Archive for December, 2009
A Synergistic Approach for Natural Weight Loss Success
While it is tempting to believe that a magic pill or potion is all that you need to achieve natural weight loss, the hard truth is that losing weight is just not that simple in most cases. For the vast majority of people, a combination of exercise, changes in eating habits, and perhaps the use of appropriate natural weight loss aids will be needed in order to lose weight long-term.
There are many natural weight loss products available and additional ones come out all the time. Each promises to be nearly miraculous in it’s effects and people buy the latest and greatest weight loss aid with eager anticipation, hoping that it will finally be the answer to their weight problems. They want to believe that a pill, or a patch, or a tea, etc.. will be all they need to lose weight and that diet and exercise won’t be necessary (because dieting and exercising are difficult). Even though deep down they probably know that the latest weight loss miracle being hyped is no better than all the things they’ve tried before, they want to believe it will work, and so they buy it, only to be disappointed again.
Now this is not to say that natural weight loss aids are all completely worthless. The truth is, a lot of weight loss aids actually have the effects that their prooters claim. For example, hoodia gordonii (at least the real stuff) does seem to be a very effective appetite suppressant. So, if the main reason that you have trouble losing weight is because you have out of control hunger that makes you eat excssively, hoodia may be a big help. The problem is that most people are not overeating out of actual hunger. They may eat out of boredom, out of habit, out of a need to satisfy a craving, or out of a need to soothe some emotional issue they are dealing with, but they don’t eat out of hunger. Hoodia is not going to help you if you aren’t eating out of hunger.
Other natural weight loss aids may work by increasing the metabolic effects of diet and exercise. It kind of stands to reason that if you fail to incorporate diet and exercise the effects of these products will be pretty minor.
Some natural weight loss aids block the absorption of fat by the digestive tract and thereby lower the calories you absorb from each meal. While this does tend to help with weight loss, unless you stop eating everything except fat (which is not a good idea), you still are taking in other calories that, in excess, will be converted to fat AFTER they are absorbed from the digestive tract. For optimum results, again we see that a good eating plan and exercise are necessary.
At this point, you may have guessed that one of the primary points I am trying to make is that lsting natural weight loss, absolutely requires a healthy eating plan and regular exercise. No weight loss aid, natural or otherwise will by itself make you lose weight and keep it off. In fact, the ads for weight loss aids will usually state this very thing, even though it is in microscopic print at the bottom of the ad.
What it comes down to is that natural weight loss is built on a foundation of sensible diet and exercise. With a good diet and exercise program in place, you may get additional benefits from using one or more of the natural weight loss products on the market. But do your research to find a product that serves your particular needs. In other words, if you’re not overeating out of hunger, don’t buy an appetite suppressant. If you’re already minimizing your fat intake, don’t waste your money on a fat blocker.
Now, once you have your weight loss plan in place with your diet, exercise program, and whatever natural weight loss aids you choose to use, there’s one little thing that needs to happen for you to successfully lose weight. You have to stick to the program! If there’s one thing that renders the vast majority of natural weight loss efforts ineffective, it’s a lack of follow-through.
It has been my experience that very few people stick to a natural weight loss program consistently for more than two weeks at a time. Of course, some people may intermittently follow a weight loss program for months or years, but they get sidetracked over and over again and really are not consistent for more than one or two weeks in a row, so they never get any momentum and achieve their goals.
A new study that tested the relative effectiveness of several popular diet plans revealed a fascinating finding. The overall success rates of most of the currently popular diet programs were about the same. The success or failure of any given diet had little to do with what the approach was. In other words, low carb, low fat, calorie restriction, eating for blood type, etc., really didn’t matter. The thing that actually mattered was if the person consistently followed the program! To sum it up, it doesn’t matter so much what you do to lose weight (within reason), as much as it matters that you do it consistenty long-term!
To be able to stick to your natural weight loss program, it is critical that you take charge of your thoughts and emotions. A lot of different ways exist to get control over your own mind, and different ways have varying degrees of effectiveness from one person to the next. You can get a lot of help in this area with products from Anthony Robbins, Dr. Phil, and others, as well as through technologies like hypnosis, the Sedona Method and Emotional Freedom Technique. You may need to try several methods to find what works well for you.
Regardless of the approach you use, the true key to effective natural weight loss really has very little relationship to the hottest weight loss aid on the market, or the most recent diet book being promoted. The real secret is to choose a reasonable approach that includes diet, exercise (choose an exercise you are physically capable of doing – starting with advanced kickboxing if you’ve been a couch potato your whole life is not going to work!), and possibly one or more weight loss aids and then make that program a part of your daily life forever. And the way to make that happen is to take control of your mind and get your brain working with you rather than against you. Good luck!
Dr. Best provides free diet, exercise, and supplement information on his website covering natural weight loss. He can be reached via email at DrBest@TrainYourBrain4WeightLoss.com.
Proven Herbal Weight Loss Methods
Today, the market is flushed with a lot of weight loss options. Among them, Herbal weight loss programs can be considered as the best. This is due to the increase in the awareness among people in terms of benefits without any side effects. Herbal weight loss programs and herbal weight loss supplements are said to be a safe option to reduce weight. The process of losing weight by attempting at naturally occurring herbal products is called Herbal weight loss. Herbal weight loss supplements work well in shedding your extra kilos by combining a smart and healthy lifestyle and thus maintaining the weight lost in your body in the long-term.
There is no guarantee however that these herbal products can be effective in long-term weight loss. It is also important to note that a lot of varieties of herbal products are available and you need to choose the right product you require. It is also important to note that most herbal products or remedies for fast weight loss available today in the market are being sold by individuals with very limited or absolutely no knowledge often about the products they sell. You need to be aware of the side effects of the herbal weight loss medicines you take. You should know that most herbal weight loss supplements work by:
Stimulation of the central nervous system for bringing about a sense of fullness.
Increase in the discharge of stool and urine.
In the level of serotonin in the body bringing about a sense of fullness.
The most commonly used herbs in weight loss programs are:
Ma-huang: Known as ‘ephedra’, this is one of the common ingredients used in a variety of weight loss supplements. However Medical practitioners and the health research units highly discourage its prolonged usage by stating its harmful side effects.
Cascara: This is a significant herb used in most of the herbal weight loss programs and used generally as an internal cleanser. The side effect of this herb is that it may create electrolytic balance disturbances.
Aloe Vera: This is well known herb among the people for its versatile qualities. It is another important ingredient of weight loss supplement. It helps in cleansing the body. There is however no clinical evidence proven yet to ascertain the long-term benefits of weight loss from this herb.
Glocomannan: Glocomannan herb helps in absorbing glucose from the intestine thus creating a feeling of fullness in a person. This results in less intake of food obviously. Side effects like gastrointestinal complications may be created in the long run.
Dandelion: Dandelion herb acts as an effective natural diuretic since it helps to release water from your body. But you need to be very careful about drinking lot of water while taking this herb. High risks of allergic reactions and dehydration may occur if the amount of water intake is insufficient.
Weight loss patches typically use a variety of natural herbal ingredients that help the body to lose weight naturally. Hoodia in its natural state might work actually as a decent appetite suppressant.
Always consult your doctor before taking up any herbal weight loss supplements. Remember that herbal preparations will not provide permanent weight loss as there are many ingredients in herbal weight loss preparations and some of them may possess serious side effects that can lead to fatal toxicities. Due to lack of clinical effectiveness and high risk of toxicities, the medical community discourages the use of herbal remedies to lose weight.
Lesley Lyon regularly contributes informative articles on topics such as health, beauty and cosmetics to web guides http://www.healthopts.com and http://www.saunashome.info
A Guide for Finding the Right Weight Loss Program
Basically you should understand that weight of your body is influenced by what you eat and how much you eat. You can opt for weight loss programs, which have more physical activities or go for a diet plan program. Instead of trying out on your own tips for weight loss you can go for successful weight loss programs. The program that you follow should bring desired changes in your food habits and physical activity on a long-term basis.
The most common weight loss programs which bring successful results are self programs, clinical programs and non-clinical programs
Try to get the maximum information about these programs and select the best that will suit you.
Do-it-yourself programs give you the advantage of self-judgment, support of your group and different products for trial and expert advice like diet books. But you should remember that all the weight loss informations provided through these sources are not reliable.
Weight loss programs that are non-clinical are mostly not commercially operated like weight-loss chain. They use books prescribed by specialists in health care field. These weight loss programs will have trained counselors to provide you service. Some non-clinical weight loss programs even use program food to the participants.
Clinical programs are provided by hospitals and health care professionals like dieticians, physicians and psychologists. The added advantage of this program is the services that you get like medical care, therapy in behavior change, more physical activity and nutrition education.
The clinical programs adopt various methods for weight loss like low-calorie diets, weight-loss drugs and surgery. The clinical weight loss programs available are:
Diets with very low calorie are prepared with the formula of 800 calories on a day and should be a replacement for your usual food. This helps you in quick weight loss but it has its own side effects. Hence, experts mainly recommend this for obese persons and with medical assistance.
Weight loss drugs are generally recommended for persons with health problems due to overweight. A drug for improving appearance is not advisable. Before any medication it’s necessary to know its effectiveness and long-term safety.
Gastric surgery also known as Bariatric surgery is generally recommended for people weighing above 80 pounds. This can be done in two ways. First type is limiting the quantity of food that could be held by your stomach and second type is slowing down the digestion process. Quick weight loss is possible and many people are successful in retaining it for lifetime. The surgery has post surgery problems like follow up operations and it also reduces vitamins and minerals contents from your body.
All weight loss programs will show you desired results if combined along with healthy diet and physical activity. Diet types to be followed during weight loss program are:
Fixed-menu diet which doesn’t give you a food option to choose
Exchange type diet has flexibility in number of servings but not with quantity
Formula diet gives you options to choose from the diet food
Questionable diet to be consumed only after knowing the nutrient value
Flexible diet gives you freedom to reduce intake of choice like fat, sugar etc.
If you are serious in weight loss and also have medical troubles, then get assistance from health professionals who are trained as they will monitor you and advise you regarding side effects.
Lesley Lyon regularly contributes informative articles on topics such as health, beauty and cosmetics to web guides http://www.healthopts.com and http://www.saunashome.info
Mind Over Matter: How Your Attitude May Affect Your Weight Loss
Though diet and exercise are certainly important factors in any weight loss plan, a positive attitude is what makes such lifestyle changes possible. As evidence that one’s mental state is just as important as physical activity when trying to lose weight, many people have already found that it is much harder to make the lifestyle changes required for weight loss if you don’t believe those changes can happen. To help you mentally prepare for a long term weight loss plan, here are a number of tips to get you thinking about how a positive attitude can help you reach your weight loss goals.
1. Set realistic goals for yourself
When you start trying to lose weight, try to remember that you are making a lifelong change. Weight loss results may not come as quickly as you hope sometimes, but try not to overdo it or become discouraged. Rather, focus on short-term goals that you can control – like your daily exercise – and establish more long-term goals for weight loss.
2. Envision your future self
One way to help you focus on your weight loss goals is to think about how you will look and feel when you meet your weight loss target. However, this mental exercise should not make you feel discouraged or unhealthy about your current self. You should simply try to think about the opportunities that a healthy lifestyle will provide you in the long-term.
3. When it comes to exercise, do what you enjoy
As you try to lose weight, you should focus on activities that you enjoy doing, rather than forcing yourself to complete unwanted tasks. If you love the outdoors, consider taking short walks a few times each week, even if it is just to the end of your block and back. If you simply enjoy watching TV or movies, you can view your programs while doing chair exercises or simple bicep curls with light weights. By devoting your energy to activities that you get pleasure from, you will be more likely to remain positive and committed for the long term.
4. Feel confident
Being able to maintain self-confidence is often one of the most important factors affecting the success of weight loss. Hence, you should do your best to think of yourself as a healthy and active person. Remind yourself that each day you remain serious about losing weight will make you look and feel better.
5. Find a friend
Many people considering new weight loss plans don’t take action because they simply don’t know how or where to begin. To help overcome that road block, consider asking a friend or family member to join you in the journey. By sharing your weight loss goals with another, you will both gain valuable support and motivation.
6. Look for different ways to measure your success
When it comes to losing weight, everyone has different goals and visions of success. Yet, one of the best tips for everyone to follow when trying to measure weight loss success is the most simple: avoid the scale. While you will certainly want to measure your actual weight loss, weighing yourself every day can provide deceptive results and put a damper on your positive attitude. Instead, try to focus on how you feel as you begin losing weight. After a few months following a weight loss plan, you might find yourself able to participate in a certain activity that you never thought you could complete or notice your clothing fitting loosely. Use these simple triumphs as markers of success and think about new goals as you go forward.
7. Reward Yourself
When you meet your long term weight loss goals, try to reward yourself in a healthy way. If you are able to keep a potential reward in mind when thinking about weight loss, you might gain enough motivation to work through even the toughest days. On the other hand, if you aren’t meeting your goals as quickly as you hoped, it is important not to beat yourself up. Rather than getting discouraged, simply continue with your weight loss plan and know that your diligence will eventually pay off.
In short, when trying to lose weight, you should devote as much energy to creating a positive attitude as you do to your diet and exercise. When you begin your weight loss program, don’t be discouraged about having to start your physical activity program slowly. Instead, realize that your stamina and health will improve little by little each day as a result of your commitment. Most importantly, in the early stages of your weight loss, try to cultivate a mental attitude that will help you reach your weight loss goals. Over time, if you utilize some of the tips outlined here, all of your hard work will add up to significant weight loss.
6 Factors That Can Hinder your Weight Loss Success
There is a lot of bad information in the weight loss industry. New weight loss diets and pills reach the market regularly, with each new entrant claiming it is the key that will finally unlock your potential to lose weight. Many of these new products are accompanied by celebrity endorsements or scientific research. Understandably, this situation makes losing weight a very difficult and confusing task. In this article I try to uncover some of this bad information by outlining six things that you need to avoid if you are trying to lose weight.
1) FAD DIETS:- Fad diets are a perfect example of what I discussed above. You will regularly see celebrities promoting a fad diet with claims such as “I lost 14lb in 1 week whilst on this diet”. What’s more is that these claims are often true. Yes, fad diets can lead to significant weight loss in small periods of time. So what’s the catch and why should they be avoided?
Well whilst fad diets work in the short term they often pose significant risks to your health in the long term because they require you to stick to certain foods and therefore make you miss out on the full nutritional benefits of a balanced diet. Plus, the weight lost on a fad diet often goes straight back on as soon as you come off the diet.
2) UNHEALTHY FOODS:- I know this is a very broad term but you need to avoid unhealthy foods and eat more healthy foods if you want to lose weight in the long term. Unhealthy foods include; highly processed foods, foods that are high in fat, foods that are high in sugar, foods that are high in calories and foods that contain little or no nutritional value. Just because a food product claims to be low in fat or low in sugar does not necessarily mean that it is low in calories or even a healthy option. If you look at all the nutritional information on the food’s packaging you can usually tell whether the food is healthy or not.
3) WEIGHT LOSS PILLS AND PATCHES:- Weight loss pills and patches are another example of products that are often heavily endorsed or backed by research. However, the truth is that the majority of these products have a very moderate effect on your weight loss and without a proper diet and exercise plan you will barely notice the impact of weight loss pills or patches. In my opinion a gym membership or some healthy food is a much wiser investment than weight loss pills or patches.
4) ARTIFICIAL PRESERVATIVES AND SWEETENERS:- These can include; aspartame, saccharin and stevia. Although they help make foods last for longer and often improve their flavour, they can also be toxic and hinder your weight loss efforts.
5) SODIUM RICH FOODS:- It is quite well publicised that sodium (salt) is bad for your health. Sodium also makes you hold additional water so you start to carry excess water weight. By restricting your sodium intake you can lose weight and improve your overall health.
6) NEGATIVE THINKING:- Negative thinking has the potential to completely destroy your weight loss plans. If you start thinking about your weight loss plan in a negative way you are making yourself fail before you have even begun. Try to look at all the weight loss dilemmas you encounter in a positive light. For example, don’t think “WHY can’t I drop that extra 10lb?” By thinking in this way you are admitting failure. Instead, think “HOW can I drop that extra 10lb?” By thinking in this way you are looking for solutions to your weight loss dilemma.
Losing weight can be a struggle and the increasing amount of bad information in the industry does not help matters. However, with the right tools weight loss is possible. I hope this article keeps you focussed on your weight loss goals by identifying some of the obstacles that you need to avoid.
The Free Fitness Tips Blog provides you with fantastic, free advice on all aspects of fitness. For more detailed information on weight loss please visit the Free Fitness Tips blog
Weight Loss Camps Help Kids Lose Weight, Gain Skills
Weight loss camps help kids lose weight, gain skills
A weight loss camp is a type of program where overweight and obese children and teenagers are sent during the summer to lose weight. They are more gently referred to as a fitness camp.
These camps provide weight loss results of two to six pounds per week on average. The effectiveness of these camps varies widely and usually depends on the quality of the individual program and biochemistry of the attending campers.
This is a article from PolkOnline.com about Weight loss camps
When Tony Sparber started running weight loss camps 30 years ago, the campers were mostly teenage girls, 100 pounds plus overweight. The menu consisted of food like liver, fish and alfalfa sprouts and the exercise was running and sit-ups.
Weight loss camp for kids
A weight loss camp for kids.
The goal was to lose as much weight in as short amount of time as possible.
Now, things are a little less extreme: About 40 percent of the campers are boys. Most kids need to lose between 20 and 40 pounds. Menus offer a broader range of food, and exercise is downright fun, with activities such as tennis and kayaking. The camps emphasize healthy lifestyles and skills the kids can take home with them.
In short, so-called “fat camps” are more likely to resemble regular camps that just happen to specialize in teaching good decision-making techniques.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 16 percent of children ages 6-19 are overweight or obese – a number that has tripled since 1980.
The number of weight loss camps has remained relatively the same, says Jeff Solomon, executive director of the National Camp Association. There are about 15 to 20 out of a total of 10,000 camps in the organization. (Some camps have multiple locations.)
Sparber, who used to run Weight Watchers camps, says campers tend to be younger than they used to be. A large number of the 1,500 kids he expects will sign up for his three summer camps over the next few weeks will be between the ages of 7 and 12.
That age group tends to be more successful because parents have more input on the child’s eating and exercise habits, he says. Bad eating habits are also less ingrained in younger children.
And camps are all about building habits, not just handing out quick fixes. They offer classes about nutrition, portion control, emotional eating, dealing with situations like pizza and ice cream parties.
They also teach by example. Sparber said his menus used to offer 1,200 to 1,300 calories a day. Now they are sized more realistically, at 1,800 to 2,000 calories a day, with hamburgers, pita pizzas, baked chips and low-fat baked goods.
“The biggest misconception about weight loss camp is that they don’t serve you enough food and that they overwork you,” says Daniel Kriss, 15, who was featured in the MTV documentary “Return to Fat Camp” based on New Image Camp Pocono Trails in Pennsylvania. He lost 40 pounds at the camp. “It’s the exact opposite. They feed you the right amount of food and work you out just enough.”
Weight loss camps for kids
A weight loss camp for kids
Changing behavior is key to sustaining weight loss, says Ryan Craig, president of Wellspring, which runs 11 weight loss summer programs around the world, including nine camps and two adult vacations, as well as programs at two boarding schools.
Wellspring participants learn to cook, shop, order at restaurants, and work with psychologists on stress management, frustration tolerance, and emotional eating.
“It’s not a lack of information,” says Craig, referring to the reason kids are overweight. “They know what it means to be healthy. They’re resorting to food as an unhealthy coping mechanism.”
Some campers want to be there, as opposed to years ago when their parents made them go.
Rod Rezvani, 20, who at one point weighed 440 pounds, says his father suggested attending Wellspring Camp last summer. But he says, it was “completely my decision.”
“I was happy I was finally making a change,” says Rezvani, who has lost 167 pounds and is enrolled in the Wellspring college program in Reedley, Calif.
Maya Murray, 8, of Long Island, N.Y. who was 112 pounds, attended New Image Weight Loss Camps last summer and came home 16 pounds slimmer, more confident and independent, and making healthier choices. She continued to lose weight, with her family’s support, and is now 76 pounds.
“I wanted to feel better and look better,” says Maya. “I couldn’t breathe that well. I couldn’t run fast. It was hard to be active.”
Wellspring makes sure that parents are part of the process, says Craig, offering family workshops the last two days of camp, a home-transition plan for each child and an after-care program.
Losing the weight does come at a price. New Image Weight Loss Camps cost about $1,100 a week; the camp does give out scholarships. Wellspring Camps cost about $5,950 for four weeks; but insurance covers some of that because of the therapy, says Craig.
Still, those costs may put some of these programs out of reach, especially for inner city youth, who have higher rates of obesity.
There are cheaper options, says Susan Blech, co-author of the weight loss memoir “Confessions of a Carb Queen” and the senior care coordinator at Brookdale Hospital’s childhood obesity program in Brooklyn, N.Y. She recommends parents look into schools or churches that run camps, sports activities, or a program similar to hers, which is free.
The important thing is to keep kids active in the summer, says Madelyn Fernstrom, founder and director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Weight Management Center.
Solomon also says more traditional camps are now focused on children’s fitness and health, serving healthier fare and encouraging lots of exercise.
“Any camp is great because it will force the child to have structured time in the summer,” Fernstrom says. “You want to choose a camp even if it’s a special camp like arts or science that has some activity.”
Related information:
* Special Weight loss Boot Camps: Weightloss boot camps are special programs arranged for the people who want to keep their body fit and healthy.
* Low or high intensity exercising is good for weight loss: know benefit of low and high intensity exercising, especially for weight loss.
* Walking for weight loss: post about walking and how to walk effectively to lose weight.
* www.polkonline.com: A complete reflection of the news, events, entertainments, real estate and business community of Polk County Florida including Winter Haven, Bartow, Auburndale, Lake Wales and Haines City.
Source: http://letdiet.blogspot.com
I’m Mark. Working for USA Today Magazine
Weight Loss: Herbalife Weight Loss Product: How to Weigh in With Lower Fat
Genetics does play a role in obesity, of course, but not as big a role as you do. Most health experts say that the concept of genes compelling you to be heavy is a myth.
For the vast majority of us, genes may set the lower limits of our weight, but we set the upper limits by our food choices.
Nonetheless, we all know that most of us tend to put on weight as we age. In addition, if there is one thing we cannot prevent, it is the aging process. But we can prevent eating more and exercising less as we get older. And first of all, you have to have surgeries for food control in your life, strategies that work.
One of the known strategies is to take some weight loss medications. This does not necessarily mean those that are being advertised as diet pills but also those that fall under the category of herbal medicines. One of the fast-growing herbal medicines especially formulated to help you lose weight is the so-called herbalife weight loss product.
Herbalife weight loss product is one of the major breakthroughs as far as herbal medication is concerned. Herbalife weight loss products contain the necessary herbs in order to facilitate losing weight.
Some of the well-known herbalife weight loss products are herbalife formula 1 strawberry weight control powder, herbalife diet formula 1 tropical fruit, herbalife formula 1 vanilla diet slim lose weight, etc.
One of the best things about herbalife weight loss products is that they are great tasting products, easy-to-use, and is definitely effective in losing weight. Best of all, the prices are relatively affordable when compared to other weight loss products.
To know more of the benefits that herbalife weight loss products can do for you, here is a list of the advantages.
1. One of the best things about herbalife weight loss products is that you do not only lose pounds but also inches. This means that herbalife weight loss products do not just get rid of excess fats but also tone and shape the body built, curbing the imminent re-accumulation of fats.
2. Herbalife weight loss products do not only make you lose weight but also supply you with the nutrients that are needed by the body’s cells on a daily basis.
3. Herbalife weight loss products are known to have excellent taste that is why more and more people who have tried it are satisfied with its yummy flavors.
4. Best of all, herbalife weight loss products lets you eat more of the foods you like without having to worry about accumulating more weight in the end.
5. Herbalife weight loss products are also known to help you lessen the extra calorie ingestion. Hence, losing weight will be more effective.
What’s more, herbalife weight loss products give you the pleasing feeling that curbs your hunger while you lose weight.
The bottom line is that your mission for preventing weight gain, should you decide to accept it, is to eat fewer calories when you are not involved in activities that burn up those calories. Then, try to incorporate these herbalife weight loss products in your diet.
In the end, you will achieve the ideal weight you have long wanted to obtain.
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Does Weight Loss Without Exercise Make Sense
Of all the articles and ads about weight loss and weight loss products, you will notice that many of them seem to be saying that weight loss without exercise is what they have to offer. They will tell you about some diet pill, or perhaps a diet, which is going to take the weight off without you lifting a finger…other than to unscrew the cap.
So here’s the question: Can somone really lose weight simply by adjusting their diet? So many people feel that they do not have the time to exercise, or feel they lack the energy to exercise, or just plain don’t want to. It would be great if all they had to do was take some pill or eat some specific diet and the weight would go away, right?
Now, my problem is that when I think of, or advise someone on, weight loss, I automatically throw in adjectives like “healthy” and “permanent”. I’m not really in touch with the concept of using a diet to lose a few pounds to get back into last year’s clothes or to look good at the high school reunion. I tend to think of losing weight as a step to the point where you achieve your weight loss goal and enter the realm of weight management. At this point, you are living a healthy lifestyle of combined physical activity and proper nutrition and are able to enjoy life to the max…for a good many years to come!
“Yeah, Don, that’s great, but I’m one of the first group of people you talked about. I just want to lose weight and don’t want to mess with exercise. Heck, man, I’m so overweight and pooped all the time that just thinking about exercise scares me. Just tell me what diet pill to take or diet to follow so that I can get my weight down, look good, feel good about myself, and enjoy life like you say!”
Well, there are people who want to be rich but who don’t want to “mess with” saving, or making wise purchasing decisions, or working hard, either. Whatever we really want in life usually has some sort of price tag attached, and, as the saying goes, we usually, “get what we paid for”.
To throw in another old saying, anything worth doing is worth doing well.
To get back to the weight loss without exercise issue, let’s look at a couple of facts.
1. Diets do not work as far as permanent or healthy weight loss is concerned.
2. Permanent, healthy weight loss is commonly achieved through a combination of exercise and proper nutrition.
3. While there are diet products and supplements which can enhance the effects of any weight loss program, they very seldom do the trick by themselves for most people.
Let’s start with that last one.
Start by reading the labels or advertising literature of most diet pills and other weight loss supplements. Somewhere you will usually find a statement that will say something like “when used with regular exercise and a sensible nutrition program”. In other words, taking that diet pill or supplement “might” help you lose weight IF it is taken as part of some other weight loss program.
Even the manufacturers of the Alli fat loss pill, which at the moment is the only federally approved weight loss pill, will let you know that you really need to be doing other things as well as taking their pill to experience effective weight loss. Testing of that pill, one of the most effective available, show that weight loss with the pill alone will be minimal unless it is used with a program of regular exercise and proper nutrition.
Let’s face it. If there WAS one diet pill that you could take and then sit around watching TV, eating ice cream, and drinking beer…AND still lose weight and be healthy, there would not be so many different diet pills claiming to do the trick!
Okay, I started with the last fact, so let’s jump around and deal with the first fact next.
Diets per se do not work for permanent, healthy weight loss.
When you suddenly decrease the calories you regularly have been feeding your body, it senses a starvation situation (built in survival trait) and lowers its basic metabolic rate. In other words, it adjusts itself to function with fewer calories. This might not be too bad, but, if you go back to your old eating habits, the same amount of calories will now produce more fat to be stored on your body.
This is the reason that going on and off diets is very likely to cause weight gain, rather than weight loss! It’s called yo-yo dieting.
Additionally, extreme reductions in nutrition can also mean extreme reductions in the vitamins, minerals, protein, carbohydrates, fats (needed for life), phytonutrients, and other nutritional factors required for health, energy, and long life. You might lose weight but actually endanger your health and lack the energy necessary to live your life with pleasure.
Just to throw in another monkey wrench, once your body has adapted to its new diet and adjusted its basic metaolism, the weight loss will cease. This usually occurs after only a few pounds have been lost. To lose more weight, you will have to cut your nutritional intake even more, or simply decide to take a look at the second fact I listed.
Test after test and study after study has demonstrated beyond a doubt that the most effective weight loss program is one that includes regular, moderate exercise and healthy eating and living habits. The exercise does NOT have to be extreme, although overall results will usually be directly related to the amount of effort expended.
Most of us are NOT going to wind up looking like Arnold Schwarzenegger or Cory Everson unless we exercise and eat like they do!
However; regular, moderate exercise can burn calories and build lean muscle tissue which will continue to use up excess calories and burn fat even when we are not exercising. It will raise energy levels, make daily life easier, help elevate mood and fight depression, and will help protect us against a host of degenerative diseases. It has been shown to delay and mitigate the effects of aging, and has been shown a potent protector against many conditions including heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, and many forms of cancer.
Healthy eating does not necessarily mean “dieting”. Healthy eating involves such things as proper selection of foods, paying attention to portion sizes, and changing a few eating habits…including that great American pastime…snacking!
I used the term “healthy eating and living” because such things as getting the proper amount of sleep, having fun, and having friends can also contribute to health in general and weight loss in particular.
Is weight loss without exercise possible?
Sure! Millions of people throughout history have gotten very thin before they starved to death!
Millions more have simply combined exercise with healthy eating and living habits to experience permanent, healthy weight loss and have enjoyed a long and happy life as a result.
Your choice?
Donovan Baldwin is a central Texas writer. He is also a University of West Florida alumnus, a member of Mensa, and is retired from the U. S. Army after 21 years of service. His interests include nature, the environment, health, fitness, yoga, and weight loss. He often posts articles on health and weight loss at http://nodiet4me.com/articledirectory/
Weight Loss is More Than Looking Better
There are more benefits to weight loss than just looking better. Presently in the United States there
are 130 million people that are either overweight or
obese. Losing weight simply comes down to eating the
right foods and incorporating a daily exercise program.
Weight loss is really hard to achieve by yourself. It takes encouragement, support, and a community of like-minded folks who are determined to make a difference.
Weight loss is extremely difficult when you feel like you are depriving yourself. Instead of being a positive and exciting experience, losing weight becomes a struggle against yourself. Weight loss is the major focus of the many people nowadays.
Being fat or having huge body seems losing their self confidence and could sometimes disturb ones peaceful world. Weight loss is of course, not something that merely happens overnight.
You can take pills, go on a crash diet, or deprive yourself of your favorite dessert, only to realize that you are only gaining back the weight that you want to shed off.
Weight loss is a big business. People are willing to do anything to drop a few pounds. Weight loss is not easy to achieve and can add to a person’s level of stress.
One must be very motivated, disciplined, patient, have a weight loss plan, be able to follow specific and realistic daily and weekly goals, and be honest with oneself.
Weight loss is simple, burn more calories then you consume. If you can fully understand that then you are on your way to losing weight.
Dieting requires present-moment frustration and self-denial with little immediate reward. Diets fail because people have not mentally prepared themselves for physical change (mind before body).
Dieting alone can help you lose weight. Cutting 250 calories from your daily diet can help you lose about half a pound a week: 3,500 calories equals 1 pound of fat.
Dieting alienates us from the natural process of hunger and sets us up for the real physical side effects of dieting, resulting in women and men who have learned to ignore their own “survival mechanisms” and literally starve and binge themselves to death.
Current estimates indicate that one in five women is suffering from a severe form of an eating disorder, and eight out of ten have some of the symptoms of one or more of these illnesses. Dieting is a major industry, with so many different plans and programs for sale.
However, by living a healthy lifestyle, you don’t need to take drastic measures to lose weight and indeed, you don’t need to splash out on any fad diet plan. Diets claiming that eliminating carbs all together is the key to weight loss tend to be swimming with saturated fat and are often deficient in nutrients.
Some of these diets restrict the amount of fruits and vegetables that you eat which in many cases is not the
best choice for your overall health.
Diets that promise fast weight loss with hardly any effort don?t give you the skills you need to maintain your weight loss; in some cases, these quick fix weight loss routines can even be seriously detrimental to your health.
Most weight loss experts will explain that losing weight is not just about dieting. Dieting may conjure up visions of eating little but lettuce and sprouts–but you can enjoy all foods as part of a healthy diet as long as you don’t overdo it.
To be successful at losing weight, you need to change your lifestyle–not just go on a diet, experts say. Diet pills generally come in two forms – appetite suppressors and lipase inhibitors. Appetite suppressors interact with hunger signaling chemicals in the brain.
Diets such as the Atkins diet or Zone diet suggest people eat more protein and fat while restricting carbohydrate to lose weight. Others, like those on a vegetarian diet, abandon meat altogether.
It is important to remember that diet pills should not be
taken by people with underlying health problems. Dieters that make extreme changes to their diet to lose weight will soon tire of the restrictions and gain the weight back and sometimes even more.
Fad diets also contribute to many health problems including gallstones, heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.
The research on herbs by clinical physiologists led to the formulation of healthy herbal supplements that boast of the mechanism of reducing weight naturally. The herbal weight loss products include patches, pills, injections and other supplements. Many herbal weight loss products are marketed with the claims of being highly effective. For thousands of years herbs have been used for medicinal
purposes and has been proven to benefit our health. Herbs are plant or a part of a plant that are applied in medicine for its curative properties.
Read my special report on how to lose weight=>”7 Steps To Lose Weight” Learn more about Natural Herbal Weight Loss here=> http://www.natural-remedy-dot-com.com/
Wondering Whether an Easy Fast Weight Loss is Possible at All or not ?
There are just so many weight loss products and companies out there claiming their weight loss products can make one lose weight in no time. Is it at all possible for weight loss to be so easy and fast?
Have a look at the diet industry. Their diets are advertised as if they are a breeze, easy as pie, people have to just eat their lovely (and expensive) products and spend lots of money and they will be as skinny as the skinny models who advertise their products yet have never used them.
Even with so many products and so many outrageous claims , a lot of dieters struggle.It’s HARD to lose weight for majority of people. Having said that, what can be done so that weight loss doesn’t remain tough anymore?
The very first thing required for an easy fast weight loss is the right mental attitude. A never ending motivation for weight loss is highly required and for that you have to search for the reasons why are you trying to lose weight after all?
There are a lot of potential reasons for losing weight, and if your reasons are powerful and motivating enough there is nothing else you can do except lose weight easily. Just what are your personal reasons for losing weight? This could be the enhanced overall quality of life, self-esteem or escaping from depression, health risks, and physical incapabilities. There are a lot of positive changes once a person experience weight loss. It is for this reason why a lot of people are searching for a weight loss technique or the diet plans that will surely trim down those fats and get a super slim head turner body. Some people want to be thinner because their friends or relatives are. Someone wants to be a thinner person expecting people to like him more.
Seriously it’s time you found out those strong reasons.Next step would be to inculcate the right mental attitude and positive thinking.
The right mental attitude for weight loss is actually very simple to attain. Don’t think much or wonder what will you have to do. Just follow some simple steps.
1. Have a strong belief that you can succeed. You would be shocked to find how many people do not believe they can successfully diet and attain (and maintain) their desired target weight.Your belief definitely has to be strong. If you believe you can lose weight, you are right, if you think you can’t , you are right too. It’s the impressions on your unconscious mind put up by your inner beliefs that can either make or break your success in weight loss. Having strong beliefs will help you to develop discipline and proper mindset, and as a dieter you will never be discouraged and lose focus.
2 . Set realistic weight loss goals. It’s lovely for us all to have those pleasant day dreams, but be realistic. Losing hundred pounds a week seems quite unrealistic and physically impossible and perhaps dangerous for health. Let me tell you a secret. If you set small goals in the beginning, you will be focusing a lot better and this ability to focus along with proper mindset enables someone on a diet to quickly lose those extra pounds. Once you see your weight reducing, you instantly generate more confidence, belief and motivation to carry on with your weight loss goals. So, aim smaller pounds while starting and then extend your goals.
3. They say you are what you believe you are. So start thinking that you are a thinner person already. People will have their identity tied up with their weight, and people will do almost anything to protect their identity, even kill. What is your identity with relation to your weight? Do you think of yourself as a person struggling on a diet or an overweight person or a scammed fatty. Remember , any negative perceptions of yourself in your mind blocks you from gaining the right mental attitude. Listen to your mind and get it right. If you are walking or jogging, walk or jog like a thinner you.
4. Do you really think you deserve being a thinner person? This is crucial. I am asking you directly and give me the absolute honest answer. If you are caught up in self loathing and really dislike yourself you may not think you are worth losing weight and being at your ideal weight. If you have anything to take form this article, take this. Your mind is the ultimate controller of your actions and results You can find yourself struggling and sabotaging your efforts, if you are doing one thing and your unconscious mind thinks that you don’t deserve it. First ask yourself what do you want to look like? What do you want to wear? What kind of compliments do you want to get? Now ask do you deserve it? Any contradictions here mean you need to start to have some thorough beliefs in yourself and kickstart with believing that you DEFINITELY deserve it.
5. This may be the most important of all. Take REGULAR and CONSISTENT action. That’s all it takes. Easy weight loss comes from taking consistent action every single day both mentally and physically. Eating pizza while watching television isn’t going to work. While eating like that occasionally may not hurt your efforts, most times, one bad meal turns into one bad day, and then one bad day turns into a weekend…and before you know it, you’re starting back at square one.You have to combine thought with action to create results. One great tip for staying on track is to implement your healthy weight loss diet plan with a friend.Your dieting partner has to be someone that will help to keep you exercising frequently and eating clean. Also think in terms of long term weight loss. Create a mindset of having healthy life and body while not imposing restrictions on time for a change to manifest itself. Surprisingly this makes you lose weight much faster and easily.
So, here you are. Now you have come to know about the right mental attitude and what can be done to experience an easy weight loss. Study these five tips and use them.
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