Everything Weight loss

Do you think it is harmful to take calcium supplements to induce weight loss?

2012-01-20T04:32:00.001-08:00

There is no doubt that calcium is of benefit for bone growth and many other physiological functions. But so far just relying on one health supplement to reduce weight is not the answer. For people who want to lose weight, one should start to eat less, and walk more. What all consumers should be weary is that many studies on health supplements/drugs are sponsored by the manufacturers- thus the results are always biased towards a positive effect.

My best advice- if you eat a healthy diet, there is a zero need for supplements. For those who fanatically believe in supplements and benefits, the problem is more mental than anything else.

Can I lose weight with calcium?

2012-01-20T04:31:00.001-08:00

Weight loss is a difficult task. While some people make an effort by cutting down on their eating and changing lifestyle, many others appear to be relying on a magic pill or nutrient. Almost every week there is a new pill, herb, lotion or portion that is designed to help people lose weight, and inevitably this new treatment turns out to be a passing fad.

Recently there has been a lot published about calcium and how it can help adults lose weight.

Obese individuals are known to have low calcium intake and vitamin D insufficiency. There is up-and-coming evidence of a role for these supplements in the modulation of body weight. However, it is so far uncertain whether increasing consumption of calcium and/or vitamin D during calorie restriction, is a superior approach for weight and fat loss.

A number of anecdotal reports claim that excess calcium can help all individuals lose weight. The people who advocate high calcium for weight loss claim that the calcium binds to the fat in the gut and prevents its absorption. Since these initial studies, the sale of calcium supplements has soared.

Now a study reveals that gulping excess calcium does not help obese teenagers lose weight. These researchers also tested the amount of fat and calcium excreted and found zero evidence that calcium induces weight loss by binding to fats.

Is stevia useful for weight loss?

2011-05-15T12:21:00.001-07:00

Stevia is a artificial sweetener made from a plantain south America, which is widely promoted to help people lose weight. Stevia is available in health food stores as a sugar substitute. The people who manufacture stevia claim that not only is stevia sweeter than sugar but has no calories- so you cannot put on weight.

All consumers who use stevia should understand that it is only certain extracts of stevia that have been approved for use as artificial sweeteners. While the product is safe, excess use may cause a bloated feeling and nausea.

Stevia is safe as an artificial sweetener and does not add calories when used in small amounts. However, just substituting stevia for sugar does not lead to weight loss. The only thing stevia does is not add the few calories that you get from sugar. If you consume excess stevia, you will add calories. To lose weight, you still need to do some exercise.

Final point- stevia is widely used in Mexico and many Central American countries as a sweetener in many foods. Today, Mexico has probably one of the highest rates of obesity anywhere in the world. So remember, everything in moderation is okay, everything in excess is bad.

I have been trying to lose weight and have been thinking of using Dr Phil’s weight loss plan. What do you think?

2011-03-11T08:03:00.000-08:00

In just a few words- Dr Phil is FOS. Everyone who goes on TV to become a talk show host wants to write a book on diet. Oprah wrote a book, Dr Oz has a book, and Suzanne Sommers has many books. Now loud mouth, Mr. know it all, Dr Phil who has written a book on diet.

The diet book by Dr Phil is based on a psychological and behavior approach on how to stop eating. You must take control of your impulses, relieve stress, balance your emotions, leave in peace, and reach out and touch someone (or yourself). Taking care of emotions is the first step to weight loss. Dr Phil also mentions that one should alter their lifestyle, throw out junk food, stop buying pop beverages and sugary foods- flood the kitchen with whole wheat and high fiber foods- few calories but a lot of POOP.

Not all is bad about Dr Phil’s diet plan. He recommends exercise at all costs, join a support group, start walking, jumping -do something. The diet book is boring. Dr Phil has his usual dull anecdotes and charts.

As far as diet is concerned- buy foods that are bulky, difficult to cook and even more difficult to eat- lots of Yams, plantains or cassava- lots of fiber, carbohydrates, and minerals. Do not eat processed food, avoid sugars and drink lots of herbal tea. Moreover, if you are broke and still overweight, drink lots of water.

He recommends eating small portions and avoiding ready-made snacks, as you will definitely over eat. He says foods must be difficult to access and thus, one will not indulge. This will develop a habit of eating less by taking the desire away. If you love beer, then you are out of luck, because Dr Phil says you cannot touch a drop. Go to the gym instead. Substitute your coca cola with a diet soda or try sex for exercise.

What do the experts say? It is great advice, encourages balanced diet, exercise, positive attitude and changing life styles. Dr Phil’s diet approach is gradual so you definitely will not be on his show at least for a year or two.

As to how many people have used Dr Phil’s diet and lost weight is not known- but I am sure there must be a few. Negative testimonials on Dr Phil’s diet are few.

However, anyone looking at Oprah can tell that the woman is heavy. In addition, she is the one who made Dr Phil famous. Now don’t you think for a minute that if the diet worked, Oprah would have tried it and gotten slim? Oprah has mentioned that she has a personal trainer and has her own weight loss expert- and Dr Phil’s name is not even mentioned. Best advice, start walking more and eating less.

How fast should one lose weight?

2011-01-22T11:05:00.001-08:00

Rapid weight loss often is unsustainable for more than a week or two. Moreover, when people rapidly lose weight, it is only water and not much fat. The key to weight loss is to make changes that will be permanent and sustained. Developing good eating habits and the urge to exercise requires time, dedication and motivation. Experts in sports nutrition recommend that a weight loss of 1-2 pounds a week is ideal. One should know that 1 pound is about 3500 calories. To get rid of 500 calories, you need to exercise or walk at least an hour. Therefore, if you walk 7 days a week for one hour a day, you will lose one pound. Most people barely walk more than 15 mins a day- going to the bathroom to poop is not considered exercise.

Can one take hormones or drugs to lose belly fat?

2011-01-18T12:38:00.003-08:00

There are no special drugs or hormones that can help you get rid of belly fat. Even though hormones are widely marketed towards postmenopausal women, there is no real evidence that these chemicals can help one lose fat. For men and women who have tried all types of exercises and diets, and still have residual belly fat, the last option is to undergo liposuction. Liposuction means have to undergo surgery and there are always risks and possible complications- and it is expensive.

For individuals who are motivated and dedicated, losing belly fat is best done by drastic dietary changes combined with exercise. Even simple walking on a daily basis will bring you the result if you remain persistent.

What exercises can I do to get rid of my belly fat?

2011-01-18T12:08:00.001-08:00

Most people think that weight loss can only occur if they join an expensive gym or buy some fancy exercise equipment. This is B.S. The only thing one needs to lose belly fat is motivation and perseverance. Any exercise will do-even walking.

When fat is lost, the abdominal muscle automatically start to tighten up. Unlike fat elsewhere in the body, belly fat is usually the first to respond to exercise. The amount and intensity of exercise depends on one’s current activity status. If you have never exercised before, start with daily walking for at least 30-60 minutes twice a day. Strength training with weights can also help trim belly fat. However, in most cases, strength training is best done after one has built up endurance and is ambulating easily.

Prior to beginning intense exercise, go visit a health care professional and get your body checked up.

I have lost close to 35 pounds and now have a lot of loose hanging skin, what are my options?

2010-12-29T16:15:00.000-08:00

The first thing you should do is continue with the exercise. The majority of people who lose weight, quickly lose their motivation and this leads to regaining of the weight.

For redundant skin, the best option is surgery. Excess skin, unlike fat does not burn off and disappear. Go and see a decent plastic surgeon.

The surgery to remove excess skin is simple (unless you pick a shitty surgeon). Unfortunately, the surgery will involve a rather large skin incision or incisions.

See several plastic surgeons since you are paying for it. Pick one who is realistic and knows what he/she is talking about. If ever in doubt, seek a second opinion.

Is Alli safe for weight loss?

2010-12-16T18:59:00.000-08:00

Alli has been around for some time and millions of people have used it for weight loss. In the USA, it is the only over the counter weight loss drug and does work in some people. Alli inactivates an enzyme in the stomach so that absorption of fat is inhibited. The unabsorbed fat is then passed in to the feces.

Alli does not suppress the appetite center in the brain so the urge to eat is always present. Alli has to be taken everyday and it appears to work in less than 10% of people. The reason for this is genetic differences in the enzyme which breaks down fat-not all ethnic groups have the same enzyme. The weight loss induced by Alli varies from 1-2 pounds a month.

Alli appears to work for about 12 months and if one still has not changed their diet or adopted an exercise program, the weight is quickly regained.

Alli is not well tolerated because of its annoying side effects. The excess fat which is not absorbed gets excreted into the feces. Most people have stools that are very frothy and fill the entire toilet. Moreover, the excess fat in the colon generally causes the feces to slide out of the rectum and so soiling of the underpants is also a common problem. Other side effects include excess bloating, passing foul gas and urgency to visit the bathroom. One way to avoid these side effects is to decrease the fat content in diet.

For best results, Alli should be combined with an exercise program. Alli also does not come cheap and there is no guarantee it will work.

So before you buy a year’s supply, try it out for a few weeks and see if you can put up with the soiling of your underpants.

Women and the agony of weighing scales!

2010-11-25T17:01:00.001-08:00

All women want to feel like they have lost weight before they step on a scale. Weighing scales often lead to disappointments, frustration and depression for many women. This had led many women to come up with innovative ideas before they weigh themselves. At least 25 percent of women stand on one leg when they climb on to the scales, hoping that they will weigh less- and not all these women are blondes!

Another not very surprising behavior is that more than 50% of women take of all their clothes before they hop on to the scales. Yes, both the bra and thongs come off and that eliminates at most -2 ounces.

Many women also tend to weigh themselves on a hungry stomach with the belief that is they did not eat anything, the weigh will be less. Some even skip breakfast and lunch on the day that they are going to weigh themselves and undergo severe hunger pangs- all to feel like they have lost weight.

Almost forty percent of women visit the bathroom before they weigh themselves. Many women empty both their bowel and bladder in the hope that all the waste will significantly reduce their weight.

Moreover, more shocking is that thousands of women weigh themselves only on a full moon. Their belief is that this is the lightest and brightest time of the month and hopefully this will translate into weight loss for them.

Finally, thousands of women use not one but two or three scales to weight themselves. They always use the machine that shows the least weight. On average, 20 percent of women buy a new scale every year.

And the result; more than 70% of these women unfortunately, find out the truth- they actually weigh more than they believe!!!

I just can’t quit eating. I’m supposed to be on this diet (you eat a lot of cabbage with every meal, and it’s supposed to keep you full…), but I’m craving more sweets than I was before I was on the diet. Please help!!!! (Male, 43)

2010-10-01T12:18:00.001-07:00

Curbing the urge to eat is a universal problem and there is no one clear cut answer. In general, low sugar levels increase the urge to eat. When you eat a lot of sugary foods it increases secretion of insulin, which then drops the levels of sugar which again stimulates food cravings. One of the ways to stop food cravings is to keep yourself from getting very hungry all the time. Skipping meals is not an ideal solution, because it ends up increasing your food cravings because of the drop in blood sugar.

One approach to increasing satiety during meals is to ensure that you eat an abundance of high-volume low-calorie foods that fill up your stomach. These foods include fruits, vegetables, whole grains and a variety of low calorie brothy soups.

Another approach is to eat slowly, being aware of what you are eating and enjoying the foods. Some individuals find that slow eating helps curb the urge to eat more food later.

One may also want to eat several small meals a day rather than three big meals. This ensures that the sugar levels are constant and the cravings are diminished. If one feels hungry in between the meals, snack on a piece of fruit or vegetable. Make sure you drink plenty of water all day.

Often a person can find healthier alternative snack foods. For example, if a person is craving sweets, he or she could try eating sugar-free chocolate products (like the ones made by Weight Watchers), which contain less than 50-75 calories per snack. In addition, people can avoid sugary snacks by keeping them out of their homes. Fruit often makes a great substitute for snacks full of processed sugar.

Finally, there are times when none of these approaches work. In such cases one may want to seek help from a dietician or a weight management professional. The urge to eat is difficult to stop but if you do overeat, combine it with regular exercise. Finally, there are some medications that may suppress your appetite if you really have weight problems.

Low carb diet- not that great for cholesterol!

2010-02-24T17:08:00.000-08:00

While a low carbohydrate diet may help you lose weight, it may not be good for your blood cholesterol. A recent study showed that individuals who ate a diet low in carbs but relatively high in fat had the same amount of weight loss over 6 weeks as individuals who consumed a high carb diet.

What was shocking was that the level of bad cholesterol (LDL) also significantly increased in individuals who ate the low carb diet. The bad cholesterol is a risk factor for heart attacks, stroke and can clog up blood vessels in many other parts of the body.

Low carb diets are quite popular because there are reports that it may help lower blood sugars and help reduce weight.

However, this is the first study to show that low carb diets may not be as good as the high carb diets. Other finding of the study was that in the low carb diet group there was a greater release of free fatty acids into the blood stream. It is well known that high levels of free fatty acids make it very difficult for the liver to process and store glucose, which then raises blood sugar.

These data show that low carb diets with high fat may not be ideal for people who want to lose weight and those who are diabetic.

With so many diets being proposed on a weekly basis, the consumer is best advised to use a common sense approach- walk every day, do not smoke and eat healthy.

Can one lose weight with hypnosis?

2010-01-22T10:26:00.001-08:00

A lot of readers have asked this question. So I repeat.

Hypnosis is an alternative therapy still looking for a medical condition it can treat. People who practice hypnosis claim that this method can cure or prevent almost everything underneath the sun. Many nonsensical claims have been made about hypnosis and most have never been proven to be clinically true.

In the last 2 decades, hypnotists have been claiming that the therapy can help one lose weight. These deceiving scoundrels say that regular sessions of hypnosis can help one lose weight within a few weeks. But to date there is zero evidence that hypnosis can do anything for weight loss. Altering the state of mind usually puts people to sleep and does nothing for appetite.

Asides from the people who make money from hypnosis, there are not many people who have come forward and claimed to have lost weight with this therapy. In fact thousands of isolated reports exist by consumers that hypnosis does diddly squat. Inducing a calm and sedate mind has never been proven to help on reduce weight.

While a few studies do exist claiming that people have lost weight with hypnosis; the majority of these studies have been questioned about their authenticity and factual reporting. In the last decade not a single double blind study has ever been undertaken about hypnosis and weight loss.
As of today, the only thing hypnosis can cure is your pocket.

Hypnosis is a sham technique which scams people of their hard earned money.

if you want to lose weight, start eating less, walk regulalry and stay away from bogus therapies.

Blame ghrelin for obesity! Part 2

2010-01-21T12:05:00.001-08:00

Even if was only pleasure were seeking, then why did the mice not seek SEX?

Surely, sex is more pleasurable than food!

And does this imply that pleasurable things like sex cause obesity?

As a final point, one should not get too excited about these studies because ghrelin is not the only factor involved in controlling the appetite center. Previous work has shown that the gene GAD2 has been linked to obesity and it can stimulate certain chemicals in the brain which lead to over eating. Others have shown that the neurotransmitter dopamine is also linked to over eating.

Asides from genetics, our eating habits and supersizing are other factors. Our life style has become to sedentary and we all love to eat great tasting food.

All this hormone stuff is too complex- to lose weight one should walk more and eat less.

Blame ghrelin for obesity! Part 1

2010-01-21T12:04:00.001-08:00

Finally now there is a study which explains why we overeat and the blame goes to the hormone ghrelin.

In a recent study published last month, researchers discovered that the hormone ghrelin caused mice to seek out food even when they had just been fed.

Said lead researcher Dr Jeffrey Zigman, assistant professor at university of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, "We've shown that ghrelin affects behaviors related to eating and that it may consequently lead to overeating."

Dr Zigman says that the results most likely to also apply to humans because previous studies have shown that ghrelin also exists in humans and works in the same region of the brain.

In their work they showed that mice which were administered ghrelin seeked out food despite being fed.

"The mice's behavior had nothing to do with eating." Zigman said. "Their behavior was linked to obtaining the more pleasurable thing." ……..

Shangri la diet- Diet plan which makes no sense: Part 3

2010-01-14T14:08:00.001-08:00

The nutritionist and food experts claim that this Shangri la diet is misleading, not practical and full of s…t. No one has ever shown that eating sugar water causes weight loss. Just look at what Coca Cola does- it packs calories. In addition, with Coca Cola, people eat more hamburgers, pizzas, French fries, and processed foods. In fact, one study showed that if you fed rats with sugar water or olive oil; it did absolutely nothing- diddlysquat. Damn, the rats just ate more and got fat.

When Dr. Roberts was told that the problem is that people eat pizza and burgers. He says to make the pizza taste like crap, add some cinnamon (wonder where he got his PhD from!). The nutritionists say, more crap. Eating cinnamon has never been shown to decrease weight- please stop your nonsense, Dr Roberts.

So what about the Shangri la diet? Well, Shangri La is meant to be a place of beauty, serenity, paradise and something like heaven. The Shangri La diet is a bunch of nonsense or as we say in America- B.S.

Shangri la diet- Diet plan which makes no sense: Part 2

2010-01-14T14:07:00.001-08:00

There is a little more to this diet theory. If you eat sweet and delicious foods, the brain somehow likes it and creates the urge to eat more. So rather than stimulating the brain with nice sweet food, eat absolute crap and that will turn off the appetite center. Therefore, Dr Roberts says drinking spoonfuls of olive oil or a spoonful of sugar is crap and this will turn of the appetite center. I am sure there are more crappy foods than sugar and olive oil- Hey Dr. Roberts, how about drinking urine or car engine oil? Will that not turn off the appetite center?

So how does this Shangri la diet work?

At breakfast, you drink some sugar water and olive oil with every meal. Two spoonfuls of olive oil straight from the bottle. You do get some calories from the oil and sugar but it does not count since it has no good taste. During the diet, eat veggies, fruits, and whole grains. But do not eat processed foods and great stuff like chocolates. Dr Roberts also adds that there is no need for exercise (told you he is not a real physician). Nope, no need to walk, lift, jog or swim. Hell, you do not even need to go to the bathroom- just poop in your bed.

So does this work?

Yes, says Dr Roberts. He lost 35 pounds in 3 months. Unfortunately, neither Dr. Phil nor Oprah ever invited him over because in the whole wide world, this is the only testimonial to the diet.

And what do the food experts say about this? Associating flavor and taste to the appetite center is nothing new but no one has ever shown that eating crap makes you lose weight. If you were to go to the Orient, people eat all sorts of things that we would call crap- snakes, grasshoppers, beetles, rats, cats, dogs, insects, drink urine- and how come they do not have appetite suppression?

Shangri la diet- Diet plan which makes no sense: Part 1

2010-01-14T14:06:00.001-08:00

One of the exotic diets created by a Dr Roberts (not an MD) is the Shangri la diet. The diet is claimed to diminish the urge to eat by resetting the appetite center in the brain. Dr Roberts claims that this can very simply be done by drinking a little bit of sugar water or a tiny bit of extra olive oil during mealtime. Once you do this, the appetite center in the brain will immediately sense that you are full and your appetite will decrease.

Dr Roberts does acknowledge that losing weight is tough and no method really works but now he has the magic formula -just some olive oil or sugar water. Dr Roberts says that over time, the appetite center is reset and you become thin.

Well, there are a few unanswered questions for Dr Roberts. Do you have any evidence for this? Nope. Is there anything published anywhere that supports your theory? Nope. Does it work? Nope. Do you know where the appetite center is? Nope. Do you know what triggers the appetite center? Nope. Do you know where the brain is? Nope. Do you know what the brain is? Nope. Therefore, all we have so far is some theory without any proof and Dr Roberts own testimony that he lost weight with this approach.

Should I try hypnosis for weight loss?

2010-01-07T05:37:00.001-08:00

There is little argument that conventional medicine has no magic bullet for weight loss. The few drugs that are available do work but they are also associated with disturbing side effects.

Surgery for weight loss is full of hazards both from the technical aspects and the post operative recovery period. For this reason, people have been turning to hypnosis.

Hypnosis has been around for centuries and if there ever was a sham profession, this has to be it. The people who practice this profession claim that it can cure everything underneath the sun. Every single day, new claims are made about hypnosis but there is no solid evidence that it can do anything. Now people who are too lazy to walk are turning to hypnosis for weight loss. There are thousands of anecdotal reports about weight loss after hypnosis- mind you all those reports are only from people who sell this therapy. Blogs from people who have had hypnosis claim that it is a scam and the only thing they lost is the money in their pockets.

The basis of hypnosis is that you sit in a room, focus your attention and this will help change your behaviour to foods. Other hypnotists recommend cognitive behavior therapy to help combat weight loss. So far most studies that have analyzed hypnosis and weight loss reveal that the majority of individuals do not lose an ounce. Moreover there is no way to predict in whom it will work and when it will work. Finally hypnosis does not come cheap. The therapy is expensive and needs to be done for many sessions. In simple words, hypnosis is BS.

If you want to lose weight, then start by walking and eating less. This way you will not only save your hard earned money, but it will work. Hypnosis is for people who have money to waste and are too lazy to get off the couch.

Weight loss pills & Scams

2009-04-08T05:15:00.000-07:00

In the last few months, the FDA has finally gotten tough on health food supplement industry and those who promote weight loss. There are many vendors of health food supplements who flood cyberspace with false ads about weight loss. The majority (>99%) of pills , herbs, nutrients, minerals, and foods sold in health food stores for weight loss have one common theme- fake. The majority of these so called weight loss pills are made by one manufacturer and then sold under different brand names to unsuspecting consumers.

The entire health food supplement industry is unregulated. People are selling more crap than ever before. You can buy the same weight loss pill in 4 different formulations and each will have a different concentration of the supplement. There is zero quality and to avoid FDA regulations, many of these unscrupulous vendors sell active drugs as food supplements. The problem gets worse because recently, a number of Chinese weight loss herbs were found to contain actual pharmaceutical drugs. Sibutramine has been often been found in more than one of these weight loss products.

The FDA has been randomly checking these weight loss pills and herbs and found them to be fakes or counterfeit in the majority of cases

The following products sold as dietary supplements have been known to contain active pharmaceutical drugs. The supplements include the following:

Fatloss slimming
2 day diet
3 x slimming power
24 hour diet
7 day herbal slim
8 factor diet
Extrim plus
GMP
Medal Perfect slim
Lid Daidaihua
Perfect slim
Phyto shape
Proslim Plus
Zhen de Shou
Venom Hyperdrive