Lose Weight Without Starvation!

Everyone at one point in his or her life needs or wants to loose weight. Whether it is for health reason, or just to feel better about you, deciding on a weight loss plan is not as easy as it sounds.

There are literally thousands of plans and products on the market today designed to help the overweight shed unwanted pounds.

One such plan is the low carb diet plan. On this plan, carbohydrate intake is limited to a few grams per day. By limiting breads and pastas, the body uses the fat that stored and there by the dieter starts to loose weight within weeks. Some of the foods that should be avoided when on a low carb diet are; Candy, Donuts, Cakes and Pastries. Anything containing white flour such as bread, rolls, bagels, pasta and white rice should also be avoided.

Although this may seem like a lot of choices to give up, all of these foods are very high in carbohydrates. This is particularly dangerous for those suffering from diabetes. Health expert theorize that a high carbohydrate diet could raise their blood sugar levels to life threatening levels.

There are good carbohydrate choices. Meat is naturally low in carbohydrates. Liver is the exception to this rule. Eggs, poultry, fish, shellfish are good menu choices. They are easy to prepare and are full of vitamins. Green vegetables that are low starch include broccoli, asparagus, spinach, salad vegetables; cauliflower, green beans, Brussels sprouts and celery are also good choice foods that compliment any meal.

There are so many good choice foods to choose from, and so many ways to prepare them that the bad choice foods will not be missed when on a low carb diet.

Fiber is another essential part of dieting. Fiber helps the body in many different ways. When you do not get enough fiber it defeats the purpose of a diet.

Some of the health benefits that come from a low carb diet are; Lower insulin levels and stabilized blood sugar, which is a great health benefit to diabetics. Lower blood pressure, Lower Cholesterol, more energy, and perhaps the most important reason for dieting, keeping the weight off.

Unlike other diets, the low carb diet is safe for everyone. There are no side effects from being on this diet as there are not any food limit restrictions for a low carb dieter.

There are so many menu choices that a different meal can be prepared every day and the dieter would not have the same meal twice. For someone who has made a serious commitment to loose weight, a low carb lifestyle should be seriously considered.

Holiday meals can be prepared following low carb diet recipes that are easy, elegant, and very tasty. With all of the sites on the Internet dedicated to low carb cooking, there is no reason to fear dieting any longer.

Gone are the days when dieters had to starve themselves and suffer the pains of hunger all for the sake of loosing weight. The low carb offer a healthy alternative to dieting.

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Lose Weight Without Starving Yourself

Many people believe that weight loss is a painful thing. To shift those stubborn pounds you must go hungry all the time. Many are afraid to even set a weight loss goal because they cant stand the thought of going hungry and the frustrations that it brings.

For a lot of people it’s just better to be overweight than to suffer hunger pangs.

Well who can blame them?

If the only way to lose weight or stay slim was to go hungry all the time very few people would be at their ideal weight and the vast majority of the planet would be extremely overweight! It isnt necessary.

Our body is a marvellous device. It is truly amazing! Its natural rhythm and internal workings tell us when we are hungry. It has a self protection mechanism that lets you know when you need to stock up on fuel. A hunger signal is the body notifying you that you NEED to eat in order for you to sustain a healthy level of energy and have the reserves necessary for healing, repair and maintenance of your cells. Serious hungry pangs are a strong self-preservation signal from the body that it is in danger and needs food immediately to restore its balance. This signals should not be ignored!

Your body has no idea that food is in plentiful supply and that it is one of the cheapest commodities of the 21st Century. Your body is acting the same way your ancient ancestors bodies worked. The general design of the human body hasnt changed one bit since then. When your ancient ancestors where living in caves they relied on their ability to hunt for food to feed themselves. Sometimes they would go days or weeks without a kill and the body would send them warning signals that they were in serious danger. When they did eat the body immediately, being still in self-preservation mode, stored as much of the energy as it could in reserve as FAT! Your body works in exactly the same way today.

Starving yourself just doesnt work. It goes against nature to think that you can starve yourself and lose weight. Of course you can get the exception when people just dont take in anywhere near enough food to sustain themselves but we all the effects of this kind of dieting!

So, we know that starvation diets dont work and you dont want to spend 2 hours a day in the gym. How do we lose weight then? Well the good news is you do not have to go hungry to lose weight. Nor do you need excessive amounts of exercise. The truth is, eating regular nutritional meals and allowing your body to fill itself to satisfaction is the key to reaching and maintaining a healthy, slim body. By not allowing yourself to go hungry you will in fact avoid overeating – which is the very thing that usually happens when you break a starvation diet.

One method is to eat five or six, fairly small, healthy meals divided up throughout your day. Instead of eating three large meals at breakfast, lunch and dinner, divide the same quantity of food into 6 meals instead and eat an extra small meal between a small breakfast and lunch, one between lunch and dinner and if you are hungry later have another one. Try to avoid having the last meal close to bedtime, anytime up to 2 hours before bed is all right.

Dont wait when you feel hungry. Eat as soon as you can. If you wait for a long period of time before you eat your body will go into panic mode, think that you dont have enough resources to feed it and you will overeat! Therefore, eating frequent yet smaller meals will help to keep your body satisfied and you will be less likely to over-indulge.

Do not miss a meal in the hope that it will help burn some extra calories. You may believe that by skipping a meal you will save some calories or fat intake, but, as you have seen, the opposite tends to happen. In addition, if you go for a long period without a meal you are much more likely to over-indulge when you get fed-up and cant take the starvation any more.

Did you also realise that by skipping meals you are actually slowing down your metabolism? Because your body thinks there is a food shortage it not only stores extra fat but it also slows down the amount of fat it burns. The bodys natural survival instinct is triggered, you put on extra weight and burn fewer calories and fat. As the body burns fat to convert into energy you will find that you become lethargic and tired. Starving yourself just doesnt work!

In addition to eating smaller more frequent meals you should also teach yourself to eat slower. Place your knife and fork down between every bite and chew for a few seconds longer than normal. It can take us up to twenty 20 minutes to realize that the body is full and completely satisfied. When you eat at a fast pace stuffing food into you before you have time to recognise the full signal your body is sending your brain. When you eat at a slower pace you start to recognise these signals from your body and train yourself to identify them at an earlier stage.

Take an extra 15 minutes extra a day. To some of you this may sound like a lot. But all you have to do is split it up throughout the day. Leave for work with an extra 5 minutes to spare and walk to a bus stop further away from or park the car 5 minutes further away than you usually do. At lunch take a 5 minute stroll or take the stairs instead of the elevator. Walk to the local shop instead of driving. It is easy to complete 15, 30 or even an hours exercise everyday if you split it up like this. And remember dont starve yourself, it just doesnt work!

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Lose Weight-Tone Abs With Electronic Muscle Stimulator? Can Body Fat

Lose Weight-Tone Abs With Electronic Muscle Stimulator? Can Body Fat Melt Away?

You have probably seen plenty of advertisements extolling how Electronic Abdominal Stimulators can melt your belly fat fast and quickly. Most of these advertisements will also claim that their electronic abs stimulators can also flatten your tummy to reveal your six pack abs muscle. They even claim that by using electronic abs stimulators for X minutes is better that 300 sit ups or crunches, so you can say bye bye to diets and exercise forever. Too good to be true?

On the other hand, you may also have come across many articles and messages from the health and fitness industry or from your fitness personal trainers who refute the advertisers claiming that the only way to get a flat tummy with well defined six pack abs muscle is through healthy eating and exercise. Now that is hard work isnt it? So you will rather take a chance with an electronic abs stimulator wont you?

So who is telling the truth? Ok, instead of joining in the controversy, this article points out what the authorities such as U.S. Food and Drug Administration has got to say. Below is an excerpt from U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA Consumer magazine July-August 2002. You can read the full report at http://www.fda.gov/fdac/features/2002/402_abs.html :-

In May, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) filed complaints against three manufacturers of these devices, alleging that they have made false claims in their advertising, seen in heavily aired infomercials on national cable television, shorter television commercials, and ads in the print media.

The unfounded claims cited by the FTC include the promise of “six pack” or “washboard” abs without exercise, claims that the devices will give users a trimmer waist or cause fat loss, and that use of the device is equivalent to (or better than) regular abdominal exercises, such as sit-ups or crunches. The FTC complaints also allege that the advertising claimed falsely that the stimulators are safe for all to use, and did not disclose adequately the possible health hazards for some people.

Q. Why does the FDA regulate electrical muscle stimulators?

A. Electrical muscle stimulators are considered medical devices under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Under this law and the agency’s regulations, the FDA is responsible for regulating the sale of all electrical muscle stimulators in the United States. Therefore, firms must comply with appropriate FDA premarket regulatory requirements before they can legally sell their stimulators. Most electrical muscle stimulators (EMS devices) that have been reviewed by the FDA are intended for use in physical therapy and rehabilitation under the direction of a health-care professional. If a company wants to sell EMS devices directly to consumers, the company needs to show the FDA that the device can be used safely and effectively in that setting.

Q. These electrical muscle stimulators are advertised not only to tone, firm, and strengthen abdominal muscles, but also to provide weight loss, girth reduction, and “rock hard” abs. Do they really work?

A. While an EMS device may be able to temporarily strengthen, tone or firm a muscle, no EMS devices have been cleared at this time for weight loss, girth reduction, or for obtaining “rock hard” abs.

Q. Is the FDA concerned about the unregulated marketing of these devices?

A. Yes. The FDA has received reports of shocks, burns, bruising, skin irritation, and pain associated with the use of some of these devices. There have been a few recent reports of interference with implanted devices such as pacemakers and defibrillators. Some injuries required hospital treatment. The FDA is also concerned because many of these devices have cables and leads. If those cables and leads do not comply with electrical safety standards, there is the possibility that users and other household members could be electrocuted. The FDA is currently investigating firms that are illegally marketing EMS devices.

Q. What does FDA regulation accomplish?

A. Before they may legally sell their devices, firms that market EMS devices must be able to demonstrate that these products are as safe and as effective as similar devices that are legally marketed. Devices may be marketed only for uses that are established for the device or for uses that the firm can support with data. At this time, the FDA is not aware of scientific information to support many of the promotional claims being made for numerous devices being widely promoted on television, infomercials, newspapers, and magazines.

Q. Does that mean that it’s unsafe to use an electrical muscle stimulator that has not met FDA requirements?

A. Using a product that has not met FDA requirements isn’t necessarily unsafe or dangerous. But it could be. Unregulated devices also may have safety problems associated with cables and leads that can lead to accidental shock and electrocution of users and other household members, including children.

Q. If I use an electrical muscle stimulator, will it give me the same kind of effect that lots of sit-ups, stomach crunches and other abdominal exercises will?

A. Using these devices alone will not give you “six-pack” abs. Applying electrical current to muscles may cause them to contract. Stimulating muscles repeatedly with electricity may eventually result in muscles that are strengthened and toned to some extent but will not, based on currently available data, create a major change in your appearance without the addition of weight loss and regular exercise.

Now, who is telling the truth about electronic muscle stimulator being able to melt tummy fat and reveal your six pack abs? Well, you be the judge and come to your own verdict.

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Lose Weight With Living Foods

Losing weight doesn’t have to be boring when you focus on living foods. What does this mean? Simply by making sure your plate reflects a range of colours, you’ll naturally create more balanced and healthful menus complete with a range of living foods.

What are living foods? They are re live, colourful, fresh and raw – fruits, vegetables and salads!

Let’s Look At The Positives

1. Colourful foods have no preservatives and no added colour!

2. Provide an abundance of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fibre, water and trace elements.

3. Have a high water content – an excellent source of hydration for the body.

4. Are visually appetising.

5. Their firm textures demand a good chew, so we eat them more slowly and feel full afterwards.

6. Are quickly and easily processed and assimilated by the body – less work for the digestive system.

7. Are safer – contain less undesirable man-made chemicals.

8. Are as nature intended (unlike processed, pre-packaged modern fast foods!)

9. Are pure energy – living food.

Consuming Cooked Foods

1. Heat destroys the vitalising nutrients in colourful foods. So much so that sometimes, you may as well be eating cardboard for all the good it does your body!

2. The effectiveness of fibre in cooked fresh foods is reduced – vegetables that are floppy and overcooked pass through the body with a reduced ‘cleansing’ action.

3. If you cook vegetables, always steam them lightly and aim to retain their ‘crunch’!

4. Cooked vegetables tend to turn out soft and therefore require less chewing, which means they are usually eaten more quickly, so are less satisfying.

5. Heat also destroys the enzymes in fresh foods, which are essential for digestion. This means the body has to tap into its own precious supply of enzymes to support the digestive process.

6. Heat also destroys the enzymes in fresh foods, which are essential for digestion. This means the body has to tap into its own precious supply of enzymes to support the digestive process.

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Getting Yourself Fit For The Season

With the changing of the seasons comes the changing of the wardrobe. Sometimes, however, you find that you can’t fit into your clothes the way you could a year ago. A recent survey shows that two in five adults need to lose at least 10 pounds to feel comfortable in a bathing suit. That’s why so many people are choosing this time to start a diet.

If you’re beginning a weight loss program to get your body ready for the season, here are some tips to help you get started:

• Challenge Yourself. Have a goal and stick to achieving it. Make sure that you are reminded of your goal every day.

• Set a Date. Starting your weight loss plan early gives you plenty of time to shed those unwanted pounds. Choose a weight loss program that is easy to follow, fits into your lifestyle and produces quick results.

• Get a Buddy. Enlist the support of a friend to help you meet your weight loss goals. Studies show those people who have the support of a buddy tend to stick to their diets more than those who fly solo.

• The Garden of “Eatin’.” Eat more fruits and vegetables. Not only are these foods good for your waistline, but they are nutritious and keep you hydrated.

• Put Some Spring in Your Step. Whether it means parking your car farther away than usual or taking a pet to the park, try to make exercise part of your daily routine. Even 20 minutes a day adds up.

• Spring Fling. Host a dinner party for your friends and make sure that there are plenty of healthy food options available. Try grilling lean proteins such as chicken and tuna instead of frying or baking them. You can add a variety of seasonings and spices to change up the routine.

• Space it Out. Studies show that eating smaller meals throughout the day can be effective in the weight loss process because they help to curb your hunger. If you eat six small meals a day, you will feel less hungry in between meals. Plan your meals in advance to avoid last-minute splurges.

• Drink Up. If you participate in outdoor activities, remember to stay hydrated. Steer clear of calorie-laden beverages such as soda, lemonade and sweet tea. Water is always the best choice.

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Lose Weight by Eating Breakfast and Drinking Milk

Did you know that dieting and weight loss are two of the most common resolutions or goals by many people but usually results to failure? Dont give up yet. Stay committed and read through.

If you really want to lose weight, forget the fad diets and eat breakfast and drink milk. Starting each day with milk and cereal may be the success for achieving a healthy weight.

Many people don’t realize to eat breakfast but to skip entire morning tastes, either because youre in rush or lazy, or just want to reduce weight. Considerable number of people finish with a soft drink or a cup of coffee as their morning meal. Chances are this is going to have an opposite effect on you because skipping meals almost always leads to overeating at lunchtime. This is especially true with breakfast, because you’ve just been asleep for 7 or 8 hours and your body needs to recover from this brief period of starvation.

Studies show that people who regularly eat breakfast, particularly cereal with low fat or fat-free milk, tend to be leaner compared to those who skip the morning meal or eat other options. Also, breakfast eaters are more likely to have long-term success in maintaining a reasonable weight. There is a finding that a cereal and milk breakfast is a habit common to successful weight loss maintainers.

Combine that with studies drinking 24 ounces of milk a day with healthy weight loss, and you’ve got a strategy that may lead to lost pounds. Multiple studies have shown that people who drink milk and get adequate amounts of calcium in their diets tend to weigh less than their peers who don’t drink milk. A diet deficient in calcium has a higher risk for being overweight.

Weight Control by Eating Eggs

Eating eggs for breakfast can reduce hunger and caloric intake by more than 400 calories, both at lunchtime and over the next 24 hours. As a result, eggs are useful in helping overweight people reduce their energy intakes, a prerequisite of losing weight. This is great news if youre trying to lose weight as it means you may find it easier to cut calories without feeling hungry. In fact, you could expect to lose up to 2lb. a month, simply by eating eggs for breakfast!

Eggs are packed with various nutrients but contain just 85 calories each. Theres also no limit to the number of eggs you can eat in a week contrary to popular belief.

Other studies found that protein-based breakfasts improved weight loss better than carbohydrate-focused breakfasts. The better effects are increased when its combined with exercise.

Should I avoid eating certain foods for the sake of weight loss?

Forget about avoiding eating a certain food that you like to eat – that’s a dieters mentality and it doesn’t help you lose weight. It just makes you obsessed about food and eating. Instead, if you are really hungry, then eat, and stop as soon as youre satisfied. Just dont eat until youre totally full! So, if you’re hungry during breakfast, then eat. If you’re not hungry during lunch or dinner, then have a smaller meal.

Keep in mind that you should not eat too many sweet foods. No matter what time you eat sweets, if it’s more energy than your body can use, it will be stored, meaning excess kilos.

Fad diets wont work and only provide short-term results. Instead, always enjoy a wide variety of healthy foods and be physically active. Fad dieting is a hindrance that you don’t need in your life.

Things to Remember:

* Eating breakfast increases your metabolism and burns more kilojoules during the day, which can help you lose weight.

* Protein-based breakfasts improved weight loss better than carbohydrate-focused breakfasts.

* Eggs are great protein-rich breakfast, complete with zinc, iron and vitamins like A, B, D, E and B12. Long ago, people thought that eating many eggs contributed to health risks. This is not true and its already proven that they dont contribute to high cholesterol or heart disease.

* Dont be afraid to eat a reasonable portion of your favorite dessert or snack food every now and then.

* Try to eat steamed vegetables and drink soup in the morning. Did you know that this is common in Japan? It may take some time getting used to, but the benefits are: reduced fat and added nutrients from the vegetables.

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Lose Weight For A Healthier Heart

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease

Control and Prevention, the number of obese Americans continues to rise. In fact, 30 percent of adults over age 20-more than 60 million people-are obese, which means they are 30 pounds overweight and have a BMI, or body mass index (a mea-sure of body fat), of more than 30.

Obesity Is On The Rise

One of the goals of the National Institutes of Health is to reduce obesity among adults by more than half by the year 2010. However, current data suggests that the situation is getting worse. Due to rising rates of childhood obesity, life expectancy for the average American could decrease by two to five years over the next few decades unless major efforts are made to slow down the rising rates of obesity.

What’s more, obesity is a risk factor for heart disease and other serious health complications:

• Obesity is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Having these disorders at the same time is a condition called the metabolic syndrome, which can lead to an increased risk for heart disease and kidney disease.

• High blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease, is twice as common in obese adults than in those who are at a healthy weight.

• Obesity can also lead to arthritis, which is caused by stress on your joints.

A Likely Trigger For Heart Disease

Obesity, high cholesterol and high blood pressure are a common grouping of risk factors for people with heart disease. Managing all these risk factors will help reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke.

What You Can Do Today

Overweight and obesity together represent the number-two preventable cause of death in the U.S. after smoking. There are many things you can do to get your weight under control and to help manage your risk for heart disease:

• Develop a diet and exercise plan that you feel is realistic and that you can maintain.

• Talk to your doctor about medicines that may help control your risk factors for heart disease. If you are prescribed medicines, take them exactly as directed and for as long as your doctor recommends.

• Resolve to make this year a healthier one-set a weight-loss goal and stick with it.

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