In the western countries, more than 50% of people are overweight. Many try to lose weight by staying on the diet. However, diet market is more confusing now than ever before. There are many ways to lose weight. You can lose weight counting the calories. However, there are experts who think that getting not enough calories contributes to the weight gain. Calories are the energy for the cells. If your body does not receive enough of them you feel tired and hungry all the time. Another way to lose weight is to dramatically reduce the amount of fat in your food. But you should never overdo it. You also might chose to go with low carb diet. Actually, it is hard to decide which diet is the best as we all are different. We have different genetics, glycemic index, insulin secretion, hormonal balance, etc. But, there is one thing that is common. Most of the overweight people have slow metabolism.
Slow metabolism is when food doesn't get broken down and absorbed properly. It just turns into fat. When the metabolism is slow, digestive organs do not function correctly. This happens, when digestive system has accumulated waste and toxins from food in the small pockets of the colon. These toxins and waste disturb digestion of nutrients and elimination of the waste. When this problem occurs other organs in the body get affected. For example, most overweight people's pancreas produces insufficient number of digestive enzymes. This is why food can not be converted into energy and instead it turns into fat.
There are 5 things that can help make your metabolism work faster:
First is the exercising with the weights. Muscles burn fat even when you are relaxing on the couch.
Second is drinking plenty of water. Tea, coffee and juices are not counted as they need to be broken down and then digested.
Third is to add fiber to your daily food. You can try to get enough fiber from the food, but there is also possibility to supplement. One of the best fiber supplements is flax, as it is 50% insoluble fiber and 50% soluble. Insoluble fiber brushes the colon and soluble fiber soaks up the toxins.
Fourth thing is proper food combining. What does it mean? It means that you should forget about the fruit salads. It is better for the digestion to eat just one fruit at a time. Sour fruits are especially beneficial when eaten 30 minutes prior breakfast or lunch. Another rule is not to combine dense proteins (nuts, avocado, meat, fish, and dairy products) with dense starches (potatoes, beans, grains, peas, artichokes, corn). It is recommended to eat one or another with the vegetables.
Fifth is the colon cleansing. Colon cleansing can jump start your metabolism in 30 days. It will remove food residue, toxic build up, parasites, and harmful bacteria. Without colon cleansing, weight loss can be difficult. Colon cleanse kits are easy to use. Good kit should include powerful herbs to provide cleansing and support liver, kidneys, lymph and blood. Naturopaths and herbalists recommend to continue colon cleanse for about 90 days. After that, the body will be cleaner and metabolism faster. This is why cleansing, when comparing to dieting, helps not only to lose weight, but also keep the result for a long time.
To learn more about the colon cleanse and other types of cleansing, visit the website of Mary Waltraut MyCleansingProgram.com. I also recommend that you get my Step-by-Step Body Cleansing Program. In the program, you will see which cleansing products I have used to improve my metabolism and cleanse my body of toxins and waste. By using my personal cleansing program you will be able to put together your own cleansing routine.
Diet Advice
A balanced diet coupled with regular exercise is still the best way to lose weight and reduce fat. Fat Loss 4 Idiots Diet is an excellent plan with lots of practical advice about dieting, exercise, diet-motivation and long term weight control.
Fat Loss And Bodybuilding News! Even a modest amount of fat loss can reduce your risk of a serious illness and means you will enjoy a better, heathier and longer life expectancy.
Wednesday, 6 August 2008
Some Health Risks For Being Overweight
Being overweight may cause a variety of illnesses. Some of the health risks for being overweight are life threatening, while other illnesses can be reversed after losing weight.
Cancer
If you are overweight you are at a high risk of getting many different types of cancer. Actually just gaining weight, regardless if you put on a lot of extra pounds, increases your cancer risk. You should aim to get to your ideal weight and maintain the weight as you age by eating healthy foods, using portion control and getting some form of exercise every day. Thirty minutes of exercise is good, more is better. Some types of cancer that you could be at risk for, if you are overweight are, liver, colon, kidney, esophageal, uterine and postmenopausal breast cancer.
Sleep Apnea
When a person is overweight they have more fat around the neck which in turn makes the airway smaller. Smaller airways make breathing more difficult. Overweight people tend to snore and sleep apnea is when they stop breathing. Stored fat in the body causes inflammation and if you have inflammation in the neck, you are at a higher risk for having sleep apnea. This is one of the many health risks for being overweight. Sleep apnea is life threatening so you either need to lose weight or see your physician to discuss a breathing machine to use when you sleep.
Type 2 Diabetes
Being overweight can cause a disease called type 2 diabetes which causes the blood sugar level to be above the normal range. This is a major cause for heart disease. It can also cause a stroke, kidney disease, becoming blind and amputation. With type 2 diabetes your cells that produce insulin have to work harder to keep your blood sugar at a normal level and that may cause your cells to eventually fail.
Gallbladder Disease
More health risks for being overweight would include gallbladder disease which is inflammation and possibly an infection of the gallbladder, with gallstones. Gallstones are made of cholesterol and if you are overweight most likely you will have an enlarged gallbladder that doesn't work as it should.
Some Health Risks For Being Overweight can be prevented by losing weight and having a healthy lifestyle. For resources to help you lose the weight, please visit Diet Plans and learn how you can lose weight without having to starve yourself or exercise to exhaustion.
Cancer
If you are overweight you are at a high risk of getting many different types of cancer. Actually just gaining weight, regardless if you put on a lot of extra pounds, increases your cancer risk. You should aim to get to your ideal weight and maintain the weight as you age by eating healthy foods, using portion control and getting some form of exercise every day. Thirty minutes of exercise is good, more is better. Some types of cancer that you could be at risk for, if you are overweight are, liver, colon, kidney, esophageal, uterine and postmenopausal breast cancer.
Sleep Apnea
When a person is overweight they have more fat around the neck which in turn makes the airway smaller. Smaller airways make breathing more difficult. Overweight people tend to snore and sleep apnea is when they stop breathing. Stored fat in the body causes inflammation and if you have inflammation in the neck, you are at a higher risk for having sleep apnea. This is one of the many health risks for being overweight. Sleep apnea is life threatening so you either need to lose weight or see your physician to discuss a breathing machine to use when you sleep.
Type 2 Diabetes
Being overweight can cause a disease called type 2 diabetes which causes the blood sugar level to be above the normal range. This is a major cause for heart disease. It can also cause a stroke, kidney disease, becoming blind and amputation. With type 2 diabetes your cells that produce insulin have to work harder to keep your blood sugar at a normal level and that may cause your cells to eventually fail.
Gallbladder Disease
More health risks for being overweight would include gallbladder disease which is inflammation and possibly an infection of the gallbladder, with gallstones. Gallstones are made of cholesterol and if you are overweight most likely you will have an enlarged gallbladder that doesn't work as it should.
Some Health Risks For Being Overweight can be prevented by losing weight and having a healthy lifestyle. For resources to help you lose the weight, please visit Diet Plans and learn how you can lose weight without having to starve yourself or exercise to exhaustion.
Thursday, 31 July 2008
Running and Jogging - Is Running and Jogging the Best Way to Exercise?
When you use a scale, this does not indicate if you are in shape or overweight. It is much more important the composition of your body tissue than the total of pounds that you weight. Excessive fat can bring serious complications to your health, from diabetes to high blood pressure.
The problem of overweight people is that they are obsessed by reducing the number of pounds that the scale shows and make every effort to lose weight until they see that the scale shows a smaller number.
People should know that being overweight is simply an imbalance between the number of calories they eat and the number of calories burned through physical activity. That is, if you ingest 1500 calories a day and using a little physical activity get burned 1200 calories, you have an excess of 300 calories for the day, and so if you continue with this pattern, obviously with the passage of days you'll have a big surplus calories that will be reflected in your weight and your figure.
As you can see, the secret is in moderate physical activity which allows you to burn excess of calories that can affect your health. However, when we talk about physical activity or exercise, many people think a lot of hard work and exhaustion. Well, you should consider that if you are the kind of people who think that the more exercise you do, the more fat you'll lose, then you will possibly failed. This is because it has been found that people who believe in losing much weight in a couple of days or weeks, quickly become bored and no longer exercised.
The weight loss is something that should be achieved in a slow, steady and well-planned way. Getting the ideal weight must be a medium or long term target. If you get obsessed in losing 20 pounds in 5 days, you strive too much and possibly regain those extra pounds over the next 5 days.
One of the recommendations that most people receive from their doctors is running and / or jogging. They say that this kind of exercise is the most comprehensive exercise that makes all the muscles in your body work nicely, which helps burn the most calories you can.
Another excellent benefit of running and jogging is that these activities exercise your heart, your lungs and your blood veins. This makes the running and jogging the most complete exercises and the most recommended to burn excess calories accumulated during the day.
Running is without doubt, one of the best, if not the best ways of exercising. However, you need to know the basic recommendations if you are planning on pursuing this discipline. A good guide to running is vital in this case.
The problem of overweight people is that they are obsessed by reducing the number of pounds that the scale shows and make every effort to lose weight until they see that the scale shows a smaller number.
People should know that being overweight is simply an imbalance between the number of calories they eat and the number of calories burned through physical activity. That is, if you ingest 1500 calories a day and using a little physical activity get burned 1200 calories, you have an excess of 300 calories for the day, and so if you continue with this pattern, obviously with the passage of days you'll have a big surplus calories that will be reflected in your weight and your figure.
As you can see, the secret is in moderate physical activity which allows you to burn excess of calories that can affect your health. However, when we talk about physical activity or exercise, many people think a lot of hard work and exhaustion. Well, you should consider that if you are the kind of people who think that the more exercise you do, the more fat you'll lose, then you will possibly failed. This is because it has been found that people who believe in losing much weight in a couple of days or weeks, quickly become bored and no longer exercised.
The weight loss is something that should be achieved in a slow, steady and well-planned way. Getting the ideal weight must be a medium or long term target. If you get obsessed in losing 20 pounds in 5 days, you strive too much and possibly regain those extra pounds over the next 5 days.
One of the recommendations that most people receive from their doctors is running and / or jogging. They say that this kind of exercise is the most comprehensive exercise that makes all the muscles in your body work nicely, which helps burn the most calories you can.
Another excellent benefit of running and jogging is that these activities exercise your heart, your lungs and your blood veins. This makes the running and jogging the most complete exercises and the most recommended to burn excess calories accumulated during the day.
Running is without doubt, one of the best, if not the best ways of exercising. However, you need to know the basic recommendations if you are planning on pursuing this discipline. A good guide to running is vital in this case.
How to Get Rid of Chronic Acne
Mainly during puberty, glands in the face have an unusual chemical reaction which causes lots of sebum which simply catches dirt and oil and dead skin cells causing acne. Because the oils can't get out of the skin then they all gather up together and create a white head (the spots that stick out of the skin). With this in mind a blackhead has the same sort of theory however its the gathering of dead skin cells.
Its really hard to tell what causes acne and weather it is eating fatty foods or not.
However there is a third common spot and this spot is like a whitehead however its produced deep under the skin unfortunately you can't squeeze them and they appear on your face as a great big lump. If you knock this spot then it really does hurt and can cause eruptions under your skin which then spread and can pop out in different parts of your face. The same can happen if you squeeze white heads that is why its important to seek treatment quickly otherwise it will just spread. I would recommend not to squeeze spots and get treatment. However they will annoy you and look awful so i would not blame you if you did squeeze your spots.
These products that we buy in supermarkets only clean the skin and are not actually aimed at acne that's why I have found a product that will actually help you.
However one thing that we all agree on is that its a real pain and everybody deserves clear skin!!
Its really hard to tell what causes acne and weather it is eating fatty foods or not.
However there is a third common spot and this spot is like a whitehead however its produced deep under the skin unfortunately you can't squeeze them and they appear on your face as a great big lump. If you knock this spot then it really does hurt and can cause eruptions under your skin which then spread and can pop out in different parts of your face. The same can happen if you squeeze white heads that is why its important to seek treatment quickly otherwise it will just spread. I would recommend not to squeeze spots and get treatment. However they will annoy you and look awful so i would not blame you if you did squeeze your spots.
These products that we buy in supermarkets only clean the skin and are not actually aimed at acne that's why I have found a product that will actually help you.
However one thing that we all agree on is that its a real pain and everybody deserves clear skin!!
Saturday, 19 July 2008
Classic Chilled Potato Salad
Ingredients
* 2 pounds red potatoes, quartered (russets fall apart in salads; red or yellow potatoes hold their shape better)
* 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
* 1/2 cup chopped celery
* 1/2 cup chopped scallion (green and white parts)
* 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish, drained
* 3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped (optional)
* 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
* 3 tablespoons dijon-style mustard
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
In a medium saucepan, boil potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain water, and while still warm, add vinegar, oil, celery, scallion, pickle relish, and eggs; toss gently. In separate bowl, combine mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper. Fold into potato mixture. Cover and chill before serving.
Diet Advice
A balanced diet coupled with regular exercise is still the best way to lose weight and reduce fat. Fat Loss 4 Idiots Diet is an excellent plan with lots of practical advice about dieting, exercise, diet-motivation and long term weight control.
* 2 pounds red potatoes, quartered (russets fall apart in salads; red or yellow potatoes hold their shape better)
* 3 tablespoons cider vinegar
* 1/2 cup chopped celery
* 1/2 cup chopped scallion (green and white parts)
* 2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish, drained
* 3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped (optional)
* 1/2 cup light mayonnaise
* 3 tablespoons dijon-style mustard
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
In a medium saucepan, boil potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain water, and while still warm, add vinegar, oil, celery, scallion, pickle relish, and eggs; toss gently. In separate bowl, combine mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper. Fold into potato mixture. Cover and chill before serving.
Diet Advice
A balanced diet coupled with regular exercise is still the best way to lose weight and reduce fat. Fat Loss 4 Idiots Diet is an excellent plan with lots of practical advice about dieting, exercise, diet-motivation and long term weight control.
Beef and Sun Dried Tomato Flatbread Pizza
Ingredients
* 8 whole wheat pitas (6" diameter)
* 8 ounce beef tenderloin
* 1/2 cup olive oil
* 4 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 head garlic, skin removed and smashed
* 1 cup cooked white beans
* 2 cloves garlic, smashed
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
* salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
* 6 sun-dried tomatoes, in oil, drained and julienned
* 4 roasted shallots, thinly sliced
* 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
* 1 teaspoon honey
Directions
Marinate the beef in 1/2 cup olive oil and garlic four hours or overnight. Grill on both sides for about four minutes for medium rare. Let rest, then slice thinly. Puree beans, two tablespoons olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and thyme in a food processor until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix together tomatoes, shallots, two tablespoons olive oil, vinegar, and honey, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place pitas or flatbreads on the grill. Grill each side until golden (about one minute). Spread each pita or flatbread with a thin layer of white bean puree, sliced beef, and tomato chutney. Serve immediately.
Diet Advice
A balanced diet coupled with regular exercise is still the best way to lose weight and reduce fat. Fat Loss 4 Idiots Diet is an excellent plan with lots of practical advice about dieting, exercise, diet-motivation and long term weight control.
* 8 whole wheat pitas (6" diameter)
* 8 ounce beef tenderloin
* 1/2 cup olive oil
* 4 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 head garlic, skin removed and smashed
* 1 cup cooked white beans
* 2 cloves garlic, smashed
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
* salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
* 6 sun-dried tomatoes, in oil, drained and julienned
* 4 roasted shallots, thinly sliced
* 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
* 1 teaspoon honey
Directions
Marinate the beef in 1/2 cup olive oil and garlic four hours or overnight. Grill on both sides for about four minutes for medium rare. Let rest, then slice thinly. Puree beans, two tablespoons olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and thyme in a food processor until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix together tomatoes, shallots, two tablespoons olive oil, vinegar, and honey, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place pitas or flatbreads on the grill. Grill each side until golden (about one minute). Spread each pita or flatbread with a thin layer of white bean puree, sliced beef, and tomato chutney. Serve immediately.
Diet Advice
A balanced diet coupled with regular exercise is still the best way to lose weight and reduce fat. Fat Loss 4 Idiots Diet is an excellent plan with lots of practical advice about dieting, exercise, diet-motivation and long term weight control.
Tuna Sandwich Recipe
This lunch is not only high in protein and healthy fat, but also scores low on the glycemic index. It contains carbohydrates that have little impact on your blood sugar. This keeps your fat burning furnace stoked and helps prevent the dreaded midday lull.
Ingredients
* 1 oz mixed nuts
* 2 slices 100% whole wheat bread
* 1 can 3 oz (or packet) starkist premium chunk light tuna in water
* 1 tbsp hellmann's light mayonnaise
* 1 tbsp mustard
* 1 lettuce leaf
* 2 slices tomato
* 1 tsp chopped onions
* 1 tbsp chopped celery
Directions
Combine the tuna, mayo, mustard, onions and celery. Slap on the bread, pop on a lettuce leaf and the tomato slices. Top with the remaining bread slice. Have 1 oz of Planters mixed nuts on the side to round out the meal.
Ingredients
* 1 oz mixed nuts
* 2 slices 100% whole wheat bread
* 1 can 3 oz (or packet) starkist premium chunk light tuna in water
* 1 tbsp hellmann's light mayonnaise
* 1 tbsp mustard
* 1 lettuce leaf
* 2 slices tomato
* 1 tsp chopped onions
* 1 tbsp chopped celery
Directions
Combine the tuna, mayo, mustard, onions and celery. Slap on the bread, pop on a lettuce leaf and the tomato slices. Top with the remaining bread slice. Have 1 oz of Planters mixed nuts on the side to round out the meal.
Tuesday, 8 July 2008
Body Fat, Belly Fat, Weight and Health
Body Fat, Belly Fat, Weight and Health
If you want to lose weight and maintain good health, it's beneficial to understand why body fat is an important factor for weight loss and health. See also Weight Loss Facts
Body Weight and Body Fat
Body weight may be divided into three types: bones, muscle and fat. In a healthy female of average weight, bones make up 12 percent of total body weight, muscle/lean tissue about 35 percent and body fat about 27 percent. The remaining body weight is skin, connective tissue, tendons, blood, organs and so forth.
Body Fat is Lighter Than Muscle by Volume
Fat is lighter by volume than lean body tissue. For example, a 'cup' of fat is lighter than a 'cup' of muscle. This explains why increased physical exercise (which builds muscle) may actually cause weight gain rather than weight loss - at least to begin with.
Body Fat Requires Fewer Calories Than Muscle
Fat is metabolically less active than muscle. Meaning, it needs less calories to sustain it, than muscle. This is why body fat percentage is so important for weight control. The higher your percentage of fat (and the smaller your percentage of muscle) the less calories you need to maintain your weight and therefore the easier it is to gain weight.
Body Fat Percentage
Body fat is often expressed as our "Body Fat Percentage" or "Body Fat Percent." Body fat percentage is the amount of body-fat-tissue as a percentage of total body weight. If your total body weight is 160 pounds and you have 32 pounds of fat, your body fat percentage is 20 percent.
Body Fat Calculation and Health
The higher your percentage of fat above average levels, the higher your health risk for weight-related illness, like heart disease, high blood pressure, gallstones, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, and certain cancers.
Body Fat Location, Abdominal Fat and Body Fat Percentage
As we can see, the total amount of body fat we have is an important factor in weight control. But where our fat is stored is also important - especially for health. In simple terms, the more fat we have around our middle (abdominal fat, or visceral fat) the worse for our health. Excess abdominal fat has a strong link to "syndrome X," the deadly quartet of high insulin, high sugar, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Even in people who don't have all these problems, excess abdominal fat is associated with high levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol and low levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol. All in all, abdominal fat is strongly linked to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke and is far more hazardous to health than lower-body fat.
Who Develops Excess Abdominal Fat?
Generally, men tend to store fat around their middle (apple body shape), while women store fat around their pelvis, thighs and butt (pear body shape). But while gender is the most powerful influence on the distribution of body fat, it's not the only factor - genes and genetics also count. A 1996 study of twins found that hereditary factors are responsible for up to 70 percent of an individual's tendency to accumulate extra weight in the midsection. Age, too, has an effect. Aging is actually responsible for the middle-age spread so common in America. But the effect of age is magnified enormously by the final factor, lack of exercise. A recent study of 427 healthy men between 17 and 90 found that in each decade of adult life, the body fat of sedentary men increased 17 percent and the waist circumference 2 percent; regular exercise, though, reduced fat accumulation to just 3 percent per decade and held the mid-body bulge to just 1 percent per decade.
Unhealthy Waist Circumference
If you are overweight (BMI 25+), then as a very general rule, an unhealthy waist circumference is above 35 inches (women), or above 40 inches (men).
If you want to lose weight and maintain good health, it's beneficial to understand why body fat is an important factor for weight loss and health. See also Weight Loss Facts
Body Weight and Body Fat
Body weight may be divided into three types: bones, muscle and fat. In a healthy female of average weight, bones make up 12 percent of total body weight, muscle/lean tissue about 35 percent and body fat about 27 percent. The remaining body weight is skin, connective tissue, tendons, blood, organs and so forth.
Body Fat is Lighter Than Muscle by Volume
Fat is lighter by volume than lean body tissue. For example, a 'cup' of fat is lighter than a 'cup' of muscle. This explains why increased physical exercise (which builds muscle) may actually cause weight gain rather than weight loss - at least to begin with.
Body Fat Requires Fewer Calories Than Muscle
Fat is metabolically less active than muscle. Meaning, it needs less calories to sustain it, than muscle. This is why body fat percentage is so important for weight control. The higher your percentage of fat (and the smaller your percentage of muscle) the less calories you need to maintain your weight and therefore the easier it is to gain weight.
Body Fat Percentage
Body fat is often expressed as our "Body Fat Percentage" or "Body Fat Percent." Body fat percentage is the amount of body-fat-tissue as a percentage of total body weight. If your total body weight is 160 pounds and you have 32 pounds of fat, your body fat percentage is 20 percent.
Body Fat Calculation and Health
The higher your percentage of fat above average levels, the higher your health risk for weight-related illness, like heart disease, high blood pressure, gallstones, type 2 diabetes, osteoarthritis, and certain cancers.
Body Fat Location, Abdominal Fat and Body Fat Percentage
As we can see, the total amount of body fat we have is an important factor in weight control. But where our fat is stored is also important - especially for health. In simple terms, the more fat we have around our middle (abdominal fat, or visceral fat) the worse for our health. Excess abdominal fat has a strong link to "syndrome X," the deadly quartet of high insulin, high sugar, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Even in people who don't have all these problems, excess abdominal fat is associated with high levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol and low levels of HDL ("good") cholesterol. All in all, abdominal fat is strongly linked to an increased risk of heart disease and stroke and is far more hazardous to health than lower-body fat.
Who Develops Excess Abdominal Fat?
Generally, men tend to store fat around their middle (apple body shape), while women store fat around their pelvis, thighs and butt (pear body shape). But while gender is the most powerful influence on the distribution of body fat, it's not the only factor - genes and genetics also count. A 1996 study of twins found that hereditary factors are responsible for up to 70 percent of an individual's tendency to accumulate extra weight in the midsection. Age, too, has an effect. Aging is actually responsible for the middle-age spread so common in America. But the effect of age is magnified enormously by the final factor, lack of exercise. A recent study of 427 healthy men between 17 and 90 found that in each decade of adult life, the body fat of sedentary men increased 17 percent and the waist circumference 2 percent; regular exercise, though, reduced fat accumulation to just 3 percent per decade and held the mid-body bulge to just 1 percent per decade.
For a concise explanation of how ALL surplus calories (from fats, protein AND carbs) are converted to body fat and stored as adipose tissue.
Waist Circumference - Indicator of Body Fat Location
A high waist circumference is associated with an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease CVD in patients with a body mass index (BMI) between 25-34.9. Furthermore, in obese patients with metabolic complications, changes in waist circumference are useful predictors of changes in CVD risk factors.Unhealthy Waist Circumference
If you are overweight (BMI 25+), then as a very general rule, an unhealthy waist circumference is above 35 inches (women), or above 40 inches (men).
Tuesday, 24 June 2008
You Are Guaranteed To Quickly Lose 5 Pounds In 5 Days
Is It Possible to Lose Wight Through Self-Hypnosis? Many people believe that weight loss is hard, and it is when you are starting cold turkey. But there are groups of people who had pretty good results with weight loss, using hypnosis. Some people tend to write off this form of weight loss, as a crazy way of weight loss. But after trying it myself, I can say that it is working wonders for me.
Self-Hypnosis is just like any type of hypnosis. Because you have to have control over your thoughts and actions. If you are trying hypnotizing someone else you need to have there permission first. Hypnosis is in many cases like meditation, but on a deeper level of thinking.
This is a good thing because it means the need for hypnotherapies are not need, but you could consult with one to better understand how this simple process works.
Will if hypnotizing myself was so easy, then why I can't lose the weight. Many people have tried to hypnotizing themselves. But they have only gone into a state much like meditation. This is not being hypnotized.
Well for years I have thought in this same frame of thinking. And I though my will power wasn't strong enough to get me through my eating habits. But it always ended with negative results. I lost my self-esteem and then my will power.
So why is using self hypnosis any different, and what makes it work for me? When the other methods of just changing your behavior or eating style have never worked before.
When I finally got into Conversational Hypnosis and also did some hypnotherapy training online, I then knew why the answer is obvious.
When a battle within your mind is raging with imagination vs. your will power. You imagination will win 9 times out of 10.
Using the power of self hypnosis gives anybody the ability to use your imagination. And with that the power to re-create yourself into the person that you want to be. In the mind anything is possible. The only limit that is placed on you is the limits that you place on yourself. Within the exception of doing the impossible, like flying like superman.
If you are trying to accomplish anything, not just weight loss. Just keep it in your mind and you will start to move towards that image within your mind. Eveyday think about losing 5 pounds and you will find yourself doing extra things within your day to lose that 5 pounds. The power of your mind will over power any and all other thoughts, and move you towards your goal of losing 5 pounds.
This is kind of like keeping a mental goal list in your head, but putting it on repeat until it is hammered into your mind. After you lose the 5 pounds there, don't stop there keep the momentum going until you become that perfect person that is in your minds eye.
If you are still confused on how the process works just get a sheet of paper and write down this sentence. If I had no limitations at all, what would I be like? See your entire lifestyle. Where you work, how much money you make etc…Just remember the in order to accomplish a goal, you first have to imagine it.
by: Ararat Keghart
Diet Advice
A balanced diet coupled with regular exercise is still the best way to lose weight and reduce fat. Fat Loss 4 Idiots Diet is an excellent plan with lots of practical advice about dieting, exercise, diet-motivation and long term weight control.
Self-Hypnosis is just like any type of hypnosis. Because you have to have control over your thoughts and actions. If you are trying hypnotizing someone else you need to have there permission first. Hypnosis is in many cases like meditation, but on a deeper level of thinking.
This is a good thing because it means the need for hypnotherapies are not need, but you could consult with one to better understand how this simple process works.
Will if hypnotizing myself was so easy, then why I can't lose the weight. Many people have tried to hypnotizing themselves. But they have only gone into a state much like meditation. This is not being hypnotized.
Well for years I have thought in this same frame of thinking. And I though my will power wasn't strong enough to get me through my eating habits. But it always ended with negative results. I lost my self-esteem and then my will power.
So why is using self hypnosis any different, and what makes it work for me? When the other methods of just changing your behavior or eating style have never worked before.
When I finally got into Conversational Hypnosis and also did some hypnotherapy training online, I then knew why the answer is obvious.
When a battle within your mind is raging with imagination vs. your will power. You imagination will win 9 times out of 10.
Using the power of self hypnosis gives anybody the ability to use your imagination. And with that the power to re-create yourself into the person that you want to be. In the mind anything is possible. The only limit that is placed on you is the limits that you place on yourself. Within the exception of doing the impossible, like flying like superman.
If you are trying to accomplish anything, not just weight loss. Just keep it in your mind and you will start to move towards that image within your mind. Eveyday think about losing 5 pounds and you will find yourself doing extra things within your day to lose that 5 pounds. The power of your mind will over power any and all other thoughts, and move you towards your goal of losing 5 pounds.
This is kind of like keeping a mental goal list in your head, but putting it on repeat until it is hammered into your mind. After you lose the 5 pounds there, don't stop there keep the momentum going until you become that perfect person that is in your minds eye.
If you are still confused on how the process works just get a sheet of paper and write down this sentence. If I had no limitations at all, what would I be like? See your entire lifestyle. Where you work, how much money you make etc…Just remember the in order to accomplish a goal, you first have to imagine it.
by: Ararat Keghart
Diet Advice
A balanced diet coupled with regular exercise is still the best way to lose weight and reduce fat. Fat Loss 4 Idiots Diet is an excellent plan with lots of practical advice about dieting, exercise, diet-motivation and long term weight control.
Sunday, 22 June 2008
Top 6 Tips for Successful Weight-Lifting Workouts
Weight-training techniques that will help you get results.
It seems so simple: Pick up and toss around the equivalent of a couple of soup cans a few times a week, and change your body, maybe your life. This very simplicity is at the heart of weight training, which is fast becoming one of the most popular forms of exercise today.
The sport that was once confined to bulky bodybuilders is now being embraced by the average guy looking to drop a few pounds and beef up his physique, as well as the average gal looking to tone up and strengthen bones and muscles as she heads into middle age, experts say.
"Weight lifting not only helps you to look better, but it can play an enormous role in your quality of life as you age -- particularly for women -- since it definitely helps increase bone density, which diminishes with age," says Cedric Bryant, vice president of scientific affairs for the American Council on Exercise (ACE).
And unlike other forms of exercise that burn calories only while you're working out, weight lifting keeps on incinerating calories for hours after you stop, experts say.
"It increases your metabolic activity for the entire day -- not only when you are challenging your muscles, but also during the repair process that occurs when you stop working out," says Alex Schroeder, an exercise physiologist and trainer at Form and Fitness, a Milwaukee, Wis., gym and rehabilitation center.
Of course, a successful weight lifting workout does involve a bit more than just moving those soup cans from the kitchen counter to the cabinet a few times a week. To help put you on the path to success, WebMD asked Bryant, Schroeder, and Mike Ryan, a weight expert from the Gold's Gym Fitness Institute for some tips on how to start a weight lifting workout and stick with it until you meet your goals.
Weight Lifting Workout Rule No. 1: Define Your Goals
For any exercise program, it's important to start with a realistic goal in mind. But for weight training, experts say, it's essential. Why?
"Setting a goal that’s attainable is important to not only give you a sense that you are accomplishing something, but, in the case of weight lifting, to insure that you don't overdo it when you first begin," says Schroeder.
Because successful weight training involves small steps, having short-term goals will keep you from giving up too soon, he says.
Ryan agrees with this strategy. "It's extremely important to set realistic, achievable goals so that you don’t get discouraged, and so that you don't try to do too much too soon and increase your risk of injury," he says.
What's more, he cautions that this advice is as important for seasoned athletes as well as fitness newbies.
"No matter how much you've accomplished in another sport, if you haven't done weight lifting, you're still a beginner, so don't expect too much too soon," says Ryan.
Weight Lifting Workout Rule No. 2: Choose the Right Equipment
One of the best things about weight training is that your muscles don't know the difference between a $2,500 machine and $25 resistance band. So you don't have to spend a lot to get a lot of results. All you have to do is to challenge your muscles.
"The really nice part about that is if you are on a tight budget, you don't have to feel you are getting a compromised weight training workout because you can accomplish your goals without spending a lot of money," says Bryant.
Whether you're using hand weights, barbells, or resistance bands, Ryan says, look for whatever size allows you to do 12-16 repetitions. If you can't, they're too heavy.
But if you can do more than 15 with good form, then the weight load is probably not quite challenging enough, Bryant says. "So look for something a bit heavier or add on more resistance," he says.
Weight Lifting Workout Rule No. 3: Don't Go It Alone
When it comes to weight lifting, how you do the exercises can be as important as which ones you do. That's why having even one session with a personal trainer can definitely get your weight training program going in the right direction, experts say.
"This is particularly true if you are working with dumbbells," says Schroeder. "It's important to have someone overseeing you at least the first few times, so you can achieve the correct form and function."
If that's not possible, the next best thing is using strength-training machines. These work well for beginners, Schroeder says, because they force your body into the correct position.
"It's still a good idea to have someone looking over you the first few times, to make sure the machine is adjusted correctly for your weight and size, but generally, the machines do help keep your body in line," says Schroeder.
If your time or money budget is extra-tight, Bryant says, pick up a weight training DVD from a well-known trainer, or visit web sites like that of the American Council on Exercise (acefitness.com) to get technique tips.
"You can find pictures that show the starting and ending positions for weight lifting and tips for keeping your body properly aligned during the activity," Bryant says. "It's definitely worth your while to spend your first weight-training session learning the proper technique and form."
Weight Training Workout Rule No. 4: Learn the Power of Slow!
When it comes to weight lifting, experts say, the tortoise beats the hare every time. The reason?
"The key to success in weight training is known as A-B-C – which stands for always be in control," says Bryant. The best way to do that, he says, is with slow, deliberate movements.
Weight Training Workout Rule No. 4: Learn the Power of Slow!
"I don't want to give the impression that you are working in slo-mo, but you do want to make certain that your muscles are what are responsible for controlling movement in both direction, lifting and lowering," says Bryant.
Ryan agrees. "A lot of sports rely on high, fast motion, but when you’re doing weight training, it's slow, deliberate motions with controlled breathing," he says. "Don’t hold your breath and do the reps, and don't move too quickly."
Further, Schroeder says, beginners will benefit more from doing more repetitions with a lighter weight than trying to use heavy weights they can lift only a few times.
"In the beginning you have such a huge adaptation phase -- you're using muscles you never used before, and you're shocking your system, even with a light weight -- so you are much better off, and much safer to start much lighter with more repetitions," he tells WebMD
Starting with lighter weights mean you're less likely to end up with the kind of muscle pain that could end your weight training workout program on the spot.
"It's a discouraging scenario when you hurt all over, and starting slow means you are less likely to feel the kind of pain that causes you to get discouraged and quit after one or two tries," says Bryant.
Weight Training Workout Rule No. 5: Rest and Recover
Although it has little to do with form or function, experts say the real key to successful weight training is to understand the importance of rest and recover. At the core of weight training is a tearing-down and building-up process that ultimately makes muscles strong.
Schroeder explains: "In order for muscles to build, muscle fiber has to be torn, which is what happens when you stress the muscle with weights."
While that tearing-downprocess is vital for the muscle building activity to begin, it's really the respite that follows in the next 48 to 72 hours that ultimately results in muscle strength.
"Think of it like paper being torn," says Schroeder. "You've got to tape it back together before you can rip it again, and that's what a rest and recovery period allows you do -- it allows the torn muscle fibers to come together so you can tear it again." Each time you do, he says, the muscle gets stronger.
If you try working out every day, you'll not only increase your risk of injury, but also work against getting the results you want. Ryan says that one of the key reasons some people don’t see results after 8-10 weeks of weight training is because they are simply not giving their bodies adequate time to recover.
"If you don’t see any change in your body after a few months, don’t think you need to do more. You probably need to do less," he says. "If you overtrain, all you get are breakdown and no buildup."
So how do you know when you're ready to hit the weights again? Ryan says to use muscle soreness and fatigue as a guide. "If you feel significant soreness, if your muscles feel fatigued, then it's too soon," he says.
Bryant says that as long as there is no injury, for most folks, the recovery process occurs within 48 to 72 hours after a workout. If you want to work out more often than that, he says, simply switch to a different area of the body for each workout.
Weight Training Rule No. 6: Chow Down to Build Up!
While good nutrition is vital to getting the most out of any exercise program, it's especially important for weight training. And if you're thinking fruits and vegetables, you're only partly right. Experts say muscles also require protein.
"You need protein for your muscle to recover," says Bryant, who advises everyone doing weight training to have a snack containing both protein and carbohydrates after every workout.
Ryan says that adding some extra protein to your diet, while cutting down on refined carbohydrates, sugars, and "bad" fats like saturated and trans fats, can help you see results sooner.
By Colette Bouchez WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature
It seems so simple: Pick up and toss around the equivalent of a couple of soup cans a few times a week, and change your body, maybe your life. This very simplicity is at the heart of weight training, which is fast becoming one of the most popular forms of exercise today.
The sport that was once confined to bulky bodybuilders is now being embraced by the average guy looking to drop a few pounds and beef up his physique, as well as the average gal looking to tone up and strengthen bones and muscles as she heads into middle age, experts say.
"Weight lifting not only helps you to look better, but it can play an enormous role in your quality of life as you age -- particularly for women -- since it definitely helps increase bone density, which diminishes with age," says Cedric Bryant, vice president of scientific affairs for the American Council on Exercise (ACE).
And unlike other forms of exercise that burn calories only while you're working out, weight lifting keeps on incinerating calories for hours after you stop, experts say.
"It increases your metabolic activity for the entire day -- not only when you are challenging your muscles, but also during the repair process that occurs when you stop working out," says Alex Schroeder, an exercise physiologist and trainer at Form and Fitness, a Milwaukee, Wis., gym and rehabilitation center.
Of course, a successful weight lifting workout does involve a bit more than just moving those soup cans from the kitchen counter to the cabinet a few times a week. To help put you on the path to success, WebMD asked Bryant, Schroeder, and Mike Ryan, a weight expert from the Gold's Gym Fitness Institute for some tips on how to start a weight lifting workout and stick with it until you meet your goals.
Weight Lifting Workout Rule No. 1: Define Your Goals
For any exercise program, it's important to start with a realistic goal in mind. But for weight training, experts say, it's essential. Why?
"Setting a goal that’s attainable is important to not only give you a sense that you are accomplishing something, but, in the case of weight lifting, to insure that you don't overdo it when you first begin," says Schroeder.
Because successful weight training involves small steps, having short-term goals will keep you from giving up too soon, he says.
Ryan agrees with this strategy. "It's extremely important to set realistic, achievable goals so that you don’t get discouraged, and so that you don't try to do too much too soon and increase your risk of injury," he says.
What's more, he cautions that this advice is as important for seasoned athletes as well as fitness newbies.
"No matter how much you've accomplished in another sport, if you haven't done weight lifting, you're still a beginner, so don't expect too much too soon," says Ryan.
Weight Lifting Workout Rule No. 2: Choose the Right Equipment
One of the best things about weight training is that your muscles don't know the difference between a $2,500 machine and $25 resistance band. So you don't have to spend a lot to get a lot of results. All you have to do is to challenge your muscles.
"The really nice part about that is if you are on a tight budget, you don't have to feel you are getting a compromised weight training workout because you can accomplish your goals without spending a lot of money," says Bryant.
Whether you're using hand weights, barbells, or resistance bands, Ryan says, look for whatever size allows you to do 12-16 repetitions. If you can't, they're too heavy.
But if you can do more than 15 with good form, then the weight load is probably not quite challenging enough, Bryant says. "So look for something a bit heavier or add on more resistance," he says.
Weight Lifting Workout Rule No. 3: Don't Go It Alone
When it comes to weight lifting, how you do the exercises can be as important as which ones you do. That's why having even one session with a personal trainer can definitely get your weight training program going in the right direction, experts say."This is particularly true if you are working with dumbbells," says Schroeder. "It's important to have someone overseeing you at least the first few times, so you can achieve the correct form and function."
If that's not possible, the next best thing is using strength-training machines. These work well for beginners, Schroeder says, because they force your body into the correct position.
"It's still a good idea to have someone looking over you the first few times, to make sure the machine is adjusted correctly for your weight and size, but generally, the machines do help keep your body in line," says Schroeder.
If your time or money budget is extra-tight, Bryant says, pick up a weight training DVD from a well-known trainer, or visit web sites like that of the American Council on Exercise (acefitness.com) to get technique tips.
"You can find pictures that show the starting and ending positions for weight lifting and tips for keeping your body properly aligned during the activity," Bryant says. "It's definitely worth your while to spend your first weight-training session learning the proper technique and form."
Weight Training Workout Rule No. 4: Learn the Power of Slow!
When it comes to weight lifting, experts say, the tortoise beats the hare every time. The reason?
"The key to success in weight training is known as A-B-C – which stands for always be in control," says Bryant. The best way to do that, he says, is with slow, deliberate movements.
Weight Training Workout Rule No. 4: Learn the Power of Slow!
"I don't want to give the impression that you are working in slo-mo, but you do want to make certain that your muscles are what are responsible for controlling movement in both direction, lifting and lowering," says Bryant.
Ryan agrees. "A lot of sports rely on high, fast motion, but when you’re doing weight training, it's slow, deliberate motions with controlled breathing," he says. "Don’t hold your breath and do the reps, and don't move too quickly."
Further, Schroeder says, beginners will benefit more from doing more repetitions with a lighter weight than trying to use heavy weights they can lift only a few times.
"In the beginning you have such a huge adaptation phase -- you're using muscles you never used before, and you're shocking your system, even with a light weight -- so you are much better off, and much safer to start much lighter with more repetitions," he tells WebMD
Starting with lighter weights mean you're less likely to end up with the kind of muscle pain that could end your weight training workout program on the spot.
"It's a discouraging scenario when you hurt all over, and starting slow means you are less likely to feel the kind of pain that causes you to get discouraged and quit after one or two tries," says Bryant.
Weight Training Workout Rule No. 5: Rest and Recover
Although it has little to do with form or function, experts say the real key to successful weight training is to understand the importance of rest and recover. At the core of weight training is a tearing-down and building-up process that ultimately makes muscles strong.
Schroeder explains: "In order for muscles to build, muscle fiber has to be torn, which is what happens when you stress the muscle with weights."
While that tearing-downprocess is vital for the muscle building activity to begin, it's really the respite that follows in the next 48 to 72 hours that ultimately results in muscle strength.
"Think of it like paper being torn," says Schroeder. "You've got to tape it back together before you can rip it again, and that's what a rest and recovery period allows you do -- it allows the torn muscle fibers to come together so you can tear it again." Each time you do, he says, the muscle gets stronger.
If you try working out every day, you'll not only increase your risk of injury, but also work against getting the results you want. Ryan says that one of the key reasons some people don’t see results after 8-10 weeks of weight training is because they are simply not giving their bodies adequate time to recover.
"If you don’t see any change in your body after a few months, don’t think you need to do more. You probably need to do less," he says. "If you overtrain, all you get are breakdown and no buildup."
So how do you know when you're ready to hit the weights again? Ryan says to use muscle soreness and fatigue as a guide. "If you feel significant soreness, if your muscles feel fatigued, then it's too soon," he says.
Bryant says that as long as there is no injury, for most folks, the recovery process occurs within 48 to 72 hours after a workout. If you want to work out more often than that, he says, simply switch to a different area of the body for each workout.
Weight Training Rule No. 6: Chow Down to Build Up!
While good nutrition is vital to getting the most out of any exercise program, it's especially important for weight training. And if you're thinking fruits and vegetables, you're only partly right. Experts say muscles also require protein.
"You need protein for your muscle to recover," says Bryant, who advises everyone doing weight training to have a snack containing both protein and carbohydrates after every workout.
Ryan says that adding some extra protein to your diet, while cutting down on refined carbohydrates, sugars, and "bad" fats like saturated and trans fats, can help you see results sooner.
By Colette Bouchez WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature
Top 10 Healthy Summer Foods for Children
Can kids eat healthfully, yet still enjoy their favorite summer foods?
Ball games, cookouts, festivals. Summer is ripe with our children’s favorite foods. Yet so many summer foods -- from BBQ turkey legs to ice cream and hot dogs -- are dietary disasters.
Can children eat healthy, yet still enjoy their favorite summer foods? Yes, they can have hamburgers, hot dogs, ice creamy treats, and desserts -- if you handle it right.
Healthy Food Rule #1: Let them eat sweets, says Sarah Krieger, MPH, RD, LD, a dietitian in St. Petersburg, FL, and an American Dietetic Association (ADA) spokeswoman. "It's really important to treat sweets like any other food, to have a little bit every day. That's how kids develop a healthy relationship with sweet foods."
Healthy Food Rule #2: Make sure they burn off the calories, says Elisa Zied, MS, RD, a nutrition consultant in New York City, author of the book Feed Your Family Right!, and an ADA spokeswoman.
At a carnival, "if your kids want a funnel cake or corn dog, go for it," Zied tells WebMD. "You don't want them to feel deprived. Pump up their activity that week or that day so they can burn it off." She also teaches kids to share sweet and fatty foods -- so everyone gets a taste, but no one overeats.
Healthy Food Rule #3: "Be a good role model," says Sheah Rarback, MS, RD, director of nutrition for the Mailman Center for Child Development at the University of Miami School of Medicine. "Expose kids to healthy foods -- or at least healthier versions of their favorites. If you eat them, your kids will eat them."
Here are healthy tips for children’s favorite summer foods:
1. Top Summer Food: Nachos & Quesadillas
Mexican food is always a treat -- and has lots of healthy elements. Start with whole-wheat chips and tortillas for extra fiber, then add your favorite toppings. Done right, you can sneak lots of veggies, protein, calcium, and fiber into these snacks.
* Create your own nacho platter, Rarback suggests. "Top tortillas with beans, salsa, guacamole, and melt low-fat cheese over it all. Kids love those kinds of healthy carbs." Toss a bit of fat-free sour cream on top if you want.
* Puree different veggies -- then slip them into a chip dip, or use it as a nacho topping. Your kids won't know the difference!
* Quesadillas are another kid favorite. Top whole-wheat tortillas with beans, low-fat cheese, veggies (like red bell and green peppers, corn, green onions, spinach, mushrooms), and chicken. On the side, you've got the classic quartet -- low-fat sour cream, lettuce, salsa, guacamole -- also healthy.
2. Top Summer Food: Hamburgers & Hot Dogs
This all-American duo has always been trouble -- full of fat, sodium, and cholesterol. The good news is, you can improve nutrition by making a few wise choices.
* If you grill burgers at home, mix it up. Use one-half lean beef and one-half ground turkey. Add a little applesauce or egg white for extra juiciness, Krieger suggests. Fun toppings -- lemon or orange zest, black pepper, salsa, BBQ sauce, pineapple. A slice of a summer tomato and some fresh-from-the-garden lettuce tops off the taste.
* Frozen veggie burgers on whole-wheat buns are another good option. Try grilling them, and toast the bun, too. Lots of fixings boost the enjoyment factor.
* Try light and reduced-fat hot dogs, including chicken and turkey dogs. They taste best hot off the grill, Krieger says.
* Switch gears: Grill skinless chicken breasts and lots of veggies -- onions, bell peppers, carrots, squash, eggplant. "These taste great with a little olive oil brushed on," says Zied. "Serve them cut up into small pieces -- or with some melted cheese on toasted French bread."
3. Top Summer Food: Ice Cream
It's hard to resist ice cream. But premium ice creams have about 15 grams or more fat per 1/2 cup serving.
* Sweet news here: Many well-known brands -- Dreyers/Edy's, Breyers, and Haagen-Dazs -- are making super-creamy "light" and "slow-churned" ice creams that cut lots of fat and calories. Read labels carefully. Plain flavors like chocolate and vanilla have about 100 calories per half-cup, while other flavors are 120 to 130 calories -- even 250 calories per serving.
* Another option: "If kids get a Fudgsicle or Popsicle, they'll be dodging lots of fat and sugar," Krieger says. In fact, Fudgsicles now come in fat-free or low-fat, no sugar added versions. Popsicles are fat-free, even sugar-free if you want. And both have built-in portion control, she adds.
* Make your own frozen fruit pops. Buy molds and sticks at a crafts store. Pour in your favorite fruit juice (with fruit chunks, if you want), and freeze. It's an easy yummy treat for a hot summer day.
4. Top Summer Food: Frozen Yogurt
Frozen yogurt sounds healthier than ice cream -- or maybe not. "You have to read food labels to see," says Krieger. "Some have more sugar than low-fat ice cream. Others are the equivalent of sherbet. It can be tricky."
With desserts, you don't want to go for empty calories -- and that's where frozen yogurt fits in, says Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, a New York City dietitian and also an ADA spokeswoman. "Go for foods that are valuable and taste good at the same time."
* How about frozen yogurt pie? Crunch up graham crackers (or buy a graham cracker pie shell), spoon frozen yogurt into it, top with fresh strawberries or raspberries, then freeze.
* Fruit and yogurt parfait, topped with granola, is another easy dessert. Or, spoon frozen yogurt between two low-fat cookies. You could also make a smoothie, using fresh blueberries, grapes, and strawberries.
5. Top Summer Food: Waffles & Pancakes
This classic breakfast food is fun for kids. It's made easier with frozen, whole grain, reduced-fat products. The toppings boost the nutrition: natural applesauce, blueberries, sliced banana and strawberries, and a little light syrup, Zied suggests.
* Another classic: Scrambled eggs mixed with low-fat shredded cheddar, tomatoes, asparagus, mushrooms (or whatever veggies your kids like).
* Scrambled-eggs-in-a-cup: Take a slice of whole wheat bread, break it up into a cup, top with the cooked egg mixture. You're good to go!
6. Top Summer Food: Marshmallows
What's cool about marshmallows? "Even kids with food allergies can eat them," Krieger says. "Give one to a child who can't eat a chocolate chip cookie and you're sure to get a smile."
* Four large marshmallows have 90 calories -- mostly sugar. To give 'em a nutrition boost, try skewering marshmallows with strawberries and other fruit.
* Of course, toasted marshmallows and S'mores are American standards. If your kids haven't discovered these classic treats, it's time! Just toast a marshmallow over a grill or campfire, place it over a chunk of chocolate. Put it between two graham crackers (a good source of whole grains).
7. Top Summer Food: Popcorn
Whole grains help keep kids from gaining weight, and popcorn qualifies as a whole grain. In fact, a recent study showed that people who eat popcorn regularly get about 22% more fiber in their diet, compared to people who don't eat popcorn.
The only problem is all the fat that accompanies many brands of microwave popcorn. There are some low-fat versions out there, so read labels carefully, says Rarback.
* Air-popping popcorn is your healthiest option. Or make your own microwave popcorn: Place 3 tablespoons of kernels in a brown bag, roll it up, and pop in the microwave. Then spray with butter and add Parmesan cheese or salt. That's about 80 calories.
* Put limits on how much your child eats, Rarback advises. "Instead of putting it in a huge bowl, put a reasonable amount in a small bowl. Make that their serving."
8. Top Summer Food: Watermelon
There's no doubt that watermelon is good for kids -- with its high concentration of lycopene, an important disease-fighting antioxidant. Watermelon is 92% water and 8% sugar, and a favorite sweet treat for kids.
* Make sure watermelon wedges make it to your table. But don't stop there. A platter or bowl of other seasonal fruits -- fresh blueberries, strawberries, cherries, peaches, plums -- makes a yummy treat, too.
* Taub-Dix suggests putting the fruit bowl in the freezer, and serving it frozen. Her 13-year-old son, Jesse, would rather have the fruit in a smoothie instead. "You won't get kids to pick up frozen fruit," he says. "But a smoothie would be great."
* Introduce kids to fun veggies, too, says Rarback. "Edamame is fun to eat because you pop out the little soy beans out of the pod. It's an engaging thing. But have most kids ever tried it?" Include edamame on raw veggie platters, along with baby carrots, celery sticks, asparagus tips, cherry tomatoes -- plus nutritious dips like hummus or low-fat yogurt.
9. Top Summer Food: Anything Sweet
Chocolate cakes, carrot cakes, cakes of every flavor are all-American picnic fare. Is that really such a bad thing?
If they eat just a slice, that's fine, says Rarback. "In the summer, kids should be active enough that they can eat a piece of cake if they want it -- especially if the majority of their foods are nutrient rich. It's all about balance and moderation."
* Bake cupcakes, brownies, or dessert bars -- instead of layer cakes -- for portion control. Lighten up cake and brownie mixes by replacing oil with half oil and half applesauce (or another fruit puree).
* To give kids a chocolate fix, use chocolate shavings for flavoring on angel food cake, frozen yogurt, seasonal fruit, or other healthier treats. "It's better than giving them a candy bar," Rarback says.
* A naturally sweet treat: grilled bananas, low-fat ice cream, a drizzle of melted chocolate -- and light whipped topping .
10. Top Summer Food: Thirst Quenchers
At the ballpark, at the carnival -- it's hard to find a good replacement for soda, says Zied. "Even lemonade isn't a great option, with all the added sugar."
"One soda once in awhile is fine," she says. "But I also give my kids the option of choosing whether they want a can of soda or three cookies instead. I let them make the choice. That empowers them to not waste calories."
* Share those huge lemonades -- divide it in cups. Dilute with a bit with water.
* Carry fruit juice with you. Or, flavor ice water with an artificially sweetened powder. "If it's hot, they're not going to fuss over drinking water," Zied says.
* Another option: Make a spritzer with exotic fruit juices (like pomegranate or noni juice) plus sparkling water. Or, use blueberry extract with sparkling water. "Kids love blue food," says Rarback.
By Jeanie Lerche Davis
WebMD Feature
Ball games, cookouts, festivals. Summer is ripe with our children’s favorite foods. Yet so many summer foods -- from BBQ turkey legs to ice cream and hot dogs -- are dietary disasters.
Can children eat healthy, yet still enjoy their favorite summer foods? Yes, they can have hamburgers, hot dogs, ice creamy treats, and desserts -- if you handle it right.
Healthy Food Rule #1: Let them eat sweets, says Sarah Krieger, MPH, RD, LD, a dietitian in St. Petersburg, FL, and an American Dietetic Association (ADA) spokeswoman. "It's really important to treat sweets like any other food, to have a little bit every day. That's how kids develop a healthy relationship with sweet foods."
Healthy Food Rule #2: Make sure they burn off the calories, says Elisa Zied, MS, RD, a nutrition consultant in New York City, author of the book Feed Your Family Right!, and an ADA spokeswoman.
At a carnival, "if your kids want a funnel cake or corn dog, go for it," Zied tells WebMD. "You don't want them to feel deprived. Pump up their activity that week or that day so they can burn it off." She also teaches kids to share sweet and fatty foods -- so everyone gets a taste, but no one overeats.
Healthy Food Rule #3: "Be a good role model," says Sheah Rarback, MS, RD, director of nutrition for the Mailman Center for Child Development at the University of Miami School of Medicine. "Expose kids to healthy foods -- or at least healthier versions of their favorites. If you eat them, your kids will eat them."
Here are healthy tips for children’s favorite summer foods:
1. Top Summer Food: Nachos & Quesadillas
Mexican food is always a treat -- and has lots of healthy elements. Start with whole-wheat chips and tortillas for extra fiber, then add your favorite toppings. Done right, you can sneak lots of veggies, protein, calcium, and fiber into these snacks.
* Create your own nacho platter, Rarback suggests. "Top tortillas with beans, salsa, guacamole, and melt low-fat cheese over it all. Kids love those kinds of healthy carbs." Toss a bit of fat-free sour cream on top if you want.
* Puree different veggies -- then slip them into a chip dip, or use it as a nacho topping. Your kids won't know the difference!
* Quesadillas are another kid favorite. Top whole-wheat tortillas with beans, low-fat cheese, veggies (like red bell and green peppers, corn, green onions, spinach, mushrooms), and chicken. On the side, you've got the classic quartet -- low-fat sour cream, lettuce, salsa, guacamole -- also healthy.
2. Top Summer Food: Hamburgers & Hot Dogs
This all-American duo has always been trouble -- full of fat, sodium, and cholesterol. The good news is, you can improve nutrition by making a few wise choices.
* If you grill burgers at home, mix it up. Use one-half lean beef and one-half ground turkey. Add a little applesauce or egg white for extra juiciness, Krieger suggests. Fun toppings -- lemon or orange zest, black pepper, salsa, BBQ sauce, pineapple. A slice of a summer tomato and some fresh-from-the-garden lettuce tops off the taste.
* Frozen veggie burgers on whole-wheat buns are another good option. Try grilling them, and toast the bun, too. Lots of fixings boost the enjoyment factor.
* Try light and reduced-fat hot dogs, including chicken and turkey dogs. They taste best hot off the grill, Krieger says.
* Switch gears: Grill skinless chicken breasts and lots of veggies -- onions, bell peppers, carrots, squash, eggplant. "These taste great with a little olive oil brushed on," says Zied. "Serve them cut up into small pieces -- or with some melted cheese on toasted French bread."
3. Top Summer Food: Ice Cream
It's hard to resist ice cream. But premium ice creams have about 15 grams or more fat per 1/2 cup serving.
* Sweet news here: Many well-known brands -- Dreyers/Edy's, Breyers, and Haagen-Dazs -- are making super-creamy "light" and "slow-churned" ice creams that cut lots of fat and calories. Read labels carefully. Plain flavors like chocolate and vanilla have about 100 calories per half-cup, while other flavors are 120 to 130 calories -- even 250 calories per serving.
* Another option: "If kids get a Fudgsicle or Popsicle, they'll be dodging lots of fat and sugar," Krieger says. In fact, Fudgsicles now come in fat-free or low-fat, no sugar added versions. Popsicles are fat-free, even sugar-free if you want. And both have built-in portion control, she adds.
* Make your own frozen fruit pops. Buy molds and sticks at a crafts store. Pour in your favorite fruit juice (with fruit chunks, if you want), and freeze. It's an easy yummy treat for a hot summer day.
4. Top Summer Food: Frozen Yogurt
Frozen yogurt sounds healthier than ice cream -- or maybe not. "You have to read food labels to see," says Krieger. "Some have more sugar than low-fat ice cream. Others are the equivalent of sherbet. It can be tricky."
With desserts, you don't want to go for empty calories -- and that's where frozen yogurt fits in, says Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, a New York City dietitian and also an ADA spokeswoman. "Go for foods that are valuable and taste good at the same time."
* How about frozen yogurt pie? Crunch up graham crackers (or buy a graham cracker pie shell), spoon frozen yogurt into it, top with fresh strawberries or raspberries, then freeze.
* Fruit and yogurt parfait, topped with granola, is another easy dessert. Or, spoon frozen yogurt between two low-fat cookies. You could also make a smoothie, using fresh blueberries, grapes, and strawberries.
5. Top Summer Food: Waffles & Pancakes
This classic breakfast food is fun for kids. It's made easier with frozen, whole grain, reduced-fat products. The toppings boost the nutrition: natural applesauce, blueberries, sliced banana and strawberries, and a little light syrup, Zied suggests.
* Another classic: Scrambled eggs mixed with low-fat shredded cheddar, tomatoes, asparagus, mushrooms (or whatever veggies your kids like).
* Scrambled-eggs-in-a-cup: Take a slice of whole wheat bread, break it up into a cup, top with the cooked egg mixture. You're good to go!
6. Top Summer Food: Marshmallows
What's cool about marshmallows? "Even kids with food allergies can eat them," Krieger says. "Give one to a child who can't eat a chocolate chip cookie and you're sure to get a smile."
* Four large marshmallows have 90 calories -- mostly sugar. To give 'em a nutrition boost, try skewering marshmallows with strawberries and other fruit.
* Of course, toasted marshmallows and S'mores are American standards. If your kids haven't discovered these classic treats, it's time! Just toast a marshmallow over a grill or campfire, place it over a chunk of chocolate. Put it between two graham crackers (a good source of whole grains).
7. Top Summer Food: Popcorn
Whole grains help keep kids from gaining weight, and popcorn qualifies as a whole grain. In fact, a recent study showed that people who eat popcorn regularly get about 22% more fiber in their diet, compared to people who don't eat popcorn.
The only problem is all the fat that accompanies many brands of microwave popcorn. There are some low-fat versions out there, so read labels carefully, says Rarback.
* Air-popping popcorn is your healthiest option. Or make your own microwave popcorn: Place 3 tablespoons of kernels in a brown bag, roll it up, and pop in the microwave. Then spray with butter and add Parmesan cheese or salt. That's about 80 calories.
* Put limits on how much your child eats, Rarback advises. "Instead of putting it in a huge bowl, put a reasonable amount in a small bowl. Make that their serving."
8. Top Summer Food: Watermelon
There's no doubt that watermelon is good for kids -- with its high concentration of lycopene, an important disease-fighting antioxidant. Watermelon is 92% water and 8% sugar, and a favorite sweet treat for kids.
* Make sure watermelon wedges make it to your table. But don't stop there. A platter or bowl of other seasonal fruits -- fresh blueberries, strawberries, cherries, peaches, plums -- makes a yummy treat, too.
* Taub-Dix suggests putting the fruit bowl in the freezer, and serving it frozen. Her 13-year-old son, Jesse, would rather have the fruit in a smoothie instead. "You won't get kids to pick up frozen fruit," he says. "But a smoothie would be great."
* Introduce kids to fun veggies, too, says Rarback. "Edamame is fun to eat because you pop out the little soy beans out of the pod. It's an engaging thing. But have most kids ever tried it?" Include edamame on raw veggie platters, along with baby carrots, celery sticks, asparagus tips, cherry tomatoes -- plus nutritious dips like hummus or low-fat yogurt.
9. Top Summer Food: Anything Sweet
Chocolate cakes, carrot cakes, cakes of every flavor are all-American picnic fare. Is that really such a bad thing?
If they eat just a slice, that's fine, says Rarback. "In the summer, kids should be active enough that they can eat a piece of cake if they want it -- especially if the majority of their foods are nutrient rich. It's all about balance and moderation."
* Bake cupcakes, brownies, or dessert bars -- instead of layer cakes -- for portion control. Lighten up cake and brownie mixes by replacing oil with half oil and half applesauce (or another fruit puree).
* To give kids a chocolate fix, use chocolate shavings for flavoring on angel food cake, frozen yogurt, seasonal fruit, or other healthier treats. "It's better than giving them a candy bar," Rarback says.
* A naturally sweet treat: grilled bananas, low-fat ice cream, a drizzle of melted chocolate -- and light whipped topping .
10. Top Summer Food: Thirst Quenchers
At the ballpark, at the carnival -- it's hard to find a good replacement for soda, says Zied. "Even lemonade isn't a great option, with all the added sugar."
"One soda once in awhile is fine," she says. "But I also give my kids the option of choosing whether they want a can of soda or three cookies instead. I let them make the choice. That empowers them to not waste calories."
* Share those huge lemonades -- divide it in cups. Dilute with a bit with water.
* Carry fruit juice with you. Or, flavor ice water with an artificially sweetened powder. "If it's hot, they're not going to fuss over drinking water," Zied says.
* Another option: Make a spritzer with exotic fruit juices (like pomegranate or noni juice) plus sparkling water. Or, use blueberry extract with sparkling water. "Kids love blue food," says Rarback.
By Jeanie Lerche Davis
WebMD Feature
Monday, 16 June 2008
Ideal Weight or Happy Weight?
Maybe you've been struggling -- without success -- to get down to the size you were in high school or on your wedding day. But do you really need to go that low? The truth, experts say, is that you can weigh more than your ideal weight and still be healthy (not to mention happy).
If you're overweight, losing just 10% of your body weight is associated with a myriad of health benefits, including lowering blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar, and reducing your risk for heart disease. Not only that, experts say, but this kind of weight loss is easier to attain and maintain, setting you up for success in the long run.
Your Weight "Set Point"
Just as your body temperature is programmed to stay around 98.6 degrees, your body weight is naturally regulated to stay within a range of 10%-20%, says Thomas Wadden, PhD, director of the Center for Weight and Eating Disorders at University of Pennsylvania Medical School. This weight range is known as the "set point."
A complex set of hormones, chemicals, and hunger signals help your body naturally maintain your weight within this range, says American Dietetic Association spokeswoman Dawn Jackson Blatner, RD.
It is not just a matter of genetics, though. Your eating and exercise habits can also help to determine your set point.
"Overeating swamps the internal regulatory system, and, as a result, the set point increases -- which is much easier to do than it is to lower it," says Wadden. The body adjusts to the higher weight and "resets" the set point to defend the new weight.
It is difficult, but not impossible, to set your range lower. "With changes in healthy eating and exercise behavior, you can lower your set point," says Blatner.
The 10% Solution to Weight Loss
A recent book, Break Through Your Set Point: How to Finally Lose the Weight You Want and Keep It Off, by George Blackburn, MD, suggests that maintaining a 10% loss for six months to a year helps your body adjust to the lower weight and thus reset the set point.
Wadden explains that when you lose large amounts of weight at once, you set up an internal struggle and hormones like ghrelin spike to make you hungrier as your body tries to defend its comfortable range.
Instead, experts recommend that you try losing 10% the old-fashioned way -- by slowly changing eating and exercise behaviors -- then maintain this new weight for a few months before trying to lose more. Not only will your body get the signal to lower its "set point," but you'll give yourself a chance to get used to new food choices, smaller portions, and regular exercise.
“When patients lose 10% it may not be the pant size they want, but they start to realize how a little weight loss impacts their health in very positive ways," says Blatner. "They feel better, sleep better, have more energy or less joint pain, and some people are able to reduce medications."
By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
WebMD Feature
Lose Weight, Gain Tons of Benefits
A little goes a long way when it comes to weight loss. Research has shown that losing 10% of your body weight -- or less – can have big payoffs for your health.
Such a small loss may not seem like much if you're trying to look svelte in your jeans. But in terms of your health, it can be a big victory.
Health Benefits
With more than 60% of Americans classified as overweight or obese, most of us would benefit from trimming down.
''Being overweight or obese is associated with an increased risk for the development of a multitude of diseases, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and more,'' says David Katz, MD, MPH, director of Yale University's Prevention Research Center and of the Yale Preventive Medicine Center.
But lose a few pounds and you can start to turn your health around, according to several studies.
''Lifestyle changes that include healthier diets, regular physical activity, and weight loss of 7%-10% have shown phenomenal health benefits that can be more effective than medications,'' says Katz, author of the best-selling book What to Eat.
Lowering body weight can reverse or prevent diabetes; lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels; and improve sleep apnea and other sleep problems -- along with helping you feel better about yourself.
According to Katz, 90% of all diabetes, 80% of heart disease, and 60% of cancers are preventable with healthier lifestyles and normal body weights.
''We have seen a consistent pattern in our weight loss studies that when patients lose 5%-10% of their body weight, they lower blood pressure, reduce LDL ["bad"] cholesterol, improve glucose tolerance, and in general, lower the risk for cardiovascular disease," says Catherine Champagne, a researcher with Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center.
Some doctors have reported that they have successfully taken patients off blood pressure and cholesterol-lowering medications after the patients lost small amounts of weight, Champagne says.
Are You an 'Apple?’
Losing a little weight can be especially beneficial for people who store their excess weight in their abdomens, rather than in their hips. This ‘apple’ pattern of weight distribution means you're at greater risk for heart disease -- but it also means you should have an easier time losing the weight, and thus reversing the risk, experts say.
''Depending on where you store the excess weight, there are some people who show dramatic health improvements with as little as a 2% weight loss,'' says Katz.
Fat stored in the waist and in the liver is more metabolically active, which makes it more of a trigger for heart disease, but also easier to lose, he says.
To find out if you're apple-shaped, Katz suggests measuring your waist. He recommends seeing your doctor if your waist circumference is above 34 inches for women, and 40 inches for men.
By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature
Such a small loss may not seem like much if you're trying to look svelte in your jeans. But in terms of your health, it can be a big victory.
Health Benefits
With more than 60% of Americans classified as overweight or obese, most of us would benefit from trimming down.
''Being overweight or obese is associated with an increased risk for the development of a multitude of diseases, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and more,'' says David Katz, MD, MPH, director of Yale University's Prevention Research Center and of the Yale Preventive Medicine Center.
But lose a few pounds and you can start to turn your health around, according to several studies.
''Lifestyle changes that include healthier diets, regular physical activity, and weight loss of 7%-10% have shown phenomenal health benefits that can be more effective than medications,'' says Katz, author of the best-selling book What to Eat.
Lowering body weight can reverse or prevent diabetes; lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels; and improve sleep apnea and other sleep problems -- along with helping you feel better about yourself.
According to Katz, 90% of all diabetes, 80% of heart disease, and 60% of cancers are preventable with healthier lifestyles and normal body weights.
''We have seen a consistent pattern in our weight loss studies that when patients lose 5%-10% of their body weight, they lower blood pressure, reduce LDL ["bad"] cholesterol, improve glucose tolerance, and in general, lower the risk for cardiovascular disease," says Catherine Champagne, a researcher with Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center.
Some doctors have reported that they have successfully taken patients off blood pressure and cholesterol-lowering medications after the patients lost small amounts of weight, Champagne says.
Are You an 'Apple?’
Losing a little weight can be especially beneficial for people who store their excess weight in their abdomens, rather than in their hips. This ‘apple’ pattern of weight distribution means you're at greater risk for heart disease -- but it also means you should have an easier time losing the weight, and thus reversing the risk, experts say.
''Depending on where you store the excess weight, there are some people who show dramatic health improvements with as little as a 2% weight loss,'' says Katz.
Fat stored in the waist and in the liver is more metabolically active, which makes it more of a trigger for heart disease, but also easier to lose, he says.
To find out if you're apple-shaped, Katz suggests measuring your waist. He recommends seeing your doctor if your waist circumference is above 34 inches for women, and 40 inches for men.
By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature
The Truth About Belly Fat
Having a flat belly or so-called "six-pack abs" is a dream of most adults. If you're middle-aged, have ever been pregnant, or sometimes indulge in too much food or one too many beers, you probably have a spare tire you'd like to get rid of. So what's the best strategy for banishing belly fat? Is it as simple as adding certain foods to your diet, or doing particular exercises?
WebMD turned to the experts for answers on belly fat -- and the best ways to lose it.
The Answer to Flatter Abs
Don't despair; you can lose that spare tire, experts say. But there's no secret formula.
"There is no magic bullet, diet plan, specific food, or type of exercise that specifically targets belly fat. But the good news is belly fat is the first kind of fat you tend to lose when you lose weight," says Michael Jensen, MD, a Mayo Clinic endocrinology specialist and obesity researcher.
Whether you're an "apple" shape with excess belly fat, or a "pear" with wide hips and thighs, when you lose weight, you'll most likely lose proportionately more from the abdominal region than elsewhere.
"Ninety-nine percent of people who lose weight will lose it in the abdominal region before anywhere else -- and will lose proportionately more weight from the upper body," says Jensen, also a professor of medicine.
And why is that? "Visceral fat, the kind tucked deep inside your waistline, is more metabolically active and easier to lose than subcutaneous fat under the skin, especially if you have plenty of it," explains Penn State researcher Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD.
And the more weight you have to lose, the more quickly you're likely to start losing your belly fat, experts say.
"People who are significantly overweight may see quicker results in their belly than someone who has less to lose in that area, such as a postmenopausal pouch," says Georgia State University nutrition professor, Christine Rosenbloom, PhD, RD.
Can Whole Grains Help You Lose Belly Fat?
A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that a calorie-controlled diet rich in whole grains trimmed extra fat from the waistline of obese subjects.
Study participants who ate all whole grains (in addition to five servings of fruits and vegetables, three servings of low-fat dairy, and two servings of lean meat, fish, or poultry) lost more weight from the abdominal area than another group that ate the same diet, but with all refined grains.
"Eating a diet rich in whole grains while reducing refined carbohydrates changes the glucose and insulin response and makes it easier to mobilize fat stores," says study researcher Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD, a distinguished professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State University.
"Visceral fat is more metabolically active and easier to lose than subcutaneous fat, especially if you have plenty of it and the right conditions are met, such as the ones in our study."
By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature
WebMD turned to the experts for answers on belly fat -- and the best ways to lose it.
The Answer to Flatter Abs
Don't despair; you can lose that spare tire, experts say. But there's no secret formula.
"There is no magic bullet, diet plan, specific food, or type of exercise that specifically targets belly fat. But the good news is belly fat is the first kind of fat you tend to lose when you lose weight," says Michael Jensen, MD, a Mayo Clinic endocrinology specialist and obesity researcher.
Whether you're an "apple" shape with excess belly fat, or a "pear" with wide hips and thighs, when you lose weight, you'll most likely lose proportionately more from the abdominal region than elsewhere.
"Ninety-nine percent of people who lose weight will lose it in the abdominal region before anywhere else -- and will lose proportionately more weight from the upper body," says Jensen, also a professor of medicine.
And why is that? "Visceral fat, the kind tucked deep inside your waistline, is more metabolically active and easier to lose than subcutaneous fat under the skin, especially if you have plenty of it," explains Penn State researcher Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD.
And the more weight you have to lose, the more quickly you're likely to start losing your belly fat, experts say.
"People who are significantly overweight may see quicker results in their belly than someone who has less to lose in that area, such as a postmenopausal pouch," says Georgia State University nutrition professor, Christine Rosenbloom, PhD, RD.
Can Whole Grains Help You Lose Belly Fat?
A recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition showed that a calorie-controlled diet rich in whole grains trimmed extra fat from the waistline of obese subjects.
Study participants who ate all whole grains (in addition to five servings of fruits and vegetables, three servings of low-fat dairy, and two servings of lean meat, fish, or poultry) lost more weight from the abdominal area than another group that ate the same diet, but with all refined grains.
"Eating a diet rich in whole grains while reducing refined carbohydrates changes the glucose and insulin response and makes it easier to mobilize fat stores," says study researcher Penny Kris-Etherton, PhD, RD, a distinguished professor of nutritional sciences at Penn State University.
"Visceral fat is more metabolically active and easier to lose than subcutaneous fat, especially if you have plenty of it and the right conditions are met, such as the ones in our study."
By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
WebMD Weight Loss Clinic-Feature
Tuesday, 3 June 2008
3 Benefits to the Intake of Diet Pills
There are important events in one's life that somehow urges people to check that bathroom weighing scale more often than usual. There are the traditional reunion occasions like Christmas, Anniversaries, Weddings and, don't forget, swimwear summertime. And then, there are the medical nuances like hypertension, high blood pressure, diabetes ... and the list goes on and on. Losing weight is a very common concern of many people. And, like any modern day citizen, an overnight miracle is preferred.
Of course, there are no miracles, sorry to say. But, a huge network of smart medical professionals recognized the need to aide, especially obese people, by developing a supplement assisting faster weight loss. To many who have experienced positive results, these supplements are called "Magic Pills" ---- more properly referred to as diet and weight loss pills.
There are many benefits to the intake of diet pills:
1. First and foremost isconvenience.
Diet Pills is undeniably an attractive alternative to the sweaty trip to the gym, performing exhausting cycles and aerobic rhythms. Not only do you experience tired and aching muscles as a result of the workout regimen, but it also demands a significant portion of your daily and weekly schedules. Out fast-paced environment nowadays offers very little extra time to dedicate to these "at least three times a week" rituals.
Although adequate exercise is still required to keep those muscles toned, with diet and weight loss pills, frequency and intensity of workouts will be less required. The basic requirement of 10,000 steps daily, though sometimes overwhelming when first heard about, is not really a biggie. Just take the stairs when you can, park farther from the door than usual and so on.
2. Other pluses that can be credited to diet pills
Apart from the convenience factor, there are other pluses that can be credited to diet and weight loss pills. Depending on the particular type of pill, benefits such as lowered calorie intake, fat burning, appetite suppression and metabolic rate increases will be gained.
Lowered calorie intake is the primary benefit gained from diet pills called carb blockers. As food is ingested, carb blockers inhibit the breakdown of carbohydrates into sugar. Meaning, the carbohydrates are not readily absorbed by the body and cannot supply calories to your body. This results to lowered carbohydrate calorie-intake that consequently reduces fat storage. Less fat storage, leads to weight loss.
Fat Burners, on the other hand, raise the body temperature to burn more calories. Furthermore, the release of fat tissue into the blood stream, allowing body fat to be broken down and used as energy, is another accomplishment of another type of diet pill.
3. Diet and weight loss pills can also influence your basic urge to eat
Appetite suppressants can trick your mind into thinking you are full, directly resulting to reduced food intake. By doing so, your body resorts to using stored calorie sources (fat).
Diet and Weight Loss Pills can, also enhance metabolic rate, or the speed at which we burn calories for energy.
Now, after reading these select benefits of diet and weight loss pills, wouldn't you think they're "magic"?
Of course, there are no miracles, sorry to say. But, a huge network of smart medical professionals recognized the need to aide, especially obese people, by developing a supplement assisting faster weight loss. To many who have experienced positive results, these supplements are called "Magic Pills" ---- more properly referred to as diet and weight loss pills.
There are many benefits to the intake of diet pills:
1. First and foremost isconvenience.
Diet Pills is undeniably an attractive alternative to the sweaty trip to the gym, performing exhausting cycles and aerobic rhythms. Not only do you experience tired and aching muscles as a result of the workout regimen, but it also demands a significant portion of your daily and weekly schedules. Out fast-paced environment nowadays offers very little extra time to dedicate to these "at least three times a week" rituals.
Although adequate exercise is still required to keep those muscles toned, with diet and weight loss pills, frequency and intensity of workouts will be less required. The basic requirement of 10,000 steps daily, though sometimes overwhelming when first heard about, is not really a biggie. Just take the stairs when you can, park farther from the door than usual and so on.
2. Other pluses that can be credited to diet pills
Apart from the convenience factor, there are other pluses that can be credited to diet and weight loss pills. Depending on the particular type of pill, benefits such as lowered calorie intake, fat burning, appetite suppression and metabolic rate increases will be gained.
Lowered calorie intake is the primary benefit gained from diet pills called carb blockers. As food is ingested, carb blockers inhibit the breakdown of carbohydrates into sugar. Meaning, the carbohydrates are not readily absorbed by the body and cannot supply calories to your body. This results to lowered carbohydrate calorie-intake that consequently reduces fat storage. Less fat storage, leads to weight loss.
Fat Burners, on the other hand, raise the body temperature to burn more calories. Furthermore, the release of fat tissue into the blood stream, allowing body fat to be broken down and used as energy, is another accomplishment of another type of diet pill.
3. Diet and weight loss pills can also influence your basic urge to eat
Appetite suppressants can trick your mind into thinking you are full, directly resulting to reduced food intake. By doing so, your body resorts to using stored calorie sources (fat).
Diet and Weight Loss Pills can, also enhance metabolic rate, or the speed at which we burn calories for energy.
Now, after reading these select benefits of diet and weight loss pills, wouldn't you think they're "magic"?
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