Best fat loss diet for women by Tina A.
Women love to diet. At any give time, one of three women are on a diet. Yet more women are overweight than ever and a disturbing new study shows that binge eating is the most widespread eating disorder in the United States, surpassing bulimia and anorexia. Surely, there has to be a connection between food deprivation diets and the rate of increase in binge eating.
I can definitely speak for myself. I first began binge eating after following a fad diet that controlled what food groups I could consume. During the two months that I was on the diet, I dreamed about all the foods I could not eat. These "forbidden foods" became an obsession. Needless to say when I went off the diet, I started over-indulging in all the foods I was deprived of during the diet. I told myself that I needed a reward for losing all the weight. In a few short months, the pounds I lost came back and I was stuck with an unhealthy new eating habit to boot.
Maybe there is something wrong in the way we are trying to lose weight? Since most eating disorders affect far more women than men, there is really a cause for concern. Women need to re-examine the way they attempt to lose weight and the ultimate cost on their health and bodies.
Although it sounds unfashionable compared to the latest fad diets out there, the best weight loss plan for women that ensures permanent results is one on which healthy portions from various food groups is allowed. A plan like this will ensure healthy weight loss without causing undue stress on the body. Women also need to keep in mind that fad diets are ageing. This is because fad diets put your body under stress and also deprive you of nutrients you need to keep your skin, nails and hair healthy.
By following a healthy eating plan, you will not only gain an enviable figure, but will also look younger, have less wrinkles, strong nails and healthy hair. Along with healthy eating habits, the right exercise program for women will allow you will feel more relaxed and more confident in yourself. You will also sleep better allowing your body to repair and restore your body and skin. It is not called beauty sleep for nothing.
The next time you come across a new weight loss diet that promises 10 lbs in 10 days ask yourself if it is worth risking your health and complexion to try something that sounds unhealthy anyway. You did not gain all your weight in a week. Why would you expect to lose it all in a week? Also remember that going on a fad diet could cause you to learn unhealthy eating habits and leave you feeling stressed and obsessed.
Stop obsessing over weight loss. Learn about healthy eating and start living better today. Weight loss will happen automatically along with the side effects of better self esteem, peace of mind and healthy skin, hair and nails.
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
More Evidence That Tea Helps With Weight Loss
More Evidence That Tea Helps With Weight Loss by Marcus Stout
Every little bit of help is useful when you're trying to lose weight or keep your weight stable as you get older. Diet and exercise are still the most important components of weight loss and maintenance, but studies are showing that tea, particularly green tea, may be able to provide some assistance in losing weight and keeping it off.
For centuries, Asians have used green tea for health. In addition to Asian cultures having a much lower incidence of serious diseases such as cancer and heart disease, they also are far less likely to be overweight.
Tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. While there are several different types of tea, all true tea comes from this plant. The differences occur from how the tea is processed. Green tea is not fermented during processing, but black tea, which is the most common outside Asia does go through a fermentation process.
Tea leaves naturally contain catechins, which belong to the flavan-3-ol class of flavonoids, which are anti-oxidants. EGCG is one of the catechins contained in tea, and is one of the most powerful anti-oxidants around.
Each day, as we convert food to energy, we create free radicals in our body. These free radicals can damage our cells and our DNA if we don't combat them. It is believed that unchecked free radicals contribute to the development of many diseases, including cancer. In addition, they speed up the aging process and contribute to clogged arteries and other health problems.
Anti-oxidants are powerful at combating free radicals and are linked with preventing cancer, as well as with decreasing your risk of stroke and heart disease. and with lowering your cholesterol.
For this reason, drinking green tea is a simple and effective way to slow down the aging process and prevent disease. But, in addition to being a way to protect your health, drinking tea seems to also be a way to help keep you slim.
There has been a fairly significant amount of research on tea and its ability to help control your waistline. Tea seems to work on two levels. The first is that it appears to speed up the metabolism, so you use more calories each day. However, it also seems to inhibit fat absorption, so that less of the fat in your diet becomes fat on your body.
Tea has two ingredients that seem to help it work its magic. The first is caffeine, which is known to help speed up the metabolism. However, tea seems to work better than other caffeinated beverages because of those powerful anti-oxidants we were talking about earlier.
The anti-oxidants, also known as catechins, are the key to helping inhibit the absorption of fat and keep the metabolism moving for hours.
One research study that evaluated the benefits of tea on weight loss was conducted by the Osaka University of Foreign Studies. This study was conducted on just under 200 healthy men and women between the ages of 20 and 65. The subjects were divided into three groups; the control group, low dose group and high dose group.
The study lasted for 12 weeks. During the study period, the control group was fed 3 bottles of placebo drink. The low dose group consumed 2 bottles of a drink containing tea catechins and one bottle of placebo drink and the high dose group consumed 3 bottles of the tea catechin drink.
At the end of the twelve week study, those subjects in the low dose and high dose group showed a significant decrease in body fat compared with the control group. Both body weight and BMI were reduced in these two groups. In addition, abdominal fat was significantly reduced.
This reduction in body fat around the abdominal area is significant. Fat around the midsection is the fat that is most dangerous to our health. Abdominal fat is the type that is most likely to be an indicator of heart disease. Reducing your waist size, and the fat around your midsection is the most important weight to lose in order to protect your health.
Another interesting result of this study was that the subjects who had slightly elevated cholesterol levels also experienced a reduction in LDL cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is the "bad cholesterol".
When too much of this type of cholesterol circulates in the blood, it oxidizes into plaque that clogs the arteries. This causes the arteries to narrow, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke.
When you combine this information with other studies that have shown a positive relationship between the amount of tea consumed in a day and the amount of overall body fat, it certainly suggests that drinking tea can be an effective way to lose weight and keep it off.
We all know that it's critical to eat well and get regular exercise in order to maintain our health and keep our weight in check. However, understanding how simple things like drinking tea can provide assistance can make this challenge a little easier and faster.
Every little bit of help is useful when you're trying to lose weight or keep your weight stable as you get older. Diet and exercise are still the most important components of weight loss and maintenance, but studies are showing that tea, particularly green tea, may be able to provide some assistance in losing weight and keeping it off.
For centuries, Asians have used green tea for health. In addition to Asian cultures having a much lower incidence of serious diseases such as cancer and heart disease, they also are far less likely to be overweight.
Tea comes from the Camellia sinensis plant. While there are several different types of tea, all true tea comes from this plant. The differences occur from how the tea is processed. Green tea is not fermented during processing, but black tea, which is the most common outside Asia does go through a fermentation process.
Tea leaves naturally contain catechins, which belong to the flavan-3-ol class of flavonoids, which are anti-oxidants. EGCG is one of the catechins contained in tea, and is one of the most powerful anti-oxidants around.
Each day, as we convert food to energy, we create free radicals in our body. These free radicals can damage our cells and our DNA if we don't combat them. It is believed that unchecked free radicals contribute to the development of many diseases, including cancer. In addition, they speed up the aging process and contribute to clogged arteries and other health problems.
Anti-oxidants are powerful at combating free radicals and are linked with preventing cancer, as well as with decreasing your risk of stroke and heart disease. and with lowering your cholesterol.
For this reason, drinking green tea is a simple and effective way to slow down the aging process and prevent disease. But, in addition to being a way to protect your health, drinking tea seems to also be a way to help keep you slim.
There has been a fairly significant amount of research on tea and its ability to help control your waistline. Tea seems to work on two levels. The first is that it appears to speed up the metabolism, so you use more calories each day. However, it also seems to inhibit fat absorption, so that less of the fat in your diet becomes fat on your body.
Tea has two ingredients that seem to help it work its magic. The first is caffeine, which is known to help speed up the metabolism. However, tea seems to work better than other caffeinated beverages because of those powerful anti-oxidants we were talking about earlier.
The anti-oxidants, also known as catechins, are the key to helping inhibit the absorption of fat and keep the metabolism moving for hours.
One research study that evaluated the benefits of tea on weight loss was conducted by the Osaka University of Foreign Studies. This study was conducted on just under 200 healthy men and women between the ages of 20 and 65. The subjects were divided into three groups; the control group, low dose group and high dose group.
The study lasted for 12 weeks. During the study period, the control group was fed 3 bottles of placebo drink. The low dose group consumed 2 bottles of a drink containing tea catechins and one bottle of placebo drink and the high dose group consumed 3 bottles of the tea catechin drink.
At the end of the twelve week study, those subjects in the low dose and high dose group showed a significant decrease in body fat compared with the control group. Both body weight and BMI were reduced in these two groups. In addition, abdominal fat was significantly reduced.
This reduction in body fat around the abdominal area is significant. Fat around the midsection is the fat that is most dangerous to our health. Abdominal fat is the type that is most likely to be an indicator of heart disease. Reducing your waist size, and the fat around your midsection is the most important weight to lose in order to protect your health.
Another interesting result of this study was that the subjects who had slightly elevated cholesterol levels also experienced a reduction in LDL cholesterol. LDL cholesterol is the "bad cholesterol".
When too much of this type of cholesterol circulates in the blood, it oxidizes into plaque that clogs the arteries. This causes the arteries to narrow, increasing your risk of heart attack and stroke.
When you combine this information with other studies that have shown a positive relationship between the amount of tea consumed in a day and the amount of overall body fat, it certainly suggests that drinking tea can be an effective way to lose weight and keep it off.
We all know that it's critical to eat well and get regular exercise in order to maintain our health and keep our weight in check. However, understanding how simple things like drinking tea can provide assistance can make this challenge a little easier and faster.
Foods For The Negative Calorie Diet
Foods For The Negative Calorie Diet by M.M.R.
By now many peoples have heard about the negative calorie diet and how it can help them lose weight, keep the weight off and generally live a happier and healthier life. In addition to that, recent lab studies have shown the possibility that using a negative calorie diet can also help with slowing the aging process.
With all of the things going for it the one thing it doesn't have is an easy understanding of what exactly a negative calorie diet consists of and what foods are involved that can produce negative calorie results. The very basics of it is that it is a diet that consists of foods are harder to digest, thus, making your body expend more energy in the process of digestion.
To top it off the amount of calories that are burned off during the processing of these foods is far greater than the number of calories the foods themselves contain. Thus, by eating harder to digest foods with low calories one is able to burn more calories than they bring into their body.
Keep in mind that no food actually contains negative calories, it is simply the term referred to a food that burns more calories in the digestion process than it contains. The majority of the foods that work well with this diet are fruits and vegetables. Below you will find some of the more common items that fit into these categories.
Common 'Negative Calorie' Fruits
Apricots, Mandarin oranges, Blackberries, Melon Cantaloupes, Blackcurrant Peaches, Plums, Damsons, Raspberries, Grapefruit, Rhubarb, Guavas, Strawberries, Honeydew Melons, Tangerines, Lemons and Watermelons.
Common 'Negative Calorie' Vegetables
Asparagus, Fennel, Aubergine, Gourds, Broccolis, Leek, Cabbage, Lettuce, Carrots, Marrow, Cauliflowers, Peppers, Celery, Radishes, Chicory, Spinach, Cress, Tomatoes, Cucumbers and Turnips.
It is important that once a person starts himself or herself on a negative calorie diet that they are careful to ensure their body is getting the nutrients it needs. There are certain vitamins and minerals the body needs that aren't always provided by the common foods on would intake for this kind of diet.
To supplement your diet and ensure you are getting what the body needs it is recommended to include foods on your menu that contain at least some amounts of proteins and fats.
Another caveat a person should be aware is that while instituting a negative calorie diet into their lifestyle, they should never forego getting a healthy amount of exercise. The combination of the two will become a powerhouse to helping you lose weight.
By now many peoples have heard about the negative calorie diet and how it can help them lose weight, keep the weight off and generally live a happier and healthier life. In addition to that, recent lab studies have shown the possibility that using a negative calorie diet can also help with slowing the aging process.
With all of the things going for it the one thing it doesn't have is an easy understanding of what exactly a negative calorie diet consists of and what foods are involved that can produce negative calorie results. The very basics of it is that it is a diet that consists of foods are harder to digest, thus, making your body expend more energy in the process of digestion.
To top it off the amount of calories that are burned off during the processing of these foods is far greater than the number of calories the foods themselves contain. Thus, by eating harder to digest foods with low calories one is able to burn more calories than they bring into their body.
Keep in mind that no food actually contains negative calories, it is simply the term referred to a food that burns more calories in the digestion process than it contains. The majority of the foods that work well with this diet are fruits and vegetables. Below you will find some of the more common items that fit into these categories.
Common 'Negative Calorie' Fruits
Apricots, Mandarin oranges, Blackberries, Melon Cantaloupes, Blackcurrant Peaches, Plums, Damsons, Raspberries, Grapefruit, Rhubarb, Guavas, Strawberries, Honeydew Melons, Tangerines, Lemons and Watermelons.
Common 'Negative Calorie' Vegetables
Asparagus, Fennel, Aubergine, Gourds, Broccolis, Leek, Cabbage, Lettuce, Carrots, Marrow, Cauliflowers, Peppers, Celery, Radishes, Chicory, Spinach, Cress, Tomatoes, Cucumbers and Turnips.
It is important that once a person starts himself or herself on a negative calorie diet that they are careful to ensure their body is getting the nutrients it needs. There are certain vitamins and minerals the body needs that aren't always provided by the common foods on would intake for this kind of diet.
To supplement your diet and ensure you are getting what the body needs it is recommended to include foods on your menu that contain at least some amounts of proteins and fats.
Another caveat a person should be aware is that while instituting a negative calorie diet into their lifestyle, they should never forego getting a healthy amount of exercise. The combination of the two will become a powerhouse to helping you lose weight.
Acomplia in Europe: Ear Marking the Weight Loss Scenario
Acomplia in Europe: Ear Marking the Weight Loss Scenario by Lily Parker
Thinking what is Acomplia? Acomplia is an oral prescription drug which is employed in the effectual treatment of obesity. Acomplia with Rimonabant as its active ingredient is one of the most popular weight loss drug available in the Europe. It was first launched in the UK, and since then it has created a wave in the weight loss market. Its efficacy is testified by the success stories of it users have accounted. Acomplia (Rimonabant) has been approved for sale in other European countries such as Germany, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Belgium amid others.
This weight loss drug is developed by a French pharmaceutical firm, Sanofi- Aventis. 20mg Acomplia is the customary dosage, which should be used in consonance with your doctor's prescription. Combine Acomplia medication with a proper diet plan and regular workout to attain amazing weight loss results.
Functioning of Acomplia is reliant on the principle of obstructing the CB-1 receptors. CB-1 receptors are responsible for food consumption of the body. When these receptors are blocked, you tend to reduce your normal appetite. In this way, you eat less and tend to lose weight. Acomplia is usually prescribed for people who have a BMI 30, or more commonly referred to as an obese. Your doctor may prescribe you Acomplia even if your BMI is 27 and you have obesity related health hazards.
Usage of Acomplia may source out a few side effects as a consequence of bodily modification to this medication. Some of the Acomplia side effects can be enlisted such as:
1. Muscle cramp 2. Stomach upset 3. Headache 4. Nausea 5. Dizziness
These Acomplia side effects usually fade away with continual use of this medication. Incase, you experience these side effects for a longer period of time or become bothersome, consult a doctor immediately. Women likely to become pregnant, expectant women, breast-feeding mothers, heart patients and diabetics should keep away from intake of Acomplia without medical consultation. You can buy Acomplia in Europe by means of online pharmacies. Emergence of various online pharmacies can provide you the benefit of placing an online Acomplia order at the comfort of your home. Apart from the element of convenience, you can get access to Acomplia at a reasonable price range with an online purchase.
Thinking what is Acomplia? Acomplia is an oral prescription drug which is employed in the effectual treatment of obesity. Acomplia with Rimonabant as its active ingredient is one of the most popular weight loss drug available in the Europe. It was first launched in the UK, and since then it has created a wave in the weight loss market. Its efficacy is testified by the success stories of it users have accounted. Acomplia (Rimonabant) has been approved for sale in other European countries such as Germany, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Belgium amid others.
This weight loss drug is developed by a French pharmaceutical firm, Sanofi- Aventis. 20mg Acomplia is the customary dosage, which should be used in consonance with your doctor's prescription. Combine Acomplia medication with a proper diet plan and regular workout to attain amazing weight loss results.
Functioning of Acomplia is reliant on the principle of obstructing the CB-1 receptors. CB-1 receptors are responsible for food consumption of the body. When these receptors are blocked, you tend to reduce your normal appetite. In this way, you eat less and tend to lose weight. Acomplia is usually prescribed for people who have a BMI 30, or more commonly referred to as an obese. Your doctor may prescribe you Acomplia even if your BMI is 27 and you have obesity related health hazards.
Usage of Acomplia may source out a few side effects as a consequence of bodily modification to this medication. Some of the Acomplia side effects can be enlisted such as:
1. Muscle cramp 2. Stomach upset 3. Headache 4. Nausea 5. Dizziness
These Acomplia side effects usually fade away with continual use of this medication. Incase, you experience these side effects for a longer period of time or become bothersome, consult a doctor immediately. Women likely to become pregnant, expectant women, breast-feeding mothers, heart patients and diabetics should keep away from intake of Acomplia without medical consultation. You can buy Acomplia in Europe by means of online pharmacies. Emergence of various online pharmacies can provide you the benefit of placing an online Acomplia order at the comfort of your home. Apart from the element of convenience, you can get access to Acomplia at a reasonable price range with an online purchase.
Manage your Diabetes with a Diet Menu
Manage your Diabetes with a Diet Menu by Arturo Ronzon
This is a great starter diet for someone suffering from Diabetes, who is looking for an effective way to manage the health and fitness portion of their diabetes management plan. Be sure to always consult your physician before beginning any new diet plan. This diet provides 50 percent starches, 30 percent proteins and 20% fat in calories, and follows the diabetic food pyramids method of creating an eating plan. Make sure to only eat the foods that are on the list below, and only eat the amount that is specified. It is important that you do not skip over or miss meals, or snack in between the planned meals. All foods should be measured, which can be done using a standard measuring cup, teaspoon or tablespoon. Foods are generally measured after cooking to ensure proper portion size. Make sure always to bake, broil or boil meats rather than frying, unless you are instructed specifically to do so. Special foods are not necessary, as you're only required to stick to low calorie and lean foods, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables rather than canned or frozen, and skimmed milk instead of whole or Vitamin D.
As a diabetic, make sure to avoid sweets, candy, sugar, honey, pies and anything else that is prepared with sugar. You should also avoid foods that are high in fat or cholesterol, as well as alcoholic beverages like beer and wine. Avoid fats, sweats, fried foods and foods prepared in sugar or oil in order to control or maintain your weight. Make sure to avoid red meats, high cholesterol and fat foods and alcoholic beverages at all times, regardless of the goals in your personal diet management plan.
A standard 1800 calorie sample menu involves two fruits, two breads, one meat, two fats, one milk, and a free food. This translates to approximately 2/3 of a cup of apple juice, of a cup of oatmeal, one slice of toast, one egg that is soft cooked, one cup of percent or skim milk, and a glass of coffee or tea for breakfast. For lunch, expect to have two meats, two breads, one vegetable, two fruits, two fats and a free food, which translates to something like a half cup of tuna, two slices of bread, a half cup of tomato slices, a cup of mixed fruit, a teaspoon of margarine, and a glass of tea with lemon. The ideal dinner consists of three meats, two breads, one raw vegetable and two fats. This can translate to three ounces of baked chicken, a half cup of mashed potatoes, a slice of bread and a cup of broccoli or a tossed salad with a tablespoon of salad dressing.
This is a great starter diet for someone suffering from Diabetes, who is looking for an effective way to manage the health and fitness portion of their diabetes management plan. Be sure to always consult your physician before beginning any new diet plan. This diet provides 50 percent starches, 30 percent proteins and 20% fat in calories, and follows the diabetic food pyramids method of creating an eating plan. Make sure to only eat the foods that are on the list below, and only eat the amount that is specified. It is important that you do not skip over or miss meals, or snack in between the planned meals. All foods should be measured, which can be done using a standard measuring cup, teaspoon or tablespoon. Foods are generally measured after cooking to ensure proper portion size. Make sure always to bake, broil or boil meats rather than frying, unless you are instructed specifically to do so. Special foods are not necessary, as you're only required to stick to low calorie and lean foods, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables rather than canned or frozen, and skimmed milk instead of whole or Vitamin D.
As a diabetic, make sure to avoid sweets, candy, sugar, honey, pies and anything else that is prepared with sugar. You should also avoid foods that are high in fat or cholesterol, as well as alcoholic beverages like beer and wine. Avoid fats, sweats, fried foods and foods prepared in sugar or oil in order to control or maintain your weight. Make sure to avoid red meats, high cholesterol and fat foods and alcoholic beverages at all times, regardless of the goals in your personal diet management plan.
A standard 1800 calorie sample menu involves two fruits, two breads, one meat, two fats, one milk, and a free food. This translates to approximately 2/3 of a cup of apple juice, of a cup of oatmeal, one slice of toast, one egg that is soft cooked, one cup of percent or skim milk, and a glass of coffee or tea for breakfast. For lunch, expect to have two meats, two breads, one vegetable, two fruits, two fats and a free food, which translates to something like a half cup of tuna, two slices of bread, a half cup of tomato slices, a cup of mixed fruit, a teaspoon of margarine, and a glass of tea with lemon. The ideal dinner consists of three meats, two breads, one raw vegetable and two fats. This can translate to three ounces of baked chicken, a half cup of mashed potatoes, a slice of bread and a cup of broccoli or a tossed salad with a tablespoon of salad dressing.
What Foods Hold The Most Weight Loss Protection?
What Foods Hold The Most Weight Loss Protection? by Marcus Stout
Obesity is one of the number one health concerns in today's society. The US Centers for Disease Control estimates that over 60 million Americans, or 30% of the adult population, are obese. The term obese refers to people who weigh over 30 pounds more than their ideal weight, or who have a Body Mass Index of 30 or more.
One of the national health objectives in the US is to reduce the incidence of obesity to less than 15% of the adult population by 2010; however, current statistics indicate that the problem is still on the rise. In addition, the percentage of young people in America who are overweight has more than tripled since 1980.
Over 9 million children and teens between the ages of 6 and 19 are considered overweight. This equates to 16 % of the population.
There's no question that losing weight is not easy. And, it's also clear that we've changed our lifestyles in ways that are making it easier for us to become obese. Some of the biggest culprits in the battle of the bulge are the following.
* Busy Schedules - The average family has a much more demanding schedule than in years past. Because of this, mealtimes often go by the wayside, and we choose lots of fast food. Our stress levels may also lead to emotional eating, where we have no concept of how many calories we've consumed. These factors combined have made our diets poor and our concept of a normal meal skewed. * Sedentary Lifestyles - Today many people spend lots of time sitting down between our desk jobs and our love of watching television and playing computer and video games. For many of us, regular exercise is simply no longer a part of our daily life.
* Large food portions - Most restaurant portions are 2-3 times the size that makes up a reasonable meal. From this we've gained a distorted image of the size portions we should be eating, and we're consuming far too many calories in a day.
* Poor nutrition - Processed foods are a staple in the American diet. In addition, we eat lots of red meat and products made with white flour. These overly processed and high fat foods make it easy to gain weight. They also lead to heart disease and high cholesterol.
So, what do we do to overcome our weight problems? Well, as with many things, there are no magic bullets. To lose weight, we have to expend more calories than we consume. It's just that simple.
Losing weight is simple, but it's not easy, particularly since much of the food we're presented with every day is not conducive to weight loss. So, if you want to lose weight and keep it off for good, you need to make a commitment to making long term changes in your life.
Starving yourself is not the answer; making changes you can live with is the way to go.
First, take a look at what you eat. If you're guilty of eating lots of processed foods, red meat, sugar and white flour, make changes in what you eat.
Substitute chicken and fish for red meat most days of the week. Cook your own meals using fresh ingredients; don't rely on processed foods that are loaded with preservatives.
Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables
Choose whole grain products over those made with white flour Reduce the amount of sugar in your diet.
These changes alone should help you lose weight. However, for many people it will also be necessary to look at how much you eat. Portion control is very important, because very large portions of even healthy food can mean that you're consuming too many calories.
The second half of the weight loss equation has to do with exercise. Not only will exercise help you burn more calories each day, but it will also help you build muscle. Muscle is important because even when resting, muscle mass burns more calories than fat. So, if you have a lot of lean muscle, you'll burn more calories in a day, without even trying.
Aim for 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise five times a week. Walking is a great way to get your cardiovascular exercise, and it will help build muscle in the lower body, too. Just be sure that you're walking at a pace that will make you sweat. Raising your heart rate during your cardiovascular workout is important for keeping your heart healthy.
In addition to your cardiovascular workout, get in some strength training three times a week for about 20 minutes each session. You don't need to become a body builder, but adding some lean muscle will speed up your metabolism and make your body look thinner and leaner.
Finally, take a look at adding some "functional foods" to your diet. Functional foods are those that have benefits to the body above and beyond their basic nutritional qualities. Foods that would be considered functional foods for weight loss would be those that make us feel full and satisfied for longer, and those that have the potential to increase our metabolism.
For example, you may have heard of negative calorie foods. These are foods that contain fewer calories than your body uses to digest them. Some examples of negative calorie food include raw carrots, celery, asparagus, apple, beet, berries, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chili, cucumber, garlic, lettuce, grapefruit, lemon, mango, onion, orange, papaya, pineapple, spinach, turnip, and zucchini.
There are likely other functional foods for weight loss. Foods that are believed to be functional for weight loss include low fat milk, nuts and tea. A study reported by the UK Tea Council discusses certain foods and their potential to be functional weight loss foods.
Studies have shown that people who drink 24 ounces or more of milk each day tend to weigh less than people who don't drink milk. So, it appears that adding 24 ounces of milk to your diet each day might be a good way to lose some weight, and help keep it off.
Nuts have gained a lot of attention because of two important properties. The first is that nuts are very satisfying. Nuts can help you feel full for longer, helping to ensure that you eat fewer calories in a day.
Secondly, nuts are a good source of healthy fats. These are the fats that help raise your HDL cholesterol level. HDL cholesterol is what is known as "good cholesterol" because it has the power to carry molecules of LDL cholesterol "bad cholesterol" to the liver, where it can be removed from the body.
A final food that is likely functional to weight loss is green tea. Green tea has been shown to help regulate blood sugar naturally, which may help us store fewer calories as fat. Secondly, green tea has been shown to promote thermogenesis; heat that burns body fat.
Green tea is extremely low in calories, and very healthy overall. So, if it can also help us lose weight, it may just qualify as a "super food". There have been numerous studies linking green tea with preventing disease and protecting health.
So, if you're battling the bulge, get some exercise and make some changes in your diet. And, make sure that one of those changes is adding some "functional foods", so that losing weight can be easier than ever!
Obesity is one of the number one health concerns in today's society. The US Centers for Disease Control estimates that over 60 million Americans, or 30% of the adult population, are obese. The term obese refers to people who weigh over 30 pounds more than their ideal weight, or who have a Body Mass Index of 30 or more.
One of the national health objectives in the US is to reduce the incidence of obesity to less than 15% of the adult population by 2010; however, current statistics indicate that the problem is still on the rise. In addition, the percentage of young people in America who are overweight has more than tripled since 1980.
Over 9 million children and teens between the ages of 6 and 19 are considered overweight. This equates to 16 % of the population.
There's no question that losing weight is not easy. And, it's also clear that we've changed our lifestyles in ways that are making it easier for us to become obese. Some of the biggest culprits in the battle of the bulge are the following.
* Busy Schedules - The average family has a much more demanding schedule than in years past. Because of this, mealtimes often go by the wayside, and we choose lots of fast food. Our stress levels may also lead to emotional eating, where we have no concept of how many calories we've consumed. These factors combined have made our diets poor and our concept of a normal meal skewed. * Sedentary Lifestyles - Today many people spend lots of time sitting down between our desk jobs and our love of watching television and playing computer and video games. For many of us, regular exercise is simply no longer a part of our daily life.
* Large food portions - Most restaurant portions are 2-3 times the size that makes up a reasonable meal. From this we've gained a distorted image of the size portions we should be eating, and we're consuming far too many calories in a day.
* Poor nutrition - Processed foods are a staple in the American diet. In addition, we eat lots of red meat and products made with white flour. These overly processed and high fat foods make it easy to gain weight. They also lead to heart disease and high cholesterol.
So, what do we do to overcome our weight problems? Well, as with many things, there are no magic bullets. To lose weight, we have to expend more calories than we consume. It's just that simple.
Losing weight is simple, but it's not easy, particularly since much of the food we're presented with every day is not conducive to weight loss. So, if you want to lose weight and keep it off for good, you need to make a commitment to making long term changes in your life.
Starving yourself is not the answer; making changes you can live with is the way to go.
First, take a look at what you eat. If you're guilty of eating lots of processed foods, red meat, sugar and white flour, make changes in what you eat.
Substitute chicken and fish for red meat most days of the week. Cook your own meals using fresh ingredients; don't rely on processed foods that are loaded with preservatives.
Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables
Choose whole grain products over those made with white flour Reduce the amount of sugar in your diet.
These changes alone should help you lose weight. However, for many people it will also be necessary to look at how much you eat. Portion control is very important, because very large portions of even healthy food can mean that you're consuming too many calories.
The second half of the weight loss equation has to do with exercise. Not only will exercise help you burn more calories each day, but it will also help you build muscle. Muscle is important because even when resting, muscle mass burns more calories than fat. So, if you have a lot of lean muscle, you'll burn more calories in a day, without even trying.
Aim for 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise five times a week. Walking is a great way to get your cardiovascular exercise, and it will help build muscle in the lower body, too. Just be sure that you're walking at a pace that will make you sweat. Raising your heart rate during your cardiovascular workout is important for keeping your heart healthy.
In addition to your cardiovascular workout, get in some strength training three times a week for about 20 minutes each session. You don't need to become a body builder, but adding some lean muscle will speed up your metabolism and make your body look thinner and leaner.
Finally, take a look at adding some "functional foods" to your diet. Functional foods are those that have benefits to the body above and beyond their basic nutritional qualities. Foods that would be considered functional foods for weight loss would be those that make us feel full and satisfied for longer, and those that have the potential to increase our metabolism.
For example, you may have heard of negative calorie foods. These are foods that contain fewer calories than your body uses to digest them. Some examples of negative calorie food include raw carrots, celery, asparagus, apple, beet, berries, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, chili, cucumber, garlic, lettuce, grapefruit, lemon, mango, onion, orange, papaya, pineapple, spinach, turnip, and zucchini.
There are likely other functional foods for weight loss. Foods that are believed to be functional for weight loss include low fat milk, nuts and tea. A study reported by the UK Tea Council discusses certain foods and their potential to be functional weight loss foods.
Studies have shown that people who drink 24 ounces or more of milk each day tend to weigh less than people who don't drink milk. So, it appears that adding 24 ounces of milk to your diet each day might be a good way to lose some weight, and help keep it off.
Nuts have gained a lot of attention because of two important properties. The first is that nuts are very satisfying. Nuts can help you feel full for longer, helping to ensure that you eat fewer calories in a day.
Secondly, nuts are a good source of healthy fats. These are the fats that help raise your HDL cholesterol level. HDL cholesterol is what is known as "good cholesterol" because it has the power to carry molecules of LDL cholesterol "bad cholesterol" to the liver, where it can be removed from the body.
A final food that is likely functional to weight loss is green tea. Green tea has been shown to help regulate blood sugar naturally, which may help us store fewer calories as fat. Secondly, green tea has been shown to promote thermogenesis; heat that burns body fat.
Green tea is extremely low in calories, and very healthy overall. So, if it can also help us lose weight, it may just qualify as a "super food". There have been numerous studies linking green tea with preventing disease and protecting health.
So, if you're battling the bulge, get some exercise and make some changes in your diet. And, make sure that one of those changes is adding some "functional foods", so that losing weight can be easier than ever!
Tea's Potential For Weight Loss
Tea's Potential For Weight Loss by Marcus Stout
Losing weight is a topic on the mind of many. It's no secret that long term weight loss and maintenance require long term life changes. In order to successfully lose weight and keep it off you must consume fewer calories each day than your body uses. This allows your body to use stored fat as energy, rather than food.
So, eating less is just half the equation. Since you can only reduce your calorie intake by so much, it's critical to also increase the amount of calories your body uses each day. This is why exercise is so important. Exercise burns calories while you're exercising, but also increases your metabolic rate for several hours after you finish.
Exercising by lifting weights can also help increase your metabolic rate in the long term. Because muscle requires more calories to maintain, even when resting, building muscle is a great way to help ensure that you burn more calories all the time.
So, as you're attempting to lose weight, it's important to pay attention to increasing your metabolism. Part of this equation includes not decreasing your caloric intake too drastically. When you significantly reduce the number of calories you're consuming, your body begins to go into starvation mode, actually conserving calories and fat. This can stall your weight loss progress.
A better way to lose weight is to reduce your calorie intake somewhat, but to put the bulk of your effort into increasing the number of calories you burn each day. Exercise is the most important way to do this, but there is another way that you can increase your metabolic rate that many people don't know about.
The secret is tea. Several studies have shown tea to have the ability to aid in weight loss by raising your metabolic rate. In addition, tea seems to inhibit the absorption of the fat in your diet, which may help you lose weight, as well.
This ability to limit fat absorption may also be one of the reasons that tea consumption seems to lower cholesterol. When triglycerides (a form of fat) rise, cholesterol rises, too.
However, it is likely that the most important quality that tea possesses for aiding weight loss is its ability to impact metabolism. It has long been believed by the Chinese that tea helps with weight control, but there has not been a great deal of research on the subject.
However, with all the recent attention that tea has garnered for its ability to reduce aging and prevent disease, more research is being done on all of tea's potential.
For example, there have been many studies that suggest that tea, particularly green tea, can prevent heart disease and cancer. Tea is a potent source of anti-oxidants, which scientists have discovered are keys to health.
Anti-oxidants are important because they fight the free radicals created as a by-product of the digestive process. Free radicals are oxygen containing molecules that damage cells and DNA if left unchecked. However, a regular diet of anti-oxidants can stop the free radicals from damaging our bodies.
Anti-oxidants are found in many plant sources, including fruits and vegetables, but none are more potent than those in tea. For this reason, tea has gained a great deal of attention for being a healthy beverage.
One study, conducted by the University of Tokushima in Japan, attempted to verify tea's effect on the body's energy expenditure, or the number of calories burned. The study was conducted on men, who did not consume any caffeine or flavonoids (the anti-oxidants in tea) for four days prior to beginning the study.
The study lasted for three days, during which the subjects consumed a typical American diet. Each subject was evaluated prior to the study to get a measure of his normal daily energy expenditure. The subjects were divided into four groups. The groups were given one of four regimens:
* Water
* Full strength tea
* Half strength tea
* Water containing 270 mg of caffeine (approximately the same amount found in the full strength tea)
The study found that, compared to the men who drank water, the men who drank full strength tea showed an energy expenditure increase of 2.9%, and the men who drank caffeinated water had an increased energy expenditure of 3.4%.
However, the men who drank full strength tea also had an increased fat oxidation of 12% over the water drinkers. This fat oxidation increase was not shown in the men who drank caffeinated water.
So, this study suggests to us that caffeine does help speed up the metabolism. However, it also tells us that it is not just the caffeine alone that makes tea an effective weight loss aid. Other components in tea, likely the anti-oxidants, are responsible for tea's ability to oxidize fat in a way that caffeine alone cannot. Tea is a healthy drink, and, worldwide, is the second most consumed beverage, after water. So, using tea as a weight loss aid is a safe way to help increase your chances of losing those excess pounds. If tea isn't already part of your weight loss plan, why not add it today?
Losing weight is a topic on the mind of many. It's no secret that long term weight loss and maintenance require long term life changes. In order to successfully lose weight and keep it off you must consume fewer calories each day than your body uses. This allows your body to use stored fat as energy, rather than food.
So, eating less is just half the equation. Since you can only reduce your calorie intake by so much, it's critical to also increase the amount of calories your body uses each day. This is why exercise is so important. Exercise burns calories while you're exercising, but also increases your metabolic rate for several hours after you finish.
Exercising by lifting weights can also help increase your metabolic rate in the long term. Because muscle requires more calories to maintain, even when resting, building muscle is a great way to help ensure that you burn more calories all the time.
So, as you're attempting to lose weight, it's important to pay attention to increasing your metabolism. Part of this equation includes not decreasing your caloric intake too drastically. When you significantly reduce the number of calories you're consuming, your body begins to go into starvation mode, actually conserving calories and fat. This can stall your weight loss progress.
A better way to lose weight is to reduce your calorie intake somewhat, but to put the bulk of your effort into increasing the number of calories you burn each day. Exercise is the most important way to do this, but there is another way that you can increase your metabolic rate that many people don't know about.
The secret is tea. Several studies have shown tea to have the ability to aid in weight loss by raising your metabolic rate. In addition, tea seems to inhibit the absorption of the fat in your diet, which may help you lose weight, as well.
This ability to limit fat absorption may also be one of the reasons that tea consumption seems to lower cholesterol. When triglycerides (a form of fat) rise, cholesterol rises, too.
However, it is likely that the most important quality that tea possesses for aiding weight loss is its ability to impact metabolism. It has long been believed by the Chinese that tea helps with weight control, but there has not been a great deal of research on the subject.
However, with all the recent attention that tea has garnered for its ability to reduce aging and prevent disease, more research is being done on all of tea's potential.
For example, there have been many studies that suggest that tea, particularly green tea, can prevent heart disease and cancer. Tea is a potent source of anti-oxidants, which scientists have discovered are keys to health.
Anti-oxidants are important because they fight the free radicals created as a by-product of the digestive process. Free radicals are oxygen containing molecules that damage cells and DNA if left unchecked. However, a regular diet of anti-oxidants can stop the free radicals from damaging our bodies.
Anti-oxidants are found in many plant sources, including fruits and vegetables, but none are more potent than those in tea. For this reason, tea has gained a great deal of attention for being a healthy beverage.
One study, conducted by the University of Tokushima in Japan, attempted to verify tea's effect on the body's energy expenditure, or the number of calories burned. The study was conducted on men, who did not consume any caffeine or flavonoids (the anti-oxidants in tea) for four days prior to beginning the study.
The study lasted for three days, during which the subjects consumed a typical American diet. Each subject was evaluated prior to the study to get a measure of his normal daily energy expenditure. The subjects were divided into four groups. The groups were given one of four regimens:
* Water
* Full strength tea
* Half strength tea
* Water containing 270 mg of caffeine (approximately the same amount found in the full strength tea)
The study found that, compared to the men who drank water, the men who drank full strength tea showed an energy expenditure increase of 2.9%, and the men who drank caffeinated water had an increased energy expenditure of 3.4%.
However, the men who drank full strength tea also had an increased fat oxidation of 12% over the water drinkers. This fat oxidation increase was not shown in the men who drank caffeinated water.
So, this study suggests to us that caffeine does help speed up the metabolism. However, it also tells us that it is not just the caffeine alone that makes tea an effective weight loss aid. Other components in tea, likely the anti-oxidants, are responsible for tea's ability to oxidize fat in a way that caffeine alone cannot. Tea is a healthy drink, and, worldwide, is the second most consumed beverage, after water. So, using tea as a weight loss aid is a safe way to help increase your chances of losing those excess pounds. If tea isn't already part of your weight loss plan, why not add it today?
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