Archive for September, 2009

Did you know that breakfast is still the most important meal? Three out of four people who lose a large amount of weight and keep it off, eat breakfast every morning according to a study from Obesity Research. This jump-starts your metabolism early in the day. This will in-turn reduce the risk of over eating and picking other foods (because you are hungry and we tend to make bad food choices when we are hungry) through out the day.

Excess body fat is a major health risks. And losing fat can improve the way you look. Fat loss is the key to successful dieting. This will enable your body to burn that body fat. The fat in our bodies is dependent on genetics, hormones and age. Body fat must be reduced in order to lose fat in any particular area. The last area to become lean is the mid-area, the hips and thighs.

The key to losing fat is a proper diet. This is the beneficial factor. A proper diet and exercise is the right way to go. There are no shortcuts. And remember, any diet plan that is not enjoyable for the long term will not work in your goal to permanently eliminate stubborn fat.

Losing the weight is a simple process but you must be patient. Gaining the fat did not happen overnight so do not expect it to disappear overnight. The first goal you need to remember is, you have to renew and rebuild your body composition. When starting out and watching your calories, carbohydrates and high fat intake,you will then see in the weeks ahead that sugars, salts and fat will become less interesting.

Now, some great exercise with a proper diet will put your fat loss program in a full speed ahead mode. One exercise which is very fulfilling is water workouts. If you can get to a pool, then a water workout is great for fat burning. Water running has plenty of benefits.

Another particular exercise that works great with a fat loss program is aerobic training. Fast walking, a stationary bike, jogging(can also be done with a treadmill) or a stair stepper is a good way to start. In order for aerobic exercise to be effective, it must be done the first thing in the morning on a empty stomach after drinking 16 to 24 oz of water so you do not dehydrate. When performed at this time, you can really burn more body fat than at any other time of the day. Another effective aerobic exercise that works really well is some weight training. These are very good tips to consider.

Whatever exercise you decide to do, will increase the number of calories you burn. This raises your metabolism making it easier to keep the weight off. Fat burning, running, cycling, swimming, walking, etc, will get a fat burning exercise going because any exercise is better that no exercise at all. So if you have not come up with an exercise, then just pick something and start. At least your exercising. If you can’t think of anything, then just start walking. This is so easy. Walking requires no equipment, no exercise techniques at all,it can be done almost anywhere, and it’s safe. And then when you feel more comfortable, you can speed it up a little with fast walking. Only when you want to and you feel comfortable. And if you are going to do this walking thing, you can do 30 minutes or more several days per week. Walking briskly or on a inclined treadmill is a excellent workout to burn fat.

And again, if you decide to walk and do this cardio first thing in the morning on a empty stomach before you eat anything, this is by far the most effective for maximum fat loss. When you do cardio first thing in the morning, this is good because you have not eaten a thing for at least 8 hours because you were sleeping. So when your body sees there are no carbs, it will go directly to your stored body fat.(the fat that is on your body.) And this is the fat you want to get rid of. This will definitely get your metabolism fired up so you can start burning fat.

The things you need to do to help get you going on your fat loss victory are:
Add cardio( walking, jogging, treadmill, etc.)
Learn to lift weights
Burn more calories than you consume
Eat 5-6 small meals a day
Never skip a meal
Eat more fruits and vegetables
Eat lean proteins with each meal
Think positive and visualize yourself as to the size you want to be. If you are still holding on to a old pair of pants, then use these pants as your goal to fit back into them again. Keep the pants in an area where you can look at them everyday.

Remember, if you eat more than you burn each day, you will then store fat. Eat less than you burn each day and you will lose fat. If you follow this everyday, then you definitely will see a change. Stick to this. It works and it really makes alot of sense. You can also join a gym if you like. Some people just to like to work out with other people and that’s ok.

So be careful this fall. The majority of permanent weight gain usually occurs between Halloween and New Years Day according to the National Institute of Health.

Carmen VJ
http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/fat-loss-can-jump-start-your-metabolism-quickly-66706.html

A lot of people still don’t know there are fat burning foods that can actually increase the number of fat calories your body burns each day? These are know as free foods and are generally low in calories; in fact some of these foods are so low in calories that your body actually burns more calories metabolising them, than the total amount of calories in the food it’s self.

Although fat burning foods are important for anyone who wants to lose weight and keep it off for good, they’re vital if you’re one of these people who find it hard to lose weight. No matter how much exercise you do or how hard you diet, your genetics and metabolic make up play a vital role in determining how fast and how much weight you lose.

Genetic differences also affect how much weight you gain when you eat too much. One study of 12 groups of identical twins was overfed for 100 days. One set of twins gained 29 pounds. A second set, however, gained only 13 pounds even though both sets of twins were overfed with the same number of calories. Of course, fat burning foods won’t compensate entirely for genetic differences this ultimately comes down to a balanced calorie controlled eating regime and excersie. They will however make fighting fat a lot easier in the long run.

Types of fat

There are two types of fat “good fat” and “bad fat”

Actually there are 4 types of fat: Monounsaturated, Polyunsaturated, Saturated and Tran’s fat, but they can still be catorigised as good and bad.

Monounsaturated (good fats)

Monounsaturated fats are considered good fats and are said to help reduce cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood pressure and to help control diabetes.

These good fats are found in food like; olive oil, peanut oil, cashews, canola oil, hazelnuts, peanuts, macadamia nuts, pistachios, pine nuts and chicken fat.

Polyunsaturated (good fats) omega 3 and omega 6

Polyunsaturated fats are also considered good fats and are said to reduce triglycerides, inflammations and tumour growth. They also help to improve immune function and help protect against sudden death from heart disease.

Polyunsaturated fats can be broken down into two categories: Omega 3 and Omega 6

Omega 3 is found in foods like Canola oil, walnuts, flaxseeds, hempseeds, salmon, mackerel, trout, tuna, sardines, and herring.

Omega 6 is found in foods like safflower oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, nuts, beans and soft margarine.

Saturated (bad fats)

Saturated fats are bad fats; they raise cholesterol and increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. In fact they are twice as potent at raising your bad cholesterol levels as polyunsaturated fats are at lowering them. It is difficult to eliminate these fats from your diet but one way to reduce them is to choose fat free milk and other dairy products.

Saturated fats can be found in foods such as meats, whole milk, cheese, palm and coconut oil.

Trans (bad fats)

Tran’s fats are the ugly fats; they raise bad cholesterol (LDL) and lower good cholesterol (HDL). They increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Tran’s fats can be found in foods like crackers, cookies, cakes, shortening, margarine, hydrogenated oils and vegetable oils that have been subjected to heat-damage during cooking.

Omega 3 fish oil and weight loss

A recent study that was published in the international journal of obesity, researchers want to find out if by supplementing the diet with omega 3 fish oil (good fat) would increase the number of fat calories burned in a single day.

The two groups were fed exactly the same diet apart from one group were fed 6 grams of fat in the form of butter, olive oil, sunflower oil and peanut oil, the other group were given 6 grams of omega 3 fish oil.
The fish oil group were given 8 capsules per day, 2 in the morning, 3 at lunch and 3 in the evening.

The Total daily intake of omega 3 long chain fatty acids was 1.8 grams.
The out come of the test results were fairly conclusive.

The table below shows you the changes in fat oxidation, body fat, and metabolic rate after three weeks for the groups with or without fish oil

With fish oil            without fish oil

Measurement of body fat                    -2pounds       
       -0.7

Measurement of daily metabolic rate    1775 calories      
  1710 calories  

      
These results show that the group who were supplementing with fish oil burned about 1.1 milligram of fat per kilo per minute. This is roughly 26% higher than the other group who weren’t supplementing with the fish oil.

One of the key reasons as to why omega 3 fish oil has such a powerful effect on fat metabolism is that the insulin levels were 50% lower when subjects used the fish oil. Insulin is a hormone that reduces the use of fat for fuel, while also promoting fat storage in the presence of excess calories.

Insulin increases the activity of an enzyme known to promote the storage of fat.

Insulin inhibits the action of hormone sensitive lipase, which is responsible for breaking down stored fat and preparing it for use as energy.

Insulin also activates an enzyme, which, along with fatty acid synthesis, is responsible for converting carbohydrate into fat.

Simply put, high levels of insulin make it less likely that your body will use stored fat as a fuel source. The drop in insulin levels when subjects used the fish oil would have allowed more fat to be used for energy.

Conclusion
Any good doctor or nutritionist will tell you that the best way to get any nutrient is to eat a very balanced diet. In the case of Omega 3 oil this would be in the form of fish, sadly due to the pollution levels found in our oceans today eating large portions of fish every day is not advisable. The frustrating truth is that there will never be an easy quick-fix method of losing weight that is safe and simple. However, with a little research into the workings of the body, it becomes clear that there are many small things you can do which add up over time to aid weight loss and make you feel better about yourself. Taking a fish oil supplement is a good idea for anyone wanting to make positive steps towards weight loss.

David Mcevoy
http://www.articlesbase.com/weight-loss-articles/omega-3-fish-oil-and-weight-loss-3484.html

Or does other types of tea boost it as well? If they do, can you mention some types? Does for example fruit tea increase your metabolism?

Green Tea boosts it the most I’ve heard. Regular tea would boost it as well because of it’s caffiene content. Caffiene boosts your metabolism. I personally do not enjoy Green Tea so I stick with regular tea.

There are a lot of things that can boost your metabolism. Check out this MSNBC article:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23547010/

Good luck!

If you take muscle building supplements can they make your penis bigger or smaller? Even a little bit? I am thinking of starting to taking supplements and i was just wondering if that could possible have anything to do with it…and if anyone knows any other side effects that are PROVEN, please share. Thanks!

nah not unless your going to be using hardcore illegal steroids.
If you using protein, no problem except sum horrific farts for a few days while your body gets used to it!
Stay away from creatine if u dont want mood swings, it can have that affect on some people.
pure whey protein = lean muscle growth… ooooooo yerrrrrrrr

I work out 5-6 days a week and eat a very clean, healthy diet 6 days of the week (my 7th is a cheat day, but i don’t go too crazy or stuff myself). I’ve been doing this for months now and have lost weight but I’ve hit a plateau. I’d like to lose around 3-5 more pounds. Is there any diet pill (hate to utter those words) or supplement on the market that can aid in weight loss or fat reduction? I took CLA for a while and found it toned me up a little, buI was wondering if there is anything else that works. I’d prefer something without caffeine, as I am sensitive to it. Like I said, I dont have much weight to lose, just want to get rid of those couple extra pounds and get leaner. Thanks in advance.

I think the others are right, why spend money to lose just a couple of more pounds. Have a look at this iste, there is a tips section that could probably help you lose that last little bit.

http://www.w8lossreviews.com

i need to know some good natural foods or drinks that help prevent weight loss, and man boobs. I hear green tea extract is used alot, so i have started having this. Any others that help accelerate weight loss? thanks.

First off, Garret sent same answer to my qustion….. dont listen to that. secondly, water water water. Im also hittin the gym alot trying to get in better shape. you should go to the gym and drink plenty water. also go to ur local GNC shop and get some whey protein. i drink that before and aftter you work out to re plenish all the stuff u burnt out. and you should try to eat 6 small meals a day, a real good, filling snack is a white meat turkey (has protein) sandwhich on wheat bread. throw some light ranch or mustard on it. as for drinks, water is the best way to go. not satisfying? add some crystal light to it. that stuff doesnt have much bad crap in it and you still are getting water. hope it helps!

It is misleading that walking is being prescribed as an exercise program when someone wants to lose body fat or increase their fitness. How could our mode of transport ever be expected to meet the needs of a proper exercise program? Could it be that it is so easy that people will be encouraged to do it rather than put in a bit of effort in something that will really give results?

The truth is that if you want to lose weight, get fit, increase your strength or change your risk for heart disease you are going to need to work your body much harder than simply going for a walk. Walking is not all it takes to exercise properly and should not be considered a proper exercise session and will never be enough to give anyone marked exercise benefits.

After all, we all have legs and we all walk – it’s what we do to get from here to there.
And we still have a massive two thirds of us overweight or obese so it clearly isn’t working is it? All exercise training should challenge you to accomplish something not normally experienced during everyday life and to conquer new challenges. It is only then that the body will increase strength or fitness.

People who limit themselves to walking tend to become stiff and inflexible, with short tight muscles in their back and in the backs of their upper legs and may also lack muscle strength in the trunk and upper body. These conditions create imbalance within muscle groups which can lead to poor posture and chronic lower back pain that partially cripples many people. This is because walking only takes certain muscles through an incomplete range of movement.

People who have health and metabolism disorders which can be treated with physical activity should not be entrapped by the “walking is all it takes for a good health” myth. This myth has given many a false sense that a stroll through the neighborhood is all you need to stay healthy and fit. Instead of pushing people to become more physically active, it has merely provided an excuse to do as little as possible.

Somehow focus has been taken off the intensity of exercise (the degree of difficulty) and on to the duration such as in the 10,000 steps program. People now think what matters most is the number of steps accumulated daily and are not paying attention to the pace or effort invested in taking those steps. It would be far better to do 3000 steps with some “huff and puff” and receive far more health benefits.

An important part of a balanced exercise program is strength training. Strength training assumes even more importance as we age, because after age 30 everyone undergoes a slow process of muscular erosion. The effect of this can be reduced or even reversed by adding 2-3 sessions of strength training per week. Strength training also improves heart and blood vessel health and general well being.

In comparison to walking programs, strength-training programs are more effective in increasing muscle tone and bone density. In addition, strength training provides benefits such as decreasing depression, improving sleep, helping with weight management and decreasing body fat.

With a recent study revealing that 50% of women over the age of 50 have low bone density, the numbers of potential future osteoporosis victims is frightening. Walking can be part of a program to prevent osteoporosis, but it is not the whole story. To cause bone to grow it must be challenged with a new weight, not the same load over and over again (as with walking).

Along with your balanced fitness program, eat a healthy diet and your program is complete and will add years to your life, make you feel and look your best during those extra years. Imagine the good example and you will be setting for your family and friends.

Gen Wright
http://www.articlesbase.com/alternative-medicine-articles/if-you-want-to-increase-fitness-or-lose-weight-you-have-to-do-more-than-walk-745057.html

People seeking to lose weight are typically anxious to hear about any trick to make weight loss easier. One way to help speed weight loss is to find ways to speed up the metabolism, so that more calories are burned in a day.

Research has shown that caffeine is effective at speeding up the metabolism, so that you burn more calories. According to the Mayo Clinic, caffeine stimulates many body functions, including the heart rate, central nervous system function and metabolism.

In addition, caffeine may decrease the appetite short term. So, adding caffeine may be an effective way to jump start weight loss. There are some things to consider, however:

You may see no effect if you’re already a caffeine consumer. If caffeine is already a part of your daily diet, you would likely need very high doses of caffeine to increase your metabolism above the level at which it already functions. However, those who don’t regularly consume caffeine may see some benefit.

You must be careful where the caffeine comes from. If you start getting your caffeine from sugary sodas, you’ll likely gain weight rather than lose it. However, if you get your caffeine from coffee, tea and sodas without sugar, you may see some results.

You must consider your other health issues. If you already suffer from an irregular heart rate or high blood pressure, your doctor may have warned you to stay away from caffeine. If this is the case, caffeine may not be safe for you. Be sure to talk to your doctor before adding caffeine.

What if I’m Caffeine Sensitive?

Many people stay away from caffeine because they find that too much caffeine causes sleeplessness or jitters. For these people, supplementing with caffeine for weight loss might seem unreasonable. However, there’s one form of caffeine that seems to be tolerated well by those who are normally caffeine sensitive.

Green Tea May Be the Answer

Green tea may well be the best way to get your caffeine for weight loss. Though green tea does contain caffeine, it is in smaller amounts than many other beverages. In addition, the caffeine in green tea seems to be better tolerated by the caffeine sensitive than other caffeinated beverages. This is thought to be because of the anti-oxidants in green tea.

These anti-oxidants, in addition to making the caffeine less of a problem, also offer a myriad of health benefits. Green tea’s anti-oxidants have been shown to lower cholesterol and prevent heart disease and some forms of cancer. So, even if you don’t lose weight from drinking green tea, it’s a healthy habit to add to your diet.

But, the best news is that in addition to being healthy and well tolerated by the caffeine sensitive, it may just be that green tea is the best way to get your caffeine for weight loss. This is because studies have shown that green tea is more effective in promoting weight loss than other caffeinated beverages. The combination of caffeine and green tea’s anti-oxidants appears to be more effective in promoting weight loss than caffeine alone.

One important study on this subject was reported by the Obesity Research Group. In this study, ninety overweight men and women were studied. First, the group was put on a low calorie diet for four weeks. The subjects were divided between low caffeine consumers and high caffeine consumers. At the end of the four week diet period, the subjects were placed on a weight maintenance program. During this weight maintenance period, subjects either received a green tea/caffeine supplement or a placebo. Within the groups, both high caffeine consumers and low caffeine consumers were given the green tea/caffeine supplement. The weight maintenance period lasted for 3 months.

At the end of the study, the results were as follows:

• Caffeine consumers overall seemed to have higher satiety levels and lower leptin levels, which helped speed weight loss.

• During the weight loss period, caffeine consumers lost more weight than non-caffeine consumers.

• During the weight maintenance period, the low caffeine consumers who received the green tea/caffeine supplement kept off more weight than the low caffeine consumers who received the placebo. In fact, many of them continued to lose weight.

• During the weight maintenance period, the high caffeine consumers who received the green tea/caffeine supplement did not report a significantly higher success rate in keeping the weight off than those high caffeine consumers receiving the placebo.

While more research is needed to truly determine how green tea and caffeine can help with weight loss and maintenance, it does appear that consuming green tea and other forms of caffeine can help you lose weight. In particular, caffeine and green tea may be especially effective for those who don’t consume a great deal of caffeine on a regular basis. And, since green tea is a form of caffeine that is well tolerated by most caffeine sensitive people, green tea may be the best way to use caffeine as a weight loss aid.

You have nothing to lose by adding green tea to your diet. It’s healthy, refreshing and has no side effects. And even those who are sensitive to other forms of caffeine can usually drink green tea without experiencing unpleasant side effects. So, see if green tea can help you in your efforts to lose weight!

Marcus Stout
http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/should-you-consume-caffeine-to-lose-weight-114545.html

I have a very low metabolism. Everything i eat I gain wait from. I was wondering if there was any exercises or foods that could help to increase my metabolism.

Thanks!

When you do cardio(elliptical, running, biking etc.) and weight training(bench press, squats etc.) regularly you will lean out and develop muscle which boosts your metabolism. You look better and you can eat more! Yay!

But be careful about the types of foods you are eating, the more processed foods turn your body to mush and the high sodium makes you bloat and immediately makes you feel bigger. Tuna, Lean turkey, skinless chicken, sprouted bread, veggies veggies veggies! Organic oatmeal, If you are a chocolate lover try eating just a little dark chocolate, it satisfies the craving and isn’t as bad, frozen yogurt instead of ice cream.You can eat healthily and still enjoy food.

Do both. Actually, with a high protein diet with at least 1 gm protein per pound of body weight and a good workout routine, the Hydroxycut will not help that much. You will get leaner from a good diet and working out.