‏إظهار الرسائل ذات التسميات Quick Weight Loss. إظهار كافة الرسائل
‏إظهار الرسائل ذات التسميات Quick Weight Loss. إظهار كافة الرسائل

The “Quick Weight Loss Diet” Trend Disadvantage

♠ Posted by Unknown in



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.

Rapid Weight Loss Techniques

♠ Posted by Unknown in



Other than physical appearance weight affects a person in many ways. This could be the overall quality of life, self-esteem, depression, health risks, and physical incapabilities. There are a lot of positive changes once a person experience weight loss.  It is for this reason why a lot of people are searching for a weight loss technique that will surely trim down those fats and get a super slim head turner body.

The first thing that an over-weight should do is seek a doctor to recommend the best weight loss regimen. This will be done after a full physical examination, which leads to the determination of proper weight loss technique. And to lose weight fast and effectively four aspects of life should be changed: what to eat, how to eat, behavior and activity level.

Here are fast tips that can change an over-weight's life:

First: Fast weight loss composes of a multi-faceted technique that consists mindset, exercise, and in other cases, diet supplements.  Begin by learning a diet food plan that can easily be accustomed with.  Incorporate an exercise plan that allows even at least fifteen minutes a day like brisk walking, running, swimming, and dancing.

Second: Set realistic approaches.  The ability to focus and have proper mindset enables someone on a diet to quickly lose those extra pounds. With discipline and proper mind set, a dieter will never be discouraged and lose focus.

Third: Listen as the body speaks.  Each and everyone's body metabolism reacts differently to different fast weight loss programs and plans.  Try substituting one program for another to compensate the body's reaction.  Exercise program must be suitable to one's body, as others are not able to exercise as rigorously as others can.  If walking is all that can be done, then walk for this is proven the best exercise.  Muscles burn more calories than fats so it's also best to put on a little muscle and looking good too.

Fourth: Eat more fibers for it makes a person full sooner and stays in the tummy longer, slowing down the rate of digestion.  A single serving of whole grain bread moves fat through the digestive system faster.  Grains turn into blood sugar that spikes the body's insulin level.  Thus, making the body more energized and ready to tell the body when it should stop burning fats or start storing.

Fifth: Keep away from fried foods especially deep-fried as this contains a great amount of fat.  Although fish and chicken appear leaner than beef, this white meat can contain more fat than when a beef is fried.  It is recommended for those on strict diet to opt for grilled food as this does not have or contain less amount of fat after the food is cooked.

Sixth: Takes lots of fluid.  Drinking at least six to eight glasses of water a day keeps the body refreshed.  Since weight loss depends on how the body eliminates body wastes, the body must stay hydrated.

All in all, discipline and consistency is still the best practice and the key to a rapid weight loss success.  Light dieting, workout, and right amount of supplementation applied in a regular way everyday will result in faster weight loss than having a massive action only to be followed a return to old habits as this would only lead to gaining more weight than when the weight loss plan has started.

read more good articles her

http://weightlossdietonline.com/



Overnight Weight Loss

♠ Posted by Unknown in



The rise in the number of fast foods joints that have a lot of saturated fat in the meals, the use of a lot of refined sugar in sodas and other processed foods and eating food with less fiber have all contributed to the fact that there are more people than before who are classified as either overweight or are obese.

A lot of other factors cause this to happen such as genetics, overeating and as people age; the metabolism slows down making it harder than before to burn the food that was just consumed.

The rate that a person loses weight is commensurate to how it is gained. Rapid weight is not good advisable since it leaves the person with lose skin and the only way to get rid of that would require surgery.

Weight loss depends on the condition of the person which includes weight, health, calorie-intake, age, gender, lifestyle, stress level and routine.

Being overweight does not necessarily make a person unhealthy. It just makes the person a bit unfashionable. Studies have shown that people who are a bit overweight live longer than those who have normal weight.

There is no quick or overnight solution for quick weight loss.

Nutritionists and other health experts will say that a person’s weight with proper exercise can actually help lose a certain number of pounds per week The best way to do this is with a low calorie diet and an exercise plan.

The first thing a person needs to do is to choose a diet program designed by a dietitian or another health professional. The patient has to be evaluated before any program can be made. The program 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.

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 lose weight.

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 lose weight.

All diet plans are designed to make the person induce reduced amount of calories into the body. This does not mean that the person has to eat less. It just means that one has to eat smart by choosing the foods that have less calories. This makes it possible for someone to lose weight without the need to eat less.

During the course of the program, the person should still consult with the doctor and other health experts to monitor ones progress. There will be times that it is essential to modify the diet plan to further lose weight.

It is up to the person already to stick to the program to see that it works.




The “Quick Weight Loss Diet” Trend Disadvantage

♠ Posted by Unknown in

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.

"Rapid Weight Loss Techniques"

♠ Posted by Unknown in

Other than physical appearance weight affects a person in many ways. This could be the overall quality of life, self-esteem, depression, health risks, and physical incapabilities. There are a lot of positive changes once a person experience weight loss.  It is for this reason why a lot of people are searching for a weight loss technique that will surely trim down those fats and get a super slim head turner body.

The first thing that an over-weight should do is seek a doctor to recommend the best weight loss regimen. This will be done after a full physical examination, which leads to the determination of proper weight loss technique. And to lose weight fast and effectively four aspects of life should be changed: what to eat, how to eat, behavior and activity level.

Here are fast tips that can change an over-weight's life:

First: Fast weight loss composes of a multi-faceted technique that consists mindset, exercise, and in other cases, diet supplements.  Begin by learning a diet food plan that can easily be accustomed with.  Incorporate an exercise plan that allows even at least fifteen minutes a day like brisk walking, running, swimming, and dancing.

Second: Set realistic approaches.  The ability to focus and have proper mindset enables someone on a diet to quickly lose those extra pounds. With discipline and proper mind set, a dieter will never be discouraged and lose focus.

Third: Listen as the body speaks.  Each and everyone's body metabolism reacts differently to different fast weight loss programs and plans.  Try substituting one program for another to compensate the body's reaction.  Exercise program must be suitable to one's body, as others are not able to exercise as rigorously as others can.  If walking is all that can be done, then walk for this is proven the best exercise.  Muscles burn more calories than fats so it's also best to put on a little muscle and looking good too.

Fourth: Eat more fibers for it makes a person full sooner and stays in the tummy longer, slowing down the rate of digestion.  A single serving of whole grain bread moves fat through the digestive system faster.  Grains turn into blood sugar that spikes the body's insulin level.  Thus, making the body more energized and ready to tell the body when it should stop burning fats or start storing.

Fifth: Keep away from fried foods especially deep-fried as this contains a great amount of fat.  Although fish and chicken appear leaner than beef, this white meat can contain more fat than when a beef is fried.  It is recommended for those on strict diet to opt for grilled food as this does not have or contain less amount of fat after the food is cooked.

Sixth: Takes lots of fluid.  Drinking at least six to eight glasses of water a day keeps the body refreshed.  Since weight loss depends on how the body eliminates body wastes, the body must stay hydrated.

All in all, discipline and consistency is still the best practice and the key to a rapid weight loss success.  Light dieting, workout, and right amount of supplementation applied in a regular way everyday will result in faster weight loss than having a massive action only to be followed a return to old habits as this would only lead to gaining more weight than when the weight loss plan has started.



Thinking Like a Thin Person

♠ Posted by Unknown in

 
          Your struggle with weight might have begun while you were a child, as you attempted to find out just how many cookies you could eat at one sitting.  Or it might have occurred shortly after you arrived on a college campus for the first time.  Those late nights of studying might have led to late-night binging sessions.  Or you might have gained weight after the birth of your first child, and have been unable to shed the weight ever since.  No matter what the cause, weight gain is a serious matter.  It can affect your energy level, your stamina, and your overall health.  Obesity has been linked to a number of diseases, including heart disease, cancer, and diabetes.

           Once you determine that you are overweight, you have to make a commitment to bring your weight under control.  This can be a daunting venture.  You have turned overeating into a habit, and reversing that habit can be difficult.  In essence, you have taught yourself to “think like a fat person.”  In order to reverse this trend, you need to learn to think like a thin person.

           What exactly does this mean?  To begin with, it means that you must throw away your preconceived ideas about food and eating.  Eating might have become a social event for you.  As a result, you’ll need to learn to be sociable without food.  This is similar to the struggle that alcoholics face when they must learn to socialize without beer or liquor.  Just because this is hard lesson to learn doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. 

             Thinking like a thin person also means that you need to develop new coping strategies.  You might be viewing food as your friend, the one you turn to when things are not going your way.  You may even be eating in secret because you’re ashamed at how much you’re eating.  You need to realize that your public persona needs to be the same as your private persona—and your diet should match both.

             A number of thin people exercise without even noticing it.  Activity has become a normal part of their day.  The same thing needs to be true of you.  You need to exercise as much as possible.  It should ultimately become second nature for you.  It should not be a chore—it should be a fun part of your week.  Take an inventory of your preferences.  Whether you like tennis or bowling, badminton or running, choose the activity that best represents your style.  Then exercise diligently—preferably six times a week.  This will speed up your metabolism so that you will burn fat more quickly.  Also, you need to overcome any fear you have of exercising.  As an overweight person, you might find exercise frustrating—and you might fear what other people will think of you as they watch you exercising.  You need to realize that chances are no one cares about your exercise routine.  Don’t let fear get in the way of your progress.

             Thinking thin also means controlling portion sizes.  This can be difficult, especially when eating out.  However, the key to effective weight loss often lies in limiting your food intake, and that begins with portion control.  You might try putting your dinner on a smaller plate in order to ensure that your portion sizes are not too large. 

              You have to realize that thinking as a thin person does not happen overnight.  You have had years to develop your thought patterns and changing them can be a challenge.  The important thing to remember is to take one day at a time and keep in mind that your weight loss will not happen instantaneously.  It will take months of hard work to reach your ideal weight.  However, the good news is that once you get into the habit of thinking thin, it’s a trait you can carry with you for life.  The difference between a fat person and a thin person is not just a matter of the body, but of the mind as well.   Once you realize that, you will be well on your way to accomplishing your weight loss goals, both your immediate goals and your future goals.        


               

The Diet Pill: A Quick Fix?

♠ Posted by Unknown in

 
       Modern medicine has given us a number of miracles in a bottle.  We have pills for arthritis, pills for heartburn, pills for heart trouble.  We have pills that will help us wake up in the morning, pills that will help us digest our afternoon meal, and pills that will enable us to sleep at night.  We live in a pill-popping society.

      Because of the number of medications available, we often turn to pills to cure what ails us—no matter what our trouble might be.  Whether it’s physical or emotional, we may believe that medication will take care of the problem.  As a result, it’s not surprising that a number of us also turn to diet pills in an effort to control our weight.

       There are a number of advantages to using diet pills when trying to fight fat.  To begin with, diet pills are quick-acting—we may see results after only a little bit of time has elapsed.  As a result, we may gain confidence and lose even more weight as a result of our success with diet pills.  Other people—friends, relatives, co-workers—may notice our weight loss and may compliment us as a result.  Consequently, we may be motivated to work even harder at our weight loss.

      Diet pills are also convenient.  We can keep them in our medicine cabinet or kitchen cupboard.  We can take a pill in the morning and not have to worry about our weight for the rest of the day.  We don’t have to do a great deal of research, as is required when we are trying to determine which diet to try.  In addition, taking a diet pill is hardly as strenuous as running five miles or swimming ten laps.

       Moreover, diet pills can help us to shift some of the responsibility for losing weight to another entity.  No longer is it simply up to us to control our weight.  We look to the pill to resolve our weight problem, once and for all.  This can help to lower our anxiety, reducing our stress level. 

     But there are also serious disadvantages to using diet pills.  For instance, there is the possibility that we will become addicted to the medication.  This can take a toll on not only our physical health, but our emotional health as well.  We may become too dependent on the pills, expecting them to solve our weight problems. 

     Diet pills also teach us nothing about good nutrition.  You do not have to learn about proper diet if you are depending on a pill to take your excess weight away.  As a result, an individual may never discover the importance of healthy eating, and his or her overall health could suffer as a result.

     In addition, there is no such thing as a quick fix when it comes to weight loss.  While you might lose weight for a time after taking diet pills, you could quickly regain the weight, once you go off the pills.  As a result, diet pills fail to provide a life-long approach to healthy weight maintenance.

     Given the pros and cons of diet pills, you might be wondering whether they would be right for you.  Check with your family physician.  He or she is in the best position to assess your overall health and determine whether diet pills would be appropriate in your particular case.  Secondly, consider consulting with a nutritionist.  He or she can help advise you about whether to take diet pills.

     Diet pills are a huge industry within the U.S.  So, there is a great deal of marketing, urging you to purchase these so-called wonder drugs.  But, before you buy, you have to seriously consider whether these pills could jeopardize your health.  While it may be important for you to lose weight, it is even more important for you to shield your body from harm.  


     Weight loss is not miraculous.  It takes a great deal of dedication and perseverance.  Therefore, it is unlikely that you will find the secret to weight loss in a bottle.   By changing your diet and exercising, you might notice only incremental changes in your weight.  However, over the long term, you might be better able to maintain healthy weight loss by sticking with the tried-and-true formula of diet and exercise.

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

♠ Posted by Unknown in

 
         As a child, you may have kept a diary to record your daily activities, your hopes, and your fears.  If you wrote in the diary each day, it might have seemed as if the diary itself had become one of your best friends.  As you grew older, the diary might have become a record of your job search, love life, or wedding plans.  Psychologists, in fact, tell us that writing down your goals can be the first step to achieving them.  It has been demonstrated that individuals who kept a written record of their hunt for employment were more likely to find the job they wanted than those who did not.

         It’s not surprising, then, that some dieticians recommend keeping a food diary or journal if you’re hoping to lose weight.  If you’re not accustomed to writing, the idea can seem a bit daunting at first.  After all, if you don’t seem to have the time to record all of your baby’s “firsts”—the first words, the first steps, the first day of reciting the alphabet—how can you be expected to find the time to write down everything that passes through your lips?  It’s a valid question; however, if you stop to consider just how much time you spend eating, surely you can find the time to write down what you eat.

          The key to keeping a food diary is motivation.  You have to have a desire to record your food choices.  One good way to do this is to place a picture of your heaviest self onto the cover of a notebook.  Also, make sure that you keep the notebook in full view, either on your bedside table or on the kitchen table.  This could provide you with just the incentive you need to make note of what you’re eating.   Another motivating factor could be to log your daily weight at the beginning of each diary entry.  That way, you can see if your dietary choices are having an effect on your weight.   If you find that you are shedding pounds, you can affix a gold star next to your entry.  The gold star can provide the psychological boost necessary to continue to lose weight.

            Of course, the next question you’ll face is:  What exactly should I write down for each entry?  To begin with, just include a running list of foods, along with portion sizes.  You might be surprised to find out not only what you’re eating, but also how large the portions are.  Next, categorize each food entry.  Is it a fruit, vegetable, whole grain, or fat?  Such information could be vitally important in determining where your excess pounds are coming from.

             You can also use your journal for meal planning.  If you think about what you should eat ahead of time, you’ll be less likely to indulge in the wrong foods.  Such planning can make you feel more organized and more in control—two important elements for losing weight. 

              If you indulge in comfort food every once in a while, don’t panic.  Eating high-calorie foods occasionally can help prevent a feeling of deprivation which can lead to overeating.  The key is to eat “bad foods” in moderation.  It is also important that you write down everything you eat, including fatty foods.  Trying to hide your food choices by not writing them down is counter-productive and could lead to feelings of guilt.

             Yet another helpful idea is to write down your goal weight each day.  This can be an important element of psychological warfare.  Knowing what your goal is—and mapping out a way to get there—can improve your chances of achieving critical milestones. 

              Also, when possible, try to make your diary experience fun.  Do your writing on the patio, by the pool, or in your bathtub.  Set the mood by playing some of your favorite music in the background.  Decorate your diary by using colored pens or colorful stickers.  Whatever you can do to make your diary-keeping chores more interesting will certainly be helpful. 

               Be aware of the fact that it could take you a while to get into the diary-keeping habit.  But, once you see those pounds melt away, you’ll find it’s well worth the investment of time and energy.     

               


           

Sugar Busters: The Diet Sensation

♠ Posted by Unknown in

 
         If you love your sugary sodas and oh-so-sweet chocolate cream pies, you know how difficult it is to restrict the amount of sugar in your diet.   However, eliminating sugar can be critical to effective weight loss.  That, at least, is the theory behind the diet known as Sugar Busters.  While some experts consider this diet to be instrumental in helping people shed unwanted pounds, critics contend that it is just another dietary fad.
            There are a number of misconceptions about Sugar Busters.  It does not consider carbohydrates to be the enemy, and it is not oozing with fat.  The Sugar Busters formula is 40/30/30, or 40 percent carbs, 30 percent protein and 30 percent fat.  That means that the diet does not ban carbs; it simply urges people to consume nutritious carbs.   While dieters may consume a great deal of protein, it is not considered to be strictly a high-protein diet. 
         Those on the Sugar Busters plan eat a fair amount of grain, which enables the intestines to work properly and can also reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels.   In fact, the amount of fiber consumed is considered to be one of the diet’s biggest attributes.  Fiber has also been credited with helping the body to maintain healthy weight loss.
           Of course, the key ingredient of Sugar Busters is the reduction in an individual’s sugar intake.  While this may be difficult at first, medical experts say that, after an extended period of time without sugar, an individual will no longer crave it.  Therefore, you can truly kiss those banana splits goodbye, once you go on the Sugar Busters plan.
           What you may not realize is all that sugar entails.  It includes corn syrup, dextrose, sucrose,  and honey.  In other words, to the layman, it includes not only sugar, but a number of sugar substitutes.  About the only permitted sugars are the lactose found in milk and the fructose which appears in fruit. 
            Of course, Sugar Busters has both assets and liabilities.  On the plus side, it eliminates unhealthy sugary foods from one’s diet.  It allows an extensive array of protein-rich foods; therefore, you’re less likely to feel unsatisfied.  It also encourages healthy sugar consumption in the form of fruit.   In addition, proponents of the Sugar Busters plan encourage dieters to drink a great deal of water which helps to flush out the system.
             But there are also flaws in the Sugar Busters plan.  Critics maintain that it places too much emphasis on cutting sugar, and not enough on reducing one’s intake of other unhealthy food.  Also, it restricts the consumption of some fruits and vegetables, causing dieters to lose valuable vitamins and minerals.  At the same time, detractors say, it encourages far too much consumption of protein, which can result in kidney damage.  Moreover, some dieticians maintain that the only effective way to lose weight is by cutting calories, not simply by zapping sugar from the diet.
            And there are other things to consider with Sugar Busters as well.  For instance, if you follow the program religiously, you may be deprived of vitamin D, as well as calcium.  You could also see your bad cholesterol levels skyrocket because of the protein-rich foods you are eating.   Sugar Busters has also been linked to heart disease and osteoporosis.  And then there’s the obvious problem:  it’s simply difficult to give up candy, cookies, bread, and other treats, even if you want to be committed to the program.
             It is also important to note that the authors of Sugar Busters do not guarantee a specific amount of weight loss.  If you try to follow the program and you fail to lose weight, the plan’s supporters maintain that you have probably indulged in too many carbohydrates.  This may or may not be true; the point is that following the program can be a challenge for anyone—even the most disciplined dieter.  However, if you’re not fond of sweets, you enjoy high-protein foods, and you can live without many carbohydrates, Sugar Busters may be the right plan for you.    The best advice may be to try it and see if it yields results—without jeopardizing your health in the process. 
 


Eating the Sugar-Free Way

♠ Posted by Unknown in

       Perhaps your weakness is pistachio ice cream, brownies with nuts, or pancakes covered with syrup.  Many of us crave sweets—sometimes throughout the day.  Some of us may even be addicted to sugar.  The problem is, large helpings of sugary foods can lead to substantial weight gain.  But eating sugar-free does not necessarily guarantee weight loss.
          A food may be sugar-free and still contain a great amount of calories and carbohydrates.  You may be thinking that you can lose weight simply by using sugar substitutes.  However, this is a naïve way of thinking, since some sugar substitutes increase your intake of both calories and carbs.   For instance, the sugar substitute fructose adds calories and carbs to your daily diet.  These types of sugar substitutes are often called sugar alcohols or polyols. 
            It should be stated that polyols can be highly beneficial.  For instance, while they offer a sugary taste, they have fewer calories than sugar.  They are particularly advantageous for people with diabetes and, unlike sugar, they do not cause tooth decay.  You can find polyols in a number of baked goods and candies.  Interestingly enough, they can even be found in mouthwashes.  
           Given the fact that polyols are low-cal, they can be helpful in a weight management program.   Fortunately, there are a number of desserts that are both sugar-free and delicious.  For instance, sugar-free lemon cheesecake is a healthy alternative to the typical high-calorie cheesecake.  You can also make butterscotch and pumpkin pudding by using sugar-free butterscotch pudding mix.
       A sugar-free version of Old-Fashioned Applesauce cake is made with reduced calorie margarine,  Splenda, and unsweetened applesauce, while light chocolate peanut butter pie can be created with sugar-free chocolate pudding and fat-free whipped dessert topping.  Meanwhile, sugar-free strawberry pie can be made with diet Sprite or 7-Up and sugar-free strawberry gelatin.
         The American Diabetes Association heartily endorses sugar-free diets.  The organization also recommends consuming at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day; a half-dozen servings of breads and cereals; no more than three servings of low-fat milk or yogurt,  lean meats; and a limited amount of sweets and desserts.
          When you dine in restaurants, the Diabetes Association recommends that you save half your meal for the next day in order to avoid calorie overload.  You might also consider sharing a meal or dessert with someone else.  Also, you might want to substitute a salad for potatoes.  In addition, you should ask that your dressing or sauce be served on the side in order to attempt to control portions.   
          It is interesting to note that a food can be labeled “no sugar added” and still contain sugar.  The label refers to the fact that no table sugar is involved; however, the food could still have its share of natural sugars.   As a result, no-sugar-added food could have as many calories as other types of food.  In addition, the Diabetes Association cautions that eating protein alone will not enhance your muscles.  Rather, you need exercise to strengthen your muscles. 
           While eating sugar-free food can be beneficial, the Diabetes Association offers other tips for attempting to lose weight and keep it off.  In general, the guidelines call for reducing calories and fat, exercising each day, not skipping breakfast, and maintaining a food log which indicates everything you have consumed on a daily basis.
            Lessening your dependence on sugar can be an important first step toward improving your diet.  But, as we have seen, simply eating sugar-free will not guarantee that you will achieve the weight loss you’re looking for.  Weight reduction takes a great deal of discipline and patience.  You did not gain all of your extra weight in a single day, so you can’t expect to be rid of it instantaneously. 

              Before cutting out sugar entirely from your diet, it’s best to check with your doctor.  He or she can also give you some effective weight management techniques.  It’s always best to have a medical doctor overseeing your weight loss plan.  That can help to ensure that you maintain good health during the weight reduction process.  With dedication and hard work, you can achieve your weight loss goals.  You yourself may be astounded at your progress, once you begin a sensible diet plan.  

When Fast Weight Loss Becomes Unhealthy

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      You’ve made the decision to lose weight as quickly as possible.  You have your diet in place and you expect to follow it religiously.  At this point, you may be wondering how much weight you can lose in a given week and whether fast weight loss can be dangerous for your body.
        There are a number of things that can affect your weight loss.  For instance, family history, or genetics, can play a significant role.  Also, your weight loss may depend upon how much exercise you’re engaging in, as well as how much stress you are under.  Your metabolism, or how quickly you burn calories, can also have a major effect.
         Theoretically, you could lose as much as 20 pounds a week.  However, much of that weight could be water weight.  That means that, once you go off your diet, you are likely to gain much of that weight back.  Also, unless you engage in strength training, you will be losing muscle as well as fat, since about ¼ of the body’s weight consists of muscle.   It is interesting to note that, at most, you can probably lose four pounds of fat in a given week.
        Nature has a way of protecting the body against excessive weight loss.  If, for instance, your calorie count suddenly drops, your body will compensate for the fact by reducing your metabolic rate.  As a result, you’ll need fewer calories to maintain your weight.  This explains why some people lose weight up to a point and then cannot lose any additional weight, no matter how hard they try. 
         If you lose weight quickly, there’s a good chance that your health will be jeopardized.  For instance, fast weight loss has been linked to the appearance of gall stones.  Also, you may experience loose skin as your weight goes into free fall.  Perhaps most distressing of all, if you experience rapid weight loss, there’s a good chance that you will gain the weight back again.  This is because it is very difficult to maintain a healthy diet regimen.  You may find yourself falling back into your bad eating habits after a period of deprivation.
         Fast weight loss also places you at greater risk for an eating disorder.  You may be tempted to starve yourself, leading to anorexia.  Or, because your food cravings are so great, you may want to binge and purge, leading to a case of bulimia.  This is why it is so critically important to lose weight under a physician’s care.  Otherwise, you could be doing more harm to your body than good.
         Although the body has the capability of shedding a great deal of weight over a period of time, most medical experts agree that one should not expect to lose more than one or two pounds a week in order to remain healthy.  This can be disappointing to a dieter, especially one that needs to lose about 50 pounds.  However, doctors believe that the go-slow approach is best for long-term weight loss.  Otherwise, you could end up with a number of health problems you weren’t anticipating.

        There are a number of approaches you can use to lose weight.  For instance, you might follow the Atkins plan, the Zone, or the diabetic diet.  You might try Sugar Busters or the Carb Addict’s prescription for losing weight.  However, it is vitally important that you accompany your diet plan with an effective exercise routine.  One of the best exercises you can do, in fact, is the easiest—walking.  It has been said that you can lose as many as two pounds a week, just by walking alone. 
           As has been demonstrated here, rapid weight loss should be approached with caution.  It is far better to lose a few pounds each week and maintain that weight loss over the long term.  In essence, all good things take time, and that is particularly true when it comes to weight loss.  Perhaps the best advice is to be patient.  Follow a reasonable diet, get plenty of exercise, and drink a good amount of water.   That way, you should be able to slowly lose weight—without jeopardizing your health in the process.    




The Federal Government’s Take on Weight Loss

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       You may be surprised what the federal government has to say about weight loss.  The National Institutes of Health has some interesting ideas about what it takes to trim the fat.  You may find that a number of these ideas conflict with what you’ve been hearing in the popular press.

       For instance, you may have read that consuming red meat makes it more difficult for you to shed pounds.  Actually, lean meat can be a critical component of a diet.  While red meat, chicken, and pork may have cholesterol and saturated fat, they also have important minerals such as iron and zinc.  However, when eating meat, you should try to make sure that it is low in fat.   You can choose from sirloin tip, round steak, and flank steak.  You should also be aware of proper portion sizes—the average portion should be the size of a billfold folded over.

         You may have heard that dairy products are fattening.  However, low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese have all the nutrients of whole milk products, with fewer calories and less fat.  Dairy products are particularly beneficial for their calcium, protein, and vitamin D content.    According to federal guidelines, children, teenagers, and senior citizens should have three servings of milk products each day, while adults age 19 to 49 should have two helpings daily.  A serving would consist of a single cup of milk or yogurt, or 1 ½ ounces of cheese.    If you have trouble digesting milk products, consider lactose-free items.  You may also be able to get your calcium from juice or salmon, and your vitamin D from juice or cereal.  

        The federal government maintains that becoming a vegetarian will not automatically make you lose weight.  However, studies have indicated that vegetarians do ingest fewer calories than meat-eaters and tend to have lower body mass indexes.  However, even as a vegetarian, you have to watch your intake of high-calorie food.  Also, as a vegetarian you will have to find ways to ensure that you get plenty of iron, protein, calcium, and vitamin D, which might otherwise be missing from your diet.   As a result, it is important that you select vegetarian entrees that are not only low-fat, but high in nutrition.  For instance, spinach will give you iron, broccoli can provide calcium, milk offers vitamin D, eggs provide vitamin B12,  whole grains offer zinc, and eggs give you protein.

        You might have been told that you should not eat nuts if you want to shed pounds.   In actuality, a small amount of nuts can be an ingredient of your weight loss plan.  While nuts are, generally speaking, high in fat, the fat is considered a healthy kind that does not harm the arteries.  Nuts can provide you with not only protein, but fiber and magnesium as well.  But it is important that you eat nuts in moderation.  This means consuming only about a third of a cup or less per day.  

       Federal health officials are firm on the idea that fasting is not a good way to lose weight.  It is far better to eat regular meals, although you might opt for smaller meals than you might ordinarily choose eaten more frequently.  Meals help to kick-start your metabolism, enabling it to thrive throughout the day.

         If you are skeptical about a particular weight loss claim, you can check the Federal Trade Commission’s website at www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/features/wgtloss.htm for the information you need.  Also, you might benefit from discussing your concerns with a registered dietician.  In order to locate one in your geographical area, log onto the American Dietetic Association website at www.eatright.org/Public/PublicDieticianDisclaimerAdvanced.htm. 

         Does the federal government have all the answers when it comes to weight loss?  Perhaps not.  But it is clear that the feds have a great deal of research to back up their claims.  Therefore, you should carefully consider the nutritional information that comes from federal sources.  The federal government is interested in having a healthy populace; it has nothing to gain by promoting specific weight loss programs.  Therefore, you can be sure that the information that you are getting from federal health authorities is information you can trust.  And it could make a great deal of difference, as far as your personal weight is concerned.   

    





Are You a Carb Addict?

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       It has been estimated that three out of every four overweight people are addicted to carbohydrates.  But what does this mean?  In essence, it means that you have too much of the hormone insulin in your system.  This insulin prompts you to eat often and to consume the wrong types of foods.