Weight Loss

Adding Vinegar to Your Diet Could Make a Difference

SaraSlank — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:01:30 +0000

Apple cider vinegar has been around for thousands of years and used for a whole host of “home” remedies. The Ancient Egyptians even used it for various things including weight loss. The idea of taking apple cider vinegar for weight loss definitely isn’t a new one. The only question is, does it work?

The Apple Cider Vinegar Weight Loss Claims.

There are several claims of what apple cider vinegar does for you. In no particular order, here they are:

Aids in digestion which makes it easier to get the best out of your food.
Detoxes the liver which is important in weight loss.
Suppresses the appetite making it easier to resist eating more foods.
Increases the metabolic rate so you burn more calories even when you are at rest.
Decreases water retention which in turn allows your body to burn fat better.
Helps you maintain a sense of well being.

The Truth.

The truth is that none of these claims are directly supported by research. Very little research has been done on this age old home remedy for so many things. What we do know is:

Apple cider vinegar is full of nutrients because it is made of apple cider. It includes a whole host of vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients.
Apple cider contains a lot of B vitamins which are known for making you feel good. This is one of the claims of apple cider vinegar and while it hasn’t been researched for apple cider vinegar it should be noted that it is probably true.
Apple cider vinegar is high in acid and probably aids in digestion. Whether or not that causes weight loss is left unsaid.

Can It Hurt?

When it comes to something with such a history and no science to back it up you are left with, “If I try it will it hurt me?” There is no evidence that people who consume apple cider vinegar are affected negatively in any way. There is only one legitimate concern. Because apple cider vinegar is high in acid it is bad for the teeth. This can be compensated for by rinsing and brushing your teeth afterwards.

Recipes.

There are a lot of different recipes on how you should take apple cider vinegar. One thing that is consistent is that it should be taken before each meal. Here are a few suggestions on how to take it.

Mix two teaspoons in a glass of warm water. Drink as is.
Mix two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in four ounces of apple cider.
Mix one teaspoon apple sider vinegar with one cup water and ¼ teaspoon baking soda.

While science doesn’t support apple cider vinegar for weight loss, many people through history do. One thing is known, this isn’t a quick fix and it will take time. Include it in your balanced diet and exercise program and you may find yourself losing more weight than ever before.

Adding Leafy Greens For Weight Loss

SaraSlank — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 07:54:42 +0000

If you know what people mean when they say, “I can’t eat that, I’m not a rabbit”, than you probably have a good idea that most people aren’t eating enough leafy green vegetables. Most people probably realize that these vegetables are full of nutrients and that they are healthy for you. However, many people don’t realize just how much they help in weight loss.

What Leafy Greens Do For You.

Leafy green vegetables include a huge number of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. They are low in calories and in fat. They also help out a lot when it comes to weight loss.

Leafy green vegetables are full of fiber and make you feel fuller then some other vegetables.
They have lots of nutrients that aid in muscle contraction and health. This makes them great for working out and for gaining muscle tissue. More muscles will help you burn more calories.
They are also full of water. Water is needed in order to burn fat. However, most people don’t get enough water.

But I Eat Salad!

Many people think that they get plenty of leafy green vegetables because they eat salad. The common lettuce used in many salads is iceberg lettuce which is full of water, but lacks on fiber and nutrients. Often these salads can quickly leave you hungry if you don’t have a lot of toppings.

You can eat a salad that really counts, but it needs to have Romain lettuce at the least. This is a mild tasting lettuce that has a lot more nutrients then iceberg, but not as much as broccoli, kale, collards, bok coy, cabbage, spinach, swiss chard, or beat greens. You can make your salad healthier by adding a stronger leafy green to the Romain lettuce.

Mixing It Up.

There are lots and lots of great options for leafy green vegetables. Trying more than one type will help you discover new foods and help you find things you like. Try collard, mustard, turnip, and beet greens. Aim for broccoli and give bok coy a try.

You should have at least one leafy green vegetable serving a day. Two or three is ideal according to many studies.

Adding Them To Your Diet.

It may seem difficult to get in enough greens, but you have a lot of options. You will need to try new things and be willing to experiment.

Add lots of leafy greens to your salad. Mix spinach, cabbage, broccoli, and a few greens to your salads. Top with an olive oil dressing and you have a great lunch.
Add them to soups, stews, and even pasta sauces.
Serve as a side dish. Cook in a small amount of seasoned water. Strain the water and use that as soup broth later on.

Leafy green vegetables can be a great part of a balanced diet that leads to weight loss. You can use a wide variety of greens. Have fun and experiment with them!

Add Quinoa to Your Diet To Lose More Weight

SaraSlank — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 07:46:23 +0000

Every now and again you learn about a food that just isn’t that common, but that can help you meet your nutrition. Quinoa is one of those foods. It can add to your health and help you lose weight.

What is Quinoa?

Quinoa is a crop that is native to the Andes mountains. It is still grown there today and also in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. The part that is eaten is the seed of the leafy plant, similar to spinach.

A Complete Food.

There aren’t many foods that have such high nutrition that they fall into the complete or nearly complete food categories. However, Quinoa is pretty darn close. It contains protein, all essential amino acids, niacin, thiamine, and Vitamin B6, as well as potassium and riboflavin. Plus it has a number of minerals and other nutrients.

What It Does For You.

Quinoa offers a lot to anyone looking to get healthy. However there are a number of great benefits for those looking to lose weight as well.

Because of its protein content and complex carbohydrates quinoa will have you feeling full longer and will also help prevent cravings.
The amino acids and high quality protein will help you build more muscles. This in turn will have you burning more calories and it will prevent you from losing muscle tone as you lose weight.

Where Do I Buy It?

You can buy it in most health food stores and some online locations. At first it seems expensive because the amount you get for your money isn’t much, but you must remember that when you cook it, it will expand three or four times its size. It comes in a wide range of colors including yellow, red, brown, and black. However, all of the colors have a light nutty flavor.

Preparing Quinoa.

To make your quinoa you will want to begin by rinsing it off to remove the powder that lingers on the outside. You will then want to bring one part quinoa and two parts liquid to boil. Simmer as you would rice for about fifteen minutes or until the grains are translucent.

Roasted Quinoa.

You can also roast it in a dry fry pan for five minutes or so. This will give it a roasted flavor and can change it up for different dishes.

Eating Quinoa.

There are a lot of great ways to eat quinoa. Have fun with it and you may discover a whole new favorite food.

Quinoa can be eaten as a hot breakfast cereal. Add your favorite toppings such as honey, nuts, or berries.
Quinoa can replace rice in many dishes. You can eat it with stir fries or add it to soups, stews, and other dishes.

Quinoa is a great food for better health. It is also a great food for weight loss. It will help you build the muscles you need to burn more calories and it will help you get farther in your goals.

Add Kale to Your Diet for a Thinner You

SaraSlank — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 07:38:34 +0000

Kale is often used as a decoration, but this leafy green vegetable can aid with weight loss. Kale has amazing properties that are healthy for you and can make a great addition to the foods that you eat. This isn’t about dieting, but about building a diet that really works and will help you lose weight.

What Kale Does For You

Kale is a fantastic food and stands out above many other options.

Kale is a green, but unlike many other vegetable choices it is high in fiber. This means that it will help you feel full longer.
Kale provides a wide range of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients to help keep you healthy. It includes Vitamin A, C, K, and calcium, folic acid, and so much more.
Kale is very low in calories, while still filling you up with all of its fiber.

Choosing Kale

Kale has a green color with frilly edged leaves. You should choose small heads of kale with small leaves. The smaller leaves are more tender and have a lighter taste. The older kale gets or the larger the leaves the earthier the taste.

Storing Kale

Kale gets an earthier taste if it isn’t stored well. The kale should always be kept in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator and it is best if you wrap it in damp paper towel and place it in a plastic bag. The longer you keep kale the stronger its flavor. For many people it is best to eat it one to two days after buying it to avoid stronger tasting kale.

Adding Kale To Your Diet

Kale can be added to your diet in a number of ways. Often it depends on how you like your foods and whether or not you enjoy the taste of kale.

Kale can be cooked and eaten in the same manner as other types of greens. Add about 1 to 1 ½ pounds of raw kale to well seasoned stock and simmer for at least ten minutes, but no more then 30.
Cooked Kale can be added to soups, stir fries, and stews.
Chop Kale up and add to a salad. Top with regular toppings and enjoy.
Use chopped kale on sandwiches and subs.

You can also use your imagination and use Kale in the same way you would use spinach. Sneak a little into foods such as spaghetti, lasagna, and even chopped fine and added to potato dishes.

Getting Creative

You will enjoy adding kale to your diet a lot more if you get creative with how you eat it. Add your favorite seasonings to it and be willing to experiment with it. You may come up with your new favorite food.

With so many great nutrients including Vitamin A, Vitamin C, calcium, Vitamin K, and more this superfood will help keep you healthy. However, because of its great fiber content and its low calorie content it will keep you full longer on fewer calories.

Add Cinnamon To Your Diet And Lose More Weight

SaraSlank — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 07:25:33 +0000

Cinnamon was once considered more valuable than gold. Now we can head down to the local grocery and find it there for a couple of dollars. This spice has more and more medicinal evidence including helping out with brain function, reducing cholesterol, and soothing the stomach. But it doesn’t stop there! Research is showing that cinnamon can help with weight loss.

What Cinnamon Does For You.

Cinnamon is a spice that some people use to add to their cappuccino or on their pie. But this spice has a great effect on blood sugar. Studies show that cinnamon is working to level out blood sugar levels and even lower blood sugar. It helps increase insulin levels. All of this aids with weight loss and diabetics management.

All in all, cinnamon can help us lose weight, and can aid in treating insulin resistance, prediabetes, and metabolic syndrome.

Honey and Cinnamon Weight Loss Plan.

There is a lot of hype about making a “tea” of honey and cinnamon for weight loss. Supposedly you drink half a cup of cinnamon and honey tea and you can lose six to eight pounds in a week. It is also suppose to detox the body, kill bacteria, and boost energy. While there is little evidence that this will work and it is rather doubtful that a significant amount of weight can be lost, it won’t hurt you. It could be used for a month or two without effecting the body in any adverse ways. Long term use should be avoided if weight loss is actually occurring.

Using Cinnamon For Weight Loss.

However, just because there is no magic cure for weight and it isn’t likely you will lose that much weight from drinking honey and cinnamon “tea” you can use cinnamon to improve your blood sugar levels. This will make it less likely that you experience cravings.

Adding Cinnamon To Your Diet.

You can add cinnamon to your life in both the powdered and stick forms.

Sprinkle it on your cold cereal, hot cereal, and toast.
Add it to baked fruits for a delicious dessert.
Stir it into your coffee, low fat cocoa, and teas.

Cinnamon Supplements.

Cinnamon can also be taken as a supplement. This can be used instead of adding it to your diet. Look for a high quality supplement. Find one that is sealed by a third party company as accurate labeling. That way you know what you are getting. Then start with one pill a day. Often it is recommended that you take several, but this can be overdoing it.

It should be noted that cinnamon alone isn’t going to be a magic fix to your weight loss needs. You won’t start taking it or adding it to your life and suddenly drop the weight you need to lose. Instead it will help you along with a balanced diet and exercise program. Cinnamon is something to help you out by aiding in leveling out your blood sugar.

Why Can’t You Lose Weight?

SaraSlank — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 08:47:36 +0000

Have you been trying to lose weight for the past month and were you unsuccessful? Did you have problems losing more pounds after you lost only a few pounds. Well don’t worry, as you are not alone. In fact, many people have gone through the same problems just like you. You are probably going through what is described as a weight loss plateau. In essence, a weight loss plateau is when your weight loss is paused and no matter what you do, your weight doesn’t change.

What Could Cause you to Stop Losing Weight?

There are many reasons why you might not be able to lose weight. While some of them may be medical reasons, some of them will be psychological.

Your body may be tired and worn out. This is one of the major causes of weight loss plateau and the only way to counteract is to rest and relax.
You may be stressed out psychologically. This is a serious problem, as many people will not see enough progress and this can create serious problems on the person. They will become demoralized and they may even feel ashamed in front of their peers.
Stress is also a major cause of weight loss plateau. When you are under a lot of stress, your body will go into fight or flight mode. If you are under stress all the time, your body will try to conserve energy and you will end up storing your calories instead of burning them.
Hormonal imbalance can also be an important problem, as hormonal imbalance will halt your weight loss. Too much or too little hormones in your blood stream can trigger various reactions that can affect your metabolism and your weight loss efforts.
If you don’t believe in yourself and in your efforts, this can also put a block on your weight loss
Too little activity in your daily life is also a sure way to make sure that you won’t lose enough weight.
Eating too much sodium (salt) in your meals can also cause you to stop losing weight. Eating too much salt will cause you to drink more water and as a result, your body will try to hold water in its tissues and this can give you a bloated look.
Some special herbs and chemical compounds can also cause you to store weight instead of losing it

What Should You Do if You Can’t Lose Weight?

Go to a doctor as soon as possible. This can really help, as your doctor will be able to determine if there is a medical condition prohibiting your weight loss and he or she can prescribe appropriate medication.
Change your eating habits. Try to increase the frequency of your meals.
Increase your daily activity
Start meditation to relive yourself of stress
Get some emotional support from your peers and coworkers.
Always concentrate on your weight loss goals

What Can You Do to Lose Weight without a Weight Loss Program?

SaraSlank — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 08:43:46 +0000

One of the bigger mistakes that most people make on a weight loss program is definitely to follow an aggressive weight loss program. In the end, most people who attempt this end up getting bored with these programs and they end up stopping their weight loss program. As a result, this feeds a perpetual cycle of depression and weight gain. Of course, this also feeds a similar cycle and you end up gaining more weight with each weight loss program that fails.

What can you do to Lose Weight?

However, you are not destined to repeat this perpetual cycle forever. There are many things that you can do to lose weight and to keep it off even without following a formal weight loss program. Don’t forget that the best weight loss program is a change in your lifestyle that you can follow for the rest of your life. In fact, even people who succeed in losing weight after a diet can end up gaining that extra weight, once they end their weight loss program.

How to Change Your Lifestyle for Losing Weight?

There are several things that you can do to lose weight by changing your lifestyle. However, you will need to follow these suggestions for the rest of your life to lose weight and to keep it off without even doing a diet.

No matter what you eat, make sure that you do some calorie control. This can be very important as you will need to cap off your daily calorie intake by 2000 calories per day. Thus, what you eat doesn’t matter as long as you limit your daily calorie intake.
You will also need to forget about eating sugar or other sweetener substances as much as possible. Even drinking your tea or coffee without sugar can cause you to save as much as 100 calories per day.
Try to stay away from flour based products. This means that you will have to eat less bread, fewer pastries and fewer doughnuts.
Make sure that you reduce the amount of salt that you intake in your daily diet as salt can be very detrimental to your health and to your weight.
Stay away from soft drinks as soft drinks are filled with extra calories. Make sure that you drink water instead of soft drinks as water will help you to detoxify your body as well too. Most experts recommend that you drink at least 6 to 8 glasses of water every day. Don’t drink carbonated beverages and elect to drink juices whenever possible.
Eating ruby red grapefruits have been found to be very beneficial in helping you to lose weight, as grapefruits help your body to burn off fat during digestion.
Drink at least 1 -2 cups of green tea every day.
Make sure that you lead a more active lifestyle by walking to wherever that you go and by taking the stairs.

Weight Loss Methods that Don’t Work!

SaraSlank — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 08:35:57 +0000

Have you tried a new diet or a new weight loss method, only to find out that it doesn’t work? Perhaps, you have tried a new Hollywood fad diet only to find out that it does nothing for you. Well, perhaps it is time that you understand the fact that there are some certain things that you need to stay away from in a weight loss program. There are many things that will affect your weight loss adversely and by staying away from them, you will be able to make some significant progress.

Never Starve Yourself!

This is perhaps the biggest mistake that many people make. Most persons equate losing weight with starving themselves and not eating anything. Actually, nothing can be further from the truth, as starving yourself is a sure way to gain weight. The human body is genetically designed to survive hardships since the time of the Ice Ages.

Thus, when you starve yourself, you only end up creating more problems, as your body thinks it is going into a famine and it will try to conserve every last ounce of energy. Hence, when this happens, you can even gain weight instead of losing it. Even the lack of weight loss after starvation can be more than enough to demoralize you. Starvation can also lead to nutritional deficiency and this can even be dangerous for your health.

Stay Away From Laxatives!

This is the second biggest mistake made by people trying to lose weight. Using laxatives unfortunately do not help you to lose weight. Instead, you only end up losing water and some sugar from your body. In fact, laxatives can also be dangerous for you as your electrolyte levels in your body can be compromised and your body can be endangered. Moreover, long term usage of laxatives can cause problems with your colon.

Stay Away from Diet Pills

This is also an important matter, as diet pills can cause your body to lose its natural balance. Some diet pills can upset your hormonal balance, while some diet pills can affect your metabolic rate. Most research point out that any weight loss through these methods can be put back on real quickly since it is not natural weight loss.

Stay Away from Fad Diets!

This also means that you have to stay away from all kinds of fad diets. Almost %95 of these fad diets are for the celebrities and for people who only have a pound or two extra. For truly overweight people, these glamorous diets are just a waste of time, as they will only cause you to lose your morale. Go for realistic and proven diets.

What Should You Do?

Concentrate on your weight loss goals
Exercise for at least 40 minutes per day and for 6 days a week.
Stop eating junk food and fast food
Stop consuming alcohol
Eat natural and organic foods in moderation
Get psychological support for your emotional eating issues
Sleep regularly
Drink lots of water
Drink green tea and eat grapefruits
Use meditation and relaxation techniques for reducing stress

Weight Loss for the Elderly

SaraSlank — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 08:32:00 +0000

Keeping their weight under control can be even more important for the elderly. In fact, they will have to be more sensitive for keeping their weight under control, as they will be under more risk as compared to regular adults. Senior citizens and the elderly will have high risks concerning Type II Diabetes, High Blood Pressure, cardiovascular and heart diseases, and even cancer. Moreover, they may even have joint problems due to being overweight. Hence, elderly people will have to make sure that they lose any extra pounds that they may have.

What Do the Elderly Have to watch out for?

There are many important criteria that the elderly have to watch out for in their weight loss program. This can especially be important, since elderly people have to be more careful with their glucose levels due to the fact that they will have more sensitive physiology. Moreover, their physiology will be sensitive to sodium, potassium, cholesterol, proteins and other important food materials found in any kind of a diet. Moreover, elderly people may have difficulties with some exercise types due to joint problems as well as heart problems. Hence, weight loss programs for the elderly will have to be more sensitive and more carefully designed.

Some Important Steps in a Weight Loss Program for the Elderly:

Some important criteria will definitely need to be present in a weight loss program for the elderly:

Any diet will have to take into account calorie control for that person. For example, for many old persons, the calorie intake for a single day will be less than 2000 calories per day.
Elderly people will have to be more careful with their food intake. Especially due to the fact that most old persons will have Type II Diabetes and issues with their insulin control, they will have to be more observant of the foods that they eat.
Being under careful supervision of your family doctor is a good idea for the elderly. This is due to the fact that each old person may have unique bodily disorders and it is best for your doctor to set the parameters for your weight loss.
Make sure that you drink a lot of water to help with your weight loss program
Elderly people will have to be using an exercise program, too. Of course, they will have to be specially designed since most elderly persons will have joint problems and exercises like jogging or strength training may not be suitable for them. Swimming is probably one of the best suitable exercises for the elderly since water will create a semi weightless environment for them and thus the exertion on the joints and on the heart will be minimized.
If you are over the age of 60, you will have to be extremely careful, so that you don’t use any herbal products or diet pills in your weight loss program
You can drink 2 cups of hot unsweetened green tea every day to help with your weight loss program.

Weight Loss for Teenagers

SaraSlank — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 08:27:49 +0000

One of the bigger health problems in the world is without a doubt obesity. Due to obesity, many people are face to face with serious health problems during their lives. It can create very serious complications for you. However, obesity and being overweight can also be dangerous for teenagers too.

There are many teenagers who have their cholesterol levels too high due to bad diets and due to being overweight. In fact, health problems of teenagers can be even more complicated, since this can cause them to start having problems at an early age. Moreover, teenagers can have self esteem issues due to being overweight. This can really be a volatile situation in social circles of the teenagers.

Why Do Teenagers have to be Careful in Weight Loss?

It can be more difficult for teenagers to lose weight due to various reasons. The reason for this stems from the fact that teenagers are in a growth period and they will need to intake more nutrients compared to adults. Hence, some of the more aggressive weight loss programs won’t be very suitable to teenagers since it can endanger their health.

A healthy and safe weight loss program for teenagers will need to make sure that a teenager gets all the main food groups in recommended amounts. Moreover, it should be specially formulated to take the unique physiology of teenagers into account. Their hormonal physiology will have to be tracked since they can show allergic reactions to some weight loss programs.

How Can Teenagers Lose Weight?

There are some tips that can help teenagers to lose weight:

You have to make sure that every food group is present in a teenager’s diet. This means that a proper diet will have to contain fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, fibers and the necessary Omega 3 oils.
Teenagers have to stay away from fast foods such as fried chicken, hamburgers, tacos, pizza and other similar foods. They will also have to stay away from frozen dinners too.
You have to make sure that a teenager on a weight loss diet drinks lots of water. In fact, a teenager will have to drink lot more water a compared to an adult for best results.
Stay away from salty, fatty and sweet foods.
Exercise needs to be an important component of weight loss as teenagers will have to depend on using exercise for burning off their extra calories. Almost any kind of exercises will be suitable for teenagers as their young and strong bodies can take more rigorous forms of exercise
Make sure that your teenagers take a walk for at least a mile a day in order to keep them active
Try to introduce swimming to your teenager as swimming can help to keep them in shape and moreover it will help to increase their metabolic speed. Even swimming twice a week will do wonders for your teenager and their weight loss.