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weight loss

Quickly Lose 10 lbs or more Safely

As reported in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s recently published “Calories Count – Report of the Working Group on Obesity”, people who are overweight is a serious public health problem in the United States. Since the late 1980’s, adult obesity has steadily and substantially increased in the United States. Today, 64 percent of all Americans weigh too much and over 30 percent are obese; in 1988 through 1992, fewer than 56 percent were overweight and fewer than 23 percent of American adults were obese.

The trends for children are even more worrisome. Recent research by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that 15 percent of children and adolescents aged 6 to 19 are overweight – double the rate of two decades ago. As Americans get heavier, their health suffers. Overweight and obesity increase the risk for coronary heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. According to some estimates, at least 400,000 deaths each year may be attributed to obesity.

What people must know is that you can improve your health quickly with just a small amount of weight loss. “We know that physical activity along with reduced calorie consumption can lead to the 5 to 10 percent weight loss necessary to achieve remission of the obesity-associated complications,” says William Dietz, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Losing one to two pounds a week is safe and recommended by most doctors for most people. This breaks down to 250 to 1,000 calories per day. You can achieve this easily if you follow some or all of the following guidelines :

1. Use skim milk instead of whole milk or cream in your coffee.
2. Eat low fat yogurt instead of ice cream.
3. Eat more bright colored (green, yellow, orange, red) fruits and vegetables.
4. Eat more lean fish, chicken, or turkey, instead of red meats.
5. Eat whole wheat or multigrain bread, instead of white bread.
6. Use a sugar replacement instead of sugar (avoid Aspartame).
7. Drink water instead of soft drinks.
8. When you eat out, avoid fried foods.
9. Walk or do similar exercises (e.g. Golf, Tennis) at least 20 minutes a day.

If you do even just a couple of these every day for the next month, you’ll feel much better and you will lose weight (10 lbs. or more in 6-8 weeks).

And if you are concerned about getting hungry all the time, or losing your energy, try taking a safe appetite suppressant, like Herbal Phentermine. This supplement is not to be confused with the drug Phentermine, which has side effects like stomach upset, dry mouth and sleeplessness. The herbal variety is a non-prescription medication and has been tested for years to be safe for most people.

It contains ingredients like green tea, acetyl L-carnitine, alpha lipoic acid, biotin and others, that control your appetite, yet increase your metabolism and energy.

However, do not take any herbal supplement without checking with your Doctor first, if you are on any prescription medications, due to possible interactions between the two, or if you have a special medical condition.

If you follow these simple steps, you will surely reach your weight loss goals and become a much happier, healthier, and oh yes, lighter person.

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weight loss

Eating Moderately Is The Key To Losing Weight

Did you know that your new automobile is likely to have a larger cup-holder than your older model ? That restaurants use larger plates, bakers are selling larger muffins, pizzerias have larger pans, and fast food companies are using larger French fries and drink containers than 20 years ago? Did you know that identical recipes for cookies and desserts in the old editions of “Joy of Cooking” specify fewer servings?

It is evident to all of us that overweight and obesity have increased sharply in the USA in adults and children in the last few years. Since studies show that activity of people has not changed much in the last decades, the increase in body overweight must come from a change in the food intake. Considering that about half the people in the USA consume their meals outside the home, the portion sizes become an important factor in the increase of body overweight.

The American Journal of Public Health published a study about the current sizes of portions in restaurants, fast foods, and food manufacturers. The authors compared the data with the sizes of the past 30 years, and they came up with some amazing numbers. First they noted that all the portions offered in every category exceed by far the guidelines of the USDA and the FDA. Cookies are seven times bigger than recommended, cooked pasta five times larger, muffins three times larger, and so on.

Then they discovered that portion sizes began to grow in the 1970s and have continued to grow at the same rate as body overweight. Food and fast food companies today promote larger items and use larger sizes as selling points. Widespread price competition has induced manufacturers to introduce larger items as a means to expand market share, since they discovered that profit rises when the product size is increased. In the mid ‘50s Mc Donald offered only one size of French fries: that size today is called “small”. The food industry invests billions in making their products more attractive, sexier, saltier, or sweeter and we are vulnerable to their promotions. This happens at a moment when we became more sedentary and kids spend longer hours in front of the TV or their computers.

Going to Europe or other countries we see some striking differences in the food habits. First of all there is not so much advertising about food. Most of the Italian TV ads are about basic ingredients such as olive oil, wine, and pasta, and not so much about prepackaged food or fast food chains. In addition the portion sizes are considerably smaller than in America. I recently had dinner in a steakhouse and the smallest portion available on the menu was a 10 oz filet mignon. That is about three times larger than the average size of a portion of meat in Italy.

I have noticed myself many times that people moving to the USA from other countries would gain weight in a few months. There is no doubt in my mind that the large amount of food we ingest today is one of the main causes for the general growth of overweight in America. This doesn’t affect only people with a weight problem, but also those who are maybe only a few pounds over and struggle to control the size of their waistline. In an environment where lifestyle and advertising pushes to eat out more and in larger quantities it is imperative that we learn how to control ourselves.

One very good way to start I learned from a trainer at the gym, and I encourage everyone to try. It is very simple: On a notepad write down everyday for a week everything that you ingest. Take note of the quantities, not only for the main meals, but even the smallest things such as drinks, candies and snacks. Then with the help of a calorie chart add up the numbers. Many people say “I don’t know how I gain weight. I don’t eat very much”. I bet they are ready for a big surprise. It is incredible how all those little things we munch during the day add up to a large number of calories.

After the shock, the realization will come that something needs to be done. First it is important to understand what a regular portion looks like. 3 oz meat: is approximately the size of a deck of cards or a bar of soap (when was the last time you saw a steak of that size?); 3 oz fish: the size of a checkbook; 1 oz cheese: the size of matchbox; one medium potato: the size of a computer mouse; 1 cup pasta: the size of two eggs.
When eating out choose the small or medium sizes instead of the large ones. Ask for half of the meal to be packed to go. Share your portion with a friend. Don’t eat the bread and butter before the meal. For your home don’t buy a lot of food, but buy single serving packages. If you snack don’t eat from the bag, but place a few chips or crackers on a dish. Cut in the amount of sauces, mayonnaise and cream cheese, and use low calories types. If you are a big eater fill yourself with a large quantity of vegetables and eventually fresh fruit.

In conclusion: Everyone that tries to keep weight under control knows how difficult it is. The first step is to be inventive in ways to reduce the sizes of the food portions.

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weight loss

Slim Down by Eating Breakfast Regularly

Did you know that dieting and weight loss are two of the most common resolutions or goals by many people but usually results to failure? Don’t give up yet. Stay committed and read through.
slim down

If you really want to lose weight, forget the fad diets and eat breakfast and drink milk. Starting each day with milk and cereal may be the success for achieving a healthy weight.

Many people don’t realize to eat breakfast but to skip entire morning tastes, either because you’re in rush or lazy, or just want to reduce weight. Considerable number of people finish with a soft drink or a cup of coffee as their morning meal. Chances are this is going to have an opposite effect on you because skipping meals almost always leads to overeating at lunchtime. This is especially true with breakfast, because you’ve just been asleep for 7 or 8 hours and your body needs to recover from this brief period of starvation.

Studies show that people who regularly eat breakfast, particularly cereal with low fat or fat-free milk, tend to be leaner compared to those who skip the morning meal or eat other options. Also, breakfast eaters are more likely to have long-term success in maintaining a reasonable weight. There is a finding that a cereal and milk breakfast is a habit common to successful weight loss maintainers.

Combine that with studies drinking 24 ounces of milk a day with healthy weight loss, and you’ve got a strategy that may lead to lost pounds. Multiple studies have shown that people who drink milk and get adequate amounts of calcium in their diets tend to weigh less than their peers who don’t drink milk. A diet deficient in calcium has a higher risk for being overweight.

Weight Control by Eating Eggs

Eating eggs for breakfast can reduce hunger and caloric intake by more than 400 calories, both at lunchtime and over the next 24 hours. As a result, eggs are useful in helping overweight people reduce their energy intakes, a prerequisite of losing weight. This is great news if you’re trying to lose weight as it means you may find it easier to cut calories without feeling hungry. In fact, you could expect to lose up to 2lb. a month, simply by eating eggs for breakfast!

Eggs are packed with various nutrients but contain just 85 calories each. There’s also no limit to the number of eggs you can eat in a week contrary to popular belief.

Other studies found that protein-based breakfasts improved weight loss better than carbohydrate-focused breakfasts. The better effects are increased when it’s combined with exercise.

Should I avoid eating certain foods for the sake of weight loss?

Forget about avoiding eating a certain food that you like to eat – that’s a dieter’s mentality and it doesn’t help you lose weight. It just makes you obsessed about food and eating. Instead, if you are really hungry, then eat, and stop as soon as you’re satisfied. Just don’t eat until you’re totally full! So, if you’re hungry during breakfast, then eat. If you’re not hungry during lunch or dinner, then have a smaller meal.

Keep in mind that you should not eat too many sweet foods. No matter what time you eat sweets, if it’s more energy than your body can use, it will be stored, meaning excess kilos.

Fad diets won’t work and only provide short-term results. Instead, always enjoy a wide variety of healthy foods and be physically active. Fad dieting is a hindrance that you don’t need in your life.

Things to Remember:

* Eating breakfast increases your metabolism and burns more kilojoules during the day, which can help you lose weight.
* Protein-based breakfasts improved weight loss better than carbohydrate-focused breakfasts.
* Eggs are great protein-rich breakfast, complete with zinc, iron and vitamins like A, B, D, E and B12. Long ago, people thought that eating many eggs contributed to health risks. This is not true and it’s already proven that they don’t contribute to high cholesterol or heart disease.
* Don’t be afraid to eat a reasonable portion of your favorite dessert or snack food every now and then.
* Try to eat steamed vegetables and drink soup in the morning. Did you know that this is common in Japan? It may take some time getting used to, but the benefits are: reduced fat and added nutrients from the vegetables.

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weight loss

Eat Well and Still Lose Weight

Is your waist not as small as you’d like ? Have you finally decided to get down to a healthy body weight and keep it there? Then it’s time to swear off fad diets for good.

For decades, most nutrition professionals have told us over and over that weight depends on calories in and calories out. To achieve and maintain a healthful weight, in addition to getting plenty of exercise for fitness and to burn off excess calories, it’s important to eat a wide range of foods to get a balanced assortment of nutrients.

A calorie-smart diet consists of nutrient-dense foods which supply a good number of essential nutrients compared to their calorie counts. Nutrient-dense foods include whole-grain foods; vegetables; fruits; lean meat, poultry, fish and seafood, eggs and cooked dry beans; and skim or low-fat milk foods. For balanced, diet-wise eating, simply choose a whole-grain food, a veggie or two, a fruit, a lean protein source and a low-fat milk food for each meal. Also keep in mind that research has shown that including animal protein foods in a weight-loss diet helps to preserve lean muscle tissue while fat is lost.

Eggs are one of the highest quality protein sources and also supply varying amounts of numerous other nutrients, all for only 75 calories per Large egg. In addition to being quick and easy to prepare, nutrient-dense eggs go very well with the whole-grain foods, veggies and fruits that you need. For example, an Open-Faced Spinach Omelet Sandwich is a flavorful, well-balanced combo that needs only a serving of fruit and low-fat milk to make a hearty, healthful meal any time of day.

Open-Faced Spinach Omelet Sandwich

(4 servings)

Cooking spray

4 cups fresh whole baby spinach leaves or chopped large spinach leaves (about 6 oz.)

1 tablespoon water

4 eggs

1/2 cup low-fat (1%) cottage cheese

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, crushed

1 (8- to 9-inch) plain, tomato or herb-seasoned focaccia bread, split crosswise (about 5 oz.)

4 tomato slices

Evenly coat 10-inch omelet pan or skillet with spray. Add spinach and water. Cover. Cook over medium heat until spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Pour out liquid, if necessary. In medium bowl, beat together eggs, cheese and seasoning until blended. Pour over spinach mixture. Gently stir to evenly distribute mixture in pan. Cover. Cook over medium heat until egg mixture is almost set, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Let stand, covered, until egg mixture is completely set, about 2 to 3 minutes. With pancake turner or spatula, slide frittata from pan onto bottom half of bread. Top with tomato slices and top half of bread. To serve, cut into wedges.

Broccoli & Spinach Omelet 03.08.08

Nutrition information per serving of 1/4 recipe using baby spinach and plain focaccia bread: 217 calories, 8 gm total fat, 216 mg cholesterol, 448 mg sodium, 121 mg potassium, 23 gm carbohydrate, 15 gm protein and 10% or more of the RDI for vitamins A, B12 and C, riboflavin, calcium, iron, phosphorus, dietary fiber