Weight Loss

By Michael McGrath

There are many different reasons why someone may want to lose weight. You may want to feel healthier, look better, fit into your old clothes or even have been advised by a medical practitioner to get in shape. However, if you are one of those people who battle constantly with your weight then you already know how hard it is to stick to a diet. In the majority of cases they just don't work!

All the current slimming pills and weight-loss fads are of extremely limited effectiveness. When you take into consideration the dangers of surgical procedures and the lack of long-term studies of new-fad diets a safe, reliable alternative is needed.

Although many claim that there are painless ways of losing weight the simple is truth is that weight-loss, like everything else worth achieving in life, requires some effort on your part. However there are techniques and tools to make your transition to health much more enjoyable and easy. A great example is the Paul McKenna famous system which was tested on British television with remarkable results. It didn't even involve hypnosis!

McKenna spent 13 years analyising the behaviours of naturally thin people in order to devise his weight-loss system and found some amazing things.

Every person has an inborn weight control mechanism, a set point that attempts to maintain a particular amount of fat on the body. Based on this premise Paul McKenna formulated his easy to use weight-loss systemwhich as I mentioned earlier had an enormous beneficial affect on the British TV viewing public. He even allowed people to eat what they wanted and they still lost massive amounts of weight!

Normally when we go on a diet we are forcing the body to adjust to a new way of eating. This is in effect resisting the powerful totally natural urges the body has to prevent energy deficit. So appetite suppressants may help to reduce these drives, and forcing a change in eating habits may retrain the body and mind into a new eating regime but the body will still has these urges because they are inherent and totally natural.

In addition many people overeat due to stress or the desire to suppress negative emotions or feelings of discomfort. Everyone knows the classic 'comfort eater'. This is why the use of self hypnosis is so effective for weight-loss because it can retrain the mind to view food, fitness and eating in more healthy ways.

However, McKenna's research shows that, if you follow your own body's natural rhythm and don't force yourself into strict eating habits or deny yourself the food you want most then you will be much more successful at losing weight. By denyng yourself certain things you set up resistance and you will make it much more difficult to stick to your weight-loss plan. The mind is tricky and I am sure you will agree that you always want something more when you know that you can't have it!

The key is to stop denying yourself the foods you really enjoy but to at them in moderation. I know this is easier said than done but McKenna has some simple yet powerful techniques to ensure your success. Basically you can eat what you want!

Stop eating once your full! Many of us, myself included, tend to keep eating after our body has sent the brian the message "right stop eating I'm satisfied". We need to learn to recognise these signs and take heed of them.

Take an extra 15 minutes of exercise a day. Spread it over the day so it is achieved in very small steps and you will be burning up more calories.

All the current slimming pills and weight-loss fads are of extremely limited effectiveness. When you take into consideration the dangers of surgical procedures and the lack of long-term studies of new-fad diets a safe, reliable alternative is needed.

Although many claim that there are painless ways of losing weight the simple is truth is that weight-loss, like everything else worth achieving in life, requires some effort on your part. However there are techniques and tools to make your transition to health much more enjoyable and easy. A great example is the Paul McKenna famous system which was tested on British television with remarkable results. It didn't even involve hypnosis!

McKenna spent 13 years analyising the behaviours of naturally thin people in order to devise his weight-loss system and found some amazing things.

Every person has an inborn weight control mechanism, a set point that attempts to maintain a particular amount of fat on the body. Based on this premise Paul McKenna formulated his easy to use weight-loss system which as I mentioned earlier had an enormous beneficial affect on the British TV viewing public. He even allowed people to eat what they wanted and they still lost massive amounts of weight!

Normally when we go on a diet we are forcing the body to adjust to a new way of eating. This is in effect resisting the powerful totally natural urges the body has to prevent energy deficit. So appetite suppressants may help to reduce these drives, and forcing a change in eating habits may retrain the body and mind into a new eating regime but the body will still has these urges because they are inherent and totally natural.

In addition many people overeat due to stress or the desire to suppress negative emotions or feelings of discomfort. Everyone knows the classic 'comfort eater'. This is why the use of self hypnosis is so effective for weight-loss because it can retrain the mind to view food, fitness and eating in more healthy ways.

However, McKenna's research shows that, if you follow your own body's natural rhythm and don't force yourself into strict eating habits or deny yourself the food you want most then you will be much more successful at losing weight. By denyng yourself certain things you set up resistance and you will make it much more difficult to stick to your weight-loss plan. The mind is tricky and I am sure you will agree that you always want something more when you know that you can't have it!

The key is to stop denying yourself the foods you really enjoy but to at them in moderation. I know this is easier said than done but McKenna has some simple yet powerful techniques to ensure your success. Basically you can eat what you want!

Stop eating once your full! Many of us, myself included, tend to keep eating after our body has sent the brian the message "right stop eating I'm satisfied". We need to learn to recognise these signs and take heed of them.

Take an extra 15 minutes of exercise a day. Spread it over the day so it is achieved in very small steps and you will be burning up more calories.

So to outline:

Naturally thin people eat whatever they want! Now this may lead you to believe that they have a higher metobolism or have been blessed with fat burning genes but the truth is much simplier and applies to everyone. Which leads us to our next point.

Naturally thin people have a different psychological view about food and fitness. This is why they can eat what they want. By changing what food means to you at a deep subconscious level you change your automatic responses to food and exercise.

Naturally thin people don't have uncontrollable food cravings. McKenna teaches that any cravings you have are merely learned behaviour and they can be unlearned. He shows how it is possible to break all cravings and re-programme your mind in just minutes

If you follow these simple steps, as outlined in this article, you are guaranteed success and a new healthy, fit body.

Michael McGrath is the owner of several successful Internet businesses, a university computer graduate and he has over 21 years experience with personal development and self help. More information is avilable at personal development or self hypnosis.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_McGrath

Posted by Orce37 at 7:26 AM | Permalink | Comments

By Donovan Baldwin

What on earth does water have to do with weight loss? Actually, a lot more than you previously imagined.

Are you aware that some studies have shown that your brain cannot distinguish between hunger and thirst? Sometimes when your body is telling you that you are thirsty, your brain may be hearing that you are hungry. So what do you do? You put food in your mouth when a glass of water might have been sufficient. Most food has calories, most water doesn't. Simple equation. 'Nuff said on that topic.

By the way, ever wake up in the middle of the night and crave a snack? Nine times out of ten, a glass of water will do the trick. I know, I didn't believe it either until I tried it. It really works!

Tissue, muscle, cells, even blood are all comprised to a large per cent of water. When your brain starts getting signals that water is needed...well, remember the confusion factor mentioned above? We eat something instead of giving our body what it really craves and needs! Your entire body works much better, by the way, when the fluid levels are kept up where they need to be.

BUT I DRINK LOTS OF LIQUID AND STILL GAIN WEIGHT!

Sure you do, but what KIND of liquid. I won't even talk about sodas, coffee, or tea sweetened with sugar. I'm going to assume that you already know that sugar is not the way to go if you want to lose weight, but what about the artificially sweetened drinks?

Did you know...

ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS CAN CAUSE YOU TO GAIN WEIGHT?

Some studies have shown that using artificial sweeteners can contribute to weight gain in at least two ways.

First, there is the confusion factor. When you use artificial sweeteners, you, and your brain, become confused about the calorie content of the food you eat. You may actually find yourself eating more in an effort to satisfy an internal urge or interpretation, and this urge may be related to the assumed "fact" that the sweet soda you just drank didn't have that many calories, so neither does this cinnamon roll. Actually, before artificial sweeteners, our bodies and brains were pretty good at relating calorie content to food based on the sweetness.

A WORD FOR PARENTS!

Our bodies' understanding of "sweetness" and the development of the internal calorie estimating apparatus mentioned above apparently occurs in childhood. Early use of artificial sweeteners could cause the grown-up years later to ingest more of sweet foods than they should.

The second way in which artificial sweeteners may contribute to weight gain is what could be called...

THE SUGAR TRAP!

Your body is a complicated device which has developed a huge number of inter-related, synergistic, stimulus sensing and automatic response mechanisms. It has learned to begin things happening inside when something sweet is detected. The digestive system is prepared to receive a certain type of fuel...which it welcomes! When you ingest food or drink which has been artificially sweetened, all your little hormones, glands, cells, and systems begin asking, "What's going on?" Like prisoners in an old movie, they start rattling their tin cups and yelling out, "FEED ME!" Oh yeah, that was the plant in "Little Shop Of Horrors", wasn't it?

Anyway, your internal messengers are now not very happy, nor will they be until you send down some calories for them to munch on. See the trap? It reminds me of when I managed a restaurant when people would order a salad and diet drink and then smother the salad in high-calorie, high-fat dressing and have ice cream for dessert. Get the picture.

WAIT! IT MIGHT EVEN BE WORSE!

Artificial sweeteners are much sweeter than ordinary sugar, and that's why you can sweeten a cup of coffee with one little white pill. However, there are some studies which indicate that artificial sweeteners become somewhat addictive. If that isn't bad enough, this brings us to one of the most popular drugs in America...

CAFFEINE

Even though a lot of people who want to lose weight are drinking artificially sweetened drinks, a lot of these drinks - coffee, tea, sodas - contain caffeine. Caffeine is a diuretic. It dehydrates you, causing your body to lose water. Remember, water = good. When you are dehydrated, low on internal liquid, your metabolism slows down. This means your body gets by on fewer calories and stores the rest as fat. Think it through: You get dehydrated, you get thirsty. You just drank a cup of tea, coffee, or soda, so you can't be thirsty, can you? Since your brain can't really tell the difference between hunger and thirst signals, it tells you to eat something when all that's really going on is that you need a drink of water.

SO WHAT CAN YOU DO?

1. Substitute water for most of the other stuff you're drinking.

2. "Buy" your artificially sweetened drinks. My wife came up with this idea, but I have seen it used in other contexts as well. If you drink an artificially sweetened drink and/or one with caffeine, buy it back with at least an equivalent sized drink of water. Eight ounces of coffee? Follow it with eight ounces of water.

3. Is water boring for you? Then try flavoring your water with lemon or something else. Use herbal teas that have their own flavor and might not even need to be sweetened.

4. Include soups and juices in your diet. These are high liquid content. Just be aware that while nutritionally better for you than diet drinks or drinks with caffeine, they DO contain calories.

5. Can't do without sweetened drinks? Try stevia. This is a natural food additive available online and at most health food stores. While it has a sweetening effect, the FDA does not allow it to be called or marketed as a sweetener. Due to its chemical makeup, it does not seem to produce the cravings for more food as do other non-sugar sweeteners. I read that in a book, but I tried Stevia and that's how it worked for me. I was drinking four to eight cups of coffee sweetened with artificial sweeteners a day, and munching tons of snacks as I drank the coffee! I started using stevia, and the desire for constant snacking went away. I will warn you, while technically VERY sweet, it does have an acquired taste. I figure if I could get used to it, anybody could. It's the only sweetener in our house now.

Donovan Baldwin is a Dallas area writer. A graduate of the University Of West Florida (1973) with a BA in accounting, he is a member of Mensa and has held several managerial positions. After retiring from the U. S. Army in 1995, he became interested in internet marketing and developed various online businesses. He has been writing poetry, articles, and essays for over 40 years, and now frequently publishes articles on his own websites and for use by other webmasters. He has blogs on the subjects of weight loss and health, hybrid cars and alternative fuels, and internet marketing and related business topics.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donovan_Baldwin

Posted by Orce37 at 12:54 AM | Permalink | Comments

By Steve Hill

Are you on the look out for a successful weight loss program or for a diet that works. This article gives free tips on how to lose those excess pounds, I hope you enjoy the read.

My name is Steve Hill and I have had many problems with my weight throughout my life. I must admit that I was basically fat up until a few years ago. I was not happy being over-weight and it certainly affected my confidence and self esteem. I eventually decided that I had had enough and went about finding a way of obtaining a weight that I would be happy and comfortable with.

I was aware that most people would advise me to alter my eating habits, I was the kind of person why enjoyed eating fatty types of foods, especially all forms of fast food, especially pizzas and chips. They would also probably advise me to a join a gym, however I believed that I would not feel comfortable in gyms as they seem to be full of of thin people.

I considered and read about lots of weight loss programs but eventually decided that I needed my own form of diet.

I was not prepared to give up all of my favourite foods and this was my plan:

For breakfast I would eat something which most people would class as healthy food, which would be cerial or toast. I would have a fairly light lunch, such as a sandwich, however for my evening meal I decided that I could eat whatever I wanted. The main thing and most difficult to implement would be the fact that I could no longer eat between meals. The snacks had to go!. I am not trying to say that this was easy to do, however I had a need and was determined to lose the weight.

For exercise I decided to leave the car at home, wherever possible, and walk far more than I ever had done. I also started taking my children to the park at least twice a week. At the park we would play games such as football, cricket and baseball. It is amazing how much weight you can lose by having fun.

Stephen Hill has a number of websites including:

http://www.natural-treatment.co.uk
http://www.dementia-symptom.co.uk
http://www.multiple-sclerosis-symptom.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_Hill

Posted by Orce37 at 1:43 AM | Permalink | Comments

By Willie Jones

The majority of people that try various diets and exercise to lose weight fail. Why? Because they are missing out on the most important reason that they can’t lose the weight or how to prevent the diet yoyo. The standard line you get is that you need to diet and exercise to get results, and for some people, especially the younger generation, this works. But for a huge number of the population this is just not going to work, try as they may.

The missing factor in a successful weight loss program is the cleansing of your colon. If you are not familiar with colon cleansing then this may sound like an odd statement to make. But, consider this; a backed up colon will not only prevent weight loss, but will also cause a whole host of other symptoms such as:

- Always tired and sluggish

- Interrupted sleep

- Weight gain

- Aches and pains

- Premature wrinkling of the skin

- Unexplained skin rashes

- Constipation or diarrhea

- Bloating and gas

- Menstrual cramping

- Headaches

These are only some of the symptoms of a clogged toxic colon. What does this have to do with weight loss?

In a normally functioning colon, the food we ingest gets broken down, nutrients are absorbed in the small and large intestine, the friendly flora produce b-vitamins and nutrients are sent to the rest of the body where all the cells are fed. This normal function produces the hormones we need and keeps the metabolism high and allows for weight management. The problem with today’s environment is that it is toxic from all the chemicals, pesticides and pollutants we are bombarded with on a constant basis.

Another huge factor is mans craving to change things all the time and that includes food. In the name of profit, the food industry is reinventing food and changing them from their natural wholesome form and adding preservatives, dyes and coloring which dramatically alter the foods we eat. It creates great profit, and the shareholders are happy, but this is at the expense of our health.

All you need to do is look around you at Americans and the answer is there for all to see. We are an obese, tired nation. Foods such as white flour, rice, pastas, dairy products, hormone filled meats and sliced meats full of sodium nitrates and processed food wreak havoc with our digestive system.

The food we eat should be digested and eliminated in 2 to 3 days, but with processed food it can take 5 to 6 days.

Undigested food starts clogging in your large intestine making it difficult for it to absorb the nutrients you need. As you get further backed up this material becomes toxic and hard making it very difficult to eliminate. You could literally have 4 to 20 pounds of old fecal matter and a narrowing of the passage so that future eliminations become difficult and constipation sets in.

When you eat the typical American diet you may feel full but may be starving for real nutrients. If the diet remains poor, the intestines remain clogged and the body becomes desperate to eliminate toxic buildup. It put tremendous stress on the liver and kidneys and can even manifest itself by trying to get rid of toxins through the skin and odd unexplained rashes appear. Premature wrinkling can occur and metabolism slows making it difficult to lose weight.

If you want to lose weight, get healthy, look and feel better, then do a good colon cleanse first. Take care of the toxic build up and you may feel like a million bucks. You’ll then lose weight, and if you eat the right foods, drink a lot of water and exercise; you should be able to reach your goal. (It would not hurt to follow with a liver and kidney cleanse)!

Disclaimer: The above is offered as information only and is not meant to diagnose or treat any disease. Always consult a qualified health care practitioner before attempting any detox program.

Willie Jones is an author/researcher who is dedicated to helping people find the resources, books, news and information on health and wellness.
http://www.cleanbodydetox.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Willie_Jones

Posted by Orce37 at 12:39 PM | Permalink | Comments

By Nazima Golamaully

These days many people don’t have the time to go to a club
to do push-ups and crunches. And many are not ready to pay
the extra bucks for equipment they don’t use. So the trend
is to set up your own home gym, where you not only have the
option of getting only the equipment which is necessary for
you but you can also enjoy your privacy.

Bowflex, with its years of experience and know-how could be
your ideal partner when it comes to setting up your fitness
centre in your home. There have been rumors about Bowflex
being all hype and little substance. Well, they are rumors.
In fact Bowflex is value for money.

What you get is proper toning of your muscles and a figure
to envy. With its benches and bars it reduces the flab in
your body in almost no time and what you get within weeks is
a perfectly shaped body. With such amazing results very few
clients ever shift to any other equipment.

There is also this allegation that Bowflex equipment is
expensive. But such allegations are completely baseless. The
amount you have to dish out for a Power Pro model is all but
$999. What you get in return is over 6o different styles of
exercise. If you plan to make an entire home gym by buying
the pieces of equipment separately, you will run up bills
much more than what you are paying for one Bowflex. So it
cannot be said to be expensive but it could appear so only
because you think that all you are getting is one machine.
But what you are actually getting is over sixty different
types of exercises.

Now you would be wondering if it is really possible to do sixty exercises in one machine. But it is the truth. And
doing those exercises will help you tone up your entire
body, from your arms and legs to your chest and shoulders
and abdominal muscles. And if you want to, you can have
special attachments for your model so that you can make your
exercises even more effective. However, such attachments are
not required initially and the basic Power Pro model
provides you with enough options.

Instead of using weights for resistance, Bowflex uses
composite bars that work on a system of pulleys. The basic
model offers you a resistance of up to 210 lbs that can be
upgraded in higher end models. Don’t be worried if you see
your bars bending cause that is what actually needs to
happen. However you wouldn’t be complaining of them breaking
or cracking. And even if they do break, you always us the
lifetime warranty to fall back on which Bowflex offers you
for your power rods.

One great thing about Bowflex is the little space it
requires. It can easily fit into your apartment and is ideal
for small spaces. Even moving it around is a piece of cake,
as you can fold it and just pull it on its wheels.

For a comprehensive guide to choosing, buying, setting up, using and maintaining your own home gym visit http://www.CompleteHomeGym.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nazima_Golamaully

Posted by Orce37 at 12:50 AM | Permalink | Comments

By Sacha Tarkovsky

Losing weight is the first part of the battle. The second part is keeping it off permanently.

Many people can knock weight off short term then put it right back on. This article will give you 8 tips to keep the weight off permanently.

Many peoples diets are to strict and they restrict food groups that can be eaten and this lack of choice causes them to give up.

Also, many diets simply don’t make you feel healthy and people give up due to lack of energy, nausea etc

Keeping on track for long term weight loss

Lets say you have lost weight and are waning on a diet, here are 8 tips to help you keep the weight off longer term, which can be incorporated into ANY sensible diet.

1. Eat breakfast.

Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day.

Your body has been deprived of nourishment for up to 8 hours; at breakfast you re fuel your body giving you energy that sets you up for the day and curbs hunger pangs later on.

More than 80% of dieters who achieve long term weight loss eat breakfast, so this is very good advice.

2. Eat greens.

Fruits and vegetables are low in calories high in water and fiber, both of which make you feel full for longer.

Aim for five servings a day, this is not as difficult as it sounds, as there are plenty of foods to choose from.

If you are in a hurry, buy green foods supplement and dilute with fruit juice for a quick nourishing snack.

3. Eat naturally

It really is common sense which foods are good and bad for you.

If you eat as naturally as you can and avoid foods with lots of additives and processing you are on the right track for long term weight loss.

4. Don’t be too hard on yourself

People who keep weight off have learned to treat themselves and not be too hard on themselves.

Eating a Pizza or burger every now and again, is not going to make you suddenly jump hugely in weight.

A treat such as this 2 or 3 times a week will not harm you at all, so long as you are sensible with the rest of your diet.

The reason many people give up dieting is simply it is to demanding in terms of what they can eat, but the reality is it does not have to be in the first place.

Proper long term weight loss and maintance is exactly that, a long term process.

The occasional treat is essential, so forget about all the foods you can never eat again, you can!

5. Have healthy convenience food

It is to easy with our hectic lifestyles to simply grab burgers, fast food, microwave meals when were in a hurry.

Make sure you have quick healthy foods in the cupboard instead.

For example, tinned fish such as salmon, sardines or Tuna are ideal.

Simply add over a baked potato with some vegetables and you have a quick meal in a matter of minutes.

6. Eat 5 times a day

Eat regular and often, five times a day to prevent insulin spikes and hunger cravings. This way you will always feel full and more energetic.

7. Eat protein and carbohydrate together

Always try and eat carbohydrate and protein together at every meal.

Protein stabilizes insulin levels, which leads to steady energy throughout the day. One more benefit, eating protein has been shown to reduce your appetite.

Protein and carbohydrate work together so should be eaten together for long term health.

8. Drink water

Yes, you have heard it numerous times before:

Drink 2 liters of water per day to help with long term weight loss

Many of our hunger pangs are really thirst pangs so reach for the water first. Also water is essential in the fat buring process so make sure you get plenty each day.

Long term weight loss be realistic and sensible

The above is really common sense and allows you flexibility and choice in your eating habits.

To achieve long term weight loss incorporate the above in your diet and you will find it easier to stick with a diet as well as feeling healthy and more energetic.

For more weight loss tips and diet advice

Go to our website for free articles, ezines and newsletters visit:

http://www.net-planet.org/health.html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Sacha_Tarkovsky

Posted by Orce37 at 4:01 AM | Permalink | Comments