sure to drink water when you are exercising in order to replace fluids that you lose through perspiration.
Of course, you may not enjoy the taste of water, particularly tap water. As a result, you might consider drinking water flavored with lemon, eating soup, or consuming fruits high in water content. Water can combat high blood pressure and can decrease your cholesterol levels. It can also be a remedy against water retention, kidney trouble, skin problems, and migraines. It may even help to prevent cancer.
Water can also enhance your muscle tone, helping you to achieve a more clearly defined physique. Therefore, it is particularly important that you drink a great deal of water if you enter into a strength training program. You cannot expect your muscles to work properly if you do not hydrate them with water.
The temperature of your water can also make a significant difference. It is believed that water that is cold is digested faster than water that is of a higher temperature. In fact, water that is relatively cold in temperature can actually serve as a calorie-burner.
You may be surprised to learn that your body is comprised of nearly 70 percent water. Therefore, water is crucial for the proper functioning of your metabolism. Water can also help to regulate your body temperature, enabling your body to work more effectively.
Certain symptoms will emerge if you’re not consuming enough water. For instance, you may find it difficult to concentrate. You may also have a constant feeling of being tired. You may be constipated or experience dry skin. At times, you may also feel constipated and you may notice that you’re not passing as much urine as you should.
Of course, if you are not getting enough water in your diet, the remedy is simple—just turn on the tap and let it flow. However, realistically, it can be difficult to get into the water habit. Therefore, you might have to trick your body into drinking water. How do you do this? To begin with, you should consider drinking a glass of water as soon as you get up in the morning. This will ensure that you are getting your day off to a healthy start. Have a drink in mid-morning and another right before lunch. If you drink a cup with lunch, you will have already had half of your daily water requirements. Have a drink in the mid-afternoon, another at dinner, one after dinner, and one right before bed. In this way, you will likely be getting all the water your body needs. Try this experiment for a few weeks, and you may be amazed at the difference you see in your health and appearance.

DISCLAIMER:
This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.
Since natural and/or dietary supplements are not FDA approved they must be accompanied by a two-part disclaimer on the product label: that the statement has not been evaluated by FDA and that the product is not intended to “diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.”

Continue reading...

South Beach Diet Plan

South Beach Diet Plan was first prepared by Dr. Arthur Agatston, a great cardiologist, to resolve the ongoing problems of his cardiac patients and to help them lose their weights. South Beach Diet Plan has three phases, the first two phases are for a specific time and the third phase is to be continued for lifetime. With South Beach Diet Plan, you can forget about your calorie counting and can enjoy good and tasty food. You will be eating three meals and at the same time can munch at the yummy, nutritious South Beach Cookies and snacks. Dieting with South Beach Diet Products will give you surprising results in short span of time. Your thighs, hips and stomach will be slimmer. South Beach Diet Plan you will also give you the opportunity to eat mouth-watering dishes from South Beach Recipes like Shrimps Louis, Chicken Papillote and Chocolate Sponge Cake.

PhaseI

In the first phase of South Beach Diet Plan, you will dine with turkey, shellfish, beef and chicken. Vegetables, cheese, garden salads and nuts are also included in this diet, and your salad will be dressed with tastier with olive oil. Only carbohydrate rich products like rice, pasta, potatoes are restricted in first phase. First phase lasts for two weeks.

PhaseII

The second phase includes all carbohydrates rich products like rice, baked goods, fruit potatoes, cookies, cake, ice cream, candy that were restricted in first phase. During this second phase you can even add South Beach Diet Cookies, which are specially prepared for dieters. In this phase all fat rich products are restricted which were included in first phase.

PhaseIII

Third phase starts when you have already reached to your dream weight. This phase is most easy and restriction free, it lasts for whole life. It helps you to maintain your new body weight. With South Beach Diet Products you will not only lose weight as well as you will improve your cardiovascular system to coup mainly with atherosclerosis.

 

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The Weight Watchers Approach: It’s All in the Points

Michael C., a CEO who lives in the northeast, has lost 50 pounds since he joined Weight Watchers a few months ago. He credits the program with helping him to achieve his ideal weight. He also feels more energetic and healthier as a result of his experience with Weight Watchers. Thanks to Weight Watchers, he is no longer self-conscious when it comes to taking family photographs. In addition, he has received numerous compliments from his family and friends as a result of his weight loss.

Weight Watchers has been part of the American vocabulary for decades. The organization has become synonymous with weight loss. All across America, people are planning their daily menus according to Weight Watchers’ innovative point system, which assigns a certain number of points to different foods based on calories, fiber, fat, and serving size. For instance, a Quarter Pounder with cheese from McDonald’s is 13 points; corn on the cob is 3. Each day, dieters attempt to stay within their maximum point range in order to lose weight.
There are a number of advantages to the Weight Watchers program. For instance, its point system is easy to follow—much easier than counting calories. Also, the program represents a holistic approach which includes not only sound nutrition, but also a sensible exercise program. In addition, dieters get a chance to meet with other dieters, who can form a network of support. On the Weight Watchers plan, few people complain of feeling tired or hungry. A number of nutritionists heartily endorse the Weight Watchers program because of its balanced approach. Interestingly enough, no food is banned under the Weight Watchers program; however, if you want to indulge in a piece of banana cream pie, you might not have many points left for the rest of your day. Yet another advantage to the Weight Watchers program is that you can buy Weight Watchers food at your local supermarket. This aspect makes the program especially convenient.

Certainly, some people, such as Michael C. and the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, have lost an appreciable amount of weight using the Weight Watchers program. However, the vast majority of people only lose about six pounds—hardly enough for an individual who is considered to be obese. It’s a fact that you won’t see advertised in Weight Watchers literature. In fact, only 5 percent of dieters are able to maintain their weight loss over five years using the Weight Watchers system.

Other individuals find the Weight Watchers program too expensive to use. In addition to the registration fee, there is an additional weekly fee you must pay. Also, some individuals find little comfort in the weekly meetings—they feel that the other dieters often seem to be more competitive than supportive. The point system can also cause dieters to become preoccupied with food, hurting their relationships with other people. Once you leave the Weight Watchers program, you might find it extremely difficult to maintain your weight loss. Also, if you don’t succeed in losing weight in the first few weeks, you may become frustrated and quit the program altogether.

Interestingly enough, Weight Watchers has won an endorsement from an unexpected source—the restaurant chain known as Applebee’s. Applebee’s now offers Weight Watchers entrees on its menus. These dishes include a tortilla chicken melt (10 points), onion soup au gratin (three points), and chocolate raspberry layer cake (four points), among other entrees.

Another advantage to the Weight Watchers program is that you can find the point values of a number of fast foods online. This means that you are not choosing your food in the dark—you have some idea what these foods can do to your waistline. Any weight loss program that improves your knowledge of nutrition should be considered beneficial.

Choosing a weight loss program is an extremely personal decision, one that should not be taken lightly. You will have to weigh the benefits and drawbacks of the Weight Watchers program in order to decide whether it’s the right plan for you. However, if you do select Weight Watchers, be sure to remain committed to it for at least six months in an effort to maximize your weight loss.

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Are You a Carb Addict?

Water is vital for our survival. But it can also be critical in helping you lose weight. When beginning a weight loss program, many people fail to incorporate enough water into their diet, causing them to lose the benefits that water can provide. As a result, they don’t lose as much weight as they should.

It has been said that water is a natural way to counteract hunger pains. When you drink water, you tend to “feel full” quite quickly. It also flushes out your system, allowing your body to rid itself of harmful toxins. Water can also boost your energy level and improve your metabolism, allowing you to consume calories more quickly.

Research indicates that hunger and thirst may be inextricably linked. That means that at times, you may think that you’re hungry, while actually you’re thirsty. Drinking water during those periods can help you to feel satiated without expanding your waistline. As a result, by consuming water, you may feel less of a need to eat.

You might be wondering, however, how much water is enough. Generally speaking, you should be drinking eight ounce glasses of water eight times a day. However, if you are heavier, you might actually require more water than that. It has been proven that obese people need more water than thin people. You should probably check with your health care provider to determine how much water is right for you. You should also be sure to drink water when you are exercising in order to replace fluids that you lose through perspiration.

Of course, you may not enjoy the taste of water, particularly tap water. As a result, you might consider drinking water flavored with lemon, eating soup, or consuming fruits high in water content. Water can combat high blood pressure and can decrease your cholesterol levels. It can also be a remedy against water retention, kidney trouble, skin problems, and migraines. It may even help to prevent cancer.

Water can also enhance your muscle tone, helping you to achieve a more clearly defined physique. Therefore, it is particularly important that you drink a great deal of water if you enter into a strength training program. You cannot expect your muscles to work properly if you do not hydrate them with water.

The temperature of your water can also make a significant difference. It is believed that water that is cold is digested faster than water that is of a higher temperature. In fact, water that is relatively cold in temperature can actually serve as a calorie-burner.

You may be surprised to learn that your body is comprised of nearly 70 percent water. Therefore, water is crucial for the proper functioning of your metabolism. Water can also help to regulate your body temperature, enabling your body to work more effectively.

Certain symptoms will emerge if you’re not consuming enough water. For instance, you may find it difficult to concentrate. You may also have a constant feeling of being tired. You may be constipated or experience dry skin. At times, you may also feel constipated and you may notice that you’re not passing as much urine as you should.

Of course, if you are not getting enough water in your diet, the remedy is simple—just turn on the tap and let it flow. However, realistically, it can be difficult to get into the water habit. Therefore, you might have to trick your body into drinking water. How do you do this? To begin with, you should consider drinking a glass of water as soon as you get up in the morning. This will ensure that you are getting your day off to a healthy start. Have a drink in mid-morning and another right before lunch. If you drink a cup with lunch, you will have already had half of your daily water requirements. Have a drink in the mid-afternoon, another at dinner, one after dinner, and one right before bed. In this way, you will likely be getting all the water your body needs. Try this experiment for a few weeks, and you may be amazed at the difference you see in your health and appearance.

To your weight loss,

Mohd Shahreil

========Advertisement========
Get A Trophy Wife Who Is Always Ready For Action! Husband Teaches The Secret Methods He Used To Make His Wife Lose The Extra Weight And Skyrocket Her Libido!
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=============================

===
DISCLAIMER:
This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.
Since natural and/or dietary supplements are not FDA approved they must be accompanied by a two-part disclaimer on the product label: that the statement has not been evaluated by FDA and that the product is not intended to “diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.”
===

View the original article here

Continue reading...

Losing Weight by Thinking Green

Water is vital for our survival. But it can also be critical in helping you lose weight. When beginning a weight loss program, many people fail to incorporate enough water into their diet, causing them to lose the benefits that water can provide. As a result, they don’t lose as much weight as they should.

It has been said that water is a natural way to counteract hunger pains. When you drink water, you tend to “feel full” quite quickly. It also flushes out your system, allowing your body to rid itself of harmful toxins. Water can also boost your energy level and improve your metabolism, allowing you to consume calories more quickly.

Research indicates that hunger and thirst may be inextricably linked. That means that at times, you may think that you’re hungry, while actually you’re thirsty. Drinking water during those periods can help you to feel satiated without expanding your waistline. As a result, by consuming water, you may feel less of a need to eat.

You might be wondering, however, how much water is enough. Generally speaking, you should be drinking eight ounce glasses of water eight times a day. However, if you are heavier, you might actually require more water than that. It has been proven that obese people need more water than thin people. You should probably check with your health care provider to determine how much water is right for you. You should also be sure to drink water when you are exercising in order to replace fluids that you lose through perspiration.

Of course, you may not enjoy the taste of water, particularly tap water. As a result, you might consider drinking water flavored with lemon, eating soup, or consuming fruits high in water content. Water can combat high blood pressure and can decrease your cholesterol levels. It can also be a remedy against water retention, kidney trouble, skin problems, and migraines. It may even help to prevent cancer.

Water can also enhance your muscle tone, helping you to achieve a more clearly defined physique. Therefore, it is particularly important that you drink a great deal of water if you enter into a strength training program. You cannot expect your muscles to work properly if you do not hydrate them with water.

The temperature of your water can also make a significant difference. It is believed that water that is cold is digested faster than water that is of a higher temperature. In fact, water that is relatively cold in temperature can actually serve as a calorie-burner.

You may be surprised to learn that your body is comprised of nearly 70 percent water. Therefore, water is crucial for the proper functioning of your metabolism. Water can also help to regulate your body temperature, enabling your body to work more effectively.

Certain symptoms will emerge if you’re not consuming enough water. For instance, you may find it difficult to concentrate. You may also have a constant feeling of being tired. You may be constipated or experience dry skin. At times, you may also feel constipated and you may notice that you’re not passing as much urine as you should.

Of course, if you are not getting enough water in your diet, the remedy is simple—just turn on the tap and let it flow. However, realistically, it can be difficult to get into the water habit. Therefore, you might have to trick your body into drinking water. How do you do this? To begin with, you should consider drinking a glass of water as soon as you get up in the morning. This will ensure that you are getting your day off to a healthy start. Have a drink in mid-morning and another right before lunch. If you drink a cup with lunch, you will have already had half of your daily water requirements. Have a drink in the mid-afternoon, another at dinner, one after dinner, and one right before bed. In this way, you will likely be getting all the water your body needs. Try this experiment for a few weeks, and you may be amazed at the difference you see in your health and appearance.

To your weight loss,

Mohd Shahreil

========Advertisement========
Get A Trophy Wife Who Is Always Ready For Action! Husband Teaches The Secret Methods He Used To Make His Wife Lose The Extra Weight And Skyrocket Her Libido!
Click Here!
=============================

===
DISCLAIMER:
This information is not presented by a medical practitioner and is for educational and informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read.
Since natural and/or dietary supplements are not FDA approved they must be accompanied by a two-part disclaimer on the product label: that the statement has not been evaluated by FDA and that the product is not intended to “diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.”
===

View the original article here

Continue reading...