Easy Weight Loss

Hello again, i hope youre finding these articles useful. Jims article brings home the point that we should all be walking a lot more. How many of us jump in the car, when we could just as easily walk to the nearest store? Or maybe we should walk up the stairs instead of taking the elevator?

J


Easy Weight Loss
By Jim Huffman

A really easy, fast way to weight loss is walking a lot. If the other things you've tried haven't worked, or if the results aren't quite what you're looking for, try walking twice a day, every day.
This is the time of year when walking outdoors is easier. It's usually cooler, and less humid, but not so cold as winter.

Aim for walking 2 miles a day. One mile in the morning, and one in the afternoon.
Most people are notoriously bad about mental distance measurements, so I suggest using your car to stake out a full mile.

As an alternative, use the rough rule that most healthy adults walking a fairly brisk pace will walk at 3-4 miles per hour. So if you do a fast 20 minute walk, you've probably got your time in.
20 minutes is also good because most people can get their walking in during a break at work in the morning. Even better, probably, would be walking in the early morning before the day gets going (you're more likely to get it done) but some folks have trouble fitting that in.

Either way, get a mile in during the morning. Then aim for another mile in the afternoon or evening. When walking, breathe deeply and steadily. The results will surprise you.

Jim Huffman, RN specializes in natural and alternative healing therapies. His first book is 'Dare to Be Free: How to Get Control of Your Time, Your Life, and Your Nursing Career,' and is aimed at helping other nurses find satisfying, dynamic careers. His website is http://www.NetworkForNurses.com and his health blog is at http://www.shababa.blogspot.com

All Natural Weight Loss Supplement - Hoodia Gordonii

Hey, i got really excited when I read this, surely its too good to be true? Please read for yourself and make up your own mind. Theres certainly been a lot of talk and interest in the supplement.

J

All Natural Weight Loss Supplement - Hoodia Gordonii
By Paul Callis

In my time I have been an international competitive swimmer, ranked number 1 in the UK, in the top 20 worldwide, represented England, and won medals at World level. Having been in the environment of top class athletes, and everyday healthy people, I have become very knowledgeable in the area of nutrition and fitness. Still maintaining regular fitness and excellent nutritional levels, I regularly converse with many people of all types of fitness levels. The majority, at fitness centers, are obese and vastly over weight, constantly looking for ways to lose weight.

Spending years training in public, and seeing bodily changes on a day to day basis, I have become very familiar with Hoodia Gordonii, and have seen rapid improvements, that have in turn had life changing effects on people, and all for the better.

You may be wondering what Hoodia Gordonii is, and may have heard from the newspapers and television. It is grown in the Kalahari Desert region of South Africa, Hoodia Gordonii is an all-natural appetite suppressant, derived from a cactus-like plant with prickly spikes. Scientists have been researching the Hoodia plant for almost a decade, and have found it to be completely free of harmful side effects.

The active ingredient in Hoodia Gordonii, the molecule known as P57, imitates the effects that glucose has on your brain, signaling that you are full. Your brain has what is called a Hypothalamus. This part of your brain controls your appetite. When you eat, the glucose levels in your body rise. As these levels go up, the hypothalamus sends off a signal to your cells to stop eating. This is when you start to feel full. Hoodia Gordonii's molecule, P57, tells your brain the same exact thing, even if you haven't eaten a bite. By mimicking the effects of glucose on your brain, the hypothalamus starts to send messages to your cells which in turn, make you feel full.

Paul Callis is extremely knowledgeable in the field of sports and nutrition in the UK . Paul’s passion for swimming in his earlier years, helped him achieve world medals and gain great knowledge and understanding in all aspects of looking after the human body, eating correctly to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and discovering what does and does not help with weight loss.
You can visit Paul’s web site, and read his recommendations and advice at http://www.hoodiagordonii1.com

How What We Drink Can Affect Our Weight and Health

Hi Guys, Lots of us enjoy a drink, but its so easy to ignore the calories that we consume through drink, and just focus on the calories from our food. I'm certainly guilty of this myself, so Vikki's article was something of an eye-opener to me! I'm sure you'll find it as interesting as I did.

Take care, J


How What We Drink Can Affect Our Weight and Health
By Vikki Scovell

Hello Everyone,

I thought that I would talk about what we drink. Everyone loves a long cool drink, but often we forget to think about how many calories and nutrients are in what we drink. The warm weather can leave us dehydrated, and it is important that we are all drinking lots of water, especially before we go to a class. There should be no risk to a healthy person of exercising in hot weather providing you make sure that you drink before, during and after exercise (water that is).

Often we exercise and watch what we eat, but forget to add in the amount of calories that we consume through drinks. Someone left a delicious bottle of lemonade in my fridge last week, and as I haven’t had a fizzy drink in ages, I got very excited and drank the lot over the course of the day. I was horribly shocked as I glanced at the label as it went in the bin to realize that I had consumed over 1000 calories! That is at least 3 aerobics classes worth of calories, and yet it looked harmless and tasted so delicious. From now on I am back on the sparkling mineral water.

As I look around me on the street and in our sports centers I see children walking along drinking from cans and cartons. A2001 report in The Lancet warned of a 60% risk of obesity for every can of high-sugar drink a child consumes each day. An average child in the UK consumes 15 high-sugar drinks each week. The best way to cut down the amount of simple sugars in your child’s diet is to cut out these unhealthy drinking habits. Try dilute fruit juice (you can change the dilution slowly to give your child a chance to adapt) or fizzy water with a little fruit juice. Good quality squash should be saved for treats, and kept very weak. The best drink for your child is water, and you will be surprised how quickly they adapt to enjoying it. It is useful to note that even fresh fruit juice is high in natural sugar and can add to weight problems, also the body has difficulty digesting fruit juices and they should be watered down.

Alcohol is high in calories (1g = 7kcal where as 1g of fat =9Kcal). In a perfect world, none of us would touch it, especially whilst following weight loss goals. However, in reality we all like a drink. It is important to keep your intake of alcohol under control - moderation is the key. While a 5 oz glass of wine per day at 100 calories may seem harmless enough, over two and a half weeks that's approximately an extra 1,700 calories. This is equivalent to about a half a pound of body fat. That's about 10 pounds of body fat, per year.

The Royal College of Physicians recommends that alcohol consumption be no more than 21 units a week for men; 14 units a week for women. It is better for health to spread alcohol units (up to the maximum recommended) throughout the week, than to drink large amounts in a single day or weekend. Therefore women should aim to consume no more than 2 units a day; men 3 units a day.

One unit of alcohol is the amount in half a pint of beer, a single (25ml) measure of spirit, a small glass (120ml) table wine, or a small glass (50ml) of fortified wine, such as sherry. It is easy to see how even a "moderate" consumption of alcohol can have a very serious impact on your daily calorie quota: 3 units of beer could amount to a total 345kcal, 2 units of wine 160kcal.

How Many Calories in Various Alcoholic Drinks?
Calorie content1 Pint/568ml Lager 2301 Pint/568ml Beer, Bitter 1821 Pint/568ml Cider, Sweet 2401 Shot/25ml Spirits, 37.5% Volume 481 Bottle/275ml Alcopops (Calculated Estimate) 2001 Glass/120ml Wine, Red 801 Glass/120ml Wine, White 77Calories in Popular Mixers
Calorie content1 Glass/250ml Tonic Water 831 Glass/250ml Cola, Coca Cola* 1051 Glass/250ml Cola, Diet, Coca Cola* 11 Glass/250ml Lemonade 531 Glass/250ml Diet Lemonade 31 Glass/200ml Orange Juice, Unsweetened 721 Shot/25ml Lime Cordial 28

Ways to Reduce the Calories:
• Try alternating alcoholic drinks with low calorie non-alcoholic drinks or water.
• Ask for low calorie / diet mixers where possible.
• Make your wine into a spritzer (a longer drink), or your lager into a shandy - both have fewer calories.
• Substitute your "alcopop" for a shot of spirit and a low calorie mixer - about a quarter of the calories!
• To add a healthy slant, try a single shot of spirits with some fresh fruit juices.

Don't be tempted to skip meals to allow for drinks, alcohol won't satisfy your hunger. In fact, alcohol lowers blood sugar levels (it prevents sugar that is normally stored in the liver, as glycogen, from breaking down). A drop in blood sugar levels sends signals to the brain you are hungry. With alcohol in your system, willpower can go out of the window and the snack attacks kick in. Eating a proper meal before you go out will line your stomach and slow the rate at which alcohol absorbs into your bloodstream. Keeping you in control of how much you eat and drink.
So the message is to enjoy a drink or two if you wish, but to support your body by eating before hand, drinking plenty of water, and not over-doing it.

Vikki Scovell BA(hons) PG DIP is a fully qualified Personal Trainer and Fitness Coach. She is a qualified Nutrition Adviser and runs successful Community Exercise classes. Vikki is a consultant in Healthy Eating and Exercise initiatives to schools in the independant sector. Visit her website on http://www.getfitter.net/ or http://www.corporatechill.com/

Liposuction: Risks and Benefits

Liposuction is something lots of people must have all thought about at some point in our battle to lose weight. However its a serious, and one imagines costly matter. This article by Seth outlines the facts about liposuction. Food for thought for us all.....

Liposuction: Risks and Benefits
By Seth Miller

Liposuction surgery is the most commonly performed cosmetic surgery in the United States. More than a quarter of a million liposuctions were performed last year. It can be an effective means of removing excess body fat in healthy people, but cosmetic surgeons caution that liposuction should not be used as an alternative to diet and exercise.

The surgery consists of removing pockets of fat beneath the skin’s surface by inserting a hollow steel tube, called a cannula, into the affected area. Fat is then removed from the body by attaching a powerful vacuum to the cannula, which allows the cosmetic surgeon to work with localized areas. Heavy IV sedation, local anesthetics, or general anesthetics may be used on the patient during the surgery. Both patient and physician should carefully consider risks and benefits that come with any of these methods.

Choices, options and results can vary widely in this field. Doctors should make sure those who are overweight understand that liposuction is not “magic”. Liposuction is usually very effective in shaping the body in fat-prone areas such as the buttocks, hips, abdomen, chin, cheeks, neck and arms. According the American Association of Plastic Surgeons (AAPS), liposuction is most effective on, “Normal-weight people with firm, elastic skin who have pockets of excess fat in certain areas.” Those who are more overweight may not achieve the results they wished for. A reputable cosmetic surgeon will discuss all options and outline potential risks.

Effectiveness, cost, and risk are crucial factors that the patient should consider; these are referred to collectively as “surgical judgment” by the AAPS. Surgical judgment is developed through years of training and experience; patients should consider the training and experience of a particular doctor when choosing a surgeon. Membership in the American Board of Plastic Surgeons, a degree from an accredited medical school, and at least five additional years of residency are examples of indicators of good surgical judgment.

Liposuction surgeries can be performed in a variety of settings. Some are performed in hospitals, in the surgeon’s office, and others in an outpatient surgery center. For reasons of cost and convenience, many smaller liposuction surgeries are performed on an outpatient basis. In the case of a larger liposuction surgery and surgeries that include other procedures, the surgery will be performed in a hospital, and may require a day or so of hospital stay for observation and recovery.

As with any type of surgical procedure, there are risks involved. Although liposuction is considered one of the safest cosmetic surgeries, patients should be aware of the dangers. Some risk factors include scarring, adverse drug reactions or overdose from the lidocaine used in the procedure, shock, infections, nerve damage, bleeding and blood clots, and asymmetry (uneven removal of fat deposits). Those with a history of heart disease, diabetes, high blood-pressure, allergies and smoking should discuss their medical history thoroughly with the cosmetic surgeon to determine their risk of complications with this surgery.

By Seth Miller

Why The Last 10 Kilos Are The Hardest To Lose... And What To Do About It

This article by Jeff gives fantastic advice on how to shed those troublesome last few kilos. It just goes to show that you should never give up on your goals, no matter how hard it gets....

Im determined that one day im going to get where I want to be.

J


Why The Last 10 Kilos Are The Hardest To Lose... And What To Do About It
By Jeff Rosales, The Skinny Chef.

This is the scenario:

You've committed yourself to a healthy eating and weight loss journey, and made significant progress in losing weight. You are 10 kilos away from your goal weight. These are the stubborn last 10 kilos that stick to your body like melted cheese. Can you do anything about it?Absolutely!

First, you must know why it gets harder to lose weight when you're slimper. And second, you have to apply that knowledge to your weight loss program. The rest, as they say, will be history... and one with a happy ending. Of course, this is only one approach to tackling down this problem. Low Carbs followers have other alternatives, but this is the one I'm familiar with. There are three main reasons why losing the last 10 kilos is hard:

First, when you're fatter, you tend to use up more energy. Therefore, when you lose weight, your body tends to burn less calories for the same amount of physical activity.

Second, when you're overweight, you retain more liquids in your body. Once you start your weight loss program (or a healthy eating program), the liquids are amongst the first things your body gets rid of.

Third, your metabolic rates (ie the speed in which you burn your energy) slows down.
In other words, when you have lost weight, your body adapts itself to the new energy consumption requirements that your body has in relation to your new weight. Does that make sense?

To make things worse, if you're frustrated because you're not losing as much weight as you used to at the beginning of your journey, your natural response would be eat even less. But guess what? If you do that, you slow your weight loss even more.This is because your body goes into starvation mode, and starts burning muscle as well as fat. Muscle is the main fat burner in your body, and the less you have of it, the less fat you are able to burn.

The next link in this chain reaction is that your metabolic rate starts slowing down even further, as your body re-adjusts itself to use its energy reserves more efficiently, just in case the "starvation period" continues for a long time. Then the string snaps, and you go back to "normal" eating patterns, but the body's metabolic rate stays "depressed". The body burns less fat, even if you're eating healthy amounts of low fat food.

The result? Well, you start gaining weight even if you're being good. As a bonus, people then think "what's the point?", and get back to eating "no-no" foods in "absolutely-no-no" amounts... And all the lost weight gradually starts creeping up again.
And if you keep repeating this yo-yo pattern, your body will learn to store fat more stubbornly, just in case another starvation period comes. And the older you get doing this, the harder losing weight gets.

But there are several things you can do to avoid this cycle:
1. First, you have to accept that losing weight when in plateau is a slow process. So, there is no point in getting frustrated when you lose significantly less weight than you used to. That is the way it's meant to happen. This is a necessary psychological step to take, as this will make you less anxious, and more focused on your weight loss endeavours.

2. Accordingly, set yourself smaller weight loss goals every week. Losing small amounts of weight at this stage will ensure that your body retains muscle mass which, in turn, will help you keep burning fat regularly.

3. Eat low fat recipes that fill you up. Remember that although there are hundreds of delicious low fat recipes to try, you have to eat them wisely. Combine to get the maximum amount of food, containing the minimum amount of fat and calories.

4. If you want to take the opportunity to cleans your system, you may want to try a raw food diet at this stage, as this may give your body a "metabolic edge" by consuming less fat and more complex carbohydrates.
Processing the calories from foods like wholemeal bread takes more energy than storing energy from butter.

5. Do "fat burning" exercise, rather than aerobic exercise. Fat burning exercise such as walking or cycling regularly (5 days a week) for about 40 minutes will keep your metabolism going. Aerobic exercise burns fat, but it is rather designed to give you cardiovacular fitness.

6. Give yourself a break. No, I don't mean that you should go on a binge of "no-no food". Rather, allow yourself a couple of treats, and go easy for a couple of weeks. Of course, keep your weight in check on a weekly basis. The trick is to eat more than when on a diet, but less than when you were overweight.

7. Once your weight has stabilised, you can go back to your lower fat regime.
Repeat this cycle till you get to your desired weight.

As Rachel Hunter said in a TV commercial: "It won't happen overnight... but it will happen."
Remember that you're ideal weight is what you can maintain whilst eating 3 or more healthy meals a day, without exceeding your daily calorie and fat intake. Also remember that before starting any weight loss program, you should always consult your doctor or health professional.
Yours in health,
Jeff, The Skinny Chef.

Lose Weight - The One and Only Way

Geralds article is really interesting. Its message is uncompromising, spelling out that we need to eat less calories, but whats really interesting are the messages on exercise and metabolism. Time to get fit people!

J

Lose Weight - The One and Only Way
By Gerald Meyer

There really is only one way to lose weight. You have to burn more calories than you use in a day. It sounds clinical and counting calories is probably going to be involved. Every weight loss program on the market today uses one or a combination of the following methods. So whether you do it yourself or through weight loss programs, this is the only way you will lose weight.

1. Eat less calories
Eat less calories than you use in a day. You have to make your body convert stored fat into calories for energy. This doesn't necessarily mean you have to eat less food. But you are going to have to modify your eating habits. More on that later. Unfortunately, your body can also use muscle as energy too. As a survival instinct, your body is programmed to keep as much stored energy as possible. When you start to eat fewer calories than your body normally uses in a day it will begin to think that food is not as plentiful. You will begin going into starvation mode. Your metabolism will slow down to use as little energy as possible to get through whatever hard times your body thinks it is going through. Fat is the storage vehicle for your body's energy. But energy can come from both fat and muscle. Muscle, however, uses energy (calories). So it makes sense that your body would use your muscle first (through catabolism) and then go after the fat. Your body's main initiative, after all, is to keep you alive as long as possible. So it's going to be somewhat of a battle to balance out getting rid of fat over muscle. That's why exercise is so important when trying to lose weight. Read on for the important benefits of exercise.

2. Exercise
Exercise will preserve the muscle you have, and it will increase the amount of fat you burn. As long as you are not eating more than normal to compensate for the exercise, you should be burning more calories and hopefully building muscle which will require more energy and thus also burn more calories even when you aren't exercising. It's always good to check with a health care professional before beginning any exercise program to see how much exercise you are allowed. Of course, different exercises will use more calories than others.

3. Raise your metabolism
While exercise can help to raise your metabolism there are other natural weight loss programs and pharmaceutical ways to go about it too. Several natural programs can be found at www.natural-weight-loss-programs.com. Again, check with a health care professional before using any kind of products to raise your metabolism. Even some of the natural ones can be dangerous to your health. Your thyroid is what controls your body's metabolism. It's a small gland located in your neck. Hypothyroidism and other conditions may cause it to function less than normal. If you have trouble losing weight, it may be an indication that you need a thyroid supplement. Your doctor can determine this by doing a simple blood test. It may return things back to normal so you can lose weight easier. Doctors can also prescribe weight loss medications, which not only suppress your appetite, but they also boost your metabolism to enhance weight loss. Stimulant medications can have other adverse side effects such as increased heart rate and high blood pressure. Fortunately, there are some natural alternatives that do not have these side effects and can help you lose weight. One of the more popular supplements today is green tea extract.

Gerald Meyer is a registered pharmacist and provides advice on the many weight loss programs available today. Many natural weight loss programs can be found at http://www.natural-weight-loss-programs.com.

Lose Weight: Attack The Snacks

Hi Guys and Gals! Kim has certainly hit the nail on the head with this article! The "Snack Monster" is a demon that I have to face very regularly. With Kims advice maybe we can beat the monster?

J


Lose Weight: Attack the Snacks
By Kim Beardsmore

Did you know that when you are on a diet, if you eat something and no one sees you - it doesn’t contain any calories! Of course that's not true...but it is how many of us think! Do you eat when you are bored, upset or angry? Do you find that every day requires a chocolate bar to get you through the afternoon? If you are trying to lose weight, you may feel guilty about snacks.

As a weight loss coach, I find some folk (particularly women) laugh nervously when I ask them what happens to their food consumption around 4pm. This often is the time of the day when the “Snack Monster” takes control of them! Some berate themselves for being weak, out of control and without discipline. They either eventually give up on their diet altogether or develop counter thoughts so they don’t feel so bad. “It didn’t really matter - it is fat free”. Or, “if no one notices, the calories don’t count”.

The good news is that a healthy eating programme leading to weight does not have to be like this. You can lose weight without being hungry or guilty! It’s possible to take control of the “Snack Monster” and healthy snacking can lead you to weight loss success, not failure. So instead of being full of regret about snacking, choose your snacks wisely and have more energy and vitality, without the guilt.

The keys to healthy snacking are to select foods that: can satisfy your hunger, supply your body with energy, and provide important nutrients.Look for foods that contain the following:

- Whole grains. Whole-grain snacks are rich in complex carbohydrates and fibre, which give you immediate energy that has some staying power. Consider items such as low-fat whole-grain crackers and whole-grain crispbreads.
- Fruits and vegetables. Eating fruits and vegetables provides a feeling of fullness with no fat and only a small amount of calories. They also provide vitamins, minerals, fibre and other nutrients.
- Nuts and seeds. Nuts and seeds are a good source of protein, which helps keep you feeling fuller longer. Nuts and seeds are high in calories, however, so don't eat them in large quantities.
- Low-fat dairy products. Cheese, yogurt and other dairy products are good sources of calcium, protein, and other nutrients. Be sure to choose low fat versions.

Prepare for your week and have a range of healthy snacks on hand at home or in the office and snack on healthy choices with peace of mind.

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/