Saturday, May 1, 2010

How To Lose Weight With A Diet For Gout

Have you ever slammed a car door on your fingers? Have you experienced the hot, searing, excruciating pain that shoots through your hand, which radiates through out your whole body, when you do this? If you have then you have a small idea of what gout suffers go through for hours at a time. 

If you are overweight you are a prime candidate to get hit with a sever case of gout. This article will explain how to lose weight with a diet for gout.

By the way the information contained in this article is not medical advice, nor should it be taken as medical advice. It is for informational purposes only. As always with a physical illness you should consult your personal physician right away. Please! read on.

Gout is a type of arthritic illness which occurs in your body’s extremities such as the fingers, elbows, knees and toes. Uric acid is the cause of gout and when there is excessive uric acid in the bloodstream, crystal deposits form in your joints which causes swelling, redness and excruciating pain.

You may be one of the thousands upon thousands of people who thought gout was a thing of the past. However, it is alive and well in today's overweight society. Obesity is one of the primary contributors which can cause this painful attack on your joints.

In the old days gout sufferers used to have to drastically modify their diet to relieve and prevent gout symptoms. However modern day medicine has eliminated this requirement. Regardless of medications however, it will help you to undergo some diet restrictions so as to reduce your weight and the severity of the gout attacks.

Do you eat a lot of meat, especially red meat? If you do it will help you to shed those extra pounds by restricting yourself to 6 ounces of meat per day (preferably chicken or fish). In addition it will reduce the chances of a gout attack occurring. This is due to the purines found in meats. If gout sufferers eat a lot of food containing purines (a chemical) then uric acid can form, leading to gout.

Other foods that are particularly high in purines are:
• Mackerel
• Herring
• dried beans
• dried peas
• liver
• kidney
• anchovies

Where possible these foods should be avoided when following a diet for gout.

There are many other diet tips that can help to minimize the occurrence of gout and help you lose weight while doing so. These are just a couple of suggestion which may help you. Again check with your doctor to make sure it's ok to use these tips.

The avoidance of alcohol is an important factor for you to keep in mind. Excess alcohol affects the removal of uric acid from your body. A gout attack supplemented with alcohol can go bad very quickly, as hyperuricemia can occur. Ideally alcohol should be completely eliminated by all gout sufferers.

Drinking a lot of water can have a positive effect on gout as water helps in the removal of uric acid which is what gout sufferers need. Furthermore, as you know water will help you to digest your food more thoroughly and help too flush the excess from your body.

Weight is an issue that needs to be addressed. Excess weight puts extra stress on the joints and drastically increases the chance of gout and hyperuricemia. Sensible weight loss which avoids excess purines is the correct way for gout sufferers to lose weight without increasing the risk of illness. High protein diets can be dangerous as most protein comes from meat and fish. Also avoid low carbohydrate diets; instead maintaining a balance of various nutrients.

There are many low purine foods that can make up the majority of the diet for gout sufferers and the overweight. These include:

1. Low fibre breads and cereals
2. Vegetables
3. Fruit juice
4. Low fat cheese
5. Nuts
6. Peanut butter
7. Soups (without meat)
8. Strawberries
9. Dark berries

If you are an avid meat eater you may find it hard to adjust to a virtually meat free diet. Consider tofu as a meat alternative. It has a rough texture and is filling like meat.

As you can see a diet for gout is a healthy diet, which can also help you to lose weight.

Friday, April 30, 2010

Why and How Does The Atkins Diet Work?

There is a large controversy about whether the effects of the Atkins diet are positive or negative. There seem to be effects that lean towards being positive or negative in different experiences, and is some cases a person will have positive and negative effects that both affect them equally. People will have positive effects such as weight gain and being able to eat smaller amounts without cravings but may also have negative effects such as muscular problems or making a person feel very faint or extremely weak. 

The reason for both the negative and positive experiences is the same, the way that Atkins diets work. The main point of an Atkins diet is to remove carbohydrates, which is sugar in its simplest form, so that the body will be forced to use another energy source. The nest energy source that your body turns to is your fat, which in turn causes you to loose weight. This can cause you to lose lean muscle, which can not only make you feel weaker but can also make you physically weaker.

Many people feel that their weight is more important then their health, this can be very hard on them and can mean that they without realizing it could hurt their body. Dr. Robert Atkins created this diet for himself so that he would be able to lose weight and this diet was so successful for himself that he let others try and in turn, it was successful for them in many cases. There have not been a lot of research conducted that had to do with the long term effects of the Atkins diet, but some individuals have proven that for them it was a very hard diet and left them with negative effects that outnumbered the positive gain.

There are many advances in diets and research every year, meaning that these side effects could be a worry that is in vain or could also simply be eliminated in the future by small differences in diet. Currently, there are still many positive sides to the Atkins diet such as the recipes that are offered. With the Atkins diet you are completely carbohydrate free for a period of week then you have to gradually find your way back to eating in a balanced matter so that any side effects can hopefully be reversed while you still get to keep the figure that you worked so hard to acquire.

The recipes that are offered are very appealing to many people, and after being carbohydrate free the return trip to a healthy balanced diet can be very enjoyable. Steadily but in steps carbohydrates are added back into your meals, this can help to reverse negative effects if such is possible but is mostly used to make sure that you can then stay constant without further damaging your muscles. Many people have found this diet to be successful for themselves and others who they may have suggested it to.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Find The Hidden Reasons Why You Cant Lose Weight

Are you finding that you can't lose weight, no matter how much you diet or exercise? For some people, there are legitimate medical conditions like thyroid problems causing this to happen. Others may simply need to make lifestyle changes to exercise more or eat different foods. Here are a few things to look for if you are having trouble losing weight.

The first thing you should do is consult your doctor for a full physical to rule out any obvious medical issues. Thyroid problems are the most common reason for the inability to lose weight, but there are a number of other less frequent conditions that can also cause the problem. A lack of iodine in the diet may be the source of some thyroid problems. Your physician can perform a urine test to check this if it appears to be a problem for you. Some signs of iodine deficiency include physical and mental sluggishness, skin or hair problems, and increased sensitivity to temperature.

If your doctor gives you a clean bill of health and cannot find any medical problem for why you can't lose weight, your lifestyle is the next place to look. Many people fall into habits with their consumption and will eat unhealthy foods without realizing it or even intending to do so. Make sure you are eating enough protein and not too many carbohydrates. Excessive sugars and grains are easily converted to fat in the body and should be restricted to a small portion of your overall diet.

Simply writing down the foods you eat and the time you ate them will help you analyze your daily routine and see if there are any obvious problem areas. For example, you may find that you frequently eat an unhealthy fast food lunch at work because you are busy or it is more convenient. This can easily be fixed by spending some time in the morning preparing your own healthy lunch for the day, but may slip by unnoticed if you are eating healthy dinners and exercising after work.

Your body composition may also be the reason you can't lose weight. Muscle cells burn far more energy while at rest than fat cells. If you do not have much muscle, your body may be able to maintain its current weight even when you do not eat very many calories. This leads to starvation diets, which only make the problem worse as the body compensates for the lack of nourishment. Many people get stuck in this cycle and do not realize that the only way out is to eat more food, not less.

In times of famine, the body is designed to slow its metabolism and conserve the few calories that are available. This means more fat is stored, even though you may be eating as little as half of your previous food intake. The easiest way to boost your resting metabolism is to add some strength training into your exercise routine. Building muscle will make your body burn more calories even while sitting at rest, which may eliminate the reasons you currently can't lose weight.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Weight Watchers Can Help

There may be thousands of diets on the market today but not all of them work. As a matter of fact, studies suggest most don’t which means if you are looking for a way to lose weight you should discover weight wachers. The best diet in the world is not the best diet for you if you do not lose the weight. Even more importantly, the diet that helps you get to a certain size but doesn’t remove body fat is not the diet for you either. The bottom line of dieting is to lose body fat.

If you’ve ever been on a diet before, you know that deciding on the wrong diet can mean weeks or months of deprivation that end up resulting in minimal weight loss and possibly binging from deprivation of so many of the foods you normally enjoy. The beauty of dieting the right way, such as when you discover weight wachers, is that you don’t have to suffer while you diet. When you discover weight wachers, you discover a way to eat the foods you love sensibly so that you can enjoy eating and lose weight at the same time.

Realistically speaking, many people don’t have time to prepare a meal every time they want to eat. Many lifestyles, families, and job commitments place significant demands on our daily living. We simply don’t have time or access to the good home cooked meals we would like to eat. Sometimes the best we can do is to grab a quick bite on the way to a meeting or soccer practice or other obligations. For this reason, to discover weight wachers means providing yourself with a reasonable way to begin losing weight and to maintain that type of eating regimen until your ideal weight is reached.

When you discover weight wachers, you are giving yourself the weight loss advantage that you need. Your daily routines can be stressful enough without adding a diet plan that stresses you further. Eating is a fact of life. We have to eat to live. You shouldn’t have to practice a eating routine that is a big ordeal and difficult to maintain because if you do, chances are you aren’t going to stick with the routine or see any significant weight loss because it’s too much trouble to maintain and too much of a hassle to be involved with.

Knowing that there’s a weight loss plan that will let you continue with your life just as it is right now is important and can be the key to getting started with your weight loss right away. More importantly, when you discover weight wachers you are making an investment in yourself which shows others that you care about your body and want to be around for those that you are about also. So it doesn’t really matter at all whether you want to lose 5 pounds or 100 pounds, you can discover weight wachers and start losing the weight today.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Save Your Life

Did you know you could be committing suicide and didn't even know it? "You're crazy! I'm not committing suicide." You say. You are if you're eating foods loaded with cholesterol. It's a proven fact that high cholesterol foods can shorten your life span by years. When you continue to eat these high cholesterol foods, you kill yourself a little more each day. For you and your family, it’s important to get your bad cholesterol levels to a safe and life sustaining level. 

Eating foods low in cholesterol, with a well balanced meal plan, is essential to lowering your cholesterol levels. The problem that most people face is that they lead busy lives. This leads to many of us grabbing junk food when hunger strikes. It’s important to choose healthy low cholesterol foods over fast food. It will help if you make sure to pack healthy snacks when on the go. Perhaps most of all it is imperative for you to prepare low cholesterol foods at home.

When you eat low cholesterol foods, such as lean red meat, chicken and fish; you will start to see your bad cholesterol levels drop. You can balance your meals out with fresh vegetables and fruits. Often times when you follow a diet, which is low in cholesterol, you may begin to lose weight. Along with the weight loss you may also experience a higher energy level, mental alertness and less stress with the balanced diet.

Not all low cholesterol foods require preparation. If you are not sure how to cook low cholesterol meals, you can easily look up various menus online. Fruits, vegetables and nuts are both good examples of foods that can help lower cholesterol and require little or no preparation. Since many of these types of food require no cooking, it's quite easy to pack them for snacks throughout your day. In addition instead of grabbing, fries and burger for lunch, you can carry a fresh chicken salad, balanced out with yogurt and fruit.

Another way to help lower your cholesterol is to make sure you drink plenty of water. Not only will the water help keep you hydrated, it will help to flush the excess cholesterol from your body along with other impurities. In addition the water helps to keep all of your bodily functions working at peak efficiency. Which means your body will tend to produce more of the good cholesterol (LDL) instead of the bad (HDL).

When you eat a diet with plenty of low cholesterol foods you also build up your immune system. This makes it easier to fight off disease. In fact eating a diet rich in low cholesterol foods is good for you all around. Plus when you lower your overall cholesterol levels you are less likely to develop heart disease, atherosclerosis (fatty deposits in artery walls) or to have a stroke.

Eating foods like oats and fiber are excellent for a good balanced diet. These foods are great to keep you looking young and feeling great. While you are learning to eat properly make sure that you include your family. Children learn their eating habits from their parents. Lead by example and show your kids how great it is to enjoy healthy foods, like fruits and vegetables, rather then cookies and ice cream.

Eating low cholesterol foods as an overall diet is a great way to lower your cholesterol. That’s not the only benefit however. You will also feel more energized and healthy. Due to low cholesterol food being healthy you will look better and feel younger.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Calorie Reduction Diet Lose 5 10 15 Lbs

No matter how hard we all try to lose weight, no matter how many gimmicks we buy into, no matter how many miracle foods or super foods claim all kinds of weight loss guarantees, just about any family physician will say the same thing when you ask him how to shed a few pounds. Exercise more and eat less. That translates into getting off your butt and move, and following a calorie reduction diet.

The only thing you really need to be concerned about when deciding how you are going to attack your calorie reduction diet plan, is to reduce the number of calories you getting sufficiently enough to make weight loss happen while at the same time getting enough calories (and nutrients) to keep your body from going into “starvation mode.”

We have long known that calories must be cut from most people’s diets if they are going to lose weight, but if you are one of those people who already has a very limited calorie intake and you still find yourself unable to lose weight, you may actually need to eat more calories! This is what happens: Your body is designed to survive at all costs.

That means that, according to your bodily system, if you go eating 800 calories a day all of a sudden, your body system begins to think some tragedy has befallen you and you are unable to find food. So, your body goes into ultra drive to protect you and conserves its consumption of calories so you don’t starve to death. If you have long been eating carefully-counted food as part of a long-term calorie reduction diet and you have stopped losing weight, consult your physician for advice about whether or not to add more calories to your eating plan.

Even though many people find themselves in the above category, most of us still eat more than we can burn off, so we need to follow a calorie reduction diet. The easiest way to do that is to cut out anything we know is “fattening.” It really isn’t all that complicated. If food is naturally occurring, it is likely to be the best for you and most likely to be a good part of a calorie reduction diet.

That means you should be spending ninety percent of your grocery shopping time in the produce and meat sections. Eat lots of raw or steamed vegetables, consume a moderate amount of lean protein, and avoid man-made food as much as possible. Before you put it in your buggy, ask yourself, “Did nature provide this or did man?” If the answer is “man,” leave it in the store.

Examples of man-made items include: bread, pastries, canned vegetables, pretzels, potato chips, cakes, pasta, egg noodles, and so on.

Examples of nature-provided items include: broccoli, green beans, carrots, fruits, lean meats, nuts, and so on.

Along with counting calories, look for God or nature-created foods when choosing how to eat on your calorie reduction diet.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

South Beach Diet Phase 1: Hype or Hope?

Have you been hearing about the south beach diet phase 1? If you are known to frequent health forums or are a member of a dieting or health organization, than you have likely head of this before. The basic idea of the South Beach Diet is too maintain a healthy diet of average food staples while using a progressive form of phases to help phase out the cravings that your body experiences from a unhealthy diet. This has proven to very successful in getting people to shed weight and keep it off. The following guide will walk you through some of the benefits of the south beach diet and more specifically the first phase of the diet.

The benefits of the south beach diet phase 1 are extraordinary. The best part of this phase is that it trains your body without you even realizing it. How it works is by almost tricking your body into having cravings for healthy foods that are good for and at the same time gets rid of some of the cravings that are commonly associated with an unhealthy diet. This is the key to long term weight loss success. The South Beach Diet and specifically phase 1 of the diet have proven to be very successful in doing this. 

Phase #1: The part of the phase is of course the food. The good thing about this diet opposed to others is that it is very easy for most people to make the transition from their old diets. This is because the foods that are recommended during the south beach diet phase 1 are foods that most people already enjoy. Some of these foods that you should consume during the first phase include chicken, beef, fish, turkey, nuts, eggs, cheese, and vegetables. If is also recommended to eat garden salad with only 100% olive oil as a dressing. The diet recommends that during this phase you should consume three meals a day and completely stop eating sugary foods or any other foods other than the recommendations set out by the first phase of the diet.

Perhaps the most important part of this diet is the fact that you are slowly beginning to teach your body to stop having craving for sugary foods and other unhealthy foods. Other diets commonly only cause you to lose weight by depriving the body of food. With the south beach diet phase 1 you are actually doing quite the opposite. During phase 1 you will consume three meals a day as well as a snack in between meals. This is crucial to the success of the diet. You can also drink coffee and tea during this phase.

The big changes that you will making during this phase is cutting out foods such as potatoes, bread, rice, fruit, baked goods, candy, cookies, ice cream, and other foods that contain a high concentration of sugar. As long as you make sure that you follow the south beach diet phase 1 you are guaranteed to be on the path to success and reach all of your weight loss goals.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Atkins diet: Is It Right For You?

There are a number of arguments for the Atkins diet, which center from the developers of the diet and those who are currently following the diet. Many arguments on the Internet also exist, which state that the Atkins diet is a viable diet and should be allowed to be tried by more people in order for them to receive the benefits of this great fat burning diet. Recent studies have also shown potential in the Atkins diet fat burning potential for anyone who wishes to use it. 

However, not all of these arguments are positive and they require further examination. Despite this, the fact still remains the Atkins has proffered forth some valuable services within its diet that does make the user lose weight. To the average person, losing weight would be a boon that he or she could not pass up, and with this diet, nothing is different.

With the Atkins diet, this is one of the best things about this diet – it replaces the bad things that go into your body and makes your body burn fat cells for fuel. There are constantly new diet fads that are going up all of the time, trying to take the place of more experienced diets that are showing themselves to work well for those who try them. For arguments for the Atkins diet, this is a common theme, as it constantly has to fight off other diets wanting to take its place and from those who do not believe it is anything good.

The Atkins diet can also save individuals money as it lessens the amounts and types of food you need to get, thus reducing cost and increasing accessibility. Saving money in an economy that is as in trouble as ours is a must. In addition, with costs skyrocketing, it is far too easy to eat unhealthy foods due to the price change. However, the diet will provide a limited selection of foods to choose from (typically focusing on meat) which will minimize the amount of food needing to be purchased and consumed. This is also beneficial for those who wish to use part of their money for groceries around the house.

Many individuals are not aware of how to best care for their health and make a number of mistakes, which result in problems in the long run. This unfortunate form of ignorance can easily damage a situation or a person’s health. Following the Atkins diet allows each person to start setting goals for his or her health while using the guidelines of the diet.

But while there are many arguments for the Atkins diet, each individual will have to decide if they wish to try it and then decide the results for his or herself. It can be a great plan when used properly with supplements and a healthy exercise program. While the diet may not be for everyone, there are still strong arguments for the use of the Atkins diet.

Friday, April 23, 2010

An Fantasitc Alternative Weight Loss

If you’ve ever watched in awe as a professional dancer performed some feat that seems to deny physics and thought, “I wish I could do that!” you may want to look into weight loss by dancing. If there’s one thing that almost every dancer has in common, it’s that they are in tip-top physical shape. Needless to say, they didn’t get to be that way without a lot of work. Dancing is a demanding physical activity, but it  is also a lot of fun, two ingredients for a great weight loss plan!

There are two reasons that people might be afraid to try weight loss by dancing. Either they’re too embarrassed to dance in public because they’re overweight, or they’re too self-conscious about their ability to dance in the first place. Fortunately, fitness teachers long ago learned the value of dance as part of an exercise program. Finding a dance class in your area is just in an Internet search away.

No matter what style of music you like to dance to, there’s almost guaranteed to be a dance fitness class that makes use of it. Hip hop dancing, ballroom dancing, and even belly dancing classes can help you achieve weight loss by dancing. These classes aren’t like professional dancing auditions – they exist to teach, and will help you along the way. There’s no need to feel embarrassed or self-conscious when trying a dance class.

If you can’t overcome your fear of dancing in public, there are other options. A number of dancing and fitness instructors produce videos and DVDs that can teach you how to dance and lose weight in the privacy of your own home. You can lock your door, pull the shades over your windows, and dance your heart out, burning calories all the way. If you stick to it, you’ll be able to go out and dance in public with fresh confidence.

There are even options for people who aren’t interested in traditional dancing styles, or those who seek a more competitive edge to losing weight through dancing. There are a number of dancing video games available for home video game consoles that many people, especially youths, have used to achieve drastic weight loss results. While this can be a pricey choice for people who don’t own a console, for some people it’s a perfect option.

These game works by scrolling arrows up the screen, while the player steps on a large pad in time with the beats. Easy levels provide a nicely paced, slow workout, while harder difficulties test the limits of a person’s quickness and staying power. These games generally score your performance, meaning there’s always a drive to perfect your performance, which is just what some people need.

The biggest complaint people have about trying to lose weight is that it can be really boring and time consuming. Working out gets you fit, but its easy to get bored with repetitive movements and at the end of the day, you haven’t learned any new skills. Weight loss by dancing is a fun and interesting alternative to a day at the gym.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

A List Of 10 Foods That Speed Metabolism and Weight Loss

Are you looking for foods that speed metabolism? This will probably surprise you, but all foods speed metabolism and therefore weight loss.

"How is that possible?" you ask.

Let's take a quick look at just what is metabolism and how does it works. This explanation might help you to better understand the process and how it can affect your body.

When you eat a meal, your body begins the process of digesting the food, drawing out the nutrients and processing them to create energy that keeps your body functioning properly and effectively. It takes approximately 4 hours just to absorb the nutrients. This is repeated with every meal you eat. In a day, that amounts to 12 hours that your body is busy absorbing each meal's nutrients.

In short, during the digestion process, our bodies burn calories. This is especially true of foods containing carbohydrates and protein which take longer than other foods to digest. Simply by eating, digesting and absorbing nutrients from the food, you speed your metabolism.

Does this mean you should eat more to constantly stimulate calorie burning?

Here's another answer that might surprise you. Yes. But hold on before you park yourself in front of the refrigerator, bib in place, knife and fork at the ready.

If you skip breakfast and other meals, you will reduce how quickly your body burns calories. In this case, eating more food will help speed metabolism. In fact, by eating smaller meals more often throughout the day, you can keep your metabolism working so that your body is constantly in the state of calorie burning.

As mentioned, there are some foods that require more of your body's energy to burn. The degree to which they affect your body's metabolism depends on the particular food choice. Caffeine, coffee, tea, chocolate and a chemical found in chillies are some foods that speed metabolism, but only minimally.

Carbohydrates and protein trigger the highest rate of metabolism. In fact, a protein meal can burn as much as 25% of that meal's calories through digestion and absorption.

While a high protein meal might sound appealing, consider that it would not provide your body with its required round of nutrients. Adding vitamin and mineral supplements is not the answer either, because they do not provide the same quality of nutrients that are found naturally in foods.

Your best choice is to eat well-balanced meals regularly that contain protein, non-starchy vegetables, fats and carbohydrates. This can minimize fat production while keeping your blood sugar at a level that helps to burn fat and build muscle.

Focus on these 10 specific foods that help speed metabolism and burn fat.

Whole grain bread
Chicken
Salmon
Eggs
Fresh Cheese
Green Beans
Summer Squash
Cabbage
Asparagus and other non-starchy vegetables
And, of course, protein rich meats

To temporarily boost your metabolism by as much as 30%, drink cold water.

Remember, there are other factors beyond your control that can affect your body's speed of metabolism, including your age, sex and any medical conditions.

While these foods can speed metabolism, the best way to lose weight is with a healthy combination of regular meals and physical exercise, especially those that build muscle because muscle burns calories too.

Exercise regularly, stick with a diet of protein, non-starchy vegetables, fats and carbohydrates, and be sure to add some of those foods that speed metabolism, and you'll soon see the results you want.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

The Biggest Secret of Your Successful Weight Loss

When it comes to weight loss, the biggest hurdle that people face is that of getting started. They just don't have any idea of where to start from! If you are one of these people then this article is for you! It doesn't really matter whether you want to lose ten or hundred pounds, the tips I am going to share with you in this article are going to help you anyway!

The first step to successful weight loss is to set some goals. Goals should be used in the same way as milestones are used on highways. Just as without any milestone, you will have no idea of where you are going, without a goal, you will have no idea of how much work you need to do to shed all the extra pounds!

First you should ask yourself some questions:

1. How much weight you want to lose?

2. By when you expect to lose all the weight?

Then write answers to these questions on a sheet of paper. Oh yeah, before I forget, let me tell you that writing your goals is one of the surefire ways of making sure that you never forget them! Write your weight loss goals on a piece of paper, make copies of that paper, and stick each paper on every place you can.

Make sure you don't forget to stick this paper on your refrigerator and kitchen, since it is in these places that the demon called temptation tries to ruin your weight loss efforts!

Setting goals is just not enough; in order to make the goals achievable, you must set REALISTIC goals. If you have a goal of losing sixty pounds within a couple of weeks or a month, that is not going to happen. Setting such unrealistic goals for yourself will nullify the very effect of goal setting.

When you set unrealistic goals and fail to achieve the same, you will be disappointed and frustrated with yourself and your weight loss efforts.

Ideally, no matter what you do, you would be able to lose no more than 1-2 pounds per week. So create your goals accordingly. If you want to lose sixty pounds, it will take you at least six-seven months to achieve the same!

Set small and achievable goals for yourself so that when you achieve them, you will feel more confident to move forward. This is the biggest secret of successful weight loss.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Is Weight Loss Really Easy?

Weight loss is neither too easy nor too hard. But yes, it is very simple. You don't need the assistance of fad diets and pills to lose weight. You can get rid of fat by following two simple weight loss steps that I outline in this article:

1. Stay away from fructose corn syrup: Fructose corn syrup should be avoided for two reasons:

1. It will make you gain weight. Fructose-corn syrup blocks the receptors that tell your brain whether you are full or not. When you eat foods that are rich in fructose-corn syrup, you are very likely to overeat and gain some extra pounds!

2. Secondly, they spike up your blood sugar level! Even if you don't suffer from diabetes, you will soon, if you continue to eat foods rich in fructose corn syrup, that is!

Foods such as chips, candies, soda, etc, contain fructose corn syrup. For this reason, hence, these foods should be avoided as much as possible!

2. Small meals are the way to go: People these days devote the least amount of time possible to eating. Most people only have three meals per day, while some even wrap up the day with only two! This is a great way of gaining in inches and pounds. In order to lose weight, you need to eat six small meals per day, instead of three large ones. You can simply split each of your meal into two, and eat each small meal at the regular interval of 3-4 hours.

Eating smaller meals has three major advantages:

1. Since you are eating frequently, you won't feel hungry at odd times. When you don't feel hungry, there is no reason behind eating junk foods!

2. Since you are eating frequently, your body will keep your metabolic rate high at all times!

3. Since you are eating small meals, your blood sugar levels won't spike up to abnormal levels. Thus eating small meals is also good for diabetics!

As you can see, eating small and frequent meals has many advantages!

If you follow the above two instructions, you will soon be on your way to permanent weight loss! There are more to weight loss such as eating right foods, incorporating some physical activities in your lifestyle, etc, but the above two weight loss tips are seldom preached by the so-called 'weight loss experts'!

Monday, April 19, 2010

How You Can Lose Weight Even While Eating Restaurant Food

You are probably bored with your home cooked meals, and would like to visit a restaurant for a change. On the other hand, your doctor has advised you not to eat restaurant foods as it can result in weight gain. You simply don't know which way to go, right? In this article I will tell you how to enjoy restaurant foods while at the same time making sure that you don't get any fatter!

Here is a rule of thumb for you: if a certain food tastes too good, it means it has been richly fried, and as such, not good for your health. Surprisingly enough, the raw vegetables and fruits, which usually taste awful, are the best foods for quick weight loss!

1. Visit vegetarian restaurants: In order to be on the safe side, visit restaurants which offer only vegetarian meals. This is not to say that non-veg meals are bad. With non-veg restaurants, you have to take extra care to make sure that you are not eating high-calorie or high-fat foods.

As an example, ordinary chicken meat which is served in most restaurants is usually laden with huge amounts of fat which is bad for you! Lean chicken meat, on the other hand, is good for you, but not all restaurants offer lean chicken meat as part of their menus. With vegetarian restaurants, you will be more often than not on the safe side!

2. Let the salad dressing go: You have heard it a zillion times that salads are good for quick weight loss. The reason behind this is that salads are nothing but raw vegetables in chopped form. Raw vegetables, as you might be aware, help you burn fat by boosting your metabolic rate. However, the salad dressing that is provided in most restaurants is rich in calorie. So whenever you ask for salads, make sure to instruct them to remove the salad dressing from the top!

3. Stay away from buffets: A lot of the foods you see at buffets are rich in calorie content. These foods are cooked in bulk with a large amount of oil, thereby making them unsuitable for those who are looking forward to shedding some pounds. If you really want to eat from buffets, make sure you steer clear of these fatty foods and choose the salads and other healthier alternatives instead! That way, you won't accumulate an excessive amount of fat in your body!

4. Control your portions: Check the amount of food you are going to eat before you take that bite! If you think that the food provided to you exceed the portion control limit you are allowed, eat according to your portion limit and then carry the leftovers back home to be eaten on the next day. Ask for a box from the restaurant to help you carry the leftovers.

As long as you use your discretion, there is nothing wrong with eating at a restaurant once in while. So go ahead and appease your taste buds!

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Is This The Right Time For You To Lose Weight?

If you are overweight, you have probably heard these things countless times, either from friends or doctors: that weight loss is important, that if you don't lose weight, your life span will be shortened by several years, that if you don't lose weight, you will get afflicted with several killer diseases such as diabetes, high cholesterol level, high blood pressure, heart diseases, sleep apnea, etc. However, when should you lose weight? When is the right time to say: 'Enough is enough! I am sick and tired of my fat belly, so am going to lose weight'? 

Well, nobody can tell that for you. You need to decide the correct timing for weight loss yourself. Also note that the timing you choose can make or break your weight loss plan. You should start your weight loss efforts when you feel you're overweight, but if you are morbidly obese, then no other method except expensive weight loss surgeries can help you with weight loss. As you can see, when it comes to weight loss, timing is extremely important!

I have been a fitness coach for many years. I have a friend called Sean who, at one point of time, was excessively overweight (if you look at him now you won't be able to tell that just a few years ago, he had a large belly and flabby arms). He was suffering from sleep apnea. He couldn't get proper sleep, and no wonder felt dizzy and drowsy all the time. He felt he didn't have the energy to perform his day-to-day activities, and soon people began to call him lazy. Believe it or not, his obesity was the root cause behind all his problems.

Sean and I are good friends, but for some reason, Sean never asked me for any sort of weight loss advice. It was as if he was not aware of his weight problem. Until one day...

He came to his senses when he was not invited by his friend at his birthday party!

First he found it rather strange, but then he realized that it was all because of his body weight. He also realized that lately several people had started ignoring him. As you can see, his weight problem had become a big hindrance in his life! That was the time when he finally decided that he needed to lose weight.

He asked me for advice, which I was more than happy to give. A year later, Sean has not only lost several pounds, but also felt better and more energetic. He is now not only able to sleep properly but also perform his regular activities without a problem. He is always full of energy and enthusiasm!

As you can see, Sean waited for the right time before he started his weight loss efforts. Before you start your weight loss journey, ask yourself if it is the correct time for you to lose weight! Why do you want to lose weight? Are you unable to bear the weight of your fat belly any longer? Do you feel that of late you've become lazy? Are you unable to get promotions in your job? Are you getting turned down for dates? Does your doctor advise you to lose weight? Whatever it is, when you decide that it is time to shed those extra pounds, take action! You WILL succeed!

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Are Weight Loss Clinics Really Helpful?

Everyone wants to lose weight not only to become healthy but also to look good; after all, no one would love you if you have a fat belly and a pair of flabby arms. People also want to shed all those extra pounds pf fat in the shortest time possible. Most people go to the traditional diet route but some even use the lipodissolve fat-dissolving injections. 

Then again, some people need a bit of extra support to help them achieve quick weight loss! Here is where weight loss clinics come in.

There are many weight loss clinics popping up in recent years but not all of them are worth your money. Some are endorsed by celebrities, but just because a clinic is endorsed by celebrities doesn't mean that it is good. Most of the weight loss clinics would promise you the impossible, so it is important to do your due diligence before you join any of them.

Before you join a weight loss clinic, inquire about the following:

1. Presence of qualified physicians: Inquire if there are any qualified physicians present at the clinic. For one, weight loss cannot always be achieved by diet and exercise; in some cases, people gain weight because of medical complications and in such cases, the person will need medical attention. 

For another, it is important that you don't suffer from some kind of side-effects after weight loss. In short, if there are no physicians available at the clinic, then don't join it!

2. Time taken: Ask how much time it takes on an average to lose weight, and how much weight could be lost within that time period. The salespersons might try to offer misleading answers on this question so make sure to do local checks as well.  

Remember that if the clinic claims to help people lose huge amounts of fat within a very short time, say fifty pounds within two months, then that means they are using some unhealthy weight loss methods. Run away from such clinics!

3. Food: What food do they suggest you to eat? This is a very crucial question you should ask yourself before joining a weight loss clinic! Most of the weight loss clinics offer pre-packaged meals to their clients. Pre-packaged meals are okay if you can spend hundreds of dollars on them, but what if you don't have that much money?

Besides, what will happen after you lose weight successfully? Will you keep spending ridiculous amounts of money on food? Any weight loss clinic which limits you to their pre-made meals is not a viable solution for you! You should be allowed to cook foods on your own!

4. Exercises: Regardless of whatever people tell you, it is almost impossible to lose weight fast without the aid of exercises. Changing your eating habits alone won't yield any permanent results! Weight loss can be achieved only when you combine healthy eating with physical activity.

Exercises boost your metabolic rate, which in turn helps you burn fat fast. If the clinic in question doesn't include exercise in their weight loss program, this is not a suitable clinic for you!

Friday, April 16, 2010

The Truth About Carbohydrates

Lack of education among the masses is one of the leading causes behind so many weight loss failures. As a matter of fact, lack of education gives birth to several misconceptions and superstitions! One such misconception is regarding carbohydrates. People think that carbohydrates are all bad and that if one can reduce carbohydrate intake, or even better, totally avoid carbohydrates, then weight loss will become easy! However, that is completely wrong! 

There are actually two types of carbohydrates available: the good and the bad. You should of course avoid the 'bad' carbohydrates but the 'good' ones will provide your body with the much needed nutrition and energy. In this article I will tell you what types of carbs you should consume and which ones you should avoid to ensure quick weight loss!

1. The Bad Carbohydrates: In case you don't know, processed foods contain a lot of carbs. However they are bad carbs. These foods do contain some nutrition in their natural state but as soon as they are processed through several food processing stages, much of their nutrition and value is lost! What is left are empty calories which only make you fat and nothing else.

Examples of such foods are chips, white bread, pasta, soft drinks, cakes, biscuits, candies, etc. These foods should be avoided at all costs, if you are serious about weight loss, that is!

These processed foods contain a lot of sugar and as you might be aware, sugar is rich in calorie content. The more sugar you consume, the fatter you become! These foods offer very little nutrition to your body and since they have very little fiber content, they are easily converted by your body into fat deposits.

Apart from weight gain, eating processed foods regularly can also result in diabetes, since your blood sugar levels increase so much that it becomes extremely difficult for insulin to control it!

2. The Good Carbohydrates: So what are good carbohydrates? Good carbohydrates can usually be found in natural foods, such as raw fruits, vegetables, legumes, seeds, wholemeal pasta, wholegrain wheat, etc. These foods contain carbs for sure but not the ones that would make you fat! Unlike the fast carbs contained in the processed foods, these are slow carbs which take a long time to digest; therefore, you don't get fat! Plus they also contain a high amount of fiber. Fiber will keep you full for a long time! If there was ever a natural way to suppress your appetite, then this is it!

Remember that not all carbs are bad. Making the right decision regarding carb consumption can result in quick weight loss!

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Four Exercise Tips For Busy People

With the pressures of daily life, sometimes working out regularly can become difficult for a a busy person. I know it because I am a busy person myself. The excessive stress at office, coupled with the stress of taking care of my family, sometimes make it impossible for me to stick to my weight loss plan. 

That said, I don't let stress become an excuse for avoiding exercises altogether! Every one of us has only 24 hours allotted in a day, so if you can fit in all of your daily activities within that 24-hour period, how is it that you cannot find time for exercises? Don't you brush teeth, or take a shower everyday? Why do you do these? Because they are part of your daily routine. You know that if you don't brush your teeth regularly, you will suffer from tooth decay. Similarly, if you don't take a shower regularly, you will have skin diseases. But do you know that if you don't workout regularly, you will become fat?

It is not right to use the 'lack of time' as an excuse for avoiding exercises. Let's be honest here: you are probably either afraid of exercises or just don't know where to start! In either case, this article will help you achieve your fitness goals!

1. Find a friend to workout with: Working out alone is not always an enjoyable experience. However, if you can have a friend workout with you, chances are that you will start loving your workouts instead of hating them! Plus seeing someone else working out in the gym will motivate you to continue with your exercise routine! If you know another working mom who has the same fitness goals as you, then rope in her as well!

2. Get an IPOD: Take an IPOD with you whenever you hit the gym. This is a great way of kicking out the boredom out of your workout routine!

3. Do what you love: There are exercises that you probably don't love to do; if you force yourself to do these exorcises it is only a matter of time before you become bored with them! If, instead, you find exercises that you actually love, then it becomes easier!

4. Start it slow: If you have never exercised in life, it is only natural that you will be afraid to hit the gym. Ignore people who say that you have to exercise daily in order to lose weight. Instead, try to take it easy: start by working out only for fifteen to twenty minutes per day, for two or three days a week. As your body gets accustomed to your new workout routine, you can scale up the intensity of your workouts!

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

4 Essential Foods To Help You With Weight Loss

Do you know that you can lose weight by eating certain foods? Sounds unbelievable, I know. After all, the so-called 'experts' have probably always advised you to starve in order to lose weight. Now, the foods I'm going to tell you about don't contain any special metabolism-boosting chemicals that can help you with quick weight loss. 

The fact is that your body needs to burn a lot of calories in order to digest these 'special' foods. As you might be aware, the more calories you burn, the faster you lose weight!

As we become older, our metabolic rate slows down considerably! Ever wondered why most people gain weight during their middle age? During middle age, a person's metabolic rate becomes low; hence he is not able to burn as much fat as he used to during his youth. Eating these 'special' foods is, however, a good way of boosting your metabolic rate! In this article I will tell you about some of these foods:

1. Green Tea: If you are in the habit of drinking morning tea, replace it with green tea! Ordinary tea is not bad, but green tea is even better! It contains fat burning chemicals which will help you with weight loss. It is no wonder that many of the weight loss supplements available in the market have green tea as a common ingredient!

2. Peanut butter: Peanut butter is a great replacement for the ordinary butter. Unlike the ordinary butter, which is rich in fat, peanut butter is rich in protein and fiber, both of which will help you with weight loss. While protein will help you burn fat by building lean muscle mass, fiber will help in suppressing your appetite for a long time.

Peanut butter is available from any local store but I would recommend that you buy the natural ones and avoid the popular commercial brands. Or if you want, prepare it at home! Peanut butter makes for a great breakfast when combined with wholegrain wheat!

3. Almond: There are two types of fat available: the good and the bad fats. The bad fats should be avoided because they make you fat! The good fats, on the other hand, supply your body with essential nutrients such as fatty acids. Almond is one such food. It is rich in fatty acids and protein. Almond helps you burn fat by boosting your metabolic rate!

4. Beans: How successfully you are able to suppress your hunger will determine how fast you are able to lose weight. Beans make for a great appetite supplement. Since they are rich in fiber, they help to keep your stomach full for a long time.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Three Weight Loss Super Foods to Help You with Quick Weight Loss

How nice it would have been if you could lose weight by eating, right? Well, your wish is about to come true. In this article I will tell you of three such foods that will help you lose weight. Sounds too good to be true? Well, just read this article to understand what I mean!

1. Lean meats: Lean chicken meat is one of the best weight loss foods you can ever have! Why? It contains a lot of amount of protein and very little fat, and as you know, protein will build lean muscles. Lean muscles will help you burn fat by accelerating your metabolic rate!

If chicken proves to be too expensive for your pocket, try turkey breast! In any case, make sure you eat only lean meats and stay away from red meat!

Fishes are also very good for quick weight loss. Fishes such as salmon and tuna contain Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids fall in the category of 'good fats' or unsaturated fats. You gained weight because of a hormone called leptin which stores fat inside your body. Omega-3 fatty acids will cut down on leptin; when that happens, you are bound to lose weight!

2. Olive oil: Replace your fatty oil with olive oil. Olive oil is almost free from the 'bad fats' (saturated fats) and contains a considerable amount of unsaturated fats. These unsaturated fats will not only suppress your appetite but also fight cholesterol. In short, olive oil will keep your cholesterol levels down.

3. Berries: Berries are also good for weight loss. There are several types of berries: blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, etc. All of them will help you with weight loss in one or the other way. Strawberry is especially the best among the berries: not only it tastes good, but also helps in suppressing your appetite. Once you get rid of hunger pangs, you can focus more on your weight loss goals and less on eating!

As you can see, just because you want to lose weight doesn't mean that you have to starve. Many people tend to starve or follow crash diets but nothing beats eating and losing weight. I firmly believe that if you eat the right foods, you will not only lose weight but also become healthy. Plus the foods I mentioned above are also rich in vitamins and antioxidants.
Also remember that these are not the only weight loss super foods that are available to you. Other foods such as nuts, oatmeal, eggs and almonds can also help you with weight loss. Add these foods to your diet and see how quickly you are able to get rid of your fat belly!

Monday, April 12, 2010

Two Easy Ways To Conquer Weight Loss Plateau

You were probably losing weight successfully for the first few weeks after you joined a new diet program, only to be stuck to a certain point later. When people start a diet program they rapidly lose a few pounds, because most diet programs are created to offer you 'instant weight loss'. Sadly enough, this 'instant weight loss' is more often than not 'temporary' weight loss. 

You will lose weight very quickly for the first few weeks but after that, you will suddenly discover that the scale is not going down anymore! You are not losing any more weight than what you have lost already! You have hit a situation commonly known as weight loss plateau! In such situations, the only remedy is a complete overhaul of your lifestyle habits.

You have probably done the same sets of exercises as well as ate the same types of foods over and over again during those first few weeks when you were losing weight. As a result your body got accustomed to your diet and exercise routine. When that happened, your weight loss methods failed to bring any sustainable results!

If you want to go beyond this point, you need to change your diet and exercise regimen.

Here are two methods you need to follow to get out of the weight loss plateau.

1. Calorie-counting is not the way to go: When you count your calories, you basically limit the intake of calories to an abnormally low level. When you eat low calorie foods, there is no incentive for your body to increase your metabolic rate since it has to burn only a few calories. The result is that your metabolic rate always remains at a very low level. When your metabolic rate is low, you aren't able to burn fat!

In order to burn fat and lose weight successfully, you need to forget about calorie counting and eat enough so that your body is forced to keep your metabolic rate at a high level. Your body needs fuel to burn fat, and it can get that fuel only from foods!

2. Exercise more: If you have been avoiding exercises altogether, or have been doing only light exercises, then you cannot lose weight. Weight loss is only possible if you perform high intensity workouts daily. Instead of being afraid of exercises, try to love them. Exercises are yet another powerful way of increasing your metabolic rate.

Follow these two methods and you will soon be able to acquire the slim body you desire!

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Three Simple and Powerful Techniques to Help You Achieve Your Weight Loss Goals

There are many factors that determine the success or failure of your weight loss goals. In this article I will tell you about some of the things you should do in order to lose weight successfully.

1. Set small goals: Most people are unable to achieve their weight loss goals because they always think big. There is nothing wring with thinking big, but don't make your goals so big as though they become overwhelming and intimidating to you! Don't stretch your weight loss goals so far that you feel tempted to quit your weight loss program altogether! Start slow and you will see how easy it is to shed those obstinate pounds!

You know that you need to make huge lifestyle in order to lose weight successfully. Now, keep in mind that you cannot make these changes overnight! For example, if today I ask you to avoid eating junk foods altogether, will you be able to follow my advice? You will probably try hard to avoid junk foods for a day or two, and by doing that, you will be all the more tempted to take a bite of your favorite fatty foods. As a result, you'll end up gaining more pounds than what you started with! What a waste!

Here is an easier way to do it: instead of trying to cut down on your junk food intake entirely, try to replace one junk food with one good food. Do you eat butter? Well, replace that with peanut butter. Next day, replace burgers with raw carrots! If you eat white breads, replace that with wholegrain wheat breads.

You won't be able to accomplish all of these changes overnight, but you will be able to archive your goals if you do it slowly, bit by bit. Eventually you will realize that you have completely replaced your bad foods with the healthy foods, but without going through any stress or temptation!

2. Replace bad habits with the good ones: Remember that you gained weight because of certain bad habits. Ideally you should break those old habits in order to lose weight, but I know that breaking an old habit is easier said than done. What you can do instead of modify your bad habit enough so that it becomes a good and healthy habit.

If you are like most people, you have a habit of snacking in the afternoon. Instead of trying to break your afternoon snacking habit, try to replace the snack itself!. If you eat chocolate soups and cookies as snacks, replace them with low-fat yogurt and raw fruits!

3. Get rid of temptations: Unless you learn to control your temptations, you won't be able to lose weight successfully. One overwhelming temptation most people suffer from is that of food. Whenever you are tempted to eat, do something that would distract you from the thought of food. You can do anything such as dancing, driving, walking around your house, doing some sit-ups, or drinking a glass of water. All of these things will help keep yourself away from the continuous food cravings!

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Two Steps To Successful Weight Loss

You have probably heard a lot about the importance of positive thinking in weight loss. If you keep harboring negative thoughts, you will never be able to lose weight. On the other hand, if you become a positive thinker, weight loss will become easy for you. Let me give you an example.

Believe it or not, you are unable to lose weight because you believe that you are fat; chances are that, you even hate yourself for the same reason. Now, if you believe yourself to be thin instead. can you imagine the positive impact it can have on your weight loss goals? Your mindset and attitude can make or break your weight loss goals. In this article I will tell you how to develop a positive mindset.

Remember though that just as you cannot lose weight overnight, you also cannot transform your negative thoughts into positive ones within a very short time. So be patient with yourself and try to incorporate these changes slowly into your life!

1. The reason behind your weight loss: What is the big reason behind your weight loss efforts? Why is it that you want to lose weight? Is it simply because you are unable to bear with the taunts you receive from your office colleagues, or is it because you keep getting turned down for dates, or is it simply because you want a figure like your favorite celebrity whose photo you recently saw in a magazine? Whatever it is, write them all down on a piece of paper. Note down all the reasons behind your weight loss endeavors, no matter how small or big they are!

For best results, buy some Post--It-Notes(r) stickers and write down everything on such a sticker, and make copies of it on other stickers. Then stick those stickers at every corner of your house so that you are reminded of your weight loss goals everyday. Don't forget to stick them on your kitchen and refrigerator as well: those are the places where you are most likely to be tempted to eat the 'forbidden foods' or 'cheat' on your diet program!

2. Motivation and realistic goals: Now it is time to set some realistic goals for yourself. To do that, you need to know your ideal body weight, and then subtract that from your current body weight. The resulting figure you now get is the amount of body weight you got to lose to acquire the kind of figure you want.

Now, realistically, you cannot lose more than 2 pounds per week. Do the math and find out how many pounds you can lose a year from now. Again, be realistic in your goals, as unrealistic goals serve no purpose. If you weigh 100 pounds or more, don't expect to gain a svelte figure like Jessica Alba within a month!

Once you have set your goals, you now need some motivation that will help you achieve your weight loss goals. What you will use to motivate yourself will depend on the reason behind your weight loss. If you want to be like your favorite celebrity, hang the pictures of that celebrity all around your house. Side by side, also hang your picture with your current body weight! That would be more than enough to keep you motivated!

Friday, April 9, 2010

Two Reasons Why Low Calorie Diets Don't Work For You

Are you planning to follow a low calorie diet plan in order to lose weight fat! Before you do that, read this article to find out why low calorie diet plans don't work!

I cannot tell you how many people have emailed me saying that they followed certain popular low calorie diet plans for a few weeks only to find out that they haven't lost much weight. As such they felt that weight loss is impossible and therefore, they quit the diet program altogether!

The number one reason why low-calorie diet plans don't work is: when you eat low-calorie foods, your body basically remains malnourished. You feel sick and tired at all times. Forget about exercises, you don't have enough energy to complete even your regular activities. All these things happen because your metabolic rate is low!

If you want to lose weight successfully, you need to keep these two things in mind:

1. Calories are not your enemies: Calories are not what you should avoid; calories are required to supply your body with the necessary nutrition and energy. When your body gets enough food, it'll increase your metabolic rate, which will automatically result in weight loss!

The bad calories are those that are available in junk foods. So while you won't accumulate fat by eating 10 apples per day (even though a single apple contains almost 100 calories), you will surely get fat by eating 10 burgers!

That is the basic difference! You need to avoid empty calories (that is, junk foods) and embrace negative calorie foods, such as fruits and vegetables. Now negative calorie doesn't mean that there is no calorie in these foods; it only means that in order to digest themselves, these foods will force your body to burn more calories than what they provide! This results in calorie deficit which will ultimately result in weight loss!

2. Muscle building is a must: Do you know that in order to maintain themselves, muscles burn a lot of your calories? This in effect means that the more lean muscles you have, the faster you will be able to lose weight! Eating protein-rich foods is a good way of building lean muscles; working out regularly in the gym is another. There is another yet advantage of eating protein-rich foods: you won't feel hungry too often; as such, the possibility of overeating is almost non-existent.

When you eat low-calorie foods, you are not able to build muscles; instead you LOSE muscles. When your body doesn't have enough lean muscles, it is not able to burn fat since your metabolic rate remains at an abnormally low level. So that is one more reason why low calorie diets don't work!

Most of these low calorie diets will only help you lose water and muscles; while you maybe misled into believing that you have actually lost several dozens of pounds, you have not lost the single most important thing that is keeping you from becoming slim: and that is FAT! Unless you lose fat, there is no way you can become fit!

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Two Easy Ways You Can Motivate Yourself To Get Rid of Belly Fat

Everyone knows that weight loss is all about modifying your lifestyle habits to a considerable extent. What many don't realize that this cannot be done overnight! If you try to make significant changes in your lifestyle within a very short time, chances are that you will only be frustrated and disappointed with your weight loss efforts. Also, there is more to weight loss than just diet and exercise. In this article I will take you beyond the world of strict diets and rigorous exercise routines!

1. Avoid self-sabotaging thoughts: Self-sabotaging thoughts will do you more harm than fake diet pills. Just imagine, if you always think that you cannot do the things you need to do in order to lose weight, how can you ever achieve your weight loss goals? If you think that you cannot do sit-ups and push-ups, you are probably jumping to conclusions and being too self-analytical even before you have tried these workouts!

If you think that doing thirty push-ups is overwhelming for you, start small. Start with 10 push-ups, and thank yourself once you have done it successfully! Then try to add one or two extra push-ups every day to your routine until you reach your target of thirty. You see, when you start small, it becomes much easier to reach your goals!

Instead of thinking too much, just take action and DO it! The amount of time you spend on thinking and criticizing yourself, you may as well as spend it on some exercise. While the former will do you no good, the latter will help you burn fat and lose weight!

2. Get support: Proper support is essential in order to keep you determined and motivated. Without support, you won't be able to lose weight successfully. That is why it is essential that you enlist the support of your friends and family who understand you and support your goals. It is also essential that you choose a weight loss program which offers support to its members in the form of a support group or forum. In a forum, you will get support and tips from your peers and experts alike!

Surround yourself with supportive people and stay away from the negative people who can only find faults with you!

If you follow these tips there is no reason why you won't be able to lose weight! Remember that you can achieve whatever you believe in your mind. If you believe you can lose weight, you WILL! It does sound cliché but is very much true!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Three Ways To Lose Weight The Easy Way

Would you like to lose weight without having to eat boring meals and ironing it out for hours at the gym? If yes then I will tell you about three ways to lose weight fast! After you finish reading this article, you will notice how easy weight loss is!

1. Get rid of hunger: Getting rid of hunger is one of the most important things you need to do in order to lose weight successfully. If you are always hungry, you will always eat, and weight loss will never happen. You should eat foods that can keep you full for a long time. Fiber-rich foods such as lentils, legumes, nuts, apples, peas, etc. are good foods that not only suppress your hunger but also keep your digestive system healthy!

2. Drink more water: Believe it or not, you can lose at least 7-10 extra pounds just by drinking enough water. How? When you don't drink enough water, your body stores water inside, so as to meet any future water scarcity. Your body won't hoard water like this if it feels that there is an abundance of water. To assure your body of this abundance, you should drink at least eight glasses of water daily!

I have found that people managed to lose a minimum of seven pounds once they started drinking more water! Once your body gets water regularly, it will stop hoarding water and flush out any excess water that it has stored!

But this is not where the many benefits of water end. Water also boosts your metabolic rate, which helps you burn fat and lose weight. Water also detoxifies your body. When your body has gotten rid of all the toxins, you will not only lose some more pounds, but also feel better!

3. Hula Hooping: If you want to lose weight without exercises, hula hooping is a fun way to do it. All you need is a $10 weighted hula hoop. Just twirl it around yourself for at least one minute at a time. You need to do this exercise for ten minutes everyday, but if you cannot do it all at once, don't worry. Just do it whenever you find a little time.

If you do it only ten times per day, each time spending just one minute on it, you will be able to lose weight. Plus it is fun to do!

As you can see, weight loss doesn't have to be hard and scary. Follow the three tips above and see how easily you shed those extra pounds!