Weight Loss: March 2012

What Is There I Can Say Regarding Detoxification Diets

As you can see, detox diets have become part of the diet craze and that is why more and more people searching on the internet for them are increasing.

There are various words that you were heard of such as toxins, detoxification, cleansing and purifying and all of these relate to detox diets.

Firstly let’s talk about toxins. These are harmful chemicals which can affect the way your body works. You will find them all around you, they are in your food you consume, the water that you drink and the air that you breathe and also in your body (they are the waste products of metabolism). However, although your body is able to remove most of these toxins from it, there are some which are stored within your body’s fat. These toxins stored within your body and combined with stress can affect the way your body works in many unpleasant ways, such as weight gain, headaches, feelings of fatigue and weakness, a feeling of heartburn, complaining of sore muscles and skin and joint pains

Although these symptoms will fade when you start a detox diet, you may find that you feel some discomfort in the first few days, but this is the body reacting normally to a change in diet. You may also find that you suffer from headaches or sore muscles at the beginning, but this is because the toxins are being released quicker in to your body than it can react to remove them. However, these symptoms should not occur again if you detox on a regular basis.

So why is a detox diet an ideal way to help with weight loss?

The reason why a detox diet is so good with weight loss is because the process releases and then expels the toxins stored in your body through the elimination organs such as the intestines, liver, lungs, kidney and skin. The whole idea of a detox diet is not only to cleanse your body of toxins but it is also a nutritious dietary plan which not only cleanses the body, but also helps to improve your metabolism.

There are recommendations now being made for being to use detox diets to help improve a person’s resistance against diseases, mental state, and digestive problems as well as strengthening those organs which are involved in the detox diet. Detox diets can help to prevent serious diseases such as Cancer, ADD, ADHD, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and many chemical sensitivities that people are becoming prone to, as well as being able to treat heart disease, fibromyalgia and autoimmune disease.

So what sorts of foods should you take in a detox diet.

Many detox diets recommend that you should consume foods that are especially beneficial to your health and essential if you wish to lose weight. Such goods that come into this category are organic foods and lots of fruit and vegetables. You should also drink lots of purified water (preferably at least 2 litres a day), cut back on all those processed foods you like and if you do smoke then quit and give up alcohol as well.

What you should remember is that detox diets are very restrictive as to what is acceptable and you should follow it to the letter. Detox diets are safe but you should consult your doctor before you start one.

The types of detox diets that are around today are as follows:-

1. Fasting. This is where you only drink water, juices or broths (soups) or the eating of one certain kind of food for a specific time period. This one allows your body to start burning fat off for the energy that it needs.

2. Nutritional Supplements. All you do during this diet is to take nutritious powders, vitamins and specific packaged protein snacks.

3. Hydrotherapy. You detox your body by releasing the toxins out through the skin pores by taking special baths.

4. Specific Detox Diets. These usually last between 7 and 30 days but there are quick ones which last only 1 to 3 days, but there are others that last for 8 weeks.

I hope this information has provided you with a basis on which to look at detox diets as a way of helping to improve your life and providing you with a healthier lifestyle.

Source: www.articlecity.com
Author: Kerris Samson

Decode Your Biological Messages To Reduce Weight

The appetite suppressants could be resorted to regulate digestive processes.

It seems at the end of the day, there is no such thing as a magic potion to reduce that bulge or tyres of yours unless you learn to decode the biological messages transmitted by your body day in day out. Read through this carefully and you may have a solution just right under your nose.

Literally speaking it is about your nose. As you walk past the serving pans of McDonald’s at their outlets anywhere in the world, you cannot resist the whiff of those steaming, mouth-watering pizzas. The soft, mouth- melting burgers too are too difficult to overcome.

Mind you, all this transports you to an artificial world of aromas and flavours. For, the natural does not smell so good. Nature demands that food be hard enough for you to chew on and not swallow and gulp. While your teeth grind the food not only do the blood capillaries present in you gums are bringing fresh supply of blood at a greater rate (which keeps your teeth in good shape), your food too is undergoing the carbohydrate metabolism, a must in the chain of various metabolic processes that follow in your stomach and intestines.

The most important part of digestive activity in your mouth is that longer the food stays in the mouth, slower does it move towards the stomach, thus satiating hunger pangs in the due process with smaller quantities of food. This will not be the case if a taste-enhanced food stuff is chewed least and swallowed and allowed to enter without carbohydrate metabolism having taken place.

While in the stomach proteins are broken down into amino acids for their absorption. Fats are broken down into fatty acids for easy absorption of food elements. A stream of incompletely digested carbohydrate food particles interfere with the digestion of other types of food particles. The result is partially undigested food which lies in your bowels while the body is hungry for more. That’s when you top up the undigested morsels with fresh supply of food. Hence excessive intake of calories is unavoidable. The weight gain for most of us thus is easy. Regulate your digestive processes with intelligent and responsible eating.

Meanwhile cheap phentermine can help. Buy phentermine online. The appetite suppressant could be resorted to for regulation purposes.

Source: www.articlecity.com
Author: Kim Parker

Aerobic-Cardio Exercise

Benefits of Cardio Training

Being fit and healthy is the in thing. Actually, it really never goes out of style. That body is the most valuable asset you could have in your lifetime. Thus it is important that you take good care of it. Give it the proper attention it needs.

When it comes to ensuring and maintaining the health, the best option is to do cardio training.

What Is Cardio Training?

Cardio training involves any activity that requires the use of the large muscle groups of the body in a regular and uninterrupted manner. It elevates the heart rate between 60 to 85 percent of the fastest heart rate you could get.

Some of the usual cardio training activities are walking, jogging, running, aerobics, cycling, tae bo, swimming and rowing. Cardio training is considered an aerobic exercise as one is required to move from one exercise to another.

What Are the Benefits of Training?

1. Gives Energy to the Body

You can expect more energy and higher endurance after some time of regular cardio training.

2. Prevents Diseases

One could prevent heart diseases with regular cardio training. It is also helpful in preventing other variety of diseases like diabetes, obesity and even high cholesterol. The cardiovascular training strengthens the heart and the lungs. The low to moderated type of cardio exercises are required for people seeking to prevent diseases. Examples of these are walking, brisk walking or jogging.

3. Control Your Weight

With cardio training, you are able to burn more calories. This will help one who needs to lose weight. While those who already achieved their ideal body mass, the training will make it easier to control the weight.

Cardio training helps burn calories. However this generally depends on your current weight and the kind of cardio training you are undergoing. Better consult this matter with your physician or trainer, to know the proper type of training for your needs.

4. Lose Body Fats

Some people do not have problem with their weights. However, there may be some excess fats that keep bothering. Cardio training will help in getting rid of those. The activities involve the movements of large muscle groups. Regularly doing the training will make you leaner.

5. Get Rid of Boredom

Cardio training is fun. It pumps up your system. You will definitely feel more energized and on the go.

Recommendations to Better Enjoy the Benefits of Cardio Training

Cardio training is essential when you need to make health improvements. For starters, it is best to do the 30 to 45 minutes of exercises, 3 to 5 days a week. If you are aiming for weight loss, the training must be done 5 days a week. The more frequent you do it; the more likely it is that you will lose weight. However, avoid exhausting yourself too much in exercise. Avoid going beyond 45 minutes. Remember, it has to be done in a regular basis.

Start now. Walk or ride the bike around the neighborhood now. Follow that aerobics video you purchased. Set a goal and follow that goal. At the same time, modify your diet too. Eat healthy food.

As you increase in the fitness level, the intensity of the training must also increase. This is to have an area of variation and there should always be room for improvement. Implement this by intensifying some parts of the training. If you are into jogging or running, increase speed every 5 minutes for at least a minute or two. It is important that you challenge yourself, so as not to be stuck in a stump.

Avoid doing the cardio exercises before bedtime. You will have a difficult time sleeping if you do so as the energy level of the body will stay high for sometime.

If you are undergoing weight training too, do the cardio exercises right after, not before.

It is best to take a snack 30 minutes before doing the cardio exercises. Do not start with training in an empty stomach. This will not help in achieving the proper momentum when you train. At the same time, avoid indulging in large meals too before exercise. Just give your body the proper supply it will need to sustain exhausting movements.

It is good to do the cardio exercises outdoors. This way you can easily interact with nature and breathe fresh air. You can also simply enjoy going around the neighborhood as you get your system healthier by the minute. It is possible to make some friends among the people who also do their exercises.

Be consistent and stick with the training once you have started it. This is the only way that cardio training will benefit your body and your health in the long run.

Source: www.articlecity.com
Author: David Prince

Losing Weight Successfully

There are many different factors that contribute to losing weight and being able to keep that weight off. Balance is an important factor in your weight loss plan. You will find people that have been successful at weight loss do not usually deprive themselves of foods that they like. The best way to deal with the situation is to have a small portion and the craving is gone.

The important thing to remember is that you need to compromise to maintain balance in your diet. If you satisfy that craving and it was high calorie or high fat, you will need to take away the fat or calories somewhere else in your diet. You could also add more exercise for the extra calories. There are options for maintaining balance in your weight loss plan.

You have a certain amount of calories that you plan on eating and you can spend them anyway you like. A calorie is a calorie and they are all going to cause you to gain or lose the same amount of weight. So the key is deciding what foods you want to spend your calories on and how many of them you want to subtract with exercise. If you look at your weight reduction plan as just numbers, it may make it a little easier for you to stay on track.

Consider these four things when you re deciding how to use your calories:

1. What healthy foods do you like? Think about what foods you really like, that are healthy. Can you work these into your diet more often, making it less tempting to indulge on something that is not as healthy and higher in calories?

2. What are your favorite foods that you do not wish to give up? Make a list of foods that you really like and that you do not feel you can live without. The best thing to do with these kinds of foods is to buy them in a single serving or to eat them out in single servings. So, if you like cookie dough ice cream it is not in your best interest to buy it by the gallon and keep it in your freezer.

3. What foods can you not be around? It is best to keep all food, which you have no control over, out of your home. It is best to avoid these foods completely as much as possible.

4. What foods can you give up and not miss? If there are high calorie foods that don’t have much nutritional value and you don’t mind not having them, give them up. Doing this will only benefit you in the end.

If you are able to put these four simple concepts into practice you will be able to balance the foods you enjoy and still be able to lose weight successfully. Give these principles a try and you may find it easier to stay within your weight loss program guidelines.

Source: www.articlecity.com
Author: Marjorie Salada

Exercise Via Swimming

Swimming is one of the most popular forms of aerobic exercise, and it is an excellent activity for anyone who wishes to get fit and stay active. Swimming exercise uses more of the overall muscle mass of the body than almost any other form of exercise, and people get an upper-body workout and a lower-body workout, unlike running or biking or other activities like tennis, where you get a good workout in just the legs. In addition, as with most aerobic exercise it is believed to reduce the harmful effects of stress.

Overall, swimming is an excellent form of exercise. Because the density of the human body is approximately similar to that of water, the body is supported by the water and less stress is therefore placed on joints and bones. Since then the buoyancy of the water protects the joints, water exercise is a particularly good choice for people who are overweight or who are prevented from taking part in other activities because of injuries or other physical limitations. Therefore, swimming is frequently used as an exercise in rehabilitation after injuries or for the disabled. It's also safe for older people and pregnant women.

For most adults, the upper body is the weakest part of the body. Swimming exercises the arms and upper body more than the legs. In competitive swimming, excessive leg muscles can be seen as a disadvantage as they consume more oxygen, which would be needed for the muscles in the arms, although this depends on the swimming style. While breaststroke generates significant movement with the legs, front crawl propels the body mainly with the arms.

Sometimes the swimming consists of swimming laps using a conventional stroke, such as the front crawl; other forms can include different forms of exercise performed in the water, such as water aerobics. Specifically, swimming and other forms of water exercise, such as water aerobics, offer remarkable cardiovascular benefits and are one of the few forms of exercise that work out the entire body. Swimming is primarily an aerobic exercise due to the relatively long exercise time, requiring a constant oxygen supply to the muscles, except for short sprints where the muscles work anaerobically. Particularly, water aerobics put a lot less stress on the knee and hip joints than running or many other aerobic activities. If you put people in the water, they don't have that pounding and compression on those joints, so they're able to exercise much more pain free. Moreover, if the water is warm, water exercise is good for people with arthritis.

Swimming and water aerobics are excellent and popular forms of exercise for the elderly, so long as the primary focus for exercise is not to improve osteoporosis.

Source: www.articlecity.com
Author: Jonathon Hardcastle

The Best Diet Is No Diet At All

When you're on a diet, you screen out a lot of the smell, taste and enjoyment of food. You focus on how much fat is in the food instead of focusing on the taste.

Dieters are constantly calculating. One piece of pie plus 20 minutes of aerobics minus breakfast equals a smaller waist and thinner thighs. These dietss are not making us thinner; they are making us fatter!

The average person who diets begins a new diet about three times a year. He or she follows a strict eating plan or eats only grapefruit or cabbage soup and, yes, does lose weight. Once the weight is lost, however, the person goes back to his normal eating patterns.

Statistics show that nearly half of those people who lose weight by dieting, regain or exceed their before diet weight within one year. Another study says that 95% of dieters regain the weight within five years.

So, why don't diets work?

1. First, because a fat cell's growth speeds up when it is deprived. Fat cells react to a low calorie diet by holding onto the fat they contain, and speeding fat growth when the diet is over.

2. Diets can mess with your metabolism. Dieting starves your body of vital nutrients because nutrition intake is connected to calorie intake. Very low calorie diets will cause your metabolism to stop burning calories. Then, when you go off your diet, it takes a while for your metabolic rate to become normal again.

3. Dieting makes you feel deprived. You may get to the point where you binge on high calorie foods. Binge eating causes you to store more fat than if you had spread those caloreis over a longer period of time.

4. Diets are only a short term solution. You may lose some weight but once you're off the diet, you gain the weight back. Change your eating and exercise habits and you will lose weight and keep it off.

5. Diets may also be bad for your health. The deprivation of favorite foods may cause stress and anxiety. You are so focused with dieting that you lose your ability to think clearly - forgetting things that you wouldn't normally forget. Lowering calories also leads to low vitamin levels which causes fatigue.

Now that you know that diets don't work, what does?

1. Eat smaller meals more frequently during the day. Instead of three large meals, opt for five to six smaller meals.

2. Move your body. Start exercising - but don't over-do it. You may keep up with an excessive exercise plan for a while, but it's likely that you'll quit after a short time. Slow down and do activities that you enjoy.

3. Motivate yourself. Why do you really want to lose weight? You can't change your lifestyle if you don't really want to. If you know within your own mind that you "can do it," then you can!

You can lose excess weight by eating sensibly and keeping your body active. Forget the diets and starting eating healthy foods.

Source: www.articlecity.com
Author: Jude Wright

Are You Physically Fit

It can be tough to tell sometimes whether or not you are physically in shape. To that end, there are some tests that you can perform to ensure that your body is working in its top condition. In this article, we'll be discussing some of these tests, and explaining what they mean about your health.

The Body Mass Index is one of the most commonly used methods of gauging a persons level of physical fitness. Commonly referred to as a BMI, it is the standard method used by medical professionals when it comes to diagnosing whether a person's weight is healthy, overweight, or obese. The Body Mass Index operates on a basic formula:

Your weight in pounds x 704.5 divided by your height in inches x your height in inches. The result of this computation should rest between zero and an upper bound of more than thirty. Typically, a healthy weight is calculated to have a BMI of between 19 and 24.9. For a Body Mass Index that hovers between 25 and 29.9, a person is described as being overweight. Body Mass Indexes that have a result that is over 30 represent a clinical case of obesity. Obesity can cause a heightened risk of cancer and heart disease, not to mention a host of other health problems.

Another method of testing for fat content in the body is not used as often as it used to be. The Yuhasz skin fold test has been used by schools to test the health of their students for decades, but it has been cast aside due to the way that it made children feel when the result was less than desirable. The Yuhasz test measures total fat percentage in the body by measuring the layer of fat that is found directly underneath the skin. Various points on the body are tested to ensure accurate testing results, with a total of six test sites being examined to accurately gauge a person's body composition. The tricep, the abdomen, the front of the thigh, below the shoulderblade, and above the pelvis are tested in all individuals while taking a Yuhasz skin fold test. In males, the chest is also tested, and in females, the rear of the thigh is tested. Calipers are used to determine an accurate measurement of how thick the sub-skin fat layer is, and age, weight and gender all play into the calculation of fitness. The typical male has been found to have between fifteen and seventeen percent body fat, and the average female is known to have between eighteen and twenty two percent body fat. Athletes, known for their fitness, often have fat contents of six to twelve percent for males and twelve to twenty percent for females. These two tests can help you to accurately gauge where your fitness level is at and where you need to get it.

Source: www.articlecity.com
Author: Kadence Buchanan

Diet + Weight Control for Children

Let your child know he or she is loved and appreciated whatever his or her weight. An overweight child probably knows better than anyone else that he or she has a weight problem. Overweight children need support, acceptance, and encouragement from their parents.

Focus on the health and positive qualities of your child. NEVER focus on the weight of your child.

Try not to treat your child differently if he or she is overweight. Instead, focus on gradually changing the physical activities and eating habits of your family.

Be a good role model for your child. If your child sees you enjoying healthy foods and physical activity, he or she is more likely to do the same now and for the rest of his or her life.

Realize that an appropriate goal for many overweight children is to maintain their current weight while growing normally in height. They do not necessarily need to lose weight.

CALORIE NEEDS FOR TEENAGERS AND CHILDREN:

Children normally need a certain number of calories each day (energy allowance). Their bodies use these calories as energy for normal daily activities (walking, breathing, etc.).

The approximate calorie-needs for boys are: from 2000 calories for a 7-10 year old, 2500 calories for an 11-14 year old, and 3000 calories for a 15-18 year old.

The approximate calorie needs for girls are: from 2000 calories for a 7-10 year old, to 2200 calories for an 11-18 year old.

HOW TO LOSE WEIGHT:

*Decreasing calories-in: meaning eat fewer calories, or

*Increasing calories-out: meaning burn more calories, or

*Ideally, a combination of both.

WEIGHT MANAGEMENT GOALS:

The first goal of weight management in kids and young teenagers should be to stop weight gain and maintain normal growth in height. This way they can GROW INTO their weight. To start, have your child eat healthier (about 500 fewer calories each day) and begin a program of regular exercise and physical activity.

Once your child has stopped gaining weight and is on a regular program of dieting and exercising, you can set further goals of slow weight loss, if necessary. Do so cautiously.

WEIGHT LOSS FOR CHILDREN & TEENAGERS - BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION:

It is important to modify the behaviors that have caused your child to become overweight and prevent weight loss, including:

LIMITING TELEVISION:
You should limit television viewing to about one or two hours each day (this includes playing video games or using the computer). Watching television encourages lack of exercise and exposes the viewer to fatty food commercials.

SNACKS:
You should limit snacks to two each day and they can include low-calorie foods, such as raw fruits or vegetables. Avoid using high calorie or high fat foods for snacks, especially chips, cookies, etc.

DRINKING:
You should encourage your child to drink four to six glasses of water each day, especially before meals. Water has no calories and it will help you to feel full. Other drinks can include diet sodas and lowfat milk. Avoid letting your child drink regular soft drinks or fruit juices, as they are high in calories (150-170 calories per serving).

DIET JOURNAL:
If you think it helps your child to improve his eating habits, (sometimes it does not) encourage him to keep a weekly journal of food and beverage intake. You should definitely encourage a teenager to keep track of the amount of time he spends watching television, playing videogames and exercising. You might also record your child's weight once a week.

CHECK FOOD LABELS:
It is not necessary to count calories, but you and your child should become more educated about the foods you eat and how many calories they contain. You should begin to routinely check the nutrition label of the foods that your family is eating. You want to try and eat foods low in calories and also low in fat. Be careful of many low fat or so-called diet foods, as they can still be high in calories even though they are low in fat.

CHECK FOOD SERVING SIZES:
Also, begin checking the serving size of prepared meals and snacks. A bag of chips might only have 200 calories, but you may be surprised when the serving size is only 10 chips.

WEIGHT LOSS FOR CHILDREN & TEENAGERS - EATING HABITS:

HEALTHY MEALS:
Your child should eat three well-balanced meals of average size each day. Serve fewer fatty foods. It is best to prepare foods that are baked, broiled or steamed, rather than fried. In addition to a small serving of lean meat, provide large servings of vegetables.

SINGLE SERVINGS:
Avoid serving seconds of the main course or desert. You can eat more salad or other vegetables if still hungry.

DESSERTS:
Serve fresh fruit as a dessert and avoid frequent eating of ice cream or cake or other high calorie foods.

GROCERY SHOPPING:
Buy low-calorie and lower-fat meals, snacks and deserts and buy low fat or skim milk and diet drinks. Avoid buying high calorie deserts or snacks, such as snack chips, regular soft drinks or regular ice cream.

EAT AT THE TABLE:
Avoid letting your child eat meals or snacks outside of the kitchen or dining room. And discourage eating while watching TV.

REDUCE FAST FOOD:
You should limit how often you allow your children to eat fast food, as it is usually high in fat and calories.

WEIGHT CONTROL FOR CHILDREN - EXERCISE SUGGESTIONS:

Be physically active. It is recommended that Americans accumulate at least 30 minutes (adults) or 60 minutes (children) of moderate physical activity most days of the week.

Even greater amounts of physical activity may be necessary for the prevention of weight gain, for weight loss, or for sustaining weight loss. Plan family activities that provide everyone with exercise and enjoyment.

Provide a safe environment for your children and their friends to play actively. Encourage swimming, biking, skating, ball sports, and other fun activities.

WEIGHT CONTROL FOR CHILDREN - HEALTHY EATING SUGGESTIONS:

*Follow the dietary guidelines for healthy eating.

*Guide the choices for your family rather than dictate foods.

*Encourage your child to eat when hungry and to eat slowly.

*Eat meals together as a family as often as possible.

*Carefully cut down on the amount of fat and calories in the eating plan your family follows.

*Do not place your child on a restrictive diet.

*Avoid the use of food as a reward.

*Avoid withholding food as punishment.

*Children should be encouraged to drink water and to limit intake of beverages with added sugars, such as soft drinks, fruit juice drinks, and sports drinks.

*Plan for healthy snacks. Stock the refrigerator with fat-free or low-fat milk, fresh fruit, and vegetables instead of soft drinks or snacks that are high in fat, calories, or added sugars and low in essential nutrients.

*Aim to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

*Eating a healthy breakfast is a good way to start the day and may be important in achieving and maintaining a healthy weight.

IF YOUR CHILD OR TEENAGER IS OVERWEIGHT:

The diet for you child should be safe and nutritious. It should include all of the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) for vitamins, minerals, and protein and contain the foods from the major Food Guide Pyramid groups. Any weight-loss diet should be low in calories (energy) only, not in essential nutrients.

Even with extremely overweight children, weight loss should be gradual. Crash diets and diet pills can compromise growth and are not recommended by many health care professionals.

Weight lost during a diet is frequently regained unless children are motivated to change their eating habits and activity levels for a lifetime. Weight control must be considered a lifelong effort.

A physician should supervise any weight management program for children.

Source: www.articlecity.com
Author: Chris Chenoweth

Weight Loss with Diet Pills

If you need to lose weight and are considering diet pills, please read the following information. You can then make a better-informed decision.

FACTS ABOUT DIET PILLS:

* All serious diet or weight loss pills are designed for overweight people suffering from obesity. They are anti-obesity drugs - not pills for fast or easy weight loss. REPEAT: They are not the solution for fast or easy weight loss.

* Diet pills, supplements, drugs and other weight loss medications are not going to melt away your fat and solve your weight problem by themselves. Most weight loss trials show that diet pills offer (at best) short-term support.

* When using diet pills, make them part of a comprehensive weight-loss program that includes regular exercise and a healthy low-calorie diet. Otherwise, all you will lose is money.

* Beware of over-the-counter diet pills, weight loss products and dietary supplements. These weight loss products are NOT regulated, contain active ingredients that have no proven weight loss benefits, and may damage your weight and health.

* Beware of diet pills advertised as NATURAL or HERBAL. Weight loss pills are not necessarily healthier or more effective for weight loss because they contain so-called natural ingredients. Herbal ingredients of diet pills are linked to a wide range of health problems.

* Beware of diet pills called fat-burners when trying to lose weight. The only effective and safe way to directly raise metabolism and burn fat is to increase exercise.

* If you are thinking of buying diet pills, always consult your doctor FIRST. Discuss your weight loss options fully, and ask about all the known side effects and health risks of the diet and weight loss pills suggested.

* When taking diet pills, ALWAYS follow the instructions of the manufacturer.

* Do not stay on diet pills for more than 4-6 weeks without consulting your doctor.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF DIET PILLS:

Over the short term, weight loss in obese individuals may reduce a number of health risks. Studies looking at the effects of weight loss medication treatment on obesity-related health risks have found that some diet pills lower blood pressure, blood cholesterol, triglycerides (fats) and decrease insulin resistance (the inability of the body to use blood sugar) over the short term. However, long-term studies are needed to determine if diet and weight loss pills can improve health.

POTENTIAL RISKS OF DIET PILLS:

When considering long-term weight loss medication treatment for obesity, you should consider the many potential risks. The following are major areas of concern:

Abuse of, or dependence on diet pills - Currently, all prescription drugs to treat obesity are controlled substances, meaning doctors need to follow certain restrictions when prescribing weight loss medications. Although abuse and dependence are not common with non-amphetamine appetite-suppressant medications, doctors should be cautious when they prescribe these medications for patients with a history of alcohol or other drug abuse.

Development of tolerance to diet pills - Most studies of weight loss drugs show that the weight of a patient tends to level off after four to six months while still on medication. While some patients and physicians may be concerned that this shows tolerance to the diet pills, the leveling off may mean that the medication has reached its limit of effectiveness. Based on the currently available studies, it is not clear if weight gain with continuing treatment is due to drug tolerance.

POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS OF DIET PILLS:

Because weight loss medications are used to treat a condition that affects millions of people, many of whom are basically healthy, their potential for side effects is of great concern. Most side effects of these medications are mild and usually improve with continued treatment. Rarely, serious and even fatal outcomes have been reported.

Some known side effects are symptoms of sleeplessness, nervousness, and euphoria. Elevations in blood pressure and pulse, which are usually small but may be significant in some patients, can occur. People with poorly controlled high blood pressure, heart disease, irregular heartbeat, or history of stroke should not take diet pills without the approval and supervision of their doctor.

POTENTIAL EFFECTIVENESS OF DIET PILLS:

Diet and weight loss drugs or pills, whether prescription or over-the-counter, are not MAGIC BULLETS. They cannot take the place of improving your diet and becoming more physically active. The major role of medications appears to be to help a person stay on a healthy diet and exercise plan to lose weight and keep it off.

Source: www.articlecity.com
Author: Chris Chenoweth

Fat-Burning Foods

In your quest to lose weight, there are a variety of foods that are not only healthy and nutritious, but help your body lose weight naturally and increase your body’s rate of fat loss. Incorporating some or all of these foods into your daily diet will speed up weight loss, burn fat, and help in your search for a better, healthier body.

* Apples and berries contain pectin. Pectin restricts the amount of fat the cells can absorb and forces the cells to discharge fatty deposits.

* Citrus fruits contain high concentrations of Vitamin C. Vitamin C burns fat by diluting or liquefying it. This makes it less effective and easier for the body to flush fat from the system. Vitamin C also helps burn out the cholesterol making it difficult for cholesterol deposits to form in blood vessels.

* Calcium in dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt plays an important role in weight loss by accelerating the fat breakdown in fat cells.

* Broccoli and Cabbage both contain very high quantities of calcium and Vitamin C and are full of fiber!

* Eggs are high in protein and essential in burning fat. If you are concerned about cholesterol, you can eat the white part as that is the most nutritious part of the egg.

* Garlic or garlic oil helps reduce fatty deposits in your body’s cells.

* Green Tea boosts metabolism and may aid in weight loss. It also contains anti-cancer properties and helps prevent heart disease.

* Hot Peppers can speed up your metabolism. This causes you to burn more calories.

* Lean Turkey fires up the body’s fat-burning abilities by boosting metabolism and building lean muscle tissue that, in turn, burns more calories.

* Oatmeal and Whole Grains are great sources of fat-absorbing fiber that keeps the body full by providing it with energy. They also rev up the metabolism, necessary for burning fat and calories.

* Soup is a terrific appetite suppressant. Burn fat faster by having a bowl of soup as an appetizer or a snack. Make your own with lots of fresh veggies.

* Soybeans contain lecithin, a chemical that protects your cells from accumulating fat. Lecithin prevents fat from forming on your cells and breaks down fatty deposits in your body.

* Eat the right type of fats:

Monounsaturated fats lower the risk of heart disease, burn fat, and reduce the “bad”(LDL) cholesterol, without affecting the “good” (HDL) cholesterol. These healthy fats can be found in olive oil, avocados and nuts (pecans, peanuts, almonds, and cashews). Omega 3 fatty acids have the same function as the monounsaturated fats and can be found in salmon, sardines, herring, and canola oils.

Don’t forget. The first rule of a healthy and nutritious diet is to drink water, lots of water! Water flushes out the system and eliminates harmful toxins. It enables the body to run more efficiently, speeds up metabolism, and makes it easier to lose weight and burn fat. Your body is made up of 70% water and needs a lot of water each day to perform its necessary functions.

Source: www.articlecity.com
Author: Chris Chenoweth

Is Our Diet Killing Us?

Americans are spending 40 percent of their food dollars eating out. Our food is processed, refined, concentrated, sugared, salted, and chemically engineered to produce taste sensations high in calories and low in nutrients. Our cattle get fat in feedlots without exercise and with antibiotics and growth hormones. The result: bigger cattle producing juicier steaks containing nearly twice the fat as ranged cattle. In addition, we are paying dearly for these advances. Although we eat to live, what we eat is killing us.

The foods that we eat are causing most of the diseases that we are seeing in major numbers today. The statistics are real. In 1900, about 10 to 15 percent of Americans died of heart disease and strokes. Today it is 45 percent. Back then, less than 6 percent died of cancer, while today the figure is over 25 percent.

This is not nature’s way. We were not meant to die in such numbers from heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, and from cancer of the lungs, breast, prostate, and colon. Significant cardiovascular disease started to emerge in America after World War I. It became rampant only after World War II, when people could afford diets rich in animal products and when the food industry started producing processed foods crammed with calories and emptied of nutrition.

This problem is unique to the westernized people. Rural populations in China and Southeast Asia who have little access to rich foods experience few heart attacks. Similarly, most people in rural Africa and South and Central America have little fear of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Yet in North America, Australia, New Zealand, and the increasingly rich countries in Europe and Asia, where diets are rich in fat and cholesterol, heart disease and diabetes are epidemic.

The villains, low fiber, high fat, and cholesterol, take their toll by damaging the body’s oxygen-carrying arteries and by upsetting important metabolic acts. Because of thickened, narrowed arteries, 4,000 Americans have heart attacks every day, every third adult has high blood pressure, and thousands are becoming crippled from strokes. Because of disordered metabolisms from unbalanced lifestyles, obesity is epidemic, and a new diabetic is diagnosed every 50 seconds.

Source: www.articlecity.com
Author: Jason Hunter

Keeping Fit For Little To No Cash

Do you want to have a more firm physique, but lack the money or simply don't want to attend a fitness center ? Well, there's good news. There are plenty of exercises that you can do around the house to keep yourself in tip top shape. One important basic guideline for keeping in shape is to walk as often as you possibly can. Simply walking around the house while you're on the phone is one easy way to help add some work-out into your life. When in the office or at school, take the stairs as opposed to the elevator. Climbing stairs is a very aerobic activity that can really pay off when done regularly.

Sit-ups and push-ups can be conveniently done while facing downtime at home; a commercial break from TV provides ample opportunity for you to get a set of these exercises done. Jumping jacks are an oft-overlooked method of keeping in shape that requires no equipment as well. If you'd like to build muscle, you can make simple weights out of empty milk gallons. These weights can be used in a host of different exercises that can help to build muscle. Another thing to consider is the possibility of a pull-up bar in the household. Helping to keep your arms and chest strong, any overhead pipe or ledge that is secure enough to hold your weight can be used for pull-ups.

In addition to helping you improve your physique, regular exercise has many beneficial effects on your mental health. Depression can be warded off sometimes simply by maintaining an exercise routine. The United States Government has even stated that, quote, "We now have evidence to support the claim that exercise is related to positive mental health as indicated by relief in symptoms of depression and anxiety." A test performed by researchers at Duke University found that people with cases of depression that began an exercise regimen 3 times a week overcame their depression with no anti-depressants at a rate of 60 percent! That research is proof positive that in addition to the physical benefits of exercise, there is a strong mental benefit. If you are just beginning a workout regimen, it may be a good idea to check in with your doctor for a physical. A simple physical can help you to ensure that you're getting the proper program started for your body.

Source: www.articlecity.com
Author: Kadence Buchanan

Which Aerobic Exercise Is Best For You?

Want to use aerobic exercise to keep healthy? So did I, and so do I! But when I first came upon the idea of aerobic exercise the only option was jogging, although I think ‘aerobics’ or really aerobic dancing was just coming in. Not for me. So I joined the band of people who went around jogging up and down the road.

I learned that you needed to exercise every other day from the original exponents of the idea of aerobic exercise, and so that’s what I did. I used to be quite good at doing it every couple of days, except when travelling on business or on holiday.

Jogging for aerobics for a while -

Then I stopped doing it for a while, and took it up when I realised I was getting out of shape. Eventually, I got fed up with jogging. It is not much fun. Now if you are a really long distance runner, you get a kick from running – it’s a natural high. But I can’t say I got that.

Then, I heard that you can damage your joints, especially the knees, with too much jogging on concrete, so I gave it up – except at times of stress when I found the exercise helped calm me down! Of course, if you can jog on grass or heathland that will be OK, especially if you don’t do it too much.

Then I started swimming regularly

Later I tried swimming. Swimming is one of the best forms of exercise you can take, as it exercises nearly every muscle in the body – and is definitely aerobic. I found I soon got bored with pounding up and down the pool, probably because I am not a good swimmer and use too much energy doing it.

So I gave that up, too! Next came cycling, and when I started I was living in a very hilly area, so you could not go more that a mile without coming to a steep hill and getting your heart beat up suitably. Despite those hills I enjoyed cycling – always have I suppose, ever since my first proper bike gave me some real freedom at thirteen years old.

So now I cycle every two days. Although it is fairly flat where I live there just enough hills for this to qualify as aerobic exercise. I enjoy it, and it keeps me fit. Of course you need some other exercise as well – and this can be walking occasional swimming or whatever.

So, to keep fit do some aerobic exercise. Try one you think you will enjoy, and if that doesn’t work, try another. Cycling, power walking – preferably in a hilly area – jogging, swimming, roller blading, many sports and lots of other forms of exercise qualify as aerobic. The minimum according to the experts is that you exercise for eight minutes with your heart beat up about 40%. You can achieve the same result with a lower increase for a longer period, so choose something that you enjoy as your form of aerobic exercise.

Source: www.articlecity.com
Author: John Hartley

The Three Phased Diet Plans

Dr. Arthur Agatston, the man behind the South Beach Diet, says excess consumption of “bad carbohydrates”such as those that are rapidly-absorbed carbohydrates have a high blood glucose level and that creates an impairment of the hormone insulin’s ability to properly process fat or sugar. Futhermore, he states that excess consumption of "bad fats" like the saturated fat and trans fat are responsible for an increase in cardiovascular disease. So in order to avoid this, the Doctor’s diet reduces consumption of bad fats and bad carbs and advises increased consumption of good fats and good carbs.

The three phased Diet Plans suggest the minimal consumption of bad fats. Phase I which lasts for two weeks is an attempt for dieters to remove the insulin resistance by abstaining from high or moderately high-glycemic carbs like sugar, candy, bread, potatoes, fruit, cereals, and grains. With this Phase of the diet, Dr. Agatston says the body loses its insulin resistance and starts to use up the extra body fat enabling the dieter to lose between 8 and 13 pounds.

Now, Phase II starts. Whole grain foods and fruits are slowly accepted into the diet, though in small amounts, with a continuous emphasis on foods with a low glycemic index. Once the dieter has achieved the desired weight, Phase III starts. The Phase III diet allows three servings of whole grains and three servings of fruit a day.

The Diet shows that:

• Good carbs are high in fiber or in good fats, and have a low glycemic index, that is, they are digested and absorbed easily and at a slower pace. Other preferrences of carbohydrates are those which have more nutritional value. For instance, brown rice is allowed in moderation, but white rice is not. When eating any carbohydrates, Dr. Agatston also advices eating fiber or fat to slow down the digestion of the carbohydrates.

• Good fats are polyunsaturated as well as monounsaturated fats especially those that contain omega-3 fatty acids whereas the saturated and trans fats are the bad fats.

It emphasises on changing your diet plan completely and permanently, adds a large number of foods and all this is done in an easy and flexible manner. It also gives great importance to good nutrition which includes whole grains and adds a large amount of vegetables which are necessary along with sufficient amounts of mono- and polyunsaturated fats.Omega-3 fatty acids, like fish, are to be included. The foods to be avoided are eating overly refined processed foods (especially refined flours and sugars), high-fat meats, and saturated fats.

However, there is no requirement to count your calories or limit your intake of food. Dieters of the South Beach Diet are told to eat upto 6 meals a day i.e. breakfast, lunch and dinner with small snacks in between each meal.

Source: www.articlecity.com
Author: Lee Dobbins

Hoodia Gordonii – The Weight Loss Herb

Hoodia Gordonii was introduced to the United States in 2004 as a weight loss herb. It has been around for thousands of years and has been used by the San people in South Africa for its ability to be an appetite suppressant while hunting. The Hoodia Gordonii plant looks like a cactus but is really a succulent that grows in the high areas of the Kalahari Desert. It is the weight loss herb for anyone looking to diet without hunger. Hoodia Gordonii is not a drug, it is an herb. It is a completely natural and safe herbal diet pill for weight loss that will not cause any stimulation.

There are many pharmaceutical firms that are trying to make a synthesized version of the Hoodia Gordonii plant, in order to patent it. But from all the research that has been done you must consume the plant or powder causal to achieve the weight loss you desire.

Since this weight loss herb has become so lucrative people are digging up anything that looks like Hoodia. Because of the high demand for Hoodia Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa have placed this herb on the Endangered Species list. This enables them to control the harvesting and exportation of Hoodia Gordonii.

To be sure you are purchasing only natural Hoodia, check if the company has two things that will guarantee it. First make sure they have a C&A, which is a Certificate of Analysis. This tells you that the substance has been analyzed and it is pure Hoodia Gordonii. The next piece of information you want to have about this herb is if the company has a CITES certificate, it is the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species of the Worlds Fauna and Wildlife. The second line on the certificate will say "valid until (date)", make sure it is still valid. These two pieces of documentation let you know that you are buying real Hoodia Gordonii. While there are several species of Hoodia, only Hoodia Gordonii is the herb with the appetite suppressant.

Hoodia Gordonii has a molecule that acts much like glucose on the nerve cells. It is an herb that tricks the brain into feeling full. In some trials it has reduced the appetite by hundreds of calories each day. The Hoodia molecule has been found to contain 10,000 times the molecule as glucose. The molecule goes to the hypothalamus in mid brain and fires the cells that signal your brain that you have had enough. This herb actually takes away your desire to eat.

Some of the qualities of Hoodia Gordonii are, losing an interest in food, longer periods of time before hunger returns, quickly feeling full, and a general over all good feeling. Plus the herbs added benefit is that there are no side effects.

There have been some people that say that their Hoodia Gordonii supplement works right away. Others have reported that it takes a two week regime of regularly using the herb for the appetite suppression to begin.

Hoodia Gordonii is not a miracle cure for obesity; I would be lying to say that. It will suppress your appetite, but use a little common sense. You should exercise, since it has been proven that diet and exercise go hand in hand. You should drink plenty of water to flush the fat and toxins from your body. Eating healthy will make your weight reduction much easier. Those items along with the weight loss herb Hoodia Gordonii will get you to your goal of a healthier lifestyle.

Here's to success with the weight loss herb Hoodia Gordonii.

For more information on Hoodia Gordonii visit my Gardening Herb website.

Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

Source: www.articlecity.com
Author: Mary Hanna