The “Quick Weight Loss Diet” Trend Disadvantage

If you wear a size 14 and you blow a bundle on designer size 8 dresses as motivation, you will probably end up feeling guilty, frustrated, and angry if you are not slinking around in it a month later.

In reality, you will do much better setting smaller, achievable targets for yourself. If you must try the new-clothes strategy, go down a size at a time, and do not buy anything you have to take out a second mortgage to pay for.

Because, if you continue to remorse on losing weight fast, you will end up incorporating fad diets or those that offer quick weight loss.

For most people who are not aware of this fact, there are no such things as quick weight loss diets and there is no nippy weight loss for people who want to be slimmer than what their body can provide.

The problem with most people is that they tend to opt for nippy fixes wherein fact these things are not effective at all.

What Does Not Work

Today, there are plenty of weight-loss strategies that are guaranteed to backfire. This is because these nippy fixes instilled on certain diet plans are, in reality, not efficient because it does not employ the right principle and the right attitude in losing weight.

These quick weight loss diet plans are known as fad diets because that is exactly what they are, just a fad. In time, when fashion is over and popularity wanes down, people will realize that the diet they have depended on is not reliable at all.

To know more about these fad diets that are selling like hotcakes in the market today, here is a list of some telltale signs that would tell you not to try it even once.

Here they are:

1. Skipping meals

Does your diet plan require you to skip meals? If it does, then, it is a fad diet.

Abstain from food completely is not a healthy habit. It may even cause some serious complications or problems especially for people who are sick with diabetes.

Skipping meals will only cause a hypoglycemia, or the condition wherein your blood sugar is really low, and will probably only be effective in making you eat twice as much at the next meal.

2. Dieting without exercise, or vice versa

Exercise is crucial to the human body. It is important in the proper blood circulation and other activities of the human body system.

Therefore, diet plans that do not require you to exercise are nuisances. People are born to move.

But then again, exercise alone is not sufficient. Hence, it would be better if diet and exercise will go hand-in-hand.

3. Continuous dawdling

There is no better time to start losing weight. If you want to really lose those excess fats, you have to lose weight now.

Delaying tactics will not get you anywhere and will only make the problem worse. So, if your diet plan suggests a certain timeframe for you start losing weight, chances are, you are following the trend of fad diets.

Boiled down, it is best to rely more on the way you feel than the tale of the tape. This means that if the weighing scale tells you that you are losing weight even if it is slower than you would like, but you are feeling energetic and positive about your weight-loss efforts, then, you are just doing fine.

As mentioned and is worth mentioning all over again, weight loss is not a quick process.

visit my blog / http://www.expressweightloss.net

Losing Weight Rapidly

Losing Weight Rapidly

Wanting a slimmer and sexier body is no lofty ambition. Many people have succeeded in sculpting their physiques to make them look healthy and desirable. However, this end is not attained in just a snap or skipping one night's dinner. For some people though, patience is not a virtue. They seem not to be able to afford so much attention, time and money to get the body they have always wanted. As a result, these people result to rapid weight loss practices and programs which may not be as effective as these people are led to believe they are.

Fast-track diets are one of these rapid weight loss practices which may not be very inviting as they seem according to research. Fast-track diet programs, as scientific research shows, are only good while they last. Rapid weight loss often results ironically, to rapid weight gain. people who undergo low carbohydrate or low calorie diets normally revert back to old eating habits simply because human beings can not actually live on with this type of diet scheme for the rest of their lives.

Now there is also scientific research showing that rapid weight loss does not imply an individual is losing unwanted excess fat; it is commonly water that is lost with following rapid weight loss practices. This could cause certain alarm but actually, water lost is regained very quickly. So there is actually zero net weight lost after all. So one should not be foolish enough to be so gullible with the advertising of certain diet pills out there in the market; especially those which claim to aid lose a whopping amount of fat in a short time. They will only dehydrate the body. And just so it is clear, the body can only lose two pounds of fat per week, one could be exceptionally lucky if he can lose three, but normally, it's just two.

Another rapid weight loss product out in the market is the slimming soap. Claiming that these soaps are made from a unique concoction of rare chinese herbs and seaweed, they assert to help people using them to shed off body fats by emulsifying them upon application while taking a bath. Some are even specialized like those which promise to give the user "beautiful thighs". The ingredients may prove to improve the quality of the skin but no research has ever come up yet which aids to prove the efficacy of these ingredients in emulsifying excess body fats.

One more rapid weight loss product out there in the market promises to suppress hunger and at the same time help increase the body's metabolic rate. It also claims to be able to accelerate the healing process and reduce certain body pains, all these plus its being a very chic fashion accent. Well they are actually called magnetic weight loss earrings.

The secret of this set of earrings is in the magnet, so it says. Wearing them near the ears balances the magnetism in the body therefore one will experience all the above mentioned effects. Though press releases say that there are actually "studies" to back these assertions up, nothing yet is found in medical journals. Though buying a set may not kill a person, it's probably not a wise investment. One might as well wear a horse shoe earring for a more exquisite fashion statement.

Bottom line is "no pain, no gain". If one wants a beautiful body, one must sweat it out. And as for those rapid weight loss products coming out on the market, if they are too good to be true, they probably are not.

visit my blog / http://www.expressweightloss.net

Simple Tips to Lose Weight Easily

Your jeans definitely do not lie. Difficulty in pulling jeans past your thighs tell something about your increased weight. However, following a diet plan can help you lose weight easily.
Calories per day: While eating count your calories. Ensure that you do not eat more than 1200 calories a day. Start your day with a healthy breakfast including cereals, egg whites, brown bread, and a platter of fresh fruits. You can combine any seasonal fruit to fill your body. Eating in a controlled way can increase the metabolism rate and help you look perfect.
Measure and repeat: keep measuring cups, spoons and foods scales handy to eat correct portions of food. don't add dressing in your salad, if needed, one can add vinegar, lemon juices or olive oil to make the salad a little bit tasty.
Eat five times a day: it is important to eat two to three hours a day. Skipping meals or snacks can affect negatively on your body. Start your day with a glass of lemon and honey water with two digestive biscuits. After an hour, you can have a sumptuous breakfast. In the lunch, eat minimum just to satisfy your hunger and in dinner eat salads only. You can eat fruit and nuts between your meals.
Avoid beverages: drinking plenty of water is necessary. It is advised to drink a glass of water every hour or two. You can add lemon wedges or mint leaves in your water for a refreshing feel. Cut down on fizzy drinks, smoothies, cocktails, mock tails, etc. As they are high in calories. These will never help you reduce weight. Even drinking juice is not advisable. One should take whole fruit instead of juice.
Save calories: find simple ways to cut calories. You can swap your coke with chilled lemon water or you can avoid using cheese on your sandwich or burger. You can eat chicken or fish instead of beef and see a difference on your body weight.
Herbal medicines: popping herbal pills for weight loss is one of the best ways to lose weight. People who want quick results without much effort can take herbal medicines. These medicines are made from natural herbs and thus they are not harmful for your body. However, the medicines should be taken according to the dosage written on the medicine bottle or as prescribed by the doctor.
So, if you want to lose weight and get the perfect figure, then these tips can help. These tips can help you increase your metabolism rate and help you lose weight in a healthy manner.

Herbalcart is an online store based in New Port Richey, Florida, that offers natural and harmless vitamins and supplements for men's health, women's health, skin care and weight loss.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9041374

Wrap It Up With Herbs and Spices: 4 Weight Loss Wrap Recipes You Will Love

It's important to prioritize your health when you're aiming to trim some pounds. That's why it's important to eat nutrient-dense foods like fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices. It's easy to get discouraged if you're not enjoying your weight loss food, so variety is important.
Why not try these herbs and spices wrap recipes? You'll surely love flavorful low-calorie snacks!
Tuscan-Style Herbed Tuna Wraps
What you need:

• 2 whole grain tortillas
• 1/2 cup light tuna, drained
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup baby spinach
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 tbsps. chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, mix together tuna, tomatoes, spinach, lemon juice, parsley, olive oil, salt and pepper. Stir until ingredients are well-blended. Divide tuna mixture among the 2 tortillas fold over to make wraps. Top with fresh spinach. Serve immediately.
Turkey and Five-Spice Lettuce Wraps
What you need:

• 1/2 kg. lean ground turkey
• 2 heads lettuce, leaves separated
• 1 cup water chestnuts, chopped
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (basil, cilantro, mint and/or chives)
• 1/2 cup instant brown rice, cooked
• 1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
• 2 tbsps. hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp. minced fresh ginger
• 2 tsps. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. five-spice powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large saucepan. Add turkey and ginger then cook for 6-7 minutes until turkey is cooked through. Crumble turkey using a wooden spoon. Add cooked brown rice, water chestnuts, bell pepper, chicken broth, hoisin sauce, five-spice powder and salt. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Remove from heat and add spoonfuls of the turkey mixture into lettuce leaves. Top with carrots and fresh herbs. Roll into wraps and secure with toothpick.
Spicy Guacamole and Bean Burrito
What you need:

• 2 6-inch whole grain tortillas
• 1 cup shredded romaine lettuce
• 1/2 cup low-fat refried beans
• 1/4 cup salsa
• 3 tbsps. prepared guacamole
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, diced

Combine beans, salsa and jalapeno pepper in a small bowl. Microwave for 1-2 minutes. Arrange romaine lettuce in each flour tortilla. Top with warm bean mixture and guacamole. Roll up to make wraps. Serve immediately.
Herbed Hummus Vegetarian Wraps
What you need:

• 2 cups herbed hummus
• 4 large collard green leaves, steamed
• 1 cucumber, peeled and sliced into thin strips
• 1/2 jicama, peeled and sliced into thin strips
• 1 carrot, peeled and sliced into thin strips
• 1 ripe avocado, sliced
• 20 fresh basil leaves
• 1 stalk celery, sliced into thin strips
• 1/2 cup toasted cashews, slightly crushed
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh chives

Mix together cucumber, bell pepper, jicama, carrot and celery in a medium bowl until well-blended. Divide the mixture among 4 collard green leaves. Top with avocado slices, basil leaves, cashews and chives. Roll up to make wraps and secure with toothpick.
Enjoy snacking for weight loss with these fun and easy herbs and spices wrap recipes!

Adrian T. Cheng is a food blogger who promotes healthy eating. He has written numerous posts and articles about natural herbs and spices, shared countless of delicious and healthy recipes and reviewed top-notch cooking accessories that are worth checking out. You can view

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9050242

Apparently, Losing Weight Is Rocket Science

For years, I've quipped, "Losing weight is not rocket science. Shut your mouth and move your feet and you'll drop the weight." (The difficulty is all the "mental noise" that gets in the way.) Anyway, I've been proven wrong, as it apparently IS rocket science.
Let me explain.
I coach folks all across this vast land that find me via the internet or through referral. Of course, if they don't reside in the community I call home, our sessions are via phone. Consequently, it's unlikely I've met them face-to-face, or even know what they look like. Most times, unless it comes up in conversation, I am unaware of their vocations, as my purpose is to help them guide them past the pitfalls of shedding weight or changing another habit they don't like about themselves.
With that as backstory, after calling my client, he asked me to hold while he shut the door to avoid disturbing his co-workers. This prompted me to ask, "What do you do for a living?"
"I'm a rocket scientist," he said, "I study [something I couldn't even begin to understand about solar winds]."
After getting past my initial geek-fest about really working with someone who is doing what I would have loved to do (if I was willing to have been a better student in college of course), we got down to brass tacks about his progress; which had hit a rough patch. Most people who are losing weight - at a healthy and sustainable pace - drop maybe a pound a week as a long-term average. He had only shed about 16 ounces in three weeks, and was understandably disappointed.
However, what smacked me was how he handled this unhappy slow down. Many of us, when the weight isn't coming off as expected, "freak out." There's no other way to say it. Bad news at the scale triggers all manner of horrific thinking: our entire weight loss will be reversed and we'll never "get there." This activates an exaggerated emotional reaction, which begets the damaging belief, "It's not working. Why bother?" That, in turn elicits the urge to go back to how we used to eat, which of course puts on the very weight we were losing (albeit slowly), causing a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Rocket scientists, or at least this one, apparently think differently. He said, "I'm not getting the results I expected."
"I understand," I replied. "How can I help?"
"I don't think you can. I just have to analyze the variables in the equation and adjust them as to alter the outcome."
"What do you mean?"
"Apparently, if one is to judge by results, I'm either eating too much or not active enough - or both. So, I will increase my activity to 10,000 steps a day and monitor the consequences. If that works as planned, I should be on my way. If not, the next step would be trim caloric intake. Does that sound like a plan?"
"Uh, yeah." It did. And it does.
See, that's the thing. Losing weight is just another objective, and with every goal comes a plan. For example, should we decide to drive across the country, we don't just willy-nilly hop in the auto and head out. We figure out what we need to pack, determine a route, and locate lodging. Those don't ensure the strategy will work as expected. After all, roads close, weather happens, suitcases get lost, cars break down. We don't like it, but we adjust as necessary until we get where we're going.
Planning is not a panacea for success. "Stuff happens" all too often. Yet, just like any journey, when we hit a detour, we don't just park there and live. We adjust and move forward.
After all, losing weight is not brain surgery.

Scott "Q" Marcus is a motivational weight loss expert who specializes on helping baby boomers live happier, healthier lives. He is a professional speaker, Syndicated Columnist, and the CRP (Chief Recovering Perfectionist) of ThisTimeIMeanIt.com, a site for people who are tired of making promises to themselves but are willing to do what it takes to actually makes changes. In addition, he conducts speeches, workshops, and presentations throughout the country on how to achieve goals, improve attitude, and enjoy the process. You can contact him for speaking, coaching or consulting, or you can sign up for his free semi-weekly "Monday Motivational Memo" at http://www.ThisTimeIMeanIt.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9047764

Losing Weight by Making Simple Changes

Many people believe that, in order to lose weight, you need to eat strictly low fat foods or fat free foods to drop the weight. This is not the case. There is such a thing as good fats and bad fats. Foods that contain good fats are ones you should include into your diet; foods that contain bad fats are the ones you should be cutting from your diet.
In addition to changing your eating habits, it is important to know what lifestyle changes you should make in order to gain a healthier new you. It's not all about food choices; it's also about the daily habits you have chosen to include in how you live your life.
Foods to Avoid
When trying to fight body fat and to lose weight it is important to know which foods you need to avoid. Some of these include: margarine, soda, whole milk, bagels, hot dogs, foods high in fat, foods high in sugar, and foods high in fat AND sugar. Let's take a closer look at these types of foods and the reasons why you should stay away from them.
1. Stick Margarine: This type of butter-like spread is filled with fat. One tablespoon alone contains 100 calories as well as high levels of cholesterol and Trans fat. Trans fat is one major ingredient to stay away from because it reduces good cholesterol and increases bad cholesterol. It can also do significant damage to your blood vessels and increases your chances for clotting leading to a stroke. What's your alternative? Try eating softer margarine products as they tend to have fewer calories and no Trans fat. Whipped butter is also much healthier for you as it is regular butter that has been infused with air. This air reduces how many calories are in one serving and decreases the level of Trans fat you will be consuming.
2. Soda: This is a no-brainer; soda is not healthy for you in any way, shape or form. It has become one of the most significant reasons for obesity in the United States as it is readily available and extremely popular. All soda contains is flavoring, water and tons of sugar. The sugar found in soda comes in the form of high fructose corn syrup. There is no nutritional value to soda and all you will get is a bunch of empty calories and high sugar content. The acids found in soda can weaken your bones and damage your teeth. The alternative? Drink plenty of water or seltzer water that has all natural flavoring.
3. Whole Milk: Yes... it's true. Whole milk is not as good for you as once believed. While it does contain calcium and protein, it also contains high levels of saturated fat and cholesterol. It's also filled with calories that don't promote a healthy lifestyle. If whole milk isn't as good for you as once though, what is the alternative? If you want to continue with a real milk alternative, try drinking one percent or fat-free milk. A much healthier option is soy milk. It has no cholesterol and still supplies the body with a lot of calcium and protein without all the cholesterol and large amounts of calories.
4. Bagels: Bread and bagels can be somewhat difficult to avoid, especially if you fancy your sandwich or sub for lunch every day or a hearty bagel loaded with cream cheese for breakfast. Bagels are made from refined wheat flour which has been stripped of all nutritional value. It has very little dietary fiber and nutrients. If they were made from yeast you would be able to eat several as they would be lighter and fluffier in texture; but they aren't. Because bagels aren't made from yeast they become very dense meaning you will consume a ton of calories into one small piece of bread. The alternative? Whole-grain muffins, whole wheat bagels and oat bran bagels are excellent alternatives as they are higher in dietary fiber and nutrients and are perfect to get your daily bread fix. Make sure these alternatives are less dense than regular bagels to reduce the number of calories you take in.
5. Hot Dogs: Hot dogs are an all-American classic food enjoyed at backyard picnics and baseball games. They are easy to eat and cost next to nothing not to mention they taste great and appeal to people of all ages. The downfall? There is little nutritional value and add no beneficial "side effects" towards your health. Here are some of the most important reasons to stay away from hot dogs:
• They are full of saturated fat and salt.
• The seasoning in the hot dogs makes it easy to eat two or three of them without a second thought.
• Because of the high calorie, salt and fat content they are linked to heart disease and colon cancer.
Healthy alternatives include:
a. Turkey dogs
b. Chicken dogs
c. Sausage
Each of these contains better proteins than the traditional hot dog. They are also leaner and contain less sodium than regular hot dogs.
6. Foods with high fat content are definitely on the "toss in the trash" foods. It's a pretty obvious statement as well: if you want to lose weight eating foods that are packed with fat aren't going to help you lose the weight. If you want to lose the fat but are eating foods high in fat you are essentially adding more fat to your body. Here is a list of foods to avoid that are high in fat content:
Saturated Fats:
• Butter
• Ice Cream
• Chicken Fat
• Cheese
• Meat Fat
• Palm oil
• Coconut oil from beef
• Lamb
• Pork
• Veal
Trans Fats:
• Some margarines
• Cookies
• Crackers
• Snack foods
• Shortening
• Doughnuts
• Cakes
• Frozen foods
• Candy
• Potato chips
7. Foods high in sugar are definitely tasty and may seem harmless when consumed once in a while. Making it habit is when the real damage to your health is done. Any foods that are high in refined carbs or sugars can make your blood sugar level spike very quickly. When this happens your pancreas will release higher levels of insulin to bring your blood sugar levels back down to a normal level. The bad part about this is your blood sugar will drop to a level that is much lower than what it was before you at these types of foods which will then in turn force you to eat more sugar to bring your blood sugar level back to a more normal range. Some examples of sugary foods to avoid include:
• Soda
• Fruit juice
• White bread
• Cakes and cookies
• Any type of candy
• Any type of baked good that is not considered "no sugar added"
8. Foods that are high in fat AND sugar is like putting your body through a double roller coaster twice. This is a double threat to your health and overall well-being. These are foods you MUST eliminate from your diet. The reason for this is that foods higher in sugar content stimulates the body's natural insulin response which then provides an opening to your body's cells to absorb the sugar as well as the fat. The calories will go straight to your common trouble areas and will continue to build up in those areas until you cut them out of your diet completely. Examples include:
• Potato chips and other similar snacks
• French fries (they may be made from potatoes but once they are cut and filled with all kinds of fillers they are no longer providing any health benefits
• Cakes, tarts and other similar baked goods
• Chocolate
• White bread with butter
Battling body fat starts with changing your diet and the types of food you consume. Here are some tips to help jump start your healthier diet plan:
• Eat only lean protein
• Consume plenty of vegetables
• Eat foods that are LOW in fat, not fat free
• Switch out your white bread products to whole grain bread products for good carbs
• Decrease your portion size
Foods to Eat when Trying to Lose Weight
When it comes to losing weight eating the same foods every day can make dieting monotonous and boring. You can easily get so bored that you may stop the diet all together. Some people have a problem with eating the same foods while others don't. The good thing is that you don't have to eat the same foods to achieve your weight loss goals.
There are three food categories that considered the most important: fats, proteins and carbs. Protein is the building block of any diet. You will want to eat 1 to 2 grams of protein per pound of body weight daily which will the foundation of your diet. This provides you with the nutrients required to build muscle tissue after exercising. Having more muscle means that your body will require more energy and it burns more calories. The following is a list of lean proteins that you should include in your diet.
• Skinless chicken
• Skinless turkey
• Lean cuts of pork
• Lean cuts of beef
• Lean cuts of veal
• Lean cuts of lamb
• Egg whites
• Eggs
• Tuna fish
Each one of these proteins is very lean and excellent choices to help you lose weight.
Carbs is the next food category. They provide energy as your body breaks down sugar. Complex carbs take longer for your body to break down although it stabilizes your insulin. Carbs also allows your body to use carbs for energy instead of all protein. This allows the proteins to rebuild any destroyed muscle tissue. The following is a list of excellent carb choices.
• Brown rice
• 100% whole wheat bagels, bread and pita bread
• Whole grain pasta
• Yams and sweet potatoes
• Oatmeal
• Apples
• Plums
• Oranges
• Bananas
• Strawberries
• Grapes
• Pears
• Peaches
• Cantaloupe
Each of these carb sources are great choices to promote healthy weight loss. If you are craving sugary carbs it is best to eat those after exercising so your body can use the spike of insulin to help with muscle recovery.
The third category is fats. There are good fats and bad fats. Good fats include monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats. Limit the amount of fats you eat daily as it equals 9 calories per 1 gram which is more than double that for carbs and protein. Here is a list of the best fats to consume while trying to lose weight:
• Peanuts, almonds and cashews
• All-natural peanut butter
• Omega 3 fatty acids supplements (Fish Oil)
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Flax seed oil
• Flax seeds
The best choice for providing your body with fats is Omega 3. It is considered an essential fatty acid as it optimizes many different bodily functions. With all the choices mentioned above you will never have to eat the same foods twice making dieting interesting and far from boring.
Aside from the above list, there are other foods that will help you with your weight loss journey. High-fiber foods are great to help suppress hunger allowing you to eat less frequently during the day. Snacking throughout the day is a natural habit we have and foods rich in fiber will help stop the unnecessary snacking. Oatmeal is a great fiber rich food to start your day with. Try eating oatmeal with some grapes or apple slices to cut the blandness that oatmeal tends to have.
One of the most important things to "eat" is water. Hunger and thirst can be interchangeable. Many people think they are hungry when they are actually thirsty. Water has many benefits for your body. It helps flush out harmful pathogens and toxins from your body and curbs your appetite. Drinking a tall glass of water with meals will help fill you up quickly leaving little room for eating in excess.
Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables are another important food to include in your diet. They are good for you and are rich in fiber. Some of the best vegetables are broccoli and cabbage. Broccoli provides many beneficial assets to your health. Some important facts about broccoli and your health include:
• 1 cup of broccoli only has 40 calories and no fat
• It is high in fiber
• It contains high amounts of calcium and vitamin C
• The greener the broccoli, the better it is for you
• The firmer the stems of the broccoli, the better it is for you
You can prepare broccoli in many different ways that will make it very appetizing to eat. Since broccoli tends to be bland or has a "leafy" taste to it, most people choose to prepare it using seasoning, in soups or even blended with fruit to make smoothies. Some ways you can prepare broccoli to make it more appealing are:
1. Add some salt and pepper to fresh, boiled broccoli.
2. Boil fresh broccoli and include it in a nice, light soup.
3. Blend fresh broccoli with apples, grapes, oranges, bananas, and/or strawberries along with some ice to make a tasty, silky smoothie.
4. Sautee some fresh broccoli lightly in butter, salt and pepper.
There's always a way to make bland food taste great without losing those valuable nutrients that makes it so healthy for you.
Cabbage is another great choice of vegetable that provides many benefits to your health. Some of the benefits include:
• One cup of cabbage has only 30 calories when cooked; when eating it raw one cup has only 19 calories.
• Cabbage has been proven to help prevent colon cancer and helps people longer lives.
• It is packed full of essential vitamins including vitamins A, C, E, and B.
• Eating cabbage has been proven to fight infection and ulcers.
• It is a natural diuretic which reduces water retention.
There are many ways to prepare cabbage. One of the most popular ways is to sautée strips of cabbage in sea salt, pepper and just a little bit of olive oil. Cook it until its tender and voila! You have a yummy, tasty, low-calorie addend to any type of meal.
Organic fruits and vegetables have become more and more popular over the years. They are more expensive although, if you are serious about losing weight and getting rid of unwanted fat, they are worth every penny. The benefits of eating organic fruits and vegetables include:
• They are rich in antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
• No harmful chemicals or pesticides were used to grow these fruits and veggies.
• Organic fruits and veggies are rich in fiber.
• There are no added sugars that you would typically find in fruit juices.
While cabbage and broccoli have virtually no calories, beans has quite a bit of calories but are considered to be one of the best foods to eat while trying to lose weight. Even though one cup of cooked beans contains 220 calories, they are very high in protein and extremely low in fat. They are very versatile in their preparation and can be easily prepared with bread, noodles or rice. Aside from being easy to prepare, they can lower cholesterol.
Believe it or not, green tea is great for losing weight. Green tea can be found in many foods and supplements as well to improve overall health. Some of the benefits of green tea include:
• Packed with antioxidants which has be proven to battle coronary illness and cancer, lowers cholesterol, can prevent stroke and diabetes, helps consume calories, and can help fight the onset of dementia.
• Helps lower blood pressure.
• Helps reduce fat and lowers the level of bad cholesterol.
Nuts and seeds have always been one of the most recommended foods to eat for various purposes. They are the healthiest food available. Almonds are at the top of the list to help lower weight, fight fat buildup, are rich in fiber and protein, help stabilize blood sugar, and are excellent antioxidants.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9043435

Weird, But Effective Trick to Motivate Yourself to Lose Weight

The way to lose weight is to change your habits. Those things you do every day that - until now - got you to the overweight condition you may be in (assumed because otherwise you wouldn't be reading this article).
To become thin you must adopt these four habits and do them every day, seven days per week:
1. Cook all your food yourself, in your own kitchen, the night before for the entire next day. Then keep your food with you always, even if you must go to a party or other event where food will be served. As drastic as this sounds, it is absolutely necessary because you must control calories, and food you have not cooked is food with unknown calories.
2. Don't eat any food you haven't planned, calculated the calories in, and cooked yourself. In other words, no "cheating." Cooking all your food and keeping it with you will make this easy to do, and will remove the need for will power.
3. Exercise. You've heard this before and it's a boring diet suggestion, but you've heard it so often because if you are to become thin in your lifetime exercise is absolutely necessary. Running is the most effective, cheapest, fastest and simplest exercise to incorporate into your life regardless of the claims of any infomercial selling exercise programs or contraptions.
4. Meditate. Visualize your thin body daily. Create a goal image of yourself. This can be in the form of an old photo of a thin you, or literally your head pasted on the body of a thin person. Then identify clothes that are too small that you want to fit in - your "goal clothes. Visualize yourself in your goal clothes with your goal image of your head on your perfect body every day.
Do these four simple tasks every day and record your performance on calendars. Every day, seven days a week, do the four tasks or Rules above then make a \ / | or - mark for each of the four tasks completed. The tasks are simple and won't take much time. These tasks are very, very do-able by anyone.
WHY CALENDARS?
If you are overweight, you are carrying around extra body fat that is the result of your past behaviors. Using calendars to record your behavior in the opposite direction has many psychologically motivating advantages. You can see the effort (or lack of effort) you are putting toward your goal to become thin. You can also use the visual image of your recorded calendar accomplishments as a motivator to not cheat. The calendar shows your daily weight loss accomplishments as opposed to your body fat which has "recorded" your weight gain "accomplishments." By using calendars you provide yourself with a visual record that grows just as your body size grew as you gained weight. This provides balance in your subconscious and changes the concept of dieting from an act that is "taking away" to an act that is building new habits into your life - a healthy, thin and in-shape you. Marking these four tasks on a calendar makes dieting constructive - not destructive. Without using a constructive instrument like the calendar, we tend to think of dieting in negative terms such as deprivation, denial, struggle and effort. Without the constructive mental picture of what you have accomplished it is more difficult to stay motivated to lose weight. This calendar method is so effective that you may find yourself applying the principle to other goals in your life.
TODAY, RIGHT NOW, IS YOUR FIRST DAY.
Note what the date is today. The day that you are reading this - today - should be a day that has no other significance in your life. It should not be your birthday and should not be a holiday. It especially should not be January 1 of any year unless you happen to be reading these sentences on January 1 which is unlikely. Why? Because starting a diet on some special day in the future gives you an excuse to procrastinate - to put off starting. It also will make it more difficult to stay on the diet program because we tend to allow ourselves to fail at goals started on days of significance. The day to start should be a random day like today. And because you've read these words you must start immediately and therefore cannot "gorge" yourself with food before you start your diet. You have started your diet now. If you "pig out" for even a day you can expect your weight loss to take an average of two weeks longer than if you start immediately.
PUT FOUR MONTHS WORTH OF CALENDARS ON THE WALL
Get some form of heavy pen or black marker and note today's date on the calendar. Circle the day and write "First Day" on the square for today. Next, fasten your calendar on the wall in a place you will see it often - that is, some place you walk by regularly. This is extremely important, because the calendar is going to be in your thoughts a lot in the coming days and weeks.
The calendar is the foundation of your resolve to change your life and it is therefore extremely important that seeing the calendar pages and the accomplishments of the four Rules above is "woven" into your everyday activities - every single day. The calendar continuously communicates not only what you've accomplished but what you plan to accomplish, how far you intend to go and how fast you are getting there. Your past successes will motivate you to do even better in the future, and your resolve to do better in the future will lead to more successes. Therefore, make the calendar as noticeable, eye-catching and prominent in your home as possible.
Unless you continuously measure the calories you eat by cooking your own food and the calories you burn by exercising you will keep struggling and yo-yo dieting. Unless you follow a plan such as the calendar method described here and do so without ever cheating even one single day you will not become thin and you will not know why. Cheating and not following the four rules even one day stops weight loss causing you to have to start over. Calendars are absolutely essential to developing diet motivation.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9034732