Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Acai Berry Weight Loss - 3 Ways Acai Helps You Lose Weight

From an obscure fruit in the heart of the Amazon, to a "super food" designation by renowned Doctor and mass celebrity endorsement, the Acai Berry has come a long way. Thousands of women have used it and continue to do so every day. By now, you may know that it is touted as one of the most effective weight loss supplements available. But what makes it so special? Why does it seem to work so well?

This article will shed some light on the questions above and hopefully help you make more informed decisions. But before that let us clear the air a bit. Acai is fairly new in the Western world (except in the Amazon where it has been known and used for centuries). Because of this, conclusive research is still underway. Most of the information we have about this berry is from preliminary results from studies currently underway. Having said that here is what we do know:

- The Acai Berry contains high levels of fiber: Fiber is not ingested by the body. Instead it travels through the digestive system, and basically drags harmful toxins and bad cholesterol along with it. This fiber essentially eliminates years of waste and toxins that have been stuck in your body, sometimes for years. The end result is that your digestive system becomes more efficient in absorbing nutrients, making the nest of all the healthy foods you ingest. Another important thing for people trying to lose weight, fiber is known to make you feel fuller for a longer period of time, which means that you have less urges to eat.

- High energy: For centuries, indigenous people of the Amazon have used Acai for the high levels of energy and alertness tit gave them. Acai is said to increase your metabolism which in turn makes you burn more energy and calories. This is also very essential to weigh loss.

- High Antioxidants content: This amazing Berry is full of anthocyanins and phytonutrients at levels 10 to 20 times higher than grapes and red wine. Antioxidants are known to fight free radicals which are responsible for many diseases. Acai berry promotes a healthy cardiovascular system which is essential to performing exercises and general well-being.

- While all of the healthy nutrients can be found separately, it is hard to find one single fruit that has them all. The Acai Berry is one such fruit. This is what makes it special. With modern technology, it is now possible to preserve all the healthy benefits by flash freezing and converting into pills or juices. What was once impossible to get, is now fairly widely available.

These are a few of the reasons that Acai has been used so successfully by so many in weightless. As always, a healthy diet and regular exercise will go a long way to help in weight loss. An Acai Supplement could definitely help make the process easier.

Thousands of women have used Acai and have been extremely happy with the results.

Weight Loss Vitamins - One of the Safest Ways to Lose Weight

It is difficult to get the right amount of exercise nowadays. This is because people have become too busy in their lives to work out regularly and to eat properly. Instead of going to the park for a jog, some tend to stay home to rest because they are too tired after a hard day's work or they would have to run errands and take care of the house. Most of the time people also do not eat home cooked food because it takes a lot of time to prepare so they just go to a fast food restaurant and have an unhealthy meal. This lifestyle would only lead to one thing, excess fat, being overweight and obesity.

This is a new problem that a lot of people have to face but does not have the time and effort to do so. Thus, the result is a very high demand for products, which would guarantee the user to lose weight effortlessly. More than 70,000 people in the United States alone are looking for the answer to this problem. One such generic product that came out is weight loss vitamins.

Weight loss vitamins are dietary supplements which aides in a person's weight loss routine. The promised effect of these pills differs from brand to brand. Some of these weight loss pills claim to reduce the intake or absorption of fat by the user's body. Some claim that taking the pill would increase the calories burned by the body while doing any physical activity. Others say that their pill would increase a person's metabolism so that they would burn and digest food faster. Some even claim that their pill would decrease the user's appetite. Whatever the claim may be, it is still best to remember that weight loss vitamins are still just a supplement, meaning they cannot do it on their own; the user would still have to follow the proper diet and regular exercise. There is no magic pill.

This however, does not mean that weight loss vitamins do nothing for the user. In fact, these vitamins are prescribed by doctors to their patients who are in dire need to lose weight. But this is a limited case. Doctors only recommend and prescribe dietary pills and vitamins when their patients have weight related illnesses. These vitamins aren't recommended for those just looking for their dream body, it is a medicinal aid.

People who are concerned about their weight should act, but not by taking in just any weight loss vitamins that is available over the counter or advertised in the Internet. The best thing to do first is go see a doctor for an examination and this would determine whether or not pills are needed for the person's weight loss program. It may not be a miracle way, but the best thing to do to become healthy is still a good diet, which consists of a variety of healthy food and a regular physical exercise. And this should only be supplemented by weight loss vitamins if the doctor recommends it.

Why Protein Shakes Work To Help You Lose Weight

Before you start changing the size of your waistline you first have to change the thinking in your head. If your are determined and committed to losing weight and you have the 'what ever it takes' attitude then you need to pay close attention to what I going to tell you in this article.

This is not the latest fad diet where you're instructed to eat nothing but carrots and tomatoes all day or eat a pound of bacon putting your system into an unhealthy chemical imbalance. And besides it's not a permanent solution to your weight problem. This is just plain common sense that, if you do the deal, you will lose from 1 to 2 pounds a week and keep it off.

This is all about protein. Now you might say, 'Great, I can just eat a bigger steak or the equivalent'. While it's true that you get protein from meat, you also get some other undesirable things like fat and cholesterol. But even without those bad things you couldn't get the amount of protein you really need.

Some people will say, 'I'll just cut back on my favorite foods and watch what I eat'. The problem with this approach is you get even less protein and you sacrifice getting the vitamins and minerals you need. Research studies have shown that cutting back on your favorite foods is the least effective way to lose weight.

So what's the answer? Research has shown the one of the most effective ways to lose weight is with meal replacement protein shakes. Why does this work so well? Because your body burns calories at the rate of 13.7 calories per pound of lean body mass whereas it only burns 3 calories per pound of fat. Increasing your protein intake will build your lean body mass and stoke the furnace to burn more calories.

Here's How Weight Loss Works

If you eat the same number of calories that you burn, your weight won't change.

If you eat fewer calories than you burn and if that is 500 calories fewer then you'll lose approximate 1 to 2 pounds a week. Since the calories from the food you eat is less than the calories you burn, your body has to make up the difference from somewhere. That 'somewhere' is your body fat. So if you eat only 250 calories less than what you burn you'll lose about ½ pound per week and if you eat 1000 calories less you'll be losing 2 pounds a week.

The key to healthy weight loss is to make sure that you're getting the maximum nutritional benefit from the food you do eat and you want those foods to be enjoyable to eat. The two things that will derail a weight loss program fast are hunger and eating foods you don't like.

Meal replacement protein shakes will give you the protein you need along with vitamins and minerals. They're tasty and if you make them properly you won't experience diet killing hunger.

They are delicious and satisfying way to reach your weight loss goal.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Can Oolong Tea Help Men Lose Weight?

It seems that we’re all fighting the battle of the bulge. Especially as we get older, it seems to get harder to keep the pounds at bay. We often think of women as being the dieters, but in fact, men are just as subject to weight problems as women.

As you’re looking for ways to make weight loss easier, consider the research that has been performed on the health benefits of tea. Tea has long been used in Asian cultures to prevent illness and protect health, and it seems that science is proving what Asians have believed all along: tea is good for you.

Lifelong tea drinkers have lower incidences of heart disease, high cholesterol and some forms of cancer. They are also less likely to suffer from diabetes or be overweight. Tea protects your teeth and may even have potential to prevent diseases like Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s.

We are beginning to learn a lot about the benefits of tea, but clearly there is much more to learn, so that we can pinpoint exactly how we can best use tea to help with medical needs.

One of the most promising areas of tea research centers on tea as a weight loss aid. Much research has shown that tea seems to speed up the metabolism and promote fat oxidation. Other studies have shown that lifelong tea drinkers are less likely to be overweight, have a lower percentage of body fat and have a lower waist to hip ratio.

In addition, studies have shown that when tea was part of a sensible diet and exercise plan, subjects lose more weight than those subjects who used a diet and exercise plan without tea as a supplement.

One study that is particularly interesting was conducted by the Beltsville Human Nutrition Center in Maryland in conjunction with the University of Tokushima in Japan. In this study, twelve men between the ages of 25 and 60 were evaluated. All participants were in good health, and the study was conducted over a period of one month. The target participants were those who consumed the caffeine equivalent of 2-4 cups of coffee each day.

Prior to the beginning of the study, each participant was evaluated with regard to their calorie expenditure per day without caffeine or tea. During the study, each participant was placed into one of four study groups. One group received a supplement of water, one group received water with caffeine, one group received half strength oolong tea and one group received full strength oolong tea.

For three days, the participants were fed the exact same diet. The diet was low calorie and free of caffeine, other than the caffeine in the beverage supplements. The beverage supplements were given to the participants five times per day.

This study found that the participants who drank full strength oolong tea and caffeinated water burned more calories in a day than the subjects who drank water or half strength tea. Drinking caffeinated water increased energy expenditure by 3.4% over those participants who drank water alone.

Drinking full strength tea increased energy expenditure by 2.9% over drinking water alone. Drinking half strength tea did not significantly increase energy expenditure over drinking water alone.

So, why not just drink water with caffeine?

You might ask why we wouldn’t just drink water with caffeine to help increase our metabolic rate. Well, according to this study, you could do just that. However, when you consider the many other studies that have touted the many other benefits of tea consumption, it’s clear that getting your metabolic boost from tea is far healthier than adding caffeine to your water.

Tea is full of anti-oxidants, which is believed to be why it prevents illnesses and protects health. Anti-oxidants are powerful fighters of free radicals in the body. Free radicals are oxygen containing molecules that are created as a by-product of our digestion process.

These free radicals damage our cells and DNA if left unchecked. However, consuming anti-oxidants combats these free radicals before they can harm our bodies. Scientists have shown that consuming a diet high in anti-oxidants helps us to avoid serious illnesses and slows down the aging process.

In addition, there have been other studies that have suggested that tea promotes more weight loss through fat oxidation than other caffeinated beverages. It is believed that this too is the result of anti-oxidants. It appears that the combination of caffeine with the anti-oxidants in tea is a more powerful weight loss supplement than caffeine in other beverages.

Finally, research has shown that the caffeine in tea seems to be better tolerated than other forms of caffeine. Many people who are caffeine sensitive find that they can drink tea without the usual side effects of caffeine. The caffeine in tea often does not produce the irregular heart rate and nervous jitters that caffeine sensitive people experience from other caffeinated beverages.

So, adding tea to your diet plan may be a great way to speed up your weight loss. Tea is healthy, refreshing, inexpensive and readily available. So, why not add tea to your diet routine?

Do You Have The Right Attitude To Lose Weight?

Do you know that YOUR attitude counts to succeed with your weight loss plan? Yes, you better believe it. Starting a Weight Loss Plan includes not only a diet and exercise, but also the right attitude to lose weight and visualize the new you while adopting healthy changes and getting rid of bad habits, such as eating too much junk food. Here are 8 Weight Loss Tips to help you adopt the right attitude to lose weight.

Hence, let s talk about having the right attitude to help you keep focused and not lose control with your resolution to lose weight once and for all.

1. Simple as one plus one is two. Starting your diet with a negative attitude, such as, "oh no, I won't be able to lose weight," will only sabotage your diet before even starting. On the contrary, starting with a positive attitude, "Yes, I am determined to lose weight and adopt healthier choices while learning how my body works," will definitely lead you to achieve your weight loss goal.

2. Eat slowly, do not swallor or eat fast. Take at least 20 minutes or longer to eat your meals. Why? Well, studies indicate that your stomach, mouth and brain are all connected and it takes about 20 minutes of chewing before your stomach signals your brain that you are full. Hence, helping you to lose weight while enjoying your meals.

2. Drinking 8 glasses of water a day is an importat healthy choice because it helps you keep your body hydrated and boost your weight loss program. Drinking water helps your metabolism to get rid of stored fat. In a nutshell, weight loss cannot occur without an active metabolism. Plan to drink your 8 glasses of water throughout the day.

3. Increase your self-esteem. Having a positive self-esteem will help you accept the changes in your life. You already know that you are fat or have some extra pounds, now, take control, and get strength to believe that you can lose those pounds by eliminating negative self-esteem or feeling sorry about yourself.

4. A negative attitude will sabotage your weight loss program. Building up your self-esteem will help you adopt the right attitude to keep motivated and lose weight. Negative attitude will cause "self-pity" and have a negative effect on your determination. Usually, negative attitude leads to overeating to fill that "emptiness." Eating for emotional reasons, such as depression, anxiety, self-pity, and anger are not the right reasons to eat.

5. Weekends are usually a danger zone as we tend to eat almost anywhere we go. So, let s start by adopting a positive attitude and keeping our motivation UP HIGH with our current weight loss results.

6.If going out, do not get tempted by saying, "I will eat more and start dieting on Monday." This is a negative attitude, a self-denial and a sure way to sabotage your diet. Think positive and do not think as being overweight but as person achieving general health and your ideal healthy weight.

7. Watch out with those super size me portions. Enjoy eating everything but in small, moderate quantities and taking at least 30 minutes to enjoy your meals.

8. Do not skip breakfast. Start your day with a smile and your breakfast to boost your metabolism. Skipping breakfast will only slow down your metabolism and your ability to burn fat. Simply, skipping meals during the day slows down your metabolism. Choose healthy food to stay full and your metabolism will continue to burn stored fat.

Now, it is up to you to follow these 8 Weight Loss Tips to help you adopt the right attitude to lose weight and keep those pounds off. Finally, have a smile and a sign of victory because you are on your weight to lose weight with the right attitude. Give me a big FIVE! There you go... you can do it.

Until next time,

Your Weight Loss Friend,

Anna O. Overweight No More.

Helping Kids Lose Weight – is a Weight Loss Camp the Answer?

The obesity rate in children is increasing every year without fail. In the 60's around 4% of children between the ages of 6 and 11 were classified as obese. These days that figure has grown to 17% and is continuing to rise. There are lots of really desperate parents trying to find out how they can help their kids get rid of those unsightly pounds. Obesity is a major problem because it can put you at more risk of suffering from other illnesses.

Some teenagers are undergoing the knife in order to get rid of their obesity. However long term results for these types of surgical procedure are not known because of the age of the patients.

There are a huge number of diseases which can affect children who are obese. It's very important that we all find out about any solutions which can be used to deal with this epidemic. Unless we find a way of resolving this then we will quite easily be facing the unhealthiest generation yet. The obese section of the population are at a greater risk of developing certain diseases such as joint problems, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and metabolic disorder among plenty of other medical conditions. All of these can have long term health impacts.

It's not just children which need to learn about the importance of good nutrition and proper exercise. It's important that parents also learn about how to live a healthy lifestyle. There's actually a lot of false information out there because food manufacturers are trying to mislead people. There are lots of companies which suggest their products are good for you, or healthy for your kids. However the reason they say this is to sell their food rather than because it really is healthy.

More often than not the obesity is caused by underlying emotional problems. This is why individual one on one counseling is so important. This counseling will address the individual patient's needs. It's also important for the whole family to support whoever it is trying to lose weight; motivation will make it easier to actually change your lifestyle.

One of the easiest and most successful methods to resolve the problem of obesity might actually be a weight loss camp. These camps are staffed by experienced counselors who can offer support to the child and help them understand how they can change their lifestyle for the better. The best thing about these modern camps is that they are taught a series of activities and changes which they can continue even when they leave camp. If your children don't like the idea of staying at a camp then they can attend many of the day camps. These camps are also successful in the sense that they remove children from the environment that has led to their obesity problems, which allows them to focus solely on their health without the distractions in their day to day life.

There are lots of parents which need to learn more about their children's diets. Quite often children just need a confidence boost and this is something that a modern fat camp can offer
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