Posts Tagged ‘Weight Loss’

Losing Weight With The Best Vegetarian Foods!

April 13th, 2010
The Red Hot & Purple Chili Pepper

Image by La Zirenetta via Flickr

Vegetables are the most nutritionally dense foods around, they contain more vitamins and minerals than any other type of food and they can be prepared in numerous different ways. They are ideal for losing weight and optimizing your bodies systems. You can eat them, juice them, dehydrate them, cook them, etc. You get the idea!
Here are some of the best vegetables that you are probably not getting enough of. All of them can be used for making delicious recipes, losing the pounds, and building a healthy body. They are all low-fat, low-carb and low-calorie as well as powerful detoxifiers.

Carrots

Helps you have bionic eyes.

One of the best system cleansers and bursting with nutrients, carrots are full of beta carotene and natural sugar. They are an excellent source of energy and a fabulous base for a juice.
Carrots are best raw by themselves or in salads. If you really want to get a good dose, try a juicer or vita mixer and combine with fruit to create a delicious drink.

Leeks

Avoid being bubble boy.

Leeks are a green vegetable and not familiar to everyone. They are excellent for fighting off infection and disease. They give a great boost to the immune system and like any other green food they help fight cancer and are full of fiber.

They are a little on the tough side if not cooked, however steaming is recommended to retain the maximum amount of nutrients.

Chili Peppers

Turn up the Heat.

Add some excellent flavor to your meals as well as a bite and a metabolism boost. The active ingredient in peppers capsaicin is one of the leading chemicals in the fight against cancer and super bugs. Be careful with peppers and don’t forget they are also the densest source of vitamins on the planet.

Kale

Think Popeye on Steroids.

Quite possibly the worlds healthiest food that you are not eating. Kale is packed with nutrients and has many calming and healing properties. Great in salads or in juices or even dried and made into chips.

Celery

Eat this and wither away.

Famous for the claim that it takes more calories to burn celery than it contains it is a very low calorie food. It also happens to be very filling and have a nice salty flavor. It is great in salad, as a base for juice, or with peanut butter.

Watercress

Clean out that body.

An outstanding diet food, watercress is a powerful antioxidant that cleanses the kidneys and bladder, purifies the blood and increases energy levels. It is often a secondary ingredient in juice and salad. It can have an overpowering flavor so use it sparingly and develop a taste.

Broccoli

With Cheese without cheese… whatever.

You knew I was going to say Broccoli. Ounce for ounce, this famous little tree can single handedly protect you from cancer and clean out your colon at the same time. It also happens to be chock full of numerous vitamins.

Some like it raw, but most like it steamed with some cheese. Whatever your fancy eat it up.

Add more of all of these to your diet and you will make drastic gains in health and weight loss.

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Lose Weight fast with the top 7 healthy foods!

March 17th, 2010

If you want to be lean and healthy, you have to make it easier for yourself by including food that will help you to achieve your goals. Such food will help you to lose fat faster and they will also make you build lean muscle mass. We will look at 6 of those foods in this article. Let’s start!

1. Legumes and pulses

Legumes and pulses are low in fat and high in muscle building nutrients: fiber, iron and protein. Eating more legumes will keep you full and will also ensure that you burn fat and build muscle.

2. Oats

Eating oats for breakfast will keep you full until lunch time. This is because oats are very high in soluble fiber – a nutrient to keep you fuller than non-soluble fibers.

3. Fat free dairy products

Fat free dairy products contain much less fat than full cream dairy products and the high calcium contents will also help you to lose weight.

4. Whole-grain products

Whole grain carbs are a much better choice than white carbs. This is because white carbs causes a spike in your energy levels leaving you hungry and tired. Wholegrain carbs on the other hand keeps you full for longer.

5. Lean meat and fish

Lean meat is higher in lean protein and lower in fat than other meat types (like red meat). So eating more of those will help you to stay leaner than the rest

6. Fruits and veggies

Snacking on veggies and fruit will keep you full and it is a great alternative to unhealthy (and fattening) sweets and junk food.

7. High protein bars

Protein bars (those that are low in fat), are a great fat burning and muscle building snack. If you include a few nutrition protein bars in your daily diet, you will say good bye to cravings and hello to lean muscle mass.

If you keep the smart food tips in mind, you will be on your way to be leaner and healthier. Just remember that you also have to exercise regularly and eat healthy for it to come to full effect. But if you do, you will be feeling and looking lighter and healthier. Pilates is a great exercise to try out. If you want to take it up, have a look at a home pilates machine. They tones the whole body and they also help to build a strong and lean middle.

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10 Delicious diet friendly snacks

January 18th, 2010

When you are on a diet, you need to have some smart and diet friendly snacks at hand to keep the hunger at bay between meals. The only problem is finding the right snack – a snack that is both diet friendly and delicious. The good news is that I don’t have one – but ten such snacks. They are not only low fat and low calorie, but they also taste delicious. So pack a few of them with your lunchbox, and you will keep your hunger at bay while watching your waistline.

  • A small tub of fat free yogurt – The calcium in yogurt helps to aid weight loss and the protein helps to keep one full and it is also fuel for muscles. Aim to have at least one small tub of fat free yogurt per day
  • A handful of dried fruit – Dried fruit not only taste delicious, be they are high in fiber – fiber are known to keep one fuller for longer. Pack a small bag full of dried fruit and keep it in your handbag. You’ll never know when the hunger pangs will attack.
  • Whole wheat crackers with fat free cottage cheese and tomato – This is one of my favorite snacks. It is very delicious and healthy. Buy some crackers and cottage cheese and keep it in your office fridge.
  • A handful of almonds – Almonds are also said to aid weight loss. Aim to have about 5-10 almonds each day.
  • Any type of fruit – Fruit is a great diet snack. And with the wide variety of fruit that are available, you are bound to find a few to snack on between meals.
  • Vegetable sticks – chop some vegetables like carrots, celery, cucumber and tomatoes and pack them in with lunch to snack on. They are low calorie and very filling
  • Fat free fruit smoothies- Smoothies are great to fill one up. Make one with frozen fruit, fat free yogurt and some oat bran.
  • Low calorie breakfast bars- If you can find a low calorie breakfast bar, buy a few and keep in your office drawer.
  • Cup of vegetable soup- A cup o vegetable soup (either home made or instant store bought) is also a great diet friendly snack to have between or before meals.
  • Diet hot chocolate – Diet hot chocolate is both low calorie and low fat, making it a great between or after meals snack.

By now, you hopefully have enough snacks to keep you full and to keep cravings at bay. And the best thing about this snacks are that they are low calorie and low fat and they won’t cause you to gain weight. If you keep them at hand, you will be one your way to diet success.

Just remember that if you want to speed up your weight loss you must exercise regularly. This will have to include cardio and weight training exercise. For cardio eliptical machines are some of the best ones to try out and for weight training, have a look at fitness adjustable dumbbells

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How to Really Lose Weight Quickly

January 12th, 2010

Are you sick and tired of all of the weight loss scams, bogus products, and lame infomercials that tell you that you can really lose weight quickly, if you just buy their fantastic products, at a limited discount price, plus they’ll throw in some other crap you’ll never use?  Me too, and you don’t have to buy products after product after product in order to lose the weight and get in shape.  All you need to do is diet and exercise.  Sure, those can be hard, but if you eat the right foods (not starve yourself) and if you do the right kinds of exercises consistently, then you’ll see solid, lasting weight loss results.

Most people think if they just eat less food, then they will lose weight.  Yes, you need to exhibit portion control when it comes to eating, but it’s beyond simply the amount of food.  You need to mainly focus on the number of calories you’re consuming each day, and stay away from products that hinder your weight loss.  Foods that are high in fat, high in sodium, and high in cholesterol are all bad for you, and they will hinder your weight loss or even cause you to gain weight.

The other thing you need to do is exercise.  Yes, it sucks, takes up time, but you will see results.  You don’t have to spend hours and hours at the gym to lose weight.  Instead, if you work out smart, you won’t have to spend much time at all.  People try to run hours and hours on the treadmill, because that’s the only amount of time that works for them.  Running like that, causes your body to become more efficient at running, therefore it burns less and less calories each time that you run because it has adapted and become better at that motion.  If you mix up your exercises each day, and incorporate resistance training with weights or bands, then you’ll be doing the kinds of exercises that lead to true weight loss.

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Total Cleanse Food and Drinks

January 6th, 2010

Today’s modern lifestyle which consists of all the different processed foods and beverages that we drink, has led to drastic obesity rates as well as increased reports and cases of various illnesses and diseases such as heart disease, fatty liver disease, and various cancers. With economic times being what they are, these types of foods have become very worrying and in some cases the only types of foods and beverages that most people think they can afford. The fact of the matter is that there are plenty of different food and drink options that are both affordable and good for you. As a result of all this unhealthy eating and drinking, a lot of people have looked into naturally cleansing their bodies and reducing their overall weight. One of the best beverages for a total cleanse that people tend to pass up is pure water.

The fact of the matter is, eating and drinking healthy foods and beverages can both be beneficial to your waistline as well as economical for your wallet. Beyond drinking more pure and filtered water which is both low-calorie and affordable, I recommend buying a cheap juicer for under a hundred dollars and just buying some cheap organic produce from a local farm and start making your own fruit and vegetable juice which is not only low-calorie but extremely healthy for you. Another option is to go with a blender and start making some fruit or green smoothies,green smoothies have a lot going for them in terms of health, but one of the other green smoothie benefits is the fact that you can get an entire meal in one or two servings of these smoothies, and it can be done quickly and cheaply with the purchase of easily bought frozen produce from a store. Another fact keep in mind is that these smoothies are generally very low calorie and are a fantastic option for cleaning out your digestive system and reducing your weight.

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Are Shirataki Noodles Good for Weight Loss?

January 3rd, 2010

Are Shirataki noodles good for weight loss or not?

You be the judge. Shirataki Noodles are made from the konjac plant. The konjac plant is a tuber , grown only in the Orient, and full of fiber. Also known as glucomannan, that is sold in the United States in health food stores as a weight loss supplement.  So you can take a pill or create a wonderful dish with Shirataki Noodles. Your choice.

The Shirataki noodle is sold packed in water and the shelf life is more than a year. There are many ways to use the noodles. The Japanese use them as a side dish, just plain.These thin, chewy  noodles are almost translucent and have a different texture than regular wheat flour noodles. I have found, that since the Shirataki noodles have no flavor of their own, you may add any spice, sauce or flavor you like. The more flavor you add, the better the taste. But the more ingredients you add to the Shrataki noodles, the more calories are added.

At  Shirataki noodle recipes we have 101 great recipes. Some are definitely Asian, but many are flavored with spices and sauces from around the rest of the world. We have recipes for mac and cheese, or casseroles, such as tuna or lasagna. There are vegetable soup recipes, chicken dishes, beef dishes, salads, pork dishes, seafood, turkey dishes and vegetarian dishes. I think anyone will be able to find something they like.

The Shirataki noodle, in and of itself, have NO fat, NO net carbs, NO calories, NO sugar, NO protein, and NO gluten and are rich in fiber!!    Shirataki Noodles are great for diabetics.  And they keep you very full -they are a great food to use as an appetitie suppressant.

So?   Are Shirataki noodles good for weight loss? I beleive they are, if you watch what ingredients you add to them. But, you can be the judge!

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Weight Loss: Teenager Need or Fantasy?

December 3rd, 2009

It’s very unfortunate that most of the victims of eating disorders, like anorexia and bulimia, are teenagers. Many get caught up in bad habits such as barfing, using things like bioslim and binge eating to lose weight and stay skinny. These habits later on develop to life-threatening, if not fatal, health disorders. Many blame the media for upholding a desired body image patterned to stick-thin supermodels. This has created such a frenzy among teenagers to emulate this image and take on radical approaches to weight loss. If you’re an adolescent thinking of losing weight, think again. Before you resolve to stay skinny, ask yourself this: Are you doing this because you need to or because you’re forced to think you need to?

To ascertain your need to lose weight, it is important to pay a visit to your neighborhood doctor or physician.  Health clinics have the equipment to determine whether you need to lose weight or not. Procedures include comparing your present weights to the normal weight corresponding to your height, body mass, body frame size and age. Once the doctor gives you the go signal to diet, you should be cautious enough not to whip up a weight loss program of your own. Instead, ask your doctor of the best course of action to get your weight back to normal. If, in spite of your clean bill of health, you still feel the urge to lose weight, then it is best to consult a psychiatrist. It is possible that you have some self-esteem issues to work with.

Before you start any dieting program, you should make sure that you are in the proper state of mind; meaning that your self-image is not distorted. You should also recognize that losing weight is supposed to improve your health, not worsen it. Having the support of your family and refusing to give in to peer pressure are also important elements to keeping your youthful body in healthy condition.

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Pumpkin Soup For Weight Loss!

November 22nd, 2009
Common "Giant" Pumpkin variety
Image via Wikipedia

Halloween is not the only time of the year when you should purchase a pumpkin. In fact, most people purchase a pumpkin, scoop out the insides and turn it into a scary face just for the Halloween season. Unfortunately, they then throw away the best part of the pumpkin which is the insides. Traditional pumpkin soup is indeed very tasty, but it also packs a healthy punch. If you are trying to lose weight, the pumpkin is one of the vegetables that you should be eating. Any pumpkin soup recipe should be and can be eaten all year round because of the natural vitamins and fiber that pumpkins contain. Some of the vitamins contained in pumpkins are vitamin A, vitamins E, and vitamins C. They also have an abundant supply of potassium, beta-carotene, carotenoid pigments, and lutein. Below is a recipe for pumpkin soup which you can cook all year round.

Ingredients for a simple pumpkin soup:

• About 4 pounds of pumpkin which is peeled and chopped roughly
• 1 large chopped onion
• 2 pints of vegetable stock or chicken stock
• 1 cup of whole cream
• 1  tablespoon of olive oil
• salt and pepper to your taste
• this recipe should serves 6

First, take a large pot and heat some olive oil in it. Fry the onions until they are just soft. Now you can add your chicken or vegetable stock and the pumpkins. Bring back to the boil and reduce the heat until the liquid is only simmering. Simmer this for 30 minutes. If you’re pumpkins are cooked, you can use a stick blender to liquidize the whole mixture. If you don’t have a stick blender, you can use a liquidizer by adding the soup in small amounts. Once this is done you can season with salt-and-pepper according to how you like it and add the whole cream stirring well. You can add the cream at the table for an added flourish, the white of the cream goes well with the orange of the pumpkin.

You can make a spicy pumpkin soup and by adding crushed garlic, a teaspoon of coriander, a teaspoon of chili powder or paprika (as much or as little as you can take), some ground cumin, and some sugar to taste. The only difference to the recipe above is that you add these ingredients when you are frying your onions, and add the sugar as you add your vegetable stock.

Remember to roast the pumpkin seeds too!  They are full of protein and a handful is a great appetite supressant.

Bon Apetite!

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The Blood Type Diet

November 13th, 2009

Peter D’Adamo is the naturopath physician who advocates the use of a diet based around your blood type for weight loss. The blood type diet involves first determining what your blood type is, then basing a healthy diet distinctly around that blood type. He ascertains that the human body has the ability to differentiate between itself and not itself. It makes sense in a certain way because everybody reacts to different stimulants in different ways. People’s tastes for food are very different and can change radically over a person’s lifetime. Also, some foods will cause allergic reactions in some people while everyone else is fine.

The Blood type diet is aimed at increasing the amount of foods that are good for your metabolism while it aims to decrease the amount of foods which are poisonous to your blood. These bad types of food can actually give you diseases and can bring about obesity. The four different blood types are A, B, O, and AB. Once you find out which type of blood you have, you can start to search out the different kinds of food that will suit you. Below are a couple of the blood types and the general types of food that they should eat.

The blood type A diet involves vegetarian dishes. Blood type A’s are prone to cancer, diabetes, and hats disease. These people should try and get their vegetables as fresh, organic, and pure as possible. This type of diet will make you lose weight really fast, at least in the initial stages, and as your body is trying to rid itself of the toxins which will have been present in your food in the past. When type A’s eat meat they find that they have a very difficult time digesting it, normally making them feel sluggish and tired. The kind of proteins which are found in pulses and beans are great for the type A.

The blood type O diet is the opposite. They actually thrive on animal proteins which are found in meats. They also love intense physical exercise. Their digestive system will effectively deal with any meat because the contents of their stomachs tend to be very high in acid. Although, type O’s often cannot tolerate milk or dairy products.  All you need to do is find the right diet for your blood type, stick to it for a while and see if you notice the changes. If the blood type diet is working for you then you should stick to it long term.  Over a period of time you will lose significant weight and not have to turn to appetite suppressants or diet pills which are not very good for your body.

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The Lemon Juice Diet

November 12th, 2009

Do you hope to lose a few pounds in a relatively short space of time? Have you had difficulty with conventional dieting? Your answer could be in the humble lemon. The lemon juice diet is a diet which helps the digestive system  start working properly. The process involved in conventional dieting tends to only exacerbate the problem of bad digestion. The lemon juice cleanse uses almost all of the lemon to try and help you to lose weight.

Lemon juice detox boosts the digestive juices in the body systems which the body uses to detox itself. If the digestive system is not working properly it will make it almost impossible for you to lose weight. There has been plenty of research into this. Poor digestion will prevent the body from receiving all the nutrients  it needs to not only be healthy, but to go into fat burning mode. Toxic buildup can also leave a person feeling sluggish and tired.  Depression is often only a step away.

Lemons are the solution. These natural powerhouses boost the detox systems, the digestive systems, and the whole health of the person’s body. The benefits of lemon juice are immeasurable. The pectin from lemons turns into a gel when it is digested and prevents any sugars from being absorbed into your system too  quickly. Organic lemon juice contains citric acid in abundance, about 8%, enzymes and Athens form complex interactions and can stimulate the juices in the stomach thereby promote problem free and healthy digestion. Vitamin C is great for getting rid of colds and flus but the main factor is that vitamin C has immense benefits for those who are trying to lose weight.

The lemon juice diet is a very simple plan to help you achieve sustainable weight loss. It involves drinking lemon juice throughout the day which is diluted in warm water. This helps to kick start your digestive processes. Water consumption is also essential for weight loss; it aids digestion and helps to eliminate all the toxins from your body. With this diet you must also eat plenty of vegetables and fruit. Most fruits, and indeed all vegetables, are low in calories and high in fiber. They will make you feel full, give you the vitamins and nutrients that you need, and definitely benefit you in the long term of  your weight loss program. The lemon juice diet is only recommended as part of a sustainable long-term approach to weight loss.

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Do Crash Diets Work?

November 12th, 2009

 

Some experts believe that there is great value in crash diets despite nutritionists and doctors rallying against them for years. It all depends on which crash diet is used, how much weight is expected to be lost, and the overall health of the person who is trying to lose the weight. If crash dieting is approached in a manner which is sensible, better results can be yielded than the more conventional and slower dieting approaches. The essential key is being healthy, there are far too many approaches to dieting which put the dieter at tremendous risk.

Sustainability is the key to any diet. And for any crash diet that works, the person most still consume enough calories in order to maintain their health. It is a sign of a bad crash diet if the person cannot keep up. There have been studies done and comparisons have been made between small cuts in calorie intake and large cuts in calorie intake … 10% cuts as against 30% cuts. Half of those who took the 10% cuts in calorie intake did really well on the whole; the other half just couldn’t keep up the pace. The findings were that it was much more difficult to stick to  calorie cuts which were small and were much more difficult to stick to then calorie cuts which were much larger.

The best crash diets are those which can be sustained for more than a few days. This really rules out some of the real find diets which last for only one week. If the dieter can lower their calorie intake every day to around 1200 cal, maintain a high protein, low GI healthy diet which includes plenty of fruit and vegetables, fiber, soups, lean meats and fish, they could have a weight loss of about 2 and a half pounds during a seven-day period. This is the safe amount of fat that anybody should try to lose. Over a couple of months, this could mean as much as 20 pounds.

The human body is only capable of doing so much and the wrong type of crash diet can be seriously harmful. There is so much advertising for diets which promise results that are quite miraculous. Overweight people are seduced by stories of celebrities who have gone through crash diets with results that are truly magical. Crash diets can be a kick start to any long-term diet. But common sense has to be used and a long-term approach is the only way to sustainably lose weight.

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Apple Cider Vinegar Benefits for Weight Loss

November 12th, 2009

Apple cider vinegar benefits have been known about for a very long time. It is very cheap to purchase, and the health benefits of apple cider vinegar are supposedly so many that there is really no harm in trying it out. It is one of those many remedies which the old folks have been talking about for years. It’s a nasty tasting concoction but, just like the old remedy of taking cod liver oil, it seems that apple cider vinegar has been around for that long that it just must be true. Why would people continue to take this foul concoction if there weren’t some truth behind the purported remedies stories?

So, what are the benefits of apple cider vinegar? Well, there are many, many health benefits that people have reported over the years through taking small doses of apple cider vinegar on a regular basis. These cures include allergies from pets, food allergies, and allergies from the environment. People with sinus infections and acne have also said that they have noticed a marked improvement when taking small doses. Another benefit of apple cider vinegar is reported to be lowering of cholesterol levels in people suffering from high cholesterol. Other cures have included relief from colds and flus, candida, contact dermatitis, and sore throats, as well as gout and arthritis. It is suggested by some health food gurus that a couple of teaspoons taken every day, stirred in with a glass of water, could have a lowering effect on high blood pressure. Apple cider vinegar is reported to alkalize the ph of your body thus releasing toxins.  This is why it is so successful in weight loss and just about everything else.

The benefits of drinking apple cider vinegar are also said to go cross species. Animal lovers who have managed to get apple cider vinegar passed the lips of their beloved animals have reported improvements in conditions from fleas to arthritis. It is also said to increase the vibrancy of an animal’s coat.  Some dogs like it poured over their kibble.

It is highly recommended that when you do buy your apple cider vinegar that should purchase the best brand which is available. Try and get the unpasteurised version, the one which doesn’t have any colors, preservatives, or any other additives. Look for the one with the “mother” in it.  The best place to buy this is in your local health food store. One of the most well known brands to buy is Braggs apple cider vinegar. Paul Bragg was the original health food store proprietor in the United States. Braggs apple cider vinegar benefits were first introduced to the country in his book “Apple Cider Vinegar “. If you can incorporate this into your lifestyle, you will notice the apple cider vinegar benefits in many different ways.  The best way to ingest apple cider vinegar is to make a tea of 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar vinegar, honey for sweetener and warm water.  Sip slowly.  Apple cider vinegar also comes in tablet form, but isn’t quite as effective as the real thing. 

Disclaimer: I hope my post helps, but I am not a doctor. You should consult a medical professional before acting on advice found on the Internet.

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The Cabbage Soup Diet

November 11th, 2009
Cabbage from Bulgaria

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The cabbage soup diet is a popular diet which gives the overweight person an opportunity to lose weight and improve their overall system. Obesity is a big problem in the western world these days. The reasons for weight gain are many. Some people blame the pace of life, everybody needs a lot more hours in the day, and most people just don’t have the time to cook properly. While this may be true, the implications of being overweight mean that there is a much higher risk of heart problems, liver and kidney problems, and blood problems, to name but a few. Using the cabbage soup diet is a good method of starting off your weight loss plan.

Soup diets are highly recommended for people who are trying to lose weight. The cabbage soup diet plan involves making cabbage soup. You prepare the soup and eat only the soup three times a day for a period of seven days. One week is sufficient for this diet. The reason that this diet works is because it contains negligible amounts of calories. There are many other health benefits to eating a cabbage soup diet recipe. There are many recipes and some of them involve eating some combinations of food which can at times be quite bizarre. Some forms of this diet will allow the dieter to only consume water, as much of the soup as they can handle, and a selective number of other foods. Other forms of the cabbage soup diet allow for a wider range of other foods. The thing that a lot of dieters like about this dieting plan is that they can eat as much of this type of food as they want. Most cabbage soup diet recipes involve the addition of other low-calorie vegetables as well. The whole mixture can be flavored with an onion soup mix, tomato juice, and/or vegetable bouillon. Beef is even allowed on the first day with some of the recipes.

The 7 day cabbage soup diet is also good for helping with urinary dysfunction. Other common health issues that can be helped with this diet are headaches, digestive disorders, and insomnia. Drinking plenty of water with this diet also helps a lot. The cabbage soup makes people want to urinate more. This has an enormous impact on a person’s body during the diet is because of the high level of toxins which are released during weight loss.

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Why do rapid weight loss diets fail?

November 5th, 2009

People who are in a situation that need to lose weight quickly should keep in mind that sometimes quick weight loss can create the opposite results. I have personally experienced such a case and I can definitely tell you that although at the beginning the results were promising at the end I ended up with more weight than I had at the start. In the next few paragraphs I will explain why.

I had to attend a wedding ceremony and I urgently needed to lose some weight. The first thing I did was to search the internet on “how to lose weight in 2 weeks“. The results let me to a web site that was promoting a quick weight loss diet promising that you can lose 20 pounds in 2 weeks. Due to my urgency to lose weight I started the diet. Basically what the diet suggested is that for 2 weeks I should only drink juices and workout excessively. I was not used to working out at all but I thought I should give it a try.

The first few days were ok. I tried not to eat anything during the day besides drinking fresh fruit juices. I also started running for 20 minutes per day. At the end of the second day, when I woke up in the morning I felt dizzy, tired and felt weak. I soon realized that it was because of the strict diet I was following. I realized this hard core, crash way of losing weight does not work for me. I started eating as usual. In a couple of days I used the scale. I didn’t lose any weight and I gained 1.5 pounds more!

The bottom line from the above story is that when you want to lose weight you should not be in a hurry but be willing to do this step by step and gradually. Rapid actions do not bring rapid results. This is a lifestyle change. Your body gets use to a certain lifestyle and eating schedule and these cannot change from one day to the next. You need to plan your actions and start doing small things one at a time. First you can start by eating less food than you are used to, and start a bit of exercise. By rushing into strict diets and exhausting workouts -you force your body and self into something that is not used to do and it will suffer. This can either be in the form of terrible headaches, tiredness and tendency to faint or even worse it can be the start of more serious health problems. At the end of the day it does not worth risking your health for fast weight loss. Better to do it slow but healthy. Think about it this way, if you try to do something fast and you fail at the end you do not win anything while on the other hand, if you do it slowly at some point in time (maybe 2 months, 6 months, a year) you will achieve your goals. So, why take the risk when there is a safe way to go.

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3 Tips to Make Weight Loss Fun!

November 5th, 2009
USDA Food Pyramid

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Weight loss can be fun if you manage to approach it properly. If you fail to do that then it can be a very tedious and boring task and as a result, you will give up and remain overweight and unhappy. The key to make weight loss fun depends on the weight loss tips you follow to lose weight. If your approach is based on weight loss tips that are easy to follow and are effective, you will at the end have good results. If on the other hand you fall into the trap of some famous strict diets then at the end you will get disappointed and possibly fatter. So, the way you approach your weight loss is a key factor for your overall success. In this post we outline 5 weight loss tips that will help you out:

1. Do not follow a weight loss diet that suggests you only eat or drink only certain types of diet  foods. This is unhealthy because our body must obtain all the vitamins and nutrients available in various kinds of foods. Not exclusively protein or carbohydrates. Such diets may have some good results in the beginning, but in the long term they are dangerous and hard to follow.

2. Do not just completely abandon items from your diet. If, for example, you eat a bar of chocolate in the afternoon and this is a habit that you like, do not cut it completely from one day to the next. Instead try to reduce the portion of the food or snack. In our example you can start by eating only half the chocolate and gradually reduce that to nothing or even better replace it with other snacks that give you pleasure but are fat burning foods.  What is important in weight loss is not deprivation, but being careful on the size of the portions and on the frequency you eat some foods. Your goal should be to change your lifestyle and eating habits to lose weight, and not just follow a diet for a couple of months, lose some pounds, and then go back to your unhealthy habits.

3. Even if some people do not want to hear this, weight loss cannot be complete and effective without exercise. You need to help your body increase the calorie burning process and the only way to do that is by moving and exercising. You need to keep your muscles working all the time by walking, doing some manual work at home, doing a sport or by joining a gym class. When your muscles work they burn more energy. This not only helps you lose weight, but it helps you build more muscles, which in turn will help you burn more fat. Adjust your daily and weekly schedule to devote some time to such activities and after a couple of months you will not only feel better because the scale will start to move, but you will also improve the state of your health and well-being.

By following the above healthy eating tips you can engage into a process where you will be able to lose weight in a way that you can follow for a long time. In fact the major objective of the above tips is to help you change your lifestyle into a more healthy style and put you into the right track for a long lasting weight loss.

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Chromium Picolinate

September 13th, 2009

What exactly are chromium picolinate supplements, and are they safe for me to use? The benefits of chromium picolinate are still out for verdict, but scientists have proven a few things about the chromium picolinate supplement as a whole. Through years of research, they are finally making breakthroughs on the benefits and side effects of this drug, but with all of the controversy surrounding it, there is still no definitive answer one way or the other whether this supplement can be maintained as part of a regular weight loss or muscle building routine. It has been proven though that the drug has benefits for both types of programs.

When it comes to weight loss, and building muscle, they may be completely opposite personal fitness goals, but they do have one huge thing in common. The one thing that these two regiments share in common is that your body is going to have to be working in top form for you to succeed and reach your goals. Chromium picolinate helps your body metabolize fats and carbohydrates quicker, so that you have a smaller chance of actually storing it as reserved energy, or your fat reserves. If you are having a hard time losing weight, or building muscle, your body may be lacking in chromium picolinate.

The benefits of chromium picolinate are slim, but they do include helping your body process and get rid of unneeded fats and carbs, allowing you a better chance at success in your fitness goals. There are research labs filled with scientists as you read this, that are trying to figure out the benefits of chromium picolinate in order to market it as a nutritional supplement. One thing that they have proven, is that your body naturally produces this substance, and that in small doses, there have been no reported side effects.

However, as the doses increase, the side effects of chromium picolinate increase dramatically. There have been scientists that used test tubes with live cells located in them, that introduced chromium picolinate to them, and the supplement actually damaged the live cells. Critics have stated that this test was invalid because of the extremely high ration of chromium that was introduced to the cells, and that it was because of this high dosage, that the cells ended up dying off. Only in a few rare cases has anyone reported acute kidney failure, but as long as your doctor knows you are taking it, you will be ok. Report any symptoms right away.

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Fat Burner Remedies

September 3rd, 2009
For the best natural fat burners you may not have to look any farther than your own kitchen.  Apple cider vinegar and  green tea  are both the best fat burners with or without a prescription!

 

Apple Cider Vinegar

It seems like the apple cider vinegar diet has been around for awhile….could be it works!  Everyone has heard the saying,  “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”.  It’s true!  Apples are an excellent food.  They provide tons of fiber, vitamins and minerals. They help break down fat, detox the body and flush toxins out of the system.  Apple Cider vinegar has the same properties as the apples it’s made from.  People who use it regularly swear by it.  1 tablespoon  of acv in a glass of water sweetened by some honey or maple syrup is all you need before each meal. Not only does it cut your appetite, it alkalizes your body.  This is where the magic happens.  An acidic body holds onto weight to protect itself from the toxins.  When you alkalize, your body releases the toxins and no longer needs the weight as protection.  Besides weightloss, many people report a reduction in allergies, beautiful hair and skin, better digestion and elimination and an increase in energy and vitality.

 

Green Tea

Green tea stimulates the metabolism and accelerates weight loss.  It contains very powerful antioxidants called catechin polyphenols which activate the enzyme responsible for dissolving excess fat or triglycerides in the body.  The polyphenols along with the caffeine in green tea makes it the best fat burner.  It creates thermogenesis which burns your body’s fat  as fuel. Instead of coffee in the morning, brew up a pot of green tea to get your metabolism going.

So before you waste your money on expensive fat burner pills, try some healthy green tea or apple cider vinegar first.

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Diet Foods

September 2nd, 2009

Beware any food that calls itself “diet foods”.  Often it is a low-fat, sugar-free or low-sugar, pre-packaged food that may be low in calories, but also low in any  nutritional value.  Many of these diet foods are sweetened with aspartame which is a known neuro-toxin that can wreak havoc on your body.  Aspartame poisoning is known to mimic the symptoms of multiple sclerosis.

Splenda is another sweetener that was promised to be the next best thing, but is now coming under scrutiny for its safety concerns.  Splenda is suppose to be as sweet as sugar with none of the calories.  Unfortunately, long term studies of Splenda have never been conducted and evidence against its good benefits is mounting.  Artificial sweeteners as food additives are not subject to the same strict regulations as pharmaceutical drugs by the FDA.  Most testing of artificial sweeteners are funded by the food industry which obviously has quite a vested interest in it’s success.  Foods with these artificial sweeteners also spike your blood sugar and deliver empty calories which leave you hungry soon after you have eaten them.

The best diet foods for weight  loss  are whole, healthy foods. When you eat whole foods, you are not always hungry because you are not eating chemicals and high fructose corn syrup that keeps you addicted and hungry.  Whole healthy foods are like mother nature’s appetite suppressant.   Whole foods are also a benefit to diabetics.  Foods that are grown in the earth, not manufactured in a factory.  Many good diet foods include fresh fruits and vegetables that you can eat as much as you want.  They are loaded in fiber, anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals that your body needs to burn and break down fat cells.  A whole food diet consists of whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, and whole wheat pasta, and lean proteins like turkey, chicken or lean cuts of beef.  Substituting heavy creams and oils with applesauce, riccotta cheese and yougurt is also a great way to lighten foods up.  I like to visit my friend’s  site to learn tips on lightening up Italian food - my favorite!   A good rule of thumb to follow is if mother nature didn’t make it, don’t eat it.  A whole food diet will give you energy, vitality and all the nutrients you need to get you through the day in top form.

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9 Powerful Appetite Suppressant Foods!

August 30th, 2009

Sure, you can spend a lot of money on over the counter appetite suppressants that don’t work but why not do it the best and most economical way? When it comes to keeping hunger at bay, the best way is to eat right.  There are certain foods that actually help you feel full longer and help suppress your appetite.  You need to train yourself to eat healthy anyway even if you do take appetite suppressant  pills, otherwise you will gain your weight right back.  All foods that work to suppress your hunger are rich in fiber or protein.    Here are some of the best foods to naturally suppress appetite while you also get superior nutrition.

Grapefruit

Grapefruit is super high in fiber, vitamins and and citrus acid that alkalizes your body and cuts cravings significantly.  Eat a ruby red grapefruit or drink a glass of freshly squeezed juice when you are hungry and see if it doesn’t help.

Apples

Apples are also super high in fiber and require alot of crunch time. Edgar Cayce, the medical intuitive, recommended  a 3 day apple fast for those who were seeking weightloss.  Besides having anti-inflammatory properties, the apples sweep your digestive system clean allowing for proper elimination. Studies show people who eat an apple before a meal may reduce their caloric intake by up to 50%!
Oatmeal

Real oatmeal, not the instant pre-packaged kind, is a great way to start your day.  The fibrous oats will keep your engine burning for quite a while without raising your blood sugar.  Oatmeal also helps reduce cholesterol.

Pine Nuts

Pine nuts contain the highest amount of protein than any other nut or seed.  In the Middle East, pine nuts are a must for long dessert journeys because of their appetite suppressant effects.  The pinolenic acid works to suppress hunger hormones and keep you satiated for long periods of time.

Flaxseed

Flaxseeds come a close second in suppressing hunger.   Rich in fiber and Omega 3′s, flaxseeds help prevent cancer, lower cholesterol and keep you full longer.  Mix a tablespoon in your next smootie, or sprinkle some on your oatmeal for a super nutritious breakfast that will ward off hunger.

Soup

People who eat 2 bowls of broth or vegetable soup daily lose 50% more weight than those who don’t eat soup.  Rich in vitamins, minerals and water, you’ll find yourself eating much less at mealtime.

Whey Protein Powder

Have a whey protein drink in between meals to turn off your hunger hormones.  Whey protein powder contains all the amino acids to keep you satisfied until lunch or dinner.  Read  discount supplements reviews to find the best prices on protein powder.

Water

Some many people are dehydrated and don’t even know it.  Often, people reach for food when they are really only thirsty.  Drink a large glass of water next time hunger hits to rehydrate and fill up your tummy.  Adequate water is needed for healthy weight loss.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a herbal appetite supressant that lowers blood sugar, cholesterol,  and triglycerides.  It contains polyphenols-antioxidants that are great for your cardiovascular health.  Sprinkle some ground cinnamon on apple slices for a delicious satisfying snack.

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Healthy Low-Calorie Foods Guide for Weight Loss

June 7th, 2009
Hummus from The Nile restaurant, Chicago.
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No one likes to feel hungry.  The best way to stay full is to either eat foods with a  ton of fiber, or a little fat!  A healthy diet needs both.

Fiber.  High fiber low calorie foods cleanse our digestive track and keep everything moving smoothly so toxins don’t have a chance to accumulate and be absorbed.   High fiber diets have been shown to aid in losing excess body fat and lowering blood pressure. Fresh fruits and vegetables, whole-grain breads, beans and legumes are all great choices.  Fresh fruits and vegetables are the lowest caorie foods.   The National Cancer  Institute recommends 20-35 grams of fiber daily.  Nutrient dense low calorie foods don’t have to be boring!  Eskiel Bread is my staple.  I love it!  My favorite lunch is celery, sugar snap peas and carrots with 1/2 cup hummus.  Trader Joe’s tahini- free Hummus is my favorite.  Not to high in fat and extra lemony!

Fats. My choice of fats is extra-virgin olive oil.   I love to make a dressing of olive oil, fresh lemon juice, garlic and sea salt. I make a big batch of it and keep it handy.  I drizzle  it on salads and vegetables.  I will even  marinate fish in it.  I also enjoy butter,  cheese, yogurt and eggs.  I just don’t over do it.   Trans fats are the bad ones.  Anything partially hydrogenated I stay far away from.  It’s even in ketchup -be careful.  Fats are essential for keeping your hormones balanced and also work as an appetite suppressant – keeping you full longer.

Food combining principles say not to eat carbs with fats because  you will gain weight.   As you are aware, fats aren’t exactly the lowest calorie food.  They also say you can eat as much protein and good fat as you like as long as you don’t mix with carbs.  .   Whether you believe in food combining or not, experience tells me when I do mix carbs and fat,  I tend to gain weight easier.  So just to be safe,  no matter if I food combine or not, I always like to stay under about 1300 calories.  That’s about 25 points a day if you do Weight Watchers.  I’ll give myself an extra 200 calories if I work out that day.

I have found that the best way to lose weight is to remain under a certain amount of calories (or points) and eat the best food possible.  We need fats, but not too much.  A tablespoon of oil in our dressing, 1/2 cup of hummus with our fresh vegetables, salmon – all good fats.  I have comprised a filling, low-calorie foods guide of some of my favorite healthy, foods.

I stay away from processed foods.  Most “low-fat” foods that come out of a box or a bag are refined carbohydrates.  I try to eat filling low calorie foods to keep trim.  When I reach for a pre-packaged “diet” food, although it may be low-calorie, I am hungry very soon after.  It’s then sooo much harder to stay within my calorie goal of the day.


 


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