Who does not desire to have a fit and shaped up body? Perhaps we all do. Overweight is the biggest enemy of our health. But factors such as sedentary work, lack of time to exercise and the availability of delectable fast food have made it extremely difficult to have stabilized weight.
It is not only a person’s appearance that is badly affected by being overweight but also his fitness. Usually obese people keep on confronting one or the other health problem. There are times when excess of weight becomes a mental torture and leads to depression.
It is quite an easy task to gain weight but immensely difficult to reduce it. Though there are various remedies prescribed to shed weight, all can’t to followed or trusted. One old and quite effective way to become light is the use of Atkin’s Diet.
Dr. Robert Atkins (1930-2003) was the father of Atkin’s Diet. In 1972 he popularized the diet in his famous series of books. In practical application also the diet turned out to be quiet successful. Thus it became more and more popular with time.
Dr. Atkin believed that carbohydrate is the primary reason behind gaining weight. This is because carbohydrates are composed of energy providing items such as sugar, starch, cellulose and gums. So if a person reduces the intake of carbohydrates (carbs) he or she can greatly get rid of many pounds. Thus people should avoid potatoes and other starchy vegetables along with sugar, grains, pastas and fruits for these are the major sources of carbs. In the opinion of Dr. Atkins doing this will translate a carbohydrate-burning metabolism to a fat burning one. Atkin’s diet is critical of carbs related but not of fatty and protein rich stuff. In fact it recommends its users to eat food that provides them fats and proteins. In the case of proteins it particularly emphasizes the consumption of animal protein.
Though atkin’s diet has done wonders in many cases, it has many shortcomings. If this diet is quite popular with one set of people, some others are enormously critical of it. this is because of several reasons. Firstly Atkins meals are not only low in carbs but contain negligible amount of essential vitamins, minerals, fiber and other nutrients. Secondly atkin’s diet is flourishing with cholesterol boosting fats that can be very troublesome. Thirdly since atkin’s diet promulgates animal protein, vegetarians find it difficult to adopt it. In the fourth place according to the American Heart Association (AHA), a high protein diet is not adequate to lose weight. So diets such as Atkin’s can cause nutritional deficiency and other cholesterol related problems (cardiac arrests) in the long run. Finally critics believe that eating meat and other high protein products can lead to osteoporosis, colon cancer, heart diseases and renal diseases.
However the best way to reduce weight is to avoid excess as well as complete elimination of anything. A person should take a diet rich in essential nutrients (vitamins, minerals, proteins, fibers etc.), stay away from fatty foods as much as possible. Also carbs such as sugar should be consumed in a regulated manner.
The best fat loss system is a body cleanse
Tips To Lose Weight
Showing posts with label overweight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label overweight. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Are You Struggling With Weight Loss Management?
It doesn’t matter whether you are trying to lose five pounds or more than 50 pounds; all of the same simple laws of physics determine whether or not you will lose weight and how fast your weight loss will occur. While everyone is different, if everyone remembered these simple guidelines and put them into practice, then they would find that these guidelines would generally lead to weight loss without the aid of any special diet plans, books, or medications.
Our weight is determined by the amount of energy that we take in as food, and the amount of energy we expend in the activities of our day. Energy is measured in calories. If your weight remains constant, you are probably taking in the same amount of calories that you are burning each and every day. If you’re slowly gaining weight over time, it is likely that your caloric intake is greater than the number of calories you burn through your daily activities.
Everyone is in control of the amount of food he or she consumes each day, so as a result, our intake of calories is something we can control with relative simplicity. To some degree, we are also able to control our output of energy, or the number of calories we burn each day. The number of calories we burn each day is dependent upon:
1. Our basal metabolic rate (BMR)
2. The number of calories we burn per hour simply by being alive and maintaining bodily functions and
3. Our level of physical activity
For some people, due to genetic (inherited) factors or other conditions, their resting metabolic rate can be slightly higher or lower than average. Our weight also plays a role in determining how many calories we burn at rest – the more calories that are required to maintain your body in its present state, the greater your body weight. As an example, a person that weighs around a hundred pounds requires less energy (food) to maintain body weight than a person who weighs 200 pounds.
Lifestyle and work habits partially determine how many calories we need each day. Someone whose job involves heavy physical labor will naturally burn more calories in a day than someone who sits at a desk most of the day (a sedentary job). For people who do not have jobs that require intense physical activity, you need exercise or increased physical activity to increase the number of calories burned.
As a rough estimate, an average woman aged 31-50 who leads a sedentary lifestyle needs about 1800 calories per day to maintain a normal weight. A man of the same age requires about 2200 calories. Participating in a moderate level of physical activity (exercising 3-5 days per week) requires about 200 additional calories per day.
In order to lose fat rather than maintain it, you will want to eat sensible, well balanced meals with small portion sizes, cut down or reduce your intake of daily calories, try with your best efforts to eliminate fats from your diet and ensure that you exercise on a regular basis.
Our weight is determined by the amount of energy that we take in as food, and the amount of energy we expend in the activities of our day. Energy is measured in calories. If your weight remains constant, you are probably taking in the same amount of calories that you are burning each and every day. If you’re slowly gaining weight over time, it is likely that your caloric intake is greater than the number of calories you burn through your daily activities.
Everyone is in control of the amount of food he or she consumes each day, so as a result, our intake of calories is something we can control with relative simplicity. To some degree, we are also able to control our output of energy, or the number of calories we burn each day. The number of calories we burn each day is dependent upon:
1. Our basal metabolic rate (BMR)
2. The number of calories we burn per hour simply by being alive and maintaining bodily functions and
3. Our level of physical activity
For some people, due to genetic (inherited) factors or other conditions, their resting metabolic rate can be slightly higher or lower than average. Our weight also plays a role in determining how many calories we burn at rest – the more calories that are required to maintain your body in its present state, the greater your body weight. As an example, a person that weighs around a hundred pounds requires less energy (food) to maintain body weight than a person who weighs 200 pounds.
Lifestyle and work habits partially determine how many calories we need each day. Someone whose job involves heavy physical labor will naturally burn more calories in a day than someone who sits at a desk most of the day (a sedentary job). For people who do not have jobs that require intense physical activity, you need exercise or increased physical activity to increase the number of calories burned.
As a rough estimate, an average woman aged 31-50 who leads a sedentary lifestyle needs about 1800 calories per day to maintain a normal weight. A man of the same age requires about 2200 calories. Participating in a moderate level of physical activity (exercising 3-5 days per week) requires about 200 additional calories per day.
In order to lose fat rather than maintain it, you will want to eat sensible, well balanced meals with small portion sizes, cut down or reduce your intake of daily calories, try with your best efforts to eliminate fats from your diet and ensure that you exercise on a regular basis.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Are Weight Loss Supplements Useful?
It doesn’t matter what you are doing - browsing the Internet, surfing cable, or flipping through your favorite magazine – you will find plenty of advertisements that promote the magical qualities of weight loss supplements. Weight loss supplements come in all manner of shapes, sizes and styles and have a range of claims and solutions. And there are all manner of claims – from pills, patches and creams. But do these cures really work? Only you can decide that for yourself. Let’s take a look at some of the most popular weight loss products and the positive benefits and negative effects of each, so you can make up your own mind.
Bitter Orange, Citrus Aurantium, and Sour Orange: These products are made directly from concentrated extracts from orange peel. They often claim that they increase metabolism, but there has been no conclusive tests to back this up. Bitter Orange, Citrus Aurantium, and Sour Orange contain the stimulant synephrine, which can cause hypertension and cardiovascular toxicity. Individuals with heart disease, hypertension, and glaucoma should avoid these at all costs.
Chromium (Examples of Chromium products include Puritan’s Pride Chromium Picolinate, Vitamin World Naturally Inspired Yeast Free Chromium Picolinate, Nutrilite Trim Advantage): The claims that chromium increases weight loss and improves body composition have been backed by one main study which proved this to be the case. There are two types of chromium: Trivalent (which the body requires and is considered safe in doses of 200 micrograms or less daily) and Hexavalent (but this form can cause stomach upsets, ulcers, convulsions, kidney and liver diseases, and death).
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) (Examples of this product include Vitamin World CLA, Nature Made CLA, Now Foods CLA): This product claims to promote leanness, but there are very few studies that actually support the marketing claims. While more research is needed, CLA is generally safe.
Ephedra/Ephedrine: Ephedra may aid weight loss by suppressing appetite, and research has proven its effectiveness when used with caffeine. However, ephedra causes high blood pressure, stroke, and serious heart problems, which is why the sale of dietary supplements containing ephedra was prohibited in April 2004.
7-Keto Dehydroepiandrosterone (7-keto DHEA): Preliminary research indicates that this product may decrease body weight and fat composition by increasing metabolism, but larger research studies are needed.
Hydroxycitric Acid (HCA) and Garcinia Cambogia: These products claim to suppress appetite and improve fat metabolism. While studies have shown mixed results, they are generally safe.
L-Carnitine: L-Carnitine claims to inhibit obesity, but there is very little evidence of its effectiveness.
Dihydroxyacetone (DHA), Pyruvate, and Dihydroxyacetone and Pyruvate (DHAP): A few small studies suggest that these supplements may have modest effects on weight loss, but research is needed. Presently, no serious side effects have been reported.
Lecithin, Guar Gum, Psyllium Hulls, Chickweed, and Chitosan (Examples: Chito-Trim, Exercise in a Bottle, Fat Blocker—Chitosan Complex, Fat Grabbers, Fat Trapper, Fat Trapper Plus, Metabo Fat Blocker, Miracletab, Now Chitosan with Chromium): These products claim to help break down fat so that it can be absorbed, emulsified, trapped, and eliminated by the body. There is currently no competent and reliable scientific research to support such claims.
The best fat loss system is a body cleanse
Bitter Orange, Citrus Aurantium, and Sour Orange: These products are made directly from concentrated extracts from orange peel. They often claim that they increase metabolism, but there has been no conclusive tests to back this up. Bitter Orange, Citrus Aurantium, and Sour Orange contain the stimulant synephrine, which can cause hypertension and cardiovascular toxicity. Individuals with heart disease, hypertension, and glaucoma should avoid these at all costs.
Chromium (Examples of Chromium products include Puritan’s Pride Chromium Picolinate, Vitamin World Naturally Inspired Yeast Free Chromium Picolinate, Nutrilite Trim Advantage): The claims that chromium increases weight loss and improves body composition have been backed by one main study which proved this to be the case. There are two types of chromium: Trivalent (which the body requires and is considered safe in doses of 200 micrograms or less daily) and Hexavalent (but this form can cause stomach upsets, ulcers, convulsions, kidney and liver diseases, and death).
Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) (Examples of this product include Vitamin World CLA, Nature Made CLA, Now Foods CLA): This product claims to promote leanness, but there are very few studies that actually support the marketing claims. While more research is needed, CLA is generally safe.
Ephedra/Ephedrine: Ephedra may aid weight loss by suppressing appetite, and research has proven its effectiveness when used with caffeine. However, ephedra causes high blood pressure, stroke, and serious heart problems, which is why the sale of dietary supplements containing ephedra was prohibited in April 2004.
7-Keto Dehydroepiandrosterone (7-keto DHEA): Preliminary research indicates that this product may decrease body weight and fat composition by increasing metabolism, but larger research studies are needed.
Hydroxycitric Acid (HCA) and Garcinia Cambogia: These products claim to suppress appetite and improve fat metabolism. While studies have shown mixed results, they are generally safe.
L-Carnitine: L-Carnitine claims to inhibit obesity, but there is very little evidence of its effectiveness.
Dihydroxyacetone (DHA), Pyruvate, and Dihydroxyacetone and Pyruvate (DHAP): A few small studies suggest that these supplements may have modest effects on weight loss, but research is needed. Presently, no serious side effects have been reported.
Lecithin, Guar Gum, Psyllium Hulls, Chickweed, and Chitosan (Examples: Chito-Trim, Exercise in a Bottle, Fat Blocker—Chitosan Complex, Fat Grabbers, Fat Trapper, Fat Trapper Plus, Metabo Fat Blocker, Miracletab, Now Chitosan with Chromium): These products claim to help break down fat so that it can be absorbed, emulsified, trapped, and eliminated by the body. There is currently no competent and reliable scientific research to support such claims.
The best fat loss system is a body cleanse
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