The Royal Road to Weight Loss - Stress Reduction
By Christine Sutherland | July 29, 2008
If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!
Experts agree that there are 17 lifestyle factors which people need to investigate and attend to in order to achieve permanent weight loss. At the top of the list is our stress levels.
The big lie about weight loss, which diet companies try to suck people into believing, is that weight loss requires dieting. In fact the opposite is true. Dieting ends up adding 6 lbs per year per dieter, and dieting fails for nearly 100% of people. No, dieting is not the answer, but lifestyle factors, including stress reduction, are in most cases the only answer you’ll need.
Why is stress so important? Stress produces a hormone called cortisol, and while a certain amount of cortisol is essential for health, too much cortisol will damage your entire endocrine (hormone) system, including playing havoc with your metabolic rate. Stress reduction is a key factor in permanent weight loss.
If you are a stressful person, due to circumstances or due to your nature, especially if you have an actual anxiety disorder, then it’s highly likely that your metabolic rate has been compromised, and highly likely that you have other health problems as well. It’s vital to get help quickly.
The first step should always be to visit your doctor, because the symptoms of anxiety can mask a medical condition. For example thyroid disorders can bring on a stressed state of mind and even panic attacks! So first see your doctor!
Unfortunately the most common treatments for anxiety are pretty unsatisfactory, taking weeks or months to achieve benefit, if ever. These include a range of medications, and psychotherapies such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. These approaches should be considered out of date.
It’s also quite common for people to use alcohol or other drugs to try to soothe their stress or anxiety, even when they know this isn’t good for them. An effective therapist will ask questions about drug use and help you to put in place strategies that work a whole lot better!
When you’re seeking an effective therapist or an effective program, realise that you won’t see client testimonials very often, if at all. An ethical therapist will not generally ask clients for testimonials, and will not generally use them. Instead, they will be able to point you to actual scientific research.
Testimonials do not constitute proof. For example almost everyone can point to someone whom they’ve heard stopped smoking through using hypnosis. However all studies show that hypnosis works for less than 1% of people. This miserable success rate, no better than trying to stop cold turkey, doesn’t stop the snake oil merchants from putting up dozens of testimonials asserting that hypnosis cures smoking.
You need to be aware that the placebo effect can be responsible for the improvement of a few people even when the majority are unhelped by a particular treatment. The beauty of ignoring testimonials and using only those treatments backed by validated research is that at least you know the placebo effect has been calculated out of the results!
In order to eliminate your stress or anxiety, you need a technique which will quickly “mess up” your typical reaction to thoughts or situations that used to distress you. BMSA (Brief, Multi-Sensory Activation) is a very modern and effective treatment that accomplishes exactly that, often immediately.
For example, you might have a fear of going outside, and feel incredibly stressed or panicky each time you think of going out the front door, or getting into the car. With BMSA you’d deliberately hold a mildly-stressful thought in your mind at the same time as you applied the technique. You’d very quickly discover that you were unable to bring up the stressful feeling, even though you might try very hard to do so.
There are huge advantages to resolving the stress in your life once and for all. Reduced stress levels improve your metabolism, but they also improve mood and sleep function, both of which in turn also improve metabolic rate. It’s an exponential impact on weight loss!
So don’t delay. Make a commitment to sorting out those stress levels right away, and enjoy all the great benefits that are waiting for you!
Topics: Lose Weight | No Comments »
Mexican Food Not Only Healthy for You It Taste Great Too
By KC Kudra | July 29, 2008
If you ask the majority of Americans on when the last time they ate Mexican food was, usually it is within the last week. Mexican foods have become very popular in the United States. The problem is that the Mexican foods in America are not the same as they are in Mexico. Americans have added super fat and super sized the meals. If you go down to Mexico, you may not even find the same dishes because the dishes were created in America. Authentic Mexican food is rich in fresh vegetables, protein, and nutritious vitamins and spices.
Taco Bell comes to mind as a popular food chain that serves Mexican foods. You will find tacos, burritos, and quesadillas. People in Mexico usually do not eat big platters of tortilla chips in their everyday meals. Because the food sold in the United States, it is not very healthy. The Mexican foods in America are not as rich in nutrients. It contains high fat, sodium, and calories. It also does not include as many fresh vegetables.
Mexican Food Healthy Ideas for Today’s Diet
Traditional Mexican dishes are usually healthy Mexican food. Tomatoes, which are used in a lot of traditional Mexican recipes contain lycopene, which fights cancer, and are rich in vitamins. This does not mean you should not enjoy American style Mexican food but you can make it healthier if you make your own or visit Mexican fast food outlets less often.
The Makings of Healthy Mexican Food?
Tomatoes can be added to many Mexican dishes. Beans carry high protein and fiber. Instead of eating the beans refried, try getting them whole. It cuts back on the fat. Corn is another vegetable that is healthy in Mexican foods. It is high in vitamins and contains fiber. Adding these to your Mexican dishes will make them healthier than what you are served at Taco Bell.
So, do Mexicans eat healthily? Well, there are plenty of health food stores in America where we can buy healthy food alternatives and there are also health food stores in Mexico. In fact, over $500 million is spent on health foods yearly in Mexico. Not everybody can afford to pay more for health foods however.
Around five percent of Mexicans regularly buy and consume health foods, ranging from twenty to fifty in age and normally living in metropolitan areas. Mexicans who cannot afford health foods still eat a healthier diet than their American counterparts do. American food is often laden with fat and calories, which are bad for your body if consumed in excess. In addition, Mexican cooking methods vary and deep-frying is less common in Mexico than in the United States.
Mexican Food is Healthy - Food Pyramid
You are probably wondering again, is Mexican food healthy for me. Authentic Mexican dishes are, because they carry many vitamins and are generally low in fat. America has fattened up the Mexican dishes making them not a good choice. If you want to go out to eat, try avoiding the major Mexican food chain restaurants. Find a restaurant that serves authentic dishes. It is healthier and will taste even better knowing you are giving your body good foods.
Topics: Nutrition | No Comments »
Shortcut Secrets For Getting Rid Of Stomach Fat
By Roland du Preez | July 29, 2008
People usually start panicking when they have to buy new clothes because their skirts and pants no longer fit, and few say they’ll just try to get rid of stomach fat, because for many it is an obsession.
If you want to get rid of stomach fat and lose those love handles, then you are going to have to commit yourself to a regimen for a while. It took some time to gain the weight around your belly so now it will take some time and effort to lose it. But lose it you can!
Detoxing is essential
The first thing you can do is detoxify your system. Many experts agree this is one of the most important things that you can do to begin a weight loss program. Getting rid of body toxins helps to promote healthy body function as you change your eating habits. Out with the old, in with the new. Body wraps and good fiber supplements will aid in eliminating the toxins from your body.
Aerobic exercises
Aerobics will help to increase your body’s metabolic rate so that you can start burning calories and it’s very healthy. It kicks everything into motion so that your body can work at peak levels to start losing pounds.
No less than 20 minutes of aerobics for every work out. Do this at least 4 times every week.
Crunches
Start targeting your middle section and abs by doing sit ups daily, this will also tone the abs. You have to start defining your stomach, but don’t overdo it in the beginning, you would pull a muscle; rather ease into it and build up to higher repetitions.
Watch the Food!
Eat more nutritional foods like fresh vegetables and fruit. Fruit juice should not have added sugar. Eat lean meat and drink more water throughout the day.
You can start using one of many weight loss routines for success providing you don’t give up and go back to your old way of eating.
Eliminate junk food, they have extra calories that you don’t need, in fact they are only good for gaining weight.
Your Meals
Eating more often but eating less will help your body lose weight and burn more calories. When you are eating a couple of extra meals per day but less food, your body is working to digest and process the intake. This helps keep your body’s metabolism in a higher gear. Ensure that you are restricting your portions per meal.
You will lose stomach fat if you stick to the plan and stay committed, you cannot fail. Right off the bat, you will lose a few pounds, this will encourage you to keep on going, this will continue each week until you have reached your goal. Remember, you are only cheating yourself if you cheat, but if you stay firm you’ll succeed.
Topics: Lose Weight | No Comments »
Do You Have The Patience To Lose Weight The Right Way?
By Christian Goodman | July 29, 2008
Let’s be honest here. You don’t seriously expect to lose weight in 3 weeks that took you 3 years to put on, now, do you?
Well, for some they probably canbut it will only be temporary. Losing weight in a slow, steady manner is the healthiest way you can do it, and it’s also the only way to keep it off for good.
It needs more than just a diet plan, because those alone don’t work. It requires a shift in lifestyle. People often think that losing weight is hard because they want something that is quick, fast, and easy.
You must remove those habits that made you overweight. And you must have more body movement. The word ‘exercise’ makes us cringe, most of the time. But it doesn’t have to be a task that you dislike and it doesn’t have to be something that occupies most of your time. You just need to move your body more. The more you do that, the easier it becomes and in time, you may actually come to look forward to it and truly miss it on those occasions when you can’t do it.
Healthy weight loss takes time and typically you’ll see only a pound or two per week. Can you accelerate this with exercise? You bet. The combination of a healthy, sensible diet, balanced with all the food groups and exercise 3-5 times a week for 30 minutes will show you hard proof that you don’t need the latest fad diet making the rounds to get to your ideal weight.
Your world does not have to turn upside down to start changing your lifestyle. Start making small changes that collectively will make a huge difference. If you normally drink soda, try to drink water. If you don’t eat breakfast, try to eat breakfast at least 3 times a week. This one is really effective, because you will feel so much better during those days that you ate breakfast that soon you will be doing it by choice.
Phase out some of the fast food you eat, and some of the overly processed food that offers little if any nutrients for your body to use. Choose whole grain bread instead of white bread. Little changes. One at a time. As you discover what healthy actually feels like, you’ll naturally be drawn to want more of it.
Losing weight in a healthy manner does not mean avoiding foods completely, even ‘unhealthy’ foods. It’s not practical to say that you will never eat another piece of cake, Thanksgiving stuffing, or Christmas candy. If you are monitoring what you eat, around 80% of the time, the other 20% you can relax a bit.
Another thing that overweight people need to do to increase your weight loss is to increase their oxygen intake. You will be surprised to see how much quickly your body will be able to burn fat when given enough oxygen. I designed a program that will let your body take in the oxygen it needs.
Your weight loss efforts will be enhanced by using the ‘Weight Loss Breeze’ program. With just a few minutes a day of simple exercises, the program will have an astonishing effect on your weight loss efforts. Combine it with sound nutrition and even without exercise, you will see your weight go down.
Topics: Lose Weight | No Comments »
The Foods Diabetic People Can Eat - Plan Your Meals Accordingly
By Max Rad | July 29, 2008
Diabetes can be difficult to live with, but with the right diet and proper exercise, it can be controlled. While designing the right diet, it is essential to keep in mind the foods diabetic people can eat. There are plenty of recipes that are aimed at preparing delicious and healthy foods for diabetics.
While Type I Diabetes is usually diagnosed in children, now we know that it does not affect only them. Type I diabetes, unlike Type II diabetes, is an autoimmune disease. When the beta cells, which produce insulin, in the pancreas, are damaged, the individual suffers from Type I diabetes. When the body becomes resistant to insulin, the patient suffers from Type II diabetes. Both can be combated through proper eating, which includes a varied diet consisting of foods like fat-free, sugar-free and fibrous food items.
While people who do not take care of their health are at an increased risk for diabetes, the disease is often hereditary. Even if you have diabetes in your family, if you eat right and exercise regularly, you can avoid its onset. Once you do have diabetes, though, you will have to be on constant medication that causes the insulin level in your body to stay within the normal range. However, the first preference doctors show is for another sort of treatment - making sure that you control your diet and eat according to a carefully thought out preparation.
Just making sure that you eat foods diabetic people can eat is not enough, though - you have to stay active, and do some sort of exercise, whether it is jogging or dancing or walking or swimming, for minimum half an hour every day. The diet is important, though - it should be full of non-fat and unsweetened foods and completely without with sweets, alcohol and high-fat foods, including whole milk products.
A typical diabetic diet should include fibrous carbohydrates, protein, vitamins, minerals and plenty of water. Whole grains, wholemeal bread and oats are excellent examples for fibrous carbohydrates, while protein should be taken from lean meat,fish, legumes, nuts and seeds. Vitamins and minerals can be found in abundance in leafy green vegetables and fresh fruits. Such food items can be consumed in any amount and throughout the whole day. The 8-glass minimum for water consumption must also be followed.
Unfortunately, sauces like sweet and sour, barbecue and teriyaki are not among the foods diabetics are allowed to eat - restaurant prepared and store-bought creams and sauces must also be avoided.
There are other favorites that you will have to steer clear of now - eggs, mayonnaise, red meat, butter, cheese, carbonated drinks - and foods that you must accept as staple, such as those with unsaturated fat and are unsweetened. Since it is your responsibility to stay healthy, to understand more about foods diabetic people can eat, you must talk to your nutritionist or your doctor, and come up with a diet plan you will be comfortable with for the rest of your life.
Topics: Nutrition | No Comments »
