Four Common Mistakes that Overweight People Make

I am a Registered Dietitian who has spent over 10,000 hours researching the lifestyle habits of thin people for my book Thin People Dont Clean Their Plates. In this research, I discovered striking differences between the choices that thin people make versus those of overweight people. The common dieting mistakes that overweight people typically make are those that tend to lump them into the overweight instead of thin people category for habits. Here is the list of the top four habits of overweight people, which will prevent them from losing weight:

1. Skipping breakfast to save calories. Almost all thin people do eat something for breakfast. The majority of overweight people skip breakfast. Breakfast will break the fast from the night before and wake up your metabolism. Your body will burn more calories all day long because you ate something shortly after waking up.

2. Not eating when you are hungry. This will cause the body to release lipogenic, or fat-storing hormones that prevent weight loss. Thin people tend to eat at the first sign of hunger. Carrying snacks will help you be prepared for unplanned hunger attacks and prevent a binge later.

3. Having the all-or-nothing way of thinking. Following a diet/binge or feast/famine cycle will cause your body to become more efficient at storing calories and fat. Diets do not work. If you want to lose weight, stop dieting and start listing to what your body is telling you.

4. Combining sugar with fat. The sugar-fat combination is the best formula for weight gain. The sugar causes a release of insulin, to lower your blood sugar and practically opens the door to your fat cells. By combining fat with sugar in a certain food (i.e. a donut), it will be very easy for your body to store it as fat. I do recommend that you allow yourself treats during your weight loss process, but keep the sugar away from the fat. If your treat is a slice of cheesecake, alter the recipe to make it low fat since it does contain a lot of sugar. If you are eating tortilla chips as a treat, do not drink lemonade with them.

Jill Fleming is a Registered Dietitian with a Masters degree in Nutrition. She is the author of the book Thin People Dont Clean Their Plates. This book reveals the THIN CHOICES success strategies that have been proven to promote both impressive and permanent weight loss results. With Jills natural ability to motivate others, she can teach anyone to apply these same strategies to their own busy life. Jill says, Life is too short to live in a body that you dont enjoy. http://www.ThinChoices.com

Operation Weight Loss

Motivation high = Success Guaranteed!

Losing weight is easy. All you need to do is use up more energy than you consume. The science behind weight loss may be straight forward; however, keeping your motivation up during this sometimes lengthy process can be the difficult part.

Making the decision to lose weight and become healthier is relatively easy too. But in order to succeed, your motivation must be high from the very beginning, and it must remain so until your goals have been achieved. We have looked at some ways to do this below. Everyone is different and one motivational method is not going to suit everyone. Choose some ways which may work for you, and then have another up your sleeve for when you need it.

Measuring up

Many people like to see their weight loss coming off in cold hard figures. A good way to do this is to weigh and measure yourself on day one of your new eating and exercise plan. Record the figures in a book, and then regularly weigh and measure over the following weeks and months. The longer you leave between measuring the better, as you'll see more results that way. Whatever you do, don't weigh yourself every day, you'll drive yourself crazy.

For many people, this method would do more harm than good. No weight lost, and they feel completely disillusioned and eat because 'there's no point trying'. A loss on the scales and those same people may think, 'this is so easy, I don't need to be so strict with myself, I think I'll have a sausage roll to celebrate'. You will know if this is you. So you can see where this method is headed?

Rather than weigh and measure yourself, you may aim to fit into a pair of your old size 10 jeans, for example. Try them on every few weeks until they fit. Don't be ridiculous with your 'goal garment'. If you are size 22, don't aim to suddenly fit into a size 8 skirt. It will just seem like too much of a mountain to conquer.

Tiny goals

If you have 20 kilos to lose, break it down into two kilo lots. Chip away, bit by bit, rather than overwhelming yourself with the entire task at hand. Just take it a day at a time, and before you know it, you will have reached your ultimate goal.

A journal

Keeping a journal is an excellent source of motivation for almost everyone. Don't fanatically write down every mouthful you eat, but rather your thoughts and wishes for the future. Start by writing down how you feel while overweight and unfit, and why you want to discover a new and improved you. When your motivation is running low, go back and remind yourself why you are on this mission in the first place. Return to centre and carry on.

Buddy up

Most people will know someone who would also like to be leaner and fitter. Pair up with your best friend, sister, wife or neighbour, and act as each others motivators. Arrange to meet on a regular basis. Call each other when you are feeling weak and can't get the thought of doughnuts out of your head. Go walking with each other. Listen to each other, and reach your goals together.

Bribe yourself

Don't forget, there's nothing wrong with a good old fashioned bribe, if that's what it takes to get you trim and healthy. The bribes can be small, for example, when I lose the next two kilos I will treat myself to a facial. The bribes can be huge. When I reach my goal weight and can run five kilometers non stop, I'll treat myself to a week in Tahiti. Use your imagination, and think about what would motivate you. Remember, whatever your bribe is, by the time you have earnt it, you can enjoy it guilt free.

The breakout

Not everyone can be trusted with this technique, but consider whether it would work for you. The breakout is just that, allowing yourself one meal per week, fortnight or month, when you can have what you want. You still need to set some boundaries though. You may allow yourself only one course to break out on, you may allow yourself only good quality food (no drive-throughs) even if it is fattening, you may stipulate you have to go for an extra long walk the day before or after.

For some people, getting back on the straight and narrow after a breakout would be virtually impossible. If you are one of these people, than this method is not for you. Others will feel rewarded and refreshed and ready for the next leg of their journey.

Visualization

Don't underestimate the power of visualization. Picture yourself how you would like to be - over and over again. Keep this picture in your mind as you are walking, swimming, asking for a tomato juice (when you think you want a sugary soft drink), declining a piece of birthday cake at a party or downing your 10th glass of water for the day. Achieving your goals will require just as much brain power as anything else.

Everyone should talk to their partner, if they have one, about how they can motivate you. That could mean to never mention your new eating and exercise plan, or to act as your drill sergeant throughout the process, or something in between. Either way, it is essential to let them know. The person you love can be a huge help or a massive hindrance if they don't know what you want from them. Remember you can't regain your health and look great, by not doing or eating anything differently. Change requires change.

It's also helpful to remember that you probably didn't pile on a sneaky 25 kilos in a couple of weeks, so don't expect it to be gone in two weeks. It takes time to achieve weight loss If you have any other motivational techniques that you have found work for you, please let us know so we can share them.

Yours in health,

Leisa St Ledger http://www.leisassecret.com

How To Lose 1 Stone In A Month

If your goal is to lose 14 pounds in one month you are likely to succeed if you are determined. There are several traps to avoid, for instance if you go on a low-calorie diet you will start to crave for calories and the same applies if you try the low carb diet.

The argument stated above is the biggest reason why 95% of all dieters fail. Once you have failed at a diet you get less confident in that you have what it takes. Let me tell you, We all have what it takes.

Another reason is that most diets will make you tired and angry and this makes people quit because they just can't stand it. I remember once when I hissed at a poor lady in the local grocery shop. I took this as a receipt that the diet was working. Tormenting yourself must lead to something good, boy was I wrong!

A good friend of mine lost several pounds in no time and I couldn't figure out how she did it, she wasn't irritated or nothing. I figured that she must be a great dieter that knows how to cope with all the anger and so on. One day we sat at the same table in the cafeteria and I saw her eating loads of chicken. After a little small-talk she said that she was on a diet. Imagine my surprise after looking at her plate.

She had found a diet that everybody used. It was built around the simple motto 'Food Is Not Your Enemy'. This diet was easy to follow and she got all of the energy she needed, hence her good mood. The diet is called calorie shifting and is based on the food you eat and how it affects the metabolism. She had lost over 16 pounds in less than a month so the diet obviously worked.

She said that she had tried almost every diet possible. She had tried weight watchers, Jenny Craig and so on. Those diets cost a fortune and they give result but not as fast as she wanted it too. So after a little research she stumbled upon the calorie shifting diet from fat loss for idiots.

We met a couple of nights later and she helped me generate a menu for me. I also learned a lot of important stuff about weight loss and what made me gain weight. We had a very fun evening drink a couple of glasses of wine. And yes, you are allowed to drink wine during this diet.

This roughly happened a year ago and my new friend has lost over 60 pounds with this diet and I've lost almost 40 pounds!

Jennifer Olsen was a master of failing at different diets. She understood that there were more to losing weight then just going on a diet. Today she has lost nearly 50 pounds with the calorie-shifting diet and meanwhile she has finished reading 'Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle' and she is implementing what she learned into daily activities.

She made a mini-site that gives examples of diets, complete fast weight loss diets and reviews of books that helped her stop living the unhealthy life and turning around into a more healthy life-style. If you are interested in learning more please Click Here!

What Options Do You Have for Weight Loss Surgery?

Sometimes due to medical conditions doctors advice you to go for weight loss surgery (It is NEVER advisable to go to the surgery just because you want to loose weight, for that, choose the path of "exercise"). There are two options for weight loss surgery

1.Bariatric surgery -

Bariatric surgery is the surgery procedure which is applied for treatment of obesity. Obesity is one of the main problems of the society. It is very difficult to treat obesity. Bariatric surgery tries to find a solution to this problem.

Now Obesity causes problems like diabetes, heart problems, sleep apnea etc. Bariatric surgery can help in avoiding them. Now only that,Bariatric surgery can also help you avoiding the secondary health problems. In Bariatric surgery, the stomach size is reduced. The stomach after surgery become of size that of an egg. Only very less amount of food can enter the reduced stomach. So you tend to eat less. It is not a natural solution hence do consult your doctors before ever going through such operations.

2. Lap band Surgery -

The other option is lap band surgery. It is the modest form of weight loss surgery for the treatment of obesity. Patients having BMI between 30 and 40 are also eligible of lap band surgery if they are suffered from serious health problems that are known to improve with weight loss.

It is worth nothing that The efficiency of lap band is based on the consuming capacity of your stomach; if a person consume less food then naturally he may lose weight.As with any kind of surgery, Lap band surgery also do not guarantees for weight loss for everyone as the results may vary. In rare cases, It is also possible that patient may face serious complications after the surgery.

Both kind of surgeries have there pros and cons and can create complexities if they don't get successful. If you have some medical problems or high blood pressure than it is highly advisable to consult with your physician.

2007 MedsAvailable.Com
Please do check our article, How to loose weight with Bariatric surgery and Reduce your weight with Lap Band Surgery for more info on above mentioned surgeries.

Abhinn is a content editor who focuses on a wide array of niche health topics. He maintains many health blogs and Medical and Health Information is one of them. The blog deals with all kind of medical and health advices and daily we add 2-3 new health articles to it, so do check it out.

Fat Loss Training for Women

Forget cardio and body sculpting classes. Here's a faster way to burn the inches from your body.

And the answer will shock you.

I train a lot of men and women who do the same workouts - and here's the shocker: Most of the time, the women get the best results by using interval training and superset strength training.

Why?

Because most women are doing such ineffective workouts right now, that they are getting no results. Cardio is boring. And possibly doesn't even work. But when they switch to intervals and resistance training, their bodies get lean fast and they lose inches fast!

However, I also sometimes will change the program for women in order - we might reduce the number of sets per exercise or we use body weight exercises in place of dumbbell exercises.

And the reasoning here is this. To "bulk up", bodybuilders need to do a lot of volume (a lot of sets and reps) - and they have to eat a lot, which obviously people aren't going to be focusing on if they want to lose body fat.

Women who want to burn inches from their things are not going to be pigging out. They're going to be eating what they're supposed to.

But back to training. In my Turbulence Training programs we don't have body builder type volume in the first place. So most women, like I said, just train normally on Turbulence Training and don't change it at all - and they lose fat and do NOT bulk up.

However, I sometimes change the program only for a woman's mindset purpose as opposed to an actual physical purpose. Instead of doing three sets per exercise, we'll just do one or maybe two sets per exercise. That way it just decreases the amount of volume and reduces the chance of gaining muscle. So that's the biggest change that I'll make for women.

It really just eases their mind so they won't think they are getting big and bulky.

On the other hand, another mindset change for women is if we use a push up in place of a dumbbell chest press women are much more comfortable doing push ups because they don't associate that with gaining mass.

Push ups are tough, and elevating your feet makes them tougher. So if a woman is using 30 or 35 pounds in dumbbell chest presses, then sometimes they get a little anxious about that so we'll just switch them over to decline push ups.

These push ups are very difficult exercise, still getting the same type of results, same benefits, but now they're not worried about the so-called bulking up.

So, those are the changes I make and I'm not hesitant to say I'm making them mostly to suit the mindset of the person because I know we're not losing results.

And another thing to consider about volume of training is that you don't have to do six different exercises for a body part and four sets per exercise.

Strength training is a very efficient process. So even if you only did one hard set of each exercise you're probably going to get about 75% of the results if you did three sets.

So that's an important consideration for people that are really pressed for time. Men who like to build muscle can do less cardio and eat more.

People just have to realize that if they only have 10 or 15 minutes they can still benefit their body and their fat loss efforts just by training at a reduced volume.

Craig Ballantyne believes cardio has a dark side, and has invented better fat burning workouts.

Cheap Weight Loss Methods

cheap weight loss methods are a dime a dozen these days. The only problem is finding cheap weight loss methods that actually work and if they do work. Will the weight loss program work for your unique metabolism? How fast will you see the results from these so called quick weight loss programs? Learn how to lose 9lbs. Every 11 days, speed up your metabolism to high gear no matter what kind of genes you were born with. While eating more meals and no exercise involved with this new updated weight loss method

Cheap Weight Loss Methods in the past use to teach eat less meals, intake less calories, take several diet substitutes and exercise till exhaustion. Current quick weight loss programs now know that this is not true and is a unhealthy approach to quick weight loss. Not only that, the health and fitness gurus have also learned every diet plan and diet supplement doesn't work for everyone. Every person was born with different genes and have metabolisms that work at different speeds.

Quick Weight Loss Programs that are Successful for Anyone

There are two main factors that need to be included in any quick weight loss programs to be successful to any individuals unique needs. You need to eat several meals throughout the day but with the correct foods. Second, the time you eat those meals is the key for success. It really is that simple when broken down to simpler terms. Don't listen to the complex mumbo jumbo that the so called health and fitness gurus talk about. I believe some of them make it sound more complex than what it really breaks down to. Speed up your metabolism=burning calories and fat quickly which means losing unwanted body weight.

How this Weight Loss Method is so Successful

Eating more food at the right intervals of the day will speed up your metabolism no matter what type of metabolism you have. If you try this weight-loss program you will feel a difference and see the results very quickly. Your metabolism will jump into hyper drive and burn the fat quickly. Trust me you won't be able to stop smiling knowing you will achieve your personal weight loss goal quickly. When I first tried this technique I could literally feel the difference the first day. It gave me more energy than I have ever had, made me feel healthy and alive like never before.

Whether your looking for quick weight loss programs to achieve a personal short term goal or for a long term goal this quick weight loss method will work for you. Exercising definitely helps you to lose weight quicker and be healthier but is not necessary for this quick weight loss method. Not everyone is built the same and some people can't physically workout or just don't want to. This diet plan will be great for you and keep you healthy and energized throughout the day.

Ray Day has used this quick weight-loss program with exceptional results. Even after he achieved his weight loss goal he still uses this cheap weight loss methods daily because it's not just a diet plan for him but a whole new way of life. It's easy to implement for everyday life. He found out about this program here quick weight loss programs

The Master Cleanse - Jumpstart Your Way To a Healthy Lifestyle

If you're looking to jump start your weight loss program, then I have a plan for you. The Master Cleanse is one of the hottest detoxification program on the market today! This is due to the fact that many Hollywood stars have used this diet to cleanse the body and drop weight quickly for upcoming movies roles. Beyonce Knowles is an example of one star that used this detoxifying weight loss program to drop 20 lbs. quickly for her role in "Dream Girls". Although weight loss is an added benefit; it is not the main goal of this cleansing program. The main goal is to remove years of built up toxins, wastes, mucus and plaque inside your body. This will make you feel healthier, have better skin, look younger looking and be more energized.

The Master Cleanse program was created by Stanley Burroughs who was an early advocate of natural health, and believed in the body's natural ability to heal itself. The results people have experienced by going on this diet have been nothing short of amazing. Chronic health problems people have suffered with for years have vanished in as little as 10 days on this amazing diet. Flushing out your system is what this cleansing program is really designed to do. Even back 60 years ago when the system was first invented people had health problems as a result of waste building up inside of them. Today with processed foods, pollution, and all around poor diets our bodies desperately need to be flushed out every once in a while.

Detoxification is great to jump start your body for a life style change of healthy eating habits and exercise. What happens when the 10 days are up? You will see a permanent shift in your attitudes and beliefs about what you put in your body. Detoxification will also help you to shatter the uncontrollable urges to eat unhealthy foods and replace it with cravings for healthy foods. The most dramatic change that you will go through is that once your body is returned to a healthy state, it naturally wants to stay that way. You will no longer need "will power" to stay away from the bad things because you will not have the desire to put them into your body. This change is so powerful, just thinking of the unhealthy food you used to put in your body can cause your stomach to turn. Anyone who has craved sugar all of there life knows how difficult it can be to be around it. After finishing a detoxification program, you will know the incredible feeling of being able to be around sweets and not be tempted by them.

I will not kid you; this is one of the hardest programs that I have ever tried in my life. Most people fail after the third day because they find it difficult not to eat solid food. They are tired, cranky and irritable and give up at that point. But after the 3rd day, it gets a little easier; you body will adjust to the cleanse. Imagine the excitement you will feel waking up and seeing your belt one notch tighter then it was the day before and feeling light and energized all day.

It is really amazing to see what the Master Cleanse can do for a determined person with a strong desire to make a change in their life. The best part about this plan is it only takes 10 days. That means in less then a week and a half you could be slimmer, healthier, and enjoy more energy all by following this simple system.

There's much more to learn about succeeding using the Master Cleanse system. If you are serious about trying the Master Cleanse and want to be one of the people who do make it through the whole 10 days, the Master Cleanse Secrets book at is the most complete guide available for helping you get through the Master Cleanse. Click the link below to learn how to survive the Master Cleanse system.

TheMasterCleanserSecrets

High Protein Diets And Weight Loss!

The reason why most diets do not work is due to the body's conservation capacity. During a diet, the body protects itself against what it perceives as starvation. It does this by cannibalizing the lean muscle tissue that uses up calories.

Diets that take off more than two pounds in a week primarily remove the water and lean tissue from the body. Diets that are based on water pills (diuretics) do this directly, but the same effects are felt by most low-carbohydrate diets.

Many high protein diets usually produce weight loss for some time. This is because the body only uses as much protein as needed and the rest is changed to ammonia, which must be cleared from the body. The liver produces the amino acids required to convert this ammonia into urea, which is then passed out in the urine. Urea and ammonia are toxic to the body and are said to be hard on the kidneys and liver.

People lose weight rapidly because of loss of water as the kidneys draw moisture from the tissues in order to flush these protein waste products from the body. This means, the body chooses the lesser of the evils and forfeits necessary hydration to get rid of the toxins.

The reason we put on weight once the diet ends is because the desiccated tissues are quickly rehydrated and the lost weight regained.

The result of a high protein diet is that it makes the dieter feel tired and the burning of calories reduces. Since the body is trying to prevent starvation, it starts to use up tissues that burn calories, which are the lean muscle tissues - instead of the fat that the dieter actually wants to lose.

To learn more about the powerful workouts you can do to build muscle and burn
fat at the same time, visit http://www.positiveattitude4life.com

Frank is a former body guard, professional martial artist and trainer. He will show you the proper way to do turbulence training

Walking To Lose Weight

The weight loss and exercise market is flooded with new products, diet, programs and drugs each month. But one thing that keeps showing up over and over again is walking to lose weight.

It is also very helpful to those of us who are stuck inside our houses/office cubicles day in and day out. This little change can not only make you more fit but also give you time out to increase productivity levels. if you want to lose weight by walking then you have to remember few key things. It takes a long time before you see any visible results.

Diet For Walking exercises

If you are overweight and your goal is to shed some pounds by walking then your diet will play most crucial role. You cannot mess this up. In fact for my clients who are more than 50+ pounds overweight, I suggest very strict diet and walking as introductory system to lose weight.

Here are some of the ideas that you can use for dieting in this phase.

1. Use common sense : I can bet you have already bought and read tons of books on dieting... Almost most of them tell you to eat sensibly. If you just stop eating big mac's whenever you are hungry, you'll see results.

2. Eat more veggies and fruits : Here's a tip that You should follow. Put more veggies/fruits on your plate whenever you are about to eat. This way your plate will be full from good type of foods.

3. Eat more protein : Start eating more protein than you are getting. Include couple of protein shakes and bars in daily routine (provided you are eating clean food, no oily crispy mess)

4. Use common sense : its worth saying twice. If you think the kind of food you are eating will make you fat. Then don't Eat.

Exercise Routines for beginners.

According to experts, We normally walk about 5,000 - 6,000 steps/day (which I really wonder if its true). But lets assume that we walk 5000 steps per day. so if you add 3,000 to 4,000 steps to that, you're at 10,000 steps a day.

This kind of level of activity can help prevent weight gain, lower "bad" cholesterol and reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure.

Most people who are walking fewer than 5,000 steps a day and are gaining weight/losing muscle. Don't forget as you age, you lose muscles and slow down your metabolism. No matter what kind of metabolism you had when you were younger.. if you are overweight now... Now you know why...

According to a Duke University study participants lost weight, decreased waist sizes and increased lean body mass by walking at least 30 minutes a day.

The best way to exercise to lose weight is to walk in interval walking. Fast walking mixed with slow walking. You should Keep challenging yourself to walk faster and further as your body gets used to the exercise.

When you exercise intensely you increase your metabolism and burn extra calories several hours after exercising.

Here's a plan for walking that might suit your needs. Remember you should check with your doctor and listen to how you body respond.

Week 1 : 40 minutes of fast Walking for 4 days... and 1 hour of leisure walking on other days...

Week 2 : 40 minutes of fast walking for 5 days and 1 hr of leisure walking on other days

Week 3 : 50 minutes of fast walking for 5 days and 1 hr of leisure walking on other days.

Week 4 : 1 hr of fast walking on 5 days and 1 hr of leisure walking on other days.

Walking is suitable for everyone, whether you work 9-5 days or retired, there is no reason not to get out on foot and enjoy fresh air and exercise.

10 Diet Tips that can Help You to lose weight with a walking plan. Get access to more Free workout Plans.

Tummy Fat! Is It Important?

Tummy fat. Some of us have it, others don't. Is there anything special about a big belly compared to a large bottom? Well, surprisingly, not all body fat is created equal! According to a study carried out by researchers from MacMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario it seems that gauging your heart attack risk depends on where your fat is, rather that how much fat you have.

These types of findings are not unique to MacMasters. Dr David Heber, Ph.D., from UCLAs Centre for Human Nutrition reports that distribution of body fat is a more important predictor of heart attack risk than the traditional measurement of Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a measurement based on the ratio between your height and weight.

It appears that a more accurate predictor of the impact body fat has on your health, is your overall body shape. You may be more like an apple or a pear, or evenly shaped top and bottom. You may have large thighs, fat hips and a huge bum and have a lower heart attack risk than someone with skinny legs and a big belly.

A more accurate and telling predictor of heart attack risk, is the waist-to-hip ratio.

What is your waist-to-hip ratio?

Divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement. For example, if your hips measurement is 40 inches and your waist is 34 inches your hip-to-waist ratio is 0.85. If you are a man, that's great, if you are a woman, that's OK (but you are right on the limit of healthy).

- A man's ratio should not be over 0.90

- A woman's ratio should not be over 0.85

Dont fight nature

If you were born an apple you will stay an apple and if you were born a pear you will continue to be appear. Accepting your natural body shape is the first step in losing weight. In a study led by Glasgow, Scotland, psychologist Dorothy Hefferman, Ph.D., researchers concluded that women whose actual body shape differs from their desired one may find losing weight frustrating and have more trouble sticking to a weight-loss program as a result.

If this sounds like you, accept your overall shape as nature intended, but pay attention to reducing fat around your middle and tummy areas. Circumference is much more important to your health than how you look in relation to your bust and bottom.

Kim Beardsmore is a weight loss consultant whose business operates across 60 countries. Tons of recipes, articles, resources, free newsletter and more to help you lose weight and keep it off forever. Estimate your healthy body weight or receive a free weight loss consultation at http://www.weight-loss-health.com.au

Spot Reducing In Weight Loss Is A Myth

How many fad diets do you have to waste your hard earned cash on before you realize that spot reduction in weight loss is nothing more than a myth. This myth was developed by the diet industry to take money out of your pocket and waste it on a product that will not deliver any results in your weight loss quest? Yes!! You have been lied to!!

If you are only interested in losing a quick twenty pounds off your butt then I suggest you stop reading here because there really is no way to spot reduce. If you want to lose weight in a specific area you need to melt away the body fat in the way an unlit candle melts in the hot sun. If you want to really be serious about your weight loss then read on because the following information is extremely relevant.

To understand why you can not spot reduce let us look at some basic human anatomy. Let us look at how your muscle and your fat develops around your stomach area. If you have spent the last few years wondering where you placed that six pack your abdomen used to have fear not because it is still there. It is under the fat, it is just hiding from sight. In order to see those muscles you need to eliminate the fat deposits that are masking them. The only way to show off those muscles again would be to not only exercise them but eliminate the fat that is hiding them. You could do crunches from dawn till dark and you still will not be able to "spot reduce" your abdomen. It just simply does not work that way. If you want to spot reduce you are wasting your time and more than likely your money.

If your desire is to lose weight because you are unhappy with your butt or your belly or your whatever... that is great! You just need to realize that you have to tune up the entire body package and not focus on one area. The best way to do this is by eating a better diet and performing some form of exercise that will allow you to burn more calories than you consume in the course of the day. Only after you get your diet under control and your attention is focused on exercise will you be able to start targeting a specific area. The muscles you desire to spotlight can only then can be developed for public display after you have lost the weight that hides them from sight.

If you want to lose weight that is great, I wish you the best. I hope you can do it and do it well. My sincere desire is that you save your money and skip the fad diet and the miracle pills. There is no modern miracle pill that will melt away the pounds. If your desire is to lose weight then plan on doing it the only way possible. That way is to eat right and burn more calories. If you want to spend some money on weight loss solutions then get a treadmill or a weight set or just a good pair of walking shoes and then use them.

Weight loss miracle? No, it will be more like a weight loss journey. That journey can begin right here and right now! It is all up to the choices you make and those choices soon become your past and your past is what you must live with, when it comes to weight loss that is!

http://www.IChooseThin.com

Keith Quackenbush is a graduate of St. John's University and a former U.S. Marine Corps officer. He and his wife (Sue) have been seeking knowledge on weightloss and have realized there is no magic pill to lose weight. http://www.IChooseThin.com is the destination achieved from the inadequate weight loss websites that really did not help others lose weight. Let the weightloss journey begin.

BMI - Do You Know Your Number?

The most recent statistics about obesity should scare you. Do you know what your Body Mass Index (BMI) is? If you did not see the latest report, here is the lowdown: Thirty-two percent of Americans are estimated as being obese. This is indicated by a BMI of greater than 30. This does not include the additional number of overweight individuals. Americans also do not get enough activity with an estimated twenty-two percent of Americans not engaging in any physical activity.

Body Mass Index estimates fatness and overall weight related to height. It is calculated by taking weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared.

BMI = weight (kg)/[height2 (in meters)] or

BMI = weight (lbs)/[height2 (in inches)] x 703

Example: Weight = 150 lbs, Height = 55 (65")

Calculation: [150 (65)2] x 703 = 24.96

A BMI of 18.5-24.9 is normal, so this person is on the very high end of normal weight for height.

Less that 18.5 is underweight, and 25-29.9 is overweight, with 30 and over indicating obesity.

Preventing obesity is certainly the nations goal. I would not say that maintaining a healthy weight through adulthood is easy, it is not; but it is much easier than losing a large amount of weight. Still, both can be achieved with the right person providing you guidance and support.

Your goal is to get your BMI within the normal range. If your BMI is creeping toward the overweight range, now is the time to do something about it and seek some professional help in order to do so. There is a multitude of nutrition information available to the public, but the tricky part is figuring out what the best resources are for accurate information. A registered dietitian (RD) in private practice, at a local wellness center or hospital will be able to point you in the right direction.

By seeking the advice of a trained nutrition professional, you wont have to worry about deciphering all the information out there. While most people know what it takes to lose weight (less calories in, more calories burned) doing it is a challenge, or almost of third of the country would not be obese.

Obesity increases the risk of disease tremendously. Trust me diabetes and heart disease are not friendly diseases. They slowly kill. Even if you need to lose forty pounds to get to that healthy BMI, losing ten or twenty pounds can really help. It will bring blood sugars down to normal range, and will reduce blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels, both additional risk factors for heart disease. Obesity also takes its toll on joints. Knee and hip replacements can be prevented if body weight is in the normal range. If you have a family history of arthritis, diabetes or heart disease, you really do want to take heed and lose weight if you need to.

Seek the help of an RD to guide you to a new path of healthy living. You only have one life, and it can be a lot more enjoyable if you can stay mobile and free from disease.

Rosanne Rust, MS, RD, LDN

Registered Dietitian

Nutrition Consulting, Writing, Lectures

Licensed Provider for Real Living Nutrition Services

Tired of dieting? Try a new approach to weight management:

http://www.reallivingnutrition.com/RosanneRust.aspx

The Real Secret to Weight Loss

How many times have you tried to lose weight and failed? If you are like me, you have fought this battle most of your life. I would lose some only to gain back more. It was so very frustrating. I tried many of the diet plans on the market today and yes I would lose some weight. You hear success stories of people losing 100lbs. or more and I am sure that happened. I assure you though that these people are the exception not the rule. In our desperate state of mind to lose weight we hear these stories and think "My Goodness if she lost 108lbs. then surely I can lose 50lbs. on this diet plan. What usually happens is that even if we lose 50lbs., when we go off the diet we gain it back and more.

You will not lose weight by starving yourself either. You actually loose weight by eating the right foods and increasing your metabolism. This is easier said than done! Wouldn't it be nice to have our very own dietician to plan and prepare our meals. I can't provide that but I can provide the next best thing. What are the right foods to eat? How do I increase my metabolism? These are questions that must be answered before you start a diet.

I personally have tried the "Real Secrets to Weight Loss" and have had amazing results. I have gone from a size 16 to a size 4 in four months. My total weight loss is 45 lbs. I love my new size. Shopping is once again a pleasure.

For more information on this diet visit http://www.sarahsnewadventures.blogspot.com

Sarah E. Dane

http://www.sarahsnewadventures.blogspot.com

How Much Protein Can You Absorb At One Time?

The biggest protein myth is that you can only digest 30 grams of protein at one time. Find out what's wrong with this belief and just how much protein you need. This is a common question. I also get variations such as, how much protein can you digest at one time?

There are two ways to answer this, because there really two questions being asked.

1) How much protein can the digestive system physically absorb into the bloodstream from a meal?

And the MORE IMPORTANT QUESTION...

2) How much protein can you body actually utilize?

The answers...

1) About 95% and higher, unless you have some type of digestive system malfunction.

So if you get convinced by supplement companies to drink a 42g protein shake in 5 minutes, you'll still probably absorb at 38 or more grams of that protein.

Your muscle growth is not limited by the amount of protein you can DIGEST or ABSORB.

Your muscle growth IS LIMITED by the amount of protein that your body can utilize for protein synthesis.

So the answer to #2...

2) A lot less than you think.

You really don't need 40, or 30, or probably even 20g of protein per meal to keep your protein synthesis humming along. See Nutrition Help Expert Brad Pilon's post on "How Much Protein Do We Really Need"

Any protein that your body can't use for growth will be shuttled into a process where it is broken down (de-aminated: meaning the nitrogen is removed from the molecule and it becomes a carbon skeleton) to be used in energy pathways.

Now, there are benefits for eating extra protein (in my opinion) when dieting, mainly that it helps to suppress appetite.

But the bottom line to the question I am asked almost everyday is...

a) Your body can digest and absorb almost all of the protein you eat without problem.

b) Your muscles can only do so much with protein...the muscle growth process is RARELY, if ever limited by the amount of protein we consume. Almost all of us can easily get enough protein for maximum muscle growth without the need for eating 50g of protein 6 times per day. Ronnie Coleman, Jay Cutler, and Gunter Schlerkcamp excluded, of course.

Overall, I'd think twice about the need to slam down a 40-50g protein shake...just think of the children and puppies you'll save by not gassing them out with protein farts.

Real food should cover all your protein needs.

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training for Fat Loss Nutrition Guidelines have helped thousands of men and women with weight loss and fat burning in less than 45 minutes three times per week. More nutrition help and fat loss workouts show you how to burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment. Craig's bodyweight for abs exercises help you lose fat without any equipment at all.

You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (HTML clickable) and references and copyright info.

Facts on Lemons and Weight Loss

Many people ask questions like, "How do lemons and weight loss go together?" and "Can lemons make me lose weight?" Let's examine what that sour little citrus friend of ours can and cannot do in our battle of the bulge.

Lemons are well-known for containing a lot of Vitamin C. In addition to that, lemons also contain citric acid, which is what gives them the sour taste.

Apart from the lemon juice, there are also the pulp and rind that make up the rest of the lemon.

Not much there that could help one lose weight, one would think? Well, think again.

To lose weight effectively you have to keep your body well hydrated, meaning it is important to drink a few liters of water per day. The water itself does not make you lose weight, but it helps the body perform well and clean itself of waste and toxin.

Drinking lot of water can be rather monotonous. Some people also just do not like the taste of water.

Instead of substituting water with some other liquid, add some lemon juice to the water. That will change the taste and help you drink a little more water.

Lemons are also used in food preparations.

Lemon juice is typically squeezed onto fish dishes to neutralize the taste of amines in the fish.

Fish makes an excellent meal in anyone's weight loss diet. It's generally low in fat and very nutritious.

Hence, lemons help us make a very healthy food even better and more tasty, helping us to eat it more regularly.

Now, for weight loss we're not talking battered fish! We're talking about "the fish" cooked and served with minimal dressing.

Lemon juice also adds that little extra taste and zest to the best of salads. Once again, it helps us wanting to eat more healthy and low-fat food.

Even though our lemon friend does not contain magical powers to help us lose weight, it plays a very important role in enhancing the taste of many of the foods that help us shed those pounds.

Tisha Diaz recommends this fat loss and weight control program that will help you get rid of those excess pounds and make you slim and trim.

How to Lose Weight Very Fast

We live in a instant society. We want it NOW. But how realistic is it to lose a lot of weight fast?

Well... if you know what you're doing...

VERY.

The problem is that most people keep running in circles. In many cases we continue to exert a lot of effort but year after year many of us make little progress.

You're about to learn some keys to losing weight at warp speed. (while still being safe and healthy) Ok, "warp speed" is probably a term that shouldn't be used with weight loss but if you want the absolute fastest way to lose fat that is still 100% legit (permanent) then this is IT.

Let me preface this by saying that if you have been struggling then I encourage you to have an open mind. If you want different results then you have to do something different. I'm sure you know that, but sometimes we get caught up and we keep going nowhere fast. Believe me, I've been there...

So that's the first step - awareness. Of everything:

-yourself

-your environment

-your habits

-your actions both conscious and subconscious

Observe yourself from a very OBJECTIVE point of view.

What advice would you give yourself?

OK, now let's dig in and cover some points that WILL lead to incredibly rapid fat loss.

1) Shift your diet to one that is more "Alkaline" Here are some foods to add to your diet:

Vegetables:

Asparagus

Artichokes

Cabbage

Lettuce

Onion

Cauliflower

Peas

Spinach

Chives

Carrot

Green Beans

Garlic

Celery

Cucumber

Broccoli

Kale

Brussels Sprouts

Fruit:

Lemon

Lime

Avocado

Tomato

Grapefruit

Watermelon

An alkaline diet is one that is in large part made of vegetables and fruit. These are water rich and high in fiber. This will help cleanse out your system and as you probably already know they are very low in calories. Go ahead and eat large amounts but try to keep everything as "dry" as possible. If you want to maximize your results then you should really focus on substituting these foods instead of adding them in. This might be a little extreme for you. That;s understandable. You certainly don't want to set yourself up for a plan that you will not adhere to. Use your judgment and be creative and finding ways to enjoy this type of diet. i.e "lean diet".

Robert Van Gardner is the Founder and CEO of Vitality Publishing LLC, a company that helps people eliminate excess fat, while making breakthrough transformations in their physical vitality and overall quality of life. He's the author of "Living Life Lean: Discover How to Transform Your Body and Your Life -Quickly, Naturally and Permanently." To learn more and sign up for his popular 10 day course visit http://www.LivingLifeLean.com

Lose Weight Quickly - Give Me a Break

Weight loss products in general is a huge business on a global basis. Health care and weight loss has now become new entertainment in the form of reality TV.

And there is no time of year like the present where losing weight seems to be on most peoples minds. Celebrations usually involve large bounties of foods and desserts at family reunions. Most healthy conscious people will readily agree that exercise, drinking plenty of water and eating smaller portions will indeed help one lose weight.

In addition, having a diet high in fiber is now being recognized by many medical experts as being very beneficial to the body for it's optimal functionality. While alcohol is normally present during theses occasions, one would be wise to drink in moderation due to the fact that many holiday drinks are loaded with sugar. It's also good to mention: Try to avoid artificial sweeteners if at all possible. Use sugar or honey instead.

So, you can enjoy yourself over the holiday season by doing these simple yet very productive weight loss diet suggestions and at the same time not having to stringently count calories. Recently, I've been reading where some still have the notion that weight loss supplements are really not needed if one cooks most if not all their meals at home... give me a break.

If it were that simple, the average person would already be in in perfect shape, excluding medical conditions that may be genetically inherited or from birth. Let's face it... although I am a firm advocate to having meals at home with our families, we cannot ignore the fact that our foods are full of preservatives and chemicals. And yes, I know you can buy organic foods which I highly recommend. But they do not fit into everyone's food budget.

And don't forget that in some cases fat buildup is harder to dissolve and break down in certain parts of our bodies. That's when I feel it becomes imperative to add weight loss supplements as a good compliment to eating smaller portions, exercising and drinking more water. Not to mention that people are unbelievably busy and lead stressful, time-consuming lives. This alone keeps many families from cooking and eating at home. Diet and weight loss products such as themogenic herbal supplements which have proven to help burn stubborn fat deposits would be an ideal addition to one's constitution.

The last piece of advice that I can offer is always check with your medical doctor especially if you have an existing medical condition before starting a new weight loss diet or regimen. The good news however is that natural weight loss supplements such as thermogenic diet aids can help you achieve your weight loss goals much more easily and safely than many of the prescription based diet aids on the market. We will discuss that another time. Here's to your good health in the coming year.

If you are serious about losing weight safely and easily, then check out the informative information at Your Weight Loss Club blog. You can find more details on thermogenic weight loss and it has for thousands of people. http://yourweightlossclub.com

The Theory Behind Atkins Diet Attractive To Dieters

Knowing about how the body works is what makes followers of the Atkins weight loss diet believe it will benefit for them. The body is essentially fueled by sugar, whether it is organic sugar found in lots aliments, processed sugar added to a mass foods or the kind heaped on your cereal or into coffee or tea. As far as your body runs short of normally extracted sugar, it heads towards the carbohydrates and breaks it down into sugar. The theory in back of Atkins soft diet limits the carbohydrates within reach for conversion, forcing the body to rely on unlike reserves such as fat stored for in reserve use.

In search for ways to lose fat drives dieters to all types of methods, various original and excellent not so groundbreaking, but many have been drawn by the theory in back of Atkins weight loss diet to the point of high recognition. Being able to eat straightforwardly all the red meat, fish and even many deserts they might crave, a mass are enticed by the theory in back of Atkins high-protein diet, which allows them to eat aliments other diets forbid although burning the fat built up in their system.

Appreciating the Atkins Soft diet basics
The Atkins weight-watch results in a process called ketosis, where the body burns fat rather than carbohydrates. The basic plan of the Atkins diet is to unbendingly interdict carbs for two weeks and eventually re-introduce a limited supply of carbs and other foods, including promoting the use of exercise.

Throughout the ongoing weight control stage, the carb intake is increased to 25 grams everyday. The Atkins soft diet primarily allows the consumption of plenty of meat, poultry, fish and eggs, and gradually allows the consumption of additional vegetables and fruit as well.

Starting the Atkins Weight-watch: The Induction Phase
These aliment should be avoided: milk, pasta, potatoes, bread, carrots, and beans. In this stage of starting the Atkins soft diet, it is essential to check the carb content of your foods so you can avoid anything with stashed carbs. Reaching the process of burning fat by preference to carbohydrates is the first step in starting the Atkins weight loss diet, and the top vital one. This process of starting the Atkins high-protein diet is recognized as the induction phase.

Restricting Fuel Intake Forces Use Of Reserve
Looking at the theory in back of Atkins diet like a car and its gas tank, may make it easier to define. Placing an extra five-gallon could in the trunk makes the driver feel greater, knowing they have a reserve if there is not a station obtainable whenever the main tank runs out. If the body believes it may be awhile between meals, routinely whenever someone skips collations or oftentimes unpaired has one meal a day, it stores strength in the form of fat to be used although it runs shy of energy.

While on the trip, the car runs short of gas but by preference to ending the ride, the extra five-gallon can, carried for emergency, will satisfy the vehicle needs. The theory in back of Atkins diet is that by restricting the fuel intake, in this case carbohydrates, the body is forced to go to the reserve tank of stored fat in order to have bare minimum fuel to keep running. The theory behind Atkins low-carbohydrate diet does not completely cut down out carbohydrate intake, but it is badly limited in the first of the four stages of the weight-watch plan.

The weight-watch has proven successful for plenty people, but the problem comes in maintenance as the low-carbohydrate diet helps establish the amount of carbohydrates every person may ingest empty of gaining or losing weight, and the person must stick to that portion. Although the theory behind Atkins soft diet sounds easy, considering all the aliments that contain carbohydrates, cheating could be a problem, which just adds more fuel to the tank of reserve fat.

Marc Simard
Fitness Author
http://www.dietmakemoney.com

More on the theory behind Atkins diet:
http://www.dietmakemoney.com/the_theory_behing_atkins_diet.html

Weight Loss with Slim Fast

Slim fast has been around for several years and now has a new look. They have added food items to there product list. They now have snack bars to help you make it through the day. Probably the most significant thing they are marketing is a new dieting concept

Slim fast is moving from a diet plan that was primarily to help lose a few vanity pounds. They have introduced an aggressive diet plan to help those who need to lose more than a few vanity pound. After reviewing there revised diet plan, I like the new plan much better. I have been fairly active all my life and the thought of going though a half a day on a souped up milk shake didn't set to well with me. Their new dieting philosophy appears to recognize that problem. The slim fast shake is not a stand alone meal any more although they call their shake a meal on the run. They also seem to be suggesting several small meals during the day. This several small meals concept has been around for quite some time and has gained acceptance with some dietitians. In between their low calorie meals they recommend snacking on the specially formulated snack bars to suppress any hunger.

Their shake mixes and snack bars are formulated to provide many necessary nutrients and vitamins. I was encouraged to see their recommended food suggestion to be eaten along with the shake. Slim Fast has available suggested diet plans that take into consideration your height, weight and the number of pounds that need to be shed. There is also a planning and tracking system to plan out your meals and record what you have done.

If you are dieting or plan to diet, Slim Fast has a system that could be a big benefit. This is no longer a crash diet as I once thought Slim Fast was. Slim Fast has stood the test of time and it looks as though they are expanding. The test of time means they are still getting results. They have a interesting and very informative website. Check it out at www.slim-fast.com

When dieting or considering a diet, pay close attention to the amount of dietary fiber available. Select those foods that are high in dietary fiber. Green vegetables and grains are a good source as they contain varying amounts of dietary fiber.

Dieting with Slim Fast has improved. They are also suggesting that you alter your life style to incorporate exercise into your daily routine. They have a good plan.

For more interesting articles on dieting and weight loss visit: Weight Loss Tips Site

Tempo Bathroom Tissue - Who Makes it?

Tempo toilet paper was a nationwide beta test of a few hundred thousand cases of the next generation of Charmin toilet paper from Procter and Gamble to see how customers rated it, without knowing its origin. Procter and Gamble released the new generation of Charmin under a private label called Tempo to a handful of distributors throughout the country and gathered feedback from thousands of users to gauge whether it was better than the old. So for all of the people out there looking for more of the soft Tempo toilet tissue, it will be hard to come by.

So this secret launch of a next generation product begs the question of how many other private label products are out there in the market as beta tests to gauge the quality of the product, and how does a distributor get a hold of some while it lasts. You would need good contacts within the manufacturer to be notified of tests like this. But private labeling of products has been going on for years.

One thing most consumers do not know is that most manufacturers private label their branded products for certain wholesalers in order to sell incremental volume at discounted pricing without affecting the pricing structure of their branded name products out in the market place. Paper manufacturers are a good example of this. The machines to manufacture paper are so expensive, that when they invest in one, it has to run 24 hours a day 7 days a week to pay for itself. So they can not just shut off the machines if demand slacks off for their products. So they are forced to strike deals with wholesalers to put the product under a different brand label at discounted pricing to sell off the supply.

One of my clients is the last site left on the web still selling Tempo, Reliable Paper Inc and even they only have 73 cases left at the time of this publishing. They were nice, cheap cases of Charmin while they lasted. When asked about why they are the last company to have Tempo, the owner of Reliable Paper Inc Brickford Faucette had this to say, "When my vendor called and offered Charmin quality toilet paper at a fraction of the cost, I asked how many trucks I could get. I substitute it for my other commercial brands of toilet paper to my daycare customers at the same price, but the quality is far superior."

Ecommerce and database specialist in the janitorial, foodservice, office supply, hunting, and fishing industries. http://www.reliablepaper.com

8 Tips To Rule Your Appetite

Hello,

I hope the following tips will help you on your journey to successful and permanent weight loss.

1. Avoid high sugar consumption, and any food that triggers sugar cravings, such as ice-cream, sweet chocolate candies, cakes and cookies

Better leave those for once in a while special treat.

2. The only food worth eating in great quantity is the food that will help you trim the extra weight: fresh greens, fresh vegetables, food rich in fibers

Try to eat more raw fruit and vegetables; they are richer in minerals, vitamins and fibers.

This small change could improve your digestion.

3. Avoid refined and processed foods; they are bad for your waist and bad for your health.

4. Eat wholesome food, whole grains; they will keep you satisfied longer.

Eat whole grains everyday; they will help you curb your appetite and eliminate your sugar craving.

5. Drink natural clean water as much as you wish.

Avoid drinking more than 2 cups of coffee a day.

6. Dont wait for dinner to eat. This is called starving all day long.

Eat regularly so you want feel hungry.

Do not skip breakfast.

Eat small snacks between meals: fresh vegetables, a fruit, a few almonds.

Better have smaller meals and eat evenly through the day.

Better eat four to six times a day smaller portions. You will feel more energy because smaller meals mean less to digest. Your body will need less energy to digest.

7. Daily exercise; keep you fit and will improve your mood.

8. The best tool to avoid eating when you are not hungry: Ask yourself: am I hungry, do I really need to eat now?

Pop this question every single time you want to eat, even if it is an apple.

I know it sounds simple, but it requests a little attention and practice on your part.

In no time it will be second nature, as long as you start to implement these tips every day, for every meal and every bite.

Isabelle Epstein
Dedicated to healthy nutrition and a healthy life style
"3 Easy Steps to Healthy Weight Loss and Healthy Weight management"
http://www.HealthyNutriMania.com

Weight Loss Myths Exposed

As a weight loss coach I speak will people regularly about their view and beliefs surrounding food and nutrition. It probably wont come as a surprise to hear there is a great deal of confusion around nutrition. In fact, many people reading this article will have only a scant idea about the different food types and what our body actually needs to keep healthy.

One of the simplest systems Ive encountered is this. If the food tastes good, then it has to be bad for you! And then theres its counterpart, If the food tastes bad then it must be good for you. You may identify with these views, or some closely related version! Nutrition for some has been reduced to a concept of good and bad with little else.

Some common weight loss myths that people believe - which arent true!

Myth #1: Cutting down on portion size is the best way to lose weight. Not on its own. If you attempt to lose weight by just eating less, you are likely to gain the weight back. Lasting results will come from changing the types of foods you eat, not just the amounts.

Myth #2: Just cut out fat and youll lose weight. This approach to weight loss, popular in the 80s, simply doesnt work for most people. Even if a food is labeled fat-free, it can still be high in calories from sugar and hidden carbs. Effective weight loss comes from being mindful of your total calorie consumption as well as your fat intake.

Myth #3: Cutting calories causes your body to go into starvation mode and slows weight loss. This is untrue. Your bodys resting metabolic rate can vary by about 15%. Nevertheless, eating too few calories and an inadequate amount of protein can make you lose precious lean muscle mass, which will eventually slow metabolism, for the long term. Ideally, stick to the calorie and protein amounts that are right for your body with the Herbalife program.

Myth #4: High-protein diets cause ketosis, which reduces hunger. Ketosis occurs when fat, instead of carbohydrate, is used as an energy source during a high-protein diet. Ketone bodies are produced, which give your breath a bad fruity odor. Ketone bodies do not reduce appetite; but, eating sufficient protein for your body needs can help reduce hunger and support weight loss.

Myth #5: Exercise alone can help you lose weight. While exercise is an important component of a healthy weight-loss program, it is not a great way to lose weight on its own. Exercising for even an hour at a time burns only a moderate amount of calories. Combining exercise with calorie reduction and a healthy eating plan is the most effective way to lose weight and keep it off.

One of the most healthful and helpful steps you can take to improve your health and that of your familys is to learn about nutrition. The principles are easy to understand and armed with the correct information, its possible to make an improvement to your health.

Kim Beardsmore

Kim Beardsmore is a weight loss consultant whose business operates across 60 countries. Learn more about losing weight, great nutrition and how to look after your health. Estimate your healthy body weight, free ezine and more at http://weight-loss-health.com.au

Diabetes - Death by Sugar All Around the World

Due in part to many reasons, the whole world, on average, is getting bigger & fatter every year. At present:

* More than 300 million adults worldwide are obese.

* Almost half of these individuals live in developed countries and as many as 23% of American adults are obese.

* Obesity results in $100 billion in healthcare costs each year in the United States.

* Obesity results in 300,000 preventable deaths each year in the United States.

* Obesity nearly doubles your chances of developing high blood pressure.

* Nearly 70 % of cardiovascular disease cases are related to obesity!

* The U.S. Surgeon General has developed a national action plan to reduce obesity.

STATISTICS PROVIDED BY:

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases

The National Institute of Health

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention

The Na tional Women's Health Resource Center

A recent study from the journal Public Health reported obesity as being a greater health risk than smoking, drinking or poverty. Obesity was more closely associated with major illnesses and a poorer quality-of-life in comparison to people that smoked, drank, or lived in poverty. Researchers found that half of the people who are obese have an additional chronic condition such as heart disease, cancer or diabetes. This study was based on a telephone survey of 10,000 Americans and used only body mass index to assess obesity and overweight. Regardless, the results are cause for great concern.

You must also keep in mind that some individuals may fit into more than one category, and sometimes even all of the categories. However, the researchers stated that more people are overweight or obese than are, collectively, daily smokers, problem drinkers or living below the poverty line. Of course, being in more than one category puts your health status at an even greater disadvantage.

Obesity is a huge burden on the health care system now and will be even more so in the near future. It is a largely a preventable disease however it is a medical condition in many cases. This is very unfortunate but it is not something that should be dismissed as static. You can make a change or you can help someone make a change toward healthier living. One of the authors said the survey "demonstrates that public health officials should intensify their fight against obesity to levels that at least match the public health campaign against smoking".

Sturm, R., and K. Wells. Does obesity contribute as much to morbidity as poverty or smoking? Public Health. 115(3): 229-235, 2001.

Unfortunately, this is not a joke, and it's definitely no laughing matter. There are a large number of Internet resources for more information on either subject, such as www.diabetes.org and www.diabetesonestop.com. The newsletters from the American Diabetes Association have provided a wealth of knowledge (and many statistics and research facts in this article).

Type 2 Diabetes (T2-D) is associated with a marked impairment in the ability of the hormone insulin to stimulate glucose uptake in skeletal muscle. Most diabetic patients are obese and have high blood levels of lipids (fats) and glucose (sugar). Both of these blood levels can contribute to insulin resistance. Correct insulin is necessary for the cells of the body to pull sugar (glucose) from the blood to use as energy. Thus, it is a negative cycle (high blood glucose leads to insulin resistance and insulin resistance leads to high blood glucose!). Over the long-term, high blood glucose levels can lead to damage of the eyes, kidneys, nerves and heart.

Fortunately, while diabetes is serious, it is largely preventable and is also possible to control with lifestyle modifications, although it can't be "cured". Patients can learn to take care of their diabetes by decreasing their blood glucose levels through nutritional and exercise interventions and subsequent reductions in body fat. In fact, with weight loss, exercise, and better nutrition, many diabetics can greatly reduce (or eliminate) the need for medications. Any treatments should be discussed with a medical professional before changes are initiated.

However, enough optimism, it's time to look at the hard facts and the sad state of diabetes in North American (and the rest of the world).

* T2-D affects 140 million people worldwide.

* 16 million Americans have diabetes.

* Diabetes is the 6th leading cause of death by disease in America.

* In America, the total annual cost of diabetes to the nation is more than $100 billion.

* ~25% of all Medicare costs are spent on people with diabetes.

* Obesity is the most important determinant of insulin resistance.

* No one is able to escape the effects of diabetes (i.e. death of family and friends; financial; health care costs; etc.).

The chance of death due to diabetes is increasing primarily due to cardiovascular disease. More depressing is the fact that the risk of death increases with lower socio-economic status, likely because these people are less educated, and due to the fact that you can buy loads of saturated fat and sugar for a couple of bucks just about anywhere. Cardiovascular disease sucks. Having been a spectator of an open-heart surgery at the foot of the operating table, it is clear that no one who has the choice would want to go through that ordeal. Imagine your chest ripped open, your heart fixed up, and your chest sewn up with wire. Bring on the morphine.

THE CHILDREN

The most disturbing issue surrounding diabetes is the impact that it is having in adolescents and in specific ethnic groups. Nowhere is it more sad or obvious as to what harm a sedentary lifestyle and a fast food nutritional intake can have on a person's health than in children. Overweight children are becoming more common, health problems are greater, and T2-D is being seen more and more at younger ages. Risk factors for overweight kids include overweight parents, high-fat diets, watching too much television, and being from poor families.

Unfortunately, overweight children often simply become overweight adults. Because it is difficult for people to lose body fat as one grows older, public health experts hope that preventing excess weight gain in children will avert health problems later in life. Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed that American adolescents are developing T2-D. However it is difficult to detect T2-D in children because rarely do they show symptoms (these take years to manifest). Thus, it is extremely important to initiate educational, nutritional, and physical activity programs as soon as possible at all socio-economic levels.

ETHNIC GROUPS

Overall, the number of American diabetics increased at least 33% over the 1990's and as obesity continues to increase, so will diabetes. Unfortunately, this impacts certain ethnic groups to a greater extent than others. For example, Native American Indians have a very, very high number of T2-diabetics in their communities (3 three times the national average). African Americans may have an even higher rate of diabetes (10.8% of all African Americans - 2.3 million). It is hoped that educating these peoples on nutrition and physical activity will help combat the disease.

NUTRITION

American's fat consumption has decreased over several decades from 40 % to 34 %, however the rate of obesity has risen from 12 % in 1991 to at least 23% today. This may be due in part to the vague "official" nutritional recommendations and the massive fast food industry. The general public believes in a low fat and high carbohydrate diet, however they don't know that there are both good and bad fats and good and bad carbohydrates.

In fact, some research shows that neither the total amount of fat or carbohydrate a person consumes can predict diabetes. Researchers suggest it may not be the quantity of fat or carbohydrate that you eat, but rather the quality. Improving the quality of your food intake and monitoring the quantity will help prevent against overweight and obesity.

Hu et al. (2001a) have written a tremendous paper on the role of nutrition in diabetes. They found that for carbohydrates, one should consume more low-glycemic carbohydrates and a high fiber content. In contrast, everyone should consume minimal refined flour products to prevent large increases in blood sugar and insulin after meals.

Recommended carbohydrate foods are oatmeal, whole unrefined grains, fibrous vegetables, apples, and other fibrous fruits, while breads and sugar based foods (soda, candy, etc.) should be eliminated. In diabetic individuals, a diet of low-glycemic carbohydrates can improve blood sugar control and if you are obese, you should absolutely eliminate all high-glycemic carbohydrates from your diet. In fact, a meal of high-glycemic foods does not cause people to feel full, and may lead to more eating! In summary, this relationship has been established: High-glycemic carbohydrates develop obesity, and obesity develops diabetes.

In their thorough review, Hu et al. (2001a) also found that a high intake of saturated fat and trans-fatty acids likely promote diabetes. In contrast, an increase in a person's intake of poly-unsaturated fat and Omega-3 fatty acids could help prevent diabetes. It is wise to decrease consumption of saturated fats (animal fats), margarine, butter and hydrogenated vegetable oils (i.e. the oil that french fries are cooked in). Salmeron et al. (2001) recommend decreasing your intake of trans-fatty acids (hydrogenated vegetable oils) by replacing them with non-hydrogenated polyunsaturated fatty acids will help decrease your risk of T2-D. One place to start is reducing your intake of fast food.

In replacement, everyone should try to consume more fish oils and non-hydrogenated vegetable oils (i.e. olive oil). Most of the research presented is based on association. For example, in the Netherlands, diets containing a lot of fish are associated with lower risks of diabetes. Researchers suggest that one must follow the correct diet for a long time (i.e. make it part of your lifestyle) in order to see benefits. For example, fish oils (Omega-3 fatty acids) have benefits for "cell membranes" and help insulin function properly, however this will not happen overnight just because you had a salmon steak!

Basically, a typical "Westernized" diet should be avoided. All the negatives (i.e. saturated animal fats and sugars) seem to be associated with one another (i.e. they are all found in your typical fast food meal). In reality, everyone should try to:

* Decrease animal fat (saturated fats) and hydrogenated cooking oils.

* Increase fish and flax oils (poly-unsaturated Omega-3 fatty acids) and vegetable oils.

* Decrease high-glycemic carbohydrate intake. Don't drink regular soda!

* Increase fiber from whole grains

* Increase fruit and vegetable consumption

At the 2001 ENDOCRINE SOCIETY meeting, alternative treatments of T2-D were recommended by Arsenis and Goettelman. In this study, diabetic patients reduced animal protein intake from 2-3 times a day to once every other day (vegetable protein was substituted) and stopped all consumption of plain sugars. Patients liked the new diet and the fact that they did not have to fast, take low calorie diets or receive appetite suppressants. The metabolic profile of many patients improved and it even helped some to stop using certain medications. The authors concluded that the reduction of animal protein and sugars help to improve the quality of life and metabolic profile of diabetic patients.

LIFESTYLE

In addition to diet, another contributing factor to obesity is that 60 % of Americans don't get enough activity and 25 % get NO activity. A recent study examined almost 40000 males over the age of 40 and how the amount of TV they watch relates to their T2-D risk (Hu et al., 2001a). Researchers showed that more TV was significantly associated with higher risk for diabetes and that increased physical activity is associated with less risk for diabetes.

The key point is that if people get up and moving that they may be able to decrease their risk of diabetes. This information should be applied towards youths as well. In addition, for obese people, simply losing 5-10 pounds can have a dramatic positive effect on their health!

Even inadequate sleep can have an effect on diabetes according to research from the lab of Dr. Eve Van Cauter. In a study, subjects that got restricted sleep (< 7h) for 5 nights had impaired insulin sensitivity (Mander et al., 2001). It may be due to disruption of bodily functions due to shortened sleep. Thus, one of the functions of sleep may be to assure normal blood sugar levels. That's another "Western world" lifestyle factor that may contribute to diabetes.

On a related note, "Excessive Daytime Sleepiness" (EDS) is becoming more prevalent. This condition is associated with diabetes and is considered as an important public health problem because it is a strong risk for public safety. Its prevalence is estimated to occur in 5% to 15% of the general population.

INTERVENTIONS

According to the National Institute Health, 35-40 % of adult American women and 20-24 % of adult American men are trying to lose weight at any given time. An interesting story came out of Philadelphia last month. Philly was rated the fattest city in the USA for January of 2000 and the mayor urged the city to lose weight. The city has taken the challenge and this year sits at 3rd, while Houston is now the fattest in the USA. On a whole, obesity and diabetes are more prevalent in the Southern United States!

In a study presented at the American Diabetes Association conference, diabetic patients have the greatest improvements in symptoms after following a program that combined a proper exercise and diet approach (Alpizar et al., 2001). Obesity remains the major obstacle to the achievement of satisfactory glycemic control in T2-D and often limits management of cardiovascular risk factors. After nutritional education and guidance, as well as an increase in daily physical activity, modest weight losses and improved diabetic factors were noted (Reynolds et al., 2001). Again, these stress the need for education and guidance.

If you are active, if you eat a variety of healthy foods (natural produce, lean meats, un-refined grains), and if you are of a healthy weight, than the fear of diabetes and obesity should be minimal. When asked how to avoid diabetes, Dr. Ronald Kahn said, "Stay thin! If you are not, get thin!" After all, obesity is the most important determinant of insulin resistance.

For active people of a healthy weight, it is not unrealistic to include the odd "Western" meal in your weekly schedule without causing panic. However, the consistent intake of a high-sugar, low-fiber, high-saturated fat diet, along with a daily sedentary living pattern precludes people to the awful diseases that are diabetes and obesity.

REFERENCES

Alpizar, M., et al. Effectiveness of an Exercise Program and Diet Plan in the Control of DM2 Patients. American Diabetes Association, 61st Annual Conference, 2001.

Hu, F., et al. Diet & risk of Type II diabetes: the role of fat & carbohydrate. Diabetologia 44: 805-817, 2001a.

Hu, F., et al. Physical Activity and Television Watching in Relation to Risk for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Men. Arch Intern Med. 161: 1542-1548, 2001b.

Mander, B., et al., Short Sleep: A Risk Factor for Insulin Resistance and Obesity. American Diabetes Association, 61st Annual Conference, 2001.

Reynolds, L., et al. Lifestyle intervention reduces multiple risk factors in obese patients with poorly controlled insulin-requiring type 2 diabetes mellitus. American Diabetes Association, 61st Annual Conference, 2001.

Salmeron, J., et al. Dietary fat intake and risk of type 2 diabetes in women. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 73(6): 1019-1026, 2001.

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Mens Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines and all over the Internet, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit http://www.TurbulenceTraining.com