Food Portion Sizes Critical To Successful Diet

Dec | Leave a Comment

Dieting And Food Portion Sizes

if you have been trying to lose weight lately, you are probably familiar with some of the obstacles that we all face. Sometimes, it can be difficult or impossible to figure out why a weight-loss program isn’t working. Are you eating too much fatty food? Are you not eating enough grains or vegetables? What about protein – how much of that should you eat, and what should it come from? Is it all right to eat animal products, or should you switch to tofu? All of these are questions that most dieters have to struggle with on a daily basis.

One of the most important questions, however, is one that many dieters neglect to think about enough – food portion sizes. No matter how healthy you eat, research shows that if you eat too much you simply won’t lose weight. The old myth that you can eat as much vegetables and grains as you want is rapidly losing credibility, and many weight-loss experts and gurus put food portion size as the most important factor in how much weight you can manage to take off.

The problem is that there is no one guide to portion sizes of food. There is the USDA food portion sizes guideline to look at, but this isn’t universally accepted. The government is often bureaucratic, and it can take years to update food guidelines to the latest thinking. As a matter of fact, each diet plan seems to have its own guidelines for food portion sizes.

The important thing is to find a standard and stick with it. Too many people make the mistake of trying to eyeballs food portion sizes, but this neglect some of the problems that we face in our culture. Most of us are raised in an atmosphere where more is better. Restaurants, cafeterias, and even households tend to serve up huge portions of food, so what looks normal to us might actually be except excessive.

One of my friends – a dieting expert himself – recommends this rule thumb for determining food portion sizes. If you are just starting to diet, try out a basic type of food – a plain vegetable dish, a breast of chicken, or whatever – and see how much you need to feel like you have had your fill. Roughly two thirds of that is the appropriate food portion size. When you are first starting dieting, you want to be hungry all the time. If you aren’t, you are probably eating a little too much.

Slim Fast Low Carb – Late to the game?

Dec | Leave a Comment

Just when it seemed that the low carb diet craze had finally died down, I saw a commercial on television for Slim Fast low carb shake. I guess there are many still doing this diet, but I thought they were a little late off the mark. Whatever the case, it would seem that this is a good idea if your doctor has recommended that you are on a lower-carb diet. Though these diets are not for everyone, there are some that benefit.

I have insulin resistance, and was told by my doctor that I would benefit from a low carb diet, and that it might help me avoid diabetes in the future. There are medical reasons why people like me should have a higher protein intake, but my doctor would not recommend a specific fad diet. He said that I should just have more protein than carbs. Something like Slim Fast low carb might help me out, but I don’t know if I want to buy it. I would think there are other ways that I can get what I need, but these might be great for someone who doesn’t have the time to muck around exploring their options.

The basis behind any protein type diet is that protein can help keep blood sugar levels even. The ups and downs of your blood sugar will trigger hunger. If someone wanted to add the Slim fast low carb drink to their diet, they might have one in the mid morning and on in the mid afternoon. This would help keep hunger at bay at times when someone might be searching for a snack and they feel like they have to have something to eat.

Though these Slim Fast low carb drinks can be a great help, remember that they still have calories. Those made by Slim Fast might be lower in calories, but one should never get carried away when they are adding them to their menu. If might take a few days, but the affects should be noticed rather fast. If you are still hungry after having them for a week, they might not be helping you much. Don’t expect the Slim Fast low carb drink to take away all of your hunger, but it might help you curb it, and that might be the little extra push that you need. Sometimes, that one little thing is the difference between a successful diet and yet another failure.

A Healthy Body Image Makes You Irresistible!

Dec | Leave a Comment

So many of us are unsatisfied with the body we were born with, leading to a poor self image, lack of confidence and a whole lot of unnecessary unhappiness. Teens are particularly vulnerable to this syndrome – not having a healthy body image. Let me tell you, I have yet to meet an ugly human being, with the exception of people who are constantly negative and grumpy in their outlook on life. Attitude matters, tremendously.

I’ve seen many an individual who, at first glance, is well proportioned and seemingly attractive – until they open their mouth with a sarcastic or demeaning remark. Their attitude is well reflected in facial expressions and body language. On the other hand, there are people who may not fit the description of a model or Greek statuary, but are nonetheless beautiful. Such people may have an over-inflated view of themselves and their visual attractiveness, but they cannot be said to have a healthy body image. This type uses their attractiveness as justification to treat others with disdain.

Most people start finding fault with their bodies during adolescence. “Oh, if only I had longer legs, nicer hair, a smaller nose, better looking lips, etcetera.” There’s been an ad on TV recently, describing a program where young children are confidently saying “I promise to think of myself as a beautiful person!”

Apparently, this program is responding to a growing trend of kids who are ultra sensitive to jeers and jokes from their peers regarding big knees, long arms, short legs or whatever the kids deem to be ‘out of the norm’. The program is intended to help kids develop a healthy body image. When kids tease or taunt other kids, a sensitive or insecure kid may focus obsessively on their supposed physical faults. If they are teased for being ‘fat’, they may become anorexic, simply to avoid the taunts and ‘fit in’ to their friends mold of extreme and unhealthy skinniness.

The fact is that people come in all shapes and sizes, each with their differences. Think how boring it would be if everyone you met had a body which was more or less identical to their own! Variety is the spice of life and one person is neither superior or inferior just because his feet are smaller than average, or her hair is curly rather than the currently popular string-straight hair. Having a healthy body image involves accepting your body as it is, not trying to make your body conform to today’s idea of beauty.

Some people will opt for plastic surgery to modify their body. What happens to that person’s self image when, ten years later, the beauty police do a makeover of ‘what’s beautiful’? Who knows that breast implants, for example, go the way of alligator shoes and fur coats? Will you then have a healthy body image, ‘knowing’ that you are now out of step?

One of the better approaches to a healthy body image is to make an objective analysis of your good and lesser attributes. If you’re actually overweight or underweight, do something about it! Exercise and eat right and the picture will change soon enough. When you do it for yourself, rather than to meet someone else’s expectations, you’re well on the road to a healthy body image.

Women love fashion, so take advantage of what fashion can do for you. Choose styles that flatter your body. If you think your thighs are too fat, work on the issue through exercise. In the meantime, shop for styles which deemphasize the big thighs and play up your best points. A baggy turtleneck sweater, with a hem that ends halfway to your knees, is a fashionable and comfortable solution. You’ll feel confident that no one is looking at you, judging your thighs to be enormous. Besides, whether your thighs are too large is a subjective matter. The idea is to wear clothes which make you feel good about yourself. Hey, nobody’s perfect and everybody knows it!

In Hitchcock’s classic movie, ‘The Rear Window’, one of the characters was a beautiful ballet dancer, who could hardly beat off handsome admirers. In the end, her soldier boyfriend, a short, geeky looking guy, comes home and is greeted with obvious joy and love by his ballerina. Beauty is much more than skin deep.

In the end, a healthy body image makes you happy, beautiful and irresistible!

Weight Watchers Diet Is Not For Lose Weight Fast

Dec | Leave a Comment

Finding the right weight loss diet can be pretty tough. Some people like to use a low carb diet, claiming that it helps them to lose weight much more quickly than other diet plans. Other people claim that the key is to cut down on fat and processed food. In my experience, however, the best thing to do is to find a balanced diet. I do not want to have to completely give up sweets, fats, or even processed food. I’d much rather moderate what I eat and start healthy habits that will last for the rest of my life.

Starting on the weight watchers diet was a pretty involved thing. Some diets are easier than others to start. In this particular diet, you have to keep track of everything you eat with points. There are certain weight watchers points for a slice of bread, 6 ounces of meat, or a cup of vegetables, for example. It is a complicated system which involves counting and tallying points every day, but once you get the hang of it, it is not so bad.

What I like about the weight watchers diet is that it lets me eat a bit of everything so long as I do it in moderation. If I want to eat desert on Tuesday, for example, I might have to give it up on Wednesday. If I want to have a hamburger on Thursday, I might have to eat nothing but grains and salads on Friday. Nonetheless, I get to eat at least a bit of everything I want over the course of the week.

Weight Watchers Diets are not the fastest weight loss plans. If you want to lose weight fast, you would do better using a low carbohydrate diet or maybe the Slim Fast diet plan. The advantage of a weight watchers diet over other diet plans is that it will help you to keep the weight off. It helps you to set up healthy habits that you can keep up for the rest of your life. Once you stop counting calories, you can still eat a similar proportion of fruits, vegetables, meat, and so on, and keep your health together. Staying on a severe low carb diet for years at a time, by contrast, is quite a bit harder to achieve. Once you are done dieting, you have to find a different way to eat.

Walking for Weight Loss Works

Dec | 1 Comment

Take up walking for weight loss as a pleasurable, effective adjunct to your diet plan

Anyone who wants to lose weight knows that exercise goes hand in hand with your goal. Sure, you can lose weight strictly by dieting and cutting your calories. However, if you don’t incorporate a regular exercise program into your diet plan, by the time you’ve lost the pounds, you’ll surely notice an unsightly lack of tone in a variety of places. Arms, legs and your waistline will be smaller, but skin hanging off your body in a wrinkly mess is not what you want. Without exercise, it will also take longer to reach your goal. You’ll also lose out on the benefits to your cardiovascular system.

So many dieters are adverse to the idea of exercise. Even though you may realize that a sedentary lifestyle contributed to your weight gain, you shouldn’t think of exercise as a torment. It’s easy to make excuses for why you can’t take up some form of exercise. You don’t have time. You don’t like workouts. On and on. Walking for weight loss can work for any dieter.

Did you know that walking for just 15 minutes, twice a day, can burn 400-500 calories and provide significant health benefits, particularly with your cardiovascular health? Not to mention that you’ll be toning muscles all along the way. Weight loss experts generally agree that walking for weight loss, just 4-5 days a week, provides you all of these health benefits. This also means that your 1800 calorie diet is effectively now a 1300-1400 calorie diet. Walking for weight loss is a winner!

There are so many missed opportunities that will allow you to fulfill your exercise program. If you’ve been leading a sedentary lifestyle, you probably have just not given much thought to these opportunities. We are all so used to driving everywhere, but with the price of gas a current concern, it’s far easier and economical to take short walks, save some gas money and get into shape, all at the same time.

For example, let’s say you need a quart of milk from the corner store, just a couple of blocks away. Instead of driving, walk! Going to visit your neighbor, just a short distance away? Walk! Take the stairs at work, instead of the elevator. Drive to the park and take a 15-30 minute walk. While getting your exercise, you also have a chance to enjoy the scenery. Take your dog for a walk. Go to the mall and walk from one end to the other and back. You don’t need to spend money, just window shop if you like. If you’re accustomed to driving to pick the kids up from school, consider walking if it’s not far away. This is a good way to get them in the habit of walking, too.

It’s easy to see how there are dozens of opportunities for you to implement your walking for weight loss program. In fact, it’s a good idea to make a list of such activities. Don’t use inclement weather as an excuse. Just use an indoor venue, such as the mall, an art museum or a large city library.

Almost anyone can make use of the walking for weight loss concept. You can start out walking slowly, as necessary, and build up steam over a period of weeks. You’ll get in shape in no time and reach your weight loss goal in less time.

Weight Gainers

Dec | Leave a Comment

You’ve heard of the people who’re trying to lose weight, right? They’re all over the place. It’s like I can’t turn a corner without seeing someone power-walking, eating a salad, or counting calories. We clearly live in a world full of obesity. But, these folks aren’t the only ones with a serious diet plan. There are others working hard to alter their bodies. While they may not be focused on shedding pounds, they are determined to look their best. They’re the ones struggling to gain weight. No, it’s not an urban legend; these folks do indeed exist. I should know; I’m one of them. So who’s up for some tasty weight gainer?

Supplements for packing on the pounds haven’t really been around that long. Do you think Arnold was chugging whey protein back in the 70s? Of course not. The guy probably had a crazy diet, filled with raw eggs, meat and calories galore. This was the way men built mass back then. I recently read a piece on weight gainer, and the body builder stated that he and his buddies used to chug gallons of milk back in the day. YUCK! Can you imagine working out and then heading straight for a gallon of whole milk? Gees, that doesn’t sound like a pretty picture. I would have probably hurled. Fortunately we modern-day males have weight gainer supplements to choose from. Now maybe the cows can take the day off. One of the best weight gainer supplements around is premium whey powder. This is a protein rich powder that lacks major fat content. This way you can have your cake and eat it too. I use chocolate whey protein powder as a supplement in between each meal. Each serving has about 25 grams of healthy protein. You can mix it with water, milk, juice or even yogurt. And guess what else? It doesn’t taste bad. Mix it with milk, and it’s like drinking Ovaltine.

A few other great weight gainer products on the market now are Muscle Advance nutritional shakes and Muscle Advance Weight Gainers. Both offer all the good stuff you need for muscle repair, and proper nourishment. Keep in mind that calories are crucial. You do want plenty of protein, but you also need more calories than your body uses. This way some is stored and you gain mass. Try whey protein and Muscle Advance weight gainer products and find out for yourself.

Losing Weight With Caralluma Fimbriata

Dec | 2 Comments

What You Need to Know About Caralluma Fimbriata

Caralluma fimbriata is a succulent plant, in the cactus family, that has been used as a natural appetite suppressant in India for centuries. It’s a new arrival in the family of cactii and succulent plants that are becoming increasingly popular for their appetite suppressant, and weight loss properties, as well as their ability to lower blood sugar.

Supplements made from the popular hoodia gordonii cactus from the Kalahari Desert in Africa, are, for example, growing in popularity and usage in the U.S. and Europe. Like hoodia, Caralluma fimbriata has been used to suppress appetite, and as a portable food for hunting. It is used to suppress hunger and appetite, and enhance endurance throughout India.

It is also sometimes considered a “famine food,” used during periods of famine to suppress appetite. For centuries, people in rural areas of India have eaten Caralluma fimbriata, which grows wild over various parts of the country. Caralluma fimbriata is cooked as a vegetable, used in preserves like chutneys and pickles, or eaten raw.

Caralluma fimbriata is believed to block the activity of several enzymes, which then blocks the formation of fat, forcing fat reserves to be burned. Caralluma fimbriata is also believed to have an effect on the appetite control mechanism of the brain. Ayurvedic (traditional Indian medicine) experts have noted that there are no adverse effects when using Caralluma fimbriata, and the plant has no known toxicity.

A patented, tested extract of Caralluma fimbriata has been developed and standardized by a company called Gencor. Known as “Slimaluma,” the extract delivers the plant in a concentrated form. One of the only products available in the U.S. that uses the Slimaluma formula is Country Life’s GenaSlim supplement, which combines the patented Slimaluma extract of Caralluma fimbriata with EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) from green tea. Together they reportedly have a synergistic effect on appetite control and weight loss.

In several clinical trials Slimaluma was shown to be effective in reducing body fat through appetite control. If you’re interested in trying this product for weight control, you can compare prices now from various online vendors. SourcesKhan B, et. al. “Hypogylcemic activity of aqueous extract of some indigenous plants.” Pak J Pharm Sci., 2005 Jan;18(1):62-4.

For more information visit: http://puresafediet.com/carallumaburn

3 Day Diet, Lose 10 Lbs in 3?

Dec | Leave a Comment

Everyone, it seems, is trying strange fads or ingesting crazy concoctions to lose weight or improve their health. They want a get slim quick fix, or an easy elixir of youth, or something else equally absurd instead of to take the time actually required to improve health. The latest fad is called the 3 day diet, and it claims that, by consuming what it tells you to, you can lose ten pounds in three days. Come on, what are we foolish. It tells you to eat saltine crackers, toast, eggs, tuna, coffee, tea, apples, cheese. All regular stuff, nothing magical or “high tech” in any of it, and in 3 days, you’re supposed to lose all of that weight. I have trouble believing it.

If it is true, it is probably because of the small amount you eat on the 3 day diet, and it probably is mostly “water weight.” Water weight means that what you lose is mostly water flushing out of your system, and very little body mass is actually reduced. Losing water weight is actually pretty pointless since it just means getting dehydrated. This can be dangerous, and is certainly unhealthy.

The best way to lose weight is the old, traditional way, in my opinion, although it takes a little longer. You exercise regularly, eat lots of green leafy vegetables, and also fruits in moderation, cut out processed and fatty foods, and don’t snack between meals. Also, very high carbohydrate food is not really good for your diet either as it will fill you up with calories. This is not a 3 day diet, or even a 30 day diet, but nonetheless, within a couple of months, you will be slimmer and healthier, and happier too.

There are diets that are outright dangerous. The Atkins diet, for example, works by throwing your liver into ketosis by eating nothing but lots of protein. This can cause liver damage, and in some cases, death. Nonetheless, it does make you lose weight at a high rate of speed, but once you get off it, you will probably gain the weight right back.

If you are going to get on a 3 day diet program, one thing to consider is what kind of exercise to do to supplement your dieting. Jogging is very good, but can be hard on your knees. Bike riding is a little safer on your joints in the long run. One of the best exercises, however, is swimming, because it is zero impact and exercises the whole body. Personally, I like to swim for at least half an hour every day. Nothing makes me feel healthier or more refreshed.

Child Obesity Prevention, What You Can Do

Dec | Leave a Comment

Your Role In Child Obesity Prevention

There are a lot of people in my family that are over their ideal weight. Though they are not obese, they could be. The problems with family genetics are downplayed by many, but this does make a difference. It is also about environment and eating habits. Not only should your children have good habits, you should to. If you try to get them to eat well while you do not, you are contributing to the problem rather than solving it. You want think about child obesity prevention so that you know your children are as healthy and happy as they can be as they grow to adulthood.

One surprising thing that helped with my child in regards to child obesity prevention was her watching the Wiggles on television. She loved the Wiggles, and at age six, still does – though not with the same intensity. However, they Wiggles spend a lot of time singing and talking about healthy foods, and have even occasionally touched on what happens if you have too much of the wrong thing. Through these songs and shows, my daughter learned about good eating. I am surprised today at her choices. They are usually good ones and I credit the Wiggles for that – though I would like to think I had something to do with it as well.

You are going to have a hand in child obesity prevention, even if you have the help of influences like the Wiggles. You want to have good food choices around, and offer treats only sporadically. When they want to have a snack, give them some choices, but make each of those choices healthy. They may ask for other things on occasion, but they are going to eat what you have when they are hungry enough. Children will not starve, so don’t worry about that. You have to keep going with child obesity prevention.

You have to keep an eye on what your children are getting in school. Some schools are on top of things in the way of child obesity prevention, but others are not. Schools can not fix everything, but you want to know that they are getting the right foods when they are in school. When your children are in kindergarten or even first grade, they may have to bring a snack to school. I know that my school asks that we do not send in sugary items, and I don’t. Make good choices there for the sake of child obesity prevention.

Another part of child obesity prevention has nothing at all with the foods you have your children eat or keep in your home. You have to make sure your children are up and moving each day. Some can get great programs at school for this, but some have been forced to cut physical education totally or at least shorten the program. Children have to be up and moving while eating the right foods. Those together go a long way towards child obesity prevention.

Perfect Body — What Is That Exactly?

Dec | 1 Comment

In search of the perfect body? First we must know what perfection is!

Today, our society places a great deal of emphasis on the so-called perfect body. Both men and women engage in this quest, some quite obsessively. Plenty of people work out daily at the gym, counting calories, carbs and fat as though due diligence will reveal the holy grail of the perfect body. These people may also adopt strict eating habits that allow for no excuses, eschewing food pleasures as tantamount to a great sin. With a perfectly disciplined regimen, you might just approach that perfect body, according to your own definition. However, you can spend most of your time and effort to achieve this goal and still end up dateless on Saturday night. So the quest for your imagined bodily perfection may only pay you back in vanity for your accomplishment, in wresting your physique into a pleasant view in your mirror.

This is not to say that a healthy, well nourished body should not be pursued. Exercise will tone your muscles, making you better looking, more energetic and stronger. Let’s say you inherited your Mom’s knock knees. There is absolutely no amount of exercise, dieting or any other regimen which will change that. Does this mean you don’t have a perfect body? You may think so, but maybe your boyfriend or spouse feels you’re just perfect.

Men may obsess endlessly about those elusive and prized ‘six-pack abs’ touted by the exercise machine manufacturers. Well, here’s a newsflash. Many women do not find these unnatural looking, tightly defined muscles attractive.

So how may we accurately define the perfect body? Historically, the perfect body has gone through a number of iterations and definitions, according to the times. Michaelangelo, in his desire to represent the human anatomy accurately, was a muscle definition freak, but produced nothing on the order of today’s body builders. Reubens favored a generous female form, with hips and waistlines of ample proportions, along with a good dose of fat here and there. In that day, his paintings represented the perfect body of every man’s desire. Today’s woman would be on a diet and exercise program in a heartbeat, to make the necessary corrections! Fast forward to Twiggy, of 1970s fame. This skeletal girl’s body was the goal of every female under 30.

So what’s to be learned from these examples? First, the definition of bodily perfection is truly in the eye of the beholder. If your body doesn’t match up to today’s top model or womanhood’s latest celebrity heartthrob, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to force the issue. Although you can’t change your height, proportions or bone structure, you can still look your best. Do eat healthy, do exercise and practice a moderate lifestyle. You will then have your perfect body and no one can take that away from you. You’ll be happier and have time for more substantive endeavors, such as who you are on the inside!

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