Archive for December, 2010

Weight Loss: 5 Lies That Keep You Fat

Tuesday, December 28th, 2010

The diet industry has been feeding us lies for decades. These lies have become so pervasive that they are Weight Loss: 5 Lies That Keep You Fatconsidered truth. If you are ready to take back control over your weight loss once and for all, examine these lies and the truths that can set you free.

  1. If I could just lose more weight I could get on with my life. Losing weight is seldom the issue. If it were, you would have solved it the first time you lost weight. What ever underlying issues you have that lead to weight gain need to be addressed. Once that is done, then you can lose weight and keep it off.
  2. If only I had enough will power. Will power is only a temporary solution to getting things started. The only way to sustain an action is by developing lasting habits.
  3. If I could lose 3 – 5 lbs a week I would be satisfied with those results. Trying to lose more than a pound to a pound and a half a week will almost certainly cause you to gain it all back and more. We recommend losing a half a pound to one pound a week. Lose slow, keep it off forever.
  4. If I could only stay on a low carb diet I would lose weight. If carbohydrates made you fat then all of Asia would be fat. Most Asians eat rice and some other grains or pasta daily. Many eat them several times a day.
  5. If I exercised enough I wouldn`t need to worry about what I eat. Exercise alone is not enough to ensure permanent weight loss. Changing what, how and why you eat is needed to be certain you maintain a healthy weight.

Life is full of illusions and it is no less true when it comes to weight loss. When we walk outside it appears that our world is flat. Of course we know it is round. It appears that the sun revolves around the earth, but we know it is the earth that revolves around the sun. It only appears that the most needed thing to achieve weight loss is some strict fad diet that gets fast weight loss results. Following that illusion will get you some temporary results, but will always lead you down a road where you become more and more fat and losing the weight becomes more and more difficult.

Developing a permanent plan is the only permanent solution. Fat and Obesity are only visible signs of other issues with-in you. Fix those problems and the weight loss will become a manageable concern.

Virtual Weight Loss Methods Effective and Useful

Tuesday, December 21st, 2010

Virtual Weight Loss Methods Effective and UsefulThough it is said that decisions are the final verdict, but yet sometimes we fail to stick to our own decisions. Let’s talk about the decisions made by people for losing their excessive body weight. It is seemed that the people who are obese or overweight, they always decide to take all the necessary steps to lose those extra weight. But very few of them strictly follow their decision. They have all the excuses to get rid of those strict weight loss regimes. In order to help people losing their excessive weight and thus to provide a healthy life, a lot of weight loss programs are available.

Every weight loss program uses certain different types of methods. However, the most common practices that involve in almost all the programs are healthy diet and physical exercise. When it comes to virtual weight loss methods, these are basically those effective way of losing weight methods where people create a desired image of themselves in maintained body weight.

This particular method of losing weight is very useful. It provides a mental boost to the people who are trying hard to lose their excessive weight. Being overweight not only affect people physically, but also mentally. This is the reason, the medical professionals always say that obesity or being overweight is the most dangerous condition of health. If you are overweight and looking for some very effective ways to get rid of your present physical condition, then going for virtual weight loss methods are always a great option. This method will make you prepare mentally for your weight loss regimes to get the best results. The best thing about this method is that it helps people losing their extra pounds by providing a happy physical mental image of themselves. While going for this particular weight loss method, make sure that you give yourself goals that you can obtain in one or two months and thus, you can slowly have better results and keep yourself motivated.

Many people think that excessive weight gain is the result of heavy eating habits which is true. But there are certain categories of people, who despite of having small amount food, gain more weight in comparison to other people. Being fat or overweight can be sometimes hereditary. Therefore, before going for any kind of losing weight program, one has to ensure the type of weight the person has. If you are getting confuse about which weight loss program to go for your effective way of losing weight, then going for a fitness expert or a medical professional, will guide you towards the right method of losing weight. Due to its great results, these days more and more people are going for virtual weight loss methods and thus getting benefited from it.

Can Fasting Help Me To Lose Weight?

Tuesday, December 14th, 2010

This is a controversial subject, mostly because of its association with anorexia, but can controlled fasting help you to lose weightCan Fasting Help Me To Lose Weight?? Notice the word ‘controlled’ in my last sentence though, because a lot of people think the easiest way to lose weight is just not to eat. The problem with that is your body will start to panic and store whatever energy you do give it, or any energy reserves you have (your fat) because it thinks you have run out of food, which kind of ruins that idea. Also you won’t get the nutrients you need to stay healthy, calories are not the only thing you body needs to run. However with intermittent fasting, where you fast for 1 day out of every 3 or 4, then your body doesn’t get a chance to panic and in fact it could have a beneficial effect instead.

The idea seems to stem from our hunter gatherer ancestors who never knew where their next meal was going to come from. To them 3 solid meals a day would be a luxury, but in reality they would probably eat more sporadically. They would gorge themselves after making a big kill or finding a good source of fruits/vegetables, but then probably survive on very little for a while until they made another kill or found other sources of food.

Studies have been done on intermittent fasting as far back as 1943, and in 1945 a study by Carlson and Hoelzel on rats found that it increased the lifespan of males by 20% and females by 15%. The health benefits of calorie restriction have been public knowledge for a while now and include significant benefits to cholesterol levels, a reduction in insulin levels (which might also give a boost to memory) and a reduction in inflammation which would affect things like arthritis, so it may be that intermittent fasting provides similar benefits.

It is not something that you can do without planning though, you can’t just eat junk food one day and then not eat the next and expect to lose weight. You need to make sure you are getting enough calories on the days you do eat, and more importantly the right amount of nutrition as well to see you through the days when you fast. That is why you should really read up on how to do it correctly before you try it out. One of the leading books on the subject at the moment is Eat Stop Eat by Brad Pilon, which takes you through all the studies he has come across that support the use of intermittent fasting, and the benefits they have observed, plus it takes you through how to do it all correctly.

You should also consult your doctor before you try something like this because you might have health problems which would be exacerbated by going without food for a day, such as problems regulating your blood sugar for instance.

Rising Childhood Obesity Rates

Wednesday, December 8th, 2010

There is a critical issue in America today… childhood obesity. If you visit the mall, zoo, or your local fast food restaurants you will see many overweight children and teens.

Recently I was in a particular warehouse store and saw a lady at an estimated 300 pounds riding around on a motorized cart while her overweight young daughter trailed behind her. It was a sad sight. What is going on?

Federal health officials offered their analysis in The Journal of the American Medical Association and concluded that childhood obesity hit its peak from 1999 to 2006. From the amount of obese children I see now, I would have to disagree with that.

The New York Times reports that “32 percent of young people aged 2 through 19 were still judged overweight or obese as measured by body mass index, with roughly half falling into each of those categories. Their excess weight increases their risk of developing diabetes, heart disease and other ailments.”

This particular article also suggests that people hope public health programs (the government) will come to their aid to promote health and exercise education.

I think parents need to step up and take responsibility for themselves and their children. Pawning off the responsibility to the government is a waste of time. It’s up to you! I know you care about your family, whether we’re talking about your own kids, nieces and nephews, or grandchildren. Start with them. It’s never too late to start teaching kids about healthy eating and fun kids exercises.

The earlier you start the better. You have the freedom to buy any food you want. Start by chucking processed foods from your cupboards and replacing them with fruits, vegetables, and healthy protein. And make sure your kids are drinking plenty of water instead of sugary drinks.

In the meantime, how about adding some fun kids exercises to your routine! Start conducting family exercise by organizing fun activities that require movement, running, or entertaining indoor games. There are tons of normal household items you can use to assist in creating fun exercises, which will get your kids’ heart rates up as well as work on coordination skills and strength.

Don’t expect the FDA or another food industry to keep you and your kids healthy. The first step begins with us and the choices we make! Step up today and be a good role model to the kids around you.