You don't need to go on a diet to lose weight

You don't need to go on a diet to lose weight

by: Julie Tucker

You are reading this article probably for one of two reasons. 1. You want a weight loss program that works 2. You are a serial dieter, because you can never lose weight and then keep it off.In fact you seem to end up heavier and more depressed than before Possibly a third reason would be that you have become very cynical about all the new diets promoted by the 'stars' of television and the movies!! Perhaps like me, you just see it as a means for fading stars making money by endorsements. Most female stars are thin, and if you knew how much they starved themselves because they believe thin is beautiful, you might, or might not be surprised!! Perhaps I'm just an old cynic too!! There are a number of excuses we make for ourselves so we program in defeat before we begin a weight loss program. The first thing to note is, that we are all on a diet all the time, so why go on a diet to lose weight!! Our diet is what we are eating now, and all we really need to know is that if we eat 3000 calories per day, but only expend 2800 calories per day, then we will get heavier, until our increased weight means we need to expend 3000 calories just to lumber around!! This may be simplistic, but it is a very simple principle. Taking the whole thing in reverse, it should therefore be possible to lose weight by reducing the calorie intake on a daily basis. Unfortunately this doesn't work for long. Supposing you decrease your calories from 3000 per day to 2000, then logically you will lose weight, and for a while you do. Two things happen, and the first is that you need less calories for your daily energy requirements because you weigh less, but secondly and more importantly the internal computer we all have detects that starvation is on the way, and it automatically reduces our energy use, so we only expend 2000 calories a day. In addition it lays down fat deposits, as a 'rainy day' store anticipating a future without enough food. Low calorie diets just don't work for this reason. In fact 'diets' don't work because of the association the word 'diet' has. Diet means pain and torture, and it is interesting to discover what springs into your mind when you hear the 'D' word. Excuses, and reasons pour out, and phrases like 1. You just put all the weight back on again 2. I'm too busy to eat healthily 3. I can't keep track of my eating 4. It takes too long to see results 5. The food on a diet is boring!! The main comment seems to use the words 'willpower' - as in I don't have any!! So let us examine some simple principles. Suppose you are 28 pounds overweight, how happy would you be, if it took you a year to lose it, and then it stayed off permanently? You would be less than sensible to say that is too long a time span, because it almost certainly went on slowly, a pound at a time, at first unnoticed!! Forget the word ‘diet’. Just do the following: 1. Write down everything you eat and drink over a seven day peiod. 2. Let a close friend see it, and ask them to circle your ‘vices’. We all have them, whether it is cookies, or chocolate, or wine. It may be biscuits, or two pints of milk a day – whatever. All you need to do is find an easy way to eat less of them!! Do this now. Think of something that really makes you feel sick. In my case it would be finding a cigarette end in a can I was drinking at a party It would be imagining all the hairs that stick in the plug in the wash hand basin being in a glass of milk. It might be finding a fly in your mouth when you drink cola. Then do the following. Take your thumb, and rub it against your four finger in small circular motions, whilst thinking of the thing that makes you nauseous, and you will feel really sick. All you have to do, is to associate that with the item of food, be it milk, chocolate, cookies, wine or whatever. Every time you are tempted just rub your thumb and forefinger together, and temptation will vanish!! Just by doing that you will begin the process of slow weight loss. You are not on a diet – never forget, all you want is weight control, and that simple step will go a long way towards helping you to achieve your ideal weight, whilst painlessly cutting out your ‘vices’.

You Can Lose Weight on a High Carbohydrate Diet

You Can Lose Weight on a High Carbohydrate Diet

by: David Snape

A startling fact is that carbohydrates are not responsible for making people fat. Don't feel too badly though, you are not the only person who was sold on the idea that a high protein, low carb diet was the only way to lose weight. Here is a simple way to demonstrate this fact. Think about the vegetarians you know, are there any overweight problems among them? The high protein diets rely on a lot of animal fats and proteins, but these vegetarians don't eat them. Startling indeed, isn't it? Maybe you don't know any vegetarians. They certainly are hard to find, especially in the Midwest, where I live. You may wonder about the science involved here. After all, many of those folks promoting the low carb diets are medical doctors, aren't they? Being a medical doctor doesn't mean that you don't ever make any mistakes. Besides, the same science that supports the low carb diet also supports the high carb diet. They didn't get it wrong, they just didn't consider the whole story. That might sound like a contradiction, but it isn't. I'm going to explain why in just a moment. Fist, let me give you the science on this. You most likely are not a biochemist or a physiologist and neither am I. But I have studied the subjects a bit. Don't focus on the technical jargon in the next paragraph, just try to grasp the overall point. You don't need to be a scientist to use common sense and basic reasoning skills. Ready? Consider this bit of biochemistry. Malonyl -CoA exists in high amounts when there is plenty of metabolic fuel present. Thus, carnitine acyltransferase is inhibited and this in turn prevents acyl-CoA from crossing into the cell’s mitochondria. Another enzyme is inhibited by the presence of NADH and Thiolase is also inhibited by the presence of Acetyl-COA. In short, when a lot of glucose is present, fatty acid metabolism is inhibited. It is the last sentence that clues us in here. Basically, a cell will not convert fats into energy if there is glucose present. When the cell has carbs and sugar to work on, it will not convert the fat to energy, thus the fat gets stored. This is why the low carb diets work, with little to zero carbohydrates and subsequently glucose to work on, the fat will be used for energy. This is exactly why the high carb diet works too. When no or little fat is present, it won't be stored as fat. In addition to this, it is important to realize that it costs the body quite a bit of energy to take carbs and store them as fat. This alone is actually a positive. There really needs to be some form of fat present to make it easier. This should help you understand that whatever your diet consists of, if you want to remain or get thin, you need to avoid mixing fats and carbs together. A fat consists of a fatty acid head and a carbohydrate tail. This means when you mix your fat and carbs together you are asking for trouble, assuming you care about weight, that is. So now it should be clear why so many people in North America have a weight problem as the NIH was happy to point out a few weeks ago. Think about the typical American diet. It generally consists of lots of combinations of fat and carbs. As Dr. Neal Barnard points out in his book, "Foods That Cause You To Lose Weight", It is fat that makes people fat. Don't want to be a vegetarian? I don't blame you. Really, you don't have to be one. Just quit mixing your proteins/fats and carbohydrates together. Don't overlook the obvious, there is ton of candy and desserts out there that are a mixture of fat and sugar. Meat and potatoes - perhaps this classic is a serious blunder in seperating proteins/fats and carbs. You can probably come up with dozens of examples of potentially fattening mixtures of food on your own. There are a number of factors to consider when changing your diet. This article is for information only. It is not intended to prescribe, treat or diagnose any health problem. Consult your physician before changing your diet.

Why the Low GI Diet is the Key to Your Weight Loss Goals

Why the Low GI Diet is the Key to Your Weight Loss Goals

by: Wesley Atkins

Losing weight is one of the hardest goals Americans annually seek to accomplish. The weight loss industry is huge and incorporates every type of fad diet, pill, cream, and lotion possible. Instead of falling prey to one of these "lose weight quickly" fads, entrust your weight loss into something that will guarantee you results: a low GI diet. This diet is certainly nothing new and does not require purchase of any expensive diet foods that are usually packed with preservatives. A low GI diet is much more than a typical diet- it is truly a change in your lifestyle, health, and overall well being. What does GI Stand for Anyway? The "GI" in GI diet stands for Glycemic Index. The Glycemic Index is based on the carbohydrate content of food and how quickly those carbohydrates affect your blood glucose level. Foods with a high Glycemic Index are quickly digested and turned into sugar. It is no surprise that these foods usually lack necessary vitamins or nutrients and contain needless calories and fats. Foods with a high Glycemic Index (foods ranking 70 or greater on the scale) include: * Foods high in sugar or glucose * Baked or mashed potatoes * White Rice * Regular (not whole grain) bread * Cookies, cakes, muffins, doughnuts * Junk foods A Little Thought and Preparation Make a Big Difference The method of food preparation also affects the Glycemic Index. Foods that are cooked or pre-cooked have a higher GI. For example, instant oatmeal or grits have a higher Glycemic Index than the same foods cooked in a more traditional manner. Due to this reason, individuals who are on a low GI diet tend to put more thought into foods consumed and tend to consume less pre- cooked, pre-packaged foods filled with preservatives or additives. It's All About Choices By choosing to consume foods with a low Glycemic Index, you are making a conscious effort to consume foods that are nutritious and good for you. This diet is also critical for individuals with diabetes or other conditions that make it necessary to monitor their blood sugar levels. Make the conscious commitment to embark on a low GI diet and create a healthy lifestyle. What foods are classified as low GI? You will certainly be surprised with the incredibly long list of options available to individuals currently pursuing a low GI diet! These low GI (55 or less) foods include: * Most fruits (apples, pears, oranges, berries, etc.) * High fiber grains (bran, whole grain wheat's) * Pastas * Whole milk * Low-fat yogurt * Lentils * Whole grain cereals (Special K, All Bran, etc) These foods are readily incorporated into a daily diet and intermixed with foods that have a medium rank on the Glycemic Index between 56 and 69. These foods should be eaten sparingly, thoroughly mixed with the low GI foods. Such medium GI foods include: * Boiled potatoes * Dried fruits (raisins and apricots) * Ice Cream * Shortbread cookies Where's the Meat? If you are wondering where fresh meat, eggs, cheese, and vegetables rank on the Glycemic Index, it is because these foods do not contain carbohydrates. For this reason, they are deemed suitable to consume and still abide by the guidelines of the low GI diet. Whether you are a bona fide meat eater or a staunch vegetarian, you are sure to succeed on this great diet. A low GI diet is excellent for any individual wishing to lose weight without giving up the foods they love. This diet will allow you to joyfully consume beloved breads and perfect pastas without guilt! If you find yourself wanting a lifestyle change and are ready to lose weight, you'll definitely want to look for more in-depth information on the easily adaptable GI diet.

Why The Low GI Diet Is The Key To Your Weight Loss Goals!

Why The Low GI Diet Is The Key To Your Weight Loss Goals!

by: Wesley Atkins

Losing weight is one of the hardest goals Americans annually seek to accomplish. The weight loss industry is huge and incorporates every type of fad diet, pill, cream, and lotion possible. Instead of falling prey to one of these “lose weight quickly” fads, entrust your weight loss into something that will guarantee you results: a low GI diet. This diet is certainly nothing new and does not require purchase of any expensive diet foods that are usually packed with preservatives. A low GI diet is much more than a typical diet—it is truly a change in your lifestyle, health, and overall well being. What does GI Stand for Anyway? The “GI” in GI diet stands for Glycemic Index. The Glycemic Index is based on the carbohydrate content of food and how quickly those carbohydrates affect your blood glucose level. Foods with a high Glycemic Index are quickly digested and turned into sugar. It is no surprise that these foods usually lack necessary vitamins or nutrients and contain needless calories and fats. Foods with a high Glycemic Index (foods ranking 70 or greater on the scale) include: • Foods high in sugar or glucose • Baked or mashed potatoes • White Rice • Regular (not whole grain) bread • Cookies, cakes, muffins, doughnuts • Junk foods A Little Thought and Preparation Make a Big Difference The method of food preparation also affects the Glycemic Index. Foods that are cooked or pre-cooked have a higher GI. For example, instant oatmeal or grits have a higher Glycemic Index than the same foods cooked in a more traditional manner. Due to this reason, individuals who are on a low GI diet tend to put more thought into foods consumed and tend to consume less pre-cooked, pre-packaged foods filled with preservatives or additives. It’s All About Choices By choosing to consume foods with a low Glycemic Index, you are making a conscious effort to consume foods that are nutritious and good for you. This diet is also critical for individuals with diabetes or other conditions that make it necessary to monitor their blood sugar levels. Make the conscious commitment to embark on a low GI diet and create a healthy lifestyle. What foods are classified as low GI? You will certainly be surprised with the incredibly long list of options available to individuals currently pursuing a low GI diet! These low GI (55 or less) foods include: • Most fruits (apples, pears, oranges, berries, etc.) • High fiber grains (bran, whole grain wheat’s) • Pastas • Whole milk • Low-fat yogurt • Lentils • Whole grain cereals (Special K, All Bran, etc) These foods are readily incorporated into a daily diet and intermixed with foods that have a medium rank on the Glycemic Index between 56 and 69. These foods should be eaten sparingly, thoroughly mixed with the low GI foods. Such medium GI foods include: • Boiled potatoes • Dried fruits (raisins and apricots) • Ice Cream • Shortbread cookies Where’s the Meat? If you are wondering where fresh meat, eggs, cheese, and vegetables rank on the Glycemic Index, it is because these foods do not contain carbohydrates. For this reason, they are deemed suitable to consume and still abide by the guidelines of the low GI diet. Whether you are a bona fide meat eater or a staunch vegetarian, you are sure to succeed on this great diet. A low GI diet is excellent for any individual wishing to lose weight without giving up the foods they love. This diet will allow you to joyfully consume beloved breads and perfect pastas without guilt! If you find yourself wanting a lifestyle change and are ready to lose weight, you’ll definitely want to look for more in-depth information on the easily adaptable GI diet.

Why the HAPPY DIET works

Why the HAPPY DIET works

by: Kacy Carr

Understanding why and how the happy diet works. There is a simple explanation and that being is you get to choose what you want to eat. Most diets today prove to be very stressful for many men and women in their quest to lose weight. This is because they are following instructions from others on what they should and should not be eating. How do these people know? What tickles your fancy? Discover how the happy diet can work for you, what is the happy diet you ask. It is a diet carefully devised by youself with all the things that you like to eat. You get to choose your own meats fresh fruit and vegetables Diets definitely work if you adhere to all the rules, break them then no results. Now let us get cracking on a diet that makes sense and guaranteed to put a smile on your face Just imagine your own diet with all the juicy ingredients and succulent meats that suit your palette Always consult a doctor if you are thinking about dieting or exercising as we individuals all differ in many ways. A little research on daily intake of carbohydrate protein and fat is an important factor when devising your own diet. I suggest you browse magazines or approach slimming informational centres to find out about your chosen foods. Find a list of all the foods that you know you are going to enjoy using in your recipes and that are good for helping you to shed those excess pounds. Then narrow it down to the ones that you want to have on your menu. This part of the happy diet can prove to be very educational and fun to say the least. People accept diets and all the ingredients. This way you get to delve more intimately into the choices you have made for your own personal plan. After checking all the important factors as in i.e. consulting the doctor and daily intake of fats etc. we are now ready for the physical side of things. A few ideas to help speed up the process (exercise) try dancing round the kitchen table with the kids they make think you are mad but who cares you are on a mission to find the new you. Spring clean not once a week maybe twice. This will help hurry things along and into the bargain a cleaner house. Remember this is your plan so do it when it suits you. Results will only come if you stick to what you started out to do. Walking a great form of exercise, why not consider salsa lessons it all helps. Do not expect results over night For starters (Excuse the pun) throw out the frying pan. Less grease on the plate to lose weight Grilling with out a doubt is a far healthier and tastier option. Cut down (YES) cut out (NO) you can still nibble on little goodies. Just cut down? Watch where others go wrong, most diets of course will not work if the rules are broken. Now why would you want to break the rules on the happy diet when all that is on the menu was chosen by you?

Why Many Fat Free Diets do not Work

Why Many Fat Free Diets do not Work

by: Protica Research

Most people understand that it is wise to limit the amount of fat grams in their daily diet. The dietary reference intake amount for an adult ranges from 20% to 35%[i] of daily calories; or about 44 to 55 grams per day[1]. Since a single slice of pecan pie carries with it 27 grams of fat, and a mere tablespoon of thousand island salad dressing contains 8 grams of fat[ii], it is not surprising to see more and more people checking food labels and “passing over” an order of onion rings[2] as they try to lose, or maintain, inches and pounds. However, the relentless avoidance of fat – even of healthy unsaturated fat – is creating a troubling scenario for many individuals. Instead of losing weight when they go “fat free”, they are actually gaining weight. Many people on the road to weight loss forget – or simply do not know – that the words “fat free” do not also mean “calorie free”. As a result, many people ingest far too much “fat free” food, believing that it will not add weight, since, alas, it is dubbed “fat free”. Yet it is the calories in these fat-free foods that cause the weight gain; not the fat grams themselves[iii]. A single gram of fat contain nine calories, which is more than double the amount of calories in a gram protein or carbohydrate. Therefore, mathematically speaking, an eater can consume twice as many protein or carbohydrate grams than fat grams, and achieve the same caloric intake. Since many high-fat foods contain an excessive amount of fat grams – such as onion rings – it has become a staple of dieting wisdom to reduce fat intake and avoid such oily, greasy foods[3]. Yet it bears repeating that the reason to avoid fat-rich foods is not because of the word “fat”; it is because each fat gram contains a scale-tipping 9 calories. In other words: the weight-conscious reason for avoiding excess fat grams is because it leads to a higher caloric intake. Dieters who neglect to realize this basic nutritional fact – that weight gain is about calories and not about fat grams themselves – fail to realize, and often at their eventual dismay, how the body actually gains and loses weight. The typical adult male American diet calls for 2000 calories per day because this is how many calories are collectively use and burned (i.e. converted into energy) by the body each day. As an example, an average male dieter who consumes 1800 calories a day will “save” 200 calories per day. As there are 3,500 calories in a pound, the dieter in this scenario will “save” 3,600 calories over the course of 18 days (18 x 200 calories). This translates into a loss of one pound. Similarly, if this dieter consumes an excess 200 calories per day, a pound of weight will be gained in 18 days. A dieter who is not aware of this mathematical formula may indeed avoid fat altogether and consume, for example, 6 tablespoons of “fat free” caramel topping per day; believing that this is not a part of the weight gain equation, because it is labeled as “fat free”. This is not false advertising, as fat free caramel topping contains no fat grams. However, fat free caramel topping delivers 103 calories per two tablespoon serving[iv]. If this dieter is adhering to a diet regimen of 44 fat grams per day -- and does not count calories -- then he will simply not know that in these 6 mere tablespoons are a substantial 309 calories; or 15% of the total daily caloric intake for a 2000 calorie/day diet. In fact, a dieter could subsist entirely on “fat free” foods, and easily exceed their target daily caloric intake by their second meal of the day. These excess calories are obviously not deriving from fat grams; but they are coming from another source, most probably carbohydrates. Again, the message here that many dieters do not receive from the advertising and marketing media is that fat grams in and of themselves do not necessarily “cause” weight gain. Rather, fat grams contribute to the total caloric intake, and they should be counted alongside carbohydrates and proteins. Adding an unnecessary layer of complexity here is that many “healthy foods”, such as energy bars, contain an excessive amount of calories. A chocolate chip Energy Bar™, for example, contains 230 calories; which is actually only 40 calories less than a Butterfinger™ candy bar[v]. Unfortunately, because the Energy Bar contains 2 grams of fat and is therefore “low fat”, some dieters eat several per day; and pack on 230 calories each time, despite the fact that virtually none of those calories come from fat. It does not matter; the dieter will still gain weight if his or her daily caloric intake threshold is surpassed. Dieters who expect yogurt-covered bars to be “healthier” are also misled; the yogurt-berry Balance BarÔ contains 200 calories per serving, despite the fact that only 25% of the calories come from its 6 grams of fat. However, there are some responsible nutritional supplement products on the market that are engineered to be both low fat/fat-free and low-calorie. These foods are of benefit to dieters when they are losing weight, and also in the vulnerable period after the weight has been lost. Regrettably, many very well intentioned dieters who have made tremendous strides and sacrifices to lose weight regain it within the first few “post-diet” months. While a number of factors influence whether a dieter will regain weight, including environment and genetics, one major culprit is that dieters are not provided with low-fat, low-calorie, and palatable food sources once they have achieved their weight loss goals. They consequently return to previous eating habits, and the unwanted weight returns within weeks. However, as mentioned, there are intelligent nutritional supplements on the market that do fill this void, and ethically serve dieters – and post-dieters – with foods that they need to stay healthy, and fend off weight gain. For the sake of current and future dieters who are going to struggle with misleading “fat free” marketing, it is hoped that such intelligent companies, and their products, quickly become the norm of the future, rather than the exception of today.

Why Isn't My Diet Working?

Why Isn't My Diet Working?

by: Hiram Perez

Have you been on a new diet for a couple of weeks and found that you STILL can't lose weight? Have you actually GAINED a pound or two since you've been on it? Are you just about ready to throw this diet out the window and try something else? Well, hold on a minute. There might be something else going on that's preventing your diet from working. Getting your diet to work is like planting a seed in a garden. In order for the seed to grow, you have to plant it in good soil. You have to water it, fertilize it, and protect it from weeds. In other words, a seed needs a good environment if it's going to have any chance at all to sprout, take root, and grow. Similarly, in order for your diet to start showing results for you, it also needs a good environment. Here are 10 "weeds" that will prevent the success of any diet and may actually be the reason that yours isn't working. 1. YOU'RE NOT REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT LOSING WEIGHT For your diet to work, you obviously have to be serious about losing weight. You need to have the right mental attitude about weight loss. In other words, you have to get your "head right." This includes: a. Making a firm commitment to lose the weight, no matter what. b. Making sure you're doing this for the right reasons. Trying to lose weight to please someone else never works. c. Convincing yourself that you CAN lose the weight--and that you WILL! If your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not really serious about losing the weight in the first place. 2. YOU'RE CHEATING ON YOUR DIET Cheating on your diet and cheating on love both end in disappointment. Consistent weight loss requires, well, consistency. Most of us work so hard to stick to our diet during the week that we convince ourselves that we can splurge on the weekend. Or we think that because we skipped breakfast, we can have dessert with lunch. Both are a bad choice. It's easy to convince yourself that having a small snack won't hurt, or that you'll work it off later. The problem is it does, and you never do. If your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not following it consistently. 3. YOU'RE NOT EATING FEWER CALORIES I heard of someone that started one of those protein shake diets. He actually gained a couple of pounds. When he was asked how often he was drinking the shakes, he said, "I drink one with every meal." It never occurred to him that the shakes were supposed to replace his meals, not supplement them. Many dieters buy low-cal foods, and then eat twice as much. Don't be one of them! The only way to lose weight is to reduce your total caloric intake. Make sure you reduce the size of your portions and cut out all snacks that are not part of your diet plan. If your diet isn't working--or if you've actually gained a pound or two--it could be because you're not eating fewer total calories. 4. YOU'RE NOT EATING THE RIGHT FOODS Eating fewer calories is only part of the battle. You need to make sure that the foods you do eat are the right types. A good rule of thumb is to make sure you get plenty of fruits, salads, and dark green vegetables. Stay away from refined foods and starches and eat meat in very small amounts (sorry, I'm not an Atkins fan). Leafy, green, water-rich vegetables will aid digestion, help keep you healthy, and will actually help your body get rid of excess fat. If your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not eating the right foods. 5. YOU'RE NOT DRINKING ENOUGH WATER When you go on a diet, your body goes into overdrive to get rid of the excess fats and toxins that the diet liberates. Many diets (especially the protein ones) put a strain on your body's organs, especially the kidneys. Because of this, it's vital that you drink plenty of water. Drinking 8 or so full glasses of water every day helps to flush out the excess fats and toxins your body is trying to eliminate. Drinking plenty of water has other benefits including reducing headaches and improving your hair and skin. If your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not drinking enough water. 6. YOU'RE NOT EXERCISING ENOUGH The best way to increase the number of calories you burn is through exercise. Pick walking, running, playing sports, swimming, or whatever--just make sure that when you exercise, you actually exercise. Some people go to the gym to socialize, not to exercise. Make sure you're not one of them! Get to work and make sure you stay with it long enough to burn off some excess calories. To lose weight, shoot for 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, every other day. Note that these 20-30 minutes do not include stretching, warm ups, cool downs, or checking yourself out in front of the mirror. Sure, these are an important part of your exercise routine but you're not going to lose any weight by stretching. At least 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, every other day. If you've reduced the amount of calories you're eating and your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not exercising enough. 7. YOU'RE EXERCISING TOO HARD This may be counterintuitive but it's true. If you exercise too hard, your body goes into an ANAEROBIC state (without oxygen). This is when you get so out of breath that you can't seem to take in enough air. When the body is in this state, it burns mostly carbohydrates and very little fat. This is why runners "carb up" before a big race--and also why runners have just as much body fat as the rest of us. Slow your exercise down to no more than 85% of your maximum heart rate (subtract your age from 220 to get your max heart rate). At this pace, your body is in an AEROBIC state (with oxygen) and most of the calories that are burned are from fat, not carbs. An added benefit is that aerobic exercise tends to be low impact making it easy on your joints. If you already get plenty of exercise and your diet still isn't working, it could be because you're exercising too hard. 8. YOU'RE NOT GETTING ENOUGH REST We all live stressful lives. Dieting typically changes your eating and exercise habits-- two more stressor's your body has to deal with. The only chance your body has to relieve tension, rejuvenate and rebuild itself is during sleep so it's important to get enough when dieting. Not getting enough sleep can actually slow your metabolism making weight loss difficult. It can also make you feel "groggy," which means you probably won't make the best food choices throughout the day. If your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not getting enough rest. 9. YOU'RE FIGHTING TOO MANY BATTLES AT ONCE Weight loss requires both consistent effort and focus. You won't have either if you're trying to diet and deal with other "major events" in your life at the same time. Major events include things like changing jobs, moving to new house or city, trying to stop smoking, a death, accident, or sickness in the family, and so on. All of these things create a disruption in our lives and cause us to put everything--including our diets--on hold. To make matters worse, how do most of us deal with the stress caused by these major events? By snacking! Your diet doesn't have a chance. So don't even try. Give yourself permission to put your diet on hold until you can give it the consistent energy and focus it needs. Choose your battles carefully and fight only one at a time. If your diet isn't working, it may be because you're trying to fight too many at once. 10. YOUR WEIGHT LOSS GOAL IS NOT REALISTIC Like all good things, healthy weight loss takes time. Make sure you're not setting yourself up for disappointment by setting a weight loss goal that is totally unrealistic. This includes not only the amount of weight you want to lose, but also the amount of time you think it will take. If you're doing all the right things and your diet isn't working, it may be because your weight loss goal-or the time required to reach it-isn't realistic. Once you get all of these issues resolved, you've cleared the way to get your diet back on track. As your diet takes root and begins to work, you should start to see the weight come off easily and naturally.

Why fad diets don’t work!

Why fad diets don’t work!

by: Adam Waxler

The answer is simple...fad diets are not natural. Fad diet is the term that describes an array of diet approaches used to temporarily lose weight through unsafe and unrealistic methods. Quick fix programs do not work...although millions of dollars are spent each year. These programs offer a quick loss of weight but sadly the weight is gained right back because people return to their old eating habits and old life style. There are many kinds of fad diets. Avoid those types of diets that recommend a certain nutrient, or combination of foods encouraging you to loss weight fast. Fad diets do not teach lifestyle habits for long-term weight management, they do not help people gain the will power to change a lifestyle with another. Diets promoting a very low calorie system, approximately 1,000 to 1,500 calories per day and with no exercise program cause the body to become less efficient at burning fat, making it easier to store fat and regained weight each time a diet is stopped. In the long run this fad diets makes a person fatter instead of leaner. Ultimately these fad diets are not safe. Only your weight and exercise level determines the number of calories that is right for your diet program and only healthy lifestyle habits will maintain long-term weight control. Healthy lifestyle habits include regular exercise, behavior modification, and a healthy, nutritious diet with a wide variety of foods. People should be aware of their health problems before engaging in a diet program. All diets should include a warning to check with a specialist before trying a diet. Also most fad diets make no mention of physical activity, which is essential in the process of weight loss and some of these diets can actually harm one’s health. The majority of fad diets involve a 10 day to 1 month period in which your diet is restricted to a select collection of bad-tasting, inconsistent health foods or recipes. The fads diet is generally advising you to completely avoided fats. Due to water loss from this period, as a reaction to the starvation process, you will quickly lose weight. And, as you continue to starve, your body starts working in order to keep up with the energy needs. But you are still not burning fats and as you avoid fats in your diet, your body will try to preserve the fat that it has in its store. And if you continue your diet up to a month your body will burn its stored fats having no other alternative to stay alive. After this period the dieter starts getting weaker and he is not able to feel well and perform its normal duties because it requires a lot more effort and time for the body to produce energy from fat rather than from muscle. At a certain time the dieter is back to his normal eating habit but it will take some time before the reconstruction of your muscle occurs and during this time, the body stores most of the food intake as excess fats. Therefore at the end of the reconstruction process, the dieter is back to his initial weight gaining back the weight he lost in the starvation process and little bit more. A diet regards the proper nutrition for a normally developed human and it should contain vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates AND fats. An imbalanced process may cause starvation or excessive reserves of body fat. By using fad diets in your weight loss process your body will experience both starvation and weight gain in a short amount of time.

Why Diets Lead to Failure

Why Diets Lead to Failure

by: Nathan Latvaitis

Ever thought of, known someone, or gone on a diet? You probably have. The word diet seems like a common word for someone who is unsatisfied with their current physical condition. The problem is that most diets usually end up failing…in the long run. Going on a “diet” usually refers to eating alot less food, in the hope that it will make us lose those unwanted pounds of fat. Although there are different types of diets, 90% of them stress a strong reduction in calories one way or another. Everyone has a certain amount of calories that they require per day to keep themselves alive and to perform bodily processes. This requirement of calories is known as Resting Metabolic Rate or RMR for short. For the purpose of this article, we will use my body as an example. My RMR is about 2500 calories/day. I will eat about 2500 calories to just keep myself alive. Note: You can calculate your RMR at http://www.weight-loss-resources.com/calculators/rmr.html On another note, our bodies adapt to the stimuli that they are exposed to. For instance, when one lifts weights their body adapts by growing muscle, when one runs long distances their bodies adapt by building more capillaries to enhance blood flow, when one is exposed to cold temperatures their body begins to shiver in an attempt to create heat through muscle contractions, etc. The point is our bodies adapt to essentially everything that they are exposed to, including how many calories we eat per day. So, when our bodies are exposed to a calorie deficit (a lower number of calories than our RMR) they must adapt. Let’s say that I want to go on a diet and I begin to eat 1000 calories a day instead of the normal 2500 (Actually, I eat more than 2500 calories because I exercise and perform daily activities. 2500 only accounts for the calories needed to keep my body alive. Although for the sake of simplicity, we are only using the RMR. If the message within these parentheses confused you, simply ignore it.) One of the first ways my body is going to adapt is by using up my fat stores to make up for the lack of calories. This is why most diets seem to work in the beginning. The thing is, the body does not want to keep using its precious fat stores for energy. The human body does not see fat as a bad thing; it is a backup mechanism for when a calorie deficit is introduced. Now here’s the kicker. Since my body is not going to want to keep using up its fat stores, it is going to adapt by lowering how many calories my body needs per day to keep itself running (RMR). One of the main ways it accomplishes this is by eating away at it’s own muscle. Instead of requiring 2500 calories a day to keep my body running, my body will eventually adapt over a period of time and only require 1000 calories to keep running. Back when our ancestors lived they needed this calorie adaptation to survive when food was short and they were starving. The trouble is, the body cannot tell the difference between starvation and dieting. Now that my body’s RMR has adjusted to the new number of calories that I’m are eating, it no longer needs to use its emergency fat stores to keep itself alive. This is when your fat loss stops from a diet. In addition to this, if I decide that I want to go off of my 1000 calories a day diet and begin to eat 2500 calories a day again then there is a calorie surplus. The body does not need these extra calories so it will store them as fat. The exception to storing them as fat is when the body needs to build muscle because it has been exposed to some type of exercise or weight lifting, and even then all of the calories are not used for muscle growth. Now that I have changed my RMR to 1000 calories per day, I have really wrecked my metabolism and it’s going to be harder to get to my goal of actually losing fat. That is, unless of course If I want to stay on my diet forever.

Why Diets DON'T Work

Why Diets DON'T Work

by: Aaron M. Potts

One of the biggest scams ever successfully pulled on the American public is - somewhat appropriately - a 4-letter word. That word is, of course, Diet. By now you have seen advertisements for more diets than you can easily remember, and have also most likely seen an article or television show debunking some of those diets. Unfortunately, the art of shooting holes through the credibility of a diet plan is normally done by ANOTHER diet company, solely for the purpose of getting you to use their product instead. Well, this article has nothing to sell, nor really anything to gain, save the knowledge that hopefully the reader - that's you - will put down the Diet Madness Menu, and get a real world point of view on why diets don't work, and what you can do about it. Eating, the Lost Art If you are considering a diet, or have in the past, your primary motivation was most likely to lose weight. What if I was to tell you that in order to lose weight, you actually need to eat MORE than you have in the past? You would probably shake your head at that crazy idea, and think that it was some new fad that could in no way assist you in your weight loss goals. Of course, the fact that every diet you've ever heard of was at one point "some new fad" would probably never even cross your mind. Nonetheless, the fact remains that most people do need to eat more than they presently are in order to lose weight, but the trick comes in eating the right kinds of foods, in the right ratios of nutrients, and at the right times of day. Sound tricky? Perhaps, but I assure you, it is really quite simple. However, the purpose of this article is not to inform you of the benefits of eating, but merely to let you know that eating is indeed a very effective way to lose excess bodyweight, and to explain how diets keep that from happening. Stating the Obvious Although most people do not think of the "latest diet" in these terms, hopefully the following question will make you consider what is pretty obvious if you stop to think about it. If the new "Last Diet You'll Ever Need" was really that good at making you melt away pounds while sitting on the couch munching "Carbo Craze Chips" or was even remotely effective at burning off your spare tire while inhaling the sweet scents of "Aerospace's Aromatic Air Baubles", then why isn't everyone already thin?? Seriously - think about it. Every time you hear about the latest diet or the most up to date exercise device that only takes 20 minutes per day, they always say that you will never need another system! The advertised system - no matter how logical or even outlandish as it may seem - is always touted at being better than ever, and the last system you will ever need. Well, if that were true, don't you think that the manufacturer of that system would not only become wealthier than anyone in history, but would also become famous as the person who FINALLY solved the obesity problem in our world? Don't you think that person could also afford to advertise their product during prime time on TV, instead of late at night? Don't you think that system would become known throughout the world - throughout history itself - as a turning point in human development? So, I'll ask you the same question again: If the solution is already out there, why do we need to keep coming up with new solutions?? The answer is, of course, very simple - these systems don't work, and the human populace is simply looking for a non-existent quick fix to getting rid of too many late night excursions to the local burger joint, or to the fact they should have taken stock in beer while they were in college. Then what does work? Human physiology. Metabolism Metabolism is defined as the rate at which your body processes food. In other words, how fast your body burns calories. The faster your metabolism, the more food you can eat without gaining weight. How do you control your metabolism? By eating a nutrient-dense meal every 3 to 3 ½ hours. This practice "stokes your internal furnace", for lack of a better analogy. Think of your body as an old-style locomotive that had coal shoveled into the combustion chamber one shovel at a time. If you didn't shovel in coal fast enough, the locomotive would slow down, and your body is no different. If you don't eat often enough, your metabolism slows down and you don't burn through calories very quickly. In addition, not only does your rate of calorie consumption go down, but your body starts storing almost everything that you do eat as bodyfat! So, in essence, every time you starve yourself in your honest effort to "stick to your diet", you are actually slowing down your metabolism as well as making your body more efficient at building padding for you to sit on at baseball games. Muscle "I don't care" you say. You believe that in order to lose weight you need to starve. Okay, that's wrong, but I'll explain why that thinking is flawed. Your body needs energy so you can live through any given day. The amount of energy that you need is determined by your Basal Metabolic Rate, and by your activity level for that day. For most people, this amounts to between 1,500 and 2,500 calories per day. Well, if your calorie-restricted diet doesn't allow you that many calories, your body will find a way to survive anyway. It does this by breaking down your muscle tissue and using it for energy. "So what?" you say. You don't care, as long as the scale says you are losing weight, right? What if I told you that the ONLY place on your body that you can burn bodyfat for fuel is your muscles? What if I told you that the more muscle tissue you lose on a calorie-restricted diet, the fewer calories you can eat after the muscle loss? What if I told you that after losing 20 lbs on a calorie-restricted diet, your total bodyfat level will have dropped very little, if at all? What if I told you that by using muscle mass for energy, you have literally crippled your body's ability to burn bodyfat in the future, and that by the laws of Nature (which we can't change, by the way), you will absolutely put the weight back on, and probably gain more weight than you ever had before? If I told you all of that, would you still want to burn muscle tissue for energy while starving yourself to stick to your diet, paying $8 a bag for Carbo Chips, and $20 a session for Aromatic Air Baubles? On the other hand, perhaps the laws of Nature don't apply to you. In that case, be sure to tune in tonight - I believe the "Lose Weight While You Eat Butter Fried Bacon" diet is going to be featured on a new infomercial. It is, after all, The Last Diet You Will Ever Need!

Where's The Beef?

Where's The Beef?

by: Michael Ottman

…It's now on top since low carb recipes have turned the food pyramid upside down. The craze over low carb recipes is one of the major reasons why beef is back! Until recently, the beef industry leaders had about as much interest in celebrity doctors and their low carbohydrate recipes as I do in thinking about eating liver...ugh! But thanks to The Atkins Diet recipes, Dr. Phil's Diet,and Hollywood's Hottest Diet- The Zone Diet, low carbohydrate recipe program, red meat sales are skyrocketing. And you know what that means! The wholesale price of beef is up 100% in less than two years. Soooooo, now you know to thank the craze over low carb recipes for skyrocketing beef prices! For heaven's sake, beer manufacturers and ice cream makers are even marketing low carb products these days. Everyone's body chemistry is different, and a diet rich in low carb foods that works for one person may not work for another. You need to know the best way for YOUR PARTICULAR BODY to lose fat. Ready -- Set -- Lose! In the past decade, Americans have had, and used, every excuse not to diet. Low Carb Diets and weight loss programs, they reasoned, almost always fail. Unless, like Oprah, you hire your own personal chef to feed you with low carb recipes and a personal trainer for exercise. However, this time it's different. The popularity of low carb recipes is changing the way we eat forever. Whether you're a life long weight watcher, new to the world of low carb recipes, or a weight loss programs veteran, there are thousands of free resources for low carb diet advice and free low carb recipes. These resources are designed specifically to help guide you down the path to better health and a happier lifestyle. Perhaps you're a busy executive, a harried mom, or someone who travels frequently, if so, check out online dieting and weight loss program recommendations. You'll even find companies that provide daily delivery of high quality prepared meals using low carb recipes directly to your door. The significant growth of online diets and weight loss programs in recent years clearly indicates the demand for low carb foods and low carb recipes is here to stay.

What is the South Beach Diet?

What is the South Beach Diet?

by: Phil Wiley

So you’ve heard about The South Beach Diet. You know people on the South Beach Diet. But just what is it? The South Beach Diet teaches you to choose what you eat more carefully, encouraging you to eat the right fats and the right carbohydrates. It is not a low carbohydrate diet and it is not low fat. The South Beach Diet is a clinically tested diet that was masterminded by renowned cardiologist Dr. Arthur Agatston, and is designed to improve your overall health as well as help you to lose weight. So just what kinds of things can you still eat while you’re on the South Beach Diet? You can still eat eggs, cheese, chicken, fish, fruit and vegetables, beef and a wide range of other things including nuts and healthy oils. You can even drink tea and coffee. Having said that, you are allowed these foods at different times throughout the program. While undertaking the South Beach Diet you eat three balanced meals per day and are encouraged to eat morning tea, afternoon tea and dessert. As with any kind of diet you also need to drink plenty of water! Those on the South Beach Diet are also encouraged to take part in online forums, fill in food journals and use other online interactive materials to help keep on track and find support from other people also using the South Beach Diet.

What Is The Atkins Diet?

What Is The Atkins Diet?

by: Kirsten Hawkins

The Atkins weight loss diet is based on one simple principle: Your body burns both carbohydrates and fat for calories. If you reduce the amounts of carbohydrates available, it will burn more fat and you will lose weight. According to Atkins, calories are unimportant. The key to losing weight is to restrict the carbohydrates that you eat and force the body to turn to its stored fat as an energy source. As proof of this, proponents of the Atkins Diet point to the following facts derived from research: * When the body doesn't have enough carbohydrate, it will use ketenes derived from fat as energy. * You can eat more food and lose more weight on a low carbohydrate diet than you can on a low fat diet. * You crave less food when you eat fewer carbohydrates. * By eating fewer carbohydrates, people tend to eat fewer calories without counting them. * The greater the difference between fat and carbohydrate, the greater the weight loss. In short, if you restrict your intake of carbohydrates, you will most likely also restrict your intake of calories. By lowering your carbohydrate intake, you will encourage your body to turn to fat for energy. The Atkins diet has provoked storms of controversy since it was first published. The recommendation to eat a high-protein, low-carbohydrate flew in the face of all the dietary recommendations by established medical institutions. The diet was denounced as unsafe, particularly if used as a life-long weight maintenance plan. Over the past five to ten years, there have been numerous studies that come down on both sides of the equation, and Atkins last version of the diet included the admission that calories do matter, and the advice to 'eat only enough to satisfy hunger'. A typical menu for a meal on the Atkins Diet might include: Portobello and Ricotta Crostini Chicken Milanese over Spring Salad Lemon Vinaigrette dressing Warm Lentils and Celery Raspberry Cheesecake in a Cup The eating plan recommended by the Atkins diet contains very low portions of carbohydrates, deriving the majority of carbohydrates from vegetables high in fiber and low in carbs, and unrestricted portions of proteins, including high fat proteins like beef, pork and cheese. Follow up research on people who have used the Atkins Diet to lose weight show a fast initial weight loss that eventually levels off. The Atkins Diet has four phases to account for it: 1. The Induction Phase, which restricts carbohydrates severely. 2. The OWL (Ongoing Weight Loss) Phase, in which you add in limited carbs and tailor the eating plan to your tastes 3. Pre-maintenance, with ten pounds or less to the target goal, deliberately slows weight loss to begin adjusting the body to after-weight-loss diet. 4. Lifetime Maintenance, a long-term eating plan that emphasizes low carbohydrates and healthy, long-term eating Who should use the Atkins Diet? While the Atkins Diet seems on the surface to be directly counter to what is recommended by most medical institutions, many of the principles are actually the same. Unless you are under the care of a physician for a chronic medical condition like diabetes, high blood pressure or coronary problems, you can use the Atkins Diet. Do pay attention to the portions recommended in the menus and plans at , despite the reassurances that you can 'eat all you want and still lose weight.'

Wellness versus Ignorance

Wellness versus Ignorance

by: Dr. Donald A. Miller

If you ask most Americans whether wellness is important, most will agree. Parents will usually say that family health is one of their major concerns. Yet most are rather ignorant about nutrition information. Blame our public education system, false or misleading reporting, and ads, ads, ads. Recent news increasingly reports that obesity is epidemic in the United States, and that it is the major cause of early death, after tobacco. Yet the solution is really simple. It used to be that people who claimed the simple life is the key to anti aging would be met with a big yawn, or strong doubt, or rude noises. Now, such reliable sources of health information as Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are saying that good diet and moderate exercise really are the keys to long life. The same ad blasters who helped get us into health troubles are eager to sell us pills, potions, books, quack cures that dance all around the truth. After all, folks really want magic bullets to fix problems, so they won't have to take responsibility for the consequences of their own choices. It's not the merchants' fault if they get rich off public stupidity. Or is it? People, WAKE UP! America is a country in which even the poor people are FAT. History tells us that this is a very unusual situation. It is a principle of physics that matter-energy can neither be created nor destroyed. Therefore, if our weight exceeds the medical ideal, it can ONLY be from consuming more calories than we need. The only healthy solution is to be more careful of what we eat, and to increase our exercise. Drugs or surgery to cheat on this equation are life threatening. Wild claims to "turn up your fat burners" are total NONSENSE, even though some of the "experts" telling this are physicians and nutritionists who really should know better. One advantage of wise food choices is that we can eat as much as we want and still not get fat. Another is that good diet can help protect us against common scary diseases that can lower quality of life and cause early death. "Low Carb diets" are a red herring. Taking the hamburger out of the bun, but keeping the fatty meat and oily toppings, is utter madness. The other part of the story is that even easy exercise can stimulate the body to health, help prevent those scary diseases, and make us feel better, while helping us to live longer. * If you don't like army calisthenics, at least walk 1 to 2 miles a day, 5 to 7 days a week. * If back pain or shoulder aches plague you, do some simple exercise routines at home, workplace, or while walking. * Head off wrist problems by frequent breaks to stretch them in all directions. * If you don't have time or money for a gym membership, buy a twelve foot piece of rope for isometrics and skipping. "We don't stop exercising because we get old. We get old because we stop exercising." The CDC tells us that 7 out of 10 deaths are caused by chronic diseases, 1.7 million per year in the USA, and that these early deaths can be prevented by good diet and easy exercise. We can save billions of dollars per year just from good diet and moderate exercise. Now that's a bargain!

Weight Loss Tips: Get Free and Effective Weight Loss Tips!

Weight Loss Tips: Get Free and Effective Weight Loss Tips!

by: Ashley Green

Looking for Diet Programs on net is like looking for water in an Ocean. But trust me, looking for good Diet Program is like finding a pearl in the ocean. Me and my team have traveled from shore to shore and short listed few highly effective diet programs and weight loss programs. But, no matter what Diet Program we choose for ourselves, we have to be careful about our normal diet habits. This helps us a lot in shedding off the weight and keeps us healthy and happy. Here are some effective weight loss tips for all kinds of weight watchers. 1) Metabolic rate is one thing which is very crucial. Metabolism is a process by which the body burns the calories and convert them into useful energy. High metabolic rate uses up the energy stored in the form of fat. Know more about Metabolism and how to increase Metabolism at http://www.weightloss-health.com/Metabolism.htm 2) Exercise Regularly. Building muscles also burns the extra calories and helps in keeping you fit. 3) Don't rush in. Lose weight slowly and continuously . Advisable limit is 1-2 lbs per week. 4) Drink plenty of water. It cleans up your body, makes your digestion good and increases your metabolism. 5) Have Low Fat Diets. Avoid oily stuff. 6) Studies have shown children of over-weight parents specially mothers are more like to be obese by the age of 6. Read more about the study at http://www.weightloss-health.com/Obese_mothers_kids.htm

Weight Loss Survey: Why Dieters Fail To Lose Weight

Weight Loss Survey: Why Dieters Fail To Lose Weight

by: Anne Collins

Current levels of overweight and obesity, together with weight-related disease, have made weight control a major health priority throughout America. Yet statistics indicate that average weight reduction on conventional diets adds up to a mere 5-8 pounds per year. So why do we find dieting so difficult? According to a new survey(1), the answer seems to be: because we make 3 crucial mistakes. We don't have a good enough incentive; we allow ourselves to go hungry; and we can't cope with "bad days". The weight loss survey conducted by annecollins.com asked dieters to select the three biggest problems they faced when dieting. The most common problems reported were: "Inadequate incentive to lose weight" (76%); "Hunger" (72%); and "Bad days" (70%). Although these results will come as no surprise to most dieters, they highlight the importance of motivation in the dieting process. We examine how these problems occur, and what steps can be taken to overcome them. Why Do We Need an Incentive? We gain weight because we take in more energy than we use. Either because we eat too many calories, or burn too few, or both. So if we want to reduce weight, we need to improve our eating and exercise habits. And this is not easy, because let's face it - old habits are not easily discarded, especially if they involve cutting out our favorite treats. We need a powerful incentive to help us change. Specifically, we need an answer to the question: "How exactly will I benefit from losing weight?" When faced with this question, many dieters have no answer. Those who do, typically reply: "I'll feel better" or "my health will improve". Others explain they are trying to lose weight to please their doctor, or their partner, or simply because they are "overweight". Unfortunately, none of these reasons are strong enough to help us succeed. So when temptation strikes, we are unable to resist. What Type of Incentive is Best? Our motivation to lose weight must be based on a selfish, specific benefit. A good example might be an upcoming beach holiday, or a family occasion, or the achievement of a specific mobility or fitness goal. It must be as specific as possible (general benefits are useless) and ideally related to a fixed date. In addition, it must be selfish. Losing weight to please others rarely works. The advice I give to my clients is very simple. Do not bother dieting unless you have a good incentive. Because no matter how good the diet, no matter how valuable the exercise plan, unless you have a powerful reason to change your habits you won't succeed. Hunger Kills Diets Most dieters are still convinced that calories are their enemy. So the less they eat, the faster they are likely to lose weight. This is not true. In reality, the less we eat, the more hungry we get and the easier it is to fall into temptation. The human body is trained to eat when hungry and no amount of willpower will neutralize this basic urge. This is why binge eating is such a common response to low calorie diets. How to Avoid Hunger No rocket science here. Avoiding hunger simply means eating regularly throughout the day, and keeping your calorie intake above 1000-1200 per day. This prevents hunger, thus reducing the urge to overeat, and in addition helps to maintain a regular high level of calorie-burning. Eat Too Much Rather Than Too Little We all have days when we feel extra hungry, even when we are dieting. This is no problem - simply eat more! It is always better to eat a little too much than not enough. Might this delay your weight loss? Yes. But so what? Taking a few extra days to achieve your goal is not a problem. The real danger is not eating enough and ending up hungry and depressed. This is a recipe for a binge. Bad Days and The Problem of Perfection No dieter is perfect. The truth is, all dieters experience "bad days" or fall into occasional temptation. Sadly, most dieters insist on "being perfect". They cannot tolerate these lapses. So if (say) they visit a friend and end up eating 2 containers of ice cream and a box of cookies, they go to pieces. "I'm useless!" they cry. "I'm a failure!" Overwhelmed by guilt at not being perfect, they then quit their diet in disgust. It's the Guilt That Does the Damage In this situation, the actual binge is typically fairly harmless. I mean, we need to eat a huge quantity of food (3500+ calories) to gain even one pound of weight. The real damage is caused by the ensuing guilt. And this is what we need to address. Guilt Comes From Trying to Be Perfect All dieters make mistakes and this is perfectly normal. Having an occasional binge is no cause for alarm, far less guilt. Even my most successful clients - those who have lost 100+ pounds - had regular lapses. The difference is, they didn't see themselves as "perfect" individuals. So they felt "entitled" to make occasional mistakes, and so should you. Once you accept this, you will find dieting a whole lot easier. We Need Support to Make These Changes In order to overcome the 3 problems described above, an essential first step is to find proper support. This is just as important as choosing the right diet plan, because no matter how good the diet, it can't motivate you to stay on track - only people can do this. Dieting is ten times easier when you receive encouragement from others. So when choosing an online weight loss program, choose one with an active forum. Because at the end of the day, it's all about people. When we are alone and isolated, the smallest obstacle can seem like a mountain. But when we have people behind us, anything is possible. Notes: 1. Weight Loss Survey (Oct 2005) by annecollins.com. A total of 17,403 subjects replied to the survey. They were asked to choose 3 from a list of 10 diet-problems. The results were as follows: (1) Inadequate Incentive (76%). (2) Hunger (72%). (3) Bad Days (70%). (4) Boredom (69%). (5) Stress (60%). (6) Interference From Others (51%). (7) Too Much Eating Out (32%). (8) Eating on The Run (28%). (9) Ill-health (5%). (10) Lack of Sleep (1%).

Weightloss Supplements

Weightloss Supplements

by: padrone disupple

People everywhere are searching for the elusive miracle drug that will cure their weight loss problems for ever. Weight loss supplements can assist you in the weight loss process but are far from the miracle and only solution you should seek. Weight loss supplements and other diet drugs can aid you in your digestive and other bodily functions, but they are unlikely to assist in obtain your goal weight in the long term. Over-the-counter herbal or 'natural' weight loss supplements bring in big dollars for their manufacturers. But some claims about the supposed weight loss benefits of herbal weight loss supplements or 'natural' fat-burning pills or appetite suppressants are very misleading. When used under medical supervision in conjunction with a proper diet and exercise program, weight loss supplements can be effective - at least in the short term. Although having said that the body does adjust quickly to many diet drugs and supplements, so the benefits can fade away very rapidly. If weight loss supplements are not used in conjunction with a proper weight loss program that incorporates a well balanced diet and regular exercise, they are not likely to be effective. Indeed some supplements may even disrupt your system causing weight gain and other harmful side effects. If you are a genuine candidate for weight loss supplements, for instance if you are seriously obese, but have the will to modify your diet and take regular physical exercise, then your best course of action is to consult your doctor for advice. As a medical professional your doctor will not only take your own situation into consideration, but is familiar with what supplements and drugs are available on the market and can match you and the supplements for most effective outcome. Never buy weight loss supplements without consulting your doctor. Clinical weight loss trials have continued to show in recent years that sustained weight loss and long term weight control is not possible by using weight loss supplements alone. Supplements should be combined with regular physical activity and a well balanced diet to lose and maintain weight successfully over the long term.

Weight Loss Scams - What Have You Got To Lose!

Weight Loss Scams - What Have You Got To Lose!

by: II Research

There are literally Thousands of weight loss plans and equipment on the market today. Some are genuine in their promise of weight loss. Some although sincere in their promise, are flawed in their design. There are others that are blatantly fake. Analysts predict that the cost to dieters, desperate to loose weight will reach 35 billion dollars a year in the United States alone. While the cost is rising, the increasing numbers of people are becoming obese. Hyperactive salespeople advertising to as many as they can to try their product sell diet Plans that claim large amounts of weight loss in very little time. Dieter who are obese and are desperate to loose weight join these programs and take the products. Some lose weight, but almost all regain the weight they lost. Shows on cable Television with over zealous salespeople who promise that you can lose all the weight you want while you eat everything you want are outright lies and should not to be believed. Everyone wants a quick weight loss cure, but there is no easy path. It doesn't matter what they are trying to sell you, whether they are trying to sell you fat absorbers, fat burners, cellulite pills, it's all a great scam that will have them collecting millions of dollars and the dieter with nothing. Every year, new weight-loss books appear on the bookshelves, and magazines run thousands of articles on the subject. Millions of people have proven that it is easier to gain weight than to lose it. It has been proven time and time again that weight-loss attempts by following weight-loss diet plans may succeed for a short time but experts feel that dieter are setting themselves up for failure. There is no such thing as rapid weight loss diets. None of the weight loss plans printed in or on television, have had any proven long-term results. In the end, experts believe that using common sense will result in a healthier dieting experience. Weight loss experts all agree that it is impossible to sustain weight loss, a well balanced diet and exercise is essential. The medical community, food industry, dietitians government health and diet businesses are all watching helplessly as Americans continue to consume excessive amounts of food and become increasingly obese. Because this epidemic of obesity there has been an increase in heart disease, diabetes, and several other weight related health issues. It is widely felt through all communities that there are weight loss plans and programs that will prey on the overweight and obese. Knowing what their insecurities are and taking advantage of them. Experts warn consumers who are considering a weight loss program should do research on the subject, speak to their physician or seek out reputable companies and fitness centers that have knowledgeable staff members who can answer any questions you may have.

Weight Loss : Keep it Simple

Weight Loss : Keep it Simple

by: Janice Elizabeth Small

An increasing trend over the last few years has been for diet books to make things complex. I expect it's because each one vies with the other to come out with some brand new theory or other about why we gain weight and why their diet plan is the only one to help us lose it. And the low fat, low calorie stuff has already been covered! My problem with this new trend is that the diets all involve more counting and while basic maths was never a problem at school I don't want to use it at the dinner table to know what I can eat. And while counting calories is one thing (most of us are probably walking encyclopaedias by now with how many calories our usual choices contain) the new diets are so much more complex. With the new diets we need to know carbohydrate counts and fat grams, GI index and all sorts. And sometimes it's not enough to have a straight count we have to work out our percentage of carbohydrates, proteins and fat (yes, follow one particular diet and you have to balance these at EVERY meal). Somehow I think food was not meant to be eaten like this. It was meant to be enjoyed. Most of us know what is healthy and what is not. Most of us know we'd be better with an apple than a cream cake. Most of us know we need a good variety of all types of food to feel great. The new diets will not last. More complex stuff will come along and it's sad because we could all lose weight with a few SIMPLE changes. 1. Make healthy choices for most of the food you eat 2. Vary your choices 3. Occasionally enjoy a small portion of whatever it is you love even if it's high in fat or sugar or whatever 4. Eat only when you're physically hungry 5. Stop when you're just satisfied, not stuffed 6. Fill half your plate at lunch and dinner with vegetables or salad, quarter carbs and a quarter protein. If everyone who wanted to lose weight just followed these simple guidelines there would be many more successful dieters around and a lot less hassle in losing weight. Why not start today?

Weight Loss And Nutrition Myths – What You Need To Know! Part 1

Weight Loss And Nutrition Myths – What You Need To Know! Part 1

by: Simon Edwards

MYTH: Fad diets work for permanent weight loss. FACT: Fad diets are not the best way to lose weight and keep it off. Fad diets often promise quick weight loss or tell you to cut certain foods out of your diet. You may lose weight at first on one of these diets. But diets that strictly limit calories or food choices are hard to follow. Most people quickly get tired of them and regain any lost weight. Fad diets may be unhealthy because they may not provide all of the nutrients your body needs. Also, losing weight at a very rapid rate (more than 3 pounds a week after the first couple weeks) may increase your risk for developing gallstones (clusters of solid material in the gallbladder that can be painful). Diets that provide less than 800 calories per day also could result in heart rhythm abnormalities, which can be fatal. TIP: Research suggests that losing ½ to 2 pounds a week by making healthy food choices, eating moderate portions, and building physical activity into your daily life is the best way to lose weight and keep it off. By adopting healthy eating and physical activity habits, you may also lower your risk for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. ========================================================== MYTH: High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets are a healthy way to lose weight. ========================================================== FACT: The long-term health effects of a high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet are unknown. But getting most of your daily calories from high-protein foods like meat, eggs, and cheese is not a balanced eating plan. You may be eating too much fat and cholesterol, which may raise heart disease risk. You may be eating too few fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which may lead to constipation due to lack of dietary fiber. Following a high-protein/low-carbohydrate diet may also make you feel nauseous, tired, and weak. Eating fewer than 130 grams of carbohydrate a day can lead to the buildup of ketones (partially broken-down fats) in your blood. A buildup of ketones in your blood (called ketosis) can cause your body to produce high levels of uric acid, which is a risk factor for gout (a painful swelling of the joints) and kidney stones. Ketosis may be especially risky for pregnant women and people with diabetes or kidney disease. TIP: High-protein/low-carbohydrate diets are often low in calories because food choices are strictly limited, so they may cause short-term weight loss. But a reduced-calorie eating plan that includes recommended amounts of carbohydrate, protein, and fat will also allow you to lose weight. By following a balanced eating plan, you will not have to stop eating whole classes of foods, such as whole grains, fruits, and vegetables—and miss the key nutrients they contain. You may also find it easier to stick with a diet or eating plan that includes a greater variety of foods. ============================================================ MYTH: Starches are fattening and should be limited when trying to lose weight. ============================================================ FACT: Many foods high in starch, like bread, rice, pasta, cereals, beans, fruits, and some vegetables (like potatoes and yams) are low in fat and calories. They become high in fat and calories when eaten in large portion sizes or when covered with high-fat toppings like butter, sour cream, or mayonnaise. Foods high in starch (also called complex carbohydrates) are an important source of energy for your body. TIP: The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends eating 6 to 11 servings a day, depending on your calorie needs, from the bread, cereal, rice, and pasta group—even when trying to lose weight. Pay attention to your serving sizes—one serving is equal to 1 slice of bread, 1 ounce of ready-to-eat cereal, or ½ cup of pasta, rice, or cooked cereal. Try to avoid high-fat toppings and choose whole grains, like whole wheat bread, brown rice, oatmeal, and bran cereal. Choose other starchy foods that are high in dietary fiber too, like beans, peas, and vegetables. ================================================================= MYTH: Certain foods, like grapefruit & celery, can burn fat and make you lose weight. ================================================================= FACT: No foods can burn fat. Some foods with caffeine may speed up your metabolism (the way your body uses energy, or calories) for a short time, but they do not cause weight loss. TIP: The best way to lose weight is to cut back on the number of calories you eat and be more physically active. ==================================================== MYTH: Natural or herbal weight-loss products are safe and effective. ==================================================== FACT: A weight-loss product that claims to be "natural" or "herbal" is not necessarily safe. These products are not usually scientifically tested to prove that they are safe or that they work. For example, herbal products containing ephedra (now banned by the U.S. Government) have caused serious health problems and even death. Newer products that claim to be ephedra-free are not necessarily danger-free, because they may contain ingredients similar to ephedra. TIP: Talk with your health care provider before using any weight-loss product. Some natural or herbal weight-loss products can be harmful.

Walking To The Beat Of A Different Drun?

Walking To The Beat Of A Different Drun?

by: Jerold Johnson

Walking and Weight Loss Three universal goals most of us share are: 1.) To live longer, 2.) To live free of illness, and 3.) To control our weight. Interesting enough, normal walking lets us achieve all three. In fact, walking may be man's best medicine for slowing the aging process. First, it works almost every muscle in the body, improving circulation to the joints and massaging the blood vessels (keeping them more elastic). Walking also helps us maintain both our muscle mass and metabolism as we age. It also keeps us young in spirit. For anyone out of shape or unathletically inclined, walking is the no-stress, no-sweat answer to lifelong conditioning. All it takes is a little time, common sense and a few guidelines. Unfortunately, there's a lot of misinformation floating around regarding fitness walking, weight-loss and dieting. Walking is one of the best exercises for strengthening bones, controlling weight, toning the leg muscles, maintaining good posture and improving positive self-concept. People who diet without exercising often get fatter with time. Although your weight may initially drop while dieting, such weight loss consists mostly of water and muscle. When the weight returns, it comes back as fat. To avoid getting fatter over time, increase your metabolism by exercising daily. To lose weight, it's more important to walk for time than speed. Walking at a moderate pace yields longer workouts with less soreness—leading to more miles and more calories spent on a regular basis. High-intensity walks on alternate days help condition one's system. But in a waking, weight-loss program, it's better to be active every day. This doesn't require walking an hour every day. The key is leading an active life-style 365 days a year. When it comes to good health and weight loss, exercise and diet are interrelated. Exercising without maintaining a balanced diet is no more beneficial than dieting while remaining inactive. The national research council recommends eating five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Fruits and vegetables are the ideal diet foods for several reasons. They're relatively low in fat and calories, yet are often high in fiber and rich in essential vitamins and minerals. Remember that rapid weight-loss consists mostly of water and muscle -- the wrong kind of weight to lose. To avoid this, set more reasonable goals, such as one pound per week. Carbohydrates are high-octane fuel. They provide energy for movement and help raise internal body metabolism. They're also satisfying. The key is not adding high-fat toppings to your carbohydrates. It's everyday habits which define our weight and body composition. A three-minute walk after each meal is worth four pounds less body fat annually. Two flights of stairs a day burns off half a pound of body fat in a year. On the other hand, one candy bar eaten daily will cost you 20 pounds annually. So . . . put some comfy tennis shoes on and head on out for a nice stroll around the neighborhood!