Weight Loss Tips 4 Your

Sample Exercise Demonstrations

2013-03-20T08:19:00.001-07:00

Sample Exercise Demonstrations

Here are just a few examples of the strength exercise demonstrations offered in our members only library. Supine Hip Extension With Leg Lift     Begin by lying flat on the floor with ball resting under your calves and heels pressed firmly into the ball.     Squeezing your hamstrings and glutes, raise your hips up off the floor.     From this raised position, lift your left leg straight upward. This requires some balance so be sure to keep your right heel firmly pressed into the ball.     Return to start position and repeat and then switch legs.

Chest Press On Flat Bench     Begin in a supine position on a flat bench. Protect your back.     Hold a barbell in both hands with elbows bent, palms facing out with hands at chest level.     Using your chest muscles, straighten arms and extend them over your chest.     Return to start position and repeat.

Backward Lunge On Bosu     Begin by safely standing tall on a BOSU with ball side up, knees slightly bent. Arms are hanging down at your sides.     Extend your left foot backward off the BOSU about 2-3 feet bending both right and left knees.     Left foot's heel raises off the ground. Keep your right knee above the ankle (don't extend past toes).     Return to start position, repeat and switch sides.

Shoulder Rotator     Begin by standing tall, feet hip-width apart, knees slightly bent.     Bend elbows and bring upper arms to about parallel to floor with hands in front of waist and palms facing in.     Keeping upper arms parallel to floor, rotate elbows so that lower arms are up and perpendicular to upper arms with palms now facing out. Try to keep upper arms still.     Return to start position and repeat.

Abdominal Flexion With Ball     Begin by lying on the back with the knees bent.     Extend the arms above the head, holding the ball in both hands.     Extend the arms, lifting the shoulders off the ground, and the right leg into the air.     Bring the right foot back to touch the ball.

Tricep Kickback With Band     Stand with one leg slightly in front of the other for balance. Bend slightly forward from the torso.     Grab each end of a resistance band with each hand. Bend the arm that is opposite side of the forward leg back to about a 90-degree angle. Keep your shoulder relaxed and down. This arm's hand is at your waist.     Place the opposite hand on your bent arm's shoulder. Extend your arm straight back keeping your upper arm parallel to the ground and your armpit closed.     Return to starting position and repeat. Then perform move on opposite arm.

Fitness Tips For Looking Your Best On Your Wedding Day

2013-03-20T08:10:00.000-07:00

Fitness Tips For Looking Your Best On Your Wedding Day

Every bride wants to look perfect on her wedding day. Selecting a dress that will make you look and feel great is an important first step. But what happens when you look in the mirror and don't think you look quite as good as you could? When this happens it’s not uncommon for brides to try quick-fix diets to help them get in shape. Unfortunately, many dieting brides make fitness mistakes that not only prevent them from reaching their goals but also cause unnecessary stress and sometimes even illness. Those are two things no bride needs! Here are five of the most common diet mistakes as well as some tips to help you avoid them.

1. Too much, too late.

One of the most important things to remember if you are trying to lose weight is to start early. For example, don’t try to lose 20 pounds two months before the big day. The key is to plan ahead so that you can lose the weight (or just tone up) gradually. So if you’re dream-wedding day includes you being in great shape, then include fitness as a “to-do” on your overall wedding checklist. That way it will be a priority in your wedding planning.

2. Setting unachievable goals.

Many women get engaged and begin imagining themselves drastically thinner or more sculpted. Be realistic with yourself. If you’ve never been a size 6 in your life, then it is probably unrealistic to think you can magically transform just because you are getting married. And, do you really want to look so different on your wedding day that most people (including your fiancé) hardly recognize you?

3. Radical diets or fitness programs.

Brides typically are short on time and long on to-do lists. This leads many to try unhealthy fitness programs or starvation diets. Don’t be tempted by diets that promise quick, drastic results with little effort from you. You should avoid any programs that suggest taking “diet” pills or eating unbalanced meals (like eating only cabbage soup for a week). And, don’t be lured into trying dangerous things, like laxatives.

4. Not exercising.

It’s very easy for brides to say “I don’t have time to exercise” or “I’m too tired to exercise”. But diet and exercise should always go hand in hand. Consider them to be like yin and yang. Without activity your body can’t burn as many calories. If you are very short on time, try to exercise in small 10-minute bursts throughout the day. And, keep in mind that little things help too, like taking the stairs or parking at the outer edge of the mall parking lot. Plus, if you are tired from all of your planning, exercise will help give you back some energy.

5. Skipping Meals

It’s not uncommon to get caught up in your planning and then realize at 9 p.m. (as your head begins to ache) that you haven’t eaten a thing all day. While it may not be an uncommon scenario, it is unavoidable. Not only is skipping meals unhealthy, it can lead to binge eating. That often means eating very fattening foods and/or overeating all at once. To avoid this, try packing light snacks to keep on hand throughout the day. Good examples include carrot sticks, cheese strings, peanut butter on crackers, etc.

Getting in shape doesn’t have to be complicated and it doesn’t require a lot of time. If you are trying to lose weight or firm up before your wedding, below are some sample plans to help you get started. Keep in mind that the most important thing is for a bride to feel good about herself. And no matter what size or shape, all brides are beautiful on their wedding day!

Sample Exercise :

20 – 30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise (3 – 5 time per week)

Example: 2-5 minutes of brisk walking, 2-5 minutes of jumping jacks (repeat for 20 – 30 minutes)
Sample Meal Plan:

Eat 5-7 small meals per day (meals should include protein, grains, vegetables, etc. to meet the food pyramid daily requirements)

Example: Small, grilled, skinless chicken breast

Slice of whole wheat bread

Slice of cheese

Mixed Vegetables

Glass of Water (2 or 3 would be even better)

Exercise Tips for At-Home Moms

2013-03-20T06:26:00.002-07:00

Exercise Tips for At-Home Moms

Many women have an extra challenge when dieting - Motherhood. A trip to the gym is out of the question with soccer practice and dance class to attend. But there is a way to fit exercise into your motherhood routine.

Many women have an extra challenge when dieting - Motherhood. A trip to the gym is out of the question with soccer practice and dance class to attend. But there has to be a way to fit exercise into your motherhood routine if you want to lose weight, without losing your sanity. Below you'll find some suggestions for calorie burning activities real moms can do to fit exercise into their lives.

Hit The Road

Once the school age kids have hit the bus, take a brisk walk for an hour. If you need to, bring your child along in a stroller. Pushing the stroller while taking a brisk walk will actually increase the calories burned, not to mention that your child would probably enjoy it.

Exercise Videos

When the younger kids go down for a nap, pop Barney out of the VCR and insert an aerobics or workout video. You can also try getting your kids involved. At a young age, kids are usually willing to do anything that mom finds interesting. If you have a step workout video, try setting your child up with their own step (child -sized of course) so they can do it with you.

Cut The Grass

Mowing your lawn with a non-riding mower can help you burn quite a few calories. If you normally pay a service to mow your lawn, try cutting back the frequency that they come to every other time, and pick up the extra mowing yourself. Raking your lawn is also a source of a good work out. Not only will you be exercising, but you'll have a beautiful lawn as a bonus.

Get Your Dancing Shoes

Dancing is a great way to burn some calories. Pop in your favorite CD at home and dance with your kids for an hour. A night of dancing out with your spouse or partner could be a great source of exercise as well as a much needed stress reliever.

General Housework

Moderate everyday housework can also become a part of your official exercise program. Vacuuming, mopping and many other household chores burn calories.

The Bottom Line

The bottom line is that everyone, including at home mothers, can find a way to fit exercise into their daily routine. If you want to know how many calories you could be burning with some of these activities, check out this Calorie Counter Calculator to find out exactly how many calories you are burning during your normal at home routine, and how many more you could be burning by adding some of the activities above to your day.

Weight Loss : Keep it Simple

2013-03-20T04:43:00.003-07:00

Weight Loss : Keep it Simple

An increasing trend over the last few years has been for diet books to make things complex.

I expect it's because each one vies with the other to come out with some brand new theory or other about why we gain weight and why their diet plan is the only one to help us lose it. And the low fat, low calorie stuff has already been covered!

My problem with this new trend is that the diets all involve more counting and while basic maths was never a problem at school I don't want to use it at the dinner table to know what I can eat. And while counting calories is one thing (most of us are probably walking encyclopaedias by now with how many calories our usual choices contain) the new diets are so much more complex.

With the new diets we need to know carbohydrate counts and fat grams, GI index and all sorts. And sometimes it's not enough to have a straight count we have to work out our percentage of carbohydrates, proteins and fat (yes, follow one particular diet and you have to balance these at EVERY meal).

Somehow I think food was not meant to be eaten like this. It was meant to be enjoyed. Most of us know what is healthy and what is not. Most of us know we'd be better with an apple than a cream cake. Most of us know we need a good variety of all types of food to feel great.

The new diets will not last. More complex stuff will come along and it's sad because we could all lose weight with a few SIMPLE changes.

1. Make healthy choices for most of the food you eat
2. Vary your choices
3. Occasionally enjoy a small portion of whatever it is you love even if it's high in fat or sugar or whatever
4. Eat only when you're physically hungry
5. Stop when you're just satisfied, not stuffed
6. Fill half your plate at lunch and dinner with vegetables or salad, quarter carbs and a quarter protein.

If everyone who wanted to lose weight just followed these simple guidelines there would be many more successful dieters around and a lot less hassle in losing weight.

Why not start today?

Bacon and Scrambled Eggs Sandwich Dukan Style

2013-03-19T07:43:00.002-07:00

Bacon and Scrambled Eggs Sandwich Dukan Style

Nothing beats a good bacon and egg sandwich at the weekend! And this is why I created my very own recipe for a healthy bacon butty Dukan style which sees the bread being replaced by a delicious oat bran galette and the bacon with low fat turkey rashers.
Yumminess without the guilt!

Ingredients (Serves 2)

2 oat bran galettes
1 pack of turkey bacon rashers
4 eggs
4 tablespoons of skimmed milk
A pinch of dried dill
Salt and pepper
Let’s get cooking

1. Prepare two pancakes using the oat bran galette basic recipe, set aside on a plate and cover with foil to keep them warm
2. Now prepare the scrambled eggs mix: break 4 eggs into a bowl, add the skimmed milk and beat the mixture until the eggs and milk have blended together. Then season with salt and pepper and add a pinch of dried dill. If dill is not your cup of tea, you can swap it with any other herb of your liking such as chives or tarragon
3. Spray a non stick pan with vegetable oil spray and heat it up. Then add the egg mixture, let it set slightly and use a spatula to scrape the eggs from the sides of the pan and fold them over into the middle of the pan. Continue folding the mixture over until the eggs are cooked but still moist
4. Spray a second non stick pan with vegetable oil spray, heat it up and gently fry the turkey rashers
5. Once the turkey is cooked, place the rashers over the pancakes, top up with the scrambled eggs and fold the oat bran galettes to form two sandwiches. Serve hot and enjoy!

Butternut Squash and Sage Soup

2013-03-19T07:37:00.002-07:00

Butternut Squash and Sage Soup

Fancy a little extra to dunk in the soup? Then serve this soup with a herby oat bran galette as shown in the picture above for a great vegetable and protein combo.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients (Serves 2)

2 small butternut squashes, peeled, de-seeded and cut into large chunks
a handful of fresh sage leaves
½ onion, chopped
2 ½ pints of reduced salt chicken stock
low fat cooking spray
freshly ground black pepper

2 herb-flavoured oat bran galettes to serve (optional)
Let’s get cooking

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C degrees
2. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper
3. Place the butternut squash on the tray, scatter the sage leaves evenly over the squash, add a generous sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper and spray with low fat cooking spray
4. Pop into the oven and cook for approximately 40/45 minutes, until the butternut squash has softened and the sage leaves are crispy
5. When the squash is almost cooked, spray the bottom of a tall pan with low fat cooking spray and gently fry the onions until translucent. If the onions start to brown, add a little warm water to keep them moist
6. Transfer the butternut squash and the sage leaves into the pan and cover with the chicken stock
7. Simmer for 15 minutes
8. Take the pan off the heat and blend using a hand-blender until smooth
9. Serve on its own or with a savoury oat bran galette flavoured with your favourite herbs

Indian Spicy Omelette

2013-03-19T07:31:00.003-07:00

Indian Spicy Omelette

Bored of the usual plain omelettes? Then give this Indian spicy omelette recipe a try! Yummy and filling, it’s ideal to spice up your Dukan routine on PP days or it can be served with a mixed leaves and cherry tomato salad on P+V days. Because the omelette is very light and fluffy, you can also use it as a base for a wrap and fill it with low fat cream cheese, cooked meats or even smoked salmon. Serve hot off the pan or prepare the night before and store in the fridge for a delicious light lunch.
Ingredients (Serves 1)

2 eggs
Half a green chilli, de-seeded and chopped into small bits
Half a red onion, finely chopped
1 spring onion, finely sliced
1 tablespoon of fresh coriander, chopped
A pinch of garam masala
A pinch of turmeric
Salt and pepper

Let’s get cooking

1. Break the eggs into a bowl, season with salt and pepper and use a fork to gently blend the egg yolks and whites
2. Add the chilli, onion, spring onion, coriander and spices to the mix and combine with the eggs
3. Lighly grease a non stick pan with olive oil and heat it up to medium
4. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and let it cook on one side for a couple of minutes. Then flip it to cook the other side

Dukan Oat Bran Galette Sandwiches

2013-03-19T07:26:00.001-07:00

Dukan Oat Bran Galette Sandwiches

If when you started the Dukan Diet you thought you would have to give up sandwiches altogether then think again: there is an easy peasy way of making delicious Dukan-friendly sarnies by simply replacing the bread with the oat bran galette and filling with no-fat cream cheese such as Quark and your favourite cold meats.

There are 2 main reasons why I love oat bran galette sandwiches. First of all, you never get bored of them – because you can use different fillings as well as flavour your galette with all types of herbs and spices, the combinations are endless so that, unless you have a particular favourite, you never end up eating the same thing twice in the same week.
On top of that, oat bran galette sandwiches can be prepared in advance and stored in the fridge so that, whether you want to take them to work for lunch, as a snack, or simply fancy having something you can munch on throughout the day, you don’t have to get the pan out every time.
How to make an oat bran galette sandwich
Ingredients (Serves 1)

For the oat bran galette
2 whole eggs or egg whites if you suffer of cholesterol problems
3 tablespoons of oat bran if you are on the Attack Phase (+1 tablespoon if in the Cruise Phase)
3 tablespoons of 0% fat Greek yoghurt if you’re on the Attack Phase (+1 tablespoon if in the Cruise Phase)
Your favourite herbs or spices – for inspiration take a look at my Top 20 Herbs And Spices To Flavour Your Oat Bran Galette

For the filling
2 tablespoons of low fat cream cheese
Lean cooked meats (beef, ham, turkey, turkey ham, chicken all work very well)

Let’s get cooking

1. Prepare the oat bran galette following our basic recipe and flavour the pancake batter with spices and/or herbs of your liking before cooking. Once ready, set aside to cool
2. Cut the galette in half and spread a generous layer of cream cheese on each side, just like you would if you were using bread
3. Fill your sandwich with your preferred cooked meat and, voilà, you have a yummy Dukan-friendly sarnie to enjoy!

Homemade Sugar-Free Fat-Free Frozen Yoghurt

2013-03-19T07:19:00.003-07:00

Homemade Sugar-Free Fat-Free Frozen Yoghurt

The only downside of this recipe is that, unless you have an ice cream maker, the process of making frozen yoghurt is very time consuming so it’s perhaps best to prepare at the weekend when you know you’re going to be in the house for a good couple of hours.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: at least 4 hours without ice cream maker, less than an hour with ice cream maker
Ingredients

1 large tub of fat-free natural yoghurt (500g)
3 teaspoons of sugar-free jelly (I used Hartley’s strawberry flavoured)
3 tablespoons of boiling water

Let’s get cooking

1. First of all, place the boiling water and the sugar-free jelly powder in a small bowl and mix well until the jelly has completely dissolved and there are no lumps stuck to the bottom of the bowl. Let the mixture cool down for two minutes
2. Place the yoghurt and the jelly syrup in a food processor and combine together. If you haven’t got a food processor, you can also do this using a spoon but be careful to mix the two very well together otherwise you will end up with big lumps of solid jelly in your frozen yoghurt. This is the basic recipe for your frozen yoghurt.

If you have an ice cream machine
3. Pour the yoghurt and jelly mixture into your ice cream machine and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. It shouldn’t take more than an hour to obtain smooth and guilt-free frozen yoghurt

Without an ice cream machine
4. Transfer the mixture into a freezer safe container, pop the lid on and let is set for 30 minutes
5. After 30 minutes, take the container out of the freezer and give it a good stir, ensuring that you break up all the ice crystals and the yoghurt is smooth before you put it back in the freezer
6. Repeat this process every 30 minutes until your Dukan frozen yoghurt has reached your desired consistency and serve immediately. When I tried this recipe without the ice cream machine, it took approximately 4 hours for the yoghurt to set and thicken

Butternut Squash and Sage Soup

2013-03-19T07:14:00.000-07:00

Butternut Squash and Sage Soup

Packed full of beta-carotene, vitamins and anti-oxidants, butternut squash is a super-healthy meal for P+V days that is very easy to prepare and that you can enjoy both at home or work.

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

Ingredients (Serves 2)
2 small butternut squashes, peeled, de-seeded and cut into large chunks
a handful of fresh sage leaves
½ onion, chopped
2 ½ pints of reduced salt chicken stock
low fat cooking spray
freshly ground black pepper

2 herb-flavoured oat bran galettes to serve (optional)

Let’s get cooking

1. Pre-heat the oven to 200C degrees
2. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper
3. Place the butternut squash on the tray, scatter the sage leaves evenly over the squash, add a generous sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper and spray with low fat cooking spray
4. Pop into the oven and cook for approximately 40/45 minutes, until the butternut squash has softened and the sage leaves are crispy
5. When the squash is almost cooked, spray the bottom of a tall pan with low fat cooking spray and gently fry the onions until translucent. If the onions start to brown, add a little warm water to keep them moist
6. Transfer the butternut squash and the sage leaves into the pan and cover with the chicken stock
7. Simmer for 15 minutes
8. Take the pan off the heat and blend using a hand-blender until smooth
9. Serve on its own or with a savoury oat bran galette flavoured with your favourite herbs

Spicy Cajun Turkey Mini Burgers

2013-03-19T07:09:00.001-07:00

Spicy Cajun Turkey Mini Burgers

Everyone loves burgers and this recipe offers the perfect opportunity to enjoy a home-made and healthier version of what’s generally available from supermarkets. To keep the fat level of this recipe low, I’ve replaced the traditional beef mince with turkey and, because this can taste a little bland on its own, I have added plenty of spices, some chopped green chilli and garlic to give it a bit of extra kick. If you are using fresh turkey mince that hasn’t been previously frozen, you can also store these Cajun mini burgers in the freezer and cook later on for an even quicker dinner.
Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Ingredients (Serves 2/3)

600g of lean turkey mince
1 egg
2 tablespoons of oat bran
1 tablespoon of Cajun spice mix
1 green chilli, chopped (optional)
2 small cloves of garlic, chopped

Let’s get cooking

1. Put the mince in a bowl and mix well with the rest of the ingredients mentioned above using a fork. Alternatively, you can also use a food processor to speed things up
2. Use your hands to shape the turkey mixture into eight small burgers
3. Heat up a griddle pan over high heat for about 5 minutes until very hot
4. Place the burgers on the griddle pan and cook until the meat is cooked through and the burgers are browned
5. Serve hot with some 0% fat Greek yoghurt on PP days or accompanied by a vegetable side dish on a P+V day

Super Quick All Spice Salmon

2013-03-19T07:05:00.002-07:00

Super Quick All Spice Salmon

Dukan recipe - salmon - needs more than 30 minutes to prepare it. Enjoy itself the attack phase and PP days or combined with a garnish of vegetables per day P + V cruise phase.

Preparation time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: approximately 20 minutes, depending on the size of the fillets

Ingredients (Serves 2)

2 large salmon fillets
1 teaspoon of all spice
freshly ground black pepper
Let’s get cooking

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C. I like to use the grill and oven function so that the skin goes all nice and crispy
2. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper
3. Score the skin of the salmon by making three diagonal cuts to give the lovely flavours of the spices the opportunity to flavour the whole fillet
4. Place the salmon fillets on the tray, skin side up, and sprinkle with all spice and black pepper
5. Place a baking tray onto the middle shelf in the oven and cook for approximately 20 minutes, until the fillets are cooked through and the skin is crispy

Pilates exercises at home

2013-03-18T10:03:00.001-07:00

Pilates exercises at home

Pilates full body home workout. The Pilates exercises in this video can be completed daily in just 15 minutes.

Pilates 100 (a favorite), rolling like a ball, shoulder bridge, watchdog, spine stretch and more!

Renee from Renz Pilates takes you through a NEW 30 minute Pilates routine.

Try this Pilates workout wherever you are. It is a full 30 minutes.

Your Pilates fitness training starts HERE..FULL 30 Minute WORKOUT!

Instant Weight Loss Strategies That Anyone Can Use

2013-03-18T07:08:00.002-07:00

Instant Weight Loss Strategies That Anyone Can Use

You've probably heard it a hundred times before but I will say it again, incidental activity is very important in the process of losing weight as you can burn more calories than relying on dietary means alone.

Fat is burned from the body when cells oxidize to release energy in the form of exercise or movement. When the exercise is done slowly to moderately then the majority of energy is taken from the fat stores.

The loss of fat comes from fat cells all over the body, not from one or more specific area's so spot reduction of a certain area is not possible. The main priority of this article is to show you the quickest and safest way to lose fat from the body.

The key to effective aerobic training that burns off the maximum amount of fat is long-term consistency not intensity. It doesn't matter if you run a mile, jog a mile or walk a mile you will burn exactly the same amount of calories.

The best exercise by far for the purpose of fat-loss is fast walking either indoors on the treadmill or outdoors. What many don't know is that walking produces a greater percentage of fat loss as opposed to jogging or running.

Other aerobic activities are the treadmill, bike, climber or any other training gear found in or out of the gym.

Walk or exercise until you are mildly puffing and hold that rate until the allotted time. If your aerobic activities leave you panting or breathless, your going too hard, your energy is coming from your carbohydrate reserves and not from your fat stores.

Try fast walking for one hour a day every day of the week if you are able.

Here are some of the benefits of Fast Walking.

· Easy to Perform
· Most Conventional
· All Natural Body Movement
· Doesn't Cause Injuries
· Can Be Done Anywhere
· The Best Minimal Effort Exercise for Fat Loss

Research shows that regular, brisk walking is one of the best exercises we can do for overall fitness. It suits people of all ages and fitness levels, it's easy to get started and there's no complicated technique to learn or equipment to buy.

Walking is an excellent way to get fit because it uses nearly all the muscles and, as you have to carry your body weight, you can get a good workout from it.

It's also safer on the joints and the back than most other forms of exercise because you're not jumping up and down, so the impact is low.

Studies have shown that taking a daily 20-minute walk can reduce the risk of heart attack as much as 50%, it also reduces high blood pressure and helps to burn fat to keep weight under control.

Walking and other weight bearing exercises (Strength training) helps to increase bone mass, which protects against osteoporosis and bone fractures.

In the first two weeks, go for a 20-minute walk every other day and then increase this to 40 minutes. At first try to do five 20-minute walks per week totalling 100 minutes a week.

Once you get used to the regular exercise, increase this to 40 minutes for five times a week.

You can then gradually increase this as you see fit, if you want to walk every day for 40 minutes or even an hour so be it. Remember the more you walk the more fat that will be burned off.

The best pace for fitness training will make you slightly breathless, but you should still be comfortable and be able to carry on a conversation.

As you get fitter, you'll want to stretch a little harder to keep your heart rate up.

Try lengthening your strides, increasing your pace. Keep your shoulders back, your chest lifted and your tummy pulled in when you walk, hold your head up for open, easy breathing.

Practical Tips…

· If your feeling stressed, try counting your steps repeatedly from one to ten as you walk, this helps some people achieve a meditative effect and can be a great tension reliever when practiced over a full 40 minutes.

· Time yourself, measure the distance or increase the gradient to make the workout more challenging. Drink plenty of fluids during and after your walk.

· Make safety your first consideration. Don't walk after dark except in well-lit, busy places. Start the walk slowly, and then gradually increase the pace.

So, go ahead in all other activities try to move, move, move. Try parking the car further away from your destination so you can walk the extra distance, hide all your remote controls so you have to get up and change the channels manually.

These all help burn those extra calories and body fat from your frame.

Do you want to be thinner, healthy and fit?

2013-03-18T06:53:00.002-07:00

Do you want to be thinner, healthy and fit?

While we offer an effective and natural fat loss product – the Jen Fe Next Fat Loss Patch and the Power Patch, we also know that without a commitment from you to bring about some lifestyle changes, you won’t reach optimal fat loss. There is no product in the world that can produce fat loss while we are eating and drinking excessively, and moving only slowly from couch to car to office chair. We need a program of sensible diet and exercise that will support the products we utilize to help our weight loss.

Here’s what to eat:

1. Lots of vegetables and fruits

2. Increase healthy protein intake. This is how you build lean muscle tissue, which in turn speeds up your metabolism. Examples are fish, lean meats, low-fat dairy products, beans, and soy products.

3. Fiber-Rich foods. They will fill up and they make they are satisfying. In this category are: peas, beans, bran cereals, potato skins, nuts and seeds, oatmeal, bulger wheat, 100% whole wheat baked goods, fruits and vegetables.

4. Minerals. Calcium and other minerals are you “secret weapons” against body fat. They are found in low-fat dairy products, small or canned fish, soy tofu, green vegetables, nuts, seeds, bran cereals, and calcium fortified orange juice, and avoid processed, salt-loaded foods.

5. Eat fish and beneficial fats. Omega-3 unsaturated fatty acid in some fish, oils and nuts is a good fat. Eat moderate amounts of salmon, herring, mackerel, sardines and other oily fish. Soybeans, nuts, pumpkin seed are also excellent sources for Omega-3.

6. Reduce harmful fats – saturated and trans fats. These are not only high in calories; they are also loaded with harmful fatty acids that cause disease.

7. Always eat an adequate breakfast for several reasons: it will speed up your metabolism earlier in the day and when you skip breakfast, it makes it harder to control your appetite later in the day.

8. Cut back or eliminate alcohol. It is high in non-filling calories. Ideal consumption is one glass of beer or wine a day.

9. Stay away from junk carbohydrates – sugar and white flour are diet killers in all but the smallest amounts.

10. Gradually reduce your calorie intake because extreme and sudden dieting causes your body to conserve, not burn calories, and it slows fat loss.

11. Snack instead of eating large meals – larger, higher calorie meals tend to be stored as fat, instead of burned for energy. Ideally, you should eat five or six smaller, nutritious snacks each day instead of large meals.

12. Move! You must exercise to build lean tissue that burns fat. As little as two to three hours per week of brisk walking at minimum, and you will notice a major impact on your weight loss.

13. Reduce stress. It produces adverse fat-producing chemistry in your body. Try warm baths, meditation, deep breathing, stretching, massage, prayer and rest.

14. Get outside into the sunshine at lest 20 minutes per day – the vitamin D you get from sunshine works with calcium for health and body fat control.

Diet and Fitness, Winning Tactics For Weight Loss

2013-03-18T04:38:00.003-07:00

Diet and Fitness, Winning Tactics For Weight Loss

Tell me, does this describe you? 'I tried a zillion diets in fits and starts and was never successful.' Just going on a diet will not give you a complete healthy persona. I finally paid attention to what everybody was saying, but I was too lazy to do.

I added exercise and fitness to the equation. We also need to stay fit as well as diet to lose weight. Our true wealth is our health. Isn't it worth your time bring it into peak condition and maintain it? Diet fitness is all about an accurate mix of diet and an appropriate fitness program.

This basically includes three levels of consideration:

1. Balance-A balanced diet must contain carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamin, mineral salts and fiber in well proportionate quantity. Carbohydrates are the source of energy so these play an important role in balanced diet. Intentional inclusion of all foods from fruits to vegetables and meats to grains.

2. Moderation- portion control, small quantity at regular intervals. I had to laugh when I heard the results of a 5-year study costing millions of dollars the government ran to find out why the population of the US is getting heavier. The results…they determined we eat larger quantities! 'Super Size it!'

3. Variation - wide variety in foods,means higher chances of complete nutrition. And variety in your workout routine means a greter chance of sustaining it.

It is a well-known fact that poor diet leads to diseases, like obesity, even cancer and heart disease. The link between diet and physical fitness has well been established and recognized as a science in itself. It's the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity. How do you balance diet and fitness? What changes in your diet and fitness regimes will prove to be the most beneficial ones?

These questions may have been on your mind for a long time but you didn't know where to start. I let the paralysis of analysis prevent me from getting started for a long time. I wanted the 'perfect' fitness plan. My advice? Just get started anywhere, but get started. There are the solutions at your doorstep. First and foremost, you need to ensure that the diet you are on, supplies you enough strength and energy to carry out the fitness training which means:

The basic fitness diet should:

1. Have a wide variety of foods-- wholegrain breads and cereals for vitamins and minerals, leafy green vegetables for iron fueling, fruit for adequate fiber, lean meat and Fish (lowers cholesterol and helps prevent cancer) and low fat dairy products.

2. Enable you to have optimal weight and energy to carry out daily activities with ease.

3. Enhance quick and complete recovery during exercise.

4. Supply enough fluids to have maximum hydration. 5. Provide both short and long term benefits and ease of maintenance.

When the above criterion is satisfied, you can confirm that you are on a diet that is not starving you or running you the risk of malnutrition and weakness. Fitness programs can include not only basic gymnasium but modern techniques like dancing, aerobics and yoga for variety and fun. If it is enjoyable it will be easier to maintain.

Make no mistake about it, fitness regimes help you speed up the process of loosing weight along with the diet. That is the key, the magic diet accelerator. So eat healthy, exercise and be wise!

Anorexia Nervosa Alert - is your daughter dying to be thin?

2013-03-16T10:36:00.002-07:00

Anorexia Nervosa Alert - is your daughter dying to be thin?

Anorexia nervosa is a serious medical disorder that is statistically most prevalent in the adolescent teenage years of young women. It is estimated that 7% of the population suffers from eating disorders and if left untreated over 20% of them will die from it. Anorexia takes the lives of children everyday in this world and there are things you can do as a parent to identify anorexic behaviors and intervene to protect your children.

Anorexia nervosa is a condition where one becomes obsessed with losing weight and practices self-starvation in an attempt to achieve significant weight loss or to maintain extremely unhealthy level of body weight. Anorexics are terrified of gaining weight, and often believe they are very fat even though they are already very thin.
Anorexia is not just a condition related to food and eating, but takes its roots from a deeper psychological level. Food and eating becomes a destructive tool that one uses to deal and cope with other emotional problems. Anorexics will often reach out to other anorexics on the internet in “pro-ana” sites whereby they encourage each other to continue their weight loss journey. Pro-ana sites argue that anorexia is a lifestyle choice and not an actual disorder, and offer dysfunctional support to other victims of the disease. The risk to our youth from eating disorders is significant and there are things you can do as a parent to intervene:

WATCH FOR WARNING SIGNS

Excessive weight loss: A person suffering from anorexia is skinny and may end up losing more that 15% of their ideal body.

Diet restrictions: a person with anorexia continues to restrict foods and diet even when they are not overweight.

Food Obsession: an excessive preoccupation with food, calories, nutrition, or cooking methods is also a sign of anorexic behavior.

Distorted body image: complaints of feeling bloated, nauseated, or fat even when the person is thin or underweight, and also denying feelings of hunger.

Excessive exercising: Anorexia may cause a person to complain about feeling bloated or nauseated even when she eats normal—or less than normal—amounts of food.

Cold Sensitivity: A person suffering from anorexia may feel cold even though the temperature is normal or only slightly cool.

Fatigue: a person suffering with anorexia will often show signs of fatigue and inability to concentrate on most tasks (except food and related weight topics).

Lack of social interaction: living with anorexia nervosa can become complicated when trying to hide it in social settings involving food and eating. Avoidance of social activities that include food is a common sign.

Depressed immunity: a person suffering with anorexia may have a weakened immune system and have frequent colds, illnesses and a general feeling of not feeling well.

Depression: anorexics will often exhibit signs of depression, anxiety, guilt and sadness while struggling with their disorder.

Physical changes: a person with anorexia over time may exhibit tell-tall physical characteristics such as; downy hair growth on the face, loss of menstruation cycles, dry nails, dry hair, constipation, headaches and possible hair loss.

Internet behaviors: a person with anorexia may be visiting pro-anorexic sites on the internet that offers encouragement and support of this disorder. Check your computers browser cache to review the history of websites it has visited.

If you suspect that one of your family members is suffering from anorexia nervosa it is important to take action now to arm yourself with information about the disorder and steps you can work towards to provide help and assistance.

4 Great Diet Tips

2013-03-16T10:19:00.003-07:00

4 Great Diet Tips

Here are 4 diet tips we all need reminded of from time to time.

Diet Tip 1: Never eat standing up.

Mom was right. Sit down and eat your food! Never eat standing up. One of the easiest ways to sabotage your diet is to 'eat without thinking'. Fix yourself a plate. Sit down and eat properly. You'll be less likely to just pop food into your mouth without paying attention.

Diet Tip 2: Fluids

Drinking plain water is always top choice on a diet. You can also drink flavored water instead of soda. Soda is nothing but empty calories. No nutrients, lots of sugar. Instead, grab a bottle of water flavored with a spritz of fruit.

Drink water. Even the FDA recommends at least 8 full 8 ounce glasses of water a day to keep your body working right.

When you're dieting, you should drink even more. It's not just that full feeling - water helps your body digest foods properly, cleans out your system and hydrates you. Many people are a little dehydrated part of the time.

Diet Tip 3: Skip High Fat Foods and Snacks

Skip the fatty snacks fried in hydrogenated oil like potato chips and french fries. These kind of snacks contribute fat and calories and not much else. Foods like this are a no no on a diet.

Instead, grab a handful of dried fruit or a cup of yogurt for the same amount of calories and a lot more nutritional benefit. You want to upgrade your diet in general.

Diet Tip 4: Yes, You Need Exercise

Can't afford a gym membership? Make an agreement with friends or family to exercise together. Make a date at least three times a week to play volleyball, take a walk or spend half an hour doing something active. You will draw closer to your friends and family, while burning off excess weight. Pretty soon every one will notice your weight loss.

Common Sense About Low Carb Diets

2013-03-16T09:59:00.003-07:00

Common Sense About Low Carb Diets

With all of the conflicting studies and fuzzy interpretation of information, it's no wonder that confusion reigns when it comes to the value and safety of low-carb diets. It seems like heated debates are raging everywhere!
Whether it's Atkins, the South Beach or some other low-carb plan, as many as 30 million Americans are following a low-carb diet.

Advocates contend that the high amount of carbohydrates in our diet has led to increasing problems with obesity, diabetes, and other health problems. Critics, on the other hand, attribute obesity and related health problems to over-consumption of calories from any source, and lack of physical activity. Critics also express concern that the lack of grains, fruits, and vegetables in low-carbohydrate diets may lead to deficiencies of some key nutrients, including fiber, vitamin C, folic acid, and several minerals.

Any diet, weather low or high in carbohydrate, can produce significant weight loss during the initial stages of the diet. But remember, the key to successful dieting is in being able to lose the weight permanently. Put another way, what does the scale show a year after going off the diet?

Let's see if we can debunk some of the mystery about low-carb diets. Below, is a listing of some relevant points taken from recent studies and scientific literature. Please note there may be insufficient information available to answer all questions.

- Differences Between Low-Carb Diets

There are many popular diets designed to lower carbohydrate consumption. Reducing total carbohydrate in the diet means that protein and fat will represent a proportionately greater amount of the total caloric intake.
Atkins and Protein Power diets restrict carbohydrate to a point where the body becomes ketogenic. Other low-carb diets like the Zone and Life Without Bread are less restrictive. Some, like Sugar Busters claim to eliminate only sugars and foods that elevate blood sugar levels excessively.

- What We Know about Low-Carb Diets

Almost all of the studies to date have been small with a wide variety of research objectives. Carbohydrate, caloric intake, diet duration and participant characteristics varied greatly.

Most of the studies to date have two things in common: None of the studies had participants with a mean age over 53 and none of the controlled studies lasted longer than 90 days.

Information on older adults and long-term results are scarce.

Many diet studies fail to monitor the amount of exercise, and therefore caloric expenditure, while participants are dieting. This helps to explain discrepancies between studies.

The weight loss on low-carb diets is a function of caloric restriction and diet duration, and not with reduced carbohydrate intake. This finding suggests that if you want to lose weight, you should eat fewer calories and do so over a long time period.

Little evidence exists on the long-range safety of low-carb diets. Despite the medical community concerns, no short-term adverse effects have been found on cholesterol, glucose, insulin and blood-pressure levels among participants on the diets. But, adverse effects may not show up because of the short period of the studies. Researchers note that losing weight typically leads to an improvement in these levels anyway, and this may offset an increase caused by a high fat diet. The long range weight change for low-carb and other types of diets is similar.

Most low-carb diets cause ketosis. Some of the potential consequences are nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and confusion. During the initial phase of low-carb dieting some fatigue and constipation may be encountered. Generally, these symptoms dissipate quickly. Ketosis may also give the breath a fruity odor, somewhat like nail-polish remover (acetone).

Low-carb diets do not enable the consumption of more calories than other kinds of diets, as has been often reported. A calorie is a calorie and it doesn't matter weather they come from carbohydrates or fat. Study discrepancies are likely the result of uncontrolled circumstances; i.e. diet participants that cheat on calorie consumption, calories burned during exercise, or any number of other factors. The drop-out rate for strict (i.e. less than 40 grams of CHO/day) low-carb diets is relatively high.

What Should You Do? - There are 3 important points I would like to re-emphasize:

- The long-range success rate for low-carb and other types of diets is similar.
- Despite their popularity, little information exists on the long-term efficacy and safety of low-carbohydrate diets.
- Strict low-carb diets are usually not sustainable as a normal way of eating. Boredom usually overcomes willpower.

It is obvious after reviewing the topic, that more, well-designed and controlled studies are needed. There just isn't a lot of good information available, especially concerning long-range effects. Strict low-carb diets produce ketosis which is an abnormal and potentially stressful metabolic state. Under some circumstances this might cause health related complications.

The diet you choose should be a blueprint for a lifetime of better eating, not just a quick weight loss plan to reach your weight goal. If you can't see yourself eating the prescribed foods longer than a few days or a week, then chances are it's not the right diet. To this end, following a moderately low fat diet with a healthy balance of fat, protein, carbohydrate and other nutrients is beneficial.

If you do decide to follow a low-carb plan, remember that certain dietary fats are associated with reduction of disease. Foods high in unsaturated fats that are free of trans-fatty acids such as olive oil, fish, flaxseeds, and nuts are preferred to fats from animal origins.

Even promoters of the Atkins diet now say people on their plan should limit the amount of red meat and saturated fat they eat. Atkins representatives are telling health professionals that only 20 percent of a dieter's calories should come from saturated fat (i.e. meat, cheese, butter). This change comes as Atkins faces competition from other popular low-carb diets that call for less saturated fat, such as the South Beach diet plan. Low-carb dieting should not be considered as a license to gorge on red meat!

Another alternative to "strict" low-carb dieting would be to give up some of the bad carbohydrate foods but not "throw out the baby with the bath water". In other words, foods high in processed sugar, snacks, and white bread would be avoided, but foods high in complex carbohydrates such as fruit, potatoes and whole grains, retained.

Is Low-Carb Really The Way To Go?

2013-03-16T09:31:00.002-07:00

Is Low-Carb Really The Way To Go?

The latest trend in the area of weight loss is low-carb diets such as the Atkins Diet. With so much conflicting information out there on nutrition and weight loss, it’s difficult for the average person to not only find out what works, but also understand how to apply it.

In order to help clear the air, I’m going to dispel some of the myths that are floating around and give you some facts backed up with real science on how the human body actually metabolizes food.

First, let’s talk about why the low-carb approach is so popular. There are a few reasons, but the most common is that people are finally realizing that the low-fat/high carb approach that has been promoted for decades now just doesn’t work! Not only is it making us fatter, it’s also responsible for dozens of diseases and illnesses.

It’s true…..most Americans eat too many carbs and are deficient in the healthy dietary fats. However, it seems that it has to be one extreme or the other with people in this country. So now many people are cutting carbs and avoiding them like the plague, which is just as bad.

But wait…..you say that it works? Maybe you or someone you know has tried the low-carb approach and noticed significant weight loss. Yes, cutting carbs will cause you to lose weight, but not much actual body fat, if any at all. So, why do most people lose weight so quickly? It’s because the human body holds 2.4g of water for every 1 gram of carbohydrate consumed. Cut the carbs and all you do is hold less water! This artificial weight loss is the main reason so many people are going low-carb.

So, not only does following a low-carb diet cause you to lose water, it also depletes muscle glycogen which leaves you feeling sluggish when trying to be active or workout. Remember, carbs are stored as glycogen in the muscles and glycogen is what’s used to fuel your muscles.

Another problem with severely limiting carbs is that the brain uses carbs for energy and without enough carbs, you won’t be 100% mentally. While I agree that people are different and that some people do better on lower amounts of carbs, most people will feel like crap after a week or two with no or low carbs.

But all the fitness and nutrition ‘gurus’ say that carbs are stored as fat, right? WRONG! Any excess energy (food or beverage) can be stored as fat – it doesn’t matter if it’s french fries or salad! Extra is extra is extra!
To my knowledge, there has not been but one study that actually measured body fat of individuals following a low-carb both before and after to see exactly how much body fat was lost. Plus, this study was funded by a grant from Dr. Atkins!

Also, there is quite a bit more research that shows that carbs are not only ok to eat, but that they also contain vital nutrients that can’t be found in other foods.

A recent study done by French and Canadian researchers found that consuming carbohydrates in small amounts did NOT inhibit fat burning and only approximately 4% of it was stored as fat. This was in individuals who were not exercising.

They also assessed the effect of carbohydrates in individuals who performed light to moderate intensity exercise and found that the small carbohydrate meal resulted in no fat being stored and did NOT inhibit fat burning. Plus, even the large carbohydrate meal had NO effect on fat burning and all of it went directly to the muscles to replenish glycogen and repair tissue.

Just imagine what happens when you do a hard workout!

So what does this mean in plain English? Basically, carbs are fine in small to moderate amounts (even if you don’t exercise) and on days you do exercise, the carbs are going to be stored in the muscles and not as fat.
So to all those people out there who think that eating carbs will result in them being stored as fat and it ‘shutting off; the fat burning, I’ve got good news for you…..

You can finally have that big bowl of spaghetti and meatballs you’ve been craving!

So how can you apply this to your eating and fitness program? Here are a couple of things to keep in mind:

1. You need carbs – just the right amount and the right type

So what are the right types? Focus on eating carbs that are high in fiber such as vegetables, beans, fruits, and whole grains.

2. Vary the amount of carbs you have based on how active you are

For example – on days you don’t exercise, eat less carbs and maybe vary the types.

3. The one time you can go carb crazy is right after you exercise

For example – if you want to cheat and have ice cream the best time would be right after a hard workout.

Focus on eating balanced – carbs, proteins and fats; and again, adjust the amount of each based on how active you are and plan to be.

I also recommend you do so research yourself and learn as much as you can about human metabolism and sound nutrition.

The Neuro-Science Of Losing The Weight You Hate

2013-03-16T09:12:00.002-07:00

The Neuro-Science Of Losing The Weight You Hate

Are you one of the 90 million Americans who are currently on a diet? Do you lose weight only to gain every ounce of it back? Well you’re not alone.

The national center for health statistics suggests that over 64 % of Americans are overweight and that figure is growing every year. There are currently over 300 books on dieting and over 16,000 variations of diets from which to choose. People spend over $40 billion a year on every magic potion or pill that they think will help them lose the weight they hate. Unfortunately, 95% gain back all the weight only to once again look for the next hot new diet. John Assaraf, one of the world’s leading optimum performance experts, suggests we look at the cause of this epidemic instead of relying on diets and temporary weight loss tricks.

“People don’t understand how their brain functions and therefore gain all the weight they lose 99% of the time,” said John Assaraf. “To diet using will power and exercise is absolutely the worst way to take off the weight you hate, if you want to keep it off for good."

Will power is a very short-term solution for weight loss since it is controlled by the conscious mind. The latest scientific research shows that the non-conscious, conditioned side of your personality controls five sixths of your behavior and therefore your long-term results.
This means that 83% of the time you are acting automatically at a non conscious level and explains why you regain all your weight back. For permanent weight loss, you must re- train the 5/6th your brain if you really want to keep it off.

AMYGDALA

A recent discovery has to do with your amygdala. This part of your brain doesn’t like change and will release neuro-transmitters anytime you try to change something in your life like your weight. It picks up any deviation from your normal weight and basically causes you to revert back to your old patterns of thoughts and behaviors. It works exactly like the thermostat in your home that automatically picks up any change in room temperature and then automatically corrects it. This explains why people on diets often go on eating binges even while they are on their diet.

Through the years we become conditioned to a certain internal “weight set point” Once this is done we don’t have to think about the day-to-day food intake and activities we need to do to maintain our internal image. This is exactly how we form our habits. Once any habit is ingrained in our brain we function automatically without thought to maintain that internal image. If you don’t like your current weight, you must break your old patterns and old conditioning at the non-conscious level or face the pain of the yoyo syndrome. Your internal mental system operates exactly like the mechanism that keeps airplanes, missiles or boats on course once they have set their coordinates into the system.

The outer body is only an expression of the internal image. If you want to see permanent changes on the outside, you must re-train the mental image on the inside first. The most recent research suggests that it takes about 30 days of everyday mental training to “re-train” the brain if you want long lasting and permanent weight loss. By doing a few simple visualization exercises seeing yourself at your perfect weight, you start to recondition your internal image and you begin to erase the old image.

The more you do this the faster you’ll see results. The good news is that you can’t get a brain hernia if you overdo it.

POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS

Another simple technique you can use is a written positive affirmation. For example, declare: I now weigh xxxx. My body fat is xxxxx. I feel and look great I am at my ideal and perfect weight now
If you repeat reading this and really seeing it on the screen of your mind for at least 30 days, you’ll have a far superior chance of keeping to your ideal weight. You can also cut out photos of the body type you like and paste your picture to it and review it as frequently as possible.

The reason for using present tense affirmations is simple. The non-conscious side of your brain does not know the difference between an actual event and a lie or an imagined one and, it also does not understand the future. Once it is conditioned through repetition and real life or imagined experiences, it will immediately make the outside match up with the internal image.

Perfect Lawns, is it worth it?

2013-03-16T08:54:00.001-07:00

Perfect Lawns, is it worth it?

Have you ever been driving down the road with the windows open going past a golf course or a field and then you get a strange smell? A chemical type of odor? Or go walking in the country and notice a large area, usually a field, all brown with dead grass. And next to it, alive green grasses and shrubs? Chances are you smell a herbicide being used or you are seeing what it can do to vegetation.

Then you start to wonder. Are those chemicals getting into the water table? Is wildlife eating the “treated” vegetation and insects tainted with the chemicals? Or maybe we are taking in the toxins and not even realizing it. It could possibly be in the foods we eat, the air we are breathing everyday or the water that we are drinking.
DDT is a colorless contact insecticide that is very toxic. It became banned in the early 1970’s. Gaylord Nelson, a great environmentalist while in office in the state of Wisconsin diliengtly worked to get DDT banned in Wisconsin.

DDT even though restricted is still used in Mexico to control malaria. The National Institute of Public Health of Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico concluded from a study that the use of DDT has been linked to breast cancer in Mexico. In another study done by the University of Michigan, it was found that chemical factory workers that made DDT also had a high risk of pancreatic cancer from the overexposure of DDT. Unfortunately, DDT is still being manufactured and used in tropical areas for malaria control.

Below are some of the herbicides used today. This is not a complete listing of all of the herbicides on the market. The short term and long term side effects is based that the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) goes over a certain marker for parts per billion (ppb) in the water. For example Simazine is 4 ppb or 4 parts per billion in drinking water.

Simazine:
Common Trade names: Herbazine, Herbex, Surflan
General Uses: Corn Crops, Christmas Trees
Amount Used Annually: 4.8 billion pounds estimated in 1985
Short Term health Effects: weight loss, changes in blood
Long Term Health Effects: tremors, damage to testes, kidneys, liver, thyroid, cancer
Ground Water Implications: It may leach to ground water. It can last from a few months to years.
(EPA Consumer Fact Sheet)

Picloram:
Common Trade names: Agent White, Tordon
General Uses: Control annual weeds
Amount Used Annually: 300,000 pounds estimated in 1982
Short Term health Effects: weight loss, damage to the nervous system
Long Term Health Effects: liver damage
Ground Water Implications: It may leach to ground water. It can last from a few months to years
(EPA Consumer Fact Sheet)

Glyphosate:
Common Trade names: Roundup, Sonic, Rodeo, Tumbleweed,
General Uses: Used on many food crops and roadsides
Amount Used Annually: 18.7 million pounds recently
Short Term health Effects: congestion of the lungs, increases breathing rate
Long Term Health Effects: kidney damage, reproductive effects
Ground Water Implications: It strongly adheres to the soil with little potential for leaching to ground water.
(EPA Consumer Fact Sheet)

Endothall:
Common Trade names:Accelerate, Endothall Turf Herbicide, Herbicide 273,
General Uses: Used on many food crops and control aquatic weeds
Amount Used Annually: 1.5 million pounds in 1982
Short Term health Effects: depressed breathing and increase heart rate
Long Term Health Effects: increase size of some organs.
Ground Water Implications: It can leach through the soil into the ground water.
(EPA Consumer Fact Sheet)

Dinoseb:
Common Trade names:Dow Selective Weed Killer, Hel-fire, Caldon, Knox-weed, Premerge,
General Uses: used for cereal crops
Amount Used Annually: 6.2 million pounds in 1982
Short Term health Effects: sweating, mood swings, headache
Long Term Health Effects: decreased body and thyroid weight, degeneration of testes,.
Ground Water Implications: It can leach through the soil into the ground water. Degrades very slowly.
(EPA Consumer Fact Sheet)

Atrazine:
Common Trade names:Aatex, Candex, Atred, Cyazin, Griffex Primatol,
General Uses: used for corn and soybean crops
Amount Used Annually: No figures are known, 2nd highest herbicide used
Short Term health Effects: congestion of the heart, lungs, and kidneys, low blood pressure, muscle spasms, weight loss, damage to adrenal glands
Long Term Health Effects: weight loss, cardiovascular damage, retinal and muscle degeneration, and cancer
Ground Water Implications: It can leach through the soil into the ground water. Degrades very slowly. Very powerful herbicide.
(EPA Consumer Fact Sheet)

Taking in consideration that municipalities have their water tested on a regular basis, this does not take into account the urban and rural areas with its own private wells. Generally that is where a lot of herbicide is used for crops. Also in the city locations one has to take in account the air you breathe.

Wonder Food For Women!

2013-03-16T08:40:00.001-07:00

Wonder Food For Women!

The humble soybean boasts some extraordinary benefits. This nutritional powerhouse has stayed under wraps for too long. Apart from being the only vegetable protein with all 20 amino acids essential for our health and well being, the humble soybean has many other virtues...including an excellent foundation for fast, safe weight loss program.

According to Dr David Heber in "The LA Shape Diet" women who are on a weight loss program, need about 100 grams of protein per day to fight against hunger and to build their best personal lean muscle shape whilst still losing weight. Without the appropriate level of proteins in a low calorie diet, people and women in particular, risk losing 1 pound of muscle for every 4 pounds of weight lost!

Dr Heber recommends soy-protein shakes or soy-protein fruit smoothies as a safe and healthy way to achieve fast and permanent weight loss. Apart from the wonderful health advantages of soy, this a safe protein source without the unwanted cholesterol and saturated fats that accompany animal protein sources and sabotage low calorie weight loss programs.

Read on to discover some other wonderful benefits of this incredible this food source.

1. Soy contains health enhancing isoflavones. Isoflavones are compounds found only in plants which have strong antioxidant properties. These compounds repair, and help prevent damage to cells caused by pollution, sunlight, and normal body processes. Free radicals can easily cause harm to the immune system, whose cells divide often. They may also be responsible for some of the changes of aging.

2. Reduce risk of heart disease. Soy's protein and isoflavones lower LDL cholesterol and decrease blood clotting, which reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke. In one study, people who drank a "milk shake" containing 25g of soy protein for nine weeks experienced, on average, a 5% reduction in LDL cholesterol. And people with the highest LDL levels experienced a 11% drop. (For each 10% to 15% drop in the LDL level, the risk of a heart attack decreases 20% to 25%).

3. Protection against cancer. Soy's soluble fiber protects the body from many digestive related cancers, such as colon and rectal cancer. While its isoflavones may protect the body from many hormone related cancers, like breast, endometrial (uterine) and prostate cancer. Isoflavones act against cancer cells in a way similar to many common cancer-treating drugs.

4. Counter the effects of endometriosis. The isoflavones in soy products may help to offset the action of the body's natural estrogen, which is often responsible for instigating the monthly pain, heavy bleeding and other symptoms of endometriosis.

5. Protect against prostate problems. Eating soy products may protect against enlargement of the male prostate gland. The size of the prostate gland tends to increase with age, causing various types of urinary difficulties, including frequent nighttime awakenings.

6. Guard against osteoporosis. Soy's protein enhances the body's ability to retain and better absorb calcium in the bones, while its isoflavones slow bone loss and inhibit bone breakdown, which helps prevent osteoporosis. There is evidence to suggest that isoflavones may also assist in creating new bone.

7. Control symptoms of menopause and perimenopause. Soy's isoflavones help the body regulate estrogen when this hormone is declining or fluctuating, which helps alleviate many menopausal and PMS symptoms. Research has shown that soy isoflavones can reduce menopausal hot flushes in women.
8. Help control diabetic conditions and kidney disease. Soy's protein and soluble fiber help regulate glucose levels and kidney filtration, which helps control diabetic conditions and kidney disease.

What an incredible little bean! With such profound health benefits how can you overlook this wonderful food source? If you haven't yet noticed, gone are the days when the only way soy products came were in strange tasting meat substitutes. You can now access a wide range of soy products and use soy in a variety of ways to suit any taste palate.

A Mediterranean Diet - How to Lose Weight Safely

2013-03-16T08:20:00.003-07:00

A Mediterranean Diet - How to Lose Weight Safely

If you are looking for a way to lose fifteen pounds in two weeks, a high protein diet, a low carb diet, a fruit diet, a no fat diet, a blood type diet, a juice fast, a diet named after a place in Miami, a grapefruit diet, a cactus diet, a coffee and cigarette diet, a diet that includes sweets, a diet based on your body type, a diet based on an ancient religion or a diet based on your hair color, then this article is NOT for you.

Fad and crash diets, such as the ones described above are not only unhealthy but they also cause rebound weight gain. Also most diets, even though diet gurus write them, cause an initial weight loss but the ultimate result is that you gain all of the weight back the minute you go off the plan. If you don't gain it back within a couple of diets, you are likely to gain it all back plus a bit more within a year.

Crash diets dehydrate you, low calorie diets put your body into starvation mode so you plateau so you can't lose one more pound and high protein diets stress your kidneys and clog your arteries.

So how does one lose weight?
There is only one answer to this question.

You need to expend more calories than you are taking in. Restricting certain foods, eating so-called fat burning foods, or dehydrating yourself with special pills or teas does not do it. It is simple math. The only way is to eat a little less and exercise a little more. Here is the equation below:
Eating Less + Exercising More = Weight Loss.

This is not a magical formula, it is just logic. It is also not a fast way to lose weight. As I have mentioned before, this is not an article about how to lose ten pounds in three days or 30 pounds in a month. It is about safe, healthy weight loss.

In order to lose weight quickly and safely and without putting yourself at risk for such health hazards as dehydration, kidney failure, malnutrition, exhaustion, nervous dysfunction, tooth loss, dull hair, wrinkles, cellulite, sudden heart failure or stroke and lose the weight so that it stays off, you should lose no more than approximately two pounds a week!

Although that might not sound like a large amount of weight to lose it actually is! If you lose 2 pounds a week that means you can achieve a weight loss of ten pounds a month! If you only have twenty pounds to lose then your weight loss is not only quite rapid, but you have the extra guarantee that it will stay off because you have followed a sensible exercise plan that did not involve starving, exhausting or depriving yourself. If you are willing to drop your impatience and desire for immediate gratification and stick to an exercise plan and healthy eating habits, then a Mediterranean Diet is for you. Remember being slim is only good if you are able to enjoy it!

Do You Need to Lose Weight?
Fascination with Fat

If you want to lose weight, you first need to assess whether you need to actually lose weight or are simply a fashion victim. Unfortunately this society is fascinated with fat - who has it and who doesn't. As we are persuaded by so many images in the media that persuade us to believe that you can never be too thin, many of us are bad judges of our actual body weight.

If you are under the age of eighteen and reading this book, the first thing you need to do is consult with your parent about your plans to lose weight. Have her make an appointment with a physician so that he can indicate to you whether or not you are a candidate for weight loss.

If you are an adult, it is possible that you may not be overweight and are just trying to be, as Bridget Jones put it in Bridget Jones Diary "a stick insect with eyelashes." It is also very possible that you know you need to lose weight but have no idea where to start.

If you are obese and you know it, then you have to check with a physician first to see how your health is before you embark on any exercise program or plan. The same is also true if you have any kind of medical condition but especially a thyroid condition or heart condition. Some physicians may not recommend a weight loss program for those who are over 40 as due to genetics and hormonal changes some people naturally just round out or gain weight in a way that simply cannot be changed. If your doctor tells you your spreading hips are due to menopause or genetics, believe him! It is not clever to fool with Mother Nature.

They Said It on TV, So It Must Be True

2013-03-16T07:56:00.001-07:00

They Said It on TV, So It Must Be True

Lose 30 pounds in 30 days! Lose the weight without the effort! Eat anything you want, and still lose weight!

Everywhere you look – magazine covers, print ads, radio, TV infomercials, the internet – headlines like those above, promoting the latest weight loss sensation, abound. They are impossible to avoid. Whether it is for the latest diet craze, magic pill, or infomercial gadget, we are inundated with a large daily dose of weight-loss-made-easy promises. And these ads obviously work, as the American Obesity Association estimates that American consumers spend over $30 billion per year trying to lose weight. Some estimates even put the figure higher, at over $50 billion.
Every day, in the quest to achieve the results claimed in the ads, people question which of these diets, supplements, or gadgets really work the best. It is a question that can best be answered with another question: If any of these products or diets really worked, why is it that, according to the Center for Disease Control, currently 65% of adults in this country are overweight? The truth is, while the ads work wonderfully, the products do not. Let’s face it, if any of them did what the ads claim, nobody would be fat! We would all just pop a pill, or stop eating bagels, or use Suzanne Somers’ latest gizmo for just 7 minutes a day, then run out and buy smaller clothes. Have you ever stopped to wonder why all of the “After” pictures in those ads have “Results not typical” stamped on them in really small print?

If these products do not work, why do we spend billions of dollars on them every year? There are a number of reasons, and some of the main reasons combine to create a very compelling force which drives people to make emotional spending decisions, when logic would dictate that they should know better.

* Overweight people have often tried dozens of different weight loss programs and some become desperate for a solution.
* People want to hear that there is hope.
* Very clever marketing, often disguised as science, reaches these people with the offer of that hope.
* Given that most people do not understand the science behind how the body works, they are willing to believe that this deceptive marketing actually is based in science, and the hope they desire can be theirs for just 3 easy payments of $39.95.

We are a society that wants instant gratification, and with a simple phone call and our credit card number, that weight loss is just a new, exciting miracle pill or best-selling diet book away.

Sadly, the only thing consumers are losing is money. Let’s focus on the myriad of fad diets out there. Many of you will think I am crazy for saying this, but for the vast majority of people looking for long term fat loss, health, and fitness, diets simply do not work. Regardless of which book you run out and buy, in most cases calorie restricted diets, while showing short term weight loss on the bathroom scale, in the long term will lead to a slower metabolism and greater body fat than the dieter started with.

Think about it. We all know someone on a diet. How many of those people are dieting for the first time? Probably very few. Who doesn’t know a dieter who can list all of the ‘great’ diets he has been on?
“Oh, in ’89 I lost 23 pounds on the Cambridge Diet, then in ’92 I lost 27 pounds on the Scarsdale Diet, in ’95 I lost 30 pounds on that grapefruit diet, I did The Zone in 2000 and lost 16 pounds, then in ’02 I did great and lost 24 pounds on Atkins, but now I think I’m going to do the South Beach Diet because I need to lose some weight.”

One more diet and this person should weigh about 34 pounds. The unfortunate truth is that just about every time someone attempts weight loss with a diet based on calorie deprivation, they will end up gaining back the weight they lost, and then some.

Low carb, low fat, nothing but grapefruit…. It does not matter what kind of diet you choose, because behind the marketing hype, they generally all have one thing in common: The dieter is restricting calorie intake. A quick science lesson is needed to understand how our bodies react to a calorie restricted diet. First, when a dieter severely cuts back on their caloric intake, especially by cutting out carbs, they will quickly deplete their glycogen stores. What is glycogen? Well, when carbohydrates are ingested, they break down into sugars that are transported by the bloodstream and stored in the muscles and liver as glycogen. Glycogen is one of the main energy sources used by our bodies. An important fact to know is that every gram of glycogen stored in our muscles stores approximately 2.4 grams of water with it. So, by restricting carbs and depleting muscle glycogen, the dieter also releases a lot of water. This is one of the main reasons the scale will show a large loss of weight when one initially goes on a diet. Unfortunately, the goal should be to lose fat, not water which the body needs.

Next, the body does not know why it is suddenly getting less food, so a million years or so of evolution kick in and direct it to go into famine survival mode. Fat is the body's long term survival energy source, so it decides that it must conserve fat to survive. That is probably not what you were hoping to hear, but unfortunately that is the way it works. In order to make up the deficit in available energy sources brought on by the diet, the body begins to break down muscle to use as an energy source. Another important science nugget to know is that muscle is metabolically active tissue and fat is not. In other words, muscle burns calories throughout the day, while fat just sits there. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, even if you are just sitting on the couch. Of course, as we just discovered, the dieter is losing muscle due to the calorie restricted diet, so he is now actually burning fewer calories throughout the day. Again, looking to survive the perceived famine, the body becomes more efficient at storing fat and slowing down its metabolism to adjust to the lack of food coming in. Haven’t we all heard someone complain that no matter how much they diet, they cannot lose weight because they are the victim of a slow metabolism? The reality is that, for the vast majority of people, we are the CREATORS of our metabolism, NOT the victims of it.

Now the body has slowed down it's metabolism to the point where the dieter stops losing weight. The usual reaction is to cut calories back even further. Of course, as we now understand, this only compounds the problem as more muscle will be broken down, further hindering the body's ability to burn calories throughout the day. Diets based on calorie deprivation usually are not sustainable for the long term, and eventually the dieter becomes discouraged and returns to their pre-diet eating routine. Unfortunately, this person has slowed down their metabolism significantly and is burning fewer calories than they were pre-diet. So, when they go back to their old eating habits, the weight comes right back on and it comes back as fat, not as the muscle that they lost. If they started out at 200 lbs with 25% body fat and lost 15 lbs during the diet, when they gain the weight back and hit 200 lbs again, their body fat percentage will now probably be closer to 30%! This is an illustration of a term most people are familiar with, yo-yo dieting, and it is why surveys show that over 80% of people who lose weight by dieting alone say that they gained back all of the weight they lost, if not more, within a year.

Does this mean that people should just give up trying to lose weight? Not at all. It just means people need to stop looking for the next quick fix diet that comes down the road. Nobody wants to hear that it takes actual effort to lose weight, but I am sorry to say that it does. It should say something that the obesity rate in this country continues to climb while all of the diet gurus out there rake in millions from innocent people looking for a solution. Obviously, reasons for being overweight vary, and every individual responds in a unique way to a weight loss program. But, for true long term fat loss and improved overall health and fitness, there are some common sense truths:

* A need to eat a balanced diet containing complex carbohydrates, lean proteins, and essential fats. Avoid highly processed carbohydrates, excess sugars, and excess saturated fats.
* Eating smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day is better than eating 2 or 3 larger meals. You will have more energy throughout the day, and your body will burn calories more efficiently.
* Performing moderate aerobic activity provides many benefits including improved cardiorespiratory function, improved endurance, lower blood pressure, and improved cholesterol to name a few.
* In addition to aerobic activity, people should perform resistance training to maintain or increase lean muscle mass. As we have learned, maintaining our muscles mass is critical in driving our metabolism and the key to losing not just body weight, but body fat.

Keep these points in mind the next time you hear about the latest ‘miracle’ or ‘breakthrough’ diet and you will be on your way to losing pounds, and not just your money.