Archive for January, 2010
Weight Loss With PCOS
They say that those people who have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) are often considered obese and find it really hard to lose any kind of weight without considerable effort.
Of course it is hard, but it’s hard for everyone and using PCOS, as an excuse for not being able to lose weight is not a great start! You have to believe in yourself and believe that you can lose the weight you want to, you just have to keep yourself motivated and remember that just because you aren’t losing as much as your friends are or as much as you think is normal, you will lose weight.
I know this because I have PCOS and I have succeeded in losing weight!
There are many diets that are recommended for those with PCOS and they differ from the average diet for people with normal metabolism and insulin resistance. PCOS sufferers need a specialized diet and if you cannot seem to find something that works for you, think along the lines of what a diabetic would do to lose weight, our bodies and theirs are very similar, with PCOS you also may have diabetes.
Low carbohydrate diets such as Atkins are a great place to start and will kick start your weight loss with a bang, normal weight loss on these diets is up to 10kgs in the first 4 weeks, of course this totally depends on your body and how it reacts to carbohydrates being reduced.
Atkins however is not recommended for the long term, I followed Atkins strictly for 4 weeks and lost 6 kgs, after this 4 week period I started bringing back some carbohydrates and followed what is known as a Low GI diet.
A low GI diet are foods that are considered to have a low glycemic index, this means that they are low in sugar and or carbohydrates and are foods which are processed by your body slower than those which are high in sugar.
Foods with a high GI are those that pick you up and leave you with a general high feeling but then moments later drop you back down again making you feel hungrier than before and then you eat, you gain weight and you end up where you are today.
Following a diet however is not enough, there is also the dreaded exercise, all this means is a simple walk for around 30 minutes up to three times a week, when this becomes to easy, increase your pace or increase the length of time you walk for.
There are also many low impact exercises like Yoga which when first starting to lose weight are great as you don’t have to exert to much pressure onto your body but you are also keeping yourself active, I found that yoga three times a week for 40 minutes made me feel alive and also I am sure assisted the weight loss process.
Just remember that its not easy and that it wont all happen at once, it takes time and commitment to an eating plan, a diet that you eat the required foods for a month and then go back to the old way of eating wont work, you need to understand that for people with PCOS it’s a lifestyle change.
ur bodies cant process carbohydrates and sugar like other people, you need to limit them for the rest of your life. Be real about your weight loss, don’t expect too much and keep on going till you are happy with you. GOOD LUCK!
Is Fast Weight Loss the Solution?
Nowadays, it has become a necessity to keep oneself in shape, not only for aesthetic purposes, but for medically related purposes as well. The best way to lose weight and keep it off would be through a well balanced diet and a regular exercise routine. Despite this common knowledge, a lot of people are still opting to go for fast weight loss strategies.
There are a lot of products in the market today that guarantee fast weight loss in a limited amount of time. Now, some of these products may hold true, however, the results that you get do not always last long. Before going into more of these fast weight loss products, it would be better to know some facts such as the most number of pounds a person can safely lose in a single week. An average individual can lose between one to two pounds a week through a healthy diet and exercise. This number of pounds is safe, smart, and healthy. Losing more than this amount in a single week may mean you are losing muscle instead of fat which is not very healthy in the long run.
Fast weight loss products promise results fast; however not all of these products are guaranteed to work. And most, if not all of them, have some serious side effects. The use of some of these diet pills may disrupt your metabolism. Diet pills and supplements have also been found to cause digestive problems, heart palpitations and other serious problems such as heart attacks.
The safest and healthiest way to lose weight is to do it properly – through exercise and a proper diet. If you want to facilitate faster weight loss, do it the natural way instead of spending your hard earned cash on fast weight loss products. Here are a few tips to help hasten weight loss:
- Drink a lot of water. Drinking up to eight glasses in a single day is recommended.
- Eat organic foods for breakfast. Good examples would be apples, bananas, yogurt, carrots, tomatoes, and so forth.
- Go for a walk. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Take your dog for a walk around the neighborhood. Try to increase the amount of physical activity you do on a day to day basis.
- Have your last meal of the day at least 4 to 5 hours before going to bed.
- Engage in regular exercise and have a nutritious diet plan – stick to it!
- Stay away from soda and other carbonated drinks. These contain empty calories and will in no way help in your weight loss endeavors.
- Pay attention to what you eat and the amount of food you eat. Control your portions.
- Eat slowly. Eating at a slower pace can have you feeling full and may ultimately reduce the amount of food you eat in every meal.
These are only tips to help facilitate fast weight loss and are not guaranteed to make you lose weight in short periods of time. Remember, proper and effective weight loss takes time – there is no fast and easy solution.
Weight Loss – Don’t Quit Now!
You can ask anyone who has ever tried losing weight and they will all tell you the same thing, weight loss isn’t easy. In fact, losing weight is one of the most difficult things to do in life. One of the ultimate keys to success though is to not quit. Here are 3 quick tips to help you along the way.
Not giving up on a weight loss program or new diet plan is a lot easier said than done. I know that all too well myself from the years of struggling to find a diet I could actually stick with.
But, you can lose the weight you want to lose if you will follow a few simple guidelines and believe in yourself. I know it works because I’ve done it. After years of trying, I finally managed to find the right diet plan and the faith in myself to make it work. It’s helped me lose 38 pounds and be able to keep it off.
1. Relax – Losing weight with any weight loss plan is going to take time. If you see a diet that tells you that you will lose 25 pounds in your first week, run from it. Crash diets will not do it for you. Instead, be willing to give things time. Don’t let yourself get caught up in the hype. If you lose 5 pounds in your first 2 weeks on a new weight loss program then that is great! Just stick with it.
2. Make a commitment to yourself that you are not going to quit. Write it out and post it on your refrigerator or bathroom mirror. It may sound funny, but it helps. It will be a constant reminder to you of why you are wanting to change your life.
3. Get some exercise – No matter what anyone tries to say differently, you have to get some exercise every week in any weight loss program. It can be as simple as walking for 30-45 minutes 4-5 times a week.
Walking will not only help you lose weight, but it also puts you in a healthy mindset. You begin feeling better about yourself and about losing weight. You’ll begin to see things in a more positive light. It’s really amazing at the many benefits something as simple as walking can do.
If you can bring these 3 tips with in starting a weight loss or diet program, your chances of success are almost guaranteed. Don’t quit! You really can lose weight and feel better.
5 Practical Steps to Natural Weight Loss
You can try out just about any diet plan on the market, and the one thing that rings true with all effective weight loss plans is the fact you have to modify your current lifestyle if you want to lose weight.
It may mean increasing your current activity level, changing your menu, and cutting back on your calories. But there is no magic cure for weight loss that doesn’t involve some work on your part.
The five steps listed below are steps you can take to take off the pounds naturally.
Step 1: Calculate Your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
Your BMR will tell you know how many calories you need if you want to maintain your current weight.
Nutritionist can help you with a personal calculation, or you can use a generic, free online service. So if you need to consume 2,200 each day to maintain your current weight, try cutting back your daily intake by 300 and see if you even notice the missing calories.
Your physician or doctor can also help make a recommendation for you based on your height and current weight.
Step 2: Keep a Food Diary
If you want to lose one pound a week, you’ll want to consume 3,500 calories less or burn enough calories that you create a calorie deficit. Step 3 Create an activity journal
Log the frequency of your exercise, the time spent, intensity level and the specific activities. I’ve said it in other articles, but it bears repeating…vary the intensity of your workouts and the activities. You may want to take aerobic classes a few times a week, then supplement the other days with walking or weight training, depending what your overall fitness goals are.
Step 4: Determine Your Burned Calories
Using your activity journal as a guide, determine your burned calories. Remember that lean muscle mass uses your food fuel more efficiently, but the heavier you are, the faster your metabolism is working. If you need to burn more calories, lengthen the time of your workouts, add more days to the week, or increase the intensity.
Step 5: Evaluate Your Progress
You need to evaluate your progress every 6 weeks or so. You should expect to lose between 1-2 pounds each week if you are on a natural weight loss program that simply cuts calories and increases activity. If using a product or supplement to aid you in your weight loss, you can expect to speed these results a bit.
Extra Tip: Remember that you don’t want to starve yourself. Depriving yourself not only leaves you less likely to stick with a diet plan, but it forces your body to cling on to the calories you do consume.
Get started with Step 1 and remember, changing your life through diet and exercise is one of the best things you can do to ensure a long and happy life.
Natural Weight Loss with Success
Weight loss can be both beneficial as well as dangerous if not done correctly with your health as your number one concern. Instead of searching for a short term solution for their weight problems, more and more people are beginning to see the benefits of natural weight loss and what it can do for your overall health as well.
If you are considering turning towards the natural side of weight loss than you have no doubt been struggling with different weight loss products and programs for years. If you are ready to commit to long term results and a weight loss program that works, the natural way is waiting for you.
It is true that losing weight the natural way is much more difficult than committing to a fad diet for a few weeks at a time. Natural weight loss means you are making the conscious decision to change your lifestyle and begin living more healthy throughout every aspect of your life. This is the only way to achieve permanent weight loss. Let’s go through the top 10 natural ways to lose weight.
* Walking 30 minutes a day
* Eat smaller, healthier meals but more frequently
* Avoid fast food and junk food as a rule
* Cut down on caffeine as much as you can
* Do not skip breakfast, even just a granola bar is better than nothing
* Intense exercise 1-2 hours per week
* Drink lots of water (8-10 glasses a day)
* Eating hot and spicy foods can increase your metabolism by up to 40% (assuming you don’t have food allergies)
* Increase your fiber intake
* Never skip meals
There are hundreds of different variations of these suggested methods because when you choose to commit to the work it takes to lose weight naturally, you never run out of exercise options.
Skipping meals is perhaps one of the biggest misconceptions about losing weight and is the worst thing you can do. While fasting and variations of it can have it’s place in a solid weight loss program, consistent calorie restriction will cause you to decrease your metabolism. That’s not good.
You can see how this can be a dangerous cycle to get into and it is far from healthy. On the complete opposite end of the scale, you should actually be eating more frequently, but smaller meals. This will help you to increase your metabolism, thus also increasing your bodies’ ability to burn ever increasing amounts of fat.
Losing weight the natural way may not be as simple and quick as the fad diets and lose weight quick schemes but they are far more successful and quite simply the only healthy way to lose weight. These methods listed above help you keep the weight off while still enjoying the foods and activities you love.
By simply adjusting your schedule and busy lifestyle you can fit in a yoga class once a week and attend the gym for some running or walking through your neighborhood at night. There is no need to run for hours or lift weights until you can’t feel your arms, over working out is not healthy either. Consistency is the key. Find the happy medium that fits you and your life and maintain this routine as long and often as you can. Enjoy the benefits of a new healthy lifestyle and the weight loss you have been waiting for will become more and more apparent.
Finding It Hard To Lose Weight? Here Are The Best Weight Loss Tips!
Doesn’t it feel like wherever you go, there are always those skinny people who seem to be either completely blessed or just know something you don’t? They eat everything and anything they want but still look great, no weight gain or anything without even having to work at it. Instead, you work your butt off!
Watch what you eat, workout for hours on end and still, you either don’t lose the weight, or worse, you continue to gain weight! Wouldn’t you want to look and feel the way those skinny people do? Wouldn’t you want to be able to strut around with a perfect, lean and sexy body?
I can already tell that your answer is a loud YES! Read on to find the best kept secrets to healthy weight loss:
1. Plan – you should always plan your weeks out with your meals and exercise. It doesn’t have to be extremely detailed. Just make sure you set aside time for both. It will help you greatly when it comes time to do them during the week.
2. Exercise – working out is so important to fat and weight loss! But ignore what those “experts” say. You do NOT need to workout for 1 hour each day, 5 days a week. The key to working out is to make sure you are pushing your body and increasing your heart rate. That might mean jogging on the treadmill for 15 minutes, 3 days a week or weight lifting for 30 minutes, 4 days a week. The goal is to break a sweat by increasing your heart rate.
3. Eat more small meals more often – yes, eat more often but make them small meals. When you are working out, your body will need more nutrients to sustain the extra work. Eating small meals 4-6 times a day will help build your metabolism and curb your cravings. But make sure the foods you eat are high in nutrients!
4. Cut yourself some slack – the occasional not-that-great-for-you snack is okay but make sure it is a rare occasion. It’s important to allow yourself a little room in your workout/nutrition routine because it keeps you away from caving in to your cravings completely. But, again, make sure your occasional snacks are very occasional.
5. Stick to it – your workouts and great eating habits should be daily things, to the point where it is deeply part of your life. But if on the occasional day or holiday, you “forget” about the gym, don’t stress. Get back to everything next time through. It’s important to keep your goals and plan in mind always because you will see those results you want even sooner and it will be easier to stay focused.
6. Water is your friend – keep yourself hydrated! During and after your workouts, make sure to drink lots of water. Make sure to drink lots of water throughout a regular day. Water is a great “filter” for your body because it whisks away the toxins in your body. It is a crucial part of healthy eating habits.
Now you know the secrets to weight loss. Pretty simple, right? Make sure to stick to your goals and keep your end result in sight. Pretty soon, you’ll be able to strut around just like those skinny people who also know the secret to fat loss!
Beneficial Weight Loss Program
Any body reading this article most probably is overweight and planning to start a successful weight loss program. There are a number of weight loss programs, some of these programs are beneficial and some caused more problems then benefits. Starting any weight loss program, it’s necessary to consult experts and make sure that the program will suit your body or not.
In most of the weight loss programs the best part is that you will most certainly lose weight if you follow the program. However it’s difficult to maintain the weight, as most of the people get overweight fast after discontinuing the weight loss program.
It is advised to consult a health expert before starting a weight loss program. If a program of losing weight is beneficial for one person may not suitable for another person. The metabolism of each person is different. You should not use programs that promise fast weight loss as it could prove to be harmful. The right program is the one which lose 2 to 3 pounds a week. Losing 2 pounds per week consistently, you will not only be a lot thinner and fit after some weeks but also most certainly stay that way.
Acomplia a weight loss drug is popular almost all over the world. A little dieting and exercise with Acomplia not only lose your weight consistently but also cure obesity. Acomplia is also used for combating smoking. Acomplia also has the benefits to combat alcohol. It also helps in balancing cholesterol. Acomplia also reduces extra fat and get you in to shape. For a successful weight loss program I personally recommend a little exercise, a little dieting and Acomplia as a weight loss drug.
Buy Acomplia and have a successful weight loss program.
Some Important Weight Loss Reviews You May Want to Read
With the advent of the internet and the improvements in medical sciences overweight people have access to a lot of beneficial knowledge that can help them in the process of losing weight. This includes especially formulated diet programs which have been clinically proven to be both safe and effective. A simple review of these diet programs will enlighten the reader as to the pros and cons of the different diet programs available.
This diet is known to be a low glycemic and low saturated fat diet. The general food items that you will be consuming on this diet include lean meat, chicken, , nuts, most vegetables, low glycemic carbohydrates, seafood, eggs, low fat dairy foods artificial sweeteners. Basically this diet is a progressive strategy that involves three phases. First it will eliminate carbohydrates from your body then it will reintroduce them in a balanced manner and lastly it will help you maintain the weight loss.
Pros
Cons
This diet program makes use of a daily points system and balanced nutrition. There is no special category of foods that you will be eating in this diet rather there is a counting system that you have to follow for every kind of food and an upper limit of points that you can consume in a day. Additional assistance is provided in the form of weekly support groups. The program requires lifestyle changes and healthy eating.
Pros
Cons
This is a low carbohydrate and high fat diet. It has a definite list of items that you will be eating which include red meat, chicken and turkey, seafood, eggs, oil, nuts, some vegetables that do not contain a lot of starch, high fat dairy foods like cheese, butter, and cream and artificial sweeteners. Induction, weight loss and maintenance are the three phases of this diet.
Pros
Cons
This is a unique diet program with packaged foods and weekly visits. You will be eating from a special line of packaged foods by Jenny Craig which is the central focus of the program. You will slowly make a transition towards real foods. Weekly consultations along with the prepackaged foods are the key elements of this program.
Pros
Cons
The Best Tips to Easy and Real Weight Loss
Doesn’t it feel like wherever you go, there are always those skinny people who seem to be either completely blessed or just know something you don’t? They eat everything and anything they want but still look great, no weight gain or anything without even having to work at it. Instead, you work your butt off!
Watch what you eat, workout for hours on end and still, you either don’t lose the weight, or worse, you continue to gain weight! Wouldn’t you want to look and feel the way those skinny people do? Wouldn’t you want to be able to strut around with a perfect, lean and sexy body?
I can already tell that your answer is a loud YES! Read on to find the best kept secrets to healthy weight loss:
1. Plan – you should always plan your weeks out with your meals and exercise. It doesn’t have to be extremely detailed. Just make sure you set aside time for both. It will help you greatly when it comes time to do them during the week.
2. Exercise – working out is so important to fat and weight loss! But ignore what those “experts” say. You do NOT need to workout for 1 hour each day, 5 days a week. The key to working out is to make sure you are pushing your body and increasing your heart rate. That might mean jogging on the treadmill for 15 minutes, 3 days a week or weight lifting for 30 minutes, 4 days a week. The goal is to break a sweat by increasing your heart rate.
3. Eat more small meals more often – yes, eat more often but make them small meals. When you are working out, your body will need more nutrients to sustain the extra work. Eating small meals 4-6 times a day will help build your metabolism and curb your cravings. But make sure the foods you eat are high in nutrients!
4. Cut yourself some slack – the occasional not-that-great-for-you snack is okay but make sure it is a rare occasion. It’s important to allow yourself a little room in your workout/nutrition routine because it keeps you away from caving in to your cravings completely. But, again, make sure your occasional snacks are very occasional.
5. Stick to it – your workouts and great eating habits should be daily things, to the point where it is deeply part of your life. But if on the occasional day or holiday, you “forget” about the gym, don’t stress. Get back to everything next time through. It’s important to keep your goals and plan in mind always because you will see those results you want even sooner and it will be easier to stay focused.
6. Water is your friend – keep yourself hydrated! During and after your workouts, make sure to drink lots of water. Make sure to drink lots of water throughout a regular day. Water is a great “filter” for your body because it whisks away the toxins in your body. It is a crucial part of healthy eating habits.
Now you know the secrets to weight loss. Pretty simple, right? Make sure to stick to your goals and keep your end result in sight. Pretty soon, you’ll be able to strut around just like those skinny people who also know the secret to fat loss!
The Essential Healthy Weight Loss Tips for All Dieters
Every weight loss program has its minor differences here and there so it is easy for people to find one that works the best for them. But with all of these different programs, there are some principles that should be present as the foundation for all of these weight loss programs, especially since the majority, if not all, of the weight loss programs available keep advertising that you can lose weight super quick.
My personal belief is based in natural health so I believe that any changes you make, weight loss or anything else, should be done safely, no matter how fast or slow you go about it. So here are the core fast weight loss principles that I believe every weight loss program out there should believe:
Fast Weight Loss Principle #1: Goals are extremely important. Without goals, you will not know where you’re going with your weight loss program. Take the time to plan out on paper (or at least jot down a general idea) the goals you have for losing weight: number of pounds you want to lose, number of inches you want to shed, number of months you feel you can achieve it in.
By doing this and looking at your goals everyday, you will be able to focus so well on your end goal, that your weight loss program will speed by with fantastic results. During any down moments, by focusing daily on your weight loss goal, you will be able to motivate yourself into success!
Fast Weight Loss Principle #2: Monitor your progress. Keep a weight loss journal (or call it what you want) with you everyday. Don’t think of it as a tedious task but instead, focus on the improvements you will be able to see yourself making. Think of it as you are currently writing your weight loss success story that you can look back on and say, “Yes, I did it!”
The things you will want to monitor are the types of foods you eat as well as a rough estimate of the daily calorie intake, which is important for weight loss but not in a “You need to count calories” idea. By making yourself familiar with your daily calorie intake as well as the types of foods you eat, weight loss will become easier as you go on because you will learn what you need to do to lose weight (the specifics can change day by day).
Fast Weight Loss Principle #3: Picture your progress. It may seem silly but simple things like taking note of how your pants fit on day 1 versus day 20 or even taking a picture of yourself at regular intervals can really do wonders to motivate you and keep you going with your weight loss.
If you opt for the picture idea, your weight loss will be very clear to you in those pictures each week or month (go with week instead). So to keep yourself going, ham it up for the camera!
Fast Weight Loss Principle #4: Bottom line, cardio plus strength training are key. Beyond that, just find exercises in both cardio and strength training that fit your liking. If you’re not much for running, then go for swimming or bicycling.
For strength training, it is best to consult a personal trainer to find out the best exercises as well as a variety of exercises for you to use to achieve your weight loss and sculpting goals. With both cardio and strength training, it is important to consult your physician before beginning the physical portion of your weight loss program.
Fast Weight Loss Principle #5: Eat right. Yes, you’ve probably heard that phrase everywhere and there’s a reason why it’s absolutely essential that you make sure you eat right.
Now, each weight loss program will tell you certain things to avoid and certain things to “highlight” but make sure that the weight loss program you choose definitely includes plenty of meats and vegetables. (I can’t imagine that any program would advise you against eating meat and vegetables but you never know.)
The quantities and types of each will, as I said, differ depending on the specific weight loss program you choose but make sure the one you choose does include those two food groups.
As there are many people with different likings, there are also very different weight loss programs that will fit each person’s individual preferences. But it’s wise to make sure that the weight loss program you choose has a balanced foundation with principles that will really help you lose weight quickly and safely.