Weight Loss Tips - Healthy Breakfast Recipes

We've all known for some time that breakfast is an integral part of the day. Now research has shown that, regardless of physical activity, eating high fibre cereal in the morning at least three times a week leads to having a lower body mass index. This study followed 2,300 teenage girls over ten years, and was conducted by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute in the US.

One reason people skip breakfast is because they are trying to reduce their overall calorie intake. Whilst its important not to eat too many excess calories, having breakfast, even if its a simple smoothie, or a couple of pieces of fruit, will reduce the urge to snack on chocolate or other unhealthy options, as well as improving your performance at work and reducing fatigue. Sometimes its not just the overall calorie intake, but the types of foods we eat as well. Grab a couple of carrots instead of some toast - not only will you be getting fiber, but the phytochemicals such as carotene and other vitamins will help you get the most out of your body and your day. And if you're a bit disorganized with buying fruit and vegetables, visit the local fruit street vendor on the way to your local coffee shop before work. It beats a muffin nutritionally.

And for the final word on going overboard with calorie restriction, recent research found that even though mice will live up to 50% longer by eating less, humans don't. The most having a low calorie diet over your life would do is extend your time span on this earth by 7%.

Physiologically, having breakfast will in fact boost your metabolism. And its certainly a cheaper way to do that than investing in a bottle of diet pills.

A couple of weight loss tips for parents and expecting mothers. Early research has suggested that those mothers who eat excessively (think Britney Spears) have children who are more prone to being overweight by the time they are toddlers. This sets up food difficulties from a young age. And beware of teenagers or children who develop poor eating habits, combined with sedentary activities like playing playstation or xbox games too much, and watching television at the expense of even non-athletic activities like having a job or joining school clubs. These kids will have a greater tendency of growing into overweight or obese adults.

One key to integrating changes in your diet, whether with the goal of losing weight, or simply being more healthy, is to add variety. Its easy to get into a food rut, stuck for something tasty to eat that is also going to support our goals. Planning ahead, and doing a little research, can be one way of mitigating those moments when the urge to grab something unhealthy is driven by both hunger and unappetizing dishes.

Following are three breakfast recipes that will add a little variety to that all important meal, as well as supplying essential vitamins, minerals, enzymes and fiber.

Delicious Tropical Muesli

Serves 2 to 4. Preparation time - 10 minutes.

Ingredients

* Muesli - 100gm

* Wheat flakes- 50gm

* Apple - peeled and grated - 1

* Low Fat or Skim Fruit Yogurt- 500gm

* Mango - peeled and cut into strips - 1

* Passion fruit - pulp of 2

* Flaked almonds, toasted - 11/2 tsp

Preparation

Mix together muesli, wheat, apple and half the yogurt in a bowl and refrigerate covered overnight. Divide it into four serving bowls. Top evenly with remaining yogurt, mango, passion fruit pulp and flaked almonds and serve.

Choose plain low-fat yogurt for the fewest calories. Fruit and flavored products have extra calories. Nonfat yogurt sweetened with artificial sweetener is an option for dieters. Plain yogurt is the best choice for cooking.

Terrific Mango

Serves 2. Preparation time - 10 minutes.

Ingredients

* Mango- peeled and chopped -125 gram

* Chopped pineapple - 1

* Papaya- peeled and chopped- 125 gram

* Kiwi fruits - chopped- 2

* Tropical fruit juice - 150 ml

* Honey- 2 tablespoon

Preparation

Mix all the fruit pieces together and pour the fruit juice and honey on top. This is an excellent dish to start your day.

Summer Special Salad

Serves 4. Preparation time - 20 minutes.

Ingredients

* Water melon - 1 (medium size)

* Tomato - ½ kg

* Celery - 20 gram

* Orange -4

* Grapes -100 gram

* Pineapple (chopped) - 1 cup

* Raisins - 12

* Salt and pepper - to taste

Salad Dressing

* Salad oil - 6 tsp

* Mustard -2tsp

* Chopped onion - 2

* Pepper - 2tsp

* Sugar -1 tsp

Blend all the ingredients for the salad dressing in a mixer.

Preparation

Chop all the fruits and vegetables. Take the pulp out of the watermelon and put all the chopped fruits and tomatoes into the outer covering of the watermelon. Pour the salad dressing on top. Garnish with raisins.

Serve chilled.

Eating fruit and vegetables raw gives you many of their vitamins undiminished by cooking processes. It also means you get enzymes which are great for helping the digestive process. Watermelon is rich in vitamin C and is also one of the few sources of lycopene, others being tomatoes, red grapefruit and guava. Lycopene is a particularly effective antioxidant.

About the Author:
Rebecca Prescott runs a natural health website that includes articles on green tea weight loss and metabolism, cla for weight loss and whether it works, and reviews of Dr Atkins diet, and the zone diet.
Article Source: http://www.articlesnetwork.com/

Hoodia: The Black Magic Of Kalahari To Control Obesity

Kalahari is the desert in the south of African continent. This is the land of many prehistoric tribes. These tribes have established glib relationship with the nature. The existence of these tribes in extreme climate of desert is the proof of this thing. Nomadic tribes go on hunting in the desert without any sufficient food and water; the sole companion on which they rely in this hardship is Hoodia. This is a succulent plant of Apocynaceae family, which can suppress the diet efficiently. Because of its resemblance with cactus so many times it is confused as cactus. Tribes of Kalahari Desert for curing tuberculosis, diabetes, hypertension, indigestion, abdominal cramps, hemorrhoids etc also used this panacea.

Brain is the part of the body, which receive signal from all other parts of the body, after receiving signals it gives necessary instructions to the other body parts. When you are empty stomach the signals received by nervous system from muscles and transmitted to the brain. Hoodia acts smartly, it increases the quantity of glucose in the blood. This is done with a speed 100,000 times faster than the natural glucose. Brain is befooled and it stops secretion for further digestive juices, hence there will be no urge for food. Once consumed, Hoodia’s effect remains for about 24 hours.

There are many types of Hoodia plant, but for medicinal purpose Hoodia is extracted from Hoodia Gordonii, which is a species of Hoodia plant. Phytopharm firstly understood the medicinal value of the plant and got the license for developing the drug in 1995. Later on its sub-license was shared by Pfizer but due to some reasons it returned the license. Presently, Phytopharm and Unilever are developing the drug. The extract of Hoodia Gordonii plant, which is used for drug making, is known as P57. The drug is available in the form of tablet, capsule and health drink.

Natural medicines never give side effects; Hoodia the extract from nature is also free from any side effect. Drug containing caffeine and ephedra can deteriorate health but Hoodia does not contain any such thing. The best part of Hoodia is it can provide the user a proper shape without joining any gym and without balancing diet.

Hoodia is a non-prescriptive drug but it is advisable to consult with your doctor before starting the use of this drug. Hoodia’s effect on pregnant women is not studied thoroughly, however no harmful effect till the date has been reported. But, for the precautionary measure doctor’s advice must be followed strictly when you are a pregnant women or breast feeding lady and planning to use Hoodia.

Dosages of Hoodia are large in quantity, for significant result generally 1200mg Hoodia is consumed per day either in solid or in liquid form according to convenience and compatibility to taste. Hoodia is easily available through online order.

About the Author:
Clarence Carter received training as a healthcare scientist.She has been working in the same field and writes informative articles,weight loss being her pet subject.To find Hoodia,Xenical(Orlistat),Weight loss drug Tips,Childhood obesity, Acomplia Rimonabant, Hoodia , Phentermine,Reductil visit www.weight-loss-drug.co.uk
Article Source: ArticleToGo.com

Weight Loss Diary Day 2

Article 2. Weight loss diary.

Diary, Day 2, February 6 2006

- Stopped having newspapers delivered from yesterday. Today I walked into the village to pick up my newspaper. (A return distance of around 1.2 miles [1.9 kilometers].

- Decided that today will be a no bread day. This is the only food that I will give up in today’s weight loss program. I usually eat 4 – 6 slices of wholegrain bread each day.

- Weighed in at 197 pounds (97.5 kilos).

- Breakfast was a bowl of cornflakes with two Tablespoons of fruit Muesli added. (This is a mixture of whole grains, nuts and dried fruits). Followed by a small carton of yogurt with some fresh fruit added (I used kiwi fruit today – very high in vitamin C.) Plus a cup of lemon, green tea. (I’m only allowed 2 cups of coffee each week so I keep them for the weekend.) You could take milk or fruit juice if you prefer.

First problem: Around 11am I felt really hungry. This is to be expected because I usually eat a very big breakfast. Slight temptation to make a sandwich but I resisted it and had a small apple instead. After eating the apple I still felt hungry but resisted the temptation to eat more because I know that it takes 20 minutes for the message from my stomach to reach my brain.

- Obviously the wait was worthwhile because it is now almost 1pm and I haven’t thought about food since eating the apple.

- 1pm. Lunch: This is a challenge because I like a sandwich for lunch but today is no bread. I have a 3 ounce (85 grams)piece of cheddar cheese, coarsely grated carrot, lettuce a sprinkling of pine nuts with a glass of water. (I like water but you can drink what you prefer - providing it isn't fizzy) A banana and an apple follow this.

- Time for a walk. Immediately after lunch I take a 15-minute walk. The plan is to increase my pulse rate for a very short period by 40% to 50%. Placing your right wrist into your left hand and finding the pulse with your fingers can check pulse rate. Count how many beats in six seconds; add a zero and this will give you beats per minute before you start. Check when you are midway through your walk and it should have risen by 40%-50%. Then slow down and return home.

- At the end of the walk I take another large glass of water.

Dinner is my main meal but if you can make it lunch this is much healthier. My dinner consisted of:

- Fillet steak, about ¼ pound (110 grams), baked potato (done in the microwave), chili asparagus and salad. I drank a glass of red wine with it and my usual glass of water later.

- Dessert was a nectarine and peach – both fresh because they are in season here in Australia right now.

- After dinner I took another short walk (about 10 minutes.)

Today hasn’t been difficult to get through and I know that the first day of any diet is the toughest.

This article is copyright © David McCarthy 2006. This article may be reproduced in its entirety with no additions.

About the Author:
David McCarthy is a prolific article writer on all matters concerning food, recipes, health, diet and fitness. This is the second diary article that invites you to join him on a quest to lose 17 pounds without giving up any food that you like. You can catch up with him at www.recipesmania.com/
Article Source: http://www.freearticlesdirectory.com

Weight Loss Diary, Day 1

Weight Loss Day by Day Diary:

Day 1: Sunday February 5, 2006.

In response to an email I received from a reader I have taken up her suggestion to share my next weight control program by publishing my weight loss diary in article form for everybody to follow.

I’ll start with a few personal details that will give you a guideline to make comparisons with your own progress.

- My height is a fraction over 6 feet. (1.83m)
- My current weight is 197 pounds (97.5 kilos)
- My target weight is 180 pounds (89 kilos.)
- My age is 65.
- My physical condition is basically sound but I do suffer from osteo-arthritis in both ankles. The left is severe the right isn’t much of a problem.

I guess the reason for coming clean on those personal details is to make the point that age or physical condition is a factor. Younger, fitter people will find this easier.

I have used this system to control my weight for close to thirty years now and it has never let me down. I use a very scientific measuring gauge known as a waistband. When it gets tight I need to lose some weight, when it goes slack I go back to my normal routine. Usually I only allow my weight to go over by 10 pounds (4.5 kilos) before taking action. This year it has soared due to a very busy January that flew past so quickly I barely noticed it leaving my Christmas weight gain to get worse. Now I have to lose 17 pounds (7.65 kilos) and that is what makes it more interesting and worth sharing the experience with you.

You will notice from the above paragraph I have no doubt that I will lose it and this is an important part of the weight loss mindset. If this is the first time you have attempted this system you will have to complete the first few goals to prove that you can do it; after that you will have the same degree of confidence that I have.

The first thing I must do is set goals. Adherence to and achievement of goals is the basic difference between winners and losers. Here I must be honest and tell you that 17 pounds seems like a mountain to me and I know that it will take me 17 weeks to successfully dispose of it. Hence I will not even look at losing 17 pounds as my initial goal. My goals are listed below:

- At the end of week 1 I will have abided by my goal of dropping one item of food from my diet each day without cheating. I will lose one pound (450 grams)

- By the end of week 2 I will have increased my walking/exercise periods from 10 minutes on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday to 12 minutes each session. I will have lost 2 pounds.

- By the end of February I will exercise Monday, Wednesday and Saturday for 15 minutes each time. My weight will be 194 pounds (96 kilos)

That is enough for now: I will update my goals as I go along. As you can see my weight loss goals are simple and within reach without too much effort. Why? Because we must all start training our minds to achieve our goals. If I set a goal to lose 10 pounds in one week and I only lose eight I will look upon myself as a loser and soon give up. To be of use goals must be achievable or they will soon cease to function for us. - I have entered my first three goals in my diary and tomorrow we start in earnest.

You can follow this diary via RSS, your favorite article site or at my website in the news blogs section.

This article is copyright © David McCarthy 2006.

About the Author:
David McCarthy takes up the challenge of a reader and shares his weight loss diary as he attempts to lose 17 pounds in the next 17 weeks. You are invited to join him in this quest and compare your results. Other articles by this author can be published in their entirety with no additions from: www.recipesmania.com/newsblogs.html
Article Source: http://www.freearticlesdirectory.com

5 Tips for Losing Five Pounds a Week!

Copyright 2006 Mike Ramsey

Does any of the following sound familiar?

You desperately want to lose weight, but you’ve tried so many different diets and failed over the years that you’ve grown discouraged.

Let’s face it, most diets aren’t easy to maintain -- they’re designed to get weight off … not for your personal convenience. And once you go off the diet, the weight comes right back, along with a bit more. Thus, you end up worse off than before.

No matter what diet you try – from the cabbage soup diet to the Master Cleanser to low-fat diets such as the Atkins Diet – one of two things usually happens:

• You lose some weight – along with your sanity as life becomes an unbearable drudge of boring food and not enough of it.

• You don’t lose weight because you just cannot stick to that diet.

In either case, you feel bad … discouraged … maybe even like a failure. But, take heart, losing weight is possible. In fact, here are five simple yet sound tips that when followed could easily enable you to lose five pounds, or more, a week!

Tip #1 – Cut the Carbs! Cutting down on your carbohydrate intake, particularly white carbs (that is, carbs from white bread, potatoes, etc.) and instead eating more high quality lean proteins (such as chicken and fish) is a great way to drop a few pounds quickly. But don’t cut carbs completely! You should still eat fibrous carbs, such as berries, spinach and apples.

Tip #2 – Stop Eating Processed Foods! Instead eat more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Often, people who are used to eating a lot of junk food will discover they can actually a higher quantity of delicious fruits, vegetables and whole grains without gaining any weight.

Tip #3 – Cut Down on Your Sugar Intake! In particular, watch how many sodas or juice drinks you consume. The sugar in these beverages can add up quickly and these drinks aren't filling. You should also watch out for "fat-free" products. Sugar is often used to replace the flavor that is lost when the fat is removed. You will also want to be careful about how much sugar you add to coffee and tea.

Tip #4 – Drink More Water! Water naturally helps to suppress your appetite and drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day will help you lose weight and burn fat. On the other hand, if you don't drink enough water every day, your body may store water and fat that you don't need. To determine how much water you should drink: multiply your bodyweight by .66 to get the required number of ounces per day.

Tip #5 – Exercise More Often! The healthiest way to lose weight is to exercise. Someone who increases the amount they exercise, but maintains the same diet and calorie intake, will almost certainly lose weight. Plus, excessive sweating from cardio activity, such as running, walking and using aerobic gym equipment, will help you de-bloat and lose inches and pounds quickly.

But a word of caution, if you haven’t exercised in a while be sure to check with your physician first and also be sure to start any exercise program slowly.

About the Author:
Mike Ramsey is the author of "Stop Sweating and Start Living", a book describing how he cured his underarm sweating problem in just two weeks. Learn how thousands have cured their embarrassing sweating problems at www.sweatcure.com
Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com

A Gastric Band Can Sometimes Be A Life Band

For many people who have battled against their weight for years and tried just about every diet and exercise program available, gastric bypass surgery, such as adjustable gastric banding, can offer a tempting alternative and is certainly an option to be considered and discussed with their doctor. For some people however the gastric band is much more than simply a solution to their weight problem and can literally save their lives.

Severe or morbid obesity is not simply a weight problem and can bring with it a host of very serious and, in some cases, life-threatening conditions such as sleep apnea, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes and others.

If your doctor feels that gastric bypass surgery is necessary for your health, then you need to discuss all of your options and balance the risks associated with surgery against the risks to your health without surgery. At the end of the day it may come down to a simple case of whether the health risk from medical conditions associated with your obesity are greater than the risks posed by weight loss surgery.

Gastric bypass surgery can literally give you a new lease on life and lower dramatically many health risks associated with morbid obesity. If surgery is really considered necessary then invariably you will find that the lasting medical implications and side effects of gastric bypass surgery will be a small price to pay for the benefits to your overall health.

Gastric bypass surgery has improved considerably with advancing technology and the risks and side-effects associated with modern minimally invasive techniques like laparoscopic gastric band surgery mean that the risks today are considerably reduced, recovery times are down and adjustment to life after surgery is easier than it used to be.

If you are severely obese with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 or more and have tried everything else then talk to your doctor. Consider carefully not simply the problems posed by being overweight in terms of the effect that that extra weight has on your lifestyle, but also in terms of the effect that your weight is having, and may have in the future, on your overall state of health.

About the Author:
Donald Saunders
Please drop by GastricBypassFacts.info for additional information on gastric band surgery or other aspects of gastric bypass surgery
Added: 21 Nov 2006
Article Source: http://articles.simplysearch4it.com/article/43335.html

3 Easy Weight Loss Diet Tricks

You don't have to go to extremes to lose weight. Here are 3 easy weight loss diet "tricks" anyone can use to lose fat and keep it off over the long term.

Think you have to go to extremes to lose weight this year? Guess what, you absolutely don't. In fact, most people who are able to lose pounds and keep them off over the long term do so by making small changes in their diets. There are several easy weight loss diet "tricks" you can use to lose weight, feel better, and look great this year. Here are a few of the best...

1. Avoid calorie bombs.

Eating just one high-calorie, high-sugar, high-fat meal or snack per day can totally ruin a healthy diet and keep you from losing weight. For one thing, it's never good to eat too many calories (especially "empty" calories) at one time. For another thing, once you eat something really bad you'll be more likely to rationalize eating more bad stuff later in the day.

Remember, willpower and discipline can only take you so far. The most important thing is to get rid of all the unhealthy junk food in your house and to avoid places and situations where you're more likely to indulge in high-calorie foods. Avoiding "calorie bombs" in the first place makes weight loss much easier!

2. Choose healthier versions of your favorite foods.

Did you know that there are probably much healthier lower-calorie, lower-fat versions of many of your favorite foods? For instance, you can now buy ground beef that is much leaner than normal hamburger meat. Simply switching to 90% lean ground beef can save you thousands of calories over the course of a year. Plus, you probably won't notice much of a change in flavor or texture.

Are you a pizza-lover? Typical takeout pizza is loaded with fat, sodium... and thousands of calories! Switch to healthier low-fat frozen pizzas and you can still enjoy a delicious food while losing weight at the same time. Easy weight loss is all about enjoying the foods you love but choosing the "healthy" version.

3. Avoid soft drinks and high-calorie alcoholic drinks.

If you want to lose weight, the soft drinks -- especially high-sugar sodas, teas, and "juice" drinks -- have to go. They contribute thousands of empty calories to your diet every week (if you drink them). The same goes for high-calorie alcoholic drinks. Even diet sodas are starting to get a bad rap as some experts believe the artificial sweeteners can actually cause a spike in insulin levels, leading to weight gain.

For easy weight loss results, simply drink water or unsweetened teas. One delicious option is carbonated water with fresh lemon or lime juice squeezed in. If you feel like you must have something sweeter, drink iced tea sweeten it with a natural sugar substitute like stevia or xylitol. By the way, drinking lots of water also helps keep you feeling full, which can help you to avoid food cravings and overeating.

About the Author:
Jamie Clark is a health and fitness writer. For more easy weight loss tips visit http://real-easy-weight-loss.blogspot.com . Also, learn how to look great fast at: http://lookgreatfast.com .
Submitted on 2006-11-10
Article Source: http://www.articlesarea.com/

Cancer Diet - The Important Vitamins

A cancer diet needs particular emphasis on the following vitamins.

Vitamin A

Role: as an anti-oxidant and important for healing.

Natural sources: green and yellow fruits and vegetables, organic animal liver but be careful, a non-organically raised animal’s liver could be full of chemicals!

Beta-carotene - very important in a cancer diet - from carrots in particular, is converted to Vitamin A by the liver, and is a far safer way to get a really good boost of this vitamin, with no dangers of overdosing.

Vitamin B Complex

Role: particularly important to the health of nerves and the production of energy.
Natural sources are chicken, eggs, brewer’s yeast, whole grains, leafy green vegetables, fish.

Vitamin B17 – almost unheard of, but critical in a cancer diet.

B17 interacts with the very large amounts of beta-glucosidase in cancer cells to produce hydrogen cyanide and benzaldehyde. These two poisons combine into an extremely deadly poison that targets cancer cells. The reason that it doesn’t target healthy cells is that although they have small quantities of beta-glucosidase, they also contain rodonase, a substance that cancer cells do not have, that breaks the poison down into compounds that actually assist the bodies immune system!

Natural sources are flaxseed oil, brown rice, brewer’s yeast, lentils, macadamia nuts, pecans, raspberries, strawberries, walnuts, watercress and yams.

Vitamin C

Role: Antioxidant needed to assist over 300 metabolic functions of the body.

Natural sources are citrus fruits, most yellow or red fruits and vegetables, leafy green vegetables.

The body cannot store this very essential nutrient so we need to ingest it daily. As it is not stored it cannot be overdosed.
A word of warning though – do not take Vitamin C supplements at the same time as aspirin – the combination is very irritant to the stomach lining. Also it taking a supplement, look for a buffered form which is digested over a longer period of time and far less irritant. Also avoid chewable tablets – the acidity is not good for the teeth!

Vitamin E, again crucial in a cancer diet.

Role: Antioxidant, used in circulation and tissue repair.

Natural sources include coldpressed vegetable oils, leafy green vegetables, legumes, nuts, seeds and wholegrains. Brown rice, eggs, kelp, oatmeal and sweet potatoes are also good sources.

Just a note – the body needs zinc to maintain levels of Vitamin E in the blood, also take iron supplements at a different time from Vitamin E as some forms of iron will destroy Vitamin E.

As always a diet that draws from all food groups, fruit, vegetable, meat, fish, chicken, grains, nuts, seeds and oils, all eaten as close to the way nature made them is the best cancer diet possible.


About the author:
Marilyn Bennett’s partner Glenn was declared cancer-free after 11 months using a nutritional approach. They are now on a mission to "spread the word" re the many things they discovered we can all do to fight cancer. Please visit www.cancer-einfo.com
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How Diet affects the Hair

There’s more to healthy hair than putting products on your head; you also have to watch what you put in your mouth. You need a nutritious diet so that your body can create healthy cells and tissue—exactly the stuff that hair is made of. Poor nutrition, erratic meals, even crash diets can all lead to thinning, dullness, and dryness.

First of all, you need to have the right amounts of proteins. Proteins build cells, and they also contain amino acids that are particularly crucial to hair growth. These include cystine, cysteine, methionine, arginine and lysine. These can be found in meats, fish, poultry dairy and eggs. If you are vegetarian, you can also get it from soy, nuts, grains and seeds (although you may need a protein supplement). Dieticians believe that at least 15% of your calories must come from food that is rich in protein.

Many of today’s low-carb diets may lead to steady weight loss, but it may come at the price of the health of your hair. Carbs help in the growth of body tissues, and they are also the body’s primary source of B vitamins, which your body needs. That’s why it’s not recommended to stay on carb-free diets for long periods of time; even South Beach recommends that the First Phase be limited to three weeks. Instead, opt for smart carbs, meaning you cut out sugars and white flour, and get healthy carbs from vegetables, fruits, whole grains, brown rice and potatoes.

Too much fat is bad for you, but you need a little fat in your diet to stay healthy—and to keep your hair healthy, too. To avoid health risks associated with a fat-heavy diet, get it from lean meat that is grilled or braised rather than fried. Needless to say, eating that hamburger is not a healthy option.

Why does diet play such a role in healthy hair? For one thing, your body will need the right amounts of vitamins and minerals to be able to create strong cells. People who go on crash diets will often report hair loss. Strands may be brittle and easily damaged, and will look dull despite all efforts to condition and style. This means your body is unable to replace cell properly, or that the cells it manufactures is unable to withstand the damage it takes from daily environmental abuse: brushing, hair drying, or even the UV rays in the sun. It’s the same principle why skipping meals can cause your face to look blotchy and pale. If it can affect the color in your cheeks, it will also affect whether your hair is thick and shiny, or limp and lifeless.

Crash dieting can also affect the body’s chemical balance. Many people will go through natural hair loss cycles, such as during pregnancy or right after childbirth, as the body adjusts to shifts in hormones. A lack of nutrition can set off a hormonal nightmare, sending wrong signals to the hair glands like a fuse gone wrong. Severe stress can also do this.

Thus, for healthy hair, you need to invest in good hair care products and a good lifestyle. Eat right, and find ways to relax after a long day at work to minimize the effects of stress. Of course, a good shampoo never hurt.

About the Author:
Philip Nicosia is the webmaster of Resources.eu.com an online resource centre covering many topics including hair care.
Article Source: ArticleToGo.com

How To Lose Weight

To lose weight or maintain weight loss, research shows that most people need to do at least 60 to 90 minutes of moderate exercise nearly every day. Though it sounds a lot, but one can get it in dividing it into smaller time periods. If you are really active, running around all the day, parking your vehicle in the farthest space, taking the stairs at every opportunity, etc. can help you to check your requisite calorie burn without too much trouble. The other program for weight loss is to control your diet. A low calorie diet with lots of fruits and vegetables with plenty of water proves to be very effective.

But the question is that how many of us can be so active for a full day run and go for a regular dieting regime. It often becomes a tedious affair. Obviously one cannot stick to an exercise for the whole life and the same goes for diet.

Though there is no exact science to eliminate obesity completely, but there are certain formulas in the form of diet pills inorder to make precise one's obesity problem. According to scientist's obesity is a complex disease and should be treated. Apart from dieting and exercising, many have seen diet pills an effective treatment for obesity. The results with diet pills are found to be very positive.

These Diet Pills actually acts as an appetite suppressant agent that affects human body system by suppressing the urge for eating. This process eventually allows the body to take less food and helps to keep away from calories. But dieticians suggest that if diet pills are taken in conjunction with a regular exercise and controlled diet regimen, one can gain quick and effective results.

Though diet pills have made major strides in the area of weight loss, but keep in mind that they are drugs and do carry side effects. These drugs, like many other drugs, can be addictive and hence, should be taken under proper medical supervision.

The internet is full with various Weight Loss information. But one should know that vast majority of this comes from completely unfounded sources and is of little real value to the serious dieter seeking to lose weight. So, understand the fact that some weight loss programs can be dangerous. Hence, start a weight loss program by consulting a doctor first.

About the Author:
Clarence Carter received training as a healthcare scientist. She has been working in the same field and writes informative articles, weight loss being her pet subject. To find diet pills, Weight loss drug Tips, Orlistat, Childhood obesity, weight loss, Reductil visit http://www.weight-loss-drug.co.uk
Added: 16 Aug 2006
Article Source: http://articles.simplysearch4it.com/article/34208.html

Is This The Real Secret To Losing Weight?

Does maintaining a diet with no carbohydrates really help decrease weight? Since the early 1970s, several weight loss plans have supported avoiding or reducing carbohydrates, referred to as "carbs", from our diets in varying quantities. Although these carb-conscious diets are embraced by some, they continue to raise questions for many. For example, it has been debated whether it is safe to limit carbohydrate intake, and whether this can be done in a healthy, sustainable way. Some carbohydrates are better or healthier than others. Another question raised is whether or not everyone should limit carbohydrates, and whether someone can eat a diet of natural foods while controlling carbohydrate consumption.

Aside from the common theories on why low carb diets work, no agreement exists on what makes up the optimal reduced carbohydrate diet. Suggestions of the various diet plans recommend a range from 20 to 100 grams of carbohydrates daily, and few recommend no carbs at all, although this diet has been seen in Hollywood. Many of these diets advise restraining from the intake of carbs such as bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, and added sugars, but they differ in implementation and thorough directions. There are also no official guidelines on what foods should constitute a controlled carb diet, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has no formal classification of a low carbohydrate food.

To put the resulting mystification into perspective, keep in mind that one-size-fits-all just doesn't work when it comes to dieting. Nutrition choices should be individualized and depend upon genetics, lifestyle, activity levels, health status, and special needs. Some experimentation may be necessary to determine what works best for you. Some may find cutting back on carbohydrates is most favourable for their health, weight, and blood sugar levels, and they decide to limit their carb intake as part of an overall healthy lifestyle.

With regards to low-carbohydrate diets you may well lose weight on this regimen because if you cut down on bread, pasta, rice, crisps and eat only meat, fish and vegetables you will tend to eat less overall. But you are likely to get bored with this diet and therefore slip or get too hungry as your diet will lack bulk. Furthermore, limiting carbohydrates causes the body to rely on fat or muscle for energy. This can create a by-product called ketones, causing fatigue and nausea. This is particularly dangerous for anyone with diabetes, heart or kidney problems.

Yes, there is such thing as a healthy low-carb diet. The key is to not go overboard and throw out all the essential nutrients we need for health and optimum energy in pursuit of a low-carb eating plan. High-carb diets typically contain 50 to 60 percent of total calories from carbohydrate. A healthy low-carb plan will contain 40 to 45 percent of calories from carbohydrate. That way you keep the carbs that provide nutrition: fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, milk and yogurt and decrease your use of simple carbs like sugar, candy, cookies, soda and snack foods.

Fresh fish are high in protein and are often carbohydrate free. Shellfish generally contain some carbohydrates. Keep an eye out for prepared seafood products-like crab cakes or breaded fish-that may contain moderate amounts of carbohydrates. Protein-packed meat and poultry make up the bulk of many controlled carb diets. Try eating bacon, chicken, deli meats, duck, sausage, pork, lamb, rabbit, etc.

There’s also no need to stay away from nature's sweets. Keep in mind that high fibre content in certain fruits accounts for a sizable percentage of carbohydrates. Fibre is essential for the body and it is generally subtracted from total carbohydrates when determining "net carbs" — the carbs thought to affect blood sugar and, therefore, weight loss.

Even if you are adhering to a controlled carb diet, it is important to eat plenty of produce. Colourful vegetables provide fibre, vitamins, minerals, and numerous phytochemicals. The carbohydrate content of vegetables ranges greatly. Non-starchy, brightly coloured vegetables are a safe bet for those watching their carbs.

About the Author:
Synergize Marketing
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Do Weight Loss Pills Or Diet Pills Really Work?

Do you really want to lose weight and get rid of extra body fat forever? If so, which is the most convenient and effective method to achieve permanently weight loss? Do I hear you say by taking weight loss pills or diet pills?

Well, by taking weight loss pills or diet pills may be convenient for you to lose those unwanted body fat, it certainly is not effective if you want to lose weight permanently. I am sure many of you have already tried taking weight loss pills and once you stopped taking them, your weight starts to creep up on you again didn’t they? That is frustrating and an awful waste of money isn’t it?

There are many types of weight loss pills and diet pills in the market. Some of these pills will curb your appetite, some supposedly speed up your metabolism and some are supposed to prevent your body from absorbing too much oil from your diet or restrict absorption of carbohydrate. But they all have one thing in common. Once you are off the pills, you will put on weight again. Therefore taking weight loss pills or diet pills are only temporary solutions. They do not condition your body to burn unwanted fat forever. On the contrary, your body may even adapt and resist the effects of the pills making you waste even more money and causing you more frustration.

So what is the best solution for permanent weight loss? Well, just do these 3 things:-

• Build Muscle – The more muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn. So when extra calories are being burnt everyday, over a period of time, you would have burnt off massive amount of calories. Furthermore, you will look good with a well toned body and your posture will also improve making you look even slimmer. That means you are a calorie burning machine when you have more muscle.

• Change Eating Habit – Eat your carbohydrate early in the day and restrict carbohydrate consumption later part of the day. This will help your body to regulate insulin level and reduce the chances of carbohydrate turning into body fat. Also avoid starchy carbohydrate and refined carbohydrate like white rice, refined flour foodstuff like cakes and pastries, white bread, pasta etc. Replace these with high fiber and slow to digest carbs like brown bread and brown rice. Carbohydrate turns into body fat quickly if digested too fast.

• Exercise Your Heart and Lungs – Go for regular exercise and perform exercises that will make you puff, pant and sweat such as jogging, skipping or take part in ball games. These activities not only improve your heart and lung health, they also burn massive calories.

When these 3 activities become part of your routine, you will be burning extra calories every day. That means you will not put on weight easily and will lose body fat forever. Best of all, it is free. So why spend money on temporary solutions like weight loss pills and diet pills?

About the Author:
Chris Chew is a fitness personal trainer of fashion models, international pageant winners and actors. More free fitness tips on his websites Transform your body in 12 weeks and Lose fat fast_build muscles fast
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Why Isn't My Diet Working?

Have you been on a new diet for a couple of weeks and found that you STILL can't lose weight? Have you actually GAINED a pound or two since you've been on it? Are you just about ready to throw this diet out the window and try something else? Well, hold on a minute. There might be something else going on that's preventing your diet from working.

Getting your diet to work is like planting a seed in a garden. In order for the seed to grow, you have to plant it in good soil. You have to water it, fertilize it, and protect it from weeds. In other words, a seed needs a good environment if it's going to have any chance at all to sprout, take root, and grow.

Similarly, in order for your diet to start showing results for you, it also needs a good environment. Here are 10 "weeds" that will prevent the success of any diet and may actually be the reason that yours isn't working.

1. YOU'RE NOT REALLY SERIOUS ABOUT LOSING WEIGHT

For your diet to work, you obviously have to be serious about losing weight. You need to have the right mental attitude about weight loss. In other words, you have to get your "head right." This includes:

a. Making a firm commitment to lose the weight, no matter what.
b. Making sure you're doing this for the right reasons. Trying to lose weight to please someone else never works.
c. Convincing yourself that you CAN lose the weight--and that you WILL!

If your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not really serious about losing the weight in the first place.

2. YOU'RE CHEATING ON YOUR DIET

Cheating on your diet and cheating on love both end in disappointment. Consistent weight loss requires, well, consistency. Most of us work so hard to stick to our diet during the week that we convince ourselves that we can splurge on the weekend. Or we think that because we skipped breakfast, we can have dessert with lunch. Both are a bad choice.

It's easy to convince yourself that having a small snack won't hurt, or that you'll work it off later. The problem is it does, and you never do. If your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not following it consistently.

3. YOU'RE NOT EATING FEWER CALORIES

I heard of someone that started one of those protein shake diets. He actually gained a couple of pounds. When he was asked how often he was drinking the shakes, he said, "I drink one with every meal." It never occurred to him that the shakes were supposed to replace his meals, not supplement them.

Many dieters buy low-cal foods, and then eat twice as much. Don't be one of them! The only way to lose weight is to reduce your total caloric intake. Make sure you reduce the size of your portions and cut out all snacks that are not part of your diet plan. If your diet isn't working--or if you've actually gained a pound or two--it could be because you're not eating fewer total calories.

4. YOU'RE NOT EATING THE RIGHT FOODS

Eating fewer calories is only part of the battle. You need to make sure that the foods you do eat are the right types. A good rule of thumb is to make sure you get plenty of fruits, salads, and dark green vegetables. Stay away from refined foods and starches and eat meat in very small amounts (sorry, I'm not an Atkins fan).

Leafy, green, water-rich vegetables will aid digestion, help keep you healthy, and will actually help your body get rid of excess fat. If your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not eating the right foods.

5. YOU'RE NOT DRINKING ENOUGH WATER

When you go on a diet, your body goes into overdrive to get rid of the excess fats and toxins that the diet liberates. Many diets (especially the protein ones) put a strain on your body's organs, especially the kidneys. Because of this, it's vital that you drink plenty of water.

Drinking 8 or so full glasses of water every day helps to flush out the excess fats and toxins your body is trying to eliminate. Drinking plenty of water has other benefits including reducing headaches and improving your hair and skin. If your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not drinking enough water.

6. YOU'RE NOT EXERCISING ENOUGH

The best way to increase the number of calories you burn is through exercise. Pick walking, running, playing sports, swimming, or whatever--just make sure that when you exercise, you actually exercise. Some people go to the gym to socialize, not to exercise. Make sure you're not one of them! Get to work and make sure you stay with it long enough to burn off some excess calories.

To lose weight, shoot for 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, every other day. Note that these 20-30 minutes do not include stretching, warm ups, cool downs, or checking yourself out in front of the mirror. Sure, these are an important part of your exercise routine but you're not going to lose any weight by stretching. At least 20 to 30 minutes of aerobic exercise, every other day.

If you've reduced the amount of calories you're eating and your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not exercising enough.

7. YOU'RE EXERCISING TOO HARD

This may be counterintuitive but it's true. If you exercise too hard, your body goes into an ANAEROBIC state (without oxygen). This is when you get so out of breath that you can't seem to take in enough air. When the body is in this state, it burns mostly carbohydrates and very little fat. This is why runners "carb up" before a big race--and also why runners have just as much body fat as the rest of us.

Slow your exercise down to no more than 85% of your maximum heart rate (subtract your age from 220 to get your max heart rate). At this pace, your body is in an AEROBIC state (with oxygen) and most of the calories that are burned are from fat, not carbs. An added benefit is that aerobic exercise tends to be low impact making it easy on your joints.

If you already get plenty of exercise and your diet still isn't working, it could be because you're exercising too hard.

8. YOU'RE NOT GETTING ENOUGH REST

We all live stressful lives. Dieting typically changes your eating and exercise habits-- two more stressor's your body has to deal with. The only chance your body has to relieve tension, rejuvenate and rebuild itself is during sleep so it's important to get enough when dieting.

Not getting enough sleep can actually slow your metabolism making weight loss difficult. It can also make you feel "groggy," which means you probably won't make the best food choices throughout the day. If your diet isn't working, it could be because you're not getting enough rest.

9. YOU'RE FIGHTING TOO MANY BATTLES AT ONCE

Weight loss requires both consistent effort and focus. You won't have either if you're trying to diet and deal with other "major events" in your life at the same time. Major events include things like changing jobs, moving to new house or city, trying to stop smoking, a death, accident, or sickness in the family, and so on. All of these things create a disruption in our lives and cause us to put everything--including our diets--on hold. To make matters worse, how do most of us deal with the stress caused by these major events? By snacking! Your diet doesn't have a chance.

So don't even try. Give yourself permission to put your diet on hold until you can give it the consistent energy and focus it needs. Choose your battles carefully and fight only one at a time. If your diet isn't working, it may be because you're trying to fight too many at once.

10. YOUR WEIGHT LOSS GOAL IS NOT REALISTIC

Like all good things, healthy weight loss takes time. Make sure you're not setting yourself up for disappointment by setting a weight loss goal that is totally unrealistic. This includes not only the amount of weight you want to lose, but also the amount of time you think it will take. If you're doing all the right things and your diet isn't working, it may be because your weight loss goal-or the time required to reach it-isn't realistic.

Once you get all of these issues resolved, you've cleared the way to get your diet back on track. As your diet takes root and begins to work, you should start to see the weight come off easily and naturally.

About the author:
Hiram Perez has made good health and fitness a lifelong study. Discover other simple and common sense techniques to improve your wellbeing by signing up for a free 5-part mini-course at www.Balance-Your-Health.com
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What Is The Best Exercise For Weight Loss?

It is a common misconception that aerobic exercise tones and firms muscles. Actually it accomplishes very little toning and firming. Resistance exercise (weight training) is where real toning and firming of muscles occurs.

Doing both aerobics and weight training is the optimal way to lose more fat and gain more muscle. If you are trying to lose weight, studies show that weight loss increases by 56 percent with aerobic and strength exercises combined.

Muscle may weigh more, but when you increase your muscle composition, the body is able to burn more fat, even when you are resting, because your metabolism is higher. A pound of muscle will use 350 to 500 calories per week to survive, while a pound of fat only needs about 14 calories per week. New studies have shown that building muscle helps your body fight disease better, too.

Strength training benefits everyone, no matter what age or sex, and is becoming recognized as an important component of fitness. Research is indicating that the muscle loss found in elderly people doesn’t come from age, but lack of activity. Even a young person who doesn’t get enough exercise can lose muscle mass and strength. Strength training, such as lifting weights or performing weight-resistance exercises, as little as twice a week can help maintain or increase muscle mass.

Strength training involving several sets of multiple repetitions using moderate weights will not result in huge muscles. Instead it builds bone mass and increases the metabolism, as well as toning and firming the muscles, giving a leaner look.

It is very important to do both aerobics and strength exercises. The aerobic exercises help your heart and lungs get stronger and help your body utilize oxygen more efficiently, which in turn helps with strength training and overall fitness. The strength exercise helps develop muscle, reduce body fat and maintain bone mass.

Aerobic Exercise is a type of exercise that elevates the heart rate and breathing for a continuous sustained period. This overloads the heart and lungs and causes them to work harder than at rest.

There are many options to choose from today. Bicycling, aerobic dance, swimming, walking, and stepping are all examples of aerobic exercise. Which ones to chose depends on your physical condition, your history, your interests and your goals. Many experts believe it is better to alternate between 2 or more types, to get a better workout.

There are two main types of aerobics- high impact and low impact. It is better to alternate between high impact aerobics (which are harder on the body and may cause more damage) and low impact aerobics, such as walking and swimming. This is called cross-training, and helps reduce the chance or injury and overuse of certain muscles.

You will want to perform aerobic exercises at least 20 minutes a day for at least 3 to 4 days a week. If you are trying to lose body fat, or your physical condition is very good, then you may want to work longer at it. Try exercising up to 40 to 60 minutes 5 to 6 days a week.

Remember there is no real need to go overboard. Moderate intensity is almost always better, and is more enjoyable. Low to moderate intensity is an especially good idea when starting out after a layoff or recovery from illness or injury, or if you are significantly overweight.

Warm-up and cool down is important to reduce discomfort and the chance of injury. Warm up by starting slow and gradually build up to your top speed. Then slow down again at the end of your workout.

The whole idea behind aerobic exercise is to get up and get moving! Find something you enjoy doing that keeps your heart rate elevated for a continuous time period and get moving to a healthier life.

This is an excerpt from the FREE ebook "The Enzyme Health Diet Plan" by Dianne Ronnow. Copyright © 2005-6 by Mohave Publishing. All rights reserved. http://enzyme-health.com

About the Author:
Dianne Ronnow’s FREE e-book, "Coconut Oil Diet Secrets," reveals how thousands of people are losing weight and getting healthier with coconut oil diets. To find out what the secrets of coconut oil dieting are, go to coconut-oil-diet.com now!
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No More Excuses for Being Overweight

Success in any endeavor, including health and fitness, begins with the thoughts that you want to attain something. Your desire needs to be strong enough and clearly defined before you will begin to take action. Before you begin to successfully lose weight you need to make the necessary changes, and seek out the ways and means to reach your desired goal. You have to adopt a “no excuse” attitude and stay focused on your goals.

Do these excuses sound familiar? “If I just had more time, I would be exercising regularly.” “I tried to eat low-fat today but my kids wanted pizza.” “Every time I plan to exercise or eat healthy, something always comes up.” “Eating healthy is too expensive.” If we continue to blame outside factors, we will continue to get the same results. Many truly believe these excuses are something totally out of our control preventing us from reaching our goals. We think that something, or someone else, is responsible.

The number one and most important step to losing weight successfully is to take 100% responsibility for your actions, which means, you are fully responsible for everything you put into your mouth. Everything you eat is a decision you make. Decisions like whether or not to eat that chocolate cake. Each decision you make you are accountable for. This may sound harsh, but it is a truism.

You’ve heard the buzzword used by motivational speakers, Proactive. It means more than just taking initiative. It means that we have the responsibility (response-ability) for our own lives. Highly proactive people don’t blame others or circumstances for their behavior. Their behavior is a product of their own conscious choice and willpower.

Next time you’re faced with an excuse outside of you, change the way you think and develop a strategy to tell yourself that you can do it. Once you realize the power you already have inside of you, overcoming obstacles will be easier. A few successes will build your confidence and help you grow and be able to commit to something you want to do or have. Self-talk can make us or break us. Allow your self-talk to help you be proactive toward your health and fitness goals. You already have, inside of you, what it takes to succeed.

When I work with clients on behavioral modification, we use tools to help them achieve their goals. Two successful tools are a food journal and appointment scheduling.

1. The food journal is used to write down everything you eat. You will think twice before you eat knowing you have to write it down. Then you can look at your journal to see how the extra calories sneak up. A weight loss coach is also a good strategy to help you become accountable and learn about healthy eating.

2. Schedule your exercise time just like scheduling a meeting or doctor’s appointment. Many clients are successful with their fitness goals working with a personal trainer because they have the appointment scheduled and are less likely to blow it off because of the appointment. Discipline yourself with regularly scheduled exercise time. This will increase your consistency and help you get to your goal.

You have the power to control your life and behavior. Recognize the excuses and take the action, now! For more information, motivation and tips on weight loss, go to http://www.womensweightlosscoach.com

About the Author:
Linda Geyer, speaker and author, personal trainer and weight loss coach, has spent her entire career in health related businesses helping clients and audiences make health a priority. She is Founder Vitality Management and owner of Peak Physique Fitness Training in Michigan. Linda inspires, motivates and educates on health maintenance, exercise, weight loss and positive attitude. For FREE tips go to www.womensweigthlosscoach.com
To contact Linda Geyer, email linda@womensweightlosscoach.com
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Eat And Be Thin!

Ok, so there are a few pounds hanging around on you that you'd like to get rid of. You could diet, you could exercise, but that's a lot of hard work, requires effort, and besides, you are a bit busy and don't really have time for that at the moment.

So what can you do to shed those extra pounds and become slimmer? How can you lose weight nice and easily?

Well you can Eat and Be Thin!

Yes, you’ve heard me right, you can eat food and become thinner.

No, this doesn’t mean a diet of chocolate, cakes and fatty foods. It means watching what you are eat and balancing your food. By eating the right types of food at the right time of day you can actually lose weight – and not be starving.

The traditional approach to weight loss is to reduce your calorie intake. Unfortunately your body has an evolutionary response to this. Your body immediately thinks there is a famine coming and starts to store fat so that you can survive throughout it.

So therefore by reducing your calorie intake you are actually putting on fat and sabotaging your efforts at weight loss!

By eating the right foods at the right intervals you can actually eat yourself slim without going hungry and piling on the fat.

Of course you can always go on a low carb, high protein diet, but think about what that does for your body? The human body is not meant to survive on that kind of diet and when you do so your arteries will fur up and it will damage your health in the long term. Sure you can lose some weight with it, but the problem is, you start eating any carbs again the weight comes straight back on.

New research has shown that an effective method of weight loss is to rotate your eating patterns, which forces fat to burn. By shifting the types of calorie you eat, you can shift the weight much easier.

As your metabolism has no idea how many calories you will eat tomorrow or the next day, it bases its calorie burning pattern on what you have consumed in the last few days. It makes the assumption that you are going to continue to eat in the same pattern.

So what you do is shock your metabolism by doing the opposite of what it expects, that is, you are not going to continue eating the same types of calories and meals. In order for this to be effective you have to eat foods that are fat burning compatible, which means your body can burn these foods entirely and then switch to burning your fat.

Through the Idiot Proof Diet you can learn more about these fat burning foods and how you can use them to get rid of that excess weight permanently without starving.

About the Author:
Jason E. Johns is a personal success coach and is dedicated to helping you achieve the results you desire. For more information visit the Idiot Proof Diet site.
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What Is A Balanced Diet For Losing Weight And Good Health?

The total calories that you should be consuming depend on whether you are a women or a man. It depends on your body structure and your activity level. So you need to make some adjustment on the numbers I present.

If you have been eating around 1800 calories per day you can slowly move your intake down to 1600. Work down from this level over a month's period to 1400 calories. Don't go below 1200 calories per day. Otherwise you can over stress your body.

If you have just started out and are eating 2400 calories, decrease your calories to 2000 or 2100. If you don't lose weight in 2-3 weeks reduce your calories lower. Over a month's time you can move down to 1600 calories and see if you start to lose weight. If you do, stay at this level.

It's not a good idea to make a drastic shift in your consumption of food since your body can react and get into a "starving mode." In this mode your body will store more fat making it difficult for you to lose weight.

Remember not to eat junk food. When you eat quality food, it takes less food for you to become satisfied as compared to eating junk food.

Protein, Carbohydrates, and Fat

There are many ideas about what combination or percentages you should eat of the various nutrients - protein, carbohydrates, and fat. I don't believe that exact percentages exist, which will provide weight loss and good health for all individuals. Each one of you will require different percentages depending on your weight, health, body structure, emotional make-up and a variety of other conditions. For this reason some diet programs work with some people and not with others.

One of best eating habit programs that will help you to lose weight is to eat:

* quality protein

* low glycemic carbohydrates

* quality fats

* high fiber

* high water consumption

Quality Protein - is essential for the body to survive. There 8 essential amino acids and 14 non-essential. Protein is used to regulate certain body processes by contributing to various chemical reactions and by creating a number of body chemicals.

Eating excess protein results in an acid body, which favors disease. Protein eaten alone causes a 25% increase in your metabolism. When combined with fat and carbohydrates there is only a 10% increase. What this means is that eating more protein and less fat and carbohydrates gives you a boost in metabolism.

It is recommended that around 30% - 35% of your eating habits consist of protein.

Carbohydrates - consist of simple and complex sugars. When carbohydrates are eaten they are broken down into sucrose, which is readily accepted by your cells. Sucrose is converted into energy in your cells. If you eat a lot of high glycemic carbohydrates, your bloodstream becomes overwhelm with sucrose. The excess sucrose in your cells will be converted to fat and stored.

Because most people have been adding weight eating high glycemic carbohydrates, it best to change your eating habits and decrease your intake of these carbohydrates. In general people have been eating 80% high glycemic foods (HighGF) and 20% low glycemic foods (LowGF.) You need to change that to 80% LowGF and 20% HighGF.

This means that you should limit eating foods like potatoes, bread, corn, pasta, muffins, and any flour products. HighGF encourages the storage of fat since the more sucrose you have in your blood, the more sucrose is escorted into your cells by insulin.

You need to concentrate on foods, which are LowGF. Many of these foods are vegetables with small amounts of carbohydrates and high fiber content.

LowGF discourages the storage of fat since less sucrose is in the blood and less is escorted into your cells.

Quality Fats - which are eaten with your meals, prevent sugars from moving quickly into your blood stream.

You need to eat more of the good fats. It's these fats that will help you lose weight. The good fats are omega 3, omega 6, and medium chain fatty acids, MCFA.

Here is the breakdown on the quantity of each type of fat that you should be eating. These percentages are what you should be working towards so that fats provide you with good health and help you keep your weight down.

* saturated fats 10%

* polyunsaturated fats 20%

* monounsaturated fats 60%

There you have it, the numbers and percentages of protein, carbohydrates, and fats that give you a balanced diet so that you can lose weight.

About the Author:
Rudy Silva has a degree in Physics and is a Natural Nutritionist. He writes a newsletter call “Natural Remedies Thatwork.com.” For more information the on the essential fatty acids, visit his web site at http://www.fatty-acid-remedies.for--you.info
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Weightloss Supplements

People everywhere are searching for the elusive miracle drug that will cure their weight loss problems for ever. Weight loss supplements can assist you in the weight loss process but are far from the miracle and only solution you should seek. Weight loss supplements and other diet drugs can aid you in your digestive and other bodily functions, but they are unlikely to assist in obtain your goal weight in the long term.

Over-the-counter herbal or 'natural' weight loss supplements bring in big dollars for their manufacturers. But some claims about the supposed weight loss benefits of herbal weight loss supplements or 'natural' fat-burning pills or appetite suppressants are very misleading.

When used under medical supervision in conjunction with a proper diet and exercise program, weight loss supplements can be effective - at least in the short term. Although having said that the body does adjust quickly to many diet drugs and supplements, so the benefits can fade away very rapidly. If weight loss supplements are not used in conjunction with a proper weight loss program that incorporates a well balanced diet and regular exercise, they are not likely to be effective. Indeed some supplements may even disrupt your system causing weight gain and other harmful side effects.

If you are a genuine candidate for weight loss supplements, for instance if you are seriously obese, but have the will to modify your diet and take regular physical exercise, then your best course of action is to consult your doctor for advice. As a medical professional your doctor will not only take your own situation into consideration, but is familiar with what supplements and drugs are available on the market and can match you and the supplements for most effective outcome. Never buy weight loss supplements without consulting your doctor.

Clinical weight loss trials have continued to show in recent years that sustained weight loss and long term weight control is not possible by using weight loss supplements alone. Supplements should be combined with regular physical activity and a well balanced diet to lose and maintain weight successfully over the long term.

About the author:
Padrone Disupple is the owner of A Supplements which is a premier resource for supplements information. for more information, go to http://www.asupplements.com
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10 Diet Rules You Can Break

here are actually diet rules out there that are meant to be broken? Yes, recently many dated diet guidelines and myths are up for speculation. You’ve probably heard all these silly rules before, but experts weigh-in on the worthiness of these supposed truisms - most of which won't help you lose weight or make dieting any easier.

10 Food Rules You Can Ignore:

1. Eating at night will pile on the pounds. The total calories you consume over a 24-hour period or over a week is what causes you to gain weight, and when you eat these calories doesn't matter.

2. It's best to eat at the same times every day. Eat when you're hungry, not when the clock says it's time to eat.

3. Dieting with a buddy always makes weight loss easier. Common goals may pay off but weight loss is a personal journey.

4. Dietary fat keeps you feeling full longer, so you'll eat less. Fat does take longer to digest, but it will not help you control your appetite. Foods likely to fight off hunger the longest are protein foods, followed by carbohydrates, then fats.

5. When you blow your diet, you might as well wait until the next day to get back on track. Nothing could be farther from the truth- always try to get right back on track with your next meal.

6. Refusing food at a party or when visiting is rude. Turning down food that you know will blow your diet is socially acceptable.

7. Skipping a meal every now and then will help you lose. Skipping a meal means you will be so hungry at the next meal that you are likely to overeat. This can also help lead to a slowdown of your metabolism.

8. Bread is fattening, nuts are fattening, pasta is fattening. Whole-wheat bread/pasta is a great source of nutrients, and it won't make you gain weight more than any other food with the same number of calories.

9. All calories are equal. This is somewhat true, however; you'll get more nutrients from a 100-calorie apple than from a 100-calorie portion of white bread. Choose healthier items if you are losing weight, or controlling your hunger.

10. If you don't clean your plate, you're wasting food. If you just don't feel right leaving the table until you've cleaned your plate, underestimate your hunger and put less food on your plate to begin with, or you may overeat.

Don’t believe everything you hear! Much of it is just superstition. Now you can tell your friends the real truth. In the end, nutrition experts say, many of the food and dieting rules we hold dear are meant to be broken - without guilt!

About the Author:
Astronutrition:
Chester is a health nutrition consultant and is the owner of AstroNutrition - a provider of premium health nutrition and sports supplements. Check out our Health and Fitness Blog!
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Phentermine Diet Medication Keeps Your Fat Off

Obese people are always bent upon seeking some medication which can help them in cutting their extra flab instantly as well as effectively. But, there is little number of people satisfied with results of such medications of diet pills. But, Phentermine diet medication is exception to it as it guarantees obese people to help them in getting rid of their fats.

Phentermine diet medication is an appetite suppressant and brings out the best result when combined with diet plan. It works by stimulating the hypothalamus gland and affecting certain neurotransmitters resulting in reduced appetite. Reduced appetite helps cutting fat's intake in body, which automatically decreases obesity.

But, the best possible results of Phentermine diet medication can be achieved only through better combination of diet plan, exercise, and taking this pill accordingly. Taking this pill under good diet plan helps decreasing fats very effectively. This pill has come up with a perfect solution to obesity, if taken in right quantity and on time.

Diet medication of Phentermine is available in different colors in tablet as well as capsule form. This diet pills is available in strength of 15, 30 and 37.5 milligram, which is to satisfy needs and aspirations of different people. It should be taken in empty stomach prior to breakfast. It is a prescription based medicine, and should only be taken under doctor guidance.

As Phentermine diet pills are appetite suppressant, it causes some side effects. Side effects, such as, sleeplessness, decreased libido, constipation, irritability, and etc can occur while taking this pill. But, there is no need to fear as it does not happen to every one. And if it causes something more abnormal, one should visit doctor as soon as possible.

Buying Phentermine diet pills online is the best play where one can avail it very easily. Taking this pill can help obese people in a true way to cut their flab very effectively.

About the Author:
Joseph Jones received training as a healthcare scientist. He has been working in the same field and writes informative articles for weight loss subject. To find Phentermine diet medication, Cheap phentermine, Diet pills, phentermine diet pills visit http://www.onlinephentermine.net
Added: 18 Aug 2006
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Ultrametabolism - The Simple Plan For Automatic Weight Loss

What's the greatest threat facing our civilization? (No, it's not the Islamic jihad.) It's obesity. Due to its attendant health and economic costs, scientists predict that obesity alone will topple economic and social structures, induce a wide range of dire diseases, and drastically cut short Americans' life spans.

These are more than another set of statistics -- they predict things that can and will affect you, your family, your health, and your pocketbook. If you are among the two thirds of adult Americans struggling to escape escalating weight gain, (or even if you're teetering on the edge with ten persistent pounds you can't seem to lose), as a physician, I recommend that you take action to lose weight and protect your future health.

And I have good news for you. I've developed a simple plan to help you lose weight automatically based on a new scientific breakthrough.

Despite the abysmal failure of conventional medical approaches, this plan is different because it's based on recent, groundbreaking scientific research, research that I predict will totally revolutionize weight loss and change the landscape of medicine as we know it.

Many of the answers to our weight and health problems are buried in thousands of research papers. With the aid of a number of very brilliant thinkers and scientists, I've gathered and synthesized the greatest advances in medical science over the last 20 years -- advances that usually take decades to get incorporated into medical practice. Translated into a simple program that has brought easy, sustainable weight loss to thousands of people, you can access them today.

In the recent past, many pundits theorized that society-wide weight gain was due to our genes. In a sense, they were right, but genes only tell half the story. We share the same genes as our hunter- gatherer forebears who foraged in the woods and hunted wild game 20,000 years ago. What's changed is the environment within which our genes operate.

Up until modern times, man's natural environment supplied the foods we were genetically programmed to eat. But with the advent of industrialized agriculture and food production, we began eating mass-produced and processed foods that genetically program us to add pounds.

Here's how:

Food is information -- not just calories -- and food information speaks to our genes, turning some genes ON and other genes OFF. That's why it's genes, not calories, that count.

Until recently, scientists believed that the critical mechanism for weight loss was caloric intake and expenditure -- you eat little and exercise hard to lose each pound. But that's hard to do and harder to maintain, recent scientific studies reveal (and no doubt not surprising to anyone who has tried repeatedly and unsuccessfully to lose weight).

Using the caloric mechanism for weight loss is a bit like manually cranking a lever to open your garage door inch-by-inch and then having to hold the door open. Wouldn't you rather push the button that activates the circuitry to open your garage door automatically?

To do that for weight loss, you have to access the master biological mechanisms controlling weight loss and weight gain. Using those mechanisms opens the door to automatic weight loss. The recent scientific discoveries I've assembled decode the instruction manual of our basic biology. At last, we can control the master mechanisms: our genes themselves.

The new genetic science (called Functional Medicine) teaches that our genes interact intimately with our environment. Every bite of food we eat, every thought we think, every stress we experience, or toxin we inhale carries a specific message to our genes, turning them on (or off), and telling them how to behave.

As a result, our genes are programmed moment-by-moment to actively create either weight loss or weight gain. Scientists have tracked exactly how all the different foods trigger the messages sent to your genes. With that knowledge, you can give your body the foods that work in your favor -- and avoid ones that don't.

For instance, for decades, people were warned to avoid fats at all costs, but now we know that the type of fat you eat is more important than the amount of fat you eat. The new science traces the biological impact of good fats, like the omega-3 fatty acids (contained in fish, fish oils, certain nuts and many other foods) and bad fats like the trans-fats contained in many processed foods.

What researchers found is that good fats turn on your body's fat burning genes and bad fats turn off the fat burning genes. When you consume EPA or DHA, both omega-3 fatty acids, they access a metabolic gateway called the PPAR receptor, to activate genes that increase your metabolism, help you burn fat, and assist you in processing bodily glucose more effectively so that foods won't get stored as fat.

It's as if the EPA and DHA opens up an extra lane on your hormonal superhighway, making for a smooth and easy route towards slimness and health. That's why, for automatic weight loss, I recommend adding EPA and DHA (both found in fish oil) to your diet, beginning today. On the other hand, unhealthy transfats (such as found in many processed and fast foods) act as a metabolic roadblock to weight loss, and if you eat them, you may find yourself crawling along at a snail's pace, going nowhere.

These are just two of the hundreds of ways that you'll learn to awaken the fat-burning code hidden in your DNA. In my new book, UltraMetabolism, due out in March, 2006, you'll discover a wide range of foods that tell your genes to shed pounds, while learning to avoid the many other foods that tell your genes to pack on the pounds. Eating the foods right for your genes allows you to literally program your body to lose weight automatically, even as you sleep!

And that is the key: be simply learning to eat the foods that ignite your body's fat burning engines, and avoiding the foods that snuff out these engines, you finally begin the process of working WITH your body, instead of against it -- something that all fad diets fail to do, which is why they all fail in the long-run.

But, because UltraMetabolism teaches a simple plan to harness your body's own powerful fat burning forces -- ones that have evolved over millions of years -- you are actually programming your body to lose weight, automatically.

Why struggle and suffer with ineffective diets when you can actually teach your body to be slim and healthy? With the simple two-step plan I've developed, you can program your body to lose weight automatically. In the first step, you eliminate all of the bad foods that slow your metabolism, make you feel lethargic and lead to disease; in the second step, you add the good foods that crank up your metabolism, boost your energy and revitalize your health.

Twenty-first century weight loss is easier than you've ever dreamed. And it's something that I am confident about since I've treated over 2,000 patients, many of whom have experienced the very same automatic weight loss that I've described here.

My message to you is simple: If you want to fit into your jeans, you have to learn to fit into your genes!

Mark Hyman, M.D.

About the Author:
Mark Hyman, M.D.
Did you know that exercising less and eating more can actually trigger your body to automatically lose weight? Unbelievable? It's true and it's why most people fail on diets. To find out more, grab your free sneak preview of UltraMetabolism.
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