Eat More Beans - Weigh Less!
It’s true, people who eat more beans weigh less. Data form the National Nutrition and Health Examination Survey show that adults who eat beans regularly, consume less saturated fat than non-bean eaters. These same adults have a 20 percent lower risk for obesity.
Adult and teenage bean-eaters surveyed also have smaller waist sizes.
Beans are considered to be among nature’s superfoods as they are high in both fiber and protein. High-fiber diets are known to promote weight loss as the fiber cleanses body systems, promotes elimination and assists metabolism.
Beans can often be used as an alternative protein source from meats - meats that are particularly high in saturated fat. Beans are protein-packed, but unlike meat from pork, lamb, or beef, they are low in fat and contain zero cholesterol.
For these reasons, beans are an excellent diet food. Beans have enough protein to help you build muscle. Muscle mass is scientifically proven to burn fat even while at rest. If you exercise regularly - particularly strength or muscle training - and you eat beans on a regular basis, you can really help speed up fat burning.
If you consume beans, you will also notice that you tend to feel full right away. Beans are low-calorie and low-fat, but they are heavy enough that you will not feel like eating more food. Beans can stop you from pigging-out!
In the USDA’s recommended food pyramid plan, beans are so healthy they are actually listed under two groups - under the Vegetable Group (as they are plant-derived) and under the Meat and Beans group (as they are an excellent source of protein). Aside from the protein and fiber, beans are an excellent source of folate and B vitamins.
In the USDA’s current food guidelines, it is advised that Americans triple their intake of beans from one to three cups per week.
But losing weight from eating beans is apparently just a bonus. These health-giving foods - wether they are red, black or white beans - are also effective in reducing your risk of heart disease and cancer. Just make sure you consume natural, dried beans. Beware of canned beans that contain a lot of sodium, as well as chili dishes mixed with too much fatty ground pork or beef.
So go ahead and pile up on healthily-prepared beans… you’ll drop the pounds and gain your health in the process!
Water With Lemon For Weight Loss
Drinking water with lemon for weight loss is a part of most detox diets. These diets work on the principle that we all have too many toxins in our body and every so often we should totally cleanse them away.
The liver is the major detoxifying organ in your body. Its function is to remove toxins we ingest through food, alcohol, medicines or from our environment. Lemons aid the liver in the detoxifying process and help to eliminate waste via the intestines.
Lemons contain a number of vitamins and minerals and so lemon water makes a good start to your day. Now this is lemon water and NOT lemonade filled with empty calories from all the sugar. Lemondae will not aid your weight loss.
The lemon fruit also has diuretic qualities that battles water retention, which can cause bloating - that adds centimeters to your waistline. But drinking lemon water on its own isn’t going to win your weight loss battle.
As with everything you need to look at your whole lifestyle. You need to increase the amount of physical activity you undertake while reducing your food consumption. We have become used to larger portion sizes and tend to overeat without realising it. Next time you are in a fast food restaurant and are tempted to go large for economical reasons, consider your waist line instead.
If you think you need to lose weight, you should start a food diary to keep a record of exactly what you eat and when. You will soon see a pattern of behaviour arising. Once you know why you eat like you do, you can do something about it.
Small changes can make a big difference in our weight loss journey. Always grill or bake when cooking. Throw the deep fryer out. Instead of buying a shop bought cake, make a homemade one instead. Your own version will have fewer calories due to less quantity of fats and sugars added to make the shop bought ones last longer.
We all know that we need to eat more fruit and vegetables. Aim to eat a different colour every day for a week. You never know you may find a new food that you love. Always eat your breakfast but use semi-skimmed rather than full fat milk. Eat regular meals as it will help to boost your metabolism.
Turn off the TV and stick in an exercise DVD instead. Try out some routines at home and see if you can get your family to join in. Always follow the instructions though as we do not want any injuries.
Get outside and play with your kids. Walk with them to the local park and play some football or some skating.
You will not change your whole life in 24 hours but every improvement you make will win rewards. Your health will improve and your skin will thank you for the water with lemon that got your weight loss diet started.
Top Weight Loss Tips for Teens
In today’s society, which is full of peer pressure, there are many teens that are feeling peer pressure to lose weight. You need to be aware, though that if you happen to be one of these teenagers, that you need to be sure you are losing the weight for the right reasons.
You may want to lose weight to become more popular. Now that’s fine, but it is best to see that only as a bonus. Your real motivation to lose weight is for you to become more healthy. And with health - you will look better and be happier.
Important to bear in mind too that if you are an overweight teen, it is best for you if you lose the weight slowly and naturaly.
Here are some easy tips for overweight teens that will help you achieve weight loss. These tips will also help you lose weight naturally:
1. Eat slower.
When you eat slower you are increasing your chances of losing weight. A lot of people especially teenagers tend to forget to chew their food completely before swallowing and it enters their stomach too quickly. You need to remember that food needs to be broken down into tiny pieces in order for you to get all the nutrients. Be sure you take the time and chew your food thoroughly. Chewing your food completely will help you burn calories faster as well.
2. Junk the junk food.
Another great tip for you is for you to ditch the junk food. Junk food is jam packed with tons of sodium, sugar, fat and calories which will add to your waistline and also your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. These are valid health issues even for the young ones such as yourself! Try replacing these foods with fruits and vegetables. You can even do searches online for a list of foods that will aid in burning fat faster.
3. Water! Water! Water!
It is very important that you drink plenty of water so that you can boost up your metabolism. Water will not only help you lose weight but it is also great for your skin; thanks to it’s purification properties. The more water that you consume the happier and healthier you will be. Water will also keep your system clean by regularizing digestion.
You need to remember though that when you begin to drink water in an effort to lose weight you need to cut out all those junk drinks. This includes soda, frapachinos and anything else that is loaded with sugars and calories. Just think you will even save money by cutting these expensive little things out of your diet. However, you may have a little caffeine as it helps boost the metabolism a little which will aide in your weight loss.
4. Exercise!
To lose weight, you will have to combine exercise with healthy eating habits. This doesn’t have to involve fancy gym memberships or costly exercise programs. Join an after-school sports activity. Walk to and from school… Just get moving on a regular basis and cut back on time sitting in front of the couch watching TV or sitting in front of your computer.
5. Set Monthly goals.
It is good for you to also set small monthly goals and then be sure you reach them. If you are overweight it is best for you to lose one or two pounds a week. This will help you ensure that you are well on your way to your weight loss goals in a healthy and safe manner.
These are all great tips for you to achieve your weight loss goals. You need to be careful when trying to lose weight. Too much weight loss too soon can lead to serious health problems.
Sure Ways To Lose Weight Fast
August 27, 2009 by Patsie
Filed under Diet Aids, Diet Pills, Diets, Exercise, Foods, Healthy Recipes, Nutrition
Losing weight fast has probably been on your mind at one time or another. Maybe there is a special event that you would like to lose weight for such as a wedding. You probably also already know that there are literally hundreds and hundreds of hyped up diets out there that claim they can help you lose weight fast.
Many of these diets are total scams, or they are dangerous, or a mixture or worse… both! The best way for you or anyone else for that matter to lose weight is to eat right, exercise, and do not stress over the little stuff. You can also try these few simple and easy tips to reach your goals a little quicker BUT safer:
First of all, you need to do a mental check. You need to make sure that your mind is set on losing the weight. You must tell your body and your mind that you cannot eat the junk food, sugar-laden snacks, and anything that contains saturated fat. Also you will need to train your mind that you are not allowed to cheat on the diet. You will also need plenty of discipline when it comes to losing weight fast. If you are serious, then you need to set your mind to it because it is your only choice besides Liposuction.
Next you will need to change your eating habits if you are truly serious about losing those extra pounds. You need to eat 5-6 small meals a day versus 3 big ones. These foods should consist of plenty of vegetables, lean protein, whole grains and fruits.
Your body will need all the fruits, proteins, and lean meat you can consume. Starvation is not the answer. Starvation will just lead to serious health issues - and slow down your metabolism in the long run. Once you get off a starvation diet the pounds will come back with a vengeance. And we all know starvation diets can never be sustained. Instead eat an extra serving of fruits and vegetables to get the weight off safely and quickly. This will provide your body with the extra fuel that it will need for your exercise and other daily activities that you perform.
Cardio exercises are another great way for you to lose the weight fast. You should try and push yourself to the limit at least once a day. There are a number of different ways that you are able to do this such as elliptical, swimming, running, or ride a bike among others. You must work up a sweat to be able to shed those pounds.
You can also try aerobics, weight lifting, and walking for other forms of not so strenuous workouts. No matter what type of exercise that you are performing the more sweat you can create the more weight you are going to lose.
It is not easy to lose weight fast but if you push yourself to the limits it can be done. You just need to set your mind to the “I can do it” frame of mind.
Weight Loss Without The Cost
August 26, 2009 by Patsie
Filed under Diet Aids, Diet Menus, Diets, Exercise, Foods, Healthy Recipes, Nutrition
I am sure you have seen the countless advertisements out there for one weight loss program or another and they are all promising weight loss in a matter of weeks.
These ads range from the simple every day diet programs to surgical procedures. I am sure you are also well aware of the one thing these diet plans and schemes have in common: the sky high cost.
Helping people lose weight and achieve an ideal body shape is a money making business today due to the massive demand. The gyms you may join, dieticians with hefty bills, and also the food that many of the programs suggest come with a hefty price tag.
But achieving effective, healthy weight loss is not that complicated, so there is no reason why you cannot achieve the same results from these diet programs on your own and save money while doing it. You just have to do some research and become well-informed.
Follow these simple pieces of advice and you should achieve weight loss without the cost:
Know the basics
If you want to make your own diet charts, as well as your very own exercise program, it is important that you know the science to healthy weight loss. While healthy weight loss is mainly about calorie intake it also entails the distribution of those various calories throughout the day. There are also certain conditions that you may have that may be a deterrent to your weight loss goals. In this case you will need to contact your doctor before you begin. There are several resources on the internet today such as calorie counters which can be downloaded for free and used for easy reference.
No gain without some pain
Starving should not be part of your weight loss program. Instead, you should practice restrictive eating. The amount of the restriction will depend on the extent of the foods that are in your diet and it will be something you need to maintain the rest of your life. You will have to give up certain foods however to reach your ideal weight goals. You know what to skip: high fat, high-processed, high sugar food.
Use it or lose it
If you are one of the many that looks at exercise as one of those unpleasant chores that you must do, you need to be able to develop a better attitude. There are certain exercises that you do every day without even knowing about them such as playing with your kids, beach workouts, and yes even sex are good forms and fun ways of burning off those excess calories. These are the activities that are not only good for toning your body but also gives you a high like no other illicit substance can do. As a result, you are not putting any harmful toxins into your body… but you are burning calories while getting an energy boost.
These are all great ways for you to shed those excess pounds and they are a lot cheaper than some of those paid programs that are available today. If you are trying to lose weight, but are on a tight budget, give these ideas a try.
Top 5 Tips For Post-Pregnancy Weight Loss
Weight Loss to Keep Heart Disease Away
Never mind the vanity issue of being overweight. If you are packing extra pounds, the bigger issue is your health. When you are overweight, you are automatically at a higher risk for heart disease.
CAD also weakens the heart muscle and contributes to heart failure and arrhythmias. Heart failure is when the heart cannot pump blood to the rest of the body. Arrhythmia is having an abnormal, irregular heartbeat.
Heart failure also called cardiac failure and CHF or left-sided heart failure and right-sided heart failure is a condition where the heart cannot pump blood to the rest of the body. Heart failure is when the heart stops or is about to stop. The weakening of the heart’s pumps causes blood and fluid to backup into the lungs, fluid to buildup in the ankles, legs, and feet (this is called edema) and tiredness and shortness of breath.
The leading causes of heart failure are high blood pressure, diabetes, and coronary heart disease. The treatment for heart failure includes treating the cause of the heart failure, heart transplants, and medications.
The other types of heart diseases involve the valves in the heart where the heart has restricted pumping action leading to heart failure. Some people are born with this type of heart disease. In their case, genetics and inborn abnormalities are to blame for their heart problems.
But for most people, heart attack can be proactively avoided. It all boils down to how you take care of yourself. It is possible to reduce the risks of heart disease by taking steps to control the factors causing the risks. Controlling blood pressure and cholesterol mitigates the risks leading to heart disease.
Guidelines for Choosing a Weight Loss Program
A great concern that many Americans face today is weight loss. It doesn’t take a lot of work to gain the weight but it takes a tremendous amount of work to lose. If you are like many American struggling with your weight, you are well aware of the various weight loss programs that are available on the market today. Choosing the right program can be tricky.
Before you begin any weight loss program, you need to be sure to check with your trusted doctor to make sure you are healthy enough to start a weight loss regimen. Doctors will also be generally able to give you advice on how you can cut down on your calories, eating a balanced diet, and how to remain physically active as well.
Your weight depends on a variety of different factors including your food intake, your age and overall general health, and your genetic makeup, among others. Your doctor can help asses your actual current physical state prior to starting a weight loss program.
When you are ready to begin your weight loss program, you will need to be aware of what types of food you can eat, how many calories you can take in each day, and how much physical activity that you will need to do.
You should not choose any program that does not offer a change in your overall eating habits or provide a list of physical activity for you to do. If the program promises that you don’t need to do a thing to lose weight, they’re not telling you the truth. Most likely they are just after your money and don’t really want to help you.
You should be aware that the Dietary Guidelines for America includes such things as five servings of fruits and vegetables, eating plenty of grains, lean meat and low fat dairy products. If you begin to follow these guidelines you will be well on your way to a healthy diet and weight loss.
There is also certain information you will need gather about the weight loss programs you are considering:
* You need to make sure that the staff is well trained and have the proper credentials.
* If there is information included in the risks of using some of the products and services of the program in general.
* The overall cost of the program.
* How many people have completed the program.
* How much is the average weight lost for the company.
* Were these people successful at keeping the weight off for good?
You need to also be able to change your overall lifestyle and determine those factors that contributed to your weight gain. Knowing this, you can incorporate changes to improve your overall health and lose weight in the process.
You will also need to be aware of the risks that are sometime involved with major weight loss to make sure you keep healthy. After all, being healthy is more important than losing weight too fast and too soon.
Following all of these guidelines, you should successfully find the wight weight loss program for you.
Are You Morbidly Obese?
August 3, 2009 by Patsie
Filed under Diets, Exercise, Gastric Bypass, Nutrition
If you are overweight, you must face this question to make sure you can do something to save your health - ultimately your life. There comes a point when you are just too much above your ideal weight that doctors and specialists will have to come in to make sure you lose that extra weight.
Being chubby or just needing to lose some pounds is one thing, being obese is a medical issue you need to address. So how do you know if you are morbidly obese? You are likely to fall under this category if:
- you are at least 100 pounds overweight
- your BMI or Body Mass Index is over 40
- or even at a BMI of 35 you are already experiencing weight related illnesses like high blood pressure or diabetes
- you are unable to bring their weight down for a sustained period despite medically supervised diets.
Do note you can be considered obese, being 60-99 pounds overweight. But this is not morbid obesity. If you are 10 to 50 pounds above your ideal, you may just be considered overweight and not obese at all.
Sometimes just being slightly overweight can make your blood pressure rise. But if you’re morbidly obese, your blood pressure can rise dangerously high, causing damage while you don’t even know it.
So are you morbidly obese?
The reason you have to get an informed and accurate response to this question is so you can seek medical intervention. Being morbidly obese means a good diet and exercise are not enough for you to shed weight. While it’s usually preferable to lose the weight naturally through good diet and exercise, sometimes that just can’t happen.
When at the point of being morbidly obese, the process of losing weight itself could endanger your health. You have to lose weight, yes. But you have to seek doctor’s guidance to make sure you go through the process safely and not aggravate any existing medical conditions.
These medical conditions are likely to be present considering that you have reached that level of obesity. As mentioned - these could include diabetes, high blood pressure and other myriad health problems.
Being morbidly obese means having to consider weight loss surgery. Gastric bypass surgery along with drastic lifestyle changes can save the life of those who are obese. It takes time and effort, but there is life and health after battling obesity!
Acai Berry for Weight Loss and Anti-Aging
July 27, 2009 by Patsie
Filed under Uncategorized
Scams and dubious selling methods should not stop you from trying out Acai Berry health supplements. The Brazilian Acai Berry is rich in antioxidants and health benefits that counteracts aging. Acai Berry supplements can definitely help you lose weight as it detoxifies your system and improves circulation.
With its popularity and endorsements from Oprah to skin doctor to the stars Dr. Perricone, Acai has become widely available. It comes in different forms: you can get them as whole Acai berries, powders, juices and pills.
Visit your nearby health food store and you are bound to find an Acai Berry supplement for you. There are also many online sellers, but make sure you get your Acai Berry supplement from a reliable source.
Acai Berry for weight loss and anti-aging is no myth. Lab tests have proven that, aside from antioxidants, this wonder food is rich in amino acids, proteins, xanthones, fiber, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.
It even has good fats - the omega fats - that can help keep aging skin young and taut. Dermatologist Dr. Perricone explains that this is one of the reasons why Acai berry has anti-inflammatory properties that help fight wrinkles and sagging skin.
Your cardiologist would be happy as well. These omega fats also benefit your heart and overall cardiovascular health.
Many people who have been taking Acai Berry supplements regularly also report that they noticed they have stronger immunity to common colds, coughs and flu. They even report increased energy and less fatigue. Who says energy levels should decrease as we get older?
If you are trying to lose weight and improve your health, Acai Berry would definitely be a big help. Remember though, when using any dietary supplement, you should include exercise and an overall healthy diet as a standard routine.
Exercising increases the benefits of a good healthy diet. The Acai berry will add to the healthy balance and help you pursue an active lifestyle thanks to it’s energy-giving benefits.
Depending on the location of the product, prices for Acai Berry supplements will vary. Generally, it should be an affordable product. Make sure to verify quality when purchasing. Some companies try to sell a diluted product that does not have the same benefits as the higher quality products. Read the labels carefully to know what you are buying.
If your are serious about losing weight and improving your health, the Acai berry is one of the best supplements on the market. Research proves that yes, Acai berry is for weight loss and anti-aging.