Lost weight diet

lost weight diet -Watching a basketball games for your first step to lost weight

2011-12-21T19:20:00.000-08:00

What about you? What sports you are into that help you lose weight? ....

Many people, when think of exercise, two things; running in their head, a distances, and lifting weights. The problem is that many people just find them very hard and Bored To Death . Gym, working out can get repetitive and boring its getting your cardio in, finishing your sets. So, why not to play a sport, have a fun with friends and lose your weight and get a muscle Working gain!

There are some people who love to play sports, but only do so occasionally. A While every sport burns calories and is a great exercise,popular, or are surprising, and burn calories.If these people realized how much exercise they get from playing their favorite sports, they may be more inclined to play more often. The explanation is that a people feel they don’t have a time.......But by attempting to play a favorite sport more often, and for longer periods of time, some people may not even need to use the normal avenues of running and lifting for their exercise needs.

For many sports people, lost weight is one of the most important things that they are concerned about. A Performance in many sports is improved with a lower body mass, not to mention the health benefits and aesthetics of having a lower body weight.Its not just the movements of football,soccer,basketball, or etc... it also involves lots of jumping that gives you power and helps grow muscle and reduce flab. Throwing the ball around gives your arms and upper body a really good workout. Have you seen those muscular arms on basketball players?

Example : Many basketball fans like NFL or NBA consistently play pick up games as a way to enjoy their favorite sports. Playing pick up games of football or basketball can burn over 600 calories per hour. So get your ticket and enjoy the games....then play its...for your weight lost...

First step : you can get a basketball ticket at Ticketamerica.com, they has tickets for the chicago bulls and the portland trail blazers and the dallas mavericks tickets.

chicago bulls tickets or portland trail blazers tickets or dallas mavericks tickets

Now enjoy your firts step to burning your calories...

lost weight diet - What Are The Characteristics Of The Famous Atkins Diet

2009-07-16T18:33:00.000-07:00

lost weight diet - Many individuals are wondering with recent studies finding how high the obesity rate in the United Stated just what are the characteristics of an Atkins diet. In its simplest form, the Atkins lost weight is a method for reducing almost all carbohydrates and adding meat into your diet. It is believed this will help you lost weight, as carbohydrates are supposedly what make you gain weight in the first place.

Vitamins and exercise are also an integral part of the Atkins lost weight diet, and it is stressed within the diet how each person needs to adhere to a regular workout routine in order to receive the full benefit of the Atkins lost weight diet. Each person is responsible for maintaining a regular exercise routine with vitamin supplements in order to compensate for the essentials that you are not receiving as a part of the diet. Many mistakenly believe that diet alone can make someone lose weight, while this is not the case. Diets can remove the harmful foods in everyday meals and snacks, but they cannot make a person lose weight, only exercise can do this.

Carbohydrates are viewed damaging as they encourage the body to stock up on energy, and in effect, add to the existing fat cells. Although this is not the case if the amount of energy ingested is offset by the amount of energy used, this rarely occurs unless the person is a marathon runner or walker. It is easy to ingest more than is needed by our bodies given the average day, as we never feel full due to rushing through our meals or the stress that affects us each day.

With the Atkins diet, while wondering what are the characteristics of an Atkins lost weight diet, people are in most cases losing out due to misunderstanding what the diet is in itself. For instance, people are not able to eat as much meat or cheese as they think they can. In all actuality, you are only supposed to consume a limited amount and that needs to be offset with the other characteristics of the diet. This common misconception has created confusion as to what are the characteristics of an Atkins lost weight diet.

However, when the misconceptions are placed aside, the Atkins lost weight diet works quite well, provided that you are not Anemic or prone to certain other health conditions. If you are not sure if you have one of these conditions, verify with your personal doctor if the Atkins diet is right for you. Learn the characteristics of the Atkins lost weight diet, what it can and cannot do for you.

In the end, it is up to you to decide if you wish to go on the Atkins lost weight diet. There are a number of factors to consider, but overall the benefits are there to enjoy. Knowing what the characteristics of an Atkins lost weight diet are and what they can and cannot do for you will help you determine the best choice for your lifestyle. - lost weight diet

lost weight diet : 5 Tips About Weight Loss And Healthy Food Choices

2009-07-15T18:32:00.000-07:00

lost weight diet : Hey! Did you make the right healthy food choices to help keep your lost weight? If you didn’t it’s one of the reasons why you have gained all those extra pounds. It’s also why you can’t get those pounds off and keep them off. These 5 tips will guide you in making the right food choices for you.

1. Fruits : One of the healthiest foods you can consume or fruits. It’s important for you to eat at least two cups per day. Furthermore if you vary your selection you are more likely to continue to eat your fruits each day. One thing you can do to increase the variety is to drink all natural fruit juices. However, you should make sure not to over indulge in fruit juice.

2. Eating Fresh Meat : As you know meat is one of the primary sources of protein. Moderation in portion sizes is the key to keeping your weight under control and eating healthy.

Depending on your calorie intake a portion should be from 4 to 5 oz. It is important for the meat to be as lean as possible. Furthermore by baking, grilling or broiling the majority of the grease will drain away from the meat.

You will find by substituting such foods as nuts, fish and beans you will be able to get the necessary proteins and eat healthier.

3. Milk Products : Children need calcium to strengthen their bones. In fact the human body needs calcium to stay healthy. However many folks are lactose intolerant and have to substitute Soy products and others for their calcium content.

You can further contribute to your healthy food choices by using dairy products which have little or no fat in them. Yogurt is a great alternative for getting calcium and helping you lost weight.

4. Veggies : Without argument vegetables are at the top of the list for healthy food choices. Great for helping control your weight but still keeping you healthy; with the right nutrition’s and vitamins your body needs.

5. Whole Grains : A well balanced diet to help you stay healthy should include six oz. of grains. Today’s whole grain cereals are much tastier than the cereals of old.

A great way to get your necessary fruit and grains is to mix them together. You add flavor and variety to the mix.

If you are a bread lover you should choose whole grain bread. Once again the whole grain breads of today are much easier to eat and enjoy.

Now here is a extra tip just for you. Stay away from the foods that contain a large percentage of trans fats, increased levels of sodium and saturated fat. Take the few extra seconds necessary to check the ingredients on the labels of the containers.

It is quite obvious there are many other healthy food choices you can make. It is also obvious that appropriate portion size is important to your health and your weight. Furthermore, when you go the extra mile and include physical exercise with your healthy food choice; you will be even healthier and keep your weight under control. - lost weight diet

lost weight diet : 6 Healthy Tips For The Fastest Way To Lose Weight

2009-07-12T18:24:00.000-07:00

lost weight diet - Do you know the healthiest and fastest way to lost weight? Let’s face it everybody has some ideas about losing weight. After all the information is every where. It’s in every media outlet known to man. But, the question remains, do you know the fastest and healthiest way to lose the pounds and keep them off? This article will disclose 6 tips which will help you lost weight fast and best of all, keep it off. Please read on!

There is more than one way to lose weight but the basic principles are:

* Burn more calories than you consume
* Improve metabolism by exercising daily
* Avoid unhealthy foods
* Eat more good foods
* Have good genes

OK, so you can’t do much about that last factor but the other 4 are completely within your control and they can all contribute to the fastest way to lost weight.

Many bodybuilders and other sports people often need to lost weight quickly for a competition. However, their bodies are different from yours and mine. Generally you will find that their bodies’ metabolism is usually very fast, therefore they can strip off the pounds quicker. So how do you a regular person loose weight fast? Here are some tips:

1. Eat a big breakfast : It may sound ironic, but eating a lot at breakfast can help you lost weight fast. Breakfast is the most vital meal of the day and a well balanced meal here will really lessen your appetite during the day. You’ll also have the entire day to burn the calories eaten at breakfast. A good breakfast should include whole grain cereal mixed with fruits. A blended fruit juice is also ideal.

2. Small meals : The rest of your day should consist of small light meals. Aim for another 4 to 5 small meals throughout the day. By sticking to small rather than large meals you are constantly burning calories without feeling hungry.

3. What to eat : Sticking to vegetables will assist in the fastest way to lost weight. Meat will have you putting on weight but, if you aren’t a vegetarian, you may not want to cut out meat altogether. Fish is a low fat alternative as is chicken. Stick to very lean red meats and only eat it once or twice per week maximum.

4. Snacks : You don’t have to forego snacks to lost weight fast. Your snacks simply must be low calorie. Consider an apple, strawberries or a bunch of blueberries as a snack. Not only are they healthy but also delicious.

5. Exercise : You can’t lost weight fast without exercise. Depending how fast you wish to lost weight, you may need to exercise intensely everyday. This means running or walking for at least 30 minutes twice per day. You should also incorporate some resistance training as the gaining of muscle results in the faster lost weight.

6. Drink plenty of water : Your whole body will benefit from drinking plenty of water. Not only will it help you get rid of the extra fluid your body retains, but it will flush other toxins from your system. Being fully hydrated also will help increase your metabolism.

The fastest way to lost weight need not be a dangerous or unhealthy way. Sticking to a well controlled diet and exercise plan will have you losing the pounds in no time at all. - lost weight diet

lost weight diet : Nutrition is important..!!

2009-07-10T18:01:00.000-07:00

lost weight diet - Are you one of those people struggling with lost weight? Nutrition is important, but one of the first things dieters try is some level of starvation. Unfortunately, starvation deprives the body of nutrition. Rather than triggering lost weight, starvation causes weight retention and weight gain.

How do you respond to your excess weight? Do you deprive yourself of food? Have you tried various fad diets or diet pills that claim to help you lost weightt? Was exercise part of your lost weight plan?

If you have tried all these methods and you still haven’t lost weight, there is a good reason. There’s more to it than that.

Here are the elements you need to achieve lost weight:

- nutrition in sufficient quantities that do not include any fattening foods, junk food, sweet foods, and the like
- exercise to increase your body’s demands for energy
- breathing exercises to encourage lost weight
- consistency and persistence

You can’t expect to achieve lost weight if nutrition is not adequate. Junk food and other empty foods do nothing for you but add weight. While the energy they provide might make you feel good and help you to perform, they are short term solutions.

Let’s take a look at each aspect of lost weight.

Nutrition: You want to choose non-fattening foods that maintain the nutrient levels your body requires. If your body doesn’t get them, it will hold on to whatever food it gets as a survival tactic. Look for low and no-fat foods. Make sure you eat fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meat (preferably chicken or salmon rather than red meat), and calcium rich foods like cheese and skim milk.

Exercise: Develop a suitable workout for you and practice it at a minimum of 30 minutes per day. Make sure it’s an exercise you enjoy. Walking, swimming, cycling are all excellent exercises for weight loss. Nutritious snacks will provide you with appropriate energy that will quickly burn off during exercise.

Deep Breathing: Several times throughout the day, practice deep breathing for about 15 minutes each session. This will help your body to burn energy.

Consistency & Persistence: No lost weight, nutrition plan or exercise will help you to lost weight if you don’t follow through consistently and with persistence. You might lose weight after your first week or two, but if you start wavering or skimping on your plan, or worse, cheating on your meals, you’ll stop losing. In fact, you’ll probably gain weight.

One final tip, eat 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day rather than 3 big meals, and avoid eating within four hours of your bedtime. You might already know that eating before going to bed can disrupt your sleep. In some people, it causes indigestion because the body slows at night.

Eating at this late hour can cause you to get improper sleep and it can cause you to gain weight.

Follow these tips for lost weight: nutrition and exercise according to your weight loss plan, and you’ll soon see results. - lost weight diet

lost weight diet : About Lipovarin ost weight diet

2009-07-08T18:13:00.000-07:00

lost weight diet - When you are looking to lost weight, let’s face it, you are willing to try just about anything to shed those extra pounds. If you are like so many other people you have tried every safe and not so safe diet and diet pills to get it off. Well here are a few tips about Lipovarin that you may find will work for you.

Before you make your decision to try Lipovarin, to lost weight, please be sure and check with your health care professional. Make sure you are healthy enough to go on a lost weight program. It would be a good idea to print this article out and take it when you go, just in case your doctor is not familiar with it.

What is Lipovarin? It is a diet pill or herbal lost weight supplement that can be obtained without a doctor’s prescription. How it works to shed pounds is not completely known, as very few studies have been conducted on it up to this point in time.

Lipovarin contains a variety of active ingredients which are listed below:

-Citrus auranium (bitter orange)
- Green tea leaf extract
-Metabromine fruit extract (chocolate or plain cocoa)
-Serotain (which contains 5-hydroxytryptophan or 5-HTP)
-Taurine (a type of amino acid)
-Caffeine
-L-carnitine L-tartrate
-7-Keto (7-keto-dehydroepiandrosterone acetate)

Different sources claim that it may also contain the ingredients Coleus forskohlii, Coral calcium, Rhodiola rosea, and Glucuronolactone.

Lipovarin is a weight loss product and it also helps to boost energy levels. It is one of the more popular ephedra-free weight loss products currently found on the market. It is also believed to help improve a person’s mood and state of mind.

Citrus auranium (also known as Advantra Z) is patent-pending, but is shown so far to be safe and effective at burning calories. The metabolic system is stimulated by elevating the Beta 3 receptors. This causes no negative effects on the heart or the central nervous system.

Green tea has been shown time and time again to have a positive impact on weight loss. It is capable of speeding up the rate of metabolism by four to six percent.

Metabromine fruit extract comes from the cacao tree. This ingredient in Lipovarin provides the energy boost as well as the appetite suppression.

Serotain enhances the level of serotonin in the brain. By so doing, appetite is controlled and it helps to keep the individual in a happy and positive state of mind.

Taurine promotes the function of digestion by emulsifying dietary lipids in the intestines. It also helps to keep cells stable, regulate heartbeat and improve the functioning of the brain.

Caffeine has a good side when it comes to lost weight. Caffeine is one of the most active ingredients in this supplement as well as other herbal and diet pills. Caffeine improves metabolism and it breaks down fat at a speedy rate.

L-carnitine is a water-soluble substance that resembles the B vitamin. This ingredient in the supplement turns fat into energy. Once there is less fat circulating in the blood stream, lost weight can be accomplished much easier.

Another important ingredient is 7-Keto. This is a naturally occurring breakdown component of DHEA. What 7-Keto is believed to do is to increase the fat burning action of the enzymes and to keep the thyroid working to its optimum best.

This supplement is a diet pill that many feel works wonders and is effective in helping to shed pounds. Take your time to do your homework on Lipovarin before you decide for yourself. - lost weight diet

lost weight diet : For Gastric Bypass Recovery

2009-07-06T18:09:00.000-07:00

lost weight diet -For people that are interested in forming a diet for gastric bypass surgery, there are not many resources that are currently available to these people. This created a huge demand for people that are looking to form a diet plan for post-surgery recovery. The most important thing to remember for people that are recovering from the surgery is what foods to eat. It is a fact that after the surgery you will have to radically change your lost weight diet, both the foods you eat and how and when you eat them.

Since there is not that much information available online about a lost weight diet for gastric bypass surgery and such a huge demand, we have taken it upon ourselves to create the following guide. It is important to remember that these diets are just suggestions and each individual recovering from bypass surgery will react differently to each lost weight diet.

This is why it is important to talk to your doctor or medical health professional in order to get their opinion on the best diet for you. Before following any of the suggestions below, you should also make sure that any of the medications you are currently taking might interfere with the lost weight diet or your recovery in any way.

Once returning home from the hospital it is important to begin your diet for gastric bypass surgery recovery. The first thing that you will start your diet with is liquids. Any fluids and foods that are mostly liquid will be fine for you to consume. Some of the foods that are often recommended for the liquid stage of the diet include broths, water, juice, milk, cooked cereal, or strained soup. This is an important part of the recovery process. The liquid part of the lost weight diet will typically last for one to three days. Of course you can extend this part of the diet if you will its necessary. Everyone will have a different recovery time depending on the individual. It’s important to note that your recovery should not be rushed; you should allow yourself as much time as you need.

The second part of the diet for gastric bypass surgery recovery consists of mainly pureed foods. These foods are described as foods that have a consistency of a creamy paste or a thick liquid. These foods will not contain any pieces of any sort. This is perhaps the single most important part of this diet. This part of the diet should be followed for at least 3 to four weeks. Some people will be able to recovery quickly than other and only have to maintain this part of the diet for gastric bypass recovery for three week. However some people that don’t recover so quickly may be forced to continue this diet for a little bit longer than four weeks. The best thing to do is consult your doctor or medical health professional 2 to 3 weeks into this part of the diet. Your doctor should be able to tell how well you are recovering and instruct you to how long you must carry on with the lost weight diet. - lost weight diet

lost weight diet : South beach lost weight diet, its works?

2009-07-05T17:54:00.000-07:00

lost weight diet - A lot of people have been wondering is the south beach diet safe for everyone. The short answer is yes. However there are many different things that you should consider. Firstly, in order to find out whether this lost weight diet would be something that you’re interested in doing its best to examine exactly how it works. Unfortunately there are not many resources available that thoroughly explain exactly how the lost weight diet helps to increase the bad habits that you have formed with your current diet. The following guide will explain how the diet works and why it is safe.

If you are one of those people that follow trends in the health industry you must have heard of the south beach lost weight diet . This is perhaps one of the biggest new trends in the health industry and for good reason. The reason that this lost weight diet has proven to be so effective is the sections that the lost weight diet is broken up into. These sections are referred to as the different phases or stages of the lost weight diet and are the key to the effectiveness of it. The three different phases of the lost weight diet are all somewhat similar in terms of the foods you eat except each phase allows for more flexibility. This method of slowly introducing the diet is the safest way of transitioning from any one lost weight diet to the next. This is the reason that people are no longer wondering, “ is the south beach lost weight diet safe” due to the fact that these phases are proven to be effective and safe.

Some of the foods that are recommended during the first phase of the diet include beef, fish, chicken, turkey, nuts, cheese, eggs and vegetables. It also get you to cut out foods such as potatoes, rice, bread, pasta, fruits, baked goods, ice cream, or any other sugar products. The first phase also includes cutting beer and alcohol out of your lost weight diet . This is crucial to the success of phase one as well as the entire lost weight diet itself.

The method of using phases to transition your lost weight diet is the best way to change the way your body craves food. The first phase starts with three meals a day as well as a snack in between each meal. This is quite different from other diets that generally deprive you of foods all together. This is the process that makes the south beach diet safe. By slowly training your body to gets it energy and nutrition from one core group of healthy foods, you will slowly start to eliminate cravings for less healthy foods that may have seemed to be desirable in the past.

All of the reasons that were just mentioned have been proven to make the south beach lost weight diet safe. This is also the main reason that the diet has been growing in popularity so quickly. The fact that you are able to lose weight quickly and safely has made the south beach lost weight diet one of the most popular new trends in the health industry. - lost weight diet

lost weight diet - Foods That Speed Up A Slow Metabolism

2009-07-04T17:47:00.000-07:00

lost weight diet - Though it sounds almost too good to believe, there really are foods that speed up a slow metabolism that are readily available in every grocery store. You may already be eating some of them without even knowing it. The more foods that speed up a slow metabolism that you eat, the hotter your internal fat-melting furnace burns, and the easier it is to lose weight and keep it off. By incorporating these superfoods into your diet, you’ll make it easier to achieve your weight loss and fitness goals.

Salmon, sardines and tuna are great sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, which will lower the level of a hormone called leptin in your body. Studies show that it’s easier to lose and keep off weight when your leptin levels are lower, rather than higher. There are other benefits to eating fish, as well, like the cancer-fighting and healthy-heart properties of Omega 3.

Foods rich in protein like eggs, lean meats, beans and even peanut butter will boost your metabolism. Protein is a necessary building block for our bodies and it’s vitality important in keeping a metabolism going. Of these foods that speed up a slow metabolism, peanut butter gets unfairly criticized as a bad food choice. But with any food, moderation is key. You can enjoy peanut butter in moderation and still lose weight steadily, or avoid gaining any lose weight back. Peanut butter can be a healthy addition to your lose weight diet, with its good fats and metabolism-boosting protein.

Other foods that speed up a slow metabolism include foods containing hot peppers like jalapeño, cayenne or habanero. Spicy foods make your body run hotter for up to 3 hours. They’re thermogenic, in that just the act of digesting them speeds your metabolism.

Whole grains like oatmeal boost metabolism by being slow to digest. This gives you the feeling of being full longer, and serves to keep blood sugar levels on an even keel. This keeps minimal amounts of insulin in your bloodstream, and keeps your body from going into fat-storing overdrive. High levels of insulin are linked to metabolic syndrome symptoms like obesity, belly fat, and high blood pressure among others. So whole grains should be a vital part of your diet for many reasons, not just because they’re one of the top foods that speed up a slow metabolism

Olive oil is one of the foods that speed up a slow metabolism thanks to its load of Omega-3 acids. It’s a great source of good monounsaturated fat, the kind of good fat your body has to have, too.

Don’t forget that exercise boosts your metabolism in a more permanent way, by increasing active muscle tissue throughout your body. And eating in itself keeps your metabolism stoked. Never skip meals, especially not breakfast, that’s like refusing to put logs on a fire but expecting it to keep burning anyway. And add these foods that speed up a slow metabolism to your lose weight diet to bring you closer to your goals. - lost weight diet

Extreme Loss Weight Diet what is it and does it work

2009-07-03T17:37:00.000-07:00

Loss Weight Diet – Extreme Loss Weight Diet what is it and does it work? That is the question that doctors, nutritionists, dieticians and regular people, like yourself have been trying to find out for years. loss weight generally involves trying to lose weight quickly with the most intensive diets and workouts.

But are there hidden dangers to extreme loss weight ? In all likelihood, yes there are. Because any time you put your body under intense changes in diet or activity level your body is going to counter react to it. This means you may suffer some ill effects, particularly, if you take your dieting to the extremes such as fasting or crash diets.

If you are overweight then the first step you need to take, before undergoing any sort of self made diet, is to visit your Doctor. Your purpose in visiting the Doctor is:

1. Make sure you are overweight
2. Have a BMI (Body Mass Index) test – Determines Bone Size
3. Have no underlying health issues which may be causing your weight gain
4. Make sure your body can undergo the rigors of exercise and dieting
5. Get help with a safe diet plan

Recent studies have shown that many obese people may well have an underlying DNA, which contributes to the obesity. If you fall in this category and you suddenly start eating only a small percentage of your regular dietary intake, you can suffer some serious health problems.

Eating less than your body requires, for staying alive, only spells trouble! Lethargy, dizziness, lack of mental alertness and anemia are all examples of problems which may occur from crash dieting.

Extreme loss weight measures are best substituted with safe weight loss such as a healthy diet and regular exercise. These methods ensure that you aren’t putting your body at risk. Furthermore they ensure you are still receiving the vitamins, minerals and proteins that your body requires; but at the same time losing weight.

The loss weight process is drastically accelerated, if you combine a healthy meal plan with exercise. Just 20 to 30 minutes of swift walking per day can literally have you looking and feeling like a new person.

Extreme diets generally tell you to focus on one food group. For example, some diets say to completely eradicate carbohydrates from your diet. However the body needs carbohydrates!

Other diets tell you not to eat meat at all. However, if you don’t like all kinds of vegetables, you may get yourself in trouble. Simply, because when you eliminate meat entirely from your diet, you will also be eliminating certain life enhancing vitamins from your diet.

What the diets don’t tell you is that you need to supplement a meat free diet with something that is as protein and iron rich as meat; to avoid complications to your overall health. This is why you absolutely must be wary of any sort of fashion or fad diets. You should always speak with a trained nutritionist before making sudden and dramatic changes to your eating habits.

With common sense, a clean bill of health, a well laid out diet and exercise plan, will certainly put you on the road to Extreme loss weight . - Loss Weight Diet

lost weight diet - Weight loss attainable with the right diet and exercise regimen

2009-06-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

lost weight diet - Anyone exploring the way to lost weight and has heard the story: "It's all about the front entrance to the production, eat fewer calories and burn more calories."

However, many people still prefer to go the diet route, looking for the quick fix illusory. They do not realize that the fundamentals of nutrition is often compromised in favor of a "one size fits all" for weight loss. With over 30,000 diet plans available nationwide and $ 50 billion being spent annually on diet products and programs, losing weight seems to have become the great American obsession.

If you really want to lost weight, it is necessary to recognize the difference between temporary weight loss that may accompany the diets and permanent weight control that can come from a long term commitment to changing habits that have contributed to weight problems. "No one size fits all approach to weight loss," says John Bagnulo, nutritionist at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Stockbridge, Mass. "The reasons to carry excess weight will depend on our culture, our habits, our genes and our psyches. Only by examining both the physical and psychological reasons can be found what works for you. "

Diets are not the answer

Can be presented to claim allowances can lose 10 to 20 pounds in a week. Although you may temporarily lost weight on very restrictive diets, weight loss can not be maintained. You may be surprised to learn that they are losing weight is not so much excess fat as it is water, muscle mass and little fat. And do not want to lose muscle mass, because that is what burns calories.

Research shows that 95 percent of people attempting to lost weight on diets regain all or most of the weight lost within two or three years. The big threat to weight loss is not so much the loss of the pound as it is keeping them off. Can you live on the diet for the rest of your life? If not, you can count on losing weight returning.

It is important for your health and fitness to maintain healthy eating habits while you are trying to lost weight and that will require most people to make behavioral changes of life. Will take the average person, at least six months to make a change in lifestyle that have contributed to weight issues.

Metabolism issues

Your metabolism is in constant motion, the conversion of the food you eat into the energy needed to live. "Your metabolic rate depends on three things: your resting metabolic rate, how much you move and what and how often you eat," says Polly DeMille, a registered nurse and exercise physiologist at the Women's Sports Medicine Center in members of the Weill Cornell Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. "To increase your metabolic rate, you have to move more, eat sensibly and in the food properly."

Squat and side leg Elevator: Works the lower body: gluteals, quadriceps (front of thighs), hamstrings (back of thigh) and outer thighs. It is also a good balancing act. Start standing with your feet about shoulder-width apart. Holding weights in your hands with palms facing inward, bend your knees while lowering your hips as if sitting in a chair that does not go beyond the knee to toe. Straighten your legs and slowly lift your right leg to the side, pause, and then as a lower leg to bend your knees into a squat. Repeat eight to 10 times, alternating legs. Hint: Power abdominals while lifting the leg to help balance control.

Curvature of focus: The goals of the biceps (front of upper arm). Sitting in a chair with your feet wide apart from the shoulder, hold a weight in your right hand. Place the elbow in the right thigh with his arm extended downward. Keep your elbow in the thigh, slowly bring the arm toward the opposite shoulder. Arm to its original position and repeat eight to 10 times with each arm. Tip: Do not let the wrist roll inwards, and the movement slow and controlled.

Abdominal Crunch: Strengthens the heart. Located in the back with lower legs parallel to the ground, place your hands lightly behind your head with your elbows slightly curved to support the neck. While recruitment abdominals, lift your head, shoulders and upper back of the ground, has to hold two slow, then less than two. Repeat eight to 10 times. Tip: Never pull on the neck, feel the lifting of the abs is not the neck. Do not allow the chin to the neck in the fall. -lost weight diet

Study Maths for your Lost Weight

2009-05-22T23:30:00.000-07:00

To lose weight, calculation of calories consumed, you need to on your age and sex - then factor in how many you actually burn. It is not difficult, with little more than a calculator. The equations produce figures that the average of the population, so that they can serve as a starting point.

The easiest way to calculate the caloric needs is to multiply the current weight of 11-15, a number of calories needed to maintain that weight.

So a 150-pound woman who wants to participate in weight, that the need to eat 1650 to 2,250 calories. Why the difference? If their activity is high (the exercise vigorously every day), they can eat more because they burn longer. If she wants to lose weight, she goes to have to calories.

Since a pound of fat represents about 3,500 calories, cutting 500 calories per day is a pound lost in a week, a reasonable amount. But eating less is not the only way to remove it. In order to 500 calories per day, you can also cut by 250 calories and do a workout that burns 250 calories.

A more detailed assessment of calories can be done using the Harris Benedict equation, in the year 1919, which begins with the basal metabolism to calculate calories needed for weight.

What the equation does not take into account lean muscle mass. Someone with a lot of muscles and little body fat have more calories, and people with higher body fat must be less. In the fitness level increased, so has BMR.

Kara Mohr, co-owner of a Louisville, Ky.-based nutrition and fitness facilities, so these figures are based on averages, some fine-tuning of calories may be necessary to ensure the correct formula. If weight is not falling after a few weeks, cut the calories, exercise, or both. Always hungry? Add or calories off on the workouts.

Reading : 'The Skinny: On Losing Weight Without Being Hungry'

2009-05-18T05:48:00.000-07:00

Louis Aronne, founder and director of the Comprehensive Weight Control Program at New York-Presbyterian Hospital / Weill Cornell Medical Center and author of "Eat This, Not That!" Is back with a new weight loss guide.

In his new book, "The Skinny" Aronne his secrets to lose weight without hunger and deals with the challenge of how to get the weight. Free of fads, "The Skinny" offers healthy ways to control cravings and eat smart without the calories.

"The Skinny" provides extensive counseling to achieve healthy, long-term weight loss and includes recipes and tips for meals, together with an easy-to-stick-out guide.

Read an excerpt from the book below and then click the "GMA" library for some good reads.

The solution for lasting weight loss - Some studies indicate that approximately 80 percent of people who lose weight to return most or all of it within a year. I want you in the other category, the category of people we rarely hear. I want a part of the 20 percent that they made. To remain successful, use it for maintaining your weight loss.

Your first step in a lasting weight loss is to determine when they cease to lose and maintain. Many dieters any surface line.They want to wear a certain size or a certain number on the scale, but you can not just bully your body into losing the perfect amount of weight. Will you shed enough fat to a size four, six or eight, or the jeans you wore in school? I can not promise, dass At some point, as you lose weight, your body fight back. It will defend your weight, and if you try to sweat it out in the battle at this point you will be at the end feeling very hungry, despite the selection of the most filling and plateau anyway, because your metabolism is to combat this slow.Trying biology is how it to a car uphill. You can go a few steps, but finally, biology wins, and your weight, that the car-as-is in the other direction. I know that is not what you want to hear, and I wish I could tell you the magic secret that would allow you, your body, that pre-determined place, but I just can not. I would much rather be honest and I would much rather give you the tools to help you achieve a healthy weight and then stay there. If you lose too much weight and can not for some of the options such as medication and surgery in Chapter 10, I'd rather you lost a little weight and keep it lost as much weight and then gained lot of IT law.

Lose weight, gain friends go to TOPS

2009-05-02T00:32:00.000-07:00

ONEIDA — TOPS (Taking Off Pounds Sensibly) is a non-profit organization helping local people get healthy and stay that way. Mindy Hoag, of Munnsville, began coming to the Oneida chapter’s meetings in late August 2008. By September, she had officially joined and started losing weight. She now weighs 73.5 pounds less, thanks to the “helping hand” provided by her fellow TOPS members.

“The people are all incredible...Everyone cares about everyone,” she said.

Yvonne Hicks, of Oriskany Falls, decided to join TOPS a year ago.

“I knew I needed help and couldn’t do it alone,” she said.

Today, she is 87 pounds thinner and 14 pounds away from reaching her goal weight.

“I love coming and seeing everybody,” she said. “It’s fun and they are a huge support.”

The Oneida TOPS chapter, which has been around for 25 years, draws most of its 25 female members to St. Paul’s Church on Sayles Street each Thursday for a weekly meeting and private weigh-in. Most meetings involve a program, given by a member, that features information relevant to the TOPS mission.

Chapter leader Jacque Roys said that unlike other weight loss groups that are a bit more costly, TOPS is an inexpensive way to embark on a weight loss, health-driven journey with the help of others.

Being a member of TOPS, a national non-profit organization, costs $26 a year. Members put forth 50 cents at each meeting towards paying those dues. During the year, members have access to a library of books and tapes to help them reach their healthy goals, as well as chances to go to TOPS conventions and workshops together. Most of all, there is unity, Roys said.

“One big thing is support,” Roys said. “We’re here as a group, not as individuals, and really support each other.”

Other components of every meeting include a TOPS pledge said at the beginning, as well as a chance for a member to share a personal “tip of the week.” There is also plenty of discussion between members about objectives. For example, May has been designated “Me Month” and there is extra emphasis on not gaining weight.

During a roll call, members aren’t obligated to say how much they’ve lost or gained, but they do say one of three things: “I lost,” “I gained,” or “I turtled,” which Roys said means staying the same - like a turtle stuck on its back.

And to those who say they’ve gained, members respond with a resounding “Good to see you” or “Glad you’re back.”

In addition to the support, there are some other incentives to losing rather than “turtling” or gaining. For one, there is a savings. If someone hasn’t lost any weight, that person pays 50 cents at the meeting. If they have gained weight instead, they pay 25 cents for each pound. This money is then used for a 50/50 raffle for those who have lost weight at that meeting.

Members who get to their goal weight — and stay within a minimal range of it — graduate from being TOPS members to becoming KOPS, or Keeping Off Pounds Sensibly, members.

About five of the women currently in the group have made it to this status, Roys said, and some current members have been in the club since it began 25 years ago. Doris Schoolcraft was the member who began the Oneida chapter in July 1984 after being a member of the Verona chapter. She said her favorite part has been the people.

“I’ve enjoyed all the friends I’ve made,” she said.

Joanie Vaillancourt belongs to the Oneida chapter in addition to a chapter in Florida during winter months. She has had her fair share of success with the program, she said, since joining a year and two months ago. She has dropped 27 pounds.

Her sister, Dorie, co-leads the group and is amazed by the people there.

“I’ve never met a group as friendly as this. You come in here and you feel like you belong,” she said.

Roy said that the group is always looking to add more members and that people are welcome to check out the chapter any Thursday. Membership is open to all, regardless of age or sex. Weigh-ins begin at 4 p.m. and go until 4:45 p.m., when the meeting begins and goes until 5:30 p.m.

For more information, call Jacque Roys at 843-8180 or Dorie Vaillancourt at 363-5344, or visit: www.tops.org - By LYNN COLLIER:Dispatch Staff Writer

Study confirms: Don't reward yourself for calories burned for lost weight

2009-02-17T19:31:00.000-08:00

Overweight women who exercised one to two hours a week lost several pounds in six months without dieting, a study shows. But those who exercised the most — about three hours a week — didn't lose as much as they should have, possibly because they increased the calories they consumed. "There is a great lesson here: People generally overestimate the calories they are burning with exercise, and they may reward themselves by eating more," says lead researcher Tim Church, director of preventive-medicine research at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge.

If a person runs for an hour then goes out to have a large high-calorie coffee drink and a large muffin, she probably consumed more calories than she burned, he says. For the latest study, Church and colleagues recruited 411 overweight or obese sedentary women, average age 57. Some of the women were told not to change their level of physical activity. The others were divided into three groups and instructed to do different amounts each week. They rotated walking briskly on a treadmill at a fitness center with riding a stationary bike.

Their workouts were monitored closely by the researchers, and the women were asked not to change their eating habits during the study.

At the end of six months, one group of exercisers was doing an average of 72 minutes of moderate physical activity a week; another group was doing about 136 minutes (a little more than two hours); and the third was doing 194 minutes (slightly more than three hours).

The findings reported in PLoSONE, a Public Library of Science online journal:

• Women who did 72 minutes of physical activity a week lost 2 to 3 pounds in six months, which was what was expected from the amount of exercise they were doing.

• Those doing more than two hours of activity a week lost slightly more than 4 pounds in that time, which also was what was expected.

• Those who did three hours of activity a week lost only about 2 to 3 pounds, but they should have lost almost 6 pounds from the increase in physical activity.

• Everyone who exercised lost dangerous belly fat. Those who didn't lose weight dropped about an inch around the middle. Those who did lose weight trimmed an average of 2 inches around the waist.

This confirms other research that physical activity alone can contribute to some weight loss. Another recent study showed that women who increased their activity level by an additional 3,500 steps a day lost 5 pounds during the year. Men who added that many steps lost 8½ pounds in a year.

Another study showed that when obese women improved their eating habits and walked briskly for an additional 50 minutes to an hour a day, they lost about 10% of their body weight in six months.

Church says a growing body of evidence shows that physical activity decreases dangerous abdominal fat.

"Exercise without weight loss has a benefit to your waist, but exercise with weight loss has even more benefit to your waist," he says. This study did not include men, but he says other research he has done shows the same phenomenon in men.

The loss of belly fat through exercise is important because excess abdominal fat is considered a risk factor for many chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes, stroke and some types of cancer, Church says.

Experts believe the fat cells deep in the abdomen are harmful because they secrete chemicals that play a role in a number of diseases. The cells produce about three times more bad chemicals than subcutaneous fat, the stuff you can pinch right under your skin, Church says. "Plus, the plumbing of visceral fat drains directly to the liver, allowing the bad chemicals to directly interfere with the liver's ability to metabolize blood sugar and cholesterol."

In addition to lowering the risk of many serious medical conditions, regular physical activity also improves quality of life by reducing stress, depression and anxiety, and by improving bone and joint health, sex drive, sleep and memory, Church says.By Nanci Hellmich, USA TODAY

Losing Weight Can Cure Obstructive Sleep Apnea

2009-02-08T22:40:00.000-08:00

For sufferers of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a new study shows that losing weight is perhaps the single most effective way to reduce OSA symptoms and associated disorders, according to a new study in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

Weight loss may not be a new miracle pill or a fancy high-tech treatment, but it is an exciting therapy for sufferers of OSA both because of its short- and long-term effectiveness and for its relatively modest price tag. Surgery doesn't last, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines are only as effective as the patient's adherence, and most other devices have had disappointing outcomes, in addition to being expensive, unwieldy and having poor patient compliance. Furthermore, OSA is generally only treated when it has progressed to a moderate to severe state.

"Very low calorie diet (VLCD) combined with active lifestyle counseling resulting in marked weight reduction is a feasible and effective treatment for the majority of patients with mild OSA, and the achieved beneficial outcomes are maintained at 1-year follow-up," wrote Henri P.I. Tuomilehto, M.D., Ph.D., of the department of Otorhinolaryngology at the Kuopio University Hospital in Finland.

The prospective, randomized trial found that, in 81 patients with mild OSA, the 40 patients who were in the intervention arm underwent a diet that strictly limited caloric intake combined with lifestyle counseling lost more than 20 pounds on average in a year—and kept it off, resulting in markedly lower symptoms of OSA. The 41 patients in the control arm, who only received lifestyle counseling and lost on average less than 6 pounds, and were much less likely to see improvements in their OSA.

And not only does sustained weight loss improve OSA, it also improves the many other independently linked co-morbidities such as hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

"This is emphasized by our findings that, in conjunction with the improvement in AHI, significant improvements were also found in symptoms related to OSA, insulin resistance, lipids, and cardiorespiratory variables, such as arterial oxygen saturation, in patients belonging to the intervention group," wrote Dr. Tuomilehto.

Furthermore, Dr. Tuomilehto observed, "The greater the change in body weight or waist circumference, the greater was the improvement in OSA." In fact, mild OSA was objectively cured in 88 percent of the patients who lost more than 33 pounds, a statistic that declined with the amount of weight lost. Only in 62 percent of those who lost between 11 and 33 pounds were objectively cured of their OSA, as were 38 percent of those who lost between zero and 11 pounds, and only 11 percent of those who had not lost weight or who had gained weight.

"Witnessed apneas," i.e., those loud or disturbing enough to have wakened the bedfellows of study participants, "totally vanished" in 26 percent of those patients, but in only three percent of the control group.

"This appears to be a fairly straightforward relationship, and while we would not necessarily recommend the severe caloric restriction used in our study to every patient, one of the first treatment for OSA that should be considered in the overweight patient is clearly weight loss," said Dr. Tuomilehto.

"A more aggressive treatment of obesity in patients with OSA is well-founded. Lifestyle intervention with an early VLCD is a feasible, low-cost, and curative treatment for the vast majority of patients with mild OSA and it can be implemented in a primary care setting after diagnosis of OSA. Weight reduction also results in an improvement of obesity-related risk factors for cardiovascular diseases."

Weight Watchers Dieting

2008-05-01T10:32:00.000-07:00

When it comes to dieting there are very few organizations that have achieved the lasting success of Weight Watchers. They have been around quite a while and show no signs of stopping. More importantly, their success stories speak volumes for those who join and stick with the program. So what makes this program so successful when many others come and go?

Community

Believe it or not, one of the most important things about Weight Watchers secret to success, so to speak, is the sense of community that is forged between the men and women who are trying to lose weight. There is something humbling and exciting about standing in front of the scale week after week and sharing not only your personal successes and failures but also the failures and successes of others.

Far too often we those who are dieting simply do not have an adequate support system at home. The bonding that is done during the Weight Watchers meeting is a strong bond of men and women who may come from different backgrounds and walks of life but who share a common goal for their futures-weight loss and better health. That is not a bond to be taken lightly particularly when they laugh and cry together. They are in their own way going through the trenches together and the success of this type of program for motivating and encouraging is nothing short of phenomenal.

Evolution

Weight Watchers has a pattern for success but they are not beyond evolving with the needs of the time. While they will be the first to state that the most successful participants typically attend the meetings, Weight Watchers also offers alternatives for those with busy schedules and even those that are simply too afraid to go to the meetings. For these people there is the anonymity of online forums, message boards, and support groups.

Weight Watchers hasn't limited its evolutionary process to this alone, they've also in recent years added a points system that allows dieters participating in their program to more easily gauge how well they are doing by their dietary standards and requirements without needing to count every single calorie or weighing their food. We live in a world of busy people and it is often more hassle than many dieters find to be worth the effort to count every single calorie (particularly when dining out).

The Weight Watchers website is another example of their commitment to evolve and accommodate the diverse needs of the men and women participating in their program. If you haven't checked it out in a while you really should take a look and see what amazing insights and information they have to offer.

Commitment to Fitness

Weight Watchers knows that it isn't just diet that gets results. When you combine diet with exercise the results are much more immediate and more profound. The fact that Weight Watchers stresses the importance of exercise and physical fitness in addition to proper nutrition and changing your way of thinking when it comes to food is yet another reason for their widely known success.

Weight Watchers is just one of many different weight loss and dieting programs in the market today. The fact that they have made a name for themselves and stand out above the rest in many ways is nothing to take lightly. It seems that there is a new weight loss program cropping up every other month or so and yet Weight Watchers continues to achieve visible and sustainable results in those who really work the program. Very few programs can make that claim for as long as Weight Watchers has been able to.

When you combine all of the things mentioned above with the pre packaged foods that are offered by Weight Watchers, the extensive recipes that are available for Weight Watcher's participants, and a solid track record for success you would be robbing yourself of the potential for lasting success if you didn't at least see what the plan has to offer you.

The Greatest Dieting Mistakes

2008-05-01T10:31:00.000-07:00

When it comes to dieting there are many mistakes that are made on a near daily basis. While there are many real profound mistakes that go along with the territory there are a few that seem to have far more profound and lasting implications than others. Hopefully by learning about these mistakes you can learn to avoid them in your own weight loss pursuits.

Perhaps the single largest mistake that dieters make is adopting an all or nothing attitude. These are the dieters that scour the pantry and the refrigerator removing anything that could be seen as a potential source of temptation. They embark on a dietary regimen that is nearly impossible to maintain and believe that all is lost the moment they stray from the strict guidelines of their diet.

While this may work for some in the short term, it sets them up for failure, frustration, and ill will towards the entire dieting process. The important thing when it comes to dieting is the goal. Your goal is to shed pounds. There are many ways in which this can be done that do not require starving yourself or punishing yourself in the process.

Another great mistake when it comes to dieting is selecting a diet plan where you eat the same thing every day. Despite our human need for structure and routine we tend to enjoy changing our lunch routine on occasion. Select a diet or new nutrition plan that allows you to enjoy a wide variety of foods rather than one that limits you to the same meal or meal selection day in and day out.

Other common mistakes include depriving yourself of everything you enjoy. One thing that we often forget is the importance of moderation. Fill up on servings of fruits and vegetables but allow yourself to enjoy the occasional indulgence for the sake of sanity. If you never allow yourself to enjoy a taste of chocolate, why on earth would you want to live forever? Seriously, do not forget to enjoy food for the sake of dieting. There is nothing wrong or sinful about enjoying food. The problem lies when you enjoy only the wrong sorts of foods.

You should also avoid the mistake of not setting goals. While you do not want to set goals that are impossible to achieve you should also avoid the opposite end of the spectrum, which involves having no goals at all. Those who set aggressive goals that are achievable will see the greatest degree of success. Making those goals public and asking for support is another thing that will help you achieve greater success. This is one reason the Weight Watchers program has enjoyed the phenomenal success is has.

The final mistake when it comes to dieting that is made all too often is giving up. We all have setbacks along the way. Even those who have achieved monumental dieting success have met with failure on the road. The end result however, for those who stick with the plan is a healthier body and that is something that is worth fighting for. Your goals may get side tracked but you can set new goals. You may have had a bad day or even a bad week when it comes to your dietary goals and plans. Do not let this defeat your desires to become a healthier you.

Learn to overcome those mistakes and move on from them. Let your failures teach you as much as your successes and you should be well on your way to the healthier person that you know is hiding inside. Whether you want to get rid of 10 pounds or 210 pounds the only way to achieve that goal and make it last is by dedicating yourself to the process of becoming a healthier person. A healthy person has healthy eating habits and doesn't starve him or herself. Nor does a healthy person binge on things that aren't healthy. Learn to enjoy food in moderation and you should be well on your to the success you seek.

The Dieting Mind Set

2008-05-01T10:30:00.002-07:00

When it comes to dieting, far too many people set themselves up for failure before they even begin the process. They literally dread going on their diets and before they start the process are planning their mishaps along the way. Sad to say but true, far too many would be dieters are planning their first Rocky Road mishap while eating their last bowl of Rocky Road before the big event.

I have no idea why we tend to do this to ourselves but it is something I see in dieters everywhere. The far too popular notion is that one must binge on the foods most loved and enjoyed before beginning the dieting process because these things must be completely eliminated in order to shed those unwanted pounds. If you are honest with yourself, nothing could be further from the truth. Moderation is simply a concept that many of us are loathe to embrace.

You must change your way of thinking about food and your personal enjoyment of food in order for any diet you embrace to be successful. Food isn't the enemy. And that is something that not enough people really understand. Even the 'tasty' foods aren't the enemy. The enemy is your personal inability to properly portion the foods you eat. The problem is that the vast majority of us eat the wrong foods far more often than we eat the right foods. This is where the problems lie.

Our bodies need the nutrients we are lacking by not eating the five servings of vegetables and three servings of fruit each day that we should consume. Our bodies know that something is missing and we feel hungry or deprived. If we were actually consuming the proper balance of fruits and veggies each day we would find that we were far less likely to feel hungry and desire those foods that aren't as healthy. This means we would be much more likely to enjoy them in moderation as they should be enjoyed.

Portion control is another problem that we have. We live in a society of "up selling". Super sized fries and empty calories by the gallon of your favorite cola are offered with almost every fast food meal that can be bought. You must learn to say no to these things and avoid situations in which you may feel tempted to partake in these up sized orders.

To be truly successful when dieting you need to embrace the process as building a healthier you rather than depriving yourself of something. Do not think of your weigh loss plan as something negative but rather a positive force in your life to make changes for the better. When you have negative thoughts do not direct them at your diet. When you feel deprived remind yourself that you are depriving your bones of carrying around that excess weight. Remind yourself that you are depriving your wardrobe of those bulky clothes that are designed to hide the bulges. Remind yourself that you are depriving your body of years of bulges and bringing back the body of your youth.

Do not get so caught up in the dieting process that you forget to enjoy some of the goodies that life has to offer. Watching your weight and counting your calories does not mean that you can never go over your allotment. The goal however is to find balance. If you learn to portion your food correctly, indulge in moderation, and incorporate enjoyable calorie burning activities into your daily routine you may be amazed at the results.

Dieting for weight loss and health is only depriving if you allow it to be. If you cannot control yourself when it comes to indulging then by all means avoid indulging. However, if you can learn to incorporate those small treats into your routine in moderation and burn those extra calories as well, then you should find yourself a much happier and more successful 'dieter' than you have ever managed to be in the past.

Teen Dieting

2008-05-01T10:30:00.001-07:00

We have the highest teenage and childhood obesity rates today than at any other point in the world's long history. Much of the blame for this is on the fast food, low energy society that we have become. Far too often we feel that it is safer to keep our children inside our homes rather than out and about in the great outdoors. The things we are doing for the protection of our children are actually detrimental to the health of our children.

There are things however that are being done to address the problem and get our children more involved, more active, and better educated about making the proper choices about diet, nutrition, fitness, and overall health. The problem for most teens is getting them off the computer, phone, or away from the television long enough to get active.

Even video games are getting in on the act of getting children up and active by creating games such as Play Station 2's Dance Party Revolution and the new Nintendo Wii gaming system that seem to be taking the market by storm. These systems allow consumers, to actively participate in the game play adventure rather than sitting back and playing the game in a static environment. It is a great way to get teens off their seats and active. These games are also fun for adults and will have the same effects when it comes to activity. Whoever thought we'd be actually encouraging game play for exercise?

Get Outside and Get Active

Teens learn by example and whether they care to admit it or not, they typically enjoy doing things as part of the family. Go rock wall climbing or mountain climbing. Go bike riding as a family. Camp in the great out doors and go hiking, boating, or biking yet again. Learn a new sport together. It's amazing how much fun you can have learning how scuba dive and while you are at it, neither of you will be consuming empty calories. Even if the sport you take up together doesn't involve a lot of physical activity it is quite likely more active than sitting in front of the television.

Have your teen join a recreational sports team. We have all kinds of sports teams available in our community in which our teens can join. Even those with no skills at all can join and play in some of the leagues while other leagues are competitive. Getting out and about for a softball game, soccer game, and even volleyball can be a great way for the family to do something together and the games and practices are opportunities for your teen to be active.

Lawn work is another way to get out and get active with your teen. The key, as always, is in your teen burning more calories than he or she consumers. It is often easier said than done but it is quite possible if you work to get them out and about. Find things however that will be interesting to your teen and focus on those rather than torturing them with activities that hold no interest at all (well maybe not the yard work). At any rate, filling their time with activities is also allowing time that they aren't consuming calories as well and that is something worth considering.

Encourage your teen to eat healthier foods. Eliminate calorie-loaded sods, fruit juices, and energy drinks from your pantry shelves, and encourage your teens to drink plenty of water each day. Introduce as many vegetables as possible to the diet of your teens and get rid of the prepackaged convenience goodies that teens are notorious for depleting in one sitting. Also having your teens actively participate in the preparation and clean up for meals will help them pay more attention to the things they put into their mouths as well as the messes they make in the process.

Setting Goals When Dieting

2008-05-01T10:29:00.000-07:00

As with most things in life, setting goals is very important when dieting. When you look at things truthfully and objectively you should notice that most of the things you've accomplished in life have been accomplished because you not only had a goal but also had a clearly planned and well thought out process for achieving that goal. That being said, why is goal setting so important when it comes to dieting?

First of all, it is difficult to achieve a goal if you do not have a clearly defined goal. There are times in life when it is almost impossible to tell whether you are succeeding or failing because you aren't certain exactly what the desired outcome should be. Identifying your dieting goals before you begin eliminates this particular possibility.

Second, having dieting goals gives you a measuring stick by which you can judge your process. This is important so that you know when your efforts are failing behind and when you're moving along schedule or ahead of schedule. In other words, you will know when to celebrate and when to give yourself a swift kick to the rear.

Now that we know why we set weight loss goals, let's discuss how we should go about setting those goals that are so important for dieting success. You want to set goals that are aggressive without being impossible to achieve. If you set goals that are beyond your reach you will find that frustration will be your dieting partner until you reach the point where you give up all together. In order to avoid this you should take great care to insure that your goals are possible for you to achieve.

When it comes to weight loss be specific when setting your goals. Rather than setting a total goal of 40 or 60 pounds start with a specific goal such as 10 pounds in one month. Then you can extend the goal to the next month until you've reached the overall goal of 40 or 60 pounds. It is much easier to lose 10 pounds four times than it is to lose 40 pounds at once. It's a trick of the mind but it works. Ten pounds sounds simple and achievable. Forty pounds sounds like an insurmountable obstacle.

Another thing about goals is that you want to hold yourself accountable but you shouldn't call the whole thing off if you only lose 9 pounds instead of 10. Instead, find out where you dropped the ball for the final pound and set your 10-pound goal for the next month.

You should also take great care that you are working with your personal goals and not the goals that someone else is pushing on you. The truth is that if it's personal to you, it will be much more rewarding than if you are doing this for someone else. If your heart isn't in it, there are very few goals that are going to motivate you properly.

Finally, you should establish small (non-food) rewards for accomplishing your dieting goals. Perhaps your reward will be a new accessory for your new (or new old) wardrobe or a pedicure for your new look. Make your reward something fun and frivolous and teach yourself that accomplishing your goals can be accomplished by something other than food. This is a key to dieting successfully.

Jenny Craig for Dieting

2008-05-01T10:28:00.001-07:00

When it comes to dieting and diet commercials I'm sure that many of you have seen the formerly "Fat Actress" Kirstie Allie singing the praises of Jenny Craig for helping her lose 75 pounds. While most of us would agree that this is quite an accomplishment there are many of us watching from home and thinking there is no way that little tiny pizza is going to make a meal.

Much like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig has experienced phenomenal success over the years and incredible longevity. Also like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig has shown an incredible ability to evolve and adapt to the varied and growing demands of consumers. Not everyone is content to enjoy tasteless boxed foods that were prepared for the sake of convenience rather than flavor and yet many would rather sacrifice the flavor in favor of something that didn't keep them in the kitchen too long and weaken their resolve to avoid the Rocky Road hiding in the freezer behind the ice trays.

Regardless of your desires, Jenny Craig is rising up to meet your demands. Not only can you order the pre packaged food through Jenny Craig that has made them famous but now they offer tried and true recipes on their website which allow you to try out your own culinary talents and fulfill your love of cooking. Yes, some of us actually do love to cook. Incidentally for many of us that is how the pounds became a problem.

Jenny Craig is an attractive dieting option because they offer multiple plans to suit different budgets. Far too many weight loss or dieting plans are one size fits all when it comes to budget despite their flexibility when it comes to pounds but that's a story for another day. Dieting is difficult enough on its own without adding financial worries when it comes to paying for the plan into the mix. This is perhaps one of the greatest features I've seen about Jenny Craig and that is saying a lot because they have plenty of other great features as well.

Jenny Craig is yet another weight loss plan that stresses the importance of the calories that must leave your body as well. It is important that you remember this as you incorporate any method of dieting and weight loss into your lifestyle. In order to achieve maximum success you absolutely must make the time in your schedule to exercise. The calories consumed are just as important as the calories that are taken in and that is something far too weight loss plans stress. Jenny Craig, fortunately, isn't one that fails to stress this crucial fact.

Dieting has almost become a bad word in our society. So many people are constantly on this diet or that diet only to find that they are failing time and again to achieve the results for which they were hoping. There are those who will not succeed with Jenny Craig just as there are countless others who will. The trick is in becoming a success story rather than one of the many who have given up and moved on to other dietary pastures. There are plenty of plans on the market from which to choose. The problem is often not the plan but your ability to stick with the plan for the long haul.

Healthy Dieting Tips

2008-05-01T10:27:00.000-07:00

When it comes to dieting you will find all kinds of crazy and faddish diets on the market today. In addition to the many diets there seems to be every kind of diet aid you can imagine. From shakes the diet industry has evolved to include everything from candy bars and pudding to pills and patches. Each item makes the claim that it can help you drop those unwanted pounds quickly and easily. Well I can tell you for a fact there is very little easy for must of us about dropping a few pounds.

If you would like a few tips that should make your weight loss goals a little easier to achieve then perhaps the following tips will help you out.

Drink Plenty of Water

There really isn't enough that can be said about the importance of drinking water in an effort to reach your fitness goals. Water hydrates the body first and foremost but water is also an important way of tricking your body into believing it is full. Other drinks do not work nearly as well as water in this endeavor and many drinks, even fruit juices, contain empty calories that you can ill afford when dieting.

Another great thing about drinking a lot of water while dieting is that it helps your skin retain its elasticity so you can avoid some of the 'loose skin' look that often accompanies massive weight loss. As an added bonus drinking plenty of water will have your skin looking radiant and beautiful as well.

Set Goals

Having goals is one of the most important things you can do when working to loose weight. Try to make sure that your goals are aggressive but can be achieved. If you are frustrated early in the dieting process by unrealistic goals you are much more likely to give up. However, challenges are always going to inspire us to achieve greater things in life. If you can find a 'weight loss partner' in order to have a little friendly competition for the weight loss totals for a week or a month then you are going to be far more likely to accomplish your goals than if you keep them quietly to yourself.

Eat More

Did you read that twice? Yes, eat more healthy foods that are high in fiber. Eat more vegetables and fruits-fill up on these foods that are good for you and you will not be inclined to binge on calorie laden junk food.

Move!

While this seems a little too simply stated for most, getting up and moving is one of, if not the absolute best way to burn calories. The simple truth is that you are not going to lose weight unless you use more calories than you consume. The more activities you enjoy that burn calories, the more likely you are to shed those unwanted pounds and meet your weight loss goals.

Some great activities that actually burn calories include the following: gardening, golf, dancing, playing volleyball, walking, jumping rope, playing hop scotch with your little ones, and playing tennis. I mention these activities because you can trick yourself into believing that you aren't really exercising while burning calories. Even cleaning house requires movement and energy and if you dance around a little to some good music in the process you might burn a few extra calories.

Dieting, when successful can help restore self image and self-esteem in people who are otherwise beautiful people inside and out. The steps above are not the only things that are involved in the dieting process but they can help you reach your weight loss goals particularly when combined with a diet plan that you feel confident you can follow. Be sure that on those days when will power is non-existent that you do not derail your diet efforts all together by giving up. The most important thing you can do when dieting is to go back to dieting once you've strayed.

Finding the Beauty Within While Dieting

2008-05-01T10:26:00.000-07:00

There seems to be one universal truth when it comes to dieting. No one really enjoys the process though we all eagerly await and anticipate the results. The problem is that far too many men and women around the world focus so much on dieting and perfecting their external beauty that they forget the beautiful people they are inside along the way. Our culture is becoming obsessive about the perfect body and the perfect body image.

If there was one message that should make it out to everyone dieing it is this: dieting should be more about health than beauty. You should not need to conform to some preconceived notion of what is or should be beautiful. If we create a world where everyone looks alike it would be rather boring in the end.

You need to focus on being happy with who you are in order to achieve the greatest dieting success you will have ever dared dream. Many of use eat out of emotional need or a simple need for comfort when we are depressed, hurting, uncertain, or simply in unfamiliar territory. There is no solution that will work for everyone when it comes to making peace with who you are and this by no means indicates that you should no longer seek to be the healthiest you there is. It simply means that your focus should be more on coming to terms with who you are as a person than in creating a new person or imagine behind which you can hide.

Dieting for the most part is an opportunity for many men and women to become someone else. Whether that someone is the person you used to be or some person you think you want to be, you are quite unlikely find happiness at any weight until you accept you for the person you are inside. This is often a difficult process but one that is well worth the effort. Once you've accepted the person inside you can address the specific needs that often lead to the excess weight to begin with. Depression is a common factor in weight gain as well as an inability to lose weight. By finding contentment depression will no longer a controlling factor in you life. For many, this is the freedom they need from their weight problems while others will find there are still hurdles remaining.

The important thing is that you stop allowing the person you are to be defined by what the scales say about you. Once you've reached a point in your life where you are happy with your appearance and feel that your personal fitness level is in hand you should discuss things with your doctor and see what he or she has to say. We do not need a nation of size 5 women. We need a nation of women who are self-aware and self confident and not afraid to be who they are on the inside regardless of how they look on the outside.

Finding the beauty within is often the most important aspect of dieting that there can be. Take the time while dieting to get to know the person you are and introduce that person to the person you want to be. In time the two will work out a healthy compromise and you will find that image isn't really everything no matter what the glossy magazines try to tell you.

Dieting Without Sacrifice

2008-05-01T10:25:00.002-07:00

So many people view dieting as some sort of cosmic punishment for not having the perfect body. They believe that enjoying food is somehow bad for them, which couldn't be further from the truth. If you want to be completely honest with yourself, when it comes to dieting, it isn't about giving up food or flavor; it's about discovering new foods and flavors. At least that is what it is for those who truly love food as well as adventure.

There are many spices out there that can make even the blandest of foods a little exciting. Fish and chicken are popular diet foods because they are lean meats. However, adding a little blackening seasoning is a great way to put a little punch in your meal that will make it taste great without packing on the calories of dressing marinades or soaking in butter before broiling. You do not have to stop there. Italian seasoning can also add a little flavor to your kitchen without adding the extra calories that you are working so hard to avoid.

There are all kinds of seasonings that will work well in this instance. Many great seasonings for chicken also make great additions to chicken that will be included in salads for healthier lunches or salad wraps. Grains are good for you when you concentrate on whole grains. They are quite often the primary source of fiber in a diet and you need fiber almost as much as you need water. At any rate, simple things that spice up the same old lunch can have a huge impact on your enjoyment of food.

You can even enjoy the occasional treat when dieting as long as you do so sparingly. The key when dieting is to learn about proper portions and moderate indulgence. You can find all kinds of low sugar or low carb desserts on the market that you can enjoy sparingly. You can even find sugar free or low calorie candy in some cases though you should keep in mind that calories, particularly when it comes to candy you eat unconsciously add up quickly and you must pay close attention to those things you put into your mouth.

My point in all this though is that you do not have to sacrifice flavor in order to diet. You can live without butter; there are many substitutions on the market that are quite remarkable. But seasonings are a great way to add a lot of flavor for a tiny bit of effort on your part. Desserts are also great and you can find many dips and sauces that can be made with fat free or low fat mayonnaise or sour cream in order to cut a few more calories during your dieting process.

These dips and sauces can often make a great substitution, when paired with vegetables, for those chips and dips we love so much and often miss when dieting. Cucumbers, green, red, and yellow peppers, broccoli, and carrot sticks all have a nice little crunch to them that when combined with a good low fat dip can help cure the crave beast for greasy chips that often rears its head when dieting.

If you watch your calories carefully during meals you should be delighted to know that there are many little snack treats that are prepackaged in 100 calorie packs for your enjoyment. This means that you can indulge on occasion in those treats that you love most without sacrificing all your dieting efforts in the process. These snack packs have become one of the best marketing ploys since the invention of diet colas.

We all want the benefits of losing weight and will readily admit that if it were a simple process we'd all be thin. However, having something like these hundred calorie snack packs to carry you through the worst of your cravings can mean the difference between dieting success and failure. They are definitely the difference in the old way of dieting and the new way of dieting without sacrificing flavor.

Dieting with Slim Fast

2008-05-01T10:25:00.001-07:00

Slim Fast is another great diet aid that has been around for quite a while. From it's origins as a thick and gritty powder designed to help you stave off hunger to it's current incarnation as a line of weight loss products and meal bar supplements we have seen some amazing transitions and longevity in this particular product.

Slim Fast is becoming famous for the new flavors they have introduced and their steady stream of testimonials from those who have met or exceeded their goals by using the Slim Fast system. Using Slim Fast when dieting can assist those with little will power when it comes to chocolate and sweets achieve their weight loss goals by having the higher calorie shakes and snacks throughout the day followed by a sensible meal in the evening and indulging in their craving for sweets throughout the day. It's a good plan as long as those using it can manage to stick with the plan.

In the past Slim Fast would not have been a product I would have recommended for those needing to lose a large amount of weight. That has changed however in the last year or so as they have introduced a much more aggressive health and wellness plan that is appropriate to those who have more pounds to take off than the simple 20 or so vanity pounds that was typical of the Slim Fast user of the past.

When it comes to dieting, not all plans are one size fits all, nor should they be. It's good to see that Slim Fast is also adapting to meet the various needs of consumers. Not only does Slim Fast offer consumers shakes and meal replacement or snack bars that are convenient to use even when on the go but they also offer meals that you can prepare as well as healthy convenience meals to replace those evening meals when you are on the run. For those who like options, Slim Fast seems to have more options than ever before.

More than options however, it is good to see that Slim Fast, even after all these years, is still getting results by those who stick with the program. The truth is that the product wouldn't have been around this long if it wasn't working for someone along the way. Like many other weight loss plans, Slim Fast has taken to pushing the benefits of an active lifestyle in addition to the need for a healthy diet. There are some that will argue that you are not getting all the nutrients you need from drinking shakes but it could be reasonably argued from reading the label that the average shake contains more vitamins and nutrients than a sad margin of people consume on a daily basis.

Whether your dieting goals are very short term and specific or long term and lifestyle altering, Slim Fast can assist you in reaching those goals. This is a lifestyle adjustment in itself though and you must be prepared for a new way of eating in order for this plan to work for your specific dieting needs. If you haven't checked out Slim Fast lately and you have made the decision to lose weigh but are uncertain how to go about it, perhaps it's time you take a second look at the Slim Fast line.

Dieting with a Busy Schedule

2008-05-01T10:24:00.000-07:00

When it comes to dieting many of us find that the number one hindrance to our success is the lack of time to prepare the proper meals and snacks for our dietary needs. It is often much more convenient to throw one thing in the crock pot for the family or resort to the fast food last resort rather than preparing the healthy and nutritious meal that we should be eating.

There are things you can do however that will reduce the temptation to hit the drive thru and keep you on course with your dieting needs. The first of these is a process known as once a week cooking. With this method you cook enough meals to last you a week on one day. This means that for every night of the week you have a diet friendly meal ready to go. If your entire family is dieting or eating healthier with you, this works for this situation as well. Dieting and incorporating healthier eating habits into the food for your entire family is a great way to set an example for your children will keeping you motivated and removing temptation.

With once a week cooking you freeze the food that won't be immediately consumed and thaw it the morning you will be eating the food to cook when you arrive home after work or decide it is time for your evening meal. This is a process that works well no matter how many soccer games, dance practices, and band recitals you have on your calendar for the week. You can manage to stick to your diet while having a great meal for your family each and every night of the week.

You should also make sure to have a nice supply and cleaned and cut fruits, vegetables, and salad ingredients in your refrigerator in order to make these dishes readily assessable for quick lunches or snacks. Having these foods readily available will help you resist the temptation to snack on higher calorie prepackaged food while also helping to insure that you have a ready supply of fresh fruits and vegetables to help you get your 5 servings a day.

You should also keep some conveniently packaged yogurt on hand as a good quick and easy dairy product. Sugar free pudding cups are another decent snack for those who need something quick and easy to have on hand. Preparation and planning are essential to successfully meeting your weight loss goals. By preparing as much of the food as possible ahead of time you will never even miss the convenience of those high calorie pre packaged meals and snacks that so many of us survive on when not dieting.

Another time saver is to work your fitness opportunities into the course of your day. Rather than performing one lengthy workout each day, try to find methods of bringing a little fitness activity into the most mundane portions of your day (go stair climbing at lunch, park on the top level of the parking garage and walk down-then up when returning-the stairs), park far away from the door of the supermarket and see if your mall has a walking path that is clearly marked. You'll be amazed at the hidden opportunities many of us have for exercising during our busy days. The trick is often in discovering the activities rather than the time.

When all is said and done, dieting doesn't have to be as time consuming as you may think it is. There are all kinds of prepackaged plans for dieters however if that is the choice you feel is best for you. Whether you are going with Lean Cuisine meals, Weight Watchers frozen entrees, Jenny Craig, or the Slim Fast program there are all kinds of opportunities to work dieting and fitness into even the busiest of schedules. When planning your dieting practices be sure to consider the tips and advice mentioned above.

Dieting to Lose a Few Vanity Pounds

2008-05-01T10:23:00.002-07:00

There are those among us who wish to lose a few pounds rather than 20 or more pounds. While many of us would be grateful if that were the case for us, most will find that the smaller the amount of weight needed to lose the more difficult it seems to remove. The good news is that those with little weight to lose generally do not face the painful issues with exercise and physical activity that plague those with far more weight to lose.

There are some great products on the market that will assist those with relatively little weight to lose enjoy the weight loss process without feeling deprived. The new market of 100-calorie snacks is an excellent tool for just this situation. You can get the treats you need to get you through the day without exactly packing on the pounds in the process. You can count calories to no end but if you have only a few pounds to reach your goal weight and aren't delighted with your tight and tone new body, then perhaps it's best to work on tightening and toning rather than more dieting.

The thing that far too many people forget along the way is that dieting can only get you so far when it comes to results. There will come a time when weight training and cardio exercises of some sort are the only thing that is going to get you to the body you so rightly desire. Dieting is good for dropping the pounds, but dieting alone is unlikely to bring you the body of your dreams. You should also keep in mind that exercising and ramping up your fitness routine is a great way to renew your dedication to the process and your enthusiasm. This is particularly true if you have found a fitness routine that is appealing to you.

The fitness routines of today are not the tired old aerobics workout of the 1980's. You have many options ranging from kick boxing, Tae Bo, Yoga, Pilates, and even belly dancing for those that dare. The point is that you are not as limited as you may think when it comes to entertaining options for your workout routine. Find a workout that you can actually be excited about doing and do it. There is a lot of truth to the old Nike commercials that boldly proclaimed: "Just Do It". Whatever it may be in your fitness routine, it will not do itself. You must be an active participant in your weight loss and fitness endeavors in order to achieve any results that will be favorable.

Whether your weight loss and dieting goals are to shed a few pounds or many pounds along the way it is quite likely that you will at some point reach a plateau in which you discover that you need to ramp up either your level of physical activity or calorie burning methods or you will need to ramp up your calorie cutting exercises. Either way, dealing with the setback is almost as important as your decision to lose those pounds in the first place. Get back in the game and renew your efforts. In no time you should have lost those few pounds that you were hoping to lose and established the body you were aiming to create.

Dieting for Weight Loss

2008-05-01T10:23:00.001-07:00

The most common reason that people cite for dieting today is weight loss. While most of us would love to claim the noble mantle of dieting for health the vast majority of us are doing so for vanity. This, however, is a perfectly acceptable and plausible reason for making the lifestyle changes that are necessary in order to diet. In fact, this reason might prove to be a far greater motivator than many of the other commonly stated reasons for dieting.

When dieting for weight loss one of the most common complaints is constantly feeling hungry. In order to help combat this, you might want to incorporate some of the following strategies into your dieting program. First of all, eat more high fiber foods. Whole grains, apples, pears, and lima beans are a great source of fiber as are many breakfast cereals. Easy does it however when it comes to fiber as it may be filling but there are some unpleasant side effects that may accompany heavy fiber eating (remember that beans are a good source of fiber). Try using a product such as Bean-o when consuming larger amounts of fiber. You might also try spreading your fiber intake throughout the day rather than consuming all your daily fiber at once.

Another method for feeling fuller when dieting is to drink plenty of water while dieting. Water provides an important service to the body and is very necessary when it comes to delivering all the nutrients where they need to go. Water also helps regulate your metabolism, which is very important to the dieting and weight loss process. Additionally, water will help you skin retain its elasticity so that your skin can go more easily back into place once the serious weight loss begins.

Learn to control your portions. We live in a world where portions are over inflated and super sized so often that we no longer know what an appropriate portion looks like. Restaurant meals are quite often more than adequate for at least two full meals and that is before salads, soups, appetizers, or desserts have been ordered. Learning to portion correctly can save you from over loading your calorie intake for the day massively. It can also help you get extra helpings of the lower calorie foods such as lettuce and other vegetables rather than taking such large portions of calorie rich starches or fried foods.

Do not go "Gung Ho". There are limits to what the body and the mind can handle. When you go on a diet you are making a drastic change to your bodies caloric intake. If you go overboard you can lead to health risks along the way. Begin cutting calories a little at a time and incorporate changes as you go rather than going in with an all or nothing attitude. If you go overboard with your dieting plans chances are that you are dooming your diet to failure.

Take your diet one step at a time for the best results and be sure to incorporate extra physical activity into the mix. Even gardening when done on a regular basis can burn calories, so can cleaning the house, and playing with the little ones. Take a walk to the park or the corner store rather than getting in the car and pull a wagon or push a stroller while you're at it. The added weight will be just enough resistance to burn a few extra calories.

Dieting for weight loss does not necessarily have to be a major sacrifice on your part but in order to be successful it will be a radical change in lifestyle, particularly if you need to lose more than a few vanity pounds. The health implications of loosing the weight are well worth the required effort and should not be taken lightly no matter how excited you are about your new body that is hiding inside your old one.

Dieting for the Right Reasons

2008-05-01T10:22:00.000-07:00

When it comes to dieting, far too often we take those first steps towards weight loss bliss for what we later determine are all the wrong reasons. Ultimately however, if your reason works for you there is no truly wrong reason to diet. The trick is in finding the reason that will actually work for you.

I've seen all kinds of excellent motivators when it comes to dieting and taking your dieting seriously. One of the more common reasons is to lose weight. This is as good of a reason as any. Some want to get back into the size 5 jeans they wore in high school while others would simply like to be able to look in the mirror once again without feeling guilt. For some this is a simple matter of vanity and for others it is finally managing to deal with what has become a lifelong problem. If you find the inspiration you need to be successful with your dieting this time as opposed to others, then that is the perfectly plausible and acceptable reason for you to diet.

Other reasons for dieting include a desire to be more physically fit. Some of us have a deep and abiding desire to live as long as possible and firmly believe that the best possible method for accomplishing this goal is to live the healthiest life possible. This is another excellent reason for losing weight and getting into shape. If it works for you that is. The thing to remember is that every person is going to have to find their very own motivation deep within.

Yet another great reason is to have the energy you need to keep up with your little ones. This is one of the most heartbreaking side effects for most when it comes to obesity. There is simply no energy left over at the end of the day to enjoy doing things with your precious little ones who are young for such a very short amount of time. You desperately want to be able to build those precious memories with them but absolutely have no energy with which to do so. If that isn't bad enough you probably (if you are considered morbidly obese) have noticed that many of the simplest activities with your children often bring you physical pain that is the direct result of your weight.

Revenge is a dish that is best served cold and another excellent motivator for some when it comes to dieting and taking off those pesky pounds. Losing a great deal of weight takes time in many cases so you must be able to maintain your motivation even when things are going rough along the way. The path to a new body is not an easy path. This is for those who have some serious emotional healing to do and the best revenge for old slights and wounds is to come back more beautiful than ever before. If this motivation is what it takes for you to take off the pounds then this is the motivation to which you should cling.

Religion is another common weight loss motivation. Some people believe the body should be treated as a temple. There is nothing wrong with this philosophy at all, though it takes some us longer to find our way to that line of thinking than others. Religion and faith are powerful motivators, as they have been known to bring healing to those in need by the power of their faith or their prayers. If your faith can give you the will power and strength you need in order to reach your dieting and weight loss goals then by all means lean on your faith and hold it close.

No matter what motivation you have for dieting and losing weight if you find it is no longer working for you, then you need to find another motivator quickly. Without proper motivation it is quite unlikely that you will ever meet your weight loss goals.

Dieting for Success Making it Happen

2008-05-01T10:21:00.000-07:00

Dieting is far too often approached from the mindset of impending failure. Too many people have tried and failed so many diets in their past that they try the next new diet with the absolute knowledge that they will fail in this attempt as well. Guess what? They will.

Henry Ford once said, "If you think you can or think you can't you will always be right." If you think you are going to fail at this diet you are dooming yourself to failure before you even deprive yourself of the first bite. Think about that before you begin because only a true masochist could find pleasure in perpetuating this vicious cycle without ever stopping to wonder why none of the other diets have worked for you. Henry Ford also said, "Failure is only the opportunity to begin again more intelligently". In case you were wondering I would say his words are quite profound. Seriously though, if you do not examine the reasons for your failures you are certainly dooming yourself to repeat them and if you are already planning to fail why on earth would you even try?

You are the only person who can take control of your need to eat. You are the only one who can pay attention and notice when you are eating for emotional fulfillment and when you are eating from necessity. You and you alone can get yourself out of your chair and on your feet. You are the only one that can take the responsibility for the condition in which you find yourself. There are medical exceptions but even in these situations if you are trying diet after diet and failing over and over again then you must at some point in time realize that it is quite likely not the diets that aren't working.

We must all be accountable for our successes and failures in life. It is no different when it comes to dieting. There are few better feelings in the world than for someone to notice and compliment your efforts. If you are very obese unfortunately, it may take a little more time for people to actually notice the weight you've lost. Too many men and women give up simply because no one noticed and that is an incredible shame. Give your dieting practices an opportunity to work before you decide they are a failure and you just might surprise yourself with a roaring success.

The truth is far too few people hold themselves accountable to their dieting and weight loss goals. This means that far too many people are giving up without really ever bothering to give it an effort. If you have an issue holding yourself accountable to your dieting plans, perhaps you would do well to diet with a partner. This helps you not only set goals but also to meet and exceed challenges along the way. A partner can also benefit from the partnership as he or she will be challenged and feel the need to perform better than if he or she were dieting alone.

You must hold yourself accountable to your stated dieting and weight loss goals in order to achieve any lasting results. If you have not had dieting success in the past, then perhaps it is time to bring some degree of accountability into the picture and make it happen.

Dieting for Health

2008-05-01T10:20:00.002-07:00

There is no greater reason to diet than for your personal health and well being. Those of us who are overweight know better than most the risks and possible consequences that may result because of our weight. Much like smokers however, the risks do not always seem quite so cut and dry until we reach our very own turning point. Whether your eating habits are born of an addiction to certain foods, an emotional need, or years of learned behavior and conditioning things will not change until you completely adjust your eating habits and your lifestyle choices.

Dieting for many has become a lifestyle in and of itself with people rapidly flip-flopping or yo-yoing from one diet to another with little success and growing despair over a sheer lack of results. The truth is that until you decide to forgive yourself for your failures and get right back on the wagon, so to speak, after falling off no diet is going to be successful. A simple diet isn't going to magically make the pounds disappear and constantly depriving yourself of those things you enjoy most may have a more detrimental effect than a positive effect.

The number one thing most people need to learn is that dieting isn't always a good thing. What most people who are overweight need more than anything else is to incorporate positive lifestyle changes into their daily routines. People scoff at the notion of taking the stairs or parking farther away and yet those are perfectly plausible methods of working a little more physical activity into your day. If those do not work for you how about learning to dance? Seriously, there are beginner dance classes in most communities that will welcome and invite dances of all ages, sizes, and fitness levels if you are willing to make the effort. What a great way to get fit, learn something new, and have fun without filling deprived.

Another great thing about an activity such as a dance class (consider ballroom dancing with your significant other) is that you are not eating or tempted to eat during the time that you are dancing in most cases. Another great thing is that you are burning those calories you didn't eat. If dancing isn't you thing, try joining a walking club or finding another hobby. Anything that gets you on your feet and away from the temptation of your refrigerator is a good thing when it comes to dieting and weight loss. You cannot lose a significant amount of weight by dieting alone. You must incorporate physical fitness into your daily routine in order to achieve those immediate and visually stunning results that many dieters are hoping to achieve.

Another pitfall when it comes to dieting is that people give up far too quickly. Just as the results are beginning and progressing people get tired of the process or frustrated that they aren't accomplishing enough dramatic weight loss as quickly as they had hoped and give up all together marking off yet another failure when they could have achieved greater success than ever before if they had stuck with their original diet plan a little longer.

One more thing you should remember when it comes to dieting is that the scale can be your best friend or your worst enemy when dieting. If you are weighing yourself every day in hopes of watching the scale tick off yet another pound you are dooming yourself to failure. You will never achieve the results you are hoping for you if you are going into depressive bouts of Rocky Road or Chunky Monkey every night because you didn't lose 10 pounds overnight.

When it comes to dieting there are very few diets that work. There are however, many lifestyle changes that when practiced consistently and aggressively will work. The thing to remember is that you are the one who must work because it is quite unlikely that any diet will.

Dieting for Fertility

2008-05-01T10:20:00.001-07:00

Obesity has many negative health consequences. Some are better known and documented than others. Recent studies have shown that yet another potential consequence of obesity is difficulty when it comes to conceiving a baby. Fertility troubles are a growing problem in this country and around the world. One reason that is being hailed as a very viable culprit is obesity.

While most people look immediately to the female in the relationship for this particular problem the facts indicate that male obesity can also lead to a low sperm count, which can also hamper fertility efforts and progress.

Our bodies were designed for specific purposes. It is utterly amazing how well each part of the human body works to support the others. There are very few machines that can compete with the genius of the design of the human body. After thousands of years to study the human body there are still many mysteries hidden within. The truth comes down to this however, we put things into our bodies, and abuse our bodies in ways that our bodies were simply not designed to take and yet we still manage to adapt and survive many of these things.

It's amazing when you think about that the human body endures the many things it does without permanent and irrevocable damage. The good news for those attempting to conceive is that the human body also has the remarkable ability to heal itself. This means that those who find their efforts to conceive have been hampered by obesity have also seen positive changes by losing as little as five to ten percent of your ability to conceive.

If both partners are overweight then it might be a good idea to work together to shed those unwanted pounds and adopt a healthier, more active lifestyle. Being active when trying to conceive and throughout the pregnancy is a good idea for the female in the relationship at any rate as this can help in the process of labor and delivery.

If you are trying to conceive without success and have been doing so for more than a year it is probably in your best interest to seek the services of a fertility specialist in order to rule out other possible considerations. Though it is rarely a bad idea to adopt a healthier lifestyle you should also consult your doctor before beginning a strict diet or weight loss regimen in order to make sure there aren't other factors that may be causing your weight issues. This is particularly true if you have gained a good deal of weight in a rather short amount of time.

In addition to conception difficulty obesity can also lead to a greater risk of miscarriage once conception has occurred. Obesity also leads to a greater risk of conditions such as gestational diabetes during the pregnancy, pre-eclampsia, and in some cases still birth and birth defects. It is no small hindrance to a healthy pregnancy and should be carefully considered before attempting to conceive.

Another consideration when it comes to obesity and fertility is that being overweight can also hamper the affects of fertility treatments. This means that the process is typically lengthier and will cost significantly more over time than if obesity were not a factor. When coupled with the risks to the baby this is something that should not be taken lightly when making plans for fertility treatments.

If your BMI is greater than 30 there are many fertility clinics that simply will not offer their services. Some limit it to greater than 35 and others 40. If you feel that fertility treatments are the only course of action available to you and your BMI is greater than 30, the first suggestion you are likely to hear is the suggestion that you make serious weight loss efforts and lifestyle changes before proceeding. You may find that once you begin to shed the pounds, fertility intervention is no longer necessary.

Dieting for Children

2008-05-01T10:19:00.001-07:00

It is difficult in the world we live in to watch as so many children are literally overburdening their bodies at such young ages by being overweight. These children simply cannot run, jump, and play with the other children because their bodies simply will not allow them to do so. For these children, dieting is almost a necessity despite our best efforts to insulate them from the self-esteem issues that often accompany obesity.

If you have a child that is well outside the normal weight range for his or her age you are the one who must make the efforts and take the necessary steps to insure they shed those pounds in order to live a life that is as close to normal as possible. The first thing you need to do however is consult with your child's doctor about the best possible course of action that will also safeguard the health of your child.

Put quite frankly however, if you do not take the efforts to assist your child in shedding those pounds you are placing the health of your child at risk. We do not let our children play in the street, we don't let them run with knives, why on earth would we allow them to commit suicide by Twinkie? If you have a child that is overweight, the following tips should help you and them with their dieting.

First of all, do not make food a punishment or a reward. Food is part of the problem with your children and you do not need to use it against them. Instead, introduce them to healthy alternatives. Do not keep the junk in the house and do not let them purchase lunch at school. Pack their lunches for school so that you know what they are eating. If you don't give them junk food they cannot have it when at home and you can work to insure that they can't get their hands on junk food when they leave the house.

Incorporate healthy snacks into your families eating plan rather than junk food. Fresh fruit, cut up vegetables, nuts, and frozen yogurt are good healthy snacks for your kids. When in doubt consult the food pyramid but watch calories in the process. You want your children to eat a well balanced diet while eliminating junk food and sweets for the best result.

Cut out the juices and pop. This may be a huge ordeal in your house but the greatest gift you can offer your child is a deep and abiding appreciation for water. Water works to make their bellies feel full and keeps them hydrated for the added activities you should be introducing into their routines.

Have them take dance, take up a sport, or simply get out and run around the yard. The worst thing you can do is to allow your children to become comatose television, computer, or video game zombies. Get them out and get them active. This helps in two ways. First of all, they aren't eating if they are outside playing and having a good time. Second, they are burning calories as they play which is a huge bonus in the dieting process for your children.

As your child begins to take off the weight you should begin to notice a very profound difference in not only the way he or she carries his or herself but also in his or her interactions with others. Your child will experience restored and renewed self-confidence as the pounds come off and the teasing at school stops.

If you are at a complete loss as to how to help your child take the weight off there are camps that are designed specifically to deal with weight issues and building self-esteem in children ages 7-19. One of these camps may be just the answer you are looking for. Another thing to consider is to lead by example. If you don't eat the junk food, if you are active, and if you do not engage in emotional overeating your child will not be learning those behaviors from you or having them reinforced by you.

Dieting by Weight Loss Surgery

2008-05-01T10:18:00.000-07:00

Those who are what is considered morbidly obese have few options when it comes to losing weight when time is of the essence. Many have bounced from one diet to the next for the vast majority of their lives only to find failure after failure and a growing sense of hopelessness and helplessness.

One common misconception when it comes to the morbidly obese is that they did it to themselves and if they didn't want to be overweight they wouldn't be. While this is nice in theory it isn't always true in practice. There are certain medical conditions that can result in a person being unable to control the weigh they gain. There are also environmental issues that can affect the weight of a person as well. It's ironic that in many cases alcoholics and drug addicts are treated and viewed with greater compassion than someone who is obese.

The surgery itself is major surgery and not an option that should be taken lightly and without a great deal of thought. Most people find that weight loss surgery involves a major change in lifestyle before and after as well as an entirely new way of eating that is a lifelong commitment. Because of the life altering changes that result from this surgery it is recommended that those receiving the surgery have a BMI that is greater than 40. This means that it is recommended for men who are greater than 100 pounds overweight and women who overweight by 80 or more pounds.

You should carefully weigh the benefits and the risks of a surgery such as this before deciding that this is the course of action you need to take. The risks are great with this surgery and should not be overlooked in desperation to shed the weight you've wanted to shed for so long. Nutritional deficiencies occur in almost 20% of those who have received this sort of surgery as the result of insufficient nutrients. This can lead to osteoporosis and other conditions as you age. Complications can result from the surgery itself. You can have lifelong issues when consuming too much or the wrong sorts of foods, and there are some who achieve their goals only to find that the weight comes back in time. As with anything in life there are no guarantees when it comes to weight loss surgery.

In order to determine whether or not this surgery will be beneficial to you, you may want to ask yourself the following questions.

Is my weight significantly hampering day-to-day activities?
Is my weight causing other secondary conditions that may be harmful to my health?
Is my weight something I honestly feel I can take control of on my own?
Can I commit to the lifelong consequences and follow up that will be required?

The problem with most people who find the need to resort to weight loss surgery is that they cannot take control of their bodies back. The odds of a good candidate for weight loss surgery losing the weight of his or her own design are very slim as he or she has most likely tried and failed every diet in the books.

Only you can determine whether or not weight loss surgery is a viable option for your weight loss needs. If you decide that this is something you are interested in learning more about, be sure to discuss the possible consequences thoroughly with your physician.

Dieting and Weight Loss Drugs

2008-05-01T10:17:00.000-07:00

There are many pills, potions, lotions, powders, and creams that promise to melt off the pounds you've put on while you sleep. The sad truth is that only one pill sold over the counter at this point in time has the FDA back up its claims of aiding in weight loss period. This drug would be the over the counter form of the drug that has been prescribed as Xenical. In the over the counter form it is known as Alli. Alli along with diet and exercise is known to boost the weight loss process to provide more immediate and long lasting results.

With any medication such as this there are those that will tout its effectiveness as well as those that will shout out the dangers of this chemical we are potentially introducing to our bodies. The one thing that is important to remember is that Alli holds no claims to work without consistent weight loss and fitness efforts on your part. This product is meant to supplement your own efforts not to work as a substitute for your own efforts.

It should be mentioned that there are consequences that occur as the result of taking Alli and not following up with a diet that is low in fat. Among the side effects that can result are flatulence, loose stools, and bowel incontinence. This is not a drug for the faint of heart nor is it a medication for those that are not completely dedicated to the cause of loosing weight and dieting.

While Alli is not the overall solution that so many are hoping for, it can lead to more substantial effects for your efforts and that is nothing to overlook when it comes to importance. According to the website for Alli you have as much as 50% greater weight loss potential when you combine Alli with diet and exercise than dieting and exercise alone would bring. This is a huge break through for the weight loss community and diet industry at large.

While this isn't the magic pill that will melt off the pounds as you sleep it is a pill that is documented to get results and some of these results are quite impressive for those who stick to the plan. If you have been struggling with dieting, diet plans, weight loss, and incorporating a bold and beneficial fitness routine into your life there is no time like the present to check out Alli and see what outstanding results this product can introduce into your fitness plan.

If Alli helps even a tenth of those who decide to take it achieve their fitness and weight loss goals then this is the miracle product we hoped it would be. Most miracles, after all don't come free and most of them do not come for less than $100 a bottle for certain.

If you are one of the many out there who is struggling with obesity and feels hopeless when it comes to controlling your weight and your life, then perhaps Alli is the answer to your prayers. My best recommendation is to discuss this product seriously with your doctor before making any sort of commitment in order to decide if you are committed enough and ready to take the next step or if your physician feels this may not be in your best interest at the time.

Dieting and Fitness

2008-05-01T10:16:00.000-07:00

When it comes to living a long and healthy life, there are two necessary ingredients: diet and fitness. While some believe that they are one thing all together, nothing could be further from the truth. It is quite possible to have a perfectly healthy diet with deplorable fitness habits. It is equally possible to be very physically fit with less than savory eating habits.

There's a clever little line in the Jimmy Buffet song "Fruitcakes" when his 'lady' is lamenting:
"I treat my body like a temple. You treat yours like a tent"

I can't help but think of this line whenever I think about all the people around the world who are going on these garbage in, garbage out diet plans hoping to achieve the weight loss success of those who are endorsing these products.

To be completely honest, it is possible to shed pounds through diet alone. It is difficult but possible. It is also possible to be physically fit and have a few extra pounds hanging around. To a large degree we are what we eat. If we consume a high fat low substance diet our bodies are going to lack the fuel required to burn the fat. At the same time if we aren't providing our bodies with the tools it needs to build muscle it doesn't matter how many weights we lift.

When it comes to diet and fitness, the best results are achieved when they work together rather than separately. Use your fitness routine to burn excess calories and use your diet in order to properly provide your body the nutrients and fuel it needs to build muscle. I've heard many times in my life that a pound of muscle weighs less than a pound of fat. While this is not true at all, a pound is a pound regardless; a pound of muscle occupies less space on the body than a pound of fat. Pound for pound, I would much rather mine be composed of muscle than fat. Dieting alone does not build muscle and that is something you will do well to remember in your efforts.

You should also realize that as you are building muscle you may be shedding inches while not showing a great deal of progress on the scale. It is very important that you keep this in mind throughout the weight loss process. Do not measure your progress by the scales alone or you will achieve misleading results. The problem is that far too many people do just this and get frustrated and give up when they are actually making progress. Do not allow yourself to be a victim of the scales. Look in the mirror, try on your tight pants, and measure your waistline. Measure your success by how you feel after climbing a flight of stairs not by how many pounds fell of the scale this week.

By incorporating fitness into your diet routine you are also enabling your body to burn off any extra calories you may have consumed during the day. This means that if you want to have a small 'cheat' during your day, you can make up for it by burning a few more calories than normal in the evening. This isn't something that should happen often but an occasional occurrence isn't going to make or break your diet.

You should also look at dieting and fitness as a ball and glove type of relationship. While you can play ball without the glove, it seems to work so much better if you have both. Diet and fitness when combined can create fantastic weight loss results for those who take them both seriously. The thing to remember is that neither works as well alone and neither will work unless you are willing to do the work. You must make this a priority in your life in order to achieve the best possible results.

Dieting and Diabetes

2008-05-01T10:15:00.000-07:00

Very few people realize the profound effect that weight has on diabetes. Even instances of gestational diabetes are much greater in patients that are overweight than in those that are not. Type 2, or adult onset diabetes is more commonly found in overweight people than those that are within their 'ideal' weight ranges. In fact, almost 90% of those with Type 2 diabetes are overweight. If you are suffering from Type 2 diabetes, the best gift you could possibly give yourself just might be the gift of getting your weight under control.

Among those that suffer from Type 2 diabetes almost 40% have high blood pressure, which is another condition that is believed to be exacerbated by excess weight. Being overweight might also lead to a condition known as insulin resistance in which the body no longer responds to the insulin that is needed to assist the body in using sugar and glucose as fuel on a cellular level.

There are some things you can do to help yourself out if you have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes or labeled at risk for this devastating condition. First of all, take off the pounds. I know this is much easier said than done. Dieting is never easy and rarely fun for the average person. However, if you do not begin to take drastic steps toward procuring the best possible health for yourself you may not be able to enjoy the quality of life you had planned for your golden years. Let your condition be your motivation and make plans to enjoy watching your grandchildren and great grandchildren graduate college.

Fight it standing up. Don't sit down and let Diabetes control you. Stand up and take control of your body back. This is a fight to the finish and if you let it, diabetes will be your end. If you fight it standing up, lose the weight, get out there and exercise, listen to the doctor's orders and follow them. Find the strength within you to battle this disease head on. You'll be amazed at what happens when you decide to stand up and fight for your health.

Get active. Find activities that you enjoy and get out there and do them. Don't make those activities passive activities either. Even if it's just going out to play shuffleboard everyday get out there and play. Enjoy your time in the sun. Pick flowers with the little ones. Take up golf. Do whatever it takes to get up and moving each and every day in order to remember why you want to live forever in the first place.

Watch what you eat. Garbage in, garbage out, right? You have strict dietary requirements once you've been diagnosed with diabetes. This means that you absolutely must follow your dietary restrictions. Learn to live within those limits in order to live and enjoy life to the fullest you can. The amazing thing is that there are all kinds of foods available that are friendly to those with diabetes that weren't around just a few short years ago. It is quite possible to live and eat quite nicely with diabetes if you stick to your plan. The most important thing about dieting with diabetes is that you never lose sight of how crucial it is to do so.

Avoid Dieting Make Positive Changes Instead

2008-05-01T10:14:00.000-07:00

Why is it that merely saying the "D" word, you know "diet" brings immediate thoughts of failure to the minds of many men and women around the world? Could it be that we have all learned through trial and error that diets simply do not work? I know many of you are sitting back with jaws dropped at the moment. After all, this is an article about dieting, right? It is and it isn't. Dieting is the kiss of death for many while a new phase in your life or lifestyle adjustment may be just the thing that will mean success for you and your fitness and health goals.

Eating for some is an addiction. Unfortunately, you can't exactly give up eating all together as a smoker can give up cigarettes. I'm not applying by any means that giving up cigarettes is easy but how much more difficult would it be if you were forced to have three a day? At that point you may as well enjoy them every time the urge hits right? The same holds true for food. You must eat in order to survive. You cannot live without eating. This means that if food is a problem in your life, you must find a healthier way of viewing food.

Isn't this where diets generally come in handy? The short answer is no. This is where diets often fail. Diets do very little to change how we view food. In fact, most diets only serve to tell us which foods are good, which foods are bad, and which foods (typically most of the foods we enjoy most) are strictly taboo. Diets begin by forcing people to feel deprived or punished. And no one likes to feel either of these things.

Even worse however, is that we punish ourselves further when we slip along the straight and very narrow pathways upon which our diets place us. This means that we are going to wallow in guilt over every little misstep we make until we give up all together and decide to over indulge once again and ignore the guilt all together.

In order to have real success you must make a lifestyle change. This is the only way that you will be able to shed those unwanted pounds without experiencing the horrible guilt that so many dieters go through each and every step of the way with their diets. Set goals for yourself. Keep them aggressive but realistic for fitness, dropping pounds, and eating new healthy foods. Even if your goal is as simple as eating 5 vegetable servings a day it is a great place to start.

Change your way of eating. Then change your way of seeing food and you will experience amazing changes in your attitudes toward your health, your body, and even your fitness level. As the first pounds begin to drop you will begin to experience more energy and less pain when exercising. This should help keep you motivated to do even more as time goes by.

Do not think that long term weight loss goals will be as easy to achieve as the first five or ten pounds. Consistency is vitally important when making these lifestyle changes. Take each day as it comes and begin again the very next day. This means that even if you fall completely "off the wagon" today, you can start over tomorrow. The trick is in staying the course more days than not and learning moderation and balance when it comes to straying from the straight and narrow.

There are many ways to fail when it comes to dieting and I know people who have failed in almost every one I can possibly imagine. There is no way to fail, however, when you are making positive changes in your life that are getting positive results. It may take weeks, months, or even years to reach your goal. As long as you are making steady and continuous efforts and progress, you are doing many great things for your health and well being.

Atkins for Dieting

2008-05-01T10:13:00.000-07:00

Most people around the world by now have heard of the Atkins diet. It has been one of the most highly touted and highly controversial diets of our time. Those who love it have nothing but great things to say about it but those who are critical are not shy about their opposition either. The largest criticism when it comes to the Atkins, or low carb diet would be the near absence of whole grains, which are considered the cornerstone to a healthy diet by many.

Dieting with the Atkins diet involved eliminating a large degree of carbohydrates from your diet. In the past there hasn't been as much of an emphasis on fitness and exercise with the Atkins diet as there seems to be currently. This is good news however as an active fitness regime is as essential to successful weight loss as cutting calories and in this case cutting carbohydrates.

You should take great caution that you are getting accurate information when it comes to Atkins dieting if this is something you are considering in order to meet your fitness and weight loss needs. There is a great deal of misleading and incorrect information that is floating around out there when it comes to the Atkins diet and weight loss plan. First of all, weight loss is the direct result of burning more calories than you consume. It doesn't matter how many or how few carbs you enjoy or deny yourself during the day if at the end of the day you've consumed a few thousand calories too many.

The notion that you can eat anything you want during the day as long as there are no carbs is simply incorrect. Calories still put on the pounds whether you are using the Atkins plan for weight loss or not. That being said there are some interesting insights in this diet and a good man of the foods that are eliminated are those that have the most complex sugars for the body to dispose of. For this reason there are many who have followed the honest to goodness plan to tremendous results.

If you are considering dieting with the Atkins plan you should realize that this is a lifelong commitment in order to achieve the maximum benefit of the plan. There will be lesser restrictions as you reach the maintenance phases of the plans but you are making a conscious decision to pretty much sacrifice a good deal of the carbohydrates that many of us have enjoyed throughout our lives. This is a concept that is much easier said than done over an extended period of time and especially in a society when most of us cannot commit to a mate for that long.

At any rate, dieting with the Atkins plan has produced results for a good deal of people around the world. The news of these results has made it one of the most talked about, tested, and tried systems for dieting on the planet and many people have mixed reviews. Those who love it and feel that it is effective are enthusiastic in its support though those that are honest will admit that you do feel as though you are sacrificing a good deal for the sake of your dietary needs. Those who hate it hate it, and there is nothing that is going to change their opinion. The only way to know for sure is to try for yourself.

Dieting for the Right Reasons

2008-05-01T10:12:00.000-07:00

When it comes to the world of dieting you will find that there are many diet, weight loss, and fitness plans on the market. It takes years for some to become a contender and others remain a best-kept secret of sorts. One such 'best kept' secret would be the 3 Hour Diet that was designed by Jorge Cruise. I am sure that there are many reading along and chuckling under your breath that there is no way one can lose weight by eating every three hours however the science behind the theory is fairly common and Jorge Cruise is a mainstay in the fitness industry.

The long and short of this diet operates with the knowledge that if you do not feed your body accurately and regularly your body will go into what is called 'starvation mode'. In this mode your body holds onto the fat rather than burning it up and consuming it for use. This means that your body is burning muscle rather than fat to take the energy it needs in order to function.

With the 3 Hour Diet you will not feel hungry all the time, in fact, there are many who claim they are constantly setting alarms and reminding themselves to eat. You will also learn the proper foods to eat in order to achieve the best possible results. The key is in learning which foods are right for you when dieting with this plan. You can purchase the book The 3-Hour Diet by Jorge Cruise and you can sign up online for more information about the weight plan itself and how to incorporate it into your busy routine.

I do recommend purchasing the book if you are seriously considering this as your method of dieting as there are many wonderful hints, tips, and tricks that are mentioned in the book to help you keep things going no matter how busy and hectic your lifestyle may be. One thing you need to keep in mind is that dieting with a program such as this is no small commitment. You need to stick to the timetable as much as possible in order to achieve the results this plan is famous for. If you aren't willing to eat every three hours then this plan really may not be the plan for you.

Otherwise, if this is something you would be interested in, I highly recommend it. There are special considerations based on the amount you weight currently and the amount of weight you are hoping to lose. It is best if you are honest throughout the process in order to achieve the best possible and most immediate results. The claim is that you can lose as many as 10 pounds in the first two weeks and there are those that have claimed to do just that over and over again. This is a diet that even many celebrities endorse for quick and immediate results.

The good and the bad about 3 hour dieting is that it is effective but takes a very real commitment on the part of the one that is dieting. This diet is one that is taking the world by storm. If you haven't heard of it before now, please take the time to check it out and see if this is something you could incorporate into your life. The results that have been reported as a result of this diet as nothing short of phenomenal. If there were one diet I would recommend above others for those who hate feeling hungry, it would be this diet.

Obesity Drug Shows Mixed Success Against Atherosclerosis

2008-05-01T10:11:00.000-07:00

The weight-loss drug Acomplia may or may not help slow atherosclerosis, a buildup of arterial plaque that's connected with carrying too much weight.

A new trial did not find any evidence that the drug actually slowed disease progression, although it did show a decrease in one measure of plaque build-up in arteries.

Acomplia also showed a high rate of psychiatric side effects, notably depression and anxiety, the study found.

Still, Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, director of Women and Heart Disease at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, who was not involved with the study, said: "I think it's important for us to understand that this wasn't a negative trial. It's very important that we look at this more closely. What decrease in blood pressure and cholesterol as parameters are needed, or really how much decrease in obesity is needed for us to see a change in atherosclerosis volume? It might pan out to show something beneficial. We just don't know."

The findings, from researchers at the Cleveland Clinic, were published April 2 in the Journal of the American Medical Association and were released early Tuesday to coincide with a presentation at the American College of Cardiology annual meeting, in Chicago. The study was funded by Sanofi Aventis, which makes Acomplia.

Data on a second anti-obesity drug, taranabant, also presented at the conference, also showed a high rate of psychiatric problems, although the medication did show some promise helping patients lose weight.

In the United States, two-thirds of adults are overweight, and more than one-third are obese. People with weight concentrated in their midsection have a higher risk of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and other risk factors for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease or disease related to the build-up of plaque in the arteries.

Not for lack of effort, researchers have yet to happen on a "magic" treatment for obesity and its attendant problems.

One drug that has shown some promise, Acomplia (rimonabant), has been approved for use in Europe but not in the United States. Last June, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration did not recommend approval of the drug, pending more information on psychiatric side effects.

The drug works by inhibiting the cannabinoid type 1(CB1) receptors, which are involved in regulating food ingestion.

For the new study, 839 patients at 112 centers in Australia, Europe and North America were randomly selected to receive either Acomplia or a placebo. All participants, who also had coronary disease, received dietary counseling as well.

Coronary intravascular ultrasonography (IVUS) at the end of 18 months revealed a 0.25 percent increase in percent atheroma volume (PAV) in those taking rimonabant, compared to 0.51 percent in the placebo group. And change in normalized total atheroma volume (TAV) decreased in the Acomplia group but increased in the placebo group. PAV and TAV are basically two ways to measure how clogged an artery is.

Those taking Acomplia also saw other benefits: They lost more weight (9.5 pounds versus 1.1 pounds in the placebo group); their waist circumference went down more (1.77 inches versus 0.39 inches); their HDL or "good" cholesterol increased more (22.4 percent versus 6.9 percent) and triglyceride levels went down further (20.5 percent versus 6.2 percent). But LDL or "bad" cholesterol levels and blood pressure stayed about the same in both groups.

More worrisome, 43.4 percent of those in the Acomplia group experienced psychiatric problems, most notably anxiety and depression, compared to 28.4 percent in the placebo group.

Obesity During Pregnancy Carries Bigger Price Tag

2008-05-01T10:09:00.000-07:00

It is well-known that obesity increases the chances of medical complications during pregnancy, but now a new study shows it also puts a financial strain on the health-care system.

Obese women who are pregnant tend to have longer hospital stays, require more medications, and spend more time with their doctors than normal-weight women do. Much of this is due to complications such as high blood pressure, preeclampsia and Caesarean deliveries, researchers find.

"Right now, about one in five women in the United States who deliver babies are obese," said lead researcher Susan Y. Chu, a senior epidemiologist at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Given that there are about 4 million births in the United States each year, that translates to almost 1 million obese women giving birth."

"Obesity during pregnancy is associated with more use of health-care services," Chu said. "Even if there is a small increase, it is going to have substantial financial implications."

The report is published in the April 3 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine.

In the study, Chu's team collected data on 13,442 pregnancies that occurred from 2000 to 2004. These births were recorded by a large managed-care system. The researchers looked at the relationship between obesity and the use of health-care services before and during pregnancy.

Chu's group found that obese women have significantly longer hospital stays compared with normal-weight women. For most obese women, a hospital stay was 4.1 days longer than it was for normal-weight women.

The increased hospital stays were mostly related to more Caesarean deliveries among obese women than normal-weight women, Chu said.

In addition, obese women required more prenatal tests, more ultrasound examinations and more medications than normal-weight women. Obese women also made more phone calls to their doctors and had more physician visits than normal-weight women, the researchers found.

While obese women used more medical services during pregnancy, they were less likely to see nurse practitioners and physicians assistants for prenatal care, Chu's team found.

One expert says that obesity takes both a health and a financial toll on pregnant women.

"This article accurately reflects the well-known fact that obesity is a significant risk factor in pregnancy," said Dr. Richard Frieder, an obstetrician-gynecologist at Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center.

"This wasn't a problem 50 years ago, before the fast food/super-size generation that is now having babies," Frieder added.

Complications such as preeclampsia, diabetes, deep vein thrombosis, macrosomia (excessive newborn birth weight), abnormal labor and the need for a Caesarean delivery are the usual reasons for an increased level of care and longer hospital stays, Frieder said.

"This is all just a small example of the massive problem that obesity costs our society, both to individual health as well as the economic cost to our institutions," Frieder said.

Increase in throat cancer parallels obesity rate

2008-05-01T10:08:00.000-07:00

The rising incidence of throat cancer, also referred to as cancer of the esophagus or esophageal adenocarcinoma, may be related to Americans' increasing intake of total and refined carbohydrates and subsequent rise in obesity rates.

"The similarity in these trends gives further evidence for the association of carbohydrate intake, obesity, and related measures with cancer," Dr. Cheryl L. Thompson told Reuters Health.

She and colleagues caution, however, that such observations do not necessarily reflect individual risk for esophageal adenocarcinoma

The researchers, all associated with Case Western Reserve University and University Hospitals of Cleveland, in Ohio, compared National Cancer Institute data for esophageal adenocarcinoma (1973-2001) and food consumption information from the National Nutrient Data Bank (1909-1997).

The incidence of esophageal adenocarcinoma increased over the review period and "strongly correlated" with carbohydrate consumption. This cancer is also known to be strongly associated with gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), which, in turn, associated with obesity and a high carbohydrate intake, the investigators report in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.

By contrast, they noted a decrease in the rates of squamous cell cancer of the esophagus, which is more closely associated with smoking rather than reflux disease and obesity.

The researchers found a trend toward higher intakes of refined carbohydrates; those with more starch and lower nutrient levels than carbohydrates obtained from whole grains and minimally processed foods.

These findings highlight the importance of limiting refined carbohydrates in the American diet, the investigators note. Additional research is needed to assess individual risk from high intake of refined carbohydrates, Thompson adds.

Lifestyle change key for obesity surgery success

2008-05-01T10:06:00.000-07:00

Anyone thinking about having weight loss surgery should be sure to do their homework beforehand, and must understand they need to dramatically change the way they eat for the surgery to be successful, advises the head of the U.S. government agency responsible for research on health care quality and patient safety.

"People who succeed and lose weight and keep it off eat very, very differently," Dr. Carolyn Clancy, director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) in Rockville, Maryland, told Reuters Health. "Essentially, you've got to eat a whole lot less."

Clancy has written about the realities of operations to promote weight loss, known as bariatric surgery, in the latest issues of Nursing for Women's Health and Health for Women, both published by the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses.

Bariatric surgery has skyrocketed in popularity, Clancy noted in an interview, but just a fraction of people who could benefit most from the surgery have gotten it. According to AHRQ, evidence for the procedure's benefits is strongest for people with body mass indexes (BMIs) of 40 or higher, or individuals with BMIs of 35 or greater who have a serious medical condition, such as diabetes or severe sleep apnea.

Nevertheless, she added, the surgery "is not risk free, and I think it's really important for all people, women and men, to know about the risks and to be very clear about what they're getting into."

For example, Clancy said, 7 percent of people who undergo the surgery need to be rehospitalized for complications. Four out of 10 will develop complications within 6 months of the surgery. These complications include nausea, cramps and vomiting due to overeating.

People should also seek out a surgeon and health care team they can communicate with effectively, because post-surgical follow-up care is just as important as the procedure itself, Clancy added. If you don't "click," or you feel your surgeon isn't hearing your concerns, she advised, look elsewhere.

People may want to seek out bariatric surgery programs designated as Centers of Excellence by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (http://www.asbs.org/), Clancy suggested.

Finally, she said, people need to find out before having the surgery whether or not their insurer covers it. Some will require documentation that a person has made a serious effort to lose weight by other means before they will pay for the procedure.

School nutrition policy can prevent obesity

2008-05-01T10:05:00.000-07:00

Philadelphia schools that cut out soda, revamped snack selections and took other measures to prevent childhood obesity were able to halve the odds of students becoming overweight by sixth grade, a study has found.

Among fourth-graders at five schools that instituted the new nutrition policy, 7.5 percent became overweight over the next 2 years, compared with 15 percent of students at five city schools that did not make the changes, researchers report in the journal Pediatrics.

The findings show that a comprehensive approach to battling childhood obesity in schools can make a significant difference, according to lead researcher Dr. Gary D. Foster of Temple University.

Schools have been at the center of the controversy over what to do about U.S. children's rising rates of overweight and obesity. Critics have pointed to vending machines, sugary "a la carte" items in school cafeterias, and reductions in gym class as part of the problem.

At the same time, schools are considered the ideal place for children to learn healthy eating and exercise habits, and various school-based programs have been developed with that aim. The results have been mixed, however.

For their study, Foster and his colleagues evaluated a program developed by a non-profit community group called the Food Trust. Ten schools enrolled in the study; half were randomly assigned to adopt the nutrition program, while the other half served as a comparison group.

Schools in the program made an array of changes. They replaced soda with water, low-fat milk and 100-percent fruit juice, and rid vending machines and cafeterias of snacks that did not meet certain nutrition criteria. They educated students on how diet and exercise affect their health, and gave them raffle tickets for bikes and other prizes to reward them for choosing healthy snacks.

The schools also got parents involved through meetings and nutrition workshops that encouraged them to give their kids more fruits, vegetables and other healthy foods.

Among the 1,349 students Foster's team followed from fourth to sixth grade. As mentioned, there was about a 50 percent reduction in the incidence (new cases) of overweight at the end of 2 years among the children attending the program schools, while no changes were seen among the children attending the schools without a program.

The prevalence (total number) of overweight children also declined during the study period in the program group. However, no differences in the prevalence of obesity were seen between the program group and the comparison group.

The results, Foster told Reuters Health, underscore the benefits of schools having a comprehensive nutrition program, rather than taking only individual measures -- like removing vending machines, for instance.

He and his colleagues also stress that the urban schools in this study had largely low-income, minority student populations -- children who are at particularly high risk of obesity. Black children appeared to particularly benefit from the nutrition policy.

In the sixth grade, the study found, African-American children in these schools were 41 percent less likely to be overweight than African Americans in the comparison schools.

Despite the success, Foster's team writes, the fact that 7.5 percent of children in the program schools still became overweight shows that even more needs to be done.

They say that obesity-prevention programs should start before fourth grade, and possibly include a broader range of measures -- such as devoting more time to gym class and enlisting the corner stores near schools to offer healthier snack options.

Dad's early obesity tied to liver disease in kids

2008-05-01T10:02:00.000-07:00

Having a father who becomes obese at a relatively young age may increase a person's risk of developing serious liver problems, a new study shows.

Individuals whose fathers were obese before age 45 were more likely than those whose parents were not obese to have high levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in their blood, an enzyme that signals liver injury, Dr. Rohit Loomba of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland and colleagues found.

High ALT levels in the general population can be associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, an obesity-related condition, Loomba and his team say. One severe, progressive form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, which can lead to cirrhosis and even liver cancer, they note in the medical journal Gastroenterology.

To investigate whether parental obesity might be related to high ALT levels, as well as levels of another enzyme related to liver damage, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), the researchers looked at measurements of both enzymes in 1,732 men and women participating in the Framingham Heart Study.

The researchers divided study participants into three groups: people whose parents became obese unusually early (before age 41 for women and before age 45 for men), those with parents who became obese later on, and those with parents who were never obese.

Having a father with early-onset obesity increased a person's likelihood of having elevated ALT levels, regardless of their own weight, the researchers found. But there was no link between maternal obesity and ALT levels, and no relationship at all between parental obesity and AST levels.

Developing a condition like obesity early can indicate genetic susceptibility to that condition, the researchers note in their report. The findings suggest that genes that promote early-onset obesity could also influence ALT levels, they add.

"These results support the need for further studies to establish whether individuals with early-onset parental obesity and elevated serum ALT levels are at a higher risk for developing progressive liver disease such as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis," the researchers conclude.

Metabolic Syndrome Triggered by Overeating, Not Obesity

2008-05-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

Overeating, not the obesity it causes, is the actual cause of metabolic syndrome, suggests a study with mice by researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas.

Metabolic syndrome is a collection of health factors that increase the risk of developing insulin resistance, fatty liver, heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

This study was among the first to propose that weight gain is an early symptom, not a direct cause, of metabolic syndrome, the researchers said.

"Most people today think that obesity itself causes metabolic syndrome," senior author Dr. Roger Unger, professor of internal medicine, said in a prepared statement. "We're ingrained to think obesity is the cause of all health problems, when, in fact, it is the spillover of fat into organs other than fat cells that damages these organs, such as the heart and the liver. Depositing fatty molecules in fat cells where they belong actually delays that harmful spillover."

In this study, Under and his colleagues compared normal mice to mice that were genetically altered to prevent their fat cells from expanding. Both groups of mice were overfed.

The normal mice got fat but didn't develop signs of metabolic syndrome until after about seven weeks of overeating. The genetically altered mice stayed slim but became seriously ill within a few weeks and displayed evidence of severe heart problems and major increases in blood sugar levels eight weeks before minimal heart problems developed in the normal mice, the researchers said.

The genetically altered mice showed significant damage to heart cells and to the insulin-secreting cells in the pancreas. They also got sick quicker, because the extra calories they consumed weren't stored in fat cells, but rather in other tissues, the researchers said.

The study was published online in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The exact cause of metabolic syndrome, which affects about 50 million Americans, is unknown, but lack of exercise and obesity have been tagged as the primary underlying contributors to the development of the condition, according to background information in the study.

Canadian cancer survivors obese and inactive: study

2008-05-01T09:59:00.000-07:00

Cancer survivors in Canada are more likely to be obese and less likely to exercise than the rest of the population -- putting themselves at risk of having their cancers come back, researchers said on Monday.

The trends, likely to be seen in cancer survivors around the world, suggest patients need help and support in staying active and keeping the weight off, said Kerry Courneya of the University of Alberta in Edmonton, who led the study.

"It's a challenge for all of us to eat properly and exercise, and it may be especially challenging for cancer survivors who have been through difficult treatments and may have lingering health issues," Courneya said in a statement.

"But eating well and exercising are two of the best things we can do for our mental and physical health, even in trying times. Rest is rarely the best medicine for any health condition."

Courneya and colleagues analyzed data from a 2005 survey of more than 114,000 adults.

Fewer than 22 percent of former cancer patients described themselves as physically active. This compares with 25 percent of the general Canadian population, they reported in the journal Cancer.

They also found that 18 percent of cancer survivors were medically obese, compared to 15 percent of the general population, and 34 percent were overweight.

Many cancers are linked with obesity and a lack of exercise.

"These findings tell us that we need to look at ways to better support cancer survivors to become more active and to maintain a healthy body weight," Courneya said.

"We know that physical inactivity and obesity are risk factors for developing cancer. These are also risk factors for the recurrence of cancer. Lifestyle is just as important after diagnosis."

The researchers defined someone as physically active if they walked at least an hour a day or did the equivalent in swimming, cycling or some other activity. Inactive people walked or exercised less than 30 minutes a day.

Many Cancer Survivors Are Overweight and Sedentary: Study

2008-05-01T09:57:00.000-07:00

A healthy lifestyle may help cancer survivors prevent recurrence of the disease and live longer, yet cancer survivors have rates of obesity and physical inactivity similar to those of the general population, according to new research.

The study, published in the June 1 issue of Cancer, found that less than one-quarter of cancer survivors were regularly physically active, and more than 18 percent were obese.

"We thought this might be a time when people would be particularly motivated to exercise and control weight. But, a cancer diagnosis and treatment didn't seem to stimulate behavior change," said the study's lead author, Kerry Courneya, a professor and Canada Research Chair at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada.

What's troubling is that maintaining a healthy weight and getting regular physical exercise may be even more crucial for cancer survivors than it is for the general public. Some studies have suggested that physical activity and losing weight may help prevent cancer recurrence and improve survival odds.

Additionally, some research suggests that exercise can help reduce fatigue, improve physical functioning and improve quality of life for some cancer survivors.

For the study, Courneya and his colleagues gathered data from the Canadian Community Health Survey. This survey contains information based on interviews of more than 114,000 people in Canada. Details of cancer history, weight, height and physical activity were all supplied by the respondents.

General population statistics for Canada find that 37 percent of people are overweight, and 22 percent are obese, according to background information in the study.

Fewer than 22 percent of cancer survivors reported being physically active. The lowest rates of physical activity were found among colorectal cancer survivors, breast cancer survivors and female survivors of melanoma.

Obesity, smoking cuts many US women's life expectancy: study

2008-05-01T09:54:00.000-07:00

Life expectancy has declined for many women in the United States, largely due to smoking-related diseases and obesity, a study published Tuesday showed.

Nearly one in five US women saw the number of years they are expected to live decline or hold steady, starting in the 1980s, showed the joint study by the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Washington.

The study looked at data from more than 2,000 county "units" between 1959 and 2001.

In around 1,000 of those counties -- mainly poor, rural areas -- life expectancy for women dropped starting in the 1980s, "primarily because of chronic diseases related to smoking, overweight and obesity, and high blood pressure," according to the study.

In the United States as a whole, in contrast, life expectancy for women rose by more than six years and for men by more than seven years during the same period, it showed.

"There is now evidence that there are large parts of the population in the United States whose health has been getting worse for about two decades," Majid Ezzati, associate professor of international health at the Harvard School of Public Health, and lead author of the study, said in a statement.

Worst affected by the downturn in longevity were the south -- the region hardest hit by poverty, according to the US Census Bureau -- the Appalachians, southern parts of the Midwest and areas of Texas.

Men in the same areas also saw a drop in life expectancy, but numbers were less alarming than among women -- only four percent -- and the fall was attributed to different causes, mainly HIV/AIDS and homicide.

"Life expectancy decline is something that has traditionally been considered a sign that the health and social systems have failed, as has been the case in parts of Africa and Eastern Europe," said the study's co-author Christopher Murray, director of the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.

"The fact that this is happening to a large number of Americans should be a sign that the US health system needs serious rethinking," he added.

Obesity and low birthweight mar health of kids

2008-05-01T09:51:00.000-07:00

Rising obesity rates and a large percentage of children born with low birthweights are dragging down the overall health of American children in their first decade of life, according to a report tracking the health and well-being of young children in the United States.

While U.S. children overall have seen improvements in their well-being in recent years, American children aged 6 to 11 are four times more likely to be obese than similarly aged children in the 1960s, the report found.

The report, led by researchers at Duke University in North Carolina and the Foundation for Child Development, a private advocacy group, looked at the well-being of children in early childhood, those from birth to age five, and middle childhood, or those aged 6 to 11, from 1994 to 2006.

The researchers found obesity among children in middle childhood is nearly four times more common than in children of the same age in a national survey in 1960s. For children aged 2 to 5, it is three times higher.

"These are dramatic increases in the prevalence of overweight children in American society from one generation to the next," the researchers wrote. "The importance of this trend for the health and well-being of children is difficult to exaggerate."

They said overweight children have greater risks of type-2 diabetes, and often have elevated risk factors associated with heart disease, such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

They also found that the percentage of babies born with low birthweights rose 12.3 percent from 1994 to 2005, an increase they said was likely tied to delayed childbearing among working mothers and an increased use of fertility drugs.

Low birthweight has been linked in large studies to a higher risk of developmental and learning problems and to lower academic achievement. It also has been linked with higher rates of chronic health conditions.

Other trends were more positive.

The researchers found significant improvements in the mortality rates of children, with the most dramatic improvement for children aged 1 to 4. Death rates among these children fell to 29.4 deaths in 100,000 in 2005, compared with 42.9 deaths per 100,000 in 1994.

For those aged 5 to 9, rates of death fell 27 percent to 14.5 deaths per 100,000 in 2005.

The researchers cite a host of contributing factors, ranging from better health care and nutrition to car safety seats.

The report also noted a dramatic 84 percent drop in the rates of lead poisoning among children aged 0 to 6. Lead poisoning can result in physical, neurological and cognitive problems.

Still, many children remain at risk for moderate levels of lead in their blood should continue to be monitored, they said.

Overweight warning: More than exercise needed

2008-05-01T09:34:00.000-07:00

Exercise will not cut the risk of heart disease in those who are overweight unless they also slim down, according to a study of thousands of U.S. women published on Monday.

"Even high quantities of physical activity are unlikely to fully reverse the risk of coronary heart disease in overweight and obese women without concurrent weight loss," Dr. Amy Weinstein and colleagues at Boston's Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center reported.

"Regardless of body weight, (the findings) highlight the importance of counseling all women to participate in increasing amounts of regular physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease," they concluded.

The study, appearing in the Archives of Internal Medicine, was based on information from a study of nearly 39,000 women that began in 1992 and traced a number of health issues.

The researchers said 34 percent of the women in the study were physically active based on government guidelines, 31 percent were overweight and 18 percent were obese.

In the end, 948 women were diagnosed with heart disease. Active women with normal weight had the lowest risk of developing heart problems while there was a slightly higher risk for those with normal weight who were not active.

The risk was next highest for active women who were either overweight or obese, and highest for similar women who were inactive.

Fat cells produce chemicals that can speed up hardening of the arteries and increase inflammation, the researchers said, harming blood vessels, while physical activity makes for healthier blood vessels and reduces the risk of blood clots.

Recent News & Comments About 5 factor diet

2008-05-01T09:32:00.000-07:00

Diet, exercise the magic pills for heart health (Lawrence Journal-World)
Think the best treatment for heart disease includes the newest drugs on the market and the most high-tech tests? Think again.

Cancer Experts Issue Seasonal Warning On Grilling -- With An Important Research Update (Medical News Today)
This year, as Americans make ready to fire up millions of backyard grills, there's a new scientific wrinkle: according to an exhaustive analysis of international research on diet and cancer, it's time to start looking for an alternative to the humble hot dog.

Beyond the finish line (San Diego Union-Tribune)
LINDA VISTA â€“ Cyndy Day-Wilson hates to think of where her horse, Max, would have ended up if it wasn't for Linda Vista resident Emily Ruocco.

Shortages Threaten Farmersâ€™ Key Tool: Fertilizer (NYTimes.com via Yahoo! Finance)
Shrinking grain stocks and an increasing appetite for meat have collided with a shortage of fertilizer.

Try these 10 tips for a healthier heart (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
Think the best treatment for heart disease includes the newest drugs on the market and the most high-tech tests? Think again. Consumer Reports recently put heart-disease prevention and treatment under the microscope and offered these 10 low-drug or no-drug tips for a healthy heart: 1. Eat plenty of fiber and good fat. New research suggests that inflammation of the arteries may be as big a ...

Washington DC (The San Francisco Examiner)
BEECH GROVE, Ind. ( Map , News ) - Barack Obama teamed up with wife Michelle on Wednesday to court working families with a little kitchen table conversation about tax cuts.

Shortages Threaten Farmersâ€™ Key Tool: Fertilizer (NYTimes.com via Yahoo! Finance)
Population growth, shrinking world grain stocks and a growing appetite for meat, particularly in the developing world, has collided with a shortage of fertilizer.

Eating 5 tomatoes a day 'offers sun protection' (Daily Telegraph)
Eating five tomatoes a day could help protect against sunburn and premature ageing, research suggests.

NASA Mars Exploration Rover Update: Spirit Sees Clearest Skies Since Landing on Mars! (SpaceRef)
Clear skies mean more sunlight penetrates the atmosphere, making rover planners optimistic that Spirit will have a slim but adequate amount of energy to survive until Martian spring.

Washington DC (The San Francisco Examiner)
BEECH GROVE, Ind. ( Map , News ) - Barack Obama teamed up with wife Michelle to court working families with talk of middle-class tax cuts and a little kitchen table conversation.

Recent News & Comments About 5 diet factor

2008-05-01T09:31:00.000-07:00

Recent News & Comments About 4 food less

2008-05-01T09:30:00.000-07:00

Kroger Opens Food 4 Less Unit in Urban Chicago (Progressive Grocer)
Food 4 Less cut the ribbon on its newest store, a 58,0000-square-foot unit in Chicago's Austin neighborhood, signaling what store officials and local leaders hope will jump-start the area's economic revitalization.

Ethanol vs. food debate growing (Chicago Tribune)
Corn for fuel leaves less to fill stomachs Before milk prices started spiraling, before gas prices passed $3.50 and before food riots broke out in several countries, ethanol was the darling of energy alternatives. It gave jobs to rural communities and offered an alternative to foreign oil.

Food inflation hits families hard - Congress (CNN Money)
A joint committee of Congress on Thursday started scrutinizing the impact of rising food costs on middle-class families already stung by rising gas prices.

Day 4 of Cheap Eats: Wilson, Durham, Cary (WRAL.com Raleigh)
In day four of Cheap Eats, WRAL Reporter Kim Dean found everything from fish to jerk chicken. Her goal is to get a meal, plus drink and tax, for less than $10 â€“ no fast food allowed.

Food 4 Less to Open Supermarket in Austin Neighborhood (PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance)
Food 4 Less, the nation's leading price-impact supermarket chain, continues to make good on its promise to bring jobs, charitable giving and the finest in service, quality, variety and every day low prices to Chicago.

Grocery pain looks short-lived as food prices moderate long-term (Market Watch)
Inflation in retail food prices will gradually moderate over the next several years, the Agriculture Departmentâ€™s chief economist told lawmakers Thursday, while grain and oilseed prices could remain high.

Tim Hortons Net Income Rises Less Than Estimates (Update1) (Bloomberg.com)
April 30 (Bloomberg) -- Tim Hortons Inc., Canada's biggest coffee-and-doughnut chain, reported first-quarter profit that rose less than analysts estimated.

Fixes for the Food Fight (Washington Post)
The world is not food secure. An overextended global food system operating in an increasingly resource-constrained world with little or no cushion to cope with catastrophe is now at the brink of break down due to soaring global food prices. In the United States and internationally, our response must be immediate and enduring, requiring swift action this week by Congress, the World Bank, the ...

U.S. Consumer Spending Increased 0.4 Percent in March (Update1) (Bloomberg.com)
May 1 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. consumer spending rose in March, reflecting an increase in prices that is eroding Americans' buying power. The greater-than-forecast 0.4 percent rise in spending followed a 0.1 percent increase the prior month, the Commerce Department said today in Washington.

UN: Biofuel Production 'Criminal Path' to Global Food Crisis (Environmental News Network)
GENEVA, Switzerland - The United States and the European Union have taken a "criminal path" by contributing to an explosive rise in global food prices through using food crops to produce biofuels, the United Nations special rapporteur on the right to food said today. At a press conference in Geneva, Jean Ziegler of Switzerland said that fuel policies pursued by the U.S. and the EU were one of ...

Recent News & Comments About 3 Hour Dieting

2008-05-01T09:29:00.000-07:00

Carrie Underwood on getting glamorous (CNN.com)
Singer Carrie Underwood dishes on dieting, beauty and fashion.

Media Agency Report Cards 2007 (AdWeek)
Media agency competition for new business, always fierce, dramatically intensified in 2007. Clients put $12 billion in media-only accounts up for grabs, compared with some $7 billion the year before, and the major media shops achieved double-digit revenue growth for the sixth consecutive year.

â€˜South Beach Dietâ€™ follow-up expands options (MSNBC)
Dr. Arthur Agatston first introduced "The South Beach Diet" five years ago, and it became a popular way to lose weight. Now, he's following up with a new book that offers a way to change your lifestyle for increased weight-loss success. Here's an excerpt.

04-23-08 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE (Eurweb)
KANYE'S EX ALEXIS 'SAD' OVER BREAKUP: Split attributed to rapper's hectic schedule. *Alexis Phifer has confirmed her breakup with Kanye West to People magazine, stating "It's always sad when things like this end, and we remain friends."

Slow lifting brings about fast slimming (Bradenton Herald)
Fitness author Jorge Cruise believes that just a few minutes per week of properly applied resistance exercise can firm muscles, build lean muscle tissue and trim inches off the waist.

Lawrence firefighters drop 575.1 pounds in eight-week charity contest (The Eagle-Tribune)
LAWRENCE â€” Losing never felt so good as it did last night for veteran Lawrence firefighter Pat Driscoll. Especially after the Lawrence Firefighters Union president stepped off a scale on the stage at Relief's In and learned that he had dropped 48.4 pounds over the last eight weeks to claim individual honors in Local 146's Biggest Loser 2008 Charity Fund Raiser.

HEALTH & FITNESS: The less sleep you get, the more problems you encounter (St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
Know somebody who likes to brag that he can get by on six hours of sleep a night? Tell him that men who sleep less than seven hours a night have a 26 percent greater death rate over a two-decade period than men who sleep seven to eight hours a night.

Sharples: 'Keeping Kids Safe' (Scoop.co.nz)
In our busy lives, driven by over-full schedules, a day can often be punctuated by the ringing phone, the rush of email traffic, the urgent meeting - unanticipated but taking priority over all.

The Skinny on Male 'Dieting' (AdWeek)
On a recent Friday morning, Bill Cohen, 40, walked into an office in midtown, removed his Green Bay Packers jacket, belt and shoes, and stepped onto a scale.

A Force of Comedic Energy (Washington Post)
Like many comedians, Brian Malow jokes about his own life in his act. But self-proclaimed as "Earth's premier science comedian," he does so with a twist.

Recent News & Comments About 3 diet hour

2008-05-01T09:28:00.000-07:00

'South Beach Diet' author's new plan draws fire (USA Today)
The South Beach Diet by cardiologist Arthur Agatston has been wildly popular since it arrived in 2003 and promoted a diet that cuts back on artery-clogging fat and processed carbohydrates. But the honeymoon may be over with Agatston's latest book. The South Beach Diet Supercharged, just out, is drawing fire from several top national exercise researchers.

Obese man sues prison for 'inadequate diet' (Daily Telegraph)
An overweight inmate is suing jail authorities after he lost more than seven stone, alleging he is â€œbeing starved to deathâ€ by an inadequate prison diet.

Recession? Not in the Advertising Business (Addict 3D)
could be in a recession. Consumer confidence is declining. Food and gas are so expensive it's more cost-effective to stay home and diet. But the advertising business (of all things!) is actually benefiting from the painful spectacle of the traditional media landscape fragmenting into shards.

Diet, exercise the magic pills for heart health (Lawrence Journal-World)
Think the best treatment for heart disease includes the newest drugs on the market and the most high-tech tests? Think again.

US lag sues over prison crash diet (The Register)
'We're starved to death', moans 140kg murder suspect A US prisoner awaiting trial on a murder rap* has filed suit against the county after losing more than 45kg in eight months on an Arkansas prison "starvation" diet, AP reports.â€¦

Cafeteria manager the â€˜Biggest Loserâ€™ (Muskogee Phoenix)
After going on the potato-less Atkins Diet and working out at a gym nearly every day, Hilldale Elementary School cafeteria manager Donna Orr won $500.

Fliers are Better Protected in Europe (Aviation.com via Yahoo! News)
Oh, those Europeans. They know how to live. Six-week vacations, fine wine, great museums ... and consumer protection for airline passengers.

Health Highlights: April 30, 2008 (HealthDay via Yahoo! News)
Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by editors of HealthDay:

Healthy Lifestyles Become A Political Affair (Medical News Today)
Heart disease is the number one killer in Europe, taking over 2 million lives every year1, yet it is a preventable condition. Some segments of the population such as women and young athletes are not even aware that they are at risk.

Try these 10 tips for a healthier heart (Fort Worth Star-Telegram)
Think the best treatment for heart disease includes the newest drugs on the market and the most high-tech tests? Think again. Consumer Reports recently put heart-disease prevention and treatment under the microscope and offered these 10 low-drug or no-drug tips for a healthy heart: 1. Eat plenty of fiber and good fat. New research suggests that inflammation of the arteries may be as big a ...

Recent News & Comments About 3 day diet

2008-05-01T09:27:00.000-07:00

'South Beach Diet' author's new plan draws fire (USA Today)

The South Beach Diet by cardiologist Arthur Agatston has been wildly popular since it arrived in 2003 and promoted a diet that cuts back on artery-clogging fat and processed carbohydrates. But the honeymoon may be over with Agatston's latest book. The South Beach Diet Supercharged, just out, is drawing fire from several top national exercise researchers.

Thai Workers At May Day Rally Demand Hike In Minimum Wage (INO News)
BANGKOK (AP)--Thousands of workers rallied in Bangkok on the May Day laborers' holiday Thursday, demanding the government raise the minimum wage to help them cope with soaring commodity prices.

New findings challenge conventional ideas on evolution of human diet (New Kerala)
Washington, April 30 : The analysis of marks on the teeth of members of an ancient human ancestor species has determined that structure alone is not enough to predict dietary preferences and that evolutionary adaptation for eating may have been based on scarcity rather than on an animal's regular diet.

News flash: Big Jimâ€™s last day (The Hook)
The folks at Big Jimâ€™s BBQ on Route 29 tell us that, after over 27 years, today is their last day. Big Jimâ€™s has been a local institution for years, and a favorite hang out of former Senator George Allen , civil rights attorney John Whitehead , and scores of other BBQ fans. Big Jimâ€™s declined to comment on the reason for the restaurantâ€™s closure, but they did encourage everyone to swing ...

4 Steps To Reverse The Damage From A 'Super Size Me' Diet (Medical News Today)
It was probably enough to make many Americans lose their appetite: A recent study from Europe showed that eating too much fast food a diet high in fat and sugar could cause serious damage to your liver.Yet for those who overdo it with too many trips to their favorite burger joint, there's good news.

DASH diet may be the best choice for women (Orange County Register)
Research shows it helps fight heart disease and stroke. What's the best diet for women ages 34-50?

Ancient 'Nutcracker Man' Challenges Ideas on Evolution of Human Diet (US News & World Report)
New evidence shows that our ancient human ancestors did not feed regularly on hard or tough foods.

How healthy can you get on diet alone? (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)
For any number of reasons, far too many Americans are sedentary.

4 Steps to Reverse the Damage from a 'Super-Size Me' Diet (Newswise)
Diets high in fast food can be highly toxic to the liver and other internal organs, but that damage can be reversed, says one of the country's leading experts on non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, who offers four steps to undo the effects of a 'super-size me' diet.

Cafeteria manager the â€˜Biggest Loserâ€™ (Muskogee Phoenix)
After going on the potato-less Atkins Diet and working out at a gym nearly every day, Hilldale Elementary School cafeteria manager Donna Orr won $500.

Recent News & Comments About 10 tips to healthy eating

2008-05-01T09:24:00.000-07:00

School serves up its own healthy meals (icNewcastle - Evening Chronicle)
SOGGY semolina and concrete chips are often the butt of playground jokes about school dinners. But pupils at this Newcastle school are enjoying a healthy lunch menu with a difference.

Bumble Bee Foods Launches BeeWell Miles; An Interactive Health and Wellness Program Benefitting the Y-Me National ... (PR Newswire via Yahoo! Finance)
A healthy lifestyle is always important and to encourage consumers to get active, Bumble Bee Foods today launched the BeeWell Miles Program, benefitting the Y-ME National Breast Cancer Organization with a donation of up to $200,000.

Eating Healthy While Eating Out (BellaOnline)
Going out to eat at a restaurant can be a rewarding family experience. However, if you or your children are trying to eat healthier, some simple research before will save you a lot of calories later.

Can the Government Regulate Your Weight? (Newsweek)
Is increased regulation the best way to tackle obesity and eating disorders?

What's Happening (Oroville Mercury-Register)
Dinners Berry Creek Grange No. 694 will serve a dinner from 5:30-7 p.m. Friday, May 9, at Grange Hall, 1477 Bald Rock Road.

Garden Calendar (Seattle Post-Intelligencer)
A look at upcoming gardening events.

A consistent, worldwide association between short sleep duration and obesity (PhysOrg)
A study published in the May 1 issue of the journal SLEEP is the first attempt to quantify the strength of the cross-sectional relationships between duration of sleep and obesity in both children and adults. Cross-sectional studies from around the world show a consistent increased risk of obesity among short sleepers in children and adults, the study found.

[Campus] Minneapolis and campus police seek to shed pounds and gain a new image (The Minnesota Daily)
About 120 Minneapolis and University police officers are fighting the hefty-cop-with-a-doughnut stereotype this spring. The Minneapolis and University police departments are having two separate versions of television's "The Biggest Loser"...

Soup that really satisfies (Hastings Gazette)
Minestrone, cream of celery, pumpkin, pea and ham, tomato or chicken noodle. A bowl of soup is warming and nourishing on a cold winter's day. With a chunk of crusty bread it makes a complete meal in itself.

Well-Being In Brief: 05/01/2008 (Traverse City Record-Eagle)
Self-help course for arthritis sufferers; Expo will focus on natural health; Blood donors will receive gift of song; New spring fitness classes set to begin; Class focus is family weight loss; Lakeshore Free Clinic benefit; Events for Mental Health Month; Raffle for breast cancer fund; Blood pressure and foot care clinic; United Way will offer free workshops; Diabetics invited to program on ...