Purely Natural Therapies and Alternative Medicine

By Whitney Ingram

There will be numerous reasons why someone might end up being thinking about all natural therapies. If you are brand new to this subject, it may help to learn a little concerning alternative medicine along with the reason why it might be useful. You ought to learn some basic information about purely natural medicine, who may use it, and exactly how a naturopath can help out.

All Natural Medicine

When the majority of individuals are usually sick or perhaps suffering from a problem, they often visit the medical doctor. Once there, odds are that they are going to walk away with a doctor's prescription for some medicine to be able to alleviate or perhaps cure their symptoms. Natural medicine is actually comparable, except instead of visiting a drugstore, the medications are often traditional substances. Sometimes these types of cures are found around the home, such as making use of vodka to remove foot odour. Some other times oils or herbs are generally used, like working with tea tree oil being a treatment for acne breakouts. Some alternative medicine features a far more spiritual focus, including Reiki. Due to this, natural medicine does not require a doctor's prescription.

Who Uses Natural Medicine?

A variety of individuals use these all natural treatments. One large reason why people use it is because of the simplicity. Alternative medicine hardly ever has negative effects, specially when it's compared to some other prescription drugs. Many individuals use Melatonin as a natural sleep aid because it is non-habit forming and is fairly free of negative effects. When compared with prescription sleep aids that can trigger dependency, mental impairment, sleep walking, hallucinations, personality adjustments, as well as other disturbing negative effects, the all natural sleep aid is often preferred. Lots of people may pick a natural remedy that's free of negative effects over a prescription that may give them more difficulties.

Another factor may be the price. People who don't have insurance protection might not be able to find the money for visits to the doctor and/or the prescribed medicine. All natural options in many cases are an affordable option for individuals who otherwise would not have accessibility to medications or treatments.

Natural therapies also possess a much more holistic approach. Numerous have much more of an emphasis on preventative treatments as well as spiritual/mental stability. This is very appealing for individuals who wish to be healthy all round. They examine their bodies and minds as part of a whole, and deal with the ailment as such. This specific multifaceted approach to medication is very different from normal practices.

What is a Naturopath?

A Naturopath is somebody that practices a kind of alternative medicine known as Naturopathy. This is the opinion that a kind of vital energy leads to many of the bodily processes. This includes metabolism, reproduction, development, along with adaptation. The treatments usually are non-drug based and they are also not invasive. There is additionally a huge emphasis on self healing. A Naturopath can offer you some various treatments that may be used in conjunction with mainstream practices.

Natural therapies and alternative medicine can offer treatments along with cures. There are a variety of reasons why people tend to be interested in them. Find out about your alternatives in terms of treatment.

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Why Some Weight Loss Programs Don't Work? Then What Works?

By Jo Johnson

You cannot lose weight using Low Fat Diets. For more than 15 years, we have been conditioned to think that low fat foods would help us to lose fats. As we know, our society is still filled with people who are getting more overweight. What does that mean for you? This confirms the fact that eating a purely low fat menu is not the answer to weight loss.

How about Low Calorie Diets?

You tried a Low Calorie Dieting Plan. Does it work? Eating low calories is the worst thing that you can do to your body. Not only will this habit slows down your body's fat burning engine, it destroys your hope of losing weight. Yes low calorie diets may allow a few pounds of weight loss for the first few days, but then after that what happens? The weight loss comes to a stop, commonly known as a dieting plateau.

How about Low Carb Plans?

In the last couple of years, low carb diets have been quote popular. Why do some people fail to lose fats using this method? Numerous feedbacks showed that it is extremely difficult to follow. With less carbo in your body, you feel energy-less and restless. How are you going to live with this kind of life? Many gave up the idea about weight loss.

How about Low Fat Diets?

Today, we are so conscious of the word "fats" on any food labels. You go for 'low fat' or 'non-fat' food. Bottomline, are people losing weight? No.

How about Eating Lesser Amounts?

Do you think by starving yourself, you will lose weight? Wrong! The body is a smart engine. It detects a drop in calories intake and then adjust itself by burning fewer calories each day. For example, if you are eating a 2500 calories per day your body will adjust its metabolism to burn 2500 calories per day. And you begin to drop your calories intake to 1000. The body metabolism will adjust to the new 1000 calories intake. Therefore you fail in your attempt at weight loss target.

What is the Problem?

You are overweight because you are eating the wrong foods in the wrong way. Hence the problem lies with the food you eat. You get fat because you don't eat the right foods at the right intervals each day. Just like biorhythm in our body, the body needs certain foods at certain intervals each. So if you don't eat the right foods at the right times then the body won't burn those calories. You end up storing those calories as fat tissue. So it has nothing to do with eating lesser portion or exercising to weight loss. Oh this is a real paradigm shift in the way society thinks in weight loss!

Then What Works?

Did you know that your brain controls the release of Fat Burning Hormones after each meal? It's true. Every time you eat something there are 2 types of hormones released into your bloodstream, and together they control Fat Burning and Fat Storage. And these 2 hormones are controlled by the foods that you eat.

In order to 'trick' the body to burn the fats faster, you will need to eat more than 3 meals a day over 11 days. You will need to alter these hormones correctly. Of course you cannot be eating all the chocolates that you love to eat for the next 11 days. You must eat the right meals in the right patterns each day. And after 11 days have passed you'll be much slimmer and lighter on the scale. It is based on the Shifting Calories Theory. And a Menu Generator that will tell you what foods you should be eating for 11 days. It is a Weight Loss Secret Formula Truly Revealed.

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How to Lose Weight Fast and Easily? Helpful Weight Loss Tips

By Peter Skotnicky

When it comes to weight loss, we all want to lose weight fast and easy -- if we have some to lose. However, that can be a difficult proposition, since most "quick and easy" weight-loss plans are also pretty unhealthy.

There is one, however, that can indeed help you lose weight fast and easy, yet stay healthy at the same time.
It's not a secret that these days, fully two thirds of us are either overweight or obese, and that number is growing every day. Something needs to be done to make sure that so many of us who are overweight can get back to normal weights, especially because carrying extra weight around can cause its own health problems, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and a myriad of other health problems.

Unfortunately, many of us don't have the time or attention span to do what most conscientious weight-loss programs tell us to do; that is, cut calories sensibly, exercise, eat healthily and in moderation, and so on. We all want quick and easy weight loss, but even though there are plenty of diets out there that promise this, most of them aren't safe. And in fact, our propensity to diet in this country has probably made us fatter. Let's take a moment to talk about why.

Your metabolism

Your metabolism is the "engine" that burns up the fuel you feed it, namely, food and in some cases fat stores. Your metabolism is necessary to keep you functioning, living and breathing. Unfortunately, when we diet, and when we cut our calories to below a certain level, our metabolisms adjust to account for that. You see, metabolisms have a function built into them where when you cut calories, your metabolism goes, "Famine! I'd better slow down." And so, when you cut calories, your metabolism drops to help you get through this "famine." That's a left over survival mechanism from when our ancestors really did suffer from famine, and it was great; it helped people survive until there was enough food again.

However, we don't need that. Unfortunately, metabolisms don't know that, so they drop, too, when we diet. And what does that mean? You guessed it; you can gain weight on FEWER calories than you consumed previously before you went on a diet. And that's a big part of the reason, some experts say, as to why this country has become so fat. We're always on a diet and therefore ruining our metabolisms en masse.

What is that mean for us, though? Does that mean we have no hope of being able to lose weight fast and easy? No, and in fact, there's a sensible weight-loss program out there that can help with weight loss -- without deprivation, without feeling hungry, and without subjecting your metabolism to a beating.

It's called Fat Loss 4 Idiots, and it perfectly addresses and takes care of the reasons most diets fail. You eat often so that your metabolism doesn't slow down, and you eat enough so that you are just short of full, every 2 1/2 hours during the day. You focus on lean, healthy proteins, fruits and vegetables, and some complex carbohydrates in moderation.

Now, certain foods are "forbidden" on this diet, but not forever. That is, you follow this diet for 11 days, and then you can take three days off to eat whatever you want. Pretty cool, right? So you never have to feel deprived for long. And best of all, this diet promises that you can lose 9 pounds in 11 days. That's a pretty simple thing, to have "11 days on, three days off" until you lose the weight you want to. And in fact, if you want to, you can keep following this diet (in some moderation if you don't want to lose any more weight) to keep the weight off.

This is an easy fat loss method to get started with as well and provides an easy structured plan to help shed the extra fat you want to lose!

Check this simple, affordable plan designed to leave you satisfied and eating delicious foods while you lose weight without hard exercise.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

How Do I Lose Weight? Easy Weight Loss Tips

By Peter Skotnicky

If you've gained a few pounds in recent years, you may be wondering, "How do I lose weight?" And, you probably want to do so quickly and easily. It's also a common (and usually correct) perception that if you want to lose weight, you do so slowly and carefully in order to be healthy about it. There is a way to lose weight, though, where you can do it quickly and be healthy about it -- and have it be permanent as well.

I can just see you; you're staring at the scale, glumly looking at the number as it soars upward, and thinking, "How do I lose weight?" If you're like a lot of people in this country, you've tried a lot of diets, and maybe some of them have even been successful for a little while. But again, if you're like most people in this country, that weight loss didn't last, and you've seen your weight creep upward once again.

So the question is, is long-term weight loss that's healthy, not full of deprivation, and even enjoyable possible? In a word, yes. You can indeed have an easy to follow "diet" (although that's not really the word to use; it's more a lifestyle adoption) that will help you lose weight and keep it off, permanently.

The myth about dieting

There's a big myth about dieting out there, and it's that you have to cut calories drastically in order to lose weight. In fact, that little adage has probably been one of the biggest reasons this country's citizens have become fatter and fatter every year. Why? Because your metabolism has a little survival mechanism built into it. That is, when you significantly cut calories, it slows way down as a means to help you get through your "starvation" phase.

Now it should be noted that this is no accident. In fact, our ancestors needed this survival mechanism because they really did have starvation phases where there was little to no food, so that they had to conserve energy. When the starvation episode was over, they could go back to eating normally. Of course, then, no one had a problem with "excess" food.

Today, of course, we "suffer" from the disease of plenty, which means that food is always available, all the time. We don't have starvation phases, in other words, but our bodies still think we do -- when we cut calories drastically. And what that means is, when you go on a diet, you actually hurt your chances of losing weight, because you have just sabotaged your own ability to burn calories and lose weight.

So what that means is that you have to find a way to eat so that your metabolism is always going to stay at or above a certain level, you're never going to be hungry, and where you're going to be able to eat so that your body naturally loses enough weight to be healthy without deprivation and without a lot of effort.

There is a way you can do this. So now, when you ask the question, "How do I lose weight?", the answer is, through a program called Fat Loss 4 Idiots.

Fat Loss 4 Idiots works with the principle that you need to eat in order to lose weight -- and you need to stay full and satisfied throughout, in order to be healthy and happy about it. It's easy to follow because it has an "11 days on, three days off" schedule whereby you follow the eating plan for 11 days, then you can eat whatever you want for three days, followed by another 11 days of eating by plan, then three days off, and so on. You do this until you have lost all the weight you want; if you wish, you can continue doing this for maintenance, modified somewhat if necessary so that you don't continue to lose too much weight once you've lost all you want to begin with.

With Fat Loss 4 Idiots, you follow a plan whereby for 11 days, you focus on eating high quality lean proteins, fresh fruits and vegetables, and some complex carbohydrates in moderation. You eat every 2.5 hours, so that you never feel hungry, and eat to "just short of being full." You're never are tempted to overeat, since you'll be eating again so soon anyway.

Now here's what makes the diet so successful: After that 11 days, you can spend three days eating whatever you want. This staves off feelings of deprivation, and after that three days, you again spend 11 days eating according to plan, followed by three days of eating whatever you want, and so on.

The plan promises that you can lose up to 9 pounds in those 11 days, which is a very substantial weight loss indeed. And of course, it's permanent weight loss, because you're never "away" from your favorite foods for long. And that keeps your willpower strong, so that you can simply watch those pounds drop off. So why not watch that waistline melt away?

If you have found that yo-yo diets and magic pills simply don't work, one tool that has been shown to work. This is a sensible diet that helps plan meals around your weight loss goal and may be a good product for you to try!

Check this simple, affordable plan designed to leave you satisfied and eating delicious foods while you lose weight without hard exercise.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Advantages Of Personalized Weight Loss Programs

By Rena Hudson

Healthy people should have a healthy weight too. The mass of our bodies determines how the different parts in the body function. It is important to make sure that everyone has got the required mass. Personalized weight loss programs help to ensure that those individuals who are overweight are able to lose weight.

Weight gain is accompanied with certain diseases. It is a very hectic and stressful thing. The body organs are affected by the excess fat in the bodies. Arteries and veins can receive blockage or constrict. It is risky and dangerous for such things to take place in our bodies. The heart is affected and can fail at any time. There are also other diseases related to this kind of state.

Losing mass is hard and a tiresome program. Most people loose hope in he middle of the process. To ensure a good and healthy step to take to lose mass one has to be committed first. They have to be ready for any changes that will take part in the body. The different changes come about because of the serious exercises they do. They also have to be very serious with these exercises. People who skip some of the exercises rarely loose mass but instead they gain more.

Diet used during this period should be able to provide enough energy for the exercises. Starving has never been a solution of losing mass. Those individuals who starve for them to lose mass gain excess heaviness immediately they start taking their meals. Losing mass is also controlled by the mind. Individuals need to have a peace of mind during that period.

Equipments used are of the best quality. They are always bought from different companies. They have got enough space for the practices. The fee the students have to pay should be paid during registration. This fee is affordable. They offer their services at a cheap and negotiable price. Clients are also able to hire some of their equipments to use in their homes. The hiring fee and time is recorded in their record books.

Students are trained by qualified people. They are always familiar to different techniques. They are experienced and have been working for a long period of time. These experts ensure that all their students are able to cope up with the different techniques. Hey work according to the wish of their customers. They use the various types of equipments and machines during the practices.

Individuals are trained according to the gender. Ladies are trained in a different room with the men. They ensure that there is enough privacy between their clients. It is also advantageous since the trainings are done to an individual alone. These specialists deal with one client at a time. They also use different ways to train different people

Customers gain a lot from the different exercises they receive. They become flexible and fit. These individuals also receive educational information from these personalized weight loss programs. The programs have to be registered first by the ministry of health and approved.

Article Source: http://uniquearticlewizard.com

Just About Chair Massage Las Vegas

By Rena Hudson

Chair massage las vegas allows you the time to literally take the weight off your feet. But there is more to this type of massage than meets the eye. It is a time for respite from those occupations dynamics that cause an incredible amount of stress.

Some companies realise that this type of provider not only enhances the wellbeing of their staff members but also ensures that their employees gain a sense of pride in the work that they perform on a day to day basis. This sends a message out to employees that they are appreciated for the work they do and are not viewed from the perspective of being a number on salary payout list. This builds motivation and a sense of appreciation between employer and employee.

Chair massage therapists invariably work at locations such as company offices whereby they will come to your desk and sit you in their chair and provide a luxurious ten minute or even up to an hour treatment. Companies and private individuals who work in their own businesses are finding that this is an essential part of their week. The reasons as to their benefits are many as the fast pace life of today accelerates away even with the most productive of people and multi taskers.

Working in a company is about teamwork. The better this dynamic is in a company so it is often postulated, the better the results that are achieved. It has been said by some that this is the positive dopamine effect when it comes to achieving results.

Employees can then look forward to a short time of respite from their work whether it be for fifteen minutes or a half an hour. With this in mind, employees can look forward to the week ahead in knowing that they are being well looked after by their employer. It indicates a sense of appreciation by employers when they do this and this sense of caring for your staff will benefit any company in the long run.

Incentives of this nature are used by companies with a sales team department. Sometimes other incentives are used such as gift baskets of fruit and chocolate. However, some say their is more benefit in offering a relaxing massage chair treatment as an incentive.

The reason being here is that massage offers your staff a chance to rejuvenate their energies. The results are immediately noticeable as staff members return to their work with enthused energy. It is a worthwhile incentive to offer your staff should you have never made use of this option before.

Chair massage las vegas is a viable option. It is advisable to use providers such as these. Both for your health and to instill in your employees a sense of belief that they are not working solely to collect a paycheck at the end of the month but that they are appreciated for the work they do on a continual basis. It is this sense of recognition that employees embrace and in so doing have a level of pride for the work they so loyally carry out on monthly or yearly basis.

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Getting Motivated to Workout

By Paul K.Baker

Getting motivated to go exercise can be extremely challenging in today's world. With so many distractions and so much going on in your fast paced lifestyle, how to you expect to have time or the energy to go to the gym to? Well as most everyone knows exercise is a very important part to staying healthy and living well. It helps prevent many types of disease and health conditions. It also helps you be more productive and sleep better. Here are a few tips to help motivate you to get to the gym.

1. Keep a positive mindset.

- Always think positive and try to become what you want to be. Give yourself positive reinforcement for what you have done and always strive to do better and push yourself.

2. Visualize.

- If you are trying to lose weight or build on some extra muscle try and think of a person that you want to look like who is in good shape. Cut out a picture and use it as a reminder of what you could look like if you put in the extra effort to do so.

3. Hire a personal trainer.

- You are much more likely to go to the gym if you are actually paying someone to help you. They will also give you extra motivation and encouragement. Trainers have the expertise to lead you in the right direction when it comes to a workout routine so it becomes easier to achieve your goals.

4. Workout with a friend.

- Bring a buddy along with you to workout. You are much more likely to go if you have someone else that depends on you. They can also help you perform other exercises, act as a spotter, and help you push yourself further.

5. Keep a journal of what you have done.

- Keeping a journal or notebook of what you have done will help you set goals and give you proof that you are getting better. Maybe you ran an extra mile, or added an extra five pounds to your bench press. Either way it will give you written proof of where you were and where you are now.

6. Set goals for yourself.

- Set a goal of where you want to be in a certain period of time. Try your best to achieve that goal. When you do reach a goal that you have set for yourself it gives you even more motivation and encouragement that you can do what you have set out to do.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

A Mud Run Saved Me

By Kevin M.Wood

I consider myself a non-competitive distance runner. What exactly does that mean? Well, I primarily run for fun, only competing against myself. I don't care if I finish 1st, 2nd, 53rd, or 85th. As long as I cross the finish line, knowing that I have given it my all, I am 100% satisfied with my effort.

A couple of years ago, the above wasn't working for me anymore. I would enter a 5K or 10K race, cross the finish line and the sense of accomplishment just wasn't there. I am not sure what happened or why, but I knew I needed to find another fitness hobby to stay in shape.

One day over a lunch, I was talking about this with a good friend of mine and he looked at me and smiled. The next thing I knew, I was signing up for my first mud run: Tough Mudder Tampa.

Whenever I am about to try something new, I immediately research it so that I am 100% sure of what I am getting into. I Googled the website and looked over the route and obstacles. After this initial inspection, I knew that mud runs and obstacle course racing would be my fitness salvation.

First things first, I began to weight train. I focused on upper body, core, and leg strength. I wasn't exactly worried about the length of the course (12.1 miles) since I have run that distance before and knew I would have time to rest as I approached each obstacle.

After three months of training and one long car ride to the site of the mud run, I found myself at the starting line with my buddy and a few other friends. The first major difference between mud runs and traditional running, that I noticed, was that teamwork was crucial to your success. Yes, you can do a mud run or obstacle course race by yourself, but you cannot complete the course without the help of your fellow competitors.

After two and half hours, all of us crossed the finished line, hand and hand, greeted with an orange headband and a cold beer.

After this experience, I now commit to at least 3 to 4 of these events every year. Another benefit from participating in mud runs and obstacle course races is that my training has been reinvigorated; my distance running has improved, strength has increased, and I am more flexible.

If you are like the old me, finding yourself growing tired of the same normal training regime and traditional 5Ks, 10Ks, or half marathons, you should sign up for a mud run. I guarantee that these races will change you for the better.

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Lose Weight Fast - Tips to Get Skinny Quickly

By Paula Brown 

Do you want to get skinny quickly? If so, I have put together some great tips in this article to help you get going on your way to a better feeling, better looking you.

You can get skinny quickly if you follow just a few golden steps in your diet plan. For the sake of this article, we'll lay them out as a list you can use daily to make sure you're on the right path to diet success.

Step 1. You have to eat right, and often. Forget what you know about three meals a day. When you're dieting, plan on eating five smaller more manageable meals a day every day of the week. This will make your meals more easily digested and help your body to burn more fat.

Step 2. You have to exercise regularly. I know getting in exercise is difficult for most people with busy and erratic work schedules, but finding just thirty minutes a day to exercise will help you make leaps and bounds toward you goal to get skinny quickly. A simple walk of one mile a day can do wonders for how you look and feel.

Step 3. You don't have to go it alone. Using vitamins and supplements together with healthy foods and exercise can put you on the fast track to losing weight. Don't overlook non prescription diet pills and programs. They are often comprised of all natural ingredients and formulas that are great for your body, and will help you to reach your goals more quickly.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

How to Get Skinny Fast With Rapid Weight Loss Diets

By A.Johnson

So you've made a decision to get serious about losing weight. Of course, you want to lose it as quickly as possible...we all do. But before you decide to start a rapid weight loss diet there are several things you should keep in mind.

Rapid weight loss diets can be a big help in getting your fat loss efforts off to a quick start, but there are also things to be careful about. When you are deciding how to get skinny fast you should probably consider the pros and cons mentioned below.

If you are generally in good health then a brief period of rapid weight loss isn't likely to hurt you. But be realistic and remember that starving yourself to get skinny is never a good idea. Be careful about some of the more radical fad diets that are promoted on the internet and elsewhere. Following a crash diet will only set you up for failure. Some of them make enormous promises, but the truth is that an extreme reduction in calories (and necessary nutrients) can be harmful. For most people, eating less than 1200 calories per day is not recommended.

Don't be deceived by the idea that a rapid weight loss diet will be a permanent solution for you if being over weight has been a chronic problem. Realistically, a change in lifestyle is needed. Even though rapid weight loss could possibly have adverse affects on your health, so can obesity. You need to get rid of those extra pounds but be careful to do it in a reasonable and healthy manor. Dehydration is a common problem when you make a significant reduction in your calorie intake. Always drink plenty of water.

I'm sure you know that it is important to include exercise in your weight loss plan. When you are trying to lose fat quickly you run the risk of losing muscle too. Having less muscle will reduce your ability to burn calories and may also affect your ability to regulate blood sugar.

Losing weight quickly can be very helpful in the beginning to keep you motivated to stay on your diet, but always keep in mind that long term success is the ultimate goal. We are sometimes so eager to lose weight that we think 1 or 2 pounds a week is just too slow. Keep in mind that 1 or 2 pounds a week is 50 to 100 pounds per year! With the right diet you can lose it faster than that in the beginning, but be realistic and remember that your goal is to not only get a slender body but to get healthy for life.

In nearly any rapid weight loss program that actually works, what really burns fat is not a diet pill or expensive pre-packaged food delivered to your door...it's nearly always the drastic reduction of calories combined with exercise.

Even though you can lose weight quickly with the right plan, remember that you still need to follow a diet that will provide all the needed nutrients to keep you healthy. When you start restricting calories it's very easy to unintentionally deprive yourself of necessary nutrients. Any diet plan that advises you to entirely eliminate certain food groups is very likely to be nutritionally unbalanced and risky.

So, before making any decisions about how to get skinny fast, be sure to consider all the various pros and cons. In spite of what some people try to tell you, not all rapid weight loss diets are bad for you. Take some time to educate yourself. Knowledge is a powerful thing. You CAN lose fat quickly and still be healthy if you do it the right way.

I personally lost more than 70 pounds really fast. And I'm healthier now and feel better than I've felt in years.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/

Raw Food Diet Weight Loss - How to Get Skinny Fast With the Fruit and Vegetable Diet

                                                  By Ella Sanchez                        

 If you want to lose weight fast you need to check out the fruit and vegetable diet.

You can lose pounds slow -  but I don't know too many of us that get really excited about it taking forever to lose weight!

Usually by the time we decide to begin our diet we don't want to waste any time getting those darn extra pounds off our bodies so we can fit back into our jeans comfortably.

Or maybe you are getting ready to put on your swim suit  or some shorts for your upcoming vacation and you realize you really want to drop those 10 - 20 extra pounds that snuck up on you.

I have been fat and I have been thin and I have been on pretty much every diet you have ever heard of. Is that your story too? If so, I can relate to your situation.

Several years ago I found the healthiest way to lose weight and lose it FAST.

This particular method does not require any pills or potions. You don't have to work out 10 hours a day or anything like that.

Nope, the surefire easy and healthy way to lose the weight fast is - drumroll - to eat fruits and veggies only for 14 - 21 days.  You can eat (almost) any fruits and (almost ) any veggies but you have to eat them raw.

You might be thinking that there is no way you could do it. You might even think you would run out of foods you would like to eat and that you would get bored with it or that you would not get full.

Well, you are wrong.

I lost over 20 pounds in three weeks when I did this. I have kept the weight off and even lost more since then.

I am healthier than I have even been in my life. And my jeans and my swimsuit both look good on my slimmer body.

Give it a try. You can't hurt yourself by eating more fruits and vegetables. And don't you want to be slimmer only 21 days from now?

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

How To Get Sultry Skinny Legs Without Consuming Weight Loss Pills?

By Van Dexter Rutledge

Who does not want to have sultry and skinny legs like models? Perhaps everyone does. So, if you legs have started getting thick, it is the right time to switch from your regular schedule and adopt a different lifestyle. It does not mean at all that you should start taking weight loss pills to shed off extra fats from your legs. In fact, you must follow a diet and exercise regime that should help you to get rid of extra fat from your legs.

The tips that we are going to discuss now to get skinny legs without consuming weight loss pills can be tried by men as well, but these are particularly for ladies. It is so because women are more prone to fat accumulation on legs. When fat accumulates in calves, it eventually reaches the ankles and forms the ugly cankles. On the other hand, men do not get fatty legs unless they do not get an overall fat body.

So, if you are a victim of fat legs and want to shed it off without using any weight loss diet pill, check out our following advice to get sultry legs.

Diet
If you are thinking that we will tell you about leaving some foods and stick to a strict diet plan, then you are wrong. We are going to suggest some minor changes in your diet plan that will help you get skinny legs without the hazards o weight loss pills.

The very first thing that you need to do is to stay away from insulting producing foods that include sugar, corn syrups, etc. Always remember that insulin makes you hungry and so you eat more. Switch on to healthy diet that should include three servings of diary food and four servings of fresh fruits every day. Carbohydrates can be consumed, but only the healthy ones from fiber foods, whole wheat bread, dark green vegetables, etc.

Consider adding eggs, green tea and calcium to your diet that will not only keep you healthy, but also aid in weight loss.

Exercises
You need to follow two step exercise regime in order to lose leg fat without weigh loss diet pills. This includes losing of extra fat and building up lean muscles.

Adopt a routine exercise plan that includes cardio exercises and strength training. A combination of these exercises will help you burn extra calories and help in producing lean leg muscles.

Your legs should be main target of the exercise, so you can choose from bicycle riding, water or sand jogging, tread water, etc. Other exercises that can be performed at gym include using stair climbing and treadmill machines. Make sure that you perform the exercises for at least half an hour every day. Do not forget to give yourself break on weekend so that your body can restore its energy.

Some people think about taking weight loss pills to lose leg fat, which is not a good practice. If you really want to get skinny legs, choose natural ways that we described above. If you will follow appropriate plan for weight loss management like described above, for sure you will be able to get skinny legs soon!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

How to Get Skinny Quickly?

 By Sarah Brownss

If you're looking for the proven tips to getting skinny quickly, you've come to the right page. Shedding unwanted fat isn't the easiest thing to do, but can be achieved with some motivation. If you are motivated, and willing to take some advice, you can get skinny very quickly. Here are some effective tips for you.

Have 5 - 6 Smaller Meals Each Day will help you get skinny quickly

Eating smaller meals more often will help you speed up your body's metabolism, which also helps you lose weight. It's recommended to split your larger meals every day into 5 - 6 smaller meals which you eat more often. Try to eat with a maximum of 3 hours between every smaller meal.

Drink Plenty of Water will help you get skinny quickly

There is a big benefit from drinking plenty of water during the day. Water can help you lose unwanted pounds by re-hydrating your body, flushing out a lot of excess water and toxins as well as help you create a proper digestion. So try to drink a lot of water every day, as well as replace unhealthy sodas and soft drinks with water. This will also help you increase your metabolism to get rid of those unwanted pounds more successfully.

Calorie shifting is the best way to help you get skinny quickly

Calorie shifting is a dieting method that has become one of the most effective ways to help you get skinny quickly. It is fast, safe and doesn't require hard work or starvation. In addition, you can pick most of your favorite foods when using calorie shifting diet. If done correctly, you can keep your metabolism running fast and lose weight without working out or using diet pills!

In conclusion, If you want to get skinny quickly you should eating frequently, drinking water, using tricks to boost your metabolism. You will burn fat fast because the higher your metabolism, the more body fat you'll burn even when you aren't doing anything.

So what are you waiting for? Start using Fat Loss Calorie Shifting Method and you will Lose 9 lbs in every 11 days without harmful drugs, boring workouts or starvation.

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Is It A Good Idea To Skip A Meal If You're Going To Eat At A Restaurant While On Nutrisystem?

By Ava Alderman

I sometimes hear from people who understandably want to eat out from time to time when they are on the Nutrisystem diet. They are looking for ways to minimize the impact of eating out and of taking in more calories for that day. Some wonder if they should skip meals to make up for taking in additional daily calories.

I heard from someone who said: "in a couple of days, I have a work meeting at one of my favorite restaurants. Obviously, I won't be having my regular meal at lunch time. And I will be eating more on that day. Should I skip some Nutrisystem meals in order to compensate for eating out? Since I'm going to be eating a larger meal, I don't have a problem with skipping dinner. And I could skip breakfast too if that would help." I will tell you my opinion on this in the following article, but please keep in mind this is only my opinion. You can always do a live chat on the company's website or call one of the counselors for a more official answer.

My opinion from reading all of the resources that Nutrisystem provides is that you shouldn't skip any meals. Sure, you're not going to eat your Nutrisystem lunch because you will be having your lunch somewhere else. So you can just save your diet lunch for another day. But, as far as skipping breakfast or dinner, I would not advise that and here is why. The diet is designed so that you eat regularly. That is why they include snacks. This is very important because eating regularly keeps your blood sugar steady and it keeps your metabolism revving. And there is something else at play also. Since the diet is high in protein and low in carbohydrates, it encourages your body to get into a metabolic state where it is burning fat rather than carbohydrates.

This can result in steady weight loss and a body that looks more lean. Your body works hard during this process, which is one reason that you're asked not to skip meals. Here is something else to consider. The diet's meals are all very low in calories. So skipping a meal is not really saving you a lot in terms of calories. Skipping breakfast was probably the worst idea in this scenario because then you would risk eating more at lunch. And skipping dinner wasn't the best idea either, in my opinion. I suppose if you truly weren't hungry, you could always skip your dessert if you were having it at dinner.

But to answer the question posed, I don't think that it's ever a good idea to skip meals in a diet that is designed so that you eat regularly. Yes, she would take in additional calories at the restaurant, but she could just resume with her normal regimen the next day with the diet meals, at least that is the way that I see it.

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What Sets Nutrisystem Apart From Other Diets?

By Ava Alderman

This is the time of the year when people begin thinking about which diet they might use this year to help them to finally lose the weight. You probably can't read a magazine or watch a television program without seeing advertisements for all sorts of different diets. One of the diets that might stick in your mind is Nutrisystem =. It's a popular and current plan. I'm often asked what makes it special or popular.

Common comments are things like: "what's so special about Nutrisystem? Is there anything that makes it different from other diets? What are the pros and cons? What should I know about it before I decide which diet to try?" I'll try to address this in the following article.

What Makes Nutrisystem Special?: Everyone has their own opinion of course. But in my view what makes Nutrisystem a bit unique and different from other diets is a variety of factors, which I'm going to discuss right now. The biggest stand out though is that it is based on the glycemic index. This means that the meals are designed to be low in sugars and carbohydrates while being high in fiber and protein. This encourages your body to burn more fat since it doesn't have carbohydrates at its disposal. I think that this is vital because the whole point of being on a diet is that it is effective and that you actually lose weight.

Another thing that I believe makes this diet popular is that it requires very little work on the dieter's part. The food is mostly provided for you, although you are asked to add in fresh sides. All you really have to do is heat up or remove the wrapper from the meal. You are provided with a breakfast, lunch, dinner, snack and dessert for each day. They have several different plans to choose from at difference price points. Speaking of the price points, they often range from about $8 to $10 per day for five daily meals. This is extremely competitive in my opinion. Most of the time, the shipping and counseling is included in this price. They also allow for you to customize your order and chose your own foods without having to pay anything extra.

Finally, I believe that one real strength of this diet is the food. They offer a lot of foods that you wouldn't typically associate with a diet like pizza, tacos, burgers, bagels, cakes, and ice cream. There is a lot of variety and you often get the eat comfort foods and desserts which can make dieting a lot more tolerable.

What Are The Pros And Cons?: I believe that the pros are the foods, the ease of use, and the convenience. As far as diets go, this is a fairly easy one to be on. I also feel that it's reasonably priced, considering the cost of groceries today. I also find that many people are happy with their results. It's also relatively easy to get a lot of free support and to have your questions answered.

If I were to list the cons, I'd say that it is a diet. Your portions are controlled and although there are a lot of choices as far as foods go, you can't just eat what you want any time that you want. There also is a costs involved, although I believe it's less than most diets. Additionally, the results are dependent upon your compliance, just like any other diet. I do feel that this is a relatively easy diet, but if you don't stick with it, your results may be affected by that. However, this is just common sense that most people expect.

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Paleo Diet Basics - What You Need to Know!

By Chris Cliff 

Everyone is looking for the best diet for them and a diet that will help them attain and maintain a healthy body weight. One diet that has been gaining a lot of attention in the last few years is the Paleo Diet. Simply put it is eating as our prehistoric ancestors would have done. In this article I will go over the Paleo Diet basics are, what the benefits you can expect from it, and why it might be right for your life!

After the '80s and the craze of fad diets (can you say grapefruit anyone?) several better diet options emerged that were slightly more well rounded, such as the low-carb diets, but these still weren't quite in line with what we really should be eating. Seriously, does anyone think that eating bacon every day, no matter how delicious, is the ticket to losing weight and living a healthy life?

The Paleo Diet takes some from the low carb camp and the raw food craze and tempers them with a more realistic view of what our bodies have evolved to eat and digest (and I'm not talking about hot dogs.) The Paleo Diet basics are that we should be eating:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Lean Meat
• Seafood
• Nuts and Seeds
• Healthy Fats

Essentially this means eating the things we find in nature and that if you were living off the land would find to eat today. The basic idea is that our bodies evolved eating these foods and that they are the ideal mix of proteins and starches that we should be eating now.

How Is This Different From Low Carb?
The general low-carb diets eschew eating any carbohydrates while the Paleo Diet basics include things like fresh fruits and vegetables. The Paleo Diet also doesn't include any dairy which is a big dietary problem for many people these days. Too many years of hormone laced milk has made even people who should tolerate dairy well, sensitive or even allergic to it.

The Paleo Diet really focuses on smaller portions of higher quality nutrients. One such difference is that it emphazises 100% grass fed meats instead of mass produced grain fed beef and hot-house chickens.

Some Benefits of This Diet Plan
A lot of people first look at the Paleo Diet as a way to lose weight. The absence of processed foods, grains, and sugars along with a focus on fresh fruits and vegetables and high quality lean meats means that shedding unwanted body fat is easier. Many people find that adhering to the Paleo Diet makes it easier to resist cheating as the foods they are eating tend make them feel more full for a longer period of time.

Beyond the weight loss benefits, there are claims of improved cardiovascular health, decreased risk of diabetes, reduced allergies, sustained energy and blood sugar levels, clearer skin, an improved ability to sleep, and a general improvement in people's moods.

Should You Go On the Paleo Diet?
If you have been fighting to lose weight, and just aren't happy with the results that you are getting with traditional weight loss methods then you should definitely give the Paleo Diet a look. There are many great resources for recipes and that is really a big help in keeping you from getting in a rut with your cooking. Getting burned out on what you are eating is one of the big reasons people quit their diets and go back to eating junk food!

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Vegetarian Grocery List: What To Buy, Where And When

 By Susan B.Ward

Say "NO!" to processed foods

There is a big discussion going on about how vegetarianism and veganism are diets that only the privileged can follow, because they have a high cost. This is hardly the case though, if you do a bit of planning. As with any other diet, buying processed foods such as microwave meals, cookies, muffins and sauces will cost you. Such choices will affect not only your wallet, but also your health. Eating a clean, whole foods diet on the other hand will save you money both in grocery and medical bills!

The planning
In order to plan your grocery list, you need to first make a rough draft of the things you consume on a daily basis. Keep in mind that you need to get daily 5-6 servings of fruits and vegetables. You also need adequate protein that you can get from legumes, eggs and dairy. So all food groups should be present in your grocery list.
The fresh stuff:
Most of your meal ingredients are probably fresh, if you are following a vegetarian diet, which means that you should shop them once or twice a week. Buying larger quantities of fruits and vegetables usually leads to rotten, wasted produce. That's both a waste of money and resources.

Lettuce, rocket, cabbages, scallions, fresh herbs, carrots, kale, cucumbers and tomatoes are some excellent salad ingredients and you should always have enough in your fridge to eat two salads a day. Buying them twice a week is a good plan. The same goes for berries, which do not stay fresh for long. Bananas, apples, kiwi, avocados, oranges, clementines, grapes, melons will keep fresh for up to a week, which means that you will need a refill only once per 7 days.

Root vegetables:
Onions, potatoes, garlic and beets will keep for a long time in a dark cupboard, so buy large quantities, preferably from your farmer's market. You can usually get a better deal if you buy a lot. It is important to buy organic potatoes, as they are consistently in the "dirty dozen" of pesticide-laden produce.

Legumes:
Buy them dry and in bulk. Canned beans might seem like a cheap and convenient solution, but you will save tons if you just buy them dry and soak them overnight. For the same price you can get almost 4 times more portions. Plus, you do not have to worry about the can additives.

Dairy and eggs:
The idea is to visit an organic farm close to you and see if you feel comfortable with the sanitary and animal treatment conditions there. Many farmers markets also carry eggs and dairy products and a proud producer will be happy to explain to you the details of their products. If that is not an option, do invest in organic produce at your local grocery store. You should not make compromises in the nutritional value of your food, because that can compromise your health. Non-organic dairy and eggs are most of the time loaded with antibiotics and growth hormones, as well as pesticides and insecticides that pass into the animals' system through the fodder.

Susan is a full-time author and consultant, leading a select team of expert writers and editors, providing online and offline content to an exclusive clientele from around the globe. She is an avid traveler and reader and enjoys writing on health & fitness, travel, parenting, relationships and personal development.

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Some Of The Tastiest Medifast Breakfasts Today

By Lindsey Price
 
People often contact me and ask me my opinion on what I consider to be the best tasting Medifast meals. One of the categories that I'm most often asked about is breakfast. This makes sense to me because breakfast is my favorite meal of the day and I think a lot of people share this preference. There are times when I am perfectly content to have a bowl of oatmeal or cereal for a meal or snack that falls outside of the timeframe for breakfast.

I've written in the past about what I considered to be very tasty meals within this category, but the menu has updated and improved since then. So below, I will give you my updated version of what my favorite Medifast breakfast meals are right now.

The Chocolate Chip Pancakes: The pancakes are a relatively new addition to the breakfast menu. Although I really like the regular pancakes, my favorite is this variety that also have chocolate chips. What's not to like about chocolate? They aren't very skimpy on them either. And they are pretty filling. Like many of the Medifast meals, they are only 110 calories.

The Chocolate Chip Soft Bake: I think that you're going to start to see a theme here with the chocolate, but that's OK. This item really isn't on the breakfast menu, but I believe it makes a great quick breakfast. Imagine a chocolate chip cookie with the size and texture of a brownie and this is what you would have. This item is very decadent if you heat it up and eat it warm. And it's a good grab and go item.

The Southwest Eggs: I will admit that this is an item that I will choose when I've got a little more time to sit down and eat. This isn't something that I'd typically eat on the run. But it's quite good and it's very filling. I like it a little better than the regular eggs because of the addition of the onions and peppers.

The Blueberry Oatmeal: I actually like all of the Medifast oatmeals, but if I had to choose my favorite flavor, it would be the blueberry because it is different from the cinnamon flavor and the maple flavor, which are actually pretty similar to one another. This one sticks to your ribs. But again, this is something that I generally want to sit down for a couple of minutes and enjoy.

The Cappuccino And Hot Chocolate: I know that this might sound weird, but the mixture of these two makes a wonderful breakfast when you don't really have time to eat. You will have to use half a packet each in order to make up one meal instead of two. But mixing these two together makes a concoction that tastes like a very decadent mocha coffee shop drink.

The Oatmeal Raisin Bar: When you are really in a hurry, the bars are a great choice. They are filling and quite good. I have chosen this one for a couple of reasons. First, you'd expect to have oatmeal for breakfast so it's a good fit for most people. Second, this is a maintenance bar which means that it contains a little more fat and calories. That's why you are only supposed to have one maintenance bar per day. But morning is a great time to have one of these because you're typically more hungry and you have all day to burn it off.

The Dutch Chocolate Shake: Admittedly, this is an old stand by. But it's still on my list because it is still good. Many people choose the shakes at breakfast because they are fast, they are good, and they are filling. And this one is a very popular flavor choice.

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What Is Tabata?

By David Nabor

Tabata training is an exercise regimen that was based on the study of Prof. Izumi Tabata of the Ritsumeikan University's Sports, Health and Science Department. He was formerly a researcher of the National Institute for Health and Nutrition in Japan. This training regimen, consists of twenty (20) seconds of ultra intensive exercises, and ten (10) seconds of rest. This is repeated continuously for four (4) minutes and repeated eight (8) times or in eight (8) cycles. This was called the IE1 Protocol and was used originally to study athletes who underwent training regimens.

In the original research, two groups of athletes were observed. One group trained in moderate intensity workouts of about seventy percent (70%)intensity, for five (5) days during a six (6) week period. Each training module lasted for one (1) hour each day. The other group, trained in high intensity workouts for four (4) days per week, for a period of six (6) weeks. Each session lasted for four (4) minutes, at twenty second of high intensity training (170% intensity) and ten (10) seconds of rest.

The result showed the following:
* Group 1 showed remarkable increase in the cardiovascular area (aerobic system); but no result was observed for the anaerobic system or the muscle area.
* Group 2 showed significant increase in both aerobic and anaerobic areas as compared to Group 1.

The Tabata Protocol
Dr. Izumi Tabata is well known for his studies and research on high intensity intermittent training. His past work included, as Training Coach for the Speed Skating Team of Japan. The Head Coach, Mr. Irisawa Kotchi, developed a training program using short bursts of high intensity exercises; followed by short rest periods for the athletes to do. Dr. Tabata was made to analyze the effectiveness of said training regimen, which lead to what is now known as Tabata Protocol.

The regimen includes exercises that can be completed in only four (4) minutes. If the eight (8) cycles are completed, it would be enough to make a fit person exhausted from all the extreme exercises. Before this program came about, there were two (2) types of exercises that were incorporated into the athletes' exercise program - low intensity exercises for long periods to increase endurance, and; sprinting, that improves the ability to sprint. The latter, had shown to have no effects on endurance and aerobics. Tabata Protocol, meshed the two programs together, for better workout results.

Aerobic and Metabolic Benefits of Tabata
The use of high intensity and high impact exercises, have been shown to improve the performance of athletes. For well trained athletes, increasing the frequency of training, would not yield further improvements. Endurance can be achieve through high intensity training programs. This training regimen had been shown to burn fat more effectively. This may be attributable to the increase in resting metabolic rates. High intensity training also lowers insulin resistance levels, leading to muscle fat oxidation and improvement in glucose tolerance.

Studies have shown that high impact exercises helps improve the insulin level in young healthy men and women as well. It also brings about significant reduction in body fat, as well as leg and trunk fat. This would equate to having these exercises as viable methods for preventing Type 2 diabetes. On cardiovascular diseases, it has been shown that brief intense exercises, can improve the cardio-vascular risk in adolescents and adults alike.

Tabata Interval Workout
The Tabata system may be defined as a method of exercise consisting of intervals that are completed within four (4) minutes. It takes eight (8) rounds of exercises of twenty (20) seconds each, and ten (10) seconds of rest.

This was brought about by the research of Dr. Isuzu Tabata on the effect of exercise protocols in athlete performance. The group discovered a method that produced extra-ordinary results. This method is what is now known as Tabata Protocol/Intervals.

In 1996, Dr. Tabata submitted a research study in the Medical Gazette for Medicine of Science in Sports and Exercise. This was a documentation of the benefits of high intensity intermittent training (HIIT). This research was repeated numerous times. The conclusion was that, four (4) minutes of Tabata Training interval exercises, is better in boosting aerobic and anaerobic capacities, as compared to one hour of endurance exercises.

The Tabata Interval Training workout can be done with all kinds of exercises: boxing, cycling, jumping rope, rowing, running, skiing, and swimming among many others. There is also a variety of equipment that can be used in training: bosu balls, barbells, dumb bells, kettle and swiss balls, own body weight, tubes, and bands and so on.

A Tabata Workout may include the following exercise regimen:
1. Bicycle sprints - good for lower body exercise and for the heart rate
2. Hindu squats - like a traditional squat where you drop your butt until your hands reach the ground
3. Jump lunges - jump using alternate legs to lunge and level up difficulty for cardio factor
4. Jumping rope - can be used with varying feet patterns: high knees, feet together, alternating feet, and others
5. Box jumps - stand and jump in front to the top of the bench then back to the floor
6. Weight bench hop overs - keep both hands at the end of a flat bench; both feet should hop from side to side
7. Mountain climbers - make a triangle with hands and feet; bring one leg to your chest while keeping your hands to the ground. Then switch legs and so on.

Why use the Tabata Exercises?
The Tabata Workout, might be considered as one of the best single fat burning workout, when followed and done appropriately. It does not take long to do it, but it keeps you sweating, breathing, and concentrating just to be able to finish your goal. It is an extreme work-up, with agonizing bouts of muscle pains, soreness and days of uncomfortable movements.

This type of routine is beneficial because it includes a number of exercises per body part. Besides burning tons of fat, this type of training can:
* improve your aerobic endurance
* improve anaerobic functions
* improve muscular endurance, and
* make you look fantastic, by being strong and fit.

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Lose Weight The Easy Way - Tips For Permanent Weight Loss

By Lynne Lee 

One of the more frustrating aspects of dieting is the possibility of the weight returning once you stop dieting. There are many weight loss programs to choose from. How do you know which one will work for you?

Choose wisely, don't set yourself up to fail
It's important to choose a weight loss plan that fits with your lifestyle. If you decide on a weight loss plan that involves eating lots of foods that you don't like, you won't be able to stick with it for long. Instead of being concerned about whether a diet is low carb or low fat or... free yourself from trying to eat in a way that is unsustainable over the long term. Beware of embarking on a diet that is boring or feels like punishment, that is no way to live your life.

I recommend you use your common sense when you choose a diet plan, opt for a plan that you are willing to commit to and can enjoy and you will have a much better chance of losing weight and keeping the weight off.

Why diets fail
When you understand why diets fail, you can make sure you avoid the pitfalls and give yourself the best possible chance of success.

Lack of long-term commitment
Most people know that if they want to lose weight they need to use more calories than they take in. In the short term, burning more calories than you eat will lead to weight loss, but your goal isn't just to lose weight, you want to keep it off.

Recent studies have shown that when popular commercial diets were compared over a 6-month period, they generally resulted in the same weight loss results. One major study concluded that the main success ingredient was determination to stick with the diet, rather than the diet itself.

The bottom line is that even though some diets are healthier than others, or do a better job of helping you to feel full rather than hungry all the time, most diets result in weight loss in the short term. The most important factor in weight loss success is commitment to stick with the diet plan until you achieve the results you want.

Change of lifestyle is the key to long term success
The bottom line is that if you want to lose weight permanently you need to make small adjustments to your life style. You can't achieve permanent weight loss without planning how you will manage your weight loss long term. If you don't have a long term plan then you will probably put the weight back on and you might eventually even find that you're heavier than when you started your weight loss programme.

There is no magic weight loss bullet, but if you plan your weight loss strategy before you begin your weight loss programme you will have a very good chance of achieving your weight loss goals. Planning ahead and having a strategy for overcoming obstacles is the real secret. to dieting success.

Action Steps

• Explore your options and choose a workable plan
• Plan what you will do and when you will do it
• Identify possible obstacles
• Plan how you will deal with these obstacles when they arise
• Plan to change one thing each week to support your permanent weight loss efforts

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Belly Fat Is a Warning Sign of STRESS - Are You Paying Attention Before It Gets Too Late?

By Lianda Ludwig 

If the Check Engine light were on in your car, would you go to a mechanic to remove the light? That's what going on a diet is doing in your body. Belly fat, and gaining weight are actually symptoms, and not causes! You are ignoring the underlying reasons for your weight gain. The causes for over-eating are generally Stress, Stress or Stress! And the causes for your depressed metabolism that makes it hard to lose weight, and nearly impossible to keep it off are Stress, Stress and Stress.

Stress, for the rest of the animal kingdom is created by the need for Fight or Flight. Animals are threatened, and need to escape a predator, or they are lunch. Then their stress is gone immediately. Their reaction to stress gave them the ability to get away by slowing or stopping all "unimportant" bodily functions, and shifting energy to the muscles for battle or escape.

Humans rarely have predators that are threatening them, but they have chronic stress: traffic stress, paying the bills stress, too busy stress, taking care of others stress, clothes getting tight stress, and on and on. Or they'll have serial stress: one negative thing after another, like death from a thousand paper cuts.

Either way, your body's continued reaction to stress is not helping you survive like it does in the animal kingdom. It is making your sick by thinning your bones & muscles, slowing digestion and your metabolism, making it harder for you to avoid illness, impairing your ability to think clearly and make good decisions, and so much more.

How can you turn off the stress reaction in your body? Only by turning off your perception and attitude that allows something to stress you. Yes, you choose what you allow to bothers you.

When stress is prolonged and not a short term reaction as in humans, the reaction to the stress in your body is worse than the original stressor!

One of the ways that people mistakenly deal with stress is by using food as a drug to relieve stress. It's not even the type of food you eat that matters, but the act of feeding yourself to fill and emptiness inside you. This type of overeating causes people to gain weight.

People don't over-eat because they are hungry. There is an emotional reason that is causing them to seek "comfort food" as the drug of choice to deal with stress. The result of emotional eating during a stressful time is compounded when the effects of stress slow down your metabolism, and it causes weight gain.

Your body's "Check Engine" light is warning you that if you start putting on some pounds in the way of belly fat, or find yourself eating when you're not hungry, you need to investigate why this is happening. Pay mindful attention to check your stress levels. What is making you feel stressed out? Find a way to relieve the stress that addresses the real issue.

When you manage stress, and the light will go off, and the pounds will go down naturally. But if you are covering up your warning light with a band-aid, you'll be buying larger sized clothes, and that will the beginning of other physical, and emotional problems.

So pay attention: Be mindful, and take care of your stress before your "engine" fails!

Best selling author and Coach-sultant, Lianda Ludwig, M.S. works with overwhelmed, frustrated dieters who have been burned out by repeatedly losing weight only to gain it back time after time. For most dieters, she reports, stress has precipitated weight gain and must be addressed before permanent weight loss it possible. Losing weight is not just about what you eat; it's about what's eating you - and that can even be hidden in your subconscious mind!

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Eating Clean on a Budget

By Sarah T.Gadacz

Having a larger family while trying to eat clean can be challenging, especially if you are on a budget. I have learned a few things that have helped me save money while trying to eat healthier.
Menu Planning

This always brings me back to my school days. Our school menu. Great idea to keep the school on or under budget. Even better idea to do it to save your family some money. Planning out the meals your family will eat for the week, or even the month, is a HUGE way to save. It can even be a fun way to get the whole family involved to decide when they want their favorites. With myself having a family of seven we each pick the meals and snacks for a certain day of the week.

There are even some great apps out there for help in making your menu. Find one that best suits you and your families needs. My favorite app is called "Menu Planner" and you can also have it sync to their website and have the freedom to plan out your menu on your pc, laptop or ipad. I just love the versatility of the app.

Stock Up Your Pantry
Buying in bulk can help you save money. For us, I like to get a couple friends together and make a hour trip to our "local" Trader Joes. I try to do this once a month and stock up on a lot of frozen goods, bulk foods like, rice, quinoa, beans and whole grain flours that we can get for a lot cheaper than buying them from our local big grocery chains. Remember when buying them all pre-packaged you are buying convenience. I take 1-2 days out of my week to prepare my brown rice, beans or quinoa so they are ready in my fridge to grab and heat up for our meal.
Pick Your Produce
When you are eating clean it is suggested that you eat organic produce. Before you go crazy about how expensive it is to buy organic, there is a way to save on your produce. There is something known as the "Dirty Dozen". They are the fruits and veggies that are grown with the highest amount of pesticides. The 12 fruits/veggies you should try to budget for to buy organic are:
Peaches
Apples
Bell Pepper
Celery
Nectarines
Strawberries
Cherries
Pears
Grapes
Spinach
Lettuce
Potatoes

There is also the clean 15. These are the ones that DO NOT necessarily need to be bought organic:
1. Onions
2. Sweet Corn
3. Pineapples
4. Avocado
5. Asparagus
6. Sweet Peas
7. Mangoes
8. Eggplant
9. Cantaloupe
10. Kiwi
11. Cabbage
12. Watermelon
13. Sweet Potatoes
14. Grapefruit
15. Mushrooms

Gardening
I know not everyone is able to have a garden but if you are in an area where you can have a garden, that is another HUGE way to save money on Eating Clean. We are fortunate enough that we are able to live on a small hobby farm where we are able to raise our own meat and grow our own vegetables. One draw back is our location though. We have a very short growing season here in Minnesota. So we do a lot of canning and freezing of our Summer and Fall bounty. This year we are starting our own seedlings in our house to transplant into the garden once the risk of frost has passed.

This is our first year doing it so we are all excited to see how it turns out. My twin boys are quite the green thumbs and LOVE helping in the garden and with this years project.

If you have your own budget tips you would like to share that are not listed, please feel free to add them below. Please post below what struck you the most when you read this. I'm going to be reading each and every comment so that I can see how to better serve you!

Sarah Gadacz is a busy wife and mother of five children ages ranging from 4 to 10 years old. She is a fanatic about fitness and clean eating and living.

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Types of Natural Weight Loss Supplements

By Linda Toril 

Though there are alternatives available for losing weight, like following a diet plan, workouts, using weight loss supplements can be an effective method of weight reduction. People should be cautious while choosing these supplements. There are some qualities which an effective weight reduction product should possess. They are,

1. Suppressing the appetite
2. Effective Fat Burner

The natural weight loss supplements can be the solution to the obesity issue. Though various diet pills are available around to pick, the natural supplements are an attractive option to choose. Though these are natural we can't consider being honky dory. The reasons may be the fewer side effects or its availability. Even the diet pills are now packed with the natural supplements like hoodia, glucomannan etc. Among these supplements, the best appetite suppressants are Hoodia Gordonii, Glucomannan, Garcinia cambogia, green tea and African mango.

Hoodia: Scientifically called as Hoodia gordonii. In a research conducted, hoodia is said to contain a molecule called P57. This is said to be stronger than glucose. P57 affects the working of hypothalamus making a person to feel full by suppressing the appetite. It also increases the rate of metabolism by which the fat burning is made possible.

Drawbacks: Safety is unknown as its potential side effects; interactions with medicines have not been extensively studied.

Glucomannan: This is another extensively used natural supplement for losing weight. It can be found in many of the diet pills like Lipozene. It is extracted from the Konjac roots which are found in the regions of Asia. It fights the obesity by suppressing the appetite. In general, glucomannan stands for the nemesis of obesity by absorbing the water and expanding its size in the stomach after it is consumed and creates the effect of satiety. This fiber is found to be extensively used for type2 diabetes, constipation, controlling the levels of cholesterol, blood sugar etc.

Drawbacks: The glucomannan if not used as suggested can cause side effects like bloating, diarrhea, vomiting, gastric problems, difficulty in swallowing and breathing.

Garcinia cambogia: Also known by names such as HCA, the fruit rind of the plant is used for treating the obesity. It is said to prevent the storage of fat and is also works for suppressing the appetite. It also works for decreasing the belly fat. The extract of Garcinia helps to control the cortisol levels in the body by which the stress levels can be controlled.

Drawbacks: It may lower the levels of blood sugar, headache, nausea, skin rashes, digestive tract discomfort can be the side effects.

Green Tea: Produced from the leaves of Camellia sinensis, its extracts are well known for treating the obesity and other complications like breast cancers, skin cancers. It is also used for protecting the skin from the damage caused by sun and controlling the cholesterol levels. It is very useful when taken moderately. It presence can be noted in various weight loss supplements like avesil etc.
Drawbacks: Green tea extracts contain caffeine which may cause anxiety, nausea, diarrhea, irritability and frequent urination in minor cases.

Bottom Line:
These are some of the listed natural supplements and their drawbacks. Other naturally available supplement is African mango which is loaded with fiber helps in suppressing the appetite. Though the above supplements has side effects, can be considered to be safe if taken under moderation.

Linda Toril is a health related blogger and an article writer. She writes articles related to fitness, weight loss and reviews about various weight loss supplements like lipozene, andro400, avesil, biphedadrene etc.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

The 5 Useful Ideas for Permanent Weight Loss

By Dennis Sarfo

If you've put on weight and feels really bad about it, you might want to make sure you get rid of that weight before it's too late. However, getting rid of the excess pound will not have to be a very difficult task because; I have outlined five useful ideas for your permanent weight loss.

You too can experience wonderful and permanent weight loss if you will put to use these ideas for losing weight.

1. Drink a lot of water
You can't expect to lose weight and maintain a very healthy body without drinking enough water. Your body is about 70% water and during your exercises, you will lose a lot of water therefore the water lost would have to be replaced. The water will help your body get rid of excess toxins out of your body and keep it very healthy through the cleansing works it does.
Drinking 6-8 glasses of water a day is very ideal for you. Make sure you do well to rid yourself all the fluids like coffee, tea and fruit juices containing additional calories because they will eventually make you not experience any change in weight.

2. Eat only when you are hungry.
We usually feel deceived by the desires of our bodies making us to assume we are hungry when we really are not. So the next time you feel hungry do this; drink half a glass of water and wait for about 15 minutes. If after the minutes, you still feel hungry, keep on sipping water until your next meal.

3. Try to always eat meals you've prepared yourself.
This will enable you to control the ingredients used in the preparation of the meal. As you do this, you are then given the free will to select foodstuffs having fewer calories to prepare your food. Buying fast food is one of the more reasons obesity has been on the increase.

4. Vary your weight loss exercises
One of the secrets to getting permanent weight loss is to ensure that all parts of your body experiences a thorough workout. Try to include exercises or workout that target key areas of your body, as it will help your body burn more fat.

5. Change your lifestyle
You need to stop all the habits that caused you to put on weight. Living a sedentary lifestyle won't help you to shed that weight, so get active. Use the stairs instead of the elevator, park your car a bit away from your office for you to walk to your office and go on a regular walk with your dog; it is exciting, relieves stress and gives you fresh air whiles helping you to lose weight.

When these 5 useful ideas for permanent weight loss are implemented in your life, you will really burn that shed that pound off.

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Enjoy Carbs Without Storing Them As Fat

By  Dr. Becky Gillaspy

Everyone loves carbohydrates, but to the person trying to lose weight they can seem like the enemy. If you have ever gone on a low carb diet, then you know that dropping your carb intake can make the pounds drop off quickly. Yes, low carb diets work, but they can also leave you feeling drained and moody. There is a way to enjoy carbs without storing them as fat and it involves timing and a few small tweaks.

Your body looks at carbohydrates as energy. When you eat a carbohydrate, whether it is a piece of white bread or a hearty bowl of oatmeal, your body will break it down to its smallest units, glucose.

Glucose is found floating around in your bloodstream; you might know it as blood sugar. This sugar is used by all of the trillions of cells in your body for fuel. So you can see that carbohydrates are valuable nutrients as far as your body is concerned.

The problem dieters run into is what I like to refer to as "spill-over." What this means is if you eat too many of the wrong carbs or eat them at the wrong times, your body will be unable to store them as energy. Instead, they will store them as fat.

Here is how your body handles carbohydrates...
You eat a carbohydrate-rich food, then enzymes break the carbs down into glucose which does one of three things:

1. It can be used for immediate energy by traveling from your bloodstream into your cells.
2. It can be stored for future energy needs in your muscles and liver. This is called glycogen.
3. If options 1 and 2 are filled, then the unused carbs become fat.
In other words, if you eat carbs and your body does not immediately need the energy and it has enough already in storage, then that carb, and every one that follows "spills over" into your fat cells.
To enjoy carbohydrates and not store them at fat, you need to make a few tweaks and time your intake of carbs. This way you get to enjoy the satisfying taste of carbohydrates, your body gets the needed energy, and you lose weight.
Here are a few steps to take to avoid storing carbs as fat:

1. Eat carbohydrates early in the day, preferably complex carbs in the morning. By complex carbs I mean foods such as oatmeal, whole wheat/whole grain breads, even starchier vegetables like potatoes or sweet potatoes.

In the morning your body experiences a natural spike in metabolism and your body cells are at their highest sensitivity to insulin. This means that the carbs you eat will be used more efficiently and not land on your belly or hips as fat.
 
2. Time your carbohydrate intake around exercise. By eating carbohydrates a few hours before a workout you provide readily available energy to your body. By eating carbs right after your workout you replenish future energy stores in your liver and muscles.

3. Most importantly, do not completely avoid carbohydrates. When carbohydrates are withheld from your diet, your body's number one fat-burning hormone, leptin, plummets. In fact, leptin levels can drop up to 50% after the first week on a strict low carb diet.

Leptin is a key hormone to control if you want to lose weight and you need carbs to keep leptin working for you. So do not avoid carbohydrates. You can enjoy them without storing them as fat if you time your intake and use them to keep your leptin levels high.

If you do these things, then you will essentially keep your body in a fat-burning state 24/7. This is because carbs are energy and carbs keep leptin levels high. High leptin levels = high levels of fat burning.
But what if I told you there was an even easier way to enjoy carbs without storing them as fat and at the same time keep leptin levels high?

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com