Is Weight Loss Surgery Your Best Option?

Are you looking to lose weight?  If you are, there is a good chance that you have heard of weight loss surgery before. Weight loss surgery is how many individuals lose weight.  Although weight loss surgery has helped thousands of Americans lose weight, improve their appearance, and improve their health, weight loss surgery may not be for you.

When it comes to determining if weight loss surgery is right for you, there are a number of factors that you will need to take into consideration. One of those factors is your current weight.  Most of the time, you will find that weight loss surgeons require their patients to be at least eighty pounds overweight.  If you are not as overweight as recommend, you may not even be able to undergo a weight loss surgery.  If that is the case, you should keep in mind that there are a number of different weight loss approaches that you can take.

Speaking of alternative weight loss methods, have you tried any other approaches?  Many individuals are able to successfully lose weight with healthy eating, exercise, and weight loss products, like diet pills.  While there are some individuals who opt for weight loss surgery right away, there are others who only use it as a last resort. Although weight loss surgery, like gastric bypass surgery or lap-band surgery, is more than worth it, you may be able to lose your excess weight without having to spend a large amount of money doing so.

Another factor that you should take into consideration, when determining if weight loss surgery is right for you, is your health.  If you are overweight, have you been noticing any other health problems or has your doctor outlined the importance of losing weight for your health?  If this has happened, you may not have a choice when it comes to undergoing weight loss surgery. For some individuals, weight loss surgery is, literally, lifesaving.

As it was previously mentioned, two popular weight loss surgeries include gastric bypass surgery and lap-band surgery. While there additional weight loss surgeries that you can undergo, these two are the most popular ones.  The surgery that you would like to undergo is also important when determining whether or not weight loss surgery is your best option. For instance, gastric bypass surgery requires the stapling of the stomach, whereas lap-band surgery involves an adjustable or removable band. When deciding which weight loss surgery you should undergo, your decision will need to be made in conjunction with a healthcare professional.

When examining weight loss surgeries, you will find that most surgeries reduce the stomach pouch size. For that reason, your ability to follow all instructions given to you is important.  After undergoing a weight loss surgery, like lap-band surgery or gastric bypass surgery, your healthcare professional will likely request that you develop yourself an exercise plan, as well as eat healthy.  It is important that you follow all advice given to you. With weight loss surgeries that involve the reduction of the stomach pouch, an over consumption of food can be harmful to your weight loss, as well as dangerous to your health.

The above mentioned factors are factors that may help you determine whether or not weight loss surgery is right for you. As a reminder, it is important to remember that weight loss surgery is not your only option, when looking to lose weight, but it is a method that you should explore.

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Eating Healthy During Pregnancy

Starting off your with a healthy well
balanced diet is the best thing you do for yourself
and your baby.  This way, you'll only need to make
a few adjustments during your pregnancy.

Your first trimester
If you find it tough to maintain a balanced diet
during your first trimester, you can rest assured
that your not alone.  Due to queasiness, some
women will eat all of the time and gain a lot of
weight in the process.  Other women have trouble
getting food down and subsequently lose weight.

Preventing malnutrition and dehydration are your
most important factors during first trimester.

Calories
When you are pregnant, you need to consume around
300 calories more than usual every day.  The best
way to go about doing this is listening to your
body when you are hungry.  You should try to eat
as many foods as possible from the bottom of the
food pyramid.

If you gain weight too slow, try eating small
meals and slightly increase the fat in your diet.
You should always eat when you are hungry, as you
are now eating for 2 instead of one.

Calcium
By the second trimester, you'll need around 1,500
milligrams of calcium each day for your bones and
your baby', which is more than a quart of milk.
Calcium is something that's missing from many
diets.  Along with milk, other great sources for
calcium include dairy products, calcium fortified
juices, and even calcium tablets.

Fiber
Fiber can help to prevent constipation, which is
a common pregnancy problem.  You can find fiber in
whole grains, fruits, and even vegetables.  Fiber
supplements such as Metamucil and Citrucel are
safe to take during pregnancy.

Protein
Unless you happen to be a strict vegetarian, your
protein intake is not normally a problem for women
who eat a healthy diet.

Iron
A lot of women will start their pregnancy off with
a bit of iron deficiency.  Good sources of iron
include dark leafy green vegetables and meats.  Iron
supplements should be avoided, as they can cause
internal symptoms such as cramping, constipation,
or diarrhea.

Vitamins
Seeing as how you get a majority of the vitamins you
need in your diet, you may want to discuss prenatal
vitamins with your doctor.  Folate is one of the most
important, and if you are getting enough of it, you
may be able to avoid vitamins all together - just ask
your doctor to make sure.

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6 Tips To Losing Weight Safely

It's the dream of any overweight person to lose weight. The unfortunate thing is that very few people know the right things to do to lose weight safely. To help you out, here are 6 tips to losing weight safely:
Seek Motivation
Let nobody lie to you that it's easy to lose weight. Sometimes you will hit a plateau where you don't lose any weight. You will also encounter some phases where you will be gaining more weight than you are losing.
If you are faint hearted, you will most likely give up. To ensure that you keep on pursuing your dream weight, you need to seek motivation. There are many ways in which you can do this. One of the ways is rewarding yourself whenever you make progress. You should also surround yourself with people who are also interested in losing weight.
Don't Skip Meals
While you should cut on the number of calories that you consume, you shouldn't starve your body. Many people make the mistake of skipping meals in order to reduce the calories that they consume. You should note that when you skip meals, you provoke your body to get into starvation mode thus you have the tendency of experiencing weight gain.
Instead of skipping meals, you should divide your meals into small. To avoid starvation you should take 4-6 small meals a day.
Reduce Sodium Consumption
Sodium causes water retention which causes the weight to stay on your body. To lose weight you should stay away from high sodium foods. As rule of thumb you should stay away from convenience foods as they are usually full of sodium.
Eat Right
The food that you eat is of great importance. As rule of thumb you should avoid foods that have a lot of calories. The best way of avoiding unhealthy foods is ensuring that you prepare the food in your home.
You should also be cautious of the food labels. Before you buy any food, ensure that you have thoroughly gone through the labels and ensure that all the ingredients are in their right proportions.
Exercise
Exercises play a major role in weight loss. They not only increase your rate of metabolism, they also aid in burning fat. Experts recommend that you should engage in 30 minutes to 1 hour exercises for three days a week. For ideal results you should engage in both cardio and strength building exercises.
Set Realistic Goals
It's good to be ambitious; however, you shouldn't be too ambitious. Although, you might be interested in losing weight, you shouldn't expect to lose all the weight within a few days-you should allow the process to be gradual. For example, you should aim at losing 1-2 pounds a day. Aiming to lose more weight than this is not only unhealthy, it's also unachievable thus you end up giving up.
Conclusion
These are tips on how to lose weight. For ideal results, you should avoid shady programs that promise to help you lose all of the extra weight in one or two weeks. Always remember that fast weight loss isn't healthy. It's also neither permanent.

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4 Reasons You Aren't Losing Weight

It's the dream of every person interested in losing weight to lose as much weight as possible within a short period of time. While some people attain their target weights within the set time, the majority of them don't. Have been exercising, dieting and doing all the right things and still can't lose weight? I understand that it can be very frustrating. If you are one of these people, here are some of the major reasons why you aren't losing weight:
You Have Hit A Plateau
Ask anyone who has tried losing weight and he/she will tell you that he/she has hit a plateau at a certain time. There are many factors that can result to you hitting a plateau. One of the reasons is engaging in the same workouts over and over again. Remember that your body needs to be challenged for it to progress. To avoid the plateau, you should change your program after very 4-6 weeks.
Another reason for the plateau is if you aren't eating enough calories. Research studies show that if you don't have enough fuel to sustain your level of activity, you will definitely stop losing weight.
Although, it's recommended that you exercise for you to lose weight, overtraining has been linked with a plateau. When you over train, you overwork your body and the body responds by decreasing the amount of calories that you burn.
You Avoid Proteins
Proteins are not only important in building muscles, they also enhance the feeling of satiety. They also prevent you from losing muscle. The best way of taking proteins is taking them in your breakfast. Great sources of proteins include: lean poultry, fish, black beans and lentils.
You Are Inconsistent
For you to be successful in anything in life, you need to be consistent. There is no way you will exercise one day and then relax the other-you need to be consistent. To lose weight you need to engage in both cardio and strength training exercise.
When it comes to cardio exercises, you should engage in interval training for 2-3 days a week. To burn more fat you should alternate between high intensity and low intensity exercises while leaving enough recovery time.
Strength training exercises are aimed at helping you to build muscle. To make the exercises exciting you should engage in circuit training. This is where you do one exercise after another. In addition to building muscle, you increase your heart rate and burn a lot of calories.
To build muscles fast you should regularly challenge yourself. This calls for you to always lift weights that are enough for you.
You Have A Medical Condition
Medication conditions such as thyroid diseases will prevent you from losing weight. Thyroid deficiency will cause a reduction in the rate of metabolism which will result to weight gain. If you have a medical condition, you should visit your medical doctor to have it rectified.
Conclusion
These are some of the reasons why you aren't losing weight. To continue losing the weight you need to identify what is deterring you from doing it and fix it.

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Tips For Healthy Eating

Healthy eating is a way of balancing the food you
eat to keep your body in great health.  With healthy
eating, you'll have energy all day, get the vitamins
and minerals you need, stay strong for activities
you enjoy, and maintain a healthy weight.

Below, you'll find tips designed to help you with
healthy eating.

1.  Don't skip any meals
Eating 3 meals with snacks in between is the ideal
way to maintain both energy and a healthy weight.
When you skip meals and get hungry, you're more
than likely to choose foods that aren't very good
for you.

If you are eating away from home, take food with
you or know where you can buy healthy food from.

2.  Learn about how to prepare foods
Instead of deep frying, try grilling, stir frying,
microwaving, baking, and even boiling.  You should
also try fresh or even dried herbs and spices to
add flavor to your food.  Before you eat any type
of meat, be sure to trim the fat and skin off of
it.

3.  Avoid a lot of sugar
Drinks that contain sugar are a major source of
empty energy.  What this means, is that the drinks
contain a lot of energy that your body may not
need, and it doesn't contain any vitamins or
minerals.  If you plan to drink sugary drinks,
don't go overboard - limit yourself to 1 a day.

4.  Avoid thinking about diets
There are no good food nor any bad foods.  All
food can be a part of a healthy diet, when eaten
in moderation.  You don't need to buy any low
carb, fat free, or even diet foods, as these foods
normally have lots of other added ingredients
to replaces the carbohydrates or fat.

Health and Fitness

Being active makes a person healthy and strong. It is not just for people who have a weight problem but for everyone who likes to stay fit.  

There is a lot a person can do such jog or walk every morning, play basketball or any other sport with friends but if a person wants to have muscles and look lean, then one can sign up and workout in a gym.

People workout for 3 reasons;

The first is that the person is overweight and the only way to lose those extra pounds will be to reduce ones calorie intake and at the same time workout in the gym.

The second is that the person is underweight and the only way to add extra pounds is to have more calories in ones diet and workout.

The third is just for fun and to keep that person in shape.

The best exercise plan should have cardiovascular and weight training exercises. This helps burn calories and increase the muscle to fat ratio that will increase ones metabolism and gain or lose weight.

Just like taking any medicine, one should first consult the doctor before undergoing any form of exercise.

Here are some benefits of exercising;

1. It is the easiest way to maintain and improve ones health from a variety of diseases and premature death.

2. Studies have shown that it makes a person feels happier and increases ones self esteem preventing one from falling into depression or anxiety.

3. An active lifestyle makes a person live longer than a person who doesn’t.

Working out for someone who has not done it before should be done gradually. Endurance will not be built in a day and doing it repeatedly will surely be beneficial to the person.

It is advisable to workout regularly with a reasonable diet.

A person can consult with a dietitian or a health professional to really help plan a good diet program. It starts by evaluating the lifestyle and the health of the patient before any program can be made.

Afterwards, this is thoroughly discussed and recommended to the person which usually consists of an eating plan and an exercise program that does not require the use of supplements or one to purchase any expensive fitness equipment.

A good diet should have food from all the food groups.


This is made up by 2 things. The first is carbohydrates. The food that a person consumes should have vitamins, minerals and fiber. A lot of this can come from oats, rice, potatoes and cereals. The best still come from vegetables and fruits since these have phytochemicals, enzymes and micronutrients that are essential for a healthy diet.  

The second is fat which can come from mono and poly saturated food sources rather than animal fats. Since fat contains more than double the number of calories in food, this should be taken in small quantities to gain or lose weight.

Another way to stay healthy is to give up some vices. Most people smoke and drink. Smoking has been proven to cause lung cancer and other diseases as well complications for women giving birth. Excessive drinking has also shown to do the same.

For people who don’t smoke, it is best to stay away from people who do since studies have shown that nonsmokers are also at risk of developing cancer due to secondary smoke inhalation.

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Family: The Importance of Keeping the Romance Alive in Your Relationship

Are you married or do you currently live with you partner?  For many couples, marriage or cohabitation, often spells trouble for many relationships. While there are a number of different reasons for the cause of this common issue, it is often attributed to a lack of romance.  To help you keep your relationship with your live-in partner or your husband going strong, it is important to keep the romance in your relationship alive.

As nice as it is to hear that you should keep the romance alive in your relationship, you may be wondering exactly how you should go about doing so.  When creating romance in your relationship, it is important to know that not all couples are the same.  For that reason, you may want to keep your partner’s wants, needs, or interests in mind.  This is another key to having a happy and healthy relationship, compromise.

One of the best ways to keep romance alive in a relationship is actually quite a simple concept. That concept is affection. Unfortunately, many couples get into a groove where they just become comfortable with their daily life.  This often leads many couples not to hold hands anymore, kiss, or even talk about their day. It is important that you do not let your relationship get to this point, as it often spells trouble. As much as possible, you will want to express your love and appreciation for your live-in partner or spouse, both in action and in words.

It is also important to get out of your house.  As with showing affection, many couples, after a period of time, stop going out on dates.  Whenever you have a free evening, you may want to consider going on a date. What is nice about dates is that just about any activity can be considered a date. For instance, you can go out to dinner, see a movie, or go have a few drinks at a local bar. All of these activities can be viewed as a date.  Social interaction, both with each other and with other couples, is important to the health of a relationship. For that reason, you and your partner should get out and socialize.

As previously stated, a relationship is all about compromise.  Compromise is also a way to keep the romance alive in your relationship. As compatible as you and you partner or spouse may be, you may still have a few differences.  Often times, these differences show on date nights. When it comes to going on a date or just doing a simple activity with your partner, it is advised that you comprise as often as possible.   This may include having alternate date nights. For instance, if your husband wanted to attend a baseball game, you can agree to do so, as long as he agrees to go the movies with you next time.

As outlined above, there are a number of different ways that you can go about keeping the romance alive in your relationship. As difficult as love and romance may seem, it is important that you put forth the extra effort. Not feeling enough support is an issue that the two of you can resolve, but divorce may not be.  That is why it is important to not let it get to that point.

Health: Weight Loss: How and Why You Shouldn’t Have to Go Though It Alone

Are you a woman who is looking to lose weight?  Whether you are interested in losing weight to improve your physical appearance, your health, or both, you may be feeling a little bit hopeless. While many women are able to lose weight when they want to do so, others have a little bit harder time.  If you are finding it difficult to lose weight, it may be because you are trying to go about losing weight all on your own.

When it comes to weight loss, there are many women who find it easier, as well as less embarrassing, to doing their own weight loss program from home. While it is more than possible to exercise and workout by yourself, do you know that you don’t have to?  In fact, many women who have a workout partner or a workout buddy find it easier to lose weight than going at it along. Two popular reasons as to why those who have a workout partner or a workout buddy see success is because of support and motivation.

As nice as it is to hear that you should think about getting a workout buddy or a workout partner, to help you exercise and to help you lose weight, you may be wondering where that person may come from. Unfortunately, many women do not realize that they don’t actually have to look very far.  If you are married or if you have a romantic partner, you may want to think about asking them to join you.  Even if your partner isn’t a fan of exercising and working out, you can place a “quality time,” spin on it.  In fact, if your partner is a little bit overweight or out of shape themselves, they may even want to join you in your weight loss adventures.  This is the ultimate show of support.

In addition to a romantic partner, you may want to think about asking any of your friends or family members if they would like to be your workout buddy or workout partner. When approaching your friends or family members, it is important to not focus on their weight or their physical appearance.  Unfortunately, many women make the mistake of assuming that those that they know who are already in perfect shape wouldn’t have any reason to exercise, but you may be surprised. For that reason, you are advised to ask any friends or family members that you know to join you when you workout.

If you have asked those that you know to join you as a workout buddy or a workout partner and you have still come up empty handed, you may want to consider joining a weight loss program.  Locally operated weight loss programs are ideal, as you often get membership perks, like access to proven exercises, as well as healthy meals. Another benefit to joining a locally operated weight loss program is the support from other members.  There is a good chance that one or more of your other weight loss program members would love to join you when you exercise.

If and when you get a workout buddy, it may be a good idea to “spice up,” your exercises a bit. For instance, you may want to let your workout buddy or partner choose your exercises or activities for one day and then you choose for the next.  This may help to keep your exercises fun and exciting.

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Health: Three Reasons Why You Should Lose Weight

Are you a woman who is struggling with your weight?  If you are, you are definitely not alone. Today, many women are faced with many issues, including weight.  If you are unhappy with your current weight, you may be interested in changing it, but, for many, that is often easier said than done.

When it comes to losing weight, many women are able to come up with an unlimited number of excuses as to why they can’t lose weight or excuses as to why this important issue should be pushed off to the side for now.  Many women are lacking the motivation needed to lose weight.  If you are one of those women, you will want to continue reading on. Below, three reasons as to why you should lose weight are outlined and these reasons may serve as the motivation that you have been looking for

#1 – Appearance

Although many women are satisfied with the way that they look, many are not.  If you are currently unhappy with the way that you look and feel, you will want to consider losing weight.  Weight loss, even a small one, can significantly improve the way that you see yourself, as well as the way that others see you.  If you hate looking at yourself in the mirror every morning, it may be time to think about losing weight.


#2 – Health

For many women, being overweight or obese isn’t just about carrying around a few extra pounds.  Obesity has been linked to a number of health complications, including high blood pressure, diabetes, as well as the early onset of death.  If you do not take steps to lose weight now, especially if you are seriously overweight, your health may have other plans for you.  It is important to mention that those plans may not necessarily be good ones.


#3 Wellbeing

In addition to benefiting your health and your physical appearance, weight loss can also make you feel good about yourself.  Many women notice an instant improvement in their self-confidence and self-esteem when they lose weight. This means that even if you are suffering from other issues, aside from weight related issues, weight loss may be able to assist you with overcoming those issues or at least the stress that is associated with them.


The three above mentioned reasons are just a few of the many reasons why you may want to think about losing weight, if you have weight to lose. Should you decide that losing weight is in your best interest, you may want to think about making an appointment with a healthcare professional.  These types of appointments are important, as well as insightful. Your healthcare professional may be able to instruct you on safe ways that you can go about losing weight and they may also be able to help you set reasonable weight loss goals for yourself.

Although it is advised that you speak with a healthcare professional about your intent to lose weight, you don’t have to just rely on their expertise or their input. A large number of women, just like you, lose weight by joining locally operated weight loss programs, as well as online weight loss programs. What is nice about weight loss programs, both those operated locally and online, is that you often walk away with professional advice, as well as support from others just like you.

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Health: The Importance of Healthy Eating and Regular Exercise

Are you a woman who is interested in losing weight?  If you are, you are not alone.  In the United States, a large number of women are concerned with health and beauty related issues, including those pertaining to weight.  While it is often a lot easier said than done, it is more than possible for you to lose weight and to lose weight “naturally.”  If you are interested in losing weight “naturally,” without the assistance of weight loss pills, you will want to continue reading on.

What you need to know about losing weight naturally is that it requires quite a bit of hard work and restraint on your part.  The two most important components of losing weight are exercise and healthy eating.  Without these two components of weight loss, there is a good chance that you will not lose any weight, in fact, you may keep on gaining more.

When it comes to eating healthy, there are many women who don’t know where to start.  One of the first things that you will want to do is start researching healthy foods and healthy recipes.  You can do this by either using the internet, which should be free, or by buying a collection of healthy eating cookbooks. These healthy eating cookbooks are typically available for sale in health stores, department stores, and book stores, both on and offline. Once you know what to cook, you can then start eating healthy.

Speaking eating healthy, it is important that you do not keep on eating the same foods over and over again, no matter how good they taste.  Unfortunately, many women end up getting bored with eating the same foods again and again. This is often what leads many women off of the healthy eating path. This is a mistake that you do not want to make. Perhaps, that is why you should buy a collection of healthy eating cookbooks or take the time to research healthy eating recipes online, as it gives you a larger selection of foods to choose from.

As previously stated, exercise is the other important component of losing weight.  If you are interested in seriously losing weight, it is important that you start exercising.  When it comes to exercising and working out, you will find that you have a number of different options.  For many individuals, exercising means hitting their local fitness center, but it can also mean going for a morning walk or run. Whether you put in an exercise DVD at your home or decide to lift weight at your local fitness center, this exercise is important to you, your health, and your weight loss goals.

As with eating healthy foods, you may want to think about spicing up your exercises and workouts as well. This will help you stay excited about losing weight and exercising. To help keep the excitement alive, as well as give you a little bit of motivation, you may want to think about contacting some of your friends or family members to see if they would like to become your workout partner or workout buddy.

In short, the combination of healthy eating and exercise is sure to spell success. While it does take a lot of hard work and determination to lose weight, you will likely be more than pleased with the results.


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How Hypnotherapy Can Help With Weight Loss

Hypnotherapy is an increasingly popular alternative treatment for a variety of conditions, including depression, OCD, PTSD, anxiety, phobias, and even quitting smoking. It is also now considered an excellent choice for those that are struggling to lose weight or adopt a healthy lifestyle.
There are several reasons why hypnotherapy for weight loss can be so effective for those looking to change their diet and lifestyle for the better, and all of these come from the fact that the issue that stops many from reaching the weight they want is psychological.
For many, exercising and choosing to eat healthy foods instead of unhealthy ones can be real mental blocks that are difficult to overcome, much like irrational fears or quitting smoking - other issues that are inexplicably hard to conquer.
Hypnotherapy for weight loss works by allow the individual in question to uncover the cause of these mental blocks which are stopping progress being made in the areas of diet and fitness. It is by addressing the root cause that these blocks are able to be overcome, unlike other programmes which unfortunately only scratch the surface.
The way this is achieved is by bringing the individual into a hypnotic state, where they are detached from the stimuli around them, but are still open to suggestions from the hypnotherapist that is present. In this way, a profound relaxation is created, along with an intense focus on the root cause of the mental block.
In this state, the client undergoing hypnotherapy for weight loss can gain a great insight into why they follow the patterns that they do, whether it is not stopping eating when they are full, always choosing comfort foods instead of healthy ones, or deciding to stay on the sofa watching TV instead of going outside for a 30 minute jog.
The reasons for these patterns can be varied, such as the individual being ashamed of how they look, being afraid of change and the effect it will have on their lives, and many more. After the individual becomes aware of what is going on in their minds and what triggers their bad choices, they will steadily and surely be able to make different choices in the future.
In addition to helping the client gain awareness of the patterns they follow and why they follow them, hypnotherapy for weight loss can also help in another way - the management of the anxiety that surrounds weight loss, body image, and the pressure to succeed where they have been unable to before.
Again, hypnotherapy for weight loss will help the individual gain insight into where their feelings of anxiety around food, body image and exercise are coming from, allowing them to take steps to tackle their issues head on.
Dealing with this anxiety can be extremely beneficial, as many people looking to lose weight find that they eat to ease the feelings of stress that they are experiencing, thus making the entire situation even worse. With lower anxiety levels, clients are less inclined to reach for the comfort food when they are undergoing a weight loss or fitness regime.
Hypnotherapy for weight loss can be highly beneficial, allowing the individual in question to address the core mental blocks that keep them from achieving their goal weight, time and time again. By gaining awareness of the deep-rooted issues that are preventing them from achieving their goals, clients can finally take the right steps to deal with the heart of the problem.
In addition to this, hypnosis is extremely effective at managing the anxiety associated with losing weight and getting healthy; this in turn can affect the success of the entire regime, putting a stop to eating to feel better and drown out unhappiness and stress.

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9 Fitness and Diet Tips For Men

OK so it's pretty much a well-known fact that obesity is now a widespread disease: The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention report that nearly three out of every four men are either overweight or obese, and 50% of men don't engage in vigorous physical activity.
Unfortunately, as if the consequences of these statistics weren't bad enough, what's worse is that children can be affected by them. A recent study published by the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behaviour reports that children are easily influenced by their fathers food choices; mainly referring to how often they eat fast and processed foods, which can then in turn cause potential weight problems in the children.
The following fitness and diet tips can help motivate you to stay active and to fuel your body with the right diet plan.
Fitness routines - Keep them Varied for Motivation
Many fitness experts and medical professionals, such as Arnold Lee MD, physician at One Medical Group in San Francisco believe that varying exercise activities helps motivation stay strong. "There are numerous benefits to mixing up your workout routine". He states. "It's the key to stimulating different muscle groups and preventing boredom."
Your body can easily get used to same physical activities if done repetitively enough. Alternating activities and exercise routines keeps the body guessing with the result being that more calories have to be burned as it has to adapt.
Don't go it Alone
Getting a fitness partner is a great way of keeping you motivated to stick with your diet plan and exercise routine. Your exercise buddy can help you stay focused as well as supporting and motivating you while exercising, as well as providing an element of competition - especially if you are of similar abilities...
Always Read Nutrition Labels
Whole, natural and where appropriate, raw foods should always be chosen over processed or pre-packaged ones, but if you are going to have a commercially pre-made or processed meal or food product, always read the label.
It's important to do so to avoid sabotaging your healthy eating plan -as not only do processed foods contain unhealthy ingredients much of the time, (trans fats, preservatives) but they also contain numerous servings in one package - sometimes three to four - so it's very easy to overeat.
Cooking - Keep it Clean and Lean
When preparing meals at home, bake, grill, steam or lightly sauté. These cleaner (using less trans fats) cooking methods are healthier than breading and deep-frying. The use of healthy fats such as olive or coconut oil rather than butter will help keep the cholesterol levels down. Another great tip is to be creative with spices and herbs - they will help to keep meals more interesting and appetizing.
Eating - Keep It Vibrant and Exciting
The last thing you want is for your healthy eating plan to go astray because of diet boredom. Just like you'd try different ways to cook and prepare meals, try eating different foods and using unusual ingredients.
To add to your lean protein and low-fat dairy options, there are loads of different exotic fruits, vegetables and other products available in supermarkets and food stores these days, and more than enough cookbooks and recipes online to give you new ideas to try.
Limiting yourself to a similar range of foods, even if they are healthy, is not only a risk for diet dullness, but may also restrict your body from getting certain essential vitamins and minerals.
Size Matters
While on the subject of food, eat healthy and eat well, but watch the portion sizes. It's very easy to dish up large portion sizes - especially if that's what you were used to. Some good tips are to get smaller plates and to eat more slowly, chewing your food a lot more than usual - up to 12 times - so you get to feel full without eating as much food.
You can weigh the portions out and count calories according to the diet you are following, but a good rule of thumb is to eat a portion of protein no larger than the palm of your hand - and some simple carbs (veg and salad) of the same amount.
Strength Training is A Must
Including strength (resistance) training into your fitness programme is a great way to add variety to exercising as well as building calorie-burning muscle. There are many other benefits too:
Increased body metabolism
Improved bone strength and density
Body toning
Increased lean body mass
Better balance and co-ordination
Strength training core muscles improves your balance for better overall athletic performance, and reduces the risk of injuries and common aches like backache. You don't need to use weights to do strength training - you can use bodyweight exercises, exercise bands - or even exercise in water.
Get HIIT to Work for You
Add some regular High Intensity Interval Training to your fitness programme. HIIT has many benefits to offer for fat loss. Compared to steady state cardio exercises (like jogging) it saves time and can be more fun and interesting because of the variations in intensity. It will definitely help you lose fat quicker than steady state cardio, but you really have to push yourself.
Together with strength training, using HIIT exercises ensures your body gets optimum fat burning capabilities by increasing its metabolism both during, and after workouts.
Stick With It
Even with the best intentions and willpower, most of us will fall off the rails of our weight loss programme at some point - sometimes more than once. This doesn't mean we should quit - we will come across hiccups, we just need to get back on the programme and carry on. Jumping back on as soon as possible is important however, as the longer we let it slide the more momentum we lose and we have to start again.
Even if we do stick with it come what may and the results are not coming as quickly as we'd like, always remember that you didn't put on the weight in a month - so you're not going to reach your ideal weight in a month either...

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9168764

Weight Loss Products: How to Spot a Scam

Are you looking to lose weight? If you are, there is a good chance that you will start your own weight loss program. When many individuals start their own weight loss programs, they do so with the help of a number of weight loss products, like diet pills or exercise equipment.  If you are interested in buying these types of weight loss products, you need to always be on the lookout of scams, as they do exist.

When it comes to weight loss products, like exercise equipment and diet pills, many people automatically wonder how they can tell if they are being scammed.  Unfortunately, you often cannot tell by reading an advertisement in a magazine or online or by watching a television infomercial or even by looking at the weight loss product in question. The best way to determine if the weight loss product you are interested in buying is really worth your money is to do research first.

When it comes to researching weight loss products, there are a number of different ways that you can go about determining if the product or products you want to buy are worth the cost. One of the easiest ways to go about doing so is by visiting the online websites of retailers that allow their customers or the general public to rate or review their products. Many consumers like to alert others to a product that is a waste of money or even alert others to a product that is well worth the cost.  If you are able to find weight loss product reviews, you are advised to read them.

When reading weight loss product reviews, like product reviews for diet pills or exercise equipment, it is important to remember that no product is perfect.  Even the best products, like the ones that come highly rated and recommended, will have a few bad reviews.  What you need to be cautious of is any weight loss product that has more bad reviews than it does good reviews.  This is a surefire sign that the weight loss product in question may not be worth your money.

You can also find product reviews or just specific weight loss products being discussed by performing a standard internet search. When performing a standard internet search, you will want your search phrase to be the name of the weight loss product in question. Your standard internet search may lead you to online message boards where weight loss and other health issues are being discussed. These types of websites and message boards are a great way to also learn about weight loss products that you may not have otherwise came across.

Another way that you can determine if you are being “scammed,” by a weight loss product, is by examining the online website of the product distributor or manufacturer.  When you buy a diet pill or another weight loss supplement, you should be provided with as much information as possible.  Be cautious of any product whose website only claims to help you lose weight, but doesn’t explain how it is done. The same can be said for exercise equipment.

Another great way that you can determine if the weight loss products you are interested in buying are worth the money is by speaking with your doctor.  Often times, you don’t even have to schedule a visit; a telephone call should get you the answers that you were looking for.  Most doctors can let you know if a weight loss pill or supplement that you are interested in buying is worth the money.  If they can’t tell you about the specific product in question, there is a good chance that they can at least review the ingredients with you. For exercise equipment, your physician may also be able to provide you with advice.

Of course, if you have the money to spend on weight loss products, you may be interested in going ahead and buying the product or products in question anyways. That is fine to do, but you also need to remember that many weight loss products, especially the ones featured on television infomercials are priced relatively high.


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Losing The Weight After Child Birth: A Myth or Not?

A Little Peek into A friend's Diary.
... October 7, 2010 (about 13 months after Sally's birth).
I woke up this morning feeling a little bit bloated after yesterday's party, brushed my teeth after rushing through a prayer and then headed for the bath. Before stepping into the bath, I checked my weight with the bath scales and it read 229 pounds. I really should do something about this. Will talk to Megan later today about my weight and what to do.
... November 10, 2010 (after a month of 'fruit alone' diet)
Checked my weight again today: 228 pounds!
... January 2nd, 2011 (after a 'one meal a day' diet plan)
Checked my weight today: 215 pounds. Finally some progress! I will treat myself a little bit today to celebrate this success, even though small.
... March 13th 2011.
Checked my weight today: 220 pounds. My goodness! What is going on? I really should do something about this.
The above was 4 years ago.
I am sure a lot of women can relate to this; especially those that gave birth over a year ago. Your weight may not be as high as my friend's but it is still up there and you are wondering if it is even possible to lose weight remarkably after child birth or to lose that stomach fat, for that matter. In the bid to help ourselves, we go into all kinds of programs to lose weight, but after wards we find out that we gain the weight back in a couple of days to weeks. Some women still struggle to lose weight gained for pregnancies that occurred 5 or more years ago. Some have altogether given up on losing weight completely after having tried 'heaven and earth' to lose weight after childbirth. My friend, who has the above diary, asked me one day,''Peo, is it even possible to successfully achieve this?'' Before I answer that question, let us take a look at the cause of weight gain during pregnancy in hope that it would help us understand why it is so difficult to lose it afterwards.
Pregnancy
During pregnancy, women develop all sorts of cravings. It could be for any kind of food at any time of the day. In addition, because the baby also needs food for growth and development, the mother eats way more than what she normally eats. Some women actually try to watch their weight but after one or two episodes of impending hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), they decide to start eating more so as not to lose the baby. So, women generally take in a lot of food during this period, thinking that ''I'll get rid of the weight as soon as I drop this baby''. Also, during pregnancy, the hormone responsible for maintaining the pregnancy till term, progesterone, enhances water absorption which further adds to weight gain. Other hormones as well, increase fat deposition during pregnancy. This is just to say a little on the physiology of pregnancy as it relates to weight gain.
Afterwards
After the baby is born, the very first thing on your mind wouldn't be to lose weight; you can count on that. It would be to sleep! You would hardly have enough rest at night because you have to wake up almost every hour and a half to feed the baby (either with breast milk or formula). This could go on for about six months. At the back of our minds, however, we still have the intention to lose the weight. For those women who breast feed their babies exclusively, it is a bit worse because they have to eat and drink sufficiently if they want to give quality and good quantity of milk to their babies. 'You can't give what you don't have' and 'garbage in, garbage out.' Don't get me wrong and think I am against exclusive breast feeding because I am not. I am an advocate of exclusive breast feeding in the first six months of life and I know its importance. Exclusive breast feeding in the first six months of life is the best for the baby because it reduces certain health risks to the barest minimum. However, to continuously have sufficient and quality milk to give your baby for six months, you need to eat well and drink sufficiently. This could, of course, add to your weight gain unfortunately.
A Myth or Not?
The answer to that question is ''It is not a myth. You can actually lose the weight.'' I am sure you are happy to hear this. So what is the key or secret? The 'key' consists of two words: Balance and Optimization. Let's start with Balance. Most women, in the bid to lose weight, enter into really extreme and potentially harmful weight loss plans, such as 'one meal a day diet (like my friend whose diary we peeked at above), 'no carbs' diet, 'only fruits diet,' excessively vigorous exercise. Eating a meal a day would mean you would be hungry for most of the day. Also, you need energy which you get from carbohydrate. So a total 'no carbohydrate' diet is not wise to embark upon. Excessively vigorous exercise can break down your muscle cells which then release certain substances that can shut down your kidneys acutely (this is in extreme cases). The key to this is a healthy balance of both diet and exercise. You can start like this: eat 3 healthy meals (no excess salt like in junk food, no processed foods) of small/moderate quantity a day and exercise 5 times a week (an hour and a half per session) not vigorously. You would be surprised at how much weight you would lose. If at any time of the day, you feel like eating something in between your meals, you can snack on an apple. It is low in calories and has fiber in its skin which is healthy for you and doesn't cause weight gain. If however, you want to lose more weight (especially belly fat) and maintain your weight loss, you need to optimize your body.
Optimization means to create an environment in your body that would allow your naturally occurring fat lowering hormone which is already present in your body, to work. In other words, putting your body in the position that would allow the naturally occurring fat reducing hormone to take effect. This hormone is called leptin and the great part is that women have twice the amount of leptin that men have. Leptin is produced by your fat cells and it is the hormone that also lowers your appetite. It is the basis of optimization. Few weight loss program developers have grasped this truth and used it to put together weight loss programs that if you follow, you would not only lose weight remarkably, you would also maintain the weight loss.
I wish you good luck in your all your endeavors.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9164377

The Healthiest Foods You Can Get

The following is a list of the healthiest foods that
you can get.  This will help you get an idea as
to what foods are the best for your body.

Fruits

Apricots
Apricots contain Beta-carotene which helps to
prevent radical damage and also helps to protect
the eyes.  A single apricot contains 17 calories,
0 fat, and one gram of fiber.  You can eat them
dried or soft.

Mango
A medium sized mango packs 57 MG of vitamin C,
which is nearly your entire daily dose.  This
antioxidant will help prevent arthritis and also
boost your immune system.

Cantaloupe
Cantaloupes contain 117 GG of vitamin C, which is
almost twice the recommended dose.  Half a melon
contains 853 MG of potassium, which is nearly
twice as much as a banana, which helps to lower
blood pressure.  Half a melon contains 97 calories,
1 gram of fat, and 2 grams of fiber.

Tomato
A tomato can help cut the risk of bladder, stomach,
and colon cancers in half if you eat one daily.
A tomaton contains 26 calories, 0 fat, and only
1 gram of fiber.

Vegetables

Onions
An onion can help to protect against cancer.  A
cup of onions offers 61 calories, 0 fat, and 3
grams of fiber.

Broccoli
Broccoli can help protect against breast cancer,
and it also contains a lot of vitamin C and beta-
carotene.  One cup of chopped broccoli contains
25 calories, 0 fat, and 3 grams of fiber.

Spinach
Spinach contains carotenoids that can help fend
off macular degeneration, which is a major cause
of blindness in older people.  One cup contains
7 calories, 0 fat, and 1 gram of fiber.

Grains, beans, and nuts

Peanuts
Peanuts and other nuts can lower your risk of
heart disease by 20 percent.  One ounce contains
166 calories, 14 grams of fat, and over 2 grams of
fiber.

Pinto beans
A half cut of pinto beans offers more than 25
percent of your daily folate requirement, which
protects you against heart disease.  Half a cup
contains 103 calories, 1 gram of fat, and 6 grams
of fiber.

Skim milk
Skim milk offers vitamin B2, which is important for
good vision and along with Vitamin A could improve
allergies.  You also get calcium and vitamin D as
well.  One cup contains 86 calories, o fat, and 0
fiber.

Seafood

Salmon
All cold water fish such as salmon, mackerel, and
tuna are excellent sources of omega 3 fatty acids,
which help to reduce the risk of cardiac disease.
A 3 ounce portion of salmon contains 127 calories,
4 grams of fat, and 0 fiber.

Crab
Crab is a great source of vitamin B12 and immunity
boosting zinc.  A 3 ounce serving of crab offers
84 calories, 1 gram of fat, and 0 fiber.

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Easiest Ways to Boost Libido in Women

It's pretty common that women lose their interest in sex with age. A lot of factors are at play that can lower your libido. A drop in hormonal production, stress, fatigue and certain emotional factors like depression, martial issues and relationship problems etc. can take a toll on your sex drive.
However, the good news is that it's possible to rekindle the desire to have sex with some simple and easy changes in your diet and lifestyle.
Here are some easy ways to help you get a powerful libido boost:
1. Begin with a Daily Workout
Regular exercise is great for two main reasons. First of all, it helps boost blood flow to the entire body including your genitals. By flushing your genitals with blood, exercise ensures quick arousal. Secondly, exercise is a great stress buster too.
As far as a woman is concerned, both her body and mind need to be in sync with each other for her to enjoy proper sexual function. Exercise helps reduce stress so that you are in the right frame of mind to desire and enjoy sex.
Furthermore, exercise also helps you look and feel fit. A fit body itself helps enhance sex drive.
2. Enjoy Some Great Time With Your Partner
Your busy schedule often takes a toll on your personal life. A lot of women are not able to find time for their partners. Trust me, spending a few hours with your partner can do wonders for your sex life. Just go out for a walk and hold each other's hands.
Spending quality time with your partner strengthens the bond between the two of you and serves as a great libido booster.
3. Try Certain Libido Boosting Foods
Certain foods like oysters can be a great help in increasing libido in both women and men. Foods that boost nitric oxide production are great for enhancing blood flow and thus, they act as powerful libido enhancers. Pomegranate is one such fruit that is highly effective for increasing nitric oxide. You must try to include it in your diet.
You must also include foods rich in essential fats like Omega 3 fatty acids in your diet since they keep your arteries well lubricated to ensure good blood flow.
4. Try Natural Libido Enhancement Pills
Last but not the least, you can also try natural libido pills that are specifically formulated for women. Such pills helps boost as well as balance production of sex hormones in your body. They also increase blood flow to the genitals and speed up arousal.
Furthermore, they can also help boost your fertility. Yet another benefit is that they can provide relief from vaginal dryness by increasing natural lubrication. It's important to note here that vaginal dryness is a common sexual problem that affects women and can make intercourse extremely painful.
Top of the line pills are safe and free of side effects. They are recommended by doctors too.
So, if you want to boost your libido, check out the Best Libido Pills that have helped thousands of women like you over the past few years.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9153460

7 Steps to Beat Insomnia and Sleep Better to Lose Weight Fast

Research on the importance of sleep has revealed that getting a good night's sleep is essential to good health and maintaining your weight. The University of Wisconsin and UC-Berkley conducted one of the largest sleep studies to date. They found that when test subjects were limited to less than 6 hours of sleep per night, three of their hormones were thrown out of balance.
The hormones thrown out of balance from lack of sleep included leptin, ghrelin and cortisol. Unfortunately, these hormones are all important for regulating weight. When they were out of balance, people experienced an increase in appetite, a decrease in satiety (feeling satisfied after eating) and an increase in fat being stored in the abdomen or stomach.
Ideally, your goal should be to get at least 7 hours of quality sleep per night. Some adults will need closer to 8 hours of sleep per night. I know this is often easier said than done, but there are a few proven strategies to help you reach this goal.
#1) The first thing you need to do is to make your body physically tired. This can be as easy as taking a 30 minute walk at some point in your day. You could also choose to wear a pedometer to aim for the goal of walking 10,000 steps daily. Either choice will help you fall asleep easier when you go to bed.
#2) Taking a hot bath with some Epsom Salts will help you fall asleep easier. The Epsom Salts contain magnesium, which helps calm us and balance the calcium in our diets. The hot water will help warm your body temperature and cause a deep relaxation response. Try to crawl into bed shortly after taking this relaxing bath for the biggest benefit to your sleep.
#3) Watch your beverages. Limit caffeinated beverage intake to the morning, as later in the day consumption can keep you awake. Avoid drinking alcohol prior to going to bed, as it often disrupts sleep and will cause you to wake up just a few hours after going to bed. Moderation is one drink for a female and no more than two drinks for a male. This amount should not cause a problem with premature waking.
#4) Keep electronics in your bedroom unplugged, as they continue to emit radio frequencies even when turned off. This will be easy to do if you have all electronics plugged into a power strip. Then you can just flip the switch off before going to bed to kill the power to all of your electronic equipment. If you alarm clock is plugged into the wall, you will want to be sure it is not positioned within two feet of your head while you are sleeping. My alarm clock has a battery. At hotels, I often place the alarm clock on the floor.
#5) Set a specific time for you to go to bed every night. It works best if you allow 8 hours from the time you go to bed until you need to be up. This allows for some time for reading to unwind from your busy day. Keeping a notebook and pen next to your bed will help you do a "brain-dump" of all of the to-do's that are running through you head for the next day.
#6) Keep a notebook & pen by the side of your bed. Before going to sleep, do a "brain-dump" from your head to the paper. Maybe you are thinking about your to-do list for tomorrow or something fun you want to do. Once it goes onto the paper, you can stop thinking about it. Worry & a busy mind tend to keep many people up for hours.
#7) Now close your eyes and deep breathe for a few minutes before going to sleep. This is also a great time to visualize your optimal health goal. Think about how grateful you are for your amazing body and all that it does for you. Breathe into the feeling of health and peace. Visualize how you feel in the body you have now come to love!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9159355

7 Steps to Beat Insomnia and Sleep Better to Lose Weight Fast

Research on the importance of sleep has revealed that getting a good night's sleep is essential to good health and maintaining your weight. The University of Wisconsin and UC-Berkley conducted one of the largest sleep studies to date. They found that when test subjects were limited to less than 6 hours of sleep per night, three of their hormones were thrown out of balance.
The hormones thrown out of balance from lack of sleep included leptin, ghrelin and cortisol. Unfortunately, these hormones are all important for regulating weight. When they were out of balance, people experienced an increase in appetite, a decrease in satiety (feeling satisfied after eating) and an increase in fat being stored in the abdomen or stomach.
Ideally, your goal should be to get at least 7 hours of quality sleep per night. Some adults will need closer to 8 hours of sleep per night. I know this is often easier said than done, but there are a few proven strategies to help you reach this goal.
#1) The first thing you need to do is to make your body physically tired. This can be as easy as taking a 30 minute walk at some point in your day. You could also choose to wear a pedometer to aim for the goal of walking 10,000 steps daily. Either choice will help you fall asleep easier when you go to bed.
#2) Taking a hot bath with some Epsom Salts will help you fall asleep easier. The Epsom Salts contain magnesium, which helps calm us and balance the calcium in our diets. The hot water will help warm your body temperature and cause a deep relaxation response. Try to crawl into bed shortly after taking this relaxing bath for the biggest benefit to your sleep.
#3) Watch your beverages. Limit caffeinated beverage intake to the morning, as later in the day consumption can keep you awake. Avoid drinking alcohol prior to going to bed, as it often disrupts sleep and will cause you to wake up just a few hours after going to bed. Moderation is one drink for a female and no more than two drinks for a male. This amount should not cause a problem with premature waking.
#4) Keep electronics in your bedroom unplugged, as they continue to emit radio frequencies even when turned off. This will be easy to do if you have all electronics plugged into a power strip. Then you can just flip the switch off before going to bed to kill the power to all of your electronic equipment. If you alarm clock is plugged into the wall, you will want to be sure it is not positioned within two feet of your head while you are sleeping. My alarm clock has a battery. At hotels, I often place the alarm clock on the floor.
#5) Set a specific time for you to go to bed every night. It works best if you allow 8 hours from the time you go to bed until you need to be up. This allows for some time for reading to unwind from your busy day. Keeping a notebook and pen next to your bed will help you do a "brain-dump" of all of the to-do's that are running through you head for the next day.
#6) Keep a notebook & pen by the side of your bed. Before going to sleep, do a "brain-dump" from your head to the paper. Maybe you are thinking about your to-do list for tomorrow or something fun you want to do. Once it goes onto the paper, you can stop thinking about it. Worry & a busy mind tend to keep many people up for hours.
#7) Now close your eyes and deep breathe for a few minutes before going to sleep. This is also a great time to visualize your optimal health goal. Think about how grateful you are for your amazing body and all that it does for you. Breathe into the feeling of health and peace. Visualize how you feel in the body you have now come to love!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9159355

Benefits of Alkaline Water for Weight Loss

If you have been on a weight loss regimen, you already know how important it is for you to stay hydrated. Water is known to help weight loss like a miracle beverage, and there is no substitute for the same. While you can have your share of juices and smoothies to get more benefits out of fruits and veggies, plain drinking water is easily the most amazing source for better health, weight loss and beyond. Like many others, you may have heard about weight loss with 9.5pH alkaline water. In this very special post, we will discuss more about the varied aspects of alkaline water and how you can probably think of it as a new concept.
Understanding the Alkaline Concept:
Overall, the alkaline diet follows the concept of eating more pH balanced foods, which means consuming more of foods that are high on alkaline levels. Now, much of it is under research, but people who have followed the diet agree that the benefits are for real. The main problem remains that not everyone can follow the alkaline diet, or in short, it is hard to choose foods and meals that have high pH balance. After all, we are all so busy with different things that making such minute choices seems very tough.
The Need for Alkaline Water:
This is precisely where one needs to think beyond regular drinking water and include the concept of alkaline water in their diet. Alkaline water is known to have more than a few benefits for the body, and if you follow this carefully, you will see great benefits for your weight loss efforts. First and foremost, the concept ensures that your body gets rid of free radicals in the body and at the same time, there is adequate metabolism boost. Increased metabolism ensures that you lose weight faster than expected, and many people suggest that alkaline water actually increases the hydration level of the body by many times. Not to forget, the benefit is also with regards to regulation of blood sugar levels, which also can be helpful for people looking to lose weight.
Should Everyone Try Alkaline Water?
Well, a lot of research is left to be done for sure, and yet, unlike many other diets, this one has stayed with people, and even some of the best known celebs believe in the concept. You may have your reservations for sure, but you cannot deny that alkaline water has its benefits. Also, it is one of the easy concepts to follow, where you regular source of drinking water is to be replaced. The advantages are best experienced rather than simply talking about facts. The increase in metabolism and oxygen levels in the body can help you change the way you take weight loss as a goal. Also, with better energy levels, you will also see a difference in exercise patterns and the overall process of losing fat.
With so many benefits, you don't probably need to think much before starting a new life with lesser acid levels in the body.

I am a marketing representative of www(dot)trubalanceh2o(dot)com. Tru Balance Water Inc seeks to introduce the highest quality alkaline health water to the masses at a competitive price while maintaining an Eco Friendly stance.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9159988

How to Burn Fat Easily and Build Lean Muscle of Your Dreams

Everybody want to look lean, muscular and sexy. A lot of people have tried out several methods for this purpose. Some people do strict dieting, some do heavy exercise, but soon they give up due to slow or no desired result. Honestly speaking it may not be an easy task to shed those stubborn excess body fats. Let me quickly state here clearly that if you are not exercising regularly, you cannot just jump into pursuing the dream of having a lean body mass. Start today slowly and build up momentum with regular exercises and be consistent. But if you really want to know how to burn fat easily and build lean muscle, then the following are some suggestions that can assist you.
Revise your diet plan
Our diet plays a major role in determining our body's metabolism. The key to getting that lean body is to quit eating junk foods, and eat more of protein, fruits and vegetables as well as cutting down on the quantity of grains consumed. Do not consume food containing excessive carbohydrate just before going to bed. Hence, if you are really serious about fat burning, then it is a good idea that you review your diet plan in a smart manner.
Love Organic food
I agree it is not easy to find good quality organic food all the time, but it is not impossible. With your goal at the back of your mind and with proper planning, it is possible. You need to understand that all the inorganic (junk food like- fried foods, fast foods, fatty foods, processed foods) makes it really hard to burn fat from your body. Therefore if you will consume healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, high fibber carbohydrates and protein instead of processed food, then your body metabolism will improve as well as your fat burning capability.
Engage in Cardio
Cardio exercises increases blood flow and metabolism. Increased metabolism means increased weight loss. Cardio also helps your body burn energy more efficiently. Whether it is high intensity or low intensity cardio, do it to stay healthy, lean, very muscular and sexy. Note that your body system turns unused carbs into fat, so try sticking to a low-carb diet on the days you know you won't be exercising.
Perform weight training
You have to make sure you are increasingly challenging yourself. Start by lifting smaller weights, then gradually but quickly build your endurance and stamina to lift heavier weights. You can start lifting 2kg, to 5, to 15 and so on. Weight training also makes your body utilize more calories in the post workout period for recovery and lean muscle growth.
Combine your weight training with some exercises that require total body movement such as squats, push-ups, and pull ups. Remember to have breaks in between your high intensity training. This is to give your muscles time to recover and rebuild. This way, your body will see result faster by toning more muscles and increase metabolism.
Plan your meals with your workouts
Don't ever do workouts on an empty stomach. It is recommended that you should eat a balanced diet 2 hours before your high intensity training. Eat protein rich food after the workout because when you work out, you break down muscle tissues and your body need enough protein to build them back.
Don't give up
Make up your mind to keep working on your dreams and never quit. Nobody ever care to know how many times you might have tried and failed, but you will be celebrated everywhere you go when you succeed. Believe in yourself and persevere.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9142195

Foods to Eat to Lose Weight

Why abstain from food when there are foods out there that can actually help in weight loss? The idea seems foreign--eating to lose weight. The following five foods, though, aren't just old wives tales. These foods are supported through scientific facts in proving that they help in weight loss. Most of the following foods are low in calories, to aid in your diet plan, and high in stomach fulfillment. These foods will keep the hunger away.
Eggs. These are the super-foods if you are looking for a weight loss food that both works as high in protein and is very beneficial for your overall health as well. Once known as a cause of heart attacks and higher cholesterol, science has certified the facts that follow this food and debunked the old myths. Not only that, but the discovery of eggs as a diet food has come out. This is due to the high amount of protein and healthy fats making the eater feel more full, leading to lesser eating without the following hunger pangs that accompany most diet plans.
Kale isn't popular for nothing. This leafy green is making its name as a diet food and has had tremendous popularity. Kale is low in calories but high in fiber--this both takes care of the fiber portion of your meal and, due to the low calories, can be eaten in copious amounts. The inclusion of calcium is also a plus, as calcium has been shown to assist in the burning of fat, in some studies.
Watery foods. What does that even mean? It refers to fruits and vegetables that contain water. One such super veggie is cauliflower. This cancer battling vegetable is also good for helping you lose weight. Not only that, but the creativity in cauliflower recipes is unlimited. There are endless of choices to vary how you eat this super veggie.
But you can't survive only on eggs and vegetables. What about the protein? Salmon can take care of that. What it lacks in calories, which is good for you, it makes up with its many useful benefits. Its reduction in inflammation not only keeps the weight off, but also helps in the reduction of acne. The perfect protein.
The food of the ages, boiled potatoes, has sustained the hunger of our ancestors for many years. It is also scored as the highest fulfilling food. These bad boys will definitely keep the hunger at bay. Not only is it low in calories and high in fulfillment, it is cheap. Potatoes can be bought in huge quantities for only a small amount of money.
As with all diets, what is important is a plan and will power. You can't be eating foods that are counterproductive to the effort you are putting in. Customize a food plan and stick to it--do your research on more low caloric foods and add them to the plan. The will power comes easy, as these foods keep you feeling full, healthy, and don't have your stomach turning in on itself.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9152005

Diet to Lose Belly Fat - Easy Diet Tips for A Slim Belly

Belly fat, known as visceral fat, is one of the worst fats in a human body. Excessive fat around your waistline not only affects your body shape but could mean impending health problems hence requiring you to do something about your diet. Belly fat has everything to do with the food you eat therefore there are certain diet choices you need to make so as to burn that fat.
Getting rid of the belly fat doesn't however translate to skipping meals. Skipping meals is unhealthy as it sends your body a message that you are starving causing your body to store fat instead which ends up wrecking your metabolism. So how exactly can you lose your belly fat just by observing your diet? You fight fat with food. You want to lose that belly fat fast? Knowing what to include in your diet could be all you need.
1. Avoid Sugar
Sugar is your enemy if you are looking to lose your belly fat fast. Reduce sugar in your diet and consider doing away with sugary/artificially sweetened drinks and beverages all together like sodas and fruit juices. A lot of refined sugar can lead to accumulation of fat around your belly. Refined sugar contains fructose, usually metabolised by the liver. Thus when the liver can't metabolize all the sugar, it stores it up as fat which ultimately leads to insulin resistance.
2. Eat More Proteins
Eat proteins like you mean it. Besides protecting you against insulin resistance, proteins supposedly boost your metabolism causing your body to burn your fat reserves. Proteins reduce cravings and leave you feeling fuller for longer. Some of the best protein sources include; fish, poultry products, unprocessed eggs, sea food and dairy products.
3. Cut Down on Carbs
Cutting on carb diets like pasta and white bread is sufficient to make your body start burning fats to fuel itself. High carb diets make your body pile calories and increase water weight. Low carb diets on the other hand target belly fat.
4. Eat Enough Fibre
Foods high in fibre leave you feeling full for longer. However it's the soluble fibre like what can be derived from; apples, berries, beans, cereals like oats and green peas that is most effective in reducing belly fat. Almonds too make a good source of fibre reducing visceral fat build up over time. Snack on either of these to curb your hunger and avoid overeating. Fibre also cleans your body of toxic waste.
5. Eat Mono-unsaturated Fats
Mono-unsaturated fats from sources like; olive oil, avocados and nuts make you gain more muscle and less fat compared to saturated fats which pack on more visceral fat to your body. Also some types of polyunsaturated fats like what's found in walnuts, pine nuts, flaxseed oil, salmon (rich in omega-3) and sunflower seeds could be good in losing belly fat as they are known to cause inflammation to the body. These two types of fats increase the levels of hormones that signal your brain when full hence keeping you from overeating.
6. Eat Green Vegetables
What that flat tummy so badly? Fill your plate with green leafy vegetables. Vegetables like broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, kale, asparagus and arugula have less calories, reduce water retention and more fibre. They contain phyto-nutrients that fight oestrogens causing belly fat. Eating some vegetable salad before a meal will leave you feeling full hence eating less.
7. Carry Water Everywhere
Don't just carry water, take a sip every now and then to remain hydrated. This makes you feel fuller and stay off sugary drinks like soda, which only increases you calorie intake with no nutritional value, when not thirsty.
8. Cut out Processed Foods
Processed foods are loaded with calories and fats and head to the area around your belly which hinders your ability to get that flat tummy. Such foods include; fries, sweetened drinks and crackers.
9. Moderate Dairy
Low calcium causes the body to produce a hormone that stores up visceral fats. Focusing on a calcium rich diet is thus crucial if that belly must go. Calcium sources include; plain Greek yoghurt and milk.
10. Green Tea
Green tea contains antioxidants that are known to improve your metabolism hence increasing the burning of fat cells.
11. Eat Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate, high in cocoa content, contains stimulants and antioxidants that speed up fat burning. So add it moderately in your intake.
12. Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Usually found in salmon, walnuts, sea food and flaxseed. All this stuff gives your body a healthy boost and burns fat at the same time.
Lastly don't stop eating clean and then make exercise whether it is light or high intensity your regular habit. You will see wonderful results in a few weeks.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9157774

Lose Weight and Maintain With Easy, Fun Intuitive Eating

How to Have Your Cake and Your Skinny Jeans Too: Stop Binge Eating, Overeating and Dieting For Good Get the Naturally Thin Body You Crave From the Inside Out (Binge Eating Solution) by Josie Spinardi is an incredibly accessibly written book with clear practical strategies and sound evidence-based approaches.
Concept
Your body is programmed to maintain a naturally thin weight. You don't need to know your ideal weight or calorie balance. More calorically dense foods and slower metabolism just means you get full sooner and stay full longer.
Diets only address the symptom of extra weight. "Overeating or binge eating is in fact a very powerfully anchored conditioned (learned) response to both dieting (food restriction) and a shortage of skills to navigate certain distressing emotional states."
Most dieters get stuck in "The Dieting Trangle of Despair," a cycle of dieting, bingeing, beating self up, and then dieting again... only to binge again all over in more and more extreme ways. Studies like the Ancel Keys show "dieting leads to food obsession, emotional distress, and - wait for it - binge eating."
Recommendations
Eat like a naturally thin person. Enjoy satisfying portions of tasty normal foods without worrying, without dieting to try to compensate. If you eat so much you feel uncomfortable, just make a note it doesn't feel good to be too full.
Eliminate the "learned habit of overriding your body's internal signals for hunger and fullness."
Use Root Cause Analysis to identify the real reason for Non Hunger Eating:
a) Gasping for Food violently out-of-control in response to deprivation, bingeing on banned foods. By eating only what's right for you according to physical and psychological needs, you can be confident in any situation instead of being ruled by food obsession, deprivation, or "kryptonite."
b) Eating Cuz You Ate breaking a diet rule. Tuning into internal forces helps.
The Mean Girl Munchies "presses mute" on critical self-awareness with rapid-fire bites of crunchy food regardless of taste. Meditation is a healthier approach to focusing in on a single something.
c) Licking Your Wounds involves avoiding and soothing with slow, sweet, creamy indulgence in learned helplessness. People who lack the skill to engage in task-oriented coping are more likely to emotionally eat. Instead, act directly to resolve, mitigate, or eliminate stressors. Try positive psychology with an empowered paradigm.
d) Recreational Eating is just a response to boredom or procrastination, particularly in times of transition like coming come from work. For a more even balance of things you want to do and things you have to do, sprinkle fun activities throughout your schedule. Give yourself permission; see the value; enjoy your life.
If you decide to eat before you're physically hungry, enjoy some of what you really want and then move on. "This is not the eat-when-you're-hungry-and-stop-when-you're-full diet." This is not about rules; it is general guidelines to make you feel good - like resting when you're tired.
Strategies
1. Eat when you feel physically hungry. "Preventative eating" doesn't work. "Physical hunger is a gentle, hollow, warm sensation in your stomach." You gradually start to become more sensitive to food cues. "You feel really light, active, and energized." Hunger growls are high in the stomach, not below the navel, which is the sound of digestion. Skip sugared beverages between hungers until you can recognize hunger signals. Don't stress if you can't eat immediately - your body will use its own fuel - but don't make a habit of going hungry too long because you might get a headache, irritability, and Gasping for Food.
2. Eat what you really, really want to be psychologically satisfied.You'll likely at first indulge in the foods you've been restricting then it will transition to consistently healthier eating. "Completely release the brake" and "move all foods into the No-Guilt category." Instead categorize by what you like and how it makes you feel. Your body is designed to desire a variety of foods so make small amounts available (out of sight) and accessible.
3. Sit down, be present, and thoroughly enjoy what you're eating. Satisfaction comes from environment, freedom, perceived portions, etc. Take a substantial portion and commit to what you're eating. Sit and eat in designated eating zones. Be present to enjoy eating and eliminate conditioned triggers and escape of self-awareness. "Construct and savor the perfect bite - every time." If eating with others, enjoy food and conversation separately.
4. Stop eating when you feel comfortably satisfied. The first signal you're nearing fullness is a slight dip in taste. Try taking a 5-minute break after eating half of current portions as an experiment. Leave a quality bite of food on the plate to signal abundance and empowerment. Ask yourself if the next bite will make you feel better or worse. Create an end-of-meal routine like brushing teeth, washing dishes, or walking 10 minutes. Plan for post-meal pleasure like only allowing a TV show after dinner.
5. Check in. Notice how the food makes you feel. Pure motivational states come from consistent feeling states, i.e. pleasure both now and later. Conflicted states require willpower, so build "wantpower" by transforming Shoulds into Want To's and the Shouldn'ts into Won't's. Notice discomfort after unhealthy foods for tangible memories to change their motivational pull. Check in 30 minutes, an hour, three hours, and again up to five hours after eating rating energy, hunger, mood, concentration, and other factors like digestion.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9142858

How You Can Measure Your Progress on Your Weight Loss and Fitness Journey

The entire point of taking measurements along your journey is to find the accurate data that you need that can give you input and feedback to tell you if what you are doing is sending you in the right direction and you are on track.
The assessments that you give yourself should directly relate to your long term goals. Here are a few ways to help you track your progress, some are better than others, so find a couple that work for you a get started.
BMI
Firstly you need to find out exactly what your BMI or Body Mass index currently is before you do anything. Your BMI is your body fat based on your height and weight. All you need to do is simply enter your height and weight in to a BMI calculator and it will present you with number.
There are 4 ranges for BMI. Less than normal weight is less than 18.5, 18.5-24.9 is normal weight, over weight is 25-29.9 and obese is greater than 30. On average older adults tend to have more body fat than younger adults with the same BMI. People that have a lot of muscle mass have a higher BMI, so BMI works best for kids and overweight individuals.
The bathroom scale
This is one of the obvious ways to measure your progress; however it may not be the best way unless you compare it with something else.You can use other methods (skin fold callipers, ultrasound, underwater weighing, to measure your body composition, fat versus lean muscle, this gives you a more accurate idea of the changes that you are making to your body. The scale works best when it is used alongside other methods.
Circumference measurements
Measuring your waist, hips, abdominal girth can substitute other body measurements when used with bathroom scales. It can be very helpful if your weight has not changed, but you have dropped off couple of pant sizes. This shows that you have gained muscle and lost fat, so the scale shows a net loss of zero.
Fitness apps to track your progress
Apps that can track your progress are essential part of any weight loss or fitness plan. The great thing about apps is that they create greater mindfulness about what you choose to track (food, exercise quantity, exercise frequency, etc.)
Apps are the most beneficial when used for weight loss, because they really help to track calories expenditure through dieting and exercise. The only downside to smartphone apps, is that sometimes the data will not be accurately recorded due to lower battery power or poor signal, however there are ways around this.
You also need to be very attentive if the app requires you to add info for the data to be measured. Apps are also a great way to hold you accountable when tracking progress made in previous workouts. Some of the best apps for weight loss and fitness include MyPlate (food and calorie tracker) MyFitnessPal (calorie tracker) MapMyRide (measures routes for cycling and MapMyRun (tracks your run).
The fit of your clothes
When you cannot button up your favourite pair of jeans, it is very easy to blame it on the dryer shrinkage, but if you are not being honest with yourself, then this is a sign that you not making progress in the right direction.
Handheld body fat Measure
These devices track your body fat when the device is gripped with both hands. The device sends an electronic current through the body to get a reading. It is very simple to use, but is not always very accurate. Any device like this is subject to a variety of sources of error. The greatest value lies in measuring pre and post workout or diet progress for any one person.
Body weight and body fat scales
These scales claim to measure not only your body fat and weight but also hydration levels and bone by simply standing on them. Hydration levels and the timing of your last meal can greater change to outcome when using the scales to track your progress.
If you use the scale at the same time each day you will get a relative measure of your progress. You must be hydrated to do this, water conducts a better current than fat, and you should not have eaten a large meal a significant amount of time before you use this scale because the liquids in the foods that you would have eaten can distort the measurement of conductance.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9153271

Tips for Finding the Right Fitness Gym for You

If you want to keep your body fit and healthy, you must find yourself a fitness center that will not only keep you in shape, but also make you feel more comfortable and motivated than before!
Have you made up your mind to stay fit this year and build up a unique personality that will be praised by everyone? If YES, then you must start working out with a trained professional or a group of people in order to achieve all your health related goals. Believe it or not, when you decide on making exercise part of your daily routine, you'll definitely see a drastic change in your behavior and attitude as you'll be staying focused and alert throughout the day without any kind of weariness. Once you find a quality gym that meets all your needs and fulfills all your requirements, you must take a tour of the fitness club, make yourself familiar with the timings, have a word with the trainer, and check out the equipments and other useful amenities before committing to a lengthy membership.
How to choose a fitness club that suits you the best
Written below are a few guidelines that will help you choose the right gym for you and lead a stress free life thereafter.
Tip #1: Locate a high-quality gym nearby your living space
Nobody would like to travel half a mile and spend almost double their workout time driving to gym early morning and then coming back home in rush, so it's better to locate a club closer to your house as this will not only cut down both your travelling and parking cost, but also will save your time. You can make use of the internet to find a suitable fitness center, compare the prices, read customer reviews, and then make an appropriate decision thereafter.
Tip #2: Must ask for second opinions
When it comes to finding a suitable fitness center in your neighborhood, it is important that you get references from your office colleagues, family members, close mates, Facebook friends - anyone you would like to ask! Tell them exactly what you are looking for along with your budget.
Tip #3: Must utilize some of your valuable time comparing membership fees
Before you decide on joining a particular gym, you must make yourself familiar with the membership charges and different packages that they'll be offering and then choose the one that fits your budget and provides you the requisite benefits that you are looking for.
Moreover, it is important that you ask for discounts or negotiate the price of a club membership. Finding a gym has been just like starting with a new relationship. Once you make up your mind, pre-plan everything and put in your efforts with full dedication, you can easily achieve your desired goals by finding the right gym that will help you live a healthy and happy life from then on

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9153877

3 Simple Steps To Lose Weight Fast

If you do not have huge will power, then the hunger will cause you to give up completely on these plans altogether.
The 3 step plan that I am going to outline for you will...
• Reduce your appetite rather significantly
• Allow you to lose weight fast without leaving you hungry
• Improve your metabolic health at the same time
All of these methods are supported by scientific studies
Step 1 will be to cut back on sugars and starches
The most important part is to cut back on sugars and starches.These is found in the foods that stimulate secretion of insulin the very most. If you did not know already, insulin is the main fat storage hormone in the body.
When insulin is lowered, fat has a much easier time getting out of the fat stores, and then the body starts to burn fats instead of carbohydrates. Another great benefit of lowering insulin is that your kidneys will shed excess sodium and excess water out of your body, which will reduce bloating and unnecessary water weight.
It is not uncommon to lose up to 10 pounds, some times more, in the first week of eating in this way; both body fat and water weight. Cutting down your intake of carbohydrate, lower your insulin, and you will start to eat less calories automatically and without feeling hungry.
Bottom line: By removing sugars and starches from your diet will lower your insulin levels, kill your appetite and make you lose weight without hunger.
Step 2 is to eat protein, fats and vegetables
Every one of your meals should contain a source of protein, low carb source, and a source of healthy fat. If you construct your meals in this way, this will automatically bring your intake of carbs in to the recommended range of 20-50 grams per day.
Here are some sources of protein:
Meat - Beef, chicken, pork lamb, bacon
Fish and sea food - Salmon, trout, shrimps, lobsters
Eggs - Omega 3 or pastured eggs are best
It is very important to eat enough protein to lose weight. Eating sufficient quantities of protein has shown to boost the metabolism by 80 - 100 calories per day.
A diet which is high in protein can also reduce obsessive thoughts about food by as much as 60%, and also reduce desire for late night snacking by about half, and make you feel full so that you automatically eat around 441 calories less per day, this is simply by adding protein to your diet.
When it comes to losing weight, protein is the king of nutrients.
Here are some examples of low carb vegetables...
• Broccoli
• Spinach
• Cauliflower
• Kale
• Cabbage
• Brussel spouts
• Swiss chard
• Lettuce
• Cucumber
• Celery
Make sure you load your plate with these low carb vegetables. You can eat massive amount so these without going over 20 -50 of net carbs per day. A diet which consists of meat and vegetables, this contains all fibre, vitamins and minerals you need to be healthy.
A few examples of sources of fat include...
• Olive oil
• Coconut oil
• Avocado oil
• Butter
• Tallow
Aim to eat 5 small balanced meals per day, if you get hungry, you can add a 6th.
Do not avoid eating fat. I would advise not to try eating low carb and low fat at the same time, this recipe for disaster. It will make you feel miserable.
The very best cooking fat to us is coconut oil, it is rich in healthy fats that can help boost your metabolism. There is no reason to avoid natural fats at all, many new studies have shown that these fats do not increase your heart disease risk at all.
Bottom Line: Have a source of protein, low carb vegetable and healthy fat with each meal. His will put you in to the 2-50 gram carb range and lower your insulin levels and allow you to burn more fat easily.
Step 3, start lifting weights 3 times a week
You do not need to exercise to lose weight, but it is recommended for the many benefits of exercise. For best results go to the gym ¾ times a week, do a warm, do some strength work and also include a little cardio.
By lifting weights you will build muscle, which will help allow you to burn more calories naturally. The more muscle mass that you have the more calories that you burn. Lifting weight s will also help prevent your metabolism from slowing down.
If lifting weights in not an option for you, or if you do not want to do that, then you can look at some cardio workouts like running, swimming, skipping and these will help you burn calories and reduce your body weight

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9153745