Quick Weight Loss – 7 Secrets To Guaranteed Success!

Have you ever gotten on the scale and, all of a sudden, you’re 20 pounds heavier than you remember? Are you finding it hard to fit into last summer’s bikini? Did someone just post a picture of you on Facebook that made you realize you’re getting a little chubby? Sometimes, weight gain can sneak up on you-it happens to the best of us. If you’re looking for quick weight loss without a ton of work, here are seven tips that are sure to get you back in the saddle.

1. Eat less, move more.

For many women, a sudden rise in the scales means that their dietary habits have changed. Maybe it was a little holiday binging during Christmas; or that weeklong vacation you spent relaxing on your couch watching television; or maybe you’re in a winter hibernating mode after having had an active summer. Chances are that if you cut back a little on the portions, cut back on desserts, and take a 30-minute walk around the block every day, you’ll see those pounds start to literally fall off of your body.

2. Choose a goal and focus on it.

If you want to lose a quick 15 to 20 pounds, it doesn’t have to take a long time. Why not make it for a really good reason? Promise to treat yourself when you reach your goal-whether it’s a hot new outfit, a great pair of shoes, or even an exotic excursion to the Bahamas. This will help you to keep inspired in a positive way.

3. Drink lots, and LOTS, of water.

Sometimes, sudden weight gain occurs because of dehydration. Cut out the sodas, juices, smoothies, gourmet coffee treats, and drink 100 ounces of water per day. You’ll find that you not only feel great, but the weight is much easier to get rid of.

4. It’s OK to snack-just snack healthy.

It’s better to eat several small meals throughout the day than to starve yourself and binge at dinner time. The answer to this problem is easy. With a little bit of planning, you can keep healthy snacks around all day, and munch to your heart’s content-making it easier to eat less at meal times. Carrots, air-popped popcorn with no toppings, or some raw nuts are great snacks that you can enjoy all day long.

5. Stop skipping breakfast!

Nothing kills your metabolism worse than not eating breakfast. If you’ve been skipping the first meal of the day, your body has probably had a hard time processing the other meals, which means bad weight gain for you. Have an egg-white omelet, a piece of toast and juice, or a high-fiber, low-calorie cereal to start your day off right.

6. Get more "natural" exercise.

If you want to experience quick weight loss for a small amount, vary your daily routine a little by infusing cardio elements. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or escalator. Park your car on the far end of the parking lot, and walk to the entrance When you get home, walk around the block a few times after dinner, or do some cardio exercises during the commercial break of your favorite television program. If you need to stop by the mall, take a walk around the entire building, not just to the store you need. The little things add up to lost pounds.

7. Eat half… and then maybe half again.

Eat half and save the rest for later. That may sound easy, but it is hard to do. Discipline is the key for this tip. If you’re at home, eat half of the portions that you’re use to eating, then take a walk for about 15 to 20 minutes. If you’re out to dinner with your boyfriend, ask for a doggy bag, and then enjoy the other half for lunch at work.

Be among the few women this year that will actually lose weight and live longer, healthier lives.

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Take It Slowly And The Weight Will Be Lost

Just like the tale of the tortoise and the hare, by keeping your goals in focus you will get there in the end.

Losing weight is one area where this definitely applies. The one thing most people want is to see results immediately when dieting. This is normal and no one should find fault with this. Human nature is to want things to happen immediately.

If you want immediate weight loss you are setting yourself up for failure. This is not to say you cannot lose a large amount of weight quickly but the short term loss often comes back twofold.
The weight you have gained is not a problem you can turn around in a matter of a month. The body is adaptable but it needs sufficient time to change permanently. The changes you make are going to require time for the body to adapt.

The time it took for humans to begin walking upright did not happen overnight. The changes we want to make in the appearance of our bodies is similar to this development. It will not take centuries for it to happen but it will take longer than just a few weeks. The acceptance of this fact will help you over the period of time it takes for losing the weight and you will not get disheartened if a few days go by and you do not lose any weight.

Often people believe the advertisements they see that are designed to sell products for weight loss. There are advertisements everywhere and I am sure you have seen the ones that promote huge amounts of weight loss in no time. We want to believe this can happen so we purchase the product. The one thing we are not thinking about is the outcome of this loss on our bodies.

For example, to lose 30 pounds in 30 days, you will need to burn more than 21,000 calories per week. For every pound of weight we lose, 3500 calories must be burned either through exercising or dieting. The weight will come off rather quickly and you will be happy to see results but it will not continue. After the first pounds are dropped, you will stop losing weight. When you cut this many calories, the body will start to protect itself and will stop burning calories unless it is absolutely necessary.

Think of it this way; your body is accustomed to having a certain amount of food and all of a sudden the supply is cut off. It will rebel because you have not given it the gradual amount of time it needs to adjust to this loss of food. This will cause the body to start its defense mechanism of protecting itself and it will stop burning calories. This leads to the end of weight loss.

To add to this problem, another one will stop the weight loss process. The brain needs 30% of the glucose we consume. This is acquired from what we eat. If you cut down tremendously on what you are eating, the brain has less glucose. This is what causes you to feel worn out, irritated and at the end of your rope. These feelings are enough to cause you to abandon any weight program and go back to the old way of eating.

The regular methods of losing weight usually do not work. Do you believe this or not? If you do not then why do people have so much trouble losing weight? The human body will not allow you to force it to lose weight. The process must be done a little at a time which allows your mind and body not to be stressed.

Your goal for weight loss should be about 2 to 3 pounds per week. This, your body will accept without putting up a defense mechanism. Since this is a small amount when compared to total body weight, your body will regulate itself to this. This does not sound like a lot but for those who have lost a lot quickly and then gained it all back it sounds great.

If you add it up, two pounds per week over a year amounts to 104 pounds. This may seem like a long time to many but losing weight in this manner is doable. If you keep trying fad diets that take a lot off and then you put it back on, they will stop working. At the end of a year using the fad diets you will not be any better off than when you started.

When using a crash diet you are setting your body up to crash in a short period of time. By giving your body the proper amount of time to adjust to changes you make and doing it slowly, not only will your body be happier but your mind will too. Not to mention, the weight you take off will stay off. If not, stay on the crash diets and you will still be gaining and losing.

Dan Clay is a renowned Sydney boot camp, instructor & real world fat loss expert. For more information on his Sydney boot camps visit Sydney boot camp

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Would You Prefer Lap Band Weight Loss Surgery Performed In US, Mexico, Or India?

There are numerous lap band and gastric banding clinics proposing the method in both U.S and Mexico. The cost of lap band surgery has been declining in the United States over the past couple of years. The two major causes are- the expanded number of surgeons accomplishing the procedure and the affray from other foreign nations like Mexico and India.

The Lap band adjustable gastric banding system is an very easy and sophisticated gastric banding system that advance you frequently misplace and organise your heaviness by decreasing the amount of food. It is accepted by the FDA in 2001 for use in the United States. Thousands of women and men are undergoing weight loss surgery every year in USA.

Most states in U.S. have regulations that need protection businesses to cover the cost of weight-loss surgery for patients, who rendezvous the situation established by the National Institute of Health. The cost variety is approximately $15000 to $20000 in USA for lap band surgery.

Because of high charges of fatness associated situation for example diabetics, doze apnea and hypertension etc. and numerous protection providers are eager to cover the cost of heaviness decrease method in USA.

Mexico is a viable choice for U.S people due to the proximity in geographical terms. Also, Lap band surgery in Mexico is considerably smaller with esteem to the cost contrasted to USA.

Before you proceed to Mexico for surgery ascertain with your protection business, if surgery out-of-doors the United States is enclosed or not inside its scheme. If not, then it would be better and safer to have your lap band surgery finished in United States. Plus if any health difficulties originate post-surgery, you will be better defended legally.

Many address getting the lap band surgery finished in Mexico because the whole method can be arrive inside $ 8000 in Mexico. However, recall to add all your journey expenditures- airfare, inn resides, rental vehicles and verify who buys what. And if a famous person is accompanying you for support, so you need to account their costs as well. The method itself is generally a one-night stay or less and the genuine clinic cost is much less when contrasted to US costs. Even after contemplating journey and lodging costs, a 40% to 50% cost keeping can be achieved.

While concluding on if you do the lap band surgery in U.S or Mexico, one thing for certain you will get surgeons everywhere. However, you can’t take risk on your health; thus, a good skilled surgeon does issue a lot. The more know-how, the better the outcomes. If you were to get the method finished in overseas, it just makes the most sense to get the method finished at the best likely clinic.

If you are searching for proper weight loss solution then you at right place. This is dedicated resource to provide you best information on lap band surgery, lap band surgery finance, cost of lap band surgery and much more so keep browsing.

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Fat Loss 4 Idiots – Be Really Sure Of Your Weight Loss Diet

You will see nowadays many books, websites and programs; talk about weight loss programs or weight loss diets for obesity and slimming, even for pregnancy. There are several programs and books about how to deliver your baby in a healthy condition plus, how to lose your pregnancy weight rapidly after giving birth. One of the amazing things that they mentioned also includes getting rid of stretch marks or cellulite.

But do you really think all these stuff are true or even delivering the correct message for you? No doubt, some are good and they may suit you, but others are just fake which are playing on the tune of people’s hunger. Guaranteed, you won’t survive with them and you won’t stay on those diets for very long. Everyone of us when it comes down to food has a weakness point. It’s human nature in fact. If you can’t imagine eating that kind of food just to lose a few pounds, you will never lose weight for sure.

Ok now, what is the secret of an effective weight loss diet in general? Some people don’t really know anything about diets yet still can be in good shape and health. So why can’t the rest of us, just be like them? Well to tell you the truth, it is very easy to find out the real cause. Go take a look at your daily diet and its ingredients; does it contain every ingredient that your body needs? And does it even contain healthy food?

Yes, this is your answer. You have to know what’s your body’s needs and fulfill it. Try to learn how to listen to your body carefully instead of listening to your desires. It will tell you what you should eat and when, and if you want to drink more instead of eating. For example, a lot of us when we are thirsty, without knowing the difference sometimes think we are actually hungry and therefore eat right away. So start listening to your body much more carefully.

But first, you should learn what your essential daily ingredients are. Did you know that your body will collapse if you didn’t supply it with them? At the top of list, of course, are fibres which are essential for the digestive and colon functions. You will find them mainly in vegetables, cereals and some seeds. Secondly, you should check for vitamins and minerals, which provides the energy and suitable medium for organic processes within your body. Thirdly, you should know what’s you daily need of carbohydrates, proteins and fats so you can adjust the amount accordingly and not exceed it.

This is such a knowledge that you have to grasp and pass down to your children for them to get used to the idea of eating smart. It is not really hard to be healthier and live longer. Most importantly, enjoy your food and never treat it like it’s a mission which has to be done.

Discover the incredible FREE secrets to stripping off belly fat at this Fat Loss 4 Idiots reviews scam-free page. These secrets won’t be available forever – download the fat loss for idiots diet secrets today absolutely free and lose 9 pounds in just 11 days!

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How to Build Muscle and Lose Fat

 

I believe that to have long-term success, the plan must become your lifestyle. It must become a habit.

Therefore this article is not an 8-week program. It’s a list of simple ways to build muscle and lose fat. Tips that worked for me and my readers. And guess what: you will be able to build muscle and lose fat in 8 weeks using these tips.

Build Muscle. The fastest way to build muscle is to get stronger. The stronger you are, the stronger you’ll look. Get into strength training. Do barbell exercises that hit several muscles at the same time: Squats, Deadlifts, Overhead Press, etc.

Start with an empty barbell. Learn the exercise technique. Increase the weight gradually. If you don’t know where to start, check out the Beginner Strength Training Program: it takes 3 times 30 minutes a week.

Nutrition. You need solid nutrition to get stronger and build muscle. Keep the nutrition healthy and you’ll lose fat. Some tips:

• Protein. 1g/lbs daily. Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, etc.
• Fat. Balance omega 3, 6 & 9 intake: fish oil, saturated fat & olive oil.
• Veggies. All kinds, especially green fibrous veggies.
• Fruit. Also all kinds. Eat veggies and/or fruits with every meal.
• Water. 1 liter per 1000 calories you expend.
• Whole grain food. Oats, rice, pasta, breads, …

Eat foods that come in their natural state. Avoid anything that comes out of a box. Avoid trans-fats. Limit junk food consumption to once a week. Quit drinking soda. These simple tips will make a big difference in a very short time.

Lose Fat. Strength training will build muscle while decreasing your body fat. Eating healthy will further decrease your body fat. If you need to lose a lot of fat or if you’re impatient, these tips are for you:

• Cardio. Do 30 minutes of cardio after your strength training. Three times a week at moderate intensity will do. The goal of cardio is to burn fat, not to exhaust yourself. You should breathe heavier than when at rest, but not gasping.
• Cut calories. Track your food intake using Fitday. Start eating 18x your current body-weight in lbs. One week later: cut 500kcal. Check the balance one week later again. Did you lose weight? If you did, keep eating the same amount of calories. If not: cut another 500kcal.

Whatever you do: don’t starve yourself. Fat is emergency storage for your body. If you don’t eat your body will hold the fat and burn muscles. That’s the opposite of what you’re after. Only cut calories if you don’t progress.

Women. Building muscle, losing fat and strength training for women is same as for men. The only difference is women have other hormonal profiles than men. Meaning women will always have less muscle mass and more body fat than men.

But the approach is the same. Follow these tips and you’ll get results. You won’t get bulky if you don’t overeat and stay away from steroids.

Vegan & Vegetarian. Leo is a vegan, and other readers of Zen Habits are also vegans or vegetarians. You’ll find plenty of examples of vegans and vegetarians who built muscle. It can be done. But you might have less results than meat-eaters.

Red meat contains saturated fat and cholesterol which raises your testosterone levels. Testosterone is needed for muscle. Ask your doctor for a blood-test. Eat red meat for 2 months. Do another blood-test. Compare testosterone levels.

Eat lots of dairy products: milk, eggs and cheese if you’re vegetarian. Don’t let the fact that you’re vegan or vegetarian serve as excuse. You can build muscle.

Motivation. The best way to keep yourself motivated is to set goals & track your progress. The classic scale is not your best tool. Here are better ways.

• Fat measurements. Measure your body fat weekly using a fat caliper.
• Pictures. Take pictures every 4 weeks.
• Blood test. Check health improvements.
• Strength stats. Keep a training journal. More strength is more muscles.
• Weigh scale. Only use it once a week. Each Friday for example.

I advise you to keep an online journal. Put it on Zen Habits Forums or on StrongLifts.com Forum. You’ll get feedback & you won’t feel alone anymore in what you’re trying to achieve.

Expectations. Don’t believe the hype in the magazines. You won’t get ripped in 8 weeks. However you can build muscle and lose fat in 8 weeks.

As I wrote in the leading: 8 weeks is a start. It learns you that you can transform your body if you want to. One of my readers lost 40lbs fat & built 20lbs muscle in 10 months at age 55. You can do it. If you want to. Persist and you’ll get there.

Be With Bistro MD Diet System

Being fatty is not really comfortable because you cannot go anywhere freely. Fatness is mainly caused by the bad consuming habits. If you are often depleting junk foods and never depleting health foods, your body will produce more chubby. This fatty usually saves by the body under your skin as the reserved power for your body. That is why your body looks huge because there are a lot of overweight under your skin. This fat will make you get more weight and then make you become a lazy person. Beside the heavy weight of your body that makes you idle to move, bigoverweight physic will make you the center of attention of another people. It is really makes you uneasy cause you are the biggest man among many slim ladies or gentlemen. Another problem with hugefatty physic is that you always feel hungry. Fat people tends to eat all the time because they always feel hungry.

overweight people also tend to have several deadly illness such as heart attack and stroke. These two diseases could be happened because the blood system cannot deliver blood to the heart and brain. The blood cannot be delivered to those organs because the blood vessel or the artery is blocked by overweight. To avoid these two deadly diseases, you have to improve your eating habits and also do some diets. A effective diet is not by fasting or not to eat at all. safe diet is by reducing the amount of the meal that you consume and consume some nutritious meals. If you are really wanted to do a diet and reduce your chubby, it is highly recommended that you follow Food Delivery diet program. Bistro MD is an internet based diet program services. This program has lots of delicious diet Good food menu for your diet program. The food for diet in Bistro MD consists of high quality food and cooks by chef to make a really great diet food to please your taste. All the menus here have clinically proven to have the right amount of nutrient for your body. The right composition of the nutritious meals will drawtorso to function well and lose your weight. Moreover, the menu here is directly under supervision of experts in weight loss.

If you open their website, you will be able to order it home because they have services for diet food delivery. You can buy the diet menu by phone or via their website and the diet food will be delivered weekly to your house. This diet program is also effective for old people and also people with diabetic. people are also recommended to try this diet program to avoid diseases in the future. This diet program will force you to have safedepletinghabits that are very important for your health in the future.

Ten Surprising Nutrition Facts

 

The American diet circa 2007 is a disaster – but positive change has begun. Those were the twin themes of the "Fourth Annual Nutrition and Health Conference" held in San Diego, Calif., May 14-16, 2007. The conference was sponsored by the University of Arizona’s College of Medicine in conjunction with the Program in Integrative Medicine (PIM); PIM was founded and is co-directed by Dr. Weil. 

The three-day event brought together leading nutrition researchers from around the world, bearing plenty of both bad and good news. Some highlights:

 

Bad News:

 

1. Hunter-gatherers in the Australian outback today live on 800 varieties of plant foods. Modern Americans live principally on three: corn, soy and wheat.

   From the presentation, "Phytonutrients: Nature’s Bonus from Plant Foods" by David Heber, M.D., Ph.D. Professor of Medicine and Public Health and Director, UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

2. One third of Americans get 47 percent of their calories from junk foods.

   USDA" Trends in the United States – Consumer Attitudes and the Supermarket, 2000. From the presentation, "Phytonutrients: Nature’s Bonus from Plant Foods" by David Heber, M.D., Ph.D. Professor of Medicine and Public Health and Director, UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

3. The average American is eating 300 more calories each day than he or she did in 1985. Added sweeteners account for 23 percent of those additional calories; added fats, 24 percent.

   Putnam et al. USDA. From the presentation, "Cultivating the Common Ground of Food, Nutrition and Ecological Health," by David Wallinga, M.D., Director, Food & Health Program, Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy, Minneapolis, Minn.

4. Vitamin D deficiency is widespread. The following health problems have been linked to vitamin D deficiency: type 1 and 2 diabetes; multiple sclerosis; rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, periodontal disease, increased susceptibility to infection; osteoporosis, low birth weight infants; low seizure threshold; cancers of the breast, prostate, colon, pancreas and ovary; non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma; hypertension, myocardial infarction, stroke, congestive heart failure; wheezing in childhood, and compromised muscle strength and falls in the elderly.

   From the presentation, "Vitamin D Deficiency: The Cause of Everything?" by Louise Gagne, M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor, Dept. of Community Health and Epidemiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.

5. In real dollars, the price of fresh fruits and vegetables has risen nearly 40 percent since 1985. In real dollars, the price of soft drinks has dropped 23 percent. The reason unhealthy foods tend to be less expensive on average than foods such as fresh fruits and vegetables has much to do with American farm policy.

   Condensed from "Food without Thought: How U.S. Farm Policy Contributes to Obesity" Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, Environment and Agriculture Program, from the presentation, "The Omnivore’s Dilemma: Searching for the Perfect Meal in a Fast-Food World," by Michael Pollan, Knight Professor of Journalism, University of California, Berkeley, Calif.

           Hopeful News

6. Ten cups per day of green tea delayed cancer onset 8.7 years in Japanese women and three years in Japanese men.

   From the presentation, "Beef or Broccoli? Nutrition and Breast Cancer" by Victoria Maizes, M.D., Executive Director, Program in Integrative Medicine, Assoc. Professor, Clinical Medicine/Family & Community Medicine, the University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, Ariz.

7. Three meta-analyses of randomized, placebo-controlled trials found a 5-12 percent decrease in cholesterol levels in hyperlipidemic patients after at least 30 days’ treatment with 600-900 mg of garlic extract.

   Warshafsky S., et al Ann Int Med 1993; 19;599-605; Silagy C, et al. JR Coll Phys Longdon 1994; 28:2-8; Ackermann RT, et al. Arch Intern Med 2001: 161: 813-24. From the presentation, "The Medicinal Spices" by Tieraona Low Dog, M.D., Education Director, Program in Internal Medicine, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Medicine, The University of Arizona, Tucson, Ariz.

8. Maternal limitation of seafood consumption to less than 340 grams per week during pregnancy did not protect children from adverse outcomes. In contrast, this observational study [Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children] showed beneficial effects on child development when maternal seafood consumption exceeded 340 grams per week, with no upper limit of benefit…

   Hibbeln et al., The Lancet, 17 Feb., 2007. From the presentation of Joseph Hibbeln, M.D., Senior Clinical Investigator, Sectional of Nutritional Neurosciences, Laboratory of Membrane Biochemistry and Biophysics, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, Md.

9. "I see a lot of hopeful trends, including the rise of alternative agriculture: organic, local, biodynamic…There are now over 4,000 farmers’ markets in the U.S. The number has doubled in 10 years."

   From the presentation, "The Omnivore’s Dilemma: Searching for the Perfect Meal in a Fast-Food World," by Michael Pollan, Knight Professor of Journalism, University of California, Berkeley, Calif.

10. Chocolate…may have a mild hypotensive [blood-pressure lowering] effect.

    From the presentation, "The Medicinal Spices" by Tieraona Low Dog, M.D., Education Director, Program in Integrative Medicine, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Medicine, The University of Arizona, Tucson. Ariz.

 

Why fast foods are bad, even in moderation

 

Eating a diet consisting largely of fast food could cause your waistline to bulge more than eating the same amount of fat from healthier sources.

Monkeys fed a diet rich in trans-fats – commonly found in fast foods – grew bigger bellies than those fed a diet rich in unsaturated fats, but containing the same overall number of calories. They also developed signs of insulin resistance, which is an early indicator of diabetes.

Trans-fats, or partially hydrogenated oils, are found in many fast foods and also in baked goods and processed snacks. They dramatically increase the risk of heart disease – even more than saturated fats found in animal products.

Kylie Kavanagh, at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, US, wondered how this "killer fat" would affect the risk of diabetes in 51 vervet monkeys.

She fed one group of monkeys a diet where 8% of their daily calories came from trans-fats and another 27% came from other fats. This is comparable to people who eat a lot of fried food, says Kavanagh. A different group of monkeys was fed the same diet, but the trans-fats were substituted for mono-unsaturated fats, found in olive oil, for example.

Both groups ate the same total calories, which were carefully metered to be just enough for subsistence.

Path to diabetes

After six years on the diet, the trans-fat-fed monkeys had gained 7.2% of their body weight, compared to just 1.8% in the unsaturated group. CT scans also revealed that the trans-fat monkeys carried 30% more abdominal fat, which is risk factor for diabetes and heart disease.

"We were shocked. Despite all our enormous efforts to make sure they didn’t gain weight, they still did. And most of that weight ended up on their tummies," says Kavanagh, who presented her findings at the American Diabetes Association meeting in Washington DC, on Monday. "This is walking them straight down the path to diabetes."

This is the first study to show such a dramatic result on abdominal fat, adds Dariush Mozaffarian at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, US. "The days of thinking about fats just as calories are over," he says.

Partially hydrogenated oils can easily be replaced by other oils during food production. Last week, fast-food giant Wendy’s announced that it was cutting partially hydrogenated oils from its food in the US and Canada, while in January, food manufacturers in US were ordered to label all trans-fats on packaged goods.

‘Superfoods’ Everyone Needs to Stay Alive and Healthy

 

Experts say dozens of easy-to-find ’superfoods’ can help ward off heart disease, cancer, cholesterol, and more.

Imagine a superfood — not a drug — powerful enough to help you lower your cholesterol, reduce your risk of heart disease and cancer, and, for an added bonus, put you in a better mood. Did we mention that there are no side effects? You’d surely stock up on a lifetime supply. Guess what? These life-altering superfoods are available right now in your local supermarket.

"The effect that diet can have on how you feel today and in the future is astounding," says nutritionist Elizabeth Somer, author of Nutrition for aHealthy Pregnancy, Food & Mood, and The Essential Guide to Vitamins and Minerals.

"Even people who are healthy can make a few tweaks and the impact will be amazing," Somer says. "I’d say that 50% to 70% of suffering could be eliminated by what people eat and how they move: heart disease, diabetes, cancer, hypertension can all be impacted."

You don’t need specific foods for specific ailments. A healthy diet incorporating a variety of the following superfoods will help you maintain your weight, fight disease, and live longer. One thing they all have in common: "Every superfood is going to be a ‘real’ (unprocessed) food," Somer points out. "You don’t find fortified potato chips in the superfood category."

Top Superfoods Offering Super Health Protection

 

• Beans
• Blueberries
• Broccoli
• Oats
• Oranges
• Pumpkin
• Salmon
• Soy
• Spinach
• Tea (green or black)
• Tomatoes
• Turkey
• Walnuts
• Yogurt

Blueberries — Antioxidant Superfood

Packed with antioxidants and phytoflavinoids, these berries are also high in potassium and vitamin C, making them the top choice of doctors and nutritionists. Not only can they lower your risk of heart disease and cancer, they are also anti-inflammatory.

"Inflammation is a key driver of all chronic diseases, so blueberries have a host of benefits," says Ann Kulze, MD, of Charleston, S.C., author of Dr. Ann’s 10-Step Diet, A Simple Plan for Permanent Weight Loss & Lifelong Vitality. When selecting berries, note that the darker they are, the more anti-oxidants they have. "I tell everyone to have a serving (about 1/2 cup) every day," Dr. Kulze says. "Frozen are just as good as fresh." Be sure to include lots of other fruits and vegetables in your diet as well. Remember too that, in general, the more color they have, the more antioxidants.

Omega 3-Rich Fish — Superfoods for the Heart, Joints, and Memory

"We know that the omega 3s you get in fish lower heart disease risk, help arthritis, and may possibly help with memory loss and Alzheimer’s," Somer says. "There is some evidence to show that it reduces depression as well."

Omega-3s are most prevalent in fatty, cold-water fish: Look for wild (not farmed) salmon, herring, sardines, and mackerel. Aim for two-to-three servings a week. Other forms of omega 3s are available in fortified eggs, flax seed, and walnuts. These superfoods have the added benefit of being high in monounsaturated fats, which can lower cholesterol.

Soy — Superfood to Lower Cholesterol

A study reported in The Journal of the American Medical Association (2003) showed that a diet of soy fiber, protein from oats and barley, almonds, and margarine from plant sterols lowered cholesterol as much as statins, the most widely prescribed cholesterol medicine. "Look for tofu, soy milk, or edamame — not soy powder," says Somer. In other words, soy sauce won’t do the trick. One caveat: If you have a family history of breast cancer it is not recommended that you eat extra soy.

Fiber — Superfood Aids Weight Loss and Checks Cholesterol

A diet high in fiber will help you maintain healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels. As a bonus, because fiber helps you feel full longer, it’s a great tool in weight management. Whole grains, beans, fruit, and vegetables are all good sources. Try throwing some beans in your salad, recommends Kulze. "Fresh, frozen, or dried are the best. You can use canned, but they tend to be higher in sodium," Kulze warns.

Tea — Superfood for Lowering Cholesterol and Inhibiting Cancer

"The overall antioxidant power of black tea is the same as green tea," says Kulze, "but green tea does have ECGC, a powerful antioxidant that we really do think is quite special." A recent Japanese study on green tea found that men who drank green tea regularly had lower cholesterol than those who didn’t. Researchers in Spain and the United Kingdom have also shown that ECGC can inhibit the growth of cancer cells. For a double health whammy, replace sugary sodas with tea.

Calcium

OK, OK, you know the drill: Calcium helps build strong bones and prevents osteoporosis. Look for it in dairy products or supplements. Added bonus: Some studies show that calcium helps with weight loss. Here are the calcium levels recommended for adults by the USDA:

• Age 9 to 18 — 1,300 mg
• Age 19 to 50 — 1,000 mg
• Age 51 and over — 1,200 mg

And Finally, the Yummiest Superfood Yet … Dark Chocolate

New research has shown that dark chocolate is packed with antioxidants and can lower blood pressure. Kulze recommends that you look for chocolate with 60% or higher cocoa content; the darker, the better. In addition, the darker it is, the lower the fat and sugar content. Now that’s our kind of health food!

 

10 Unconventional Diet Tips: How to lose 50 pounds in three months

 

The following are 10 unconventional weight loss tips that worked for me. Between January 4, 2006 and March 31, 2006 I lost fifty pounds. These tips work well because almost every tip is focused around completing a small goal. In my opinion, to stay motivated and lose a significant amount of weight, you should complete many goals in a short period of time. The reason I call these tips unconventional is that I had not seen a majority of them before starting my diet

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I will start by recognizing the typical “calories in, calories out” schpeil. Yes, to lose weight you have to eat well and exercise. But there is much more to it than that, and I don’t want to spend time regurgitating ideas you’ve heard before. That brings me to the first point:

Buy a digital scale
This seems easy enough. I recommend that before starting a diet, buy a scale that is accurate to .2 (two-hundredths of a pound). I will explain why below. I also recommend either buying a scale that can record your daily weight, or manually logging your weight everyday. I bought a scale that was accurate to .2 and logged my weight at Sam’s Club for $22. It has been a great investment.

Weigh yourself everyday
You’ll find that almost every other dieter will tell you to weigh yourself only once a week. I recommend the exact opposite. I am very goal oriented and I like to see results everyday. The reason I recommend buying a scale that is accurate to the .2 is that there is a very big difference between weighting 170.8 one day and 170.0 the next day. Losing .8 pounds in one day is excellent. However, if your scale is not accurate enough to report the loss and still shows 170 after a day of healthy eating and working out, you will feel extremely discouraged. A more detailed scale makes it easier to keep a positive outlook. The more successes (days with positive weight loss) the easier it is.

Drink 8 glasses of water everyday
This one is obvious and broadly recommended, however, the reason I recommend it is slightly different. Drinking eight glasses of water per day helps you “feel less hungry.” I can’t prove this scientifically, however, when I am at work, I drink 4 cups in the morning and 4 cups in the evening. On the days that I don’t drink the water, I feel hungrier, earlier. Also, on the days I don’t drink water I feel sleepier, sooner. Don’t feel intimidated by trying to drink 8 glasses of water. Try doing what I do: I have a pint glass I keep at work, it holds sixteen ounces (as all pint glasses do). All I do is drink two pints of water in the morning and two in the afternoon.

Make your diet public
Tell people you’re on a diet. There’s no reason to be ashamed to be on a diet. I found that trying to keep my diet a secret was harder than just telling people. In fact, telling your coworkers, girlfriend, family, etc. will increase your accountability. It motivated me knowing that my coworkers and family knew that I was dieting because I did not want to fail. I also chose a typical “fat picture” and put it on my fridge, in my cubicle, and on my wall. I wanted to have a continual reminder to lose the weight. I know it’s a cliche, but it was important for me to remind myself of my ultimate goal.

I feel I should also note that although I was 50 pounds over weight, when I told people I was on a diet they often said “you don’t need to diet.” I found this surprising because I was obviously overweight. Beware that you will likely hear similar comments. I found it easier to just accept the “compliment” than to try to justify my diet to them. Remember that you are on a diet for you, and that you do not need to justify yourself.

Don’t diet on the weekends
This is another unconventional bit of advice. I was able to lose 50 pounds without dieting on the weekends. I found myself tired, depressed, and unmotivated if I tried to continue my diet into the weekend. I felt that Friday and Saturday (my weekend) was a time to celebrate 5 days of dieting. You may not find this necessary, especially in the first few weeks of a diet. However, as many weeks passed, the weekend became a time for me to celebrate my weekly successes and get myself mentally prepared for another five days of dieting. I considered it a mental recharge.

Don’t sacrifice your life for your diet
On occasion, you will find yourself unable to eat healthy. Whether this is because of lunches with your team at work, birthdays, or special occasions, there will be events that you just can’t (or don’t want to) eat healthy. A diet will feel overwhelming if you have to sacrifice special events in your life. The way I combated this was to exchange a day that I was not going to diet on the weekend. In other words, if I didn’t diet on Tuesday, for example, I would diet on Saturday, instead.

Make the small changes
This is a pretty common tip, however, I have a twist to it. Rather than giving up what most diets say you should give up (soda, coffee, beer, caffeine, etc.) just make healthier decisions. I didn’t want to give anything up, so I decided to make some changes instead. The first switch I made was switching to diet soda. Don’t worry, you’ll quickly get used to the flavor. Before I started my diet, I swore I would never drink diet soda. Now thanks to my girlfriend, diet is the only soda I drink. The second switch I made was to drinking black coffee. Cut out the sugar and creme, and you get the benefits of coffee (caffeine) without the calories. The last major switch I made was to “healthy” beer. I’m a Miller Lite drinker, however, by temporarily switching to Beck’s Premier Light (60 calories per serving) I was able to still enjoy a healthy social life while maintaining my diet.

In addition to making the small changes in your diet, make the small changes in your life: park further away, walk to the end of the train platform and get in the last car, and vow not to take an elevator for an entire week. I also found it advantageous to wear a pedometer and try to compete against myself for how far I could walk in a single day. The furthest I walked in a day was 6.5 miles. I voluntarily walked to work twice a week.

Gain perspective by understanding the fractions
Your diet is an incredibly small fraction of your life. If you live for 80 years, and dieted for four months, that would only be .42% of your life. That’s right, if you diet for four months, it will be less than one half of one percent of your life. On the other hand think of the major benefits you can get from .42% of your life. If it helps you stay motivated, count down the days starting at 120.

Rationalize your workouts
Finding the time to get to the gym can be very difficult. However a 1/2 hour workout is only 2% of your day (assuming 24 hour days). For me, the most motivating thought was comparing my workouts to sitcoms. As a huge Everybody Loves Raymond fan, every time I would sit down to watch an episode, I would remind myself that in the 1/2 hour that I was sitting and doing nothing, I could complete my daily workout.

You’ve lost the weight, what now?

Have a red flag weight
Once you’ve lost the weight, you need to keep it off. This is where the red flag comes in. You need to pick a weight and vow to never get heavier than it again. It is normal for your body to fluctuate five to ten pounds. I recommend picking a weight that is ten pounds heavier than what you “normally” weigh and never weigh more than it again.  Setting a red flag weight allowed me to keep off every pound for over 1 year.

Lastly, for the curious out there…I followed the Weight Watchers diet. I did not pay for the diet, nor did I go to meetings. I found out all the information about the diet on-line. The first place to look is at their patent.

All well known diets are available via Google Patent Search.  For the several months that I was dieting, I also gave up red meat and made sure to drink a lot of milk.  The preceding tips worked perfectly for me and they will work for you, too. Prior to creating my own diet plan, I tried to diet several times and failed every time. I swear by these weight loss tips.  What do you think of them? Do you have a tip that didn’t make my list?  Let us know in the comments.  I will be glad to answer any questions or defend any point.

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