The holidays are the most festive time of the year but they can also be highly stressful if you are watching your diet or trying to lose weight. How can we avoid gaining extra fat while still experiencing a great time this season? You can enjoy the celebration to its fullest and not worry about guilt on Monday if you follow just a few simple ideas.


Don't wait until the big meal to eat. It's understandable to save room for your favorite holiday dishes but starving yourself until the big feast is the last thing that you want to do.

You should enjoy eating sensible snacks to maintain your metabolism. Also, not being famished lowers the chances of your going overboard. It is best to avoid eating too much when dinner is finally served.


Try leaning toward grains and high fiber carbohydrates such as brown rice, wheat breads and wheat flour pasta. Fiber rich foods tend to give most people a full feeling earlier than the same or larger quantity of white flour alternatives. Consider higher protein cottage cheese over sour cream for your potato. No, you don't have to live without the butter but it may benefit your waste line if you do.


Drink plenty of water. It is always important to stay well hydrated. But, when celebrating especially, water replenishes and counters the dehydrating effects of the caffeinated or adult beverages we may have enjoyed. Drinking enough water also can help us to not stuff ourselves with high calorie foods.


Casseroles are always welcomed in my home but steamed vegetables are a nutritious alternative. Use herbs to bring out the natural flavors. You may also consider nuts like vitamin rich Pistachios or raw fruits and vegetables with low fat dips as appetizers over the heavier or higher calorie items better reserved for the main event.

Treat yourself to whatever your heart desires, even desserts and chocolates if you wish. However, do it in moderation. Try sampling in smaller portions so there isn't anything you missed but be sensible on serving size. When you pay attention to the quantity of what you are eating, it increases the quality of these special times.


If the weather is appropriate, enjoy a walk outside with your friends and family. Still truly important is that you have enough physical activity but days like these were meant for leisure. Take the opportunity to enjoy the fresh air before dining or after your post feast nap. Doing so will help you be certain to burn at least a few of those extra calories.

Food doesn't need to be the only focus of your celebration's fun time. Since the group is together, why not exercise each other's mind with the board games hid away in your closet? Children and kids at heart may already be playing video games but when was the last time you enjoyed a good trivia or word game? Some of the most memorable family or friendship bonds can be made over a triple letter score.


Speaking of kids, it's important for us adults to set a good example. Food is crucial for us to live and should never be something to feel guilty over. Encourage children to enjoy the holiday with healthy treats, physical activity, and good feelings about food. What we discover and experience as children during these social occasions can often last as wonderful memories throughout our entire lifetime.


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For more good sense diet tips and to discover Cindy Lewis' easy weight loss secrets, visit her website at http://www.easyweightlosssecrets.com and register for her free online diet class.

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Is it possible to avoid those holiday pounds?

We all know that maintaining your diet and weight loss plan during the holidays can more than a little difficult. In fact, maintaining your ideal weight during the holiday season can seem almost impossible. Fortunately, if you believe the old stories about how much weight people put on during the holidays, you're only partially correct. In a recent study conducted by The National Institute of Health, the researchers discovered that, in reality, most people tend to put on just under one pound. However, a person who is already overweight will average a whole five pounds extra during the holiday season.

Unfortunately, the study also shows that people tend to keep those holiday pounds on. In other words, over ten years, those "not-so-much pounds", could lead someone to being overweight.

So, what can we do in order to keep those extra pounds off? How do we lose weight put on during the holidays? After all, our homes are usually filled with holiday pies, cakes and other goodies, and they can be pretty tempting even for the most faithful of dieters!



Here's a few tips to get you through the holidays.


Just a Nibble!

Have you ever noticed that when you start eating a rich dessert it tastes so good, but by the last bite, you've had enough? One way to keep the pounds down is just to enjoy a few bites of that delicious cheesecake or chocolate fudge brownie. No one says that you have to completely deprive yourself of holiday treats just limit how much you eat!


Enjoy the Company, Not The Brownies!

Many people think of holiday parties in terms of the foods that they'll get to eat (or have to avoid) instead of the real reason for the celebration the company and conversation. If you keep yourself busy chatting with friends, you'll be less likely to invade the snack table.


Go Full

You've likely heard the grocery store trick; don't go shopping when you're hungry because you'll only end up buying more. Well, the same can work for holiday parties! Eat a lot of raw vegetables, and other healthy foods that will stick with you during the party and you'll be less tempted to binge on the bad stuff.


Drink Water

If you were to add up the calories that you've probably consumed in sodas, fruit punches and alcoholic beverages at parties, you would likely be amazed. You can gulp down hundreds of calories without even realizing it if you're not careful! Instead of one of these high-calorie drinks, make it a habit to drink water which in itself will help flush out extra water weight.


Create an Eating Schedule

It wouldn't be fun or realistic to try and get through an entire party without at least sampling some of the treats. But instead of heading instantly to the food table and loading your plate and then suffering the rest of the party because you want more try spacing out your snacks for the entire party. Plan on taking a nibble of something about every thirty minutes. Not only will it help you eat less, it will be a fun game that you can play with yourself!

Most importantly, remember that the holidays are meant for enjoyment. Don't be too hard on yourself, and if you make a mistake, talk an extra long walk to work off those extra calories instead of beating yourself up over it!


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So, how much do you weigh? Think about that right now. Now, think about this, how much would you like to weigh? Now that you have thought about those two different numbers, ask yourself this: What am I going to do to achieve that weight goal? Maybe you are one of the many people that have tried a lot of things to no avail. For example, maybe you have tried diet pills. Whatever you have tried, nothing will work unless it's natural. What I mean by that is that you should not expect something like a diet pill to solve your problem. You should try to solve your problem naturally. If you want to know how to solve your problem naturally, read the next paragraph.

First of all, you would have to eat the right foods and get enough water everyday. The biggest cause of obesity is bad food choices. People who eat bad foods tend to get overweight. So, eating the right foods will help you lose weight. If you have anything in your house that is unhealthy, you should throw it AWAY! That's right; throw away all the food items in your house that are unhealthy. Next, you will have to start drinking more water. Water clears out the body of excess waste and will help you get a faster metabolism. The second vital thing you must do is exercise. If you want ideas on what physical exercises you can do, follow on to the next paragraph.

If you like to sit at home all day, watching TV or using the computer, you will get out of shape. You should exercise regularly for health purposes. Don't just sit at home all day. You should go outside and play. If you don't have anything like baseball or football to play, you can walk around the neighborhood. When I am walking around in my neighborhood, I see people riding bicycles. That's a good idea as well; you can do that. You can also jog around the block once you have the hang of it. As long as you want to achieve your weight-loss goal, you should keep exercising and never be inactive.

Would you like to see the sexy body that lies under your fat? Well, what are you waiting for? You should start eating right and exercising.



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If you are no longer comfortable for yourself because of a flabby belly, you may want to try the "flat abs diet." Sometimes just doing sit-ups and crunches are simply not enough to help you achieve a flat belly. Exercise combined with this diet will get better results for you.

Recent research has suggested that not only how much and what you eat, but also your exercise program and reducing stress are necessary to a successful weight loss program. A "flat abs diet" can also be a valuable tool in losing weight and obtaining that flat abdomen that you desire.


#1 Reduce your carbohydrate intake:

It is necessary for you to eat less carbohydrate if you want to use the flat abs diet to lose weight. When carbohydrates digest they turn into simple sugar and produce energy. But, if you eat too many carbohydrates, your body turns it into fat. The problem with reduced fat foods is that they put more sugar in them so they will have a good flavor. So, you have to decrease the portions of bread, tortillas, chips, potatoes, spaghetti and rice you eat. Also you have to cut down on beverages that contain too much sugar such as lemonades and juices.


#2 Eat more Protein:

A person loses weight and fat along with muscles, which may cause you to look equally flabby before and after your weight loss. However, scientists have discovered that eating the right amount of protein at the right time of the day can not only optimize your weight loss but also prevent major muscle loss, which is important for both men and women. Through the flat abs diet, you keep the fat down and maintain muscle stores which are very important to keep the basal metabolic rate high and to maintain a healthy weight.

To keep bones and muscles healthy and to get fitter, flatter abs, you should consume more proteins but not in astronomical proportions. Consumption should not exceed 40% of daily calories.´


#3 Eat more fiber rich food:

According to David Jenkins, M.D., Ph.D., professor of nutrition and medicine, University of Toronto and an associate of Food and Nutrition Board, an important reason for people to become fatter and chubbier is inadequate intake of fiber. In order to drain off the flab and to have firm, attractive abdominal muscles, you will have to ingest not less than 25 grams of fiber/day, if you are a woman and 38 grams of fiber/day, if you are a male. Fiber is the part of fruits, vegetables, groceries and peas that resists digestion. It helps provide you a flat stomach in different ways.

Inadequate intake of fiber may result in constipation that can cause your belly bulge and increase weight by 5 pounds. Moreover, fiber rich foods like fruits, vegetables and oatmeal increase the size of your diet without increasing the calorie content. They hold you satiated for a longer time and help you shred weight. We may now discuss one of the simplest steps to gain flat stomach so as to find success with your diet regimen.


#4 Drink a lot of Water:

Water makes up more than 60% of your body weight. Drinking water helps to flush out toxins from the body that are burnt by exercise and diet. By this one loses weight, feels healthier and energized.

Also, by drinking more water one does not feel very hungry as water fills the stomach and thus food consumption is lesser which in turn reduces the calorie intake and eventually supports flat abs diet.



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The face is one of the many areas to where fat accumulates during weight gain. Chubby cheeks and double chins are usually the common complains of people suffering from facial fat. To slim the face, you'll need to either perform facial exercises or modify your diet to decrease your overall body weight. Let's look at some ways to lose cheek fat with proper diet and exercise.

1. For cheeks: Sit. Relax. Smile, keeping your lips closed. Now suck in your cheeks and hold them in while you count 8 seconds. Relax and repeat at least ten times. This is a good one to do while driving, as it requires no hands to perform. Another exercise for your cheeks is simply to smile as wide as you can (lips closed) as you imagine you are trying to touch your ears with the corners of your mouth.

2. Reduce your intake of alcohol and go for drinking milk instead. Alcohol is known to put on calories on your body, while drinking 1200 milligrams of milk everyday is known to help reduce fat. So make the right choice for a slimmer you.

3. Address your diet first. A well-balanced and nutritional diet filled with healthy foods such as whole grains, lean proteins like fish and chicken and plenty of healthy fruits and vegetables will help you lose weight. Starving yourself isn't the answer to losing cheek fat. A balanced approach should restrict sugar intake and replace unhealthy foods with high quality, healthy foods.

4. Tilt your head back, while in this position proceed to make a chewing motion. Chew for about ten seconds then relax and repeat this maneuver ten times. If done correctly, you should feel your jaw and neck muscles tightening after the exercise.

5. Drinking eight big glasses of water a day has been proven to aid in weight loss. Sometimes when we think we're hungry, our body is actually just thirsty. Drinking lots of water can take the edge off our "hunger" and keep us from overeating, thus helping us to lose fat. This is one of the best natural weight loss.

6. Watch your salt intake. Salt is an active ingredient that causes bloating or water retention. Avoid salty foods and eat healthy ones instead. If you need to add salt on your recipe, do it with a salt shaker or sprinkle it with your hand instead of a spoon. This way you can control the amount of salt on your food.

7. Perform regular aerobic exercise to boost your metabolism and help you lose weight. Regular exercise needs to be part of your daily or weekly health regimen. Make exercise a part of your lifestyle to maintain a healthy weight. Many people notice weight gain first in the facial area. You'll notice weight loss quickly on the face too.

8. Perform an exaggerated smile in front of the mirror. Close your lips and smile as wide as you can, as if you are trying to touch both your ears with the corners of your mouth. Hold this position for 8 to 10 seconds and relax. Repeat this procedure five times.

Author is an online researcher on natural weight loss. Nutritionist. Click read more on natural weight loss, how to lose cheek fat.

Weight gain with pregnancy is standard... but putting on extra amounts of unwanted baby weight is not. Even the best pregnancy diet won't take the place of proper fitness, and staying in shape while carrying your baby will help both of you in the delivery room. This pregnancy safe exercise list will help you keep on track, and you can even use these tips for losing weight after childbirth.

The first thing you'll need to do is monitor your pregnancy weight gain by week. This is the best indication of whether you're in line with proper maternity nutrition or whether you've fallen off the wagon a little. It also keeps you honest, and gives you something be be accountable for each week. Make sure you do it.

Beyond that, get the best pregnancy nutrition information you can find. Seek it out and follow it: as a mother-to-be you may have to increase your calorie intake but that doesn't give you a license to eat anything you see. Normal weight gain during pregnancy involves eating a properly balanced diet of proteins, carbohydrates, and good fats - do this right and it will help your body stay in shape and assist in the best possible fetal development. Overindulge in the wrong things, and you'll be stuck with rolls of unwanted baby weight. Try to remember that weight loss after childbirth is a lot more difficult than it was before you were pregnant. Your body shape, type, and metabolism might change... but even if it doesn't, you're now in charge of a needy little baby and won't nearly have the free time you had before.

Exercises while pregnant are not all that different than pre-maternity fitness. The main thing to keep in mind is that you should always stop if you feel dizzy, lightheaded, short of breath, or experience any type of pain. You can get a pretty great workout without any of those things, and working up a sweat is a good thing. Just watch your limits, and don't overexert yourself - especially in the third trimester. Below is a list of pregnancy safe exercise you should consider:

* Stretching - No matter which exercises you select, you must always stretch. Sometimes stretching could be considered exercise in and of itself. Make sure you stretch your neck by dropping the chin and slowly rotating your head both clockwise and counterclockwise. Don't rush it - concentrate on feeling the muscles pull and try to go a little further each time. Stretch your shoulders by rolling them forward and upward toward your ears, then downward and back. Rotate each your arms at the sockets, both forward and backward. Flex and stretch your legs, and rotate your ankles and wrists. If done correctly stretching should take 10-15 minutes on its own.

* Pilates - If you've never tried Pilates, I'd highly recommend you take a beginner's class while pregnant. The flexibility and exercise benefits are great, but Pilates will also teach you important breathing techniques that you'll find extremely useful during labor, childbirth, and beyond.

* Swimming - Many pregnant women take up swimming. Why? Mainly because of it's a totally non-impact style of workout. Swimming exercises the entire body at once, is great cardio, and helps oxygenate and stretch the muscles. It's also a ton of fun. Check your local pool for a water aerobics class; you'll be inspired to go each day and you'll make some friends in the process.

* Walking - One of the best ways to get out of the house! Pregnancy can really coop you up, so get out and walk around. Not only do you get new scenery and fresh air, it's also great for your body. Start off with small walks to see how you feel before going on longer ones. And make sure you've got comfortable sneakers. Pregnancy posture is important in helping keep your back pain-free, to say nothing of blistered feet.

* Running - If you're a runner, you can still run. This is especially good news, because many people who've taken up running are usually addicted to it in one way or another. Be very aware of how you feel while running, and never let yourself become exhausted or gasping for breath. In your third trimester, be mindful of how you feel and consult your doctor - he or she you may want to slow down or switch to walking.

* Yoga - Similar to Pilates, Yoga can help with stretching and breathing. It can also teach you mental techniques vital to putting yourself in a good frame of mind. Being calm, peaceful, and relaxed are all healthy benefits to you and your baby. But in Yoga there may be certain exercise positions you should avoid while pregnant, so as with Pilates always consult an instructor first.

Pregnancy Without Pounds is a fantastic online guide that offers even more exercise tips and nutritional information. The techniques found within will help keep you looking amazing the whole time while pregnant and even after delivery. You'll be given pregnancy weight gain by week information and dietary facts on which foods you should be eating as well as which ones you should be avoiding at all costs!

From more pregnancy safe exercise and other guidelines, check out Pregnancy Without Pounds. And for hundreds of unique baby bedding and gift ideas, check out The Frog and the Princess!

These days, our day-to-day commitments of work and home keep us tied to our chairs, and when we would like exercise, we need to seek it out. The truth is health experts insist that obesity problems are most likely brought on at the very least just as much by insufficient physical exercise as by eating too much. Therefore, it is necessary that individuals need to move around more.

However, that doesn't imply that a lap or two around the old track will offset an every day serving of donuts. Physical exercise alone just isn't very efficient, experts point out. They contend that when you merely exercise and do not change your diet, you might be able to avoid putting on weight or maybe even lose a few pounds for a while. Nonetheless, it's not something which you are very likely to sustain unless exercise is part of an overall weight loss routine. The more frequently you exercise, the easier it is to maintain your weight.

Make certain you get a good amount of sleep. Good sleeping habits tend to be conducive to good exercise habits professionals point out. If you are worn out in the daytime, you're not as likely to get much physical exercise during the day. Furthermore, there is evidence that people who find themselves tired tend to eat more, using food as a substance for the rest they require.

Possibly the simplest exercise routine of all is walking. Actually, it might be all you ever need to do, advice some health experts. Steadily build up to at least thirty minutes of brisk walking five times per week. Brisk walks by themselves have health and psychological benefits which are worth the while. In the event the weather is poor, you probably won't feel like going outdoors. However for those who have a treadmill machine in the television room, you can get caught up on your favorite shows while you're doing your daily good turn for your weight-maintenance strategy. The majority of us watch television anyway, and indoor exercise equipment enables one to turn a sedentary activity into a healthy walk.

Excuses aside, not enough time is definitely a limiting factor in most lifestyles. That's the reason health experts suggest a basic guideline for integrating physical exercise into your routine. Get the maximum amount of exercise that you can, and that feels good without allowing it to interfere with your work or family life. If you need to, remind yourself that you're preventing many health issues when you prevent weight gain; and keeping your health is a gift to your family in addition to yourself.


Before you run off be sure toCLICK HERE for more great articles, and videos to help you lose weight, and keep it off.

These gym exercises all you can do in your home or outdoors. The exercise contributes to the elasticity of your muscles, prevent bone fragility and improve your metabolism. If you want a more refined silhouette, except now some pounds or just feel more agile we bring fitness exercises.

Do not forget that in addition to gym exercises, there are other activities burn calories as usual getting down or climbing stairs, walking, dancing, running. Anything that gets you moves you will benefit. The exercises in the gym that we bring are designed to work in areas such as thighs, inner arms, abdomen, and gluteus. If you're in a start only doing 10 minutes every day, then increasing and you can see 30 minutes three times a week.

If you have proposed to start practicing exercises in the gym before you consider a simple preparation before beginning the exercises. Nothing gentle stretching exercises to prepare your strongest muscles in the exercise. Start with few repetitions and gradually increase voice. If you do this table three times a week and take care of your food in a short time you will be much better.

Fitness exercises

Before the exercises began warming up muscles and joints to rotate shoulders forward and back, and imitating the gesture of assure get up, walking or climbing knees for 10 minutes.

1. The crash exercise for your legs and your back

Execution - placing your feet parallel with the ends slightly out and do assure gesture of putting all the weight on your heels.

Repetition - Do 3 sets of 10 to 25 repetitions. Variant. Attach the feet makes a big step backwards keeping up the heel and bring the knee toward the ground, do it with each leg alternately. To increase the intensity of this exercise you can take something heavy between your arms.

2. To keep your back in shape and prevent back problems

Execution - Standing, bend the leg. Take a bottle of water and pull back to the elbow without moving the back start with his arm extended toward the ground.

Repetition - Make two sets of 10 to 20 repetitions.

3. Designed to define and give shape to the shoulders

Execution - On the ground with a knee, just with two arms openings or two bottles of water. Keep your arms slightly bent and so shoulder, elbow and hand are aligned.

Repetition - Do 3 sets of 10 to 25 repetitions.

4. To tighten and shape the inner arms

Execution - Supports hands on the edge of a step or a chair, keep your back straight and elbows down wearing backwards.

Repetition - Series of 8 to 15 repetitions.

5. To tighten and shape the rear

Execution - Open your legs hip width and placed his hands under the shoulders. 90 � bend one leg, bending the foot and bring it to the ceiling without changing position or lowering the knee.

Repetition - Do 3 sets of 15 to 25 repetitions with each leg.

6. The most comprehensive exercise to tone the torso, chest and shoulders above

Execution - Open the arms, backs and knees aligns your body so that his ass, nor protrude back. Lower elbows with the chest open and closer to the ground.

Repetition - Do 3 sets of 8 to 15 repetitions.

7. To tone the lower abdomen

Execution - Supports hands under the back, stretch your legs, feet and brings together the heels toward the ceiling without lifting the back too. Each time you upload blows.

Repetition - Do 3 sets of between 12 and 25 repetitions.

Execution - Support your feet, hold the head with a hand rises up and turns to touch the knee with the opposite hand. Back to soil passing through the center first and then downhill.

Repetition - Do 3 sets of between 123 and 25 repetitions.

9. To tighten the abdominal main strip, which also help prevent back problems

Execution - Keep the legs bent with feet supported. Hold your head with your arms and Keep them open. Let the trunk with the chin slightly up while bushings.

Repetition - Do 3 sets of between 12 and 25 repetitions.

10. To give your pectoral muscle tone, which helps you keep your chest instead

Execution - To face up with legs bent, place your arms at 90 � (aligning shoulder, elbow and wrist) and from that position and pull the arms back to bend them.

Repetition - Do 3 sets of 8 to 15 repetitions.

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Is fasting a part of your diet regimen? Have you considered fasting effects? Maybe fasting is tied to your religion? True fasting is the act of freely abstaining from the intake of food for a period of time. Some individuals or groups consider partial fasting by abstaining from meats or certain foods. However, a complete fast would be abstaining from all foods. The term "fasting" generally offers connotations that exceed a few days. However, in the medical realm, a person could be considered fasting if they abstain from foods for eight to twelve hours. Therefore many fast nightly by medical terms. Truly giving the body time to digest all foods that have been ingested generally takes eight or more hours to be considered fasting.

When fasting most people do not consider the influence on the body beyond potentially losing weight. Since weight loss is such a desirable goal in the American culture, the direct fasting effects of weight loss are typically welcomed. What many do not consider is what happens within the brain and subsequently to the unseen portion of the body. Glucose is the body's primary source of fuel. Glucose can be found in dietary sugars as well as carbohydrates. Obviously if a person is fasting (complete fasting) he or she is not ingesting any sugars or carbohydrates. In this instance, the body's natural resources kick in and the brain tells the body to search for glycogen within the body. Glycogen is a molecule that is a form of energy that is made and stored primarily in the liver and in muscles. Generally, there is a higher concentration of glycogen in the liver than in muscles. Once a meal has been eaten including carbohydrates, glucose levels rise within the body. Ultimately, insulin stimulates enzymes and glucose is then added to glycogen and the liver absorbs more glucose than it must release. Once the meal has been digested, the body's glucose level begins to fall, there is less insulin output and glycogen reserves must be tapped. So in the instance of fasting glucose levels do not rise from food intake. Thus, when energy is needed, the body searches for stored glycogen that the body breaks down and turns into glucose for bodily fuel. As more time passes during fasting, blood sugar levels falls below normal, which stimulates glycogen breakdown. Low blood sugar levels can lead to anything from simply feeling poorly to seizures, passing out or fainting, potential brain damage or even death. Generally, it is no concern in the first few days of a fast as the body simply reacts naturally by switching to fat reserves as fuel vs. continuing to feed on muscle.

There are additional issues that arise if an individual fast for prolonged periods and is taking certain medication (amphetamine poisoning). There is obviously a certain point that there is no or little fat reserve to rely on. The body will provide increased urges to the person fasting at that point and normally the person fasting will break the fast. In the event that the fast is not broken, the body will turn to protein for fuel as the starvation process begins. Fasting has effects on hair loss at this point. Additionally, persons may experience heart arrhythmia or even kidney failure.

Researchers have found that by reducing caloric intake, individuals can benefit by having less likelihood of cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and certain immune disorders. However, without complete knowledge of what is happening within the body and brain, certain fasting can be completely detrimental to the individual. Also, there are certain conditions that an individual may not know that they have like anorexia that may not enable them to succumb to the body's urges during the starvation process. Therefore, it is recommended that fasting diets be done under strict physician consultation.

For more information regarding glucose, glycogen, famine response, anorexia, fasting within religions or other health tips, see the search bar at the Texas Low Cost Health Insurance website!


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Today more than ever there is so much information out there on losing weight that is has become very confusing and sometimes difficult to follow. It's actually very easy to lose weight if you follow my 7 principles.

1. - Before you can start any diet program you need to be in the right frame of mind. If you do not feel good about yourself you probably will not want to choose healthy foods. You cannot expect the act of going on a diet to make you feel better about yourself. The only way you can choose to eat a healthy diet to lose weight is if you have a positive self-image.

2. - Learn more about who your ancestors were. If you eat more like your ancestors you will be eating food that is better for your body. You will likely lose weight, have more energy and feel great. It has been shown when a group of people stop eating the food that was indigenous to them they start gaining weight and having health problems.

3. - Eat whole foods that are as natural as possible. When you eat whole foods that are full of nutrients your body will know how much to eat and how much not to eat. You do not have to count calories because your body is a wonderful machine. If given the right nutrients you will be at the best weight for you, have plenty of energy and feel great. Eating highly processed empty calorie foods will cause your body to always be hungry because it's trying to get the nutrients it needs.

4. - Drink the best weight loss supplement known to man, water. Most people do not know the difference from being hungry for food or thirsty for water. A great deal of times people eat when they should drink. Most likely you will not feel as hungry if you are getting enough water. You will be satisfying the thirst, which is confused for hunger. Water also helps you digest food better. Drinking water before you eat will help fill you up.

5. - Always chew your food well. Chewing your food well will ensure that you get the most nutrients out of your food. Getting the most nutrients will satisfy your body therefore you will eat less. Another benefit of chewing well is that it helps aid in digestion.

6. - Eat small, frequent meals in a day. Large meals tax your digestion system, making it work harder. Taking too much time in between meals makes you hungrier for the next meal.

7. - Increase your physical activity. Most people are over weight because of a lack of physical activity. Start walking more, bicycling, walk your dog for longer periods of time, swim, dance and leave the car at home when you can. It's important that you choose a physical activity that you enjoy because you'll stick with it. Choosing a physical activity purely based on the fact that it burns a lot of calories may be a mistake.

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Are you curious about pregnancy dieting? Many people raise their eyebrows when they hear those two words put together. Well, rest assured, we are not talking about going on a diet to lose weight when pregnant. When you are pregnant you must gain weight, this is a sign of a healthy pregnancy. But weight gain can be controlled through a proper diet.

We think about dieting as a way of women to be trim by having unpredictable eating routines which we can actually consider reckless if pregnant women would do it. But when we speak of dieting during pregnancy, we should get rid of the negative connotation because such dieting for pregnant women has something to give to women who are pregnant.

You might ask, so what are the benefits that one can get from dieting during pregnancy? Actually, the benefit of it would be derived from the act of taking the nutrition everyday that would be very much dependent to the certain weight that a pregnant women presently have. Together with the dieting would be the ample time for exercise that would best help pregnant women to have a good condition of the body.

However, just what we have thought of, there are also negative things that one can get from dieting during pregnancy. One thing would be the fact that losing weight is something to be disregarded especially for those pregnant women. Of course, dieting would entail harm not only for the mother but also for the baby who is in the womb of their mother.

However, the dieting that soon-be-mothers need is the good dieting which would entail a balanced diet that would not only nourish them with the right amount but most importantly the baby which is more in need of the nourishment than they need.

Pregnancy dieting can be looked at in two different lights: either as a negative or a positive. We tend to think that it should be seen in the positive light. Eating right during pregnancy keeps mommy looking and feeling great, and, more importantly, it keeps baby healthy.

Continue reading about how a pregnancy dieting and fitness program can help you look great during pregnancy and beyond. Get all of your questions answered at http://www.happymotherandbaby.com/weight-gain-during-pregnancy.html.

Fans of pop culture will never forget the old comic book advertisements for the Charles Atlas bodybuilding course. These ads featured a skinny kid named Mac who gets tired of being picked on by a bully so he starts lifting weight to pack on intimidating size and strength. In the comic, Mac was successful. In real life, it is not easy to pack on weight in a healthy manner. However, it can be done if you understands how to gain weight healthfully.

First and foremost, the word “weight” must be clearly defined. By weight, we are referring to lean muscle mass. You can gain weight by packing on fat or retaining water, but this will not be of much value. Instead, you will want gain weight that is exclusively muscle weight. This is often achieved through a mass building workout.

A mass building workout entails performing compound exercises such as barbell squats, military presses, and dead lifts. The key to succeeding with such a program is consistency and working out wisely. Far too often, people will seek to increase the amount of weight they lift as fast as possible. If you are looking for an answer to the question “how to gain weight healthfully”, this is not it. It leads to burnout and injuries. Instead, gradually increase weight over time. This is a much better and safer plan.

Experimenting with safe and effective mass blasting routines would be a helpful way of gaining muscle mass safely. Super-setting (performing three or four exercises for different body parts in a row without rest); static contraction training (lifting weights extremely slow); and pre-exhausting (performing isolation exercises to failure then switching to a compound exercise) are all great ways to boost the development of lean muscle mass.

While it is often overlooked, diet is critical if you wish to gain weight in a healthy manner. Often, you will need to increase your calorie intake but you want to avoid is putting on “slop weight”. This is bodybuilder lingo for packing on a ton of unnecessary fat along with lean muscle. This happens when you eat a lot of red meat that is loaded in fat, consume dairy in excess, or just eat anything in order to acquire extra calories. If you do this while working out, you will add muscle to your frame. However, you will also add a ton of fat that will be of no benefit. That’s not how to gain weight healthfully.

For “hard gainers”, weight gain shakes are quite helpful for increasing size. These are massively high calorie shakes (several thousands of calories per serving) that contain virtually no fat. For people who are working out a lot, but cannot gain any weight these shakes are excellent way to boost size. However, if you are not a hard gainer or have a fast metabolism, you will want to stay away from shakes with this many calories. This is because the calories you do not burn or metabolize will turn to fat. That strategy is not how to gain weight healthfully.

For those that do not want to use a weight gainer, a protein shake may prove helpful. When muscles rest after a workout, it will repair itself in order to grow. Protein is required for the muscle to repair itself effectively. If you supplement your diet with protein shakes, you can significantly help your muscles repair and grow.

If you are wondering how to gain weight healthfully, proper exercise, diet, and supplementation are the way to go. This has been the secret of the pros for decades. Why not let it work for you as well?
What Is The Best How To Gain Weight Healthfully?

Watch a 14 minutes video that shows you the top 7 exercises for growing your muscles. You will also be able to get 5 free videos that show you the correct way to build muscles.

How To Gain Weight Healthfully

A Raw Food Diet is based on eating whole, live, nutritionally-dense organic uncooked and un-processed foods as a large percentage of your diet. Cooking is thought to deteriorate the nutritional value of food. Depending on the nature of lifestyle and results desired, raw food diets may perhaps consist of an assortment of raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds (including sprouted whole grains such as gaba rice), eggs, fish (such as sashimi), meat (such as carpaccio), and non-pasteurized/non-homogenized dairy products (such as raw milk, raw milk cheese, and raw milk yogurt).

Raw food diet is incontrovertibly worth trying and in fact many people have taken to it. Raw food diets may possibly include an assortment of raw fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, eggs, fish and non-pasteurized/non-homogenized dairy products (such as raw milk, raw milk cheese, and raw milk yogurt), depending on the results and benefits chosen.

It is always a challenge to stick to your nutritional program or diet when you go on holiday. The biggest two problems are finding healthy fat burning foods, and avoiding the temptation to slip into bad habits.

So here are a few tips to help you find healthy foods when you go on vacation.

- Look For Grilled Food

Don't just shelve your good habits when you go on vacation. Or you'll be sure to shelve your lean physique too! Delicious and satisfying foods are available wherever you go, and you don't need to sacrifice nutritional value either.

With that in mind keep your eyes open for grilled meats and fish and stay away from fried foods.

If you're visiting a seaside resort then you can expect to find a lot of fresh seafood. But landlocked or inland destinations will probably serve mostly red meat, game and poultry. Just remember to use your experience when choosing your meals. Would you prepare a meal this way? If not then it's probably a good idea to make another choice.

- Eat At Local Restaurants

Whenever I've traveled I've found the smaller, local places do the best food. Whether it's because they take pride in showcasing the fresh, local produce, or because they take more pride in how the food tastes I'm not sure. Well maybe it's both! But locally sourced food generally means fresh, natural and delicious.

Local restaurants, and their chefs, specialize in getting the most flavor out of their food! And this is good for you because it typically means that healthier cooking options are used, rather than convenience, processed foods and cooking techniques.

On the flip side, larger rood chains and fast food restaurants are known for going after mass-produced foods. These foods are almost always of a lower quality and they are prepared in a way that is bad for you.

Don't be afraid to ask the waiter to leave out certain ingredients from your food if they don't fit in with your nutritional program. And don't be afraid to leave any "nasty" bits uneaten.

- Plan Ahead

If you're going out on a day trip, sightseeing or planning on spending your day at the beach then plan how you'll satisfy your hunger.

But when you're in unfamiliar surroundings it can be hard to find a place to eat. And if you do, you're only choice might be an ice cream stall and a greasy diner!

- Enter the fat burning snack!

As you'll probably know from my blog, mixed nuts are a big part of my diet. Hardly surprising then that I always travel with them when I can.

They are so convenient to carry, and won't go bad in your bag. So you're onto a winner really.

Another great tip is to carry some fresh fruit. Fruit with a skin is just as convenient to carry as a bag of nuts. And if you are staying in a hotel that provides a decent breakfast spread then there will likely be enough fresh fruit to last you the day. Just take some with you!

The best options are bananas, apples, oranges, kiwi etc.

- Relax, You're On Vacation

Remember that you are on vacation to enjoy yourself. And life is too short not to enjoy the occasional treat!

Don't be afraid to look at the dessert menu. If you see something that looks irresistible then go for it. I personally enjoy a good dessert once in a while.

But don't go too far and go for a desert with every meal. This will leave you feeling bloated, tired, lethargic and put your body in fat storage mode. You might actually find yourself taking some of the enjoyment away from the holiday.

Above all else you need to trust yourself and your food choices. You know your limits, and you know what is good for you and what isn't so great. By sticking to your nutritional program you can control junk food cravings.

At the end of the day you can't control how your food is prepared, or how it is sourced, so don't stress about it! Vacations are a time to relax and recharge your batteries. And if you follow these tips you'll come back just as lean as when you left!

I hope you enjoyed this article. To find out more about fat burning foods and how they can help you lose weight, check out my blog. I'll also introduce you to weight loss recipes and much more!

Every year, Americans would spend hundreds and thousands of dollars on diet plans. Most diet plan required their users to follow a rigid eating lifestyle. They put a limit on the amount and type of food which you can eat. They also require you to purchase from their menu plans.


Fat Diet

One disadvantages of the fad diet is that it encourages its users to eat only a small amount of food per day. When the body is lack of nourishments, it will go into starvation mode. In starvation mode, the acid in the stomach will attack the fibers of the muscles to generate energy in the body. Over time, the person’s muscles will start to become weak and flabby. In severe cases, the person will develop into other diseases such as rickets, anorexia and etc. Fad diet will make the person unusually thin which can be fatal given that it is continued over a long period of time. Fad diet is not suitable for people who exercise rigorously. If you exercise, you need to eat a lot of food that are high in protein and carbohydrate so that the energy level can be replenished.



To solve this problem, you must eat a healthy diet and regularly exercise. You should eat a healthy and balanced diet. If you frequently eat junk food, you should stop them once and for all. If you are unable to stop, you can reduce the intake of junk food progressively. Over time, you will overcome this craving.



Avoid Sugary Food

If you want to lose weight, you should lower the consumption of sugary food in your diet. When you eat, the carbohydrates from the food will be transformed into glucose. The glucose supply the adequate amount of energy for the body. The sugar level in the blood will determine the hunger level in a person. The pancreas create the insulin which is used to carry the glucose to different areas in the body. The more sugar you eat, the more insulin will be created by the pancreas. The insulin surge will cause an overwhelming amount of sugar to be into the blood system. As a result, the sugar and insulin level will fall below normal so that you feel hungry. When you feel hungry, you will crave for more food. Therefore, eating a lot of sugary food will increase your weight gain.


Cut Down on Cholesterol Rich Food

There are two types of cholesterol including HDL (high density lipoprotein) and LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterols. High density lipoprotein are also referred as bad cholesterol which are no good for your health. HDL cholesterol is the main culprit for diseases such as heart attack, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Los density cholesterol is known commonly as good cholesterol. You can replace food that are rich in HDL cholesterol with food that are rich in LDL cholesterol. Normally, food that are high in HDL cholesterol are red meats such as pork and beef. Examples of food that are rich in LDL cholesterol include fishes, shell fish, nuts, and chicken. The LDL cholesterol will help to maintain the cholesterol level in the body. If you are an obese, eating food with high LDL concentration will help you to reduce the HDL cholesterol level significantly.


Drink a Lot of Water

You must drink a lot of water every day. Water can help to flush away the toxins from the body. The toxins are derived from processed food that are rich in fibers and calories. If the toxins is not cleared away, it will be stored away as fat in different parts in the body. By drinking a lot of water, you will be able to eliminate these toxins and help yourself to lose weight. It is recommended that you drink at least 8 glasses of water.



Exercise Regularly

If you are on diet, you must also exercise regularly. By combining a healthy diet and regular exercising, you will be able to attain your weight loss goal within a short time. You can perform either moderate or vigorous exercise. For the optimum result, you should perform vigorous exercise. Examples of vigorous exercise include bicycling, fast paced walking, running, swimming, and fast aerobic dances. You can encourage yourself to exercise by parking the car fat away from the office. Instead of using the lift, you should climb the stairs. By doing so, you can effectively burn off the fat from your body.



You can perform strength training exercises. If you are not familiar with strength training exercises, you can hire a professional trainer to help you. You can start with an exercise program that will tone up all the muscle group in the body. Before exercising, you must warm up your body for 10 minutes. Warming up prevent you from getting injured. Examples of strength training exercises which you can do include chest press machine, seated row machine, kickbacks, squats and oblique twists.

Mascar Rooney is the author of this article on diet plans and tips.

Diet, diet, diet, we have all heard those words before. But what does it mean to you exactly? Maybe it’s something that has not been employed into your life or maybe it’s something that you wish you could throw out of your life. Diets are part of many people’s lives but what we should consider is that they can sometimes be misleading when we are trying to lose weight and be healthy. Let’s take a deeper look as to what I mean by this.

For example, a friend recently pointed something out to me after I was boasting about this diet I had tried. I was going on and on about how this diet had worked for me and it was the best I had ever felt and so on. He immediately pointed out the fact that, well, maybe it wasn’t necessarily “this diet” that allowed me to lose weight. Maybe it was just the fact that in result to starting this diet, I had stopped eating so many sweets and wasn’t eating late at night. That was not necessarily mentioned anywhere in this diet structure; but that fact alone would more than likely help not only myself but several others lose weight as well.

So how can I boast about this diet working for me when it could have just been me making some different decisions about my eating habits? It clearly may not have been the diet working at all. Yes the diet could have helped me eat healthier, but who’s to say that I wouldn’t have lost that weight anyway by the couple of changes that I made on my own account and not by following this diet plan.

So what makes a diet a diet? There are so many diets out there right now including the Atkins diet, the Mediterranean diet, the HCG diet, and so on. Can we just come up with any sort of eating habit and coin it by saying; I lost weight, it’s sure to work for you. What I am suggesting is that you could make a couple of changes to your current eating habits and if it works for you, then call it the insert your name here Diet.

So the next time you go boasting about how this diet worked for you and want all these people to try it, take a real look at the situation. Maybe it wasn’t even the diet itself that helped you lose weight and feel great, maybe it was just you.

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With the right diabetic diet recipes , even if you have diabetes, it does not mean you cannot enjoy good food, it just means that there are a few limits. Being in control of your diet is imperative in reducing the effects of diabetes and can also help lower the chances of you contracting it. Sorting outdiabetic diet plan is one of the most important things you need to do if you suffer from diabetes.

Weight is generally a problem when you are a diabetic and the goal is to get that weight off and keep it off. Another important thing to remember is to eat a healthily from all four food groups and keeping to you diabetic diet.

Heart disease and strokes are two complications often associated with diabetes but the risk of these can be reduced if the sufferer sticks to a healthy diabetic diet. A diabetic diet is essentially a healthy, low-fat, balanced eating plan that helps the patient feel better and more energetic, and achieve some control over the symptoms like fatigue, thirst, blurred vision.

There is a diabetic food pyramid that shows how to eat healthily by consuming vegetables, non-fat dairy products, whole grains, fruit, low fat meat, beans, fish and poultry. If you are also subject to a low-carb diet then your diet may consist of certain vegetables like kidney beans, carrots and avocados in addition to meat, fish poultry, eggs and cheese. Saturated fats and cholesterol are a problem if you are a diabetic so you would need to cut down on foods like this and eat skinless poultry as well as fresh fruit and vegetables.

A diabetic diet consists of certain food groups but it also imperative that you weigh the foods so you intake the correct amount of calories. Also check the food labels when you shop because they contain useful information and daily intake amounts which are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Breakfast for example based a 2,000 calorie diabetic diet would consist of two slices of bread, alternatively rice cakes or even half a cup of pasta, sugar free yoghurt or cup of skimmed milk, your choice of egg and a serving of fruit. For those diabetics on a 1,800 calorie plan your breakfast might contain the following; a couple of slices of bread with a cup of skimmed milk, a tablespoon of cheese and a serving of some fresh fruit like apple, banana orange.

With your balanced diabetic diet you would be able to have an afternoon snack which could be some fruit and a couple of crackers washed down with a half cup of tea or coffee but only with artificial sweeteners. An alternative to this would be a cup of milk or yogurt in place of the tea. Diabetic diets can be just as interesting as a normal diet but you just have to know what you are allowed to eat and vary your menus to keep them interesting.

The following seven tips may seem a bit silly, but it is important to keep in mind that they are not silly at all and will actually work wonders to help you lose weight. Keep a positive and open mind when considering each one and try to understand how they can help you reach your weight loss goals. After all, it is much better to feel silly while losing weight than it is to feel silly being overweight.



1 – Shake it all Around



Every single move you make requires energy to be performed and therefore requires calories to be burned. Consider this the next time you are lounging around motionless on the sofa and start moving whatever you can think to move without having to get up. It is quite easy to stay relaxed and still burn calories. You can bounce your legs up and down, shake your feet from side to side, clench your teeth and release them over and over to work your jaw, squeeze a rubber ball, or even twiddle your thumbs! Just keep moving!



2 – Don’t Eat So Fast



You have to understand that it takes the brain several minutes to realize that your stomach is full and react accordingly. You may not feel full at all until you’ve already overstuffed yourself. Eating too fast not only causes you to overeat and gain weight but it also stretches the stomach and allows you to overeat even more the next time! Slow down, chew your food thoroughly, and enjoy your meals!



3 – Get the Least Out of Your Meals



When selecting a meal, try to find foods that contain fewer calories in relation to their actual weight. The caloric density of your food refers to how many calories are contained in every bite. Foods with a high caloric density will have a lot of calories yet do very little to satisfy your hunger. On the other hand, you could consume foods with a low caloric density that will fill you up faster while not loading you down with so many calories that you’ll have to burn later to make way for fat loss.



The first thing that should come to mind when thinking of foods with a low caloric density is lettuce, broth, and other veggies and salad snacks. The most important one, however, is water. Water has no caloric density whatsoever but can work wonders for giving you that full feeling you desire at every meal. The more water you drink the less room you have for high calorie foods! You should also consider foods that are high in fiber. Fibrous foods such as rice and other whole grains actually retain water and increase in volume, making you not only fuller but satisfied for much longer. However, not all fibrous foods are low calorie, so keep a count on those calories!



4 – Keep a Diary



Keeping a diary where you can write down everything you’ve consumed and the calories that came with it is a very helpful way to not only keep up with what you’ve eaten but get a better idea of what your daily diet actually consists of. You may notice patterns in your food diary where you’ve overeaten and be able to relate them to situation where you did not eat enough when you should have or properly space out your meals. It is a great way to notice your own habits, so you can take the steps necessary to change them. Don’t worry, just like a real diary, no one has to see what you’ve written down!



5 – Kick the Salt and Butter Habit



Introduce some new flavours to your meals and stop depending on butter and salt to make your food taste good. Not only are there hundreds of wonderful tasting herbs and spices out there many of them are very beneficial to your health. You may find some new exotic flavours that you’ve never tasted before in the process!



6 – Spice things Up a Bit



Stop eating the same old foods and add a little variety into your diet. Adding a new food to your diet every now and then is a great way to get nutrients that you may have been neglecting otherwise. Try adding a new fruit or veggie to your shopping cart every time you go to the grocery store. You can even try different grains or spices. Mix it up and make it fun!



7 – Don’t Supersize it!



Pay attention to portion sizes according to the eating plan you choose. Use a normal size plate - don't supersize it! One plan suggests that ¼ of the plate should contain protein and the rest should be fruits and vegetables. You can weigh your food, at least until you become attuned to proper portion sizes or use some of the simple guidelines like "3 oz. of protein is about the size of your palm or a deck of playing cards" or "one serving of rice is the size of a tennis ball".

Portion control is a key element in any diet intended to help you lose weight. It is bad enough when we give in and swing through the drive-thru at our local burger joint, but it’s even worse when we choose to supersize an already super fattening meal. In fact, you should consider downsizing! Get the small instead of the medium. It may not seem like enough to fill you up, but that’s only because you’ve become accustomed to the idea that the suggested portion is right for you. It’s not! Eating less and weighing less go hand in hand.


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