April 6, 2009
Healthy Diet
Healthy Diet:
The food we eat is essential in maintaining our body and its functionality. It also helps in preventing diseases. The food you eat might even affect your mood. In order to maintain a healthy body you need to consume a healthy diet with all the right nutrition needed by your body. A nutritious diet is important for good health. A Healthy and nutritious diet can helps keep you physically fit and assists in maintaining your body weight. Excessive or unhealthy diets can lead to numerous diseases including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and osteoporosis. You can prevent all these diseases with the help of a balanced and healthy diet. A healthy diet contains all the required components that are essential for body. No single food can give you all the necessary nutrients that your body needs. Always eat a variety of foods to provide sufficient intake of vitamins, minerals and dairy products, because they are important for your health. A healthy diet contains cereals, breads, potatoes, fruits and vegetables. Some dairy products are also included in a healthy diet. Your diet should consist of milk, butter, cheese and curd.
You have to take into consideration many factors when answering the question “what to eat?" Here are some of the guidelines that can help you maintain a healthy diet:
Eat plenty of food that is rich in fiber and grain. Fruits and vegetables provide you the benefit of fiber as well as the essential fatty acids, minerals, and vitamins.
Try to eat fresh fruits and vegetables. Green leafy vegetables provide the vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids and fiber your body needs.
Cook the vegetables lightly. This can be done by steaming or stir frying.
Reduce fat intake like saturated fat. Try to eat fish, offal, poultry, whole grains, pulses, nuts and seeds, or sprouted seeds. Use a minimum amount of red meat and cheese.
Reduce your sugar intake. Sugar should be used as flavoring rather than a dietary component. Avoid eating too many cakes, sweets, chocolates, biscuits, puddings, ice-creams, jam, fruits canned in syrup, soft drinks, sugar in tea and coffee, and milk shakes.
Reduce your salt intake. Don’t add salt to your food. Try to use herbs, spices, fresh ginger, horseradish, lemon juice, tomato puree, vinegar, soy sauce, vegetable stock, yeast extract, chutney, and other flavorings.
Consume modest amounts of alcohol.
Exercise if you are overweight and even if you are not! You must learn to burn off excess calories by working out. It will enable you to reduce and stick to your desired body weight.
If you follow the above guidelines you will be able to reduce the chances of diseases and illness. A healthy body has a healthy and peaceful mind. Try consuming a healthy diet and avoid junk foods that can an increase in your weight. Overweight people are prone to numerous diseases. A healthy diet can improve your life tremendously. So, go on, change your diet plan and start eating plenty of fruits, vegetables and fibrous food. Eat less and exercise regularly to increase your life span.
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April 5, 2009
A Healthy Diet is the Most Powerful Appetite Suppressant
Author: Paul Rodgers
Anyone struggling to lose weight understands that appetite suppression is often a necessary part of the battle. You won’t have good appetite control if you eat too little or eat poorly balanced meals. The most powerful appetite suppressant, however, is a healthy diet. You should address true hunger not by masking it with appetite suppressants but by satiating it with the most satisfying, least caloric food possible. Therefore, it seems that the best way to control your appetite is with a food that is high in bulk and low in calories.
Side-effects aside, numerous studies have documented that the benefits of conventional appetite suppressants are short-term and they do little to address the underlying problems associated with obesity or being overweight. For these reasons, doctors are generally hesitant to prescribe appetite suppressants for strong appetite control and tend to only do so if other measures have failed in appetite suppression and if excessive weight is causing serious health concerns.
Natural Appetite Suppressants
Natural appetite suppressants are a popular way to lose weight. Self control is the ultimate suppressant, but as most people struggle in that characteristic, what other simple natural appetite suppressants are worth a try. Whole foods are cheaper and you will reap the added nutritional benefits from them that you won’t obtain from a supplement. Supplement your food intake with nutritional supplements.
Nutrients
There are some fruits and veggies which can act as appetite suppressant for your body such as apples, pine nuts, salad, and flaxseed. The ideal would be to snack only on fresh fruits or vegetables that are low-glycaemic, such as peaches or celery. Also, you can consider eating more green vegetables (like spinach) or iron-rich fruits. Wholesome foods like daily servings of fruits and veggies, whole grains, lean meat and fish should form the bulk of your diet. You can help your body cleanse by eliminating junk or processed food, eating more fresh vegetables, fruits and unprocessed whole grains and drinking plenty of fresh water.
Exercising Helps To Suppress Your Appetite
Health specialists everywhere say that the time that we spend in front of the TV can be better used for practices that can lengthen life instead of shortening it, like exercising. Aerobic exercise, like walking, swimming or cycling, has the additional advantage of increasing your metabolism for 4 to 8 hours after you discontinue exercising. Exercising not only helps you lose weight, by burning the excess fat, but also helps to suppress your appetite. A sound fitness plan that includes strength training along with good nutritional habits can play a major role in protecting you from a number of serious health issues.
Natural Herbal And Homeopathic Remedies
Many natural herbal and homeopathic remedies are available that stimulate the metabolism and work as natural appetite suppressants. If you haven’t heard of Caralluma yet, you will. Caralluma is a cutting edge herb that is very new to the supplement market. Caralluma fimbriata is a succulent plant, in the cactus family, that has been used as a natural appetite suppressant in India for centuries.
As with the supplements made from the popular Hoodia Gordonni Cactus, the cactus famility of Caralluma Fimbriata has been used a portable food and suppress hunger and appetite, and enhance endurance throughout India. Caralluma extract appears to suppress appetite, and reduce waist circumference when compared to placebo over a 2 month period.
About the Author:
Why do so many people use caralluma fimbriata for weight loss today when there are so many other diet aids and supplements to help people to drop weight. Find out more about Natural Appetite Suppressants
Paul Rodgers specializes in marketing natural health and beauty products
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7 Reasons why you should stay away from very low calorie diets!
The consequences of low calorie dieting are automatic and unavoidable. The responses are metabolic, hormonal, and psychological in nature, and include: Decreased metabolism, loss of muscle, increased activity of fat-storing enzymes and hormones, decreased activity of fat-burning enzymes and hormones, decreased thyroid output, increased appetite, increased chance of regaining weight, and decreased energy and work capacity. Lets take a quick look at each.
1. Very low calorie diets slow down your metabolic rate
The first thing that occurs during a severe calorie shortage is a decrease in your metabolic rate. The lower your calories, the slower your metabolism becomes. Simply put; when you eat less, your body burns less. When you eat more, your body burns more. In the book, Everything you need to know about fat loss, Bodybuilding nutritionist Chris Aceto uses a great analogy to describe the way this mechanism works: He wrote, If you’re earning $4000 a month, but your boss suddenly cuts your pay to $2500 a month, you will try to live the same lifestyle on $2500 a month as you did on $4000 a month.
After a while, you have to adjust and save money, and change your lifestyle. The same is true with a calorie intake that is simply too low. When calories are cut below basal metabolic needs, the body will accommodate and slow its metabolism, so it becomes difficult to lose fat even on low calories. This metabolic slowdown is well documented. When calories are restricted, your metabolism decreases by at least 20-30%. With severe calorie restriction, some studies have shown that resting metabolism can become depressed by as much as 45%! That’s the equivalent of having your daily energy expenditure drop from 3000 calories per day to only 1650 calories per day! This is why, after prolonged low calorie dieting, you can eat very little food and still not lose weight. This also explains why it is so difficult to lose those last 10 or 20 pounds.
2. Very low calorie diets make you lose muscle
The most devastating effect of the low calorie diet is the loss of muscle tissue. Once the starvation alarm is triggered, your body begins looking for ways to conserve energy. Muscle is metabolically active tissue. Getting rid of it is the body’s way of decreasing energy expenditure. It's easy for your body to use muscle for energy. This process is known Gluconeogenesis; converting muscle into glucose. This includes skeletal muscles, and internal organs, even your heart muscle! Study after study has shown that very low calorie diets without exercise will always cause 40 - 50% of the weight loss to come from lean tissue. Many diets, especially those that are low in carbohydrates, cause large losses in water weight. Between the loss of water, glycogen and muscle, fully 75% of the weight you lose on such plans is not fat! The initial weight loss on most diets is very deceiving, giving you only the illusion of success. Even with exercise, if a diet is too restrictive, much of the weight loss will still be lean tissue.
3. Very low calorie diets increase activity of fat-storing enzymes and decrease the activity of fat burning enzymes
The chief fat storing enzyme is called Lipoprotein Lipase (LPL). When you drop your calories too low, your body will produce more LPL and less fat burning enzymes. In other words, when you don’t eat enough, your body changes its chemistry to make it easier to store fat in the future.
4. Very low calorie diets decrease output of thyroid hormone
The Thyroid gland is largely responsible for the regulation of your basal metabolic rate (the rate at which you burn calories at rest). When your body senses a severe reduction in calories, there is a corresponding reduction in the output of active thyroid hormone (T3). The result is a decrease in your metabolic rate and fewer calories burned.
5. Very Low calorie dieting increases the chance of rebound weight gain
Almost everyone loses weight initially on a very low calorie diet, but it never takes long before the body catches on and starts conserving energy. That’s when you hit a plateau. Once you hit the plateau, it becomes much harder to keep losing weight even if your calories are extremely low. This lack of continued results, combined with gnawing hunger pangs and insatiable craving, usually causes people to give up out of sheer frustration. They go off their diet, the weight creeps back on and their body fat ends up back where they started - only now they have less muscle and a slower metabolism.
With a slower metabolism, what used to be a maintenance level now becomes a surplus, and the weight comes right back on. Most people gain back all the weight they lost; and some gain back even more, leaving them fatter than when they started. This up and down pattern of weight loss and weight re-gain is commonly known as the yo-yo cycle, and it often continues for years or even for an entire lifetime. With each repeated bout of dieting, your metabolism becomes less and less efficient and you can actually become progressively fatter while eating less food.
6. Very low calorie diets increase appetite and cravings.
When your body goes into starvation mode, this triggers increased appetite and cravings in an attempt to get you to eat more food. The hunger and cravings can be so strong that you become ravenous. It’s virtually impossible stay on a diet when you are voraciously hungry and all you can think about is food. Few people have that much willpower.
7. Very low calorie diets decrease your energy and work capacity
Low calorie diets leave you tired, lethargic and unable to sustain high levels of activity or intense workouts. Dr. Lawrence Lamb, author of The Weighting Game: The truth about weight control points out that The first sign of under nutrition is the loss of energy and the inability to sustain prolonged physical work. There is a direct relationship between calories consumed and the physical work a person can do. If you have no energy to work out, you’re going to feel lousy and seriously compromise your results. The ability to train hard aerobically and with weights is critical for your long-term success at fat loss.
To learn to lose weight the right way visit Burn The Fat, Feed The Muscle
Henry James is a very successful weightloss consultant.
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Author: Boris Tomson
8 Fast Weight Loss Tips- Fast Weight Loss Tips to Strip that Fat
Are you looking for fast weight loss tips? In this article I have outlined 8 fast weight loss tips. There are no magic pills or quick-fix diets that will drop those pounds for you. There are, however, simple strategies that you can work into your daily activities that will get you on the road to lasting weight loss now.
What worked can work again: If you?’e one of the millions of people who have tried to lose weight before, then even though it has not been successful, chances are there were techniques that worked too. Examine those patterns and techniques and pick out the ones that worked because they’ll be sure to work again.Visit to :http://lose-weight-quick-365.blogspot.com
Weight loss map: You need a map to start a new journey and get you to your destination. Losing weight is a journey and a map will help you find your way to your goals. Write down a weekly target. The key is to keep adding up the targets as you move along week after week.
Choose your TV programs: If you watch a lot of TV, start giving up some programs you’re not really into. Of all sedentary activities, we expend the least energy when watching TV. There's a tendency that it could jeopardize your weight loss plans especially if you keep a snack beside you.
Exercise can be fun: Workouts can be fun, it’s only work because you think it is. There are several exercise you can try that you won’t hate, even playful activities you can enjoy. Increase your physical activities by enjoying the outdoors as well.Visit to :http://lose-weight-quick-365.blogspot.com
Divert your cravings: When you're just starting out, you’re more likely to experience pangs of craving for food that you have to give up for now. Although there’s nothing wrong with indulging once in awhile, it’s better to get used to refuse giving in. Try distracting yourself when the cravings set in - do other activities, brush your teeth, go to sleep.
Eat slowly, eat less: Your body can only tell you you’re full 20 minutes after you’ve actually filled up. That is why fast eaters tend to overeat and are thus more prone to weight gain. Get used to taking your time when eating; constantly sip from your water glass; place your utensils down when you're still chewing your food; and if you’re with someone, talk
Separate the meal courses: To have more control over eating, try portioning your meal into different courses. Start with a vegetable salad or soup before serving the main course. Chances are, you’ll have less appetite for that meat or dessert.
Count the calories in condiments: You’re counting the calories you’re taking in, right- Make sure to include these in the count: spreads, dressings, sauces, condiments, dips, drinks, and snacks. There are also alternatives that have less fat and fewer calories so opt for those instead.
Ease into your weight loss plan with these easy-to-follow steps and easy weight loss tips. The plan that will work are the plans that understand what you need.Visit to :http://lose-weight-quick-365.blogspot.com
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About the Author:
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April 3, 2009
Healthy Diet for Teenagers
alt="Healthy Diet for Teenagers" class="ImgBorder">Entering into teens is like entering a new world, a world of youthfulness and optimism as also of maturity and responsibility. Teenage is the stage in human development that lies between childhood and adulthood. Teen years are the growing years. As teenage is characterized by growth and development of mind and body, it is important to adhere to a healthy diet during teenage.
The lack of healthy diet in teenagers leads to health problems like obesity, anemia, coronary diseases and hypertension. Fatigue and shortness of breath are symptoms of anemia in adolescence. It can be avoided by iron-rich foods. Obesity is one of the basic causes of hypertension and heart diseases. Coronary heart diseases are the result of excessive intake of fat. Teenagers are advised to lessen the intake of fatty foods. Fiber-rich food should become an integral part of a teenager�s diet. Less intake of fiber can lead to problems as grave as intestinal cancer in later life. About 20% of the diet for teenagers should consist of milk; eggs and meat while the rest should be in the form of fruits, vegetables and grain.
Teens should take three meals per day. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and a vital factor for proper physical and emotional development of a teenager. Junk food that is rich in fats often tempts the teenagers. But for health reasons, it is best to snack on fresh fruit. Teenagers are often drawn in to fast food restaurants. Fast food is something that satiates one�s taste buds but is not beneficial for health. It is okay to have it once in a while but it shouldn�t become a part of one�s daily diet. Likewise there is a craze about soft drinks in today�s youth. Since soft drinks have a high Calorie content, it�s better to go for fruit juices and other healthier drinks.
Salt and sugar if taken in excessive amounts can prove to be very harmful to one�s health. Teenagers must supplement foodstuffs with other herbs and spices instead of using salt. Eating sweets does not mean ill health; only if sweets are consumed in moderate amounts. Apart from adding to the fat content of the body, sweets can lead to tooth decay. Binging on sweets can result in sleepiness.
Here are a few recommendations for a healthy diet for teenagers.
- Avoid eating meat more than two times in a day. Eat fewer red meats as they contain high amounts of cholesterol. Cut back on the number of eggs eaten per day. Consuming 3-4 eggs per week will cause no harm.
Milk is a rich source of many essential nutrients. Go for skim milk instead of whole milk, as the former is a fat-free drink.
- We all know how nutrition-rich, fruits and vegetables are! If we are what we eat, it is advisable to consume fresh fruit and vegetables. Start the day with a fruit juice. Eating a fruit at every meal makes the meal healthier. Incorporate vegetable soups in the daily diet.
- Fruits are the best breakfast option. Oatmeal or cereal can also be used at the start of a day. Add walnuts and sliced fruits to the preparation. Nuts will add the crunch and the fruits will blend well with it. Black bean or lentil soups and vegetable sandwiches, burgers or pizzas make a wholesome lunch. Pastas, vegetables or chicken can be some options for a healthy dinner.
- Any discussion on a healthy diet cannot end without making a mention of water! Human body is 70% water. Drink 1-2 liters of water everyday. It keeps the body internally clean and aids in the life processes thus maintaining metabolism.
Couple the daily diet with moderate exercise. Your diet is a determinant of your health and fitness in the growing years and later. Remember, a healthy diet is the key to a healthy life.
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Author: Lynne Lee
If you lead a sedentary lifestyle or eat lots of food packed with empty calories the chances are that you are overweight.
You are not alone. Excess weight is a major concern for many people and obesity is on the rise. There are a lot of people who have health problems or struggle to find clothes to fit because they are overweight.
Here are some easy weight loss tips that will work for you if you’re ready to take action and lose weight for good.
Don’t skip meals
If you are missing meals in an attempt to lose weight, please stop. People who skip meals tend to overeat at the next meal because they’ve allowed themselves to become so hungry. That defeats the purpose of missing meals in the first place!
Try eating 5 or 6 smaller meals throughout the day instead of the standard 3 meals a day. When you eat more often it helps to regulate your blood sugar level and keeps your metabolism working efficiently.
When you eat more often it will help you to balance your calorie intake, keep you from feeling hungry all the time and keep you metabolism ticking over.
Eat more fruit and vegetables
Fruit and vegetables are packed with nutrients and contain fibre. The fibre will help you to feel full for longer and that will keep you from over indulging. Added to which, fruit and vegetables are naturally low in calories and make an easy, portable healthy snack.
Keep clear of fast foods
Most fast food is loaded with fats and sugar. If you need to eat out, try to choose a restaurant where you can make healthy choices. Or, you could try planning ahead, prepare healthy snacks and carry them with you.
Add exercise into your daily routine
Choose exercise that you enjoy and make sure it’s something that you can easily add into your routine. If you insist on joining a gym when you hate going to the gym, you are setting yourself up to fail. Try scheduling in a swim with the reward of a sauna or take a short walk at lunch time. Whatever exercise you choose, make sure that it’s something you look forward to and can enjoy
Make wise choices
It’s important to choose a weight loss plan that fits with your lifestyle. If you decide on a weight loss strategy that involves eating foods that you don’t like, you will struggle. Beware of following a weight loss regime that is boring or feels like punishment, you won’t be able to keep it up for long, however motivated you are to lose weight.
About the Author:
If you want to lose weight and burn fat faster than you have before. Visit
http://www.HealthyPermanentWeightLoss.com
You can easily persuade your body to become a fat burning machine; it’s SIMPLE when you know how.
Lynne Lee is a life coach and author, you can learn more about Lynne here
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Author: Tom Parker
There are a number of ways you can boost your metabolic rate. Exercise, diet and lifestyle are all important areas in which you can make changes and increase your metabolism. In this article I will discuss how an effective exercise plan can help improve your metabolism, how to implement such an exercise plan and the additional benefits of maintaining such an exercise plan.
Exercise is a great way to boost your metabolism because it burns calories both immediately and also keeps burning them in the long term. The actual act of exercising will burn calories and over time your body will adapt to your exercise regime and burn an increased number of calories overall. Exercise can be split into two types both of which assist your metabolism in different ways.
1) CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISE:- Cardiovascular exercises include; cycling, running and swimming. Alternatively, you can try a sport such as football or tennis. Basically, anything which gets you moving and gets your heart pumping can be classed as cardiovascular exercise. The key is to find something that is fun and that will keep you stimulated. Cardiovascular exercise helps boost your metabolism by teaching your body to burn fat whilst exercising and over time whilst resting aswell.
2) WEIGHT TRAINING:- Weight training includes; chest presses, shoulder presses and lateral pulldowns. Basically, anything which involves lifting relatively heavy weights for 8-12 repetitions in order to build muscle mass can be classified as weight training. With weight training you need to be a little more careful than with cardiovascular exercise because there is an increased risk of injury. Start with weights that you are happy with then increase them slowly. If you are unsure about anything ask for advice from one of the trainers in the gym.
The actual act of weight training burns few calories (in comparison with cardiovascular exercsie). However, weight training will lead to an increased muscle mass over time and maintaining your muscles will burn an increased amount of calories in the long term. You must be aware that the additional calories that you will burn as a result of having bigger muscles will not be substantial. Therefore, you need to make sure you combine your weight training with cardiovascular exercise to achieve the best results.
Ideally, you should try and train three or more times per week with each session consisting of an equal mixture of cardiovascular exercise and weight training. If you have time to do more then that’s great but try to make sure you perform at least three hours training per week. As I stated above, if you are having difficulties with any areas of your training visit the closest fitness centre and discuss these difficulties with one of the trainers. Tell them what you are trying to achieve with your exercise program and they should be able to set you on your way.
Apart from metabolism boosting benefits there are a number of other advantages you will begin to notice from an improved exercise regime. These include;
1) INCREASED ENERGY LEVELS:- The strength of your heart will increase as a result of the increased cardiovascular exercise. As your heart develops it will be able to pump a greater volume of blood through the body, sending energy to where it is needed.
2) IMPROVED APPEARANCE:- As you lose fat and gain muscle the overall appearance of your body will improve. Exercise will give your body a more toned, defined appearance.
3) IMPROVED OVERALL HEALTH:- Regular exercise is believed to reduce the symptoms associated with arthiritis, diabetes, high blood pressure and more. It can also get your body’s organs working more effectively and improve your overall physical strength and power.
4) IMPROVED MENTAL HEALTH:- Apart from physical benefits exercise is thought to improve mental health also. There are a number of theories behind this. Some believe exercise allows you to empty your mind and focus. Others believe the discipline associated with exercise helps you organise your mind. Physical exercise is also believed to trigger the release of chemicals which lead to a happy, elevated state of mind.
Overall, exercise is a really important factor in improving your metabolic rate. Physical activity can increase the number of calories you burn at the time of performance and also lead to an increased number of calories being burned in the future. Furthermore, the related benefits really make it something that you should try. Have a look at your daily routine, see where you can implement some cardiovascular exercise and weight training then stick at it for a few weeks. You will start to notice a boost in your metabolism and more.
About the Author:
The Free Fitness Tips Website provides readers with a free fitness tip every day of the year. The tips include exercise tips, weight loss tips and healthy eating tips. You can access these fitness tips by visiting the Free Fitness Tips website
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