2 Common Questions About Meal Replacement Bars

In this article, I'd like to take a quick look at two of the common questions I often hear asked about meal replacement bars. If you are trying to lose weight, you have undoubtedly come across a more and more diverse selection to choose from, which is a good thing! What is NOT of course, is the ensuing confusion that an unwieldy variety of choices leaves the "real" dieter, especially when so many of these tasty treats are EXACTLY that! Candy bars..:-) Let's look at 2 of the more popular questions below.

Are All meal replacement bars created equal?

Absolutely NOT! A MetRX bar, for example, might be sold alongside a weight loss replacement item in a convenience store, but the two are literally like comparing a Hot Dog to a piece of fish. One is created with the protein hungry weight lifter in mind and is chock FULL of calories ( sometimes upwards of 400 in one bar) and the other is geared to a low calorie dieter. It's important to remember that MOST of the meal replacement bars you will find in a convenience store, and EVEN many health food stores, are made, packaged and SOLD by candy companies...and aren't really ( in MY view anyway) legitimate weight loss options if you are following a structured plan.


How Many are TOO Many in a Day?

Great question..:-) Let's look at the Medifast diet for example, the one I am most familiar with overall. A typical dieting day is going to be 800-1000 calories, with 5 of your six meals coming from meal replacement items. ( bars, shakes, soups, etc) In just about EVERY bar that I have sampled in a "store" setting - the average amount of calories per bar is 250. (and UP!) Two of these a day, in combination with a low calorie diet otherwise (even 1000 calories) are going to make MOST women (and even some men) GAIN weight, rather than lose...ESPECIALLY if you have a hankering for the tastier protein oriented bars which can run 400 calories and above. Simply stated, it's NOT a surprise that MANY of those who use meal replacement bars daily are actually trying to GAIN weight....as if you are NOT careful, that's exactly what will happen.
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Fasting: The ôFastestö Way to Lose Weight

The author of the acclaimed ôMucusless Diet Healing Systemö, Prof Arnold Ehret once said ôIf one way is true...it is the way of Nature!ö It will be an understatement to say he was and is so correct.

In this day and age when everyone desires to be slim or slimmer as the case may be, only very few people know that one sure-fire, all natural, method can lead to a slimmer and more importantly healthier person.

This method is as old as the mountains and is known as Fasting.

It is by far a greater cure of our ills-both physical and mental-than all of the drugs of the medical fraternity combined and when combined with an exclusive mucus-binding (alkaline forming) diet of mainly fruits, leafy and root vegetables (raw and cooked) and even basic exercises that involve the use of one’s own body weight for resistance such as Yoga, Calisthenics and Pilates, a well conducted fast can reap untold benefits for those seeking to lose weight.

There are several types of fasts that can be beneficial for weight loss.

1.The complete water fast: This, admittedly, should be conducted with extreme caution or in a specialized sanitarium if undertaken more than 3 days.

2.The Juice Fast: This is much easier for the general populace and can be undergone as long as you feel like it.

3. The Fruit Fast: This, well, is really not a fast per seàbut when one lives exclusively on SEASONAL ORGANIC fruits for days on endàmeaning mono meals (2 at the most ) of only one kind of fruit say Apples in Fall, Melons in summer for a week plus, you will be bound to see the benefits.

4. The Dry Fast: This is another camouflaged fast where one consumes ONLY dry fruits such as dates; figs etc for 3 days or thereabout and then breaks the fast with a laxative. Though highly praised in some quarters, it’s not so common.

The second and third choices are by far my personal recommendations for those seeking to lose weight.  A friend of mine tried the second choice after months of badgering and was able to eventually see the awesome cuts in his abdominal cavities. You should have heard him exclaim on the phone to me: ôForasàI got a six-pack manàand I didn’t even do no sit-upsà!ö Moreover, his supposed hereditary red-eyes cleared up after several eye-doctors had told him it was just a genetic traitàyeah, right!

Being radical in nature, it must be undertaken with care and although I have covered it in chapter 17 of my e-book ôfitness: inside and outö, do feel free to do some research before undertaking a fast or a restricted fruit diet.

Here are a few tips:

1. Prepare yourself for a fast by gradually tapering off of acid-forming aka ôjunk foods and commence to consuming raw and cooked fruits and veggies to begin a milder cleansing process as these items are the best intestinal brooms for the colon.

2. Every now and again, 3 hours after supper and say an hour or so before retiring to sleep, drink an herbal tea laxative such as ôSmooth Move Herbal Teaö during this preparatory stage.

3. Drink 1-2 quarts of unflavored lemonade in the mornings to balance the chemical reactions within the body and to restore it to an alkaline state.

4. Be mentally prepared for the task ahead of fasting.

5. Take things a little easier while fasting or on a mono-diet of fruit.

6. Avoid using microwaves at all costs. I touched on this subject in the free section on controlling acne in my site.

Though not a conclusive list of the dos and don’ts of fasting be well informed that when undertaken properly, you’d not only lose the undesired weight, but you’d be well on your way to a cleaner and better you in no time.

For weight loss, Fasting, my friends is the ’fastest’ way to improved health!

How To Exercise Without Moving A Muscle?

Increasing numbers of medical clinics use supervised sauna bathing for detoxifying the body of toxic chemicals. Programs typically follow the "Hubbard Method", a regime based primarily on nutritional supplementation, sauna therapy, and exercise. Other names used for similar programs include: BTR (aka Bio Toxic Reduction Therapy), Hyperthermic Detoxification, Sauna Therapy, the Physical Therapy/Detoxification Program, Heat-Stress Therapy etc. For simplification, they are referred to as "sauna therapy".

Exercise Without Moving a Muscle!
What happens to the body during a sauna is quite simple, your metabolism and pulse rates increase, your blood vessels become much more flexible, and your extremities benefit from increased circulation. Physical fitness fans will recognize that some of these changes can also be achieved through strenuous exercise. Not to say that a sauna would put you in excellent physical condition without moving a muscle, but that it brings about the same metabolic results as physical exercise.

Why the Need to Detox?
There are over 50,000 foreign chemicals in commercial use. An incredibly large population are suffering from toxic illness. For those patients, sauna therapy is the only medically managed detoxification technique which releases stored impurities from body storage sites.

Elevated levels of commonly used chemicals are currently being detected in human sera. Many compounds have been shown to accumulate and remain stored in body tissues. The metabolizing of such compounds leads to the accumulation of oil soluble chemicals and their products into fatty deposits throughout the body. Since virtually every organ contains a fat component, including the brain, stored chemical residue can pose a serious threat to psychological health as these substances can be released into the bloodstream during physical or emotional stress.

Most environmental contaminants we have today are fat soluble, thus they have an affinity for body lipids or fatty tissue. The body uses metabolic systems, particularly the liver, to convert fat soluble substances into water soluble chemicals to facilitate excretion. Sauna therapy enhances this process by mobilizing poisons from body storage sites into general circulation, where they are then transported out of the body through various excretionary pathways such as perspiration. And we all know that the main effect of a sauna bath is heavy perspiration!

Now that you know a little more about what sauna can do for you, we urge you to come find more about the many other benefits that saunas has to offer! All you need is 15 minutes of Sauna Therapy in order to save your Kidney 24 hours of work! Do you believe that? Come fine out more!

Exercise For Weight Loss

Proper, health exercise is an important part of any weight loss program. Do remember to consult your physician before starting an exercise program. You don't want to hurt yourself!

Ideally, an exercise program will not only help you lose weight, but will help you build muscle and stamina. You also want to design a exercise program that is balanced and exercises each part of your body.

Of course, if you are a member at your local gym, all you have to do is go to your gym, where you can easily do a complete body workout with just a few machines.

If you don't have access to a gym, or you're like me and prefer to work out other ways, you'll want other exercise options.

Biking
Biking is an excellent exercise for losing weight, especially if you are not in good shape to start with. If you choose a relatively flat route and start out with short distances, you can start out very easily and work up to more strenuous rides. Be sure, though, that you are properly outfitted with an appropriate bike and equipment û visit your local bike shop for help and advice.

Swimming
Swimming is another excellent exercise for losing weight. It is not hard on the body, but provides an excellent workout. Especially if you are a novice at swimming, you should swim in a pool with a lifeguard. If you don't know how to swim, check your yellow pages or ask around û you can get swimming lessons pretty cheaply most places.

Running
Running is a great way to lose weight and get in shape, but it is harder on your body than swimming or biking. If you need to lose weight, you should probably start out with one of the other exercises until you get into better shape. Keep in mind that running and biking both work the legs, but they do work different primary muscles.

Don't wait û start and exercise program today to lose weight!

How To Exercise To Lose 10 Pounds

You decide to lose 10 pounds. Before you do anything else, think about your preferences. Do you jog at 6 a.m. every morning, even when the 30 degree weather turns your nose into frost? Or, do you shudder at the thought of getting up early and prefer to wrap yourself in a down comforter?

Your preferences towards exercise determine what you should do to lose weight. Let’s say you spend most of your leisure time sitting on the couch, reading a murder mystery. While you may not call yourself a ôcoach potato,ö you do classify as an inactive person. Simply realizing this fact puts you one step forward to losing 10 pounds.

The next step involves deciding how to exercise, which is part of any good weight loss plan. Sure, going to the gym may be the first option that comes to your mind, but you have more choices. You may breathe a sigh of relief after reading the last line, since the gym may not be comfortable or convenient for you.

Other options to get more exercise can require more creativity, but the process is worth the extra effort. For instance, do you drive to the farmer’s market every weekend? Assuming it's not too far, you might consider getting a cart and walking the distanceù a few blocks of walking makes a difference.

Other alternatives have to do with work. Maybe you park close to the building. As a substitute, you can park further away to give yourself a mini-workout before you reach the office. Then, at lunchtime, go for a sight-seeing walk around the neighborhood, perhaps taking a colleague along.

At home, you can continue finding convenient ways to exercise. Do you zap a frozen dinner in the microwave and then sit down to do nothing? As a replacement you can cook a wholesome, delicious meal and get some exercise in the process running around preparing it.

And don’t forget about involving your family in exercise as well. Find an indoor playing center, with a playground and various activities. Or, shoot hoops in the backyard with your kids or by yourself. If you don’t want to miss a football game on television, tape the game or listen in on the radio.

Since television can be a huge obstacle to exercise, here’s another way to work around this problem. The next time you decide to watch a video or a television program, don’t sit down. Instead, get up and do aerobics while you watch.

Depending on your preferences, you may want to get a home gym, with an exercise bicycle, treadmill, boxing gear, or an abdominal exerciser. These options give you the ability to workout in the privacy of your home. But, choose equipment that you will actually use.

It comes down to making changes in your lifestyle that you can handle and sticking with this routine. Soon, the ôexerciseö will become second nature for you, making you 10 pounds lighter and happier.

You might even have enough extra energy for that morning jog.

Simple Practices You Can Do to Lose Weight Fast

Thinking of shedding some pounds? You're not alone. A lot of people are interested about weight loss due to various reasons. Some need it because of their health conditions, while some aspire to lose weight to feel more beautiful and gain more confidence. There are different ways to eliminate those unwanted pounds, but do you know of some options on how to lose weight fast naturally? Sure, you can find great products in the market; but as you may already know, nothing beats the natural practices. No, you don't have to wait for a long time to see positive results. You can truly achieve your goal fast!

Below are some natural ways to lose weight:

• Exercise regularly.

Simple walking can be effective exercise for weight loss. The point here is you need to move and burn fat. Apart from walking, there are other types of exercise that are suitable for your age and weight. Talk to your physician and ask for helpful advice.

• Eat fruits and vegetables.

Fruits and vegetables are rich sources of fiber, proteins, and vitamins which can help you stay healthy. Replace your meals with fruits and steamed vegetables to maintain low calorie intake while gaining high nutrition. Additionally, both fruits and vegetables have the ability to suppress the appetite.

• Avoid in-between meals.

Do you love to eat snacks? Having them every now and then obviously leads to gaining extra pounds. This is especially true if you love eating foods like cookies and burgers. If you want to have snacks, it would be better to opt for healthy ones.

• Drink herbal tea.

Herbal tea is rich in antioxidants which help a lot in burning fat. For best results, drink it without adding sugar.

• Reduce your sodium and sugar intake.

Both sodium and sugar can cause weight gain; they can likewise make you unfit. For this, you should observe care in eating sugary and salty food. Limiting your daily intake will help a lot in losing weight.
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Injury or Fainting. Warm-up and Cool-Down. You Decide.

Warm-up

You must prepare your body before taking part in physical training, sports competition, or vigorous physical activity. A warm-up may help prevent injuries and maximize performance.

The warm-up increases the body’s internal temperature and the heart rate so that more oxygen-rich blood can be pumped through the muscles. The chance of getting injured decreases when the heart, muscles, ligaments, and tendons are properly prepared for exertion and, vica versa the risk of injury increases unnecessarily when you do not go through a proper warm-up.

A warm-up should include some running-in-place or slow jogging, stretching, and calisthenics. Get all the major muscle groups involved in the warm-up and pay particular attention to warming-up the parts of the body that will become subject to the most stress during the conditioning activity. After stretching all his major muscle groups, a major-league pitcher warms-up by throwing baseballs at increasing velocity. The last couple pitches are at game speed. Warming-up from the general to the specific like the major league pitcher is a good model to adapt and follow.

A good warm-up should last five to seven minutes and should occur just before the sports activity or muscular endurance and strength part of the workout. The warm-up effect won’t last more than five minutes or so. If the delay before the intense physical activity begins exceeds five minutes then perform at least one or more mini-warm-ups before starting. After a proper warm-up, you have prepared your body for a more intense conditioning activity.

Cool-down

You should cool down properly after each exercise period, regardless of the type of workout. Even swimming needs a cool down. The cool down serves to gradually slow the heart rate and helps prevent pooling of the blood in the legs and feet.

During exercise, the muscles squeeze the blood through the veins. This helps return the blood to the heart. After exercise, however, the muscles relax and no longer do this, and the blood can accumulate in the legs and feet. This can cause a person to faint. A good cool-down will help avoid this possibility.

During the warm-up you specifically engaged the muscle groups that you would be using during the conditioning activity. You do not have to engage the same muscle groups again for the cool down. For a proper cool down you can walk and stretch until your heart rate returns to less than 100 beats per minute (BPM) and heavy sweating stops. This usually happens five to seven minutes after the end of the conditioning activity.

You can check your BPM on the radial artery on your wrist (just above the base of the thumb), a carotid artery on your neck (just beside the Adam’s apple), or by putting your hand over your heart. Count the beats for 10 seconds and multiple by 6 to get BPM.

How to Properly Plan for Successful Weight Loss

Before taking actions in any problem we encounter, there should always be a plan first. That is, if we want to come up with positive results. You wouldn’t want to enter a battle without preparing how to defeat the enemy, would you? Attempting a task without planning is like building a house without a blueprint or playing against a basketball team without planed plays with your teammates. How could you expect a good outcome?

Weight loss is not at all different from the above mentioned plan-necessary situations. It also involves taking actions in proper ways that need to be perfectly planned in order to bring satisfying results. Here are the four key elements you will for making your weight loss plan a success.

Setting a Goal:

Okay, so your weight is somewhere around 20% above the considered normal for your height. You tend to eat more than 5 regular meals a day. You’re certain that you’re obese or at least overweight. Now, the question is, where do you want your weight to be?
Setting a goal is the first step in planning for weightn loss. Know what you want to accomplish. This way, the road you are taking is clear. You can keep track of your journey and whether or not you are going along in the right direction. With a goal in mind, you are always motivated to finish a task, or in some cases, to start doing it.

Be Definite:

Setting a specific goal when planning for weight loss improves your chances of success. You just need to be clear and definite with what you want to happen. Vague aims such as ’I’d like to be healthier’ or ’I need to lose a few pounds’ tend to produce half-hearted efforts and poor results. Instead, state your goal distinctly: ’I want to lose 1 to 2 pounds this week and every week’ or ’I want to trim my waist line from 40ö down to 38ö by the end of the month’. If you need to, write it down and put it where you will always see and read it. This way, you’ll always be reminded of what you want and need to accomplish by the end of the month, the week or even the day.

Be Realistic:

In establishing a definite weight loss goal, make sure that it is possible to accomplish first. How can a goal like ’I’ll lose 15 lbs. in just a week’ happen if all of the evidence presented by research suggests that you should only burn 1 to 2 lbs in a week? Goals need to be sensible so that they are within reason to be able to obtain. What happens when you set a goal and don’t reach it no matter how hard you tried because it wasn’t really achievable? You will only get depressed and disappointed which are two of the psychological causes of obesity. And the problem just becomes a vicious cycle with no end to it.

Strategizing:

After carefully defining a goal of what you want to achieve with your weight loss efforts and keeping it in mind, the next step is planning on how to accomplish it. Planning involves proper scheduling of activities to be done throughout the whole day for a certain period of time including exercises, meals, sleeping and waking. It comprises of the time these activities should be done, the duration and in the case of eating meals, the food to be consumed and what amounts. This way, inappropriate spur-of-the-moments decisions can be avoided.

A proper and effective weight loss plan consists of quality time for performing such activities. That is, allow enough time to meet the objectives correctly. For example, sleep should be scheduled to last for around 7 to 8 hours a day so that you’ll be able to get enough rest. Lack of sleep may cause improper eating habits the next day.Again, plans should be relatively realistic. Include only time and activities you know for yourself you can accomplish for a given period of time.

Also, as you finish preparing your weight loss plan, you might want to write it down since you can’t always remember when you’re supposed to do each part of the plan. Post it in a place where you can always see and read it to remind you what your plans are for the day. Try your best not to skip anything in your scheduled plan so as not to ruin the effectivness of it.

How I Lost 12 Pounds And Had Fun Doing It!

You see it all the time; people agonizing over their exercise routine. You hear people in the gym say things like; "I will be doing good when I get out of here". I am a person who has always enjoyed going in the gym so I can't relate to agonizing about being in the gym....cardio or fat burning exercises...that is a different story. I have never liked running, pounding on a treadmill, a stationary bike, aerobics classes or any other cardio exercise. That is why I did not stick with these disciplines. I found something that I enjoy doing and have become so involved with it that I have already lost twelve pounds and gained cardiovascular benefits. I am going to tell you how I did it, but I am not suggesting you do what I did. I am suggesting you find something that you enjoy and it will be very easy for you to maintain the discipline.

How I did it:

Mountain biking

A friend had asked me to mountain bike with him and I said yes. Next thing I know we are out in the fresh air and daylight winding our way through trails and over rocks. I was having a blast! I immediately thereafter purchased a bike and started riding on my own and with others. Climbing steep hills, long slow hills, the scenery, nature, fresh air...I love it! I found myself riding at every opportunity and not even thinking about it as my exercise routine. My resting heart rate lowered, my waistline became smaller, and I feel great! A course that at first was impossible to me was now a 3-time per week routine. Not only do I complete the course but I am regularly lowering the time it takes to complete it. The key is finding something you enjoy doing. What might that be for you? For me it is obviously mountain biking.

Here are some suggestions:

Walking Walking is a great way to relieve stress, lose weight, burn calories, and just feel great. You can enjoy nature or see the city! Find a walking partner and talk about your day while you walk. If you live in a harsh climate you can find a place to walk indoors. I see walkers in the malls all the time.
Martial Arts Martial arts is a great way to get in shape and a wonderful discipline. You will increase speed, flexibility, confidence, and cardiovascular fitness. If you are the type that prefers to be in groups, martial arts may be for you.
Aerobics classes Although aerobics classes are not my cup of tea...many people love them. How will you know until you try? This is another activity you may want to try if you like being in groups. I have witnessed some very high energy aerobics classes.

Dancing Now here is a way to have fun and get in shape! Dance! I am sure you can find lessons, clubs, and other people willing to join in the fun.

Running Perhaps you are like me..you enjoy solitude and would prefer to be in a small group or alone. Try running. Nothing but your thoughts, nature, and the trail ahead. There are many benefits to be had by a running program.

Home exercise equipment Perhaps you are someone who has very little time to join a gym or a group of others for a regular workout routine. A piece of home gym equipment can be just the ticket for you. You can ride an elliptical machine while the children nap or run on the treadmill while you watch the evening news. Purchase your equipment from a reputable dealer and be sure and look online for the best prices. This is another way to enjoy an exercise routine if you prefer to be by yourself. There are many many nice pieces of equipment available that are easy on the joints and very quiet.

DVD's or VHS That is right. If you think you would like an aerobics class but you are not ready to join a gym...a pre-recorded workout routine may be for you. You can find Tae-Bo, aerobics, yoga, or hundreds of other titles where you can workout in the privacy and comfort of your own home.
These are just a few suggestions. I am sure you can think of many more and hopefully you are thinking about something that you really enjoy doing. Who says getting in shape has to be a grueling task? Do something you love and it will be easy for you. You will look forward to your next routine and workout with enthusiasm.
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Surviving Glycemic Diets (Ketogenic, Low-Carb or Atkins)

1.The first step to living a Glycemic Diet Lifestyle is knowing what you can have, and have lots of. This includes a large variety of vegetables and fruits. The best you can do is eating 5 vegetable servings of ½ cup per day and 4 ½ cups of fruits (Please be selective) per day.

2.Remember that eating refined white flour, white potatoes, white rice to your body, is like eating sugar, making a diet high in "White Stuff", typically, breads, rolls, bagels, pretzels, and crackers made from white flour - a high sugar diet. Whole grains mean extra fiber, which aids in weight loss. Not only does the fiber fill you us quickly with fewer calories, but is also eliminate some of the calories you eat. Fiber can go through the digestive system so quickly that some of the calories never have a chance to actually digest.

3.Try to eat 2 or 3 calcium - rich foods every day. Calcium not only supports your bones and helps prevent osteoporosis, but it also helps prevent colon cancer, high blood pressure, and PMS. Calcium may also lower your body fat.

4.Beans are the highest-fiber foods you can find, with the exception of breakfast cereals made with wheat bran. Beans are high in soluble fiber, which lowers cholesterol levels, and foliate, which lowers levels of homocysteine, another risk factor for heart disease.

5.People who eat nuts regularly have less heart disease and other illness than people who avoid them do. There are compounds found in most nuts called tocotrienols. You just have to limit the amount of nuts that you eat. The best thing to do is to chop your favorite kind, keep them in your fridge and sprinkle 2 Tablespoons a day on your food.

6.People who east fish twice a week have fewer fatal heart attacks. Fish is rich in Omega-3 fats, which have the ability to prevent the development of a dangerously irregular heartbeat. Fish is a good source of protein, which promotes satiety - the feeling of fullness you look for in a meal.

7.Drink at least eight glasses of water every day, plus a cup or more of tea. Water is so important to our body. Water also helps to metabolize the fat. Big water drinkers also appear to get less colon and bladder cancer. Every cup of tea you drink provides a strong infusion of anti-oxidants that help keep blood from clotting too easily and that may help lower you risk of cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.

8.Try to stay within a healthy fat budget and watch the type of fats you consume. Get most of your fat from Cold Pressed Virgin Olive Oil, Flaxseed Oil, Borage oil or Walnut Oil. You may use Butter and creams for your daily dose of Vitamin E, but remember that you only need a little.

9.What nutrition you can't get from your foods, you can take in a pill. Just remember to be sensible. Most vitamins will not dissolve in your stomach, or your intestines. Make sure that your vitamins are food source or they can cause vitamin toxicity in your liver. If you are eating correctly, non-processed foods being 95% of your diet, then you should be getting all that you need. If you feel you need more nutrition, only take ¼ of the amount of vitamins that have been recommended. Remember that your body will store what it doesn't use, and if it stores too much, you can be asking for trouble.

10.Be careful with the choices you have in your diet. You carry with you a guide for the amount of meat that you should eat in a day. Make of fist and put it down on a piece of paper with the little finger down against the surface. That is the size of meat that you should be eating in a day. Make sure that your choices in meat are free of other chemicals that can interfere with your health or medication.
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To Be or Not To Be: Low Carb...

I get asked all the time, "what do you think about the Atkin's Diet?". Well, as a Nutritional Bio-Chemist, my opinion and answer to that question would have to be a biochemical response.

First of all, lets start with the foundation of the Atkins Diet. Robert Atkins did not invent the Low Carb diet. It was first administered over 80 years ago by John Hopkins Medical School and Hospital for the treatment of pediatric Epilepsy. It was then modified for the U.S. Air Force long before Robert Atkins picked it up to modify it once again.

Our bodies run on glucose as a fuel. We can not store glucose and have enough for about 24 hours. When we have no food for 24 hours, the body turns to burn fat for energy and this is called Ketosis. By having a diet at 80% fat, and these are the right type of fats, some protein and almost no carbohydrates, the body remains in Ketosis and the pH of the blood can change, which can alleviate seizures, either the severity or the occurrence all together.

It is speculated to work because the pancreas has no or low signal to release insulin to counter or escort the glucose into the cells. Keeping the insulin steady in the system will not trigger seizures in the brain.

Like in all things, an excess can bring on side-effects. Some side effects of a Low Carb or Ketogenic Diet may include kidney stones and gall stones, some women may have menstrual irregularities. Because of the amount of fat and protein in the diet, some may suffer from Pancreatitis or inflammation of the pancreas, because there is an increase of fat, some minerals will not absorb correctly, so there can be decreased bone density and sometimes eye problems, sometimes there is a high level of fat build up in the blood, especially if the person is deficient in certain digestive enzymes. All these side effects can be very serious and that is why the Ketogenic Diet has always been administered by Nutritional-Medical professionals within the care of a hospital.

Low Carb or No Carb diets can be deceiving, especially since the goal is to keep the blood glucose levels steady.
There are some sugar substitutes that are 50% protein, this protein can cause an increase of activity within the cell. As any diabetic can tell you, the use of Aspartame, which is 50 percent phenylalanine, can cause the blood sugar to go out of control. Phenylalanine should not be taken by pregnant women or by people who suffer from anxiety attacks, diabetes, high blood pressure, phenylketonuria (PKU), or preexisting pigmented melanoma, a type of skin cancer, this is directed by the medical and medical research community.
Aspertame also is made up of Aspartic Acid and methyl alcohol or wood alcohol. So, not only do you have the risk of toxicity because of the amino acid phenylalanine, you also have methanol which is considered poisonous even in small amounts. Methanol can cause blindness, brain swelling, and inflammation of the pancreas and heart muscle.

Splenda or Sucralose has still other problems, it was not studied thoroughly before the FDA approved it. Under scrutiny of the biochemical community, especially after Aspertame was approved without long term study, the following has been noted, this taken from the http://www.low-carbdiet.co.uk/splenda.htm website.

"...Few human studies of safety have been published on sucralose. One small study of diabetic patients using the sweetener showed a statistically significant increase in glycosylated hemoglobin (Hba1C), which is a marker of long-term blood glucose levels and is used to assess glycemic control in diabetic patients. According to the FDA, "increases in glycosolation in hemoglobin imply lessening of control of diabetes.

Research in animals has shown that sucralose can cause many problems in rats, mice, and rabbits, such as:

Shrunken thymus glands (up to 40% shrinkage)

Enlarged liver and kidneys.

Atrophy of lymph follicles in the spleen and thymus

Increased cecal weight

Reduced growth rate

Decreased red blood cell count

Hyperplasia of the pelvis

Extension of the pregnancy period

Aborted pregnancy

Decreased fetal body weights and placental weights

Diarrhea

According to one source (Sucralose Toxicity Information Center), concerning the significant reduction in size of the thymus gland, "the manufacturer claimed that the sucralose was unpleasant for the rodents to eat in large doses and that starvation caused the shrunken thymus glands.

[Toxicologist Judith] Bellin reviewed studies on rats starved under experimental conditions, and concluded that their growth rate could be reduced by as much as a third without the thymus losing a significant amount of weight (less than 7 percent). The changes were much more marked in rats fed on sucralose. While the animals' growth rate was reduced by between 7 and 20 percent, their thymuses shrank by as much as 40 percent. (New Scientist 23 Nov 1991, pg 13)"

A compound chemically related to sucrose, 6-chloro-deoxyglucose, is known to have anti-fertility and neurotoxic effects, although animal studies of sucralose have not shown these effects.
According to the FDA's "Final Rule" report, "Sucralose was weakly mutagenic in a mouse lymphoma mutation assay." The FDA also reported many other tests as having "inconclusive" results.
Just how few studies currently exist on sucralose is an issue. Endurance News provides the following table illustrating this fact:

Sweetener + # of Studies*

Saccharin

2374

Aspartame

598

Cyclamates

459

Acesulfame-K

28

Sucralose

19

*Number of studies determined by MEDLINE search.

In terms of safety, it is not just the original substance (sucralose) that one needs to worry about. As the FDA notes, "Because sucralose may hydrolyze in some food products...the resulting hydrolysis products may also be ingested by the consumer."

I went into a forum looking for research information. There were many comments about Sucralose, most saying that if there was negative information about a product, that it was bogus because the FDA would have never approved it. The FDA approved the drug combination of Phen-Fen, which caused heart problems for thousands of people, some irreversible. Sure, it helped them to lose weight, but they didn't have their health to live it after words.

Then we have Sugar Alcohols, like...sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol, lactitol, maltitol and others.

Sugar alcohols are alcohols that are derived from sugar molecules. They are a carbohydrate, but according to the FDA, sugar alcohols have a very small impact on blood sugar levels and insulin release in the body. They are incompletely absorbed from the small intestine into the blood and as a result, they have a lesser impact on blood glucose levels. Some of the polyol that is not absorbed into the blood is broken down into fatty acids in the large intestine and sugar alcohols do contain calories, about three-fourths as many as sugar. Since they are incompletely absorbed by the intestine, over-consumption may produce a laxative effect in some people. Sugar alcohols can also act as "trigger foods," causing carbohydrate cravings or binges and there is some evidence to suggest that products containing polyols may actually defer weight loss efforts. In some people, sugar alcohols can have uncomfortable side effects, such as bloating and gas. Some diabetics also report elevated blood sugars when eating some low carbohydrate products, particularly sugar alcohol containing candies.

So is the "Low Carb" diet or diets the answer for weight loss and glucose control. As a biochemist, I would have to say no. Because different carbohydrates absorb differently in individuals, you can not count on those types of food and calumniated absorption rates. The only way that you can tell what that food, and combinations of foods will do to your body, it to actually test the blood in 15 minute increments for a period of 2 to 3 hours. If your blood remains steady, then that food, that amount of food, or that combination of food will not be detrimental.
Along with many scientists in this field, I too have written the FDA to appeal for better labeling for the public. The "Low-Carb" label is deceptive and damaging for those who rely on blood glucose control for quality of life. To say that a product is Low-Carb doesn't mean that it is low in calories, will not affect your blood sugar, or is even healthy. As a matter of fact, most of the time's when something suggests that it is "Low-Carb" it is a product that should be heavily scrutinized and avoided.

And as far as the new craze of Glycemic Index or Glucose diet. This is a very expensive diet to be on because of the supply of Glucometers, Glucose Sticks and time it takes to test, but a much safer method and more conclusive method of dieting in order to keep your carbohydrate intake under control and your blood sugar under control. As a scientist the only problem that I have with the GI or Canadian diet is that products and manufacturers who label a product as low, medium or High Glycemic Index do not have a standard of calculating those numbers. There are 8 different ways to calculate what a Glycemic Index is, and none of them are wrong. Some are more correct than others, but depending on what method you use, algebraic or Calculus and for what you are testing for, will determine if those numbers are correct. Don't get me wrong, Glycemic Indexing is much more correct than calculating "net carbs" or determining if something is "Low Carb", because you have proven results from a field of subjects to tell you how the product will be absorb from true blood glucose numbers. Because this method allows you to see actual results from what was ingested, you can believe that you are eating right and maintaining better health.

For the most part, people ask me about Dieting because they want to be thin and healthy, but being healthy is not just about this diet or that diet. Being healthy has to do with lifestyle more than anything else. Eating a diet of functional foods, healthy foods, non-processed foods, being active and interactive, and being relaxed and well rested has a lot to do with how your body will respond as far as health is concerned.

Do I recommend a "Diet", not necessarily, what I recommend is a lifestyle for better health that is as individual as the person it is designed for. How do you do that? You need to not only look at your body type, but your genetic background, your personality and your day to day habits. You can work on your taste in foods first. To get away from the sweets, salt and processing, you can start by eliminating the processed foods out of your diet. Remember when you had "home cooked meals from scratch", a salad "out of the garden", made Jams and Jellies from the fruit off the trees in Grandma's yard? These tasted better and were better than those we buy off the shelf now days. It takes a lot of time, but the time spent in eating better will pay off in the retirement years. The next step would be to get active, exercise, go for a walk everyday, chase your children around the yard with a football, walk the mall with your daughters or your grand baby in a stroller, ride your bikes as a family, play soccer in the backyard with your kids, play a game of catch with your son, all these will improve your bodies response to some many things. Start slow with things, take your personality and your job into account so that it will be a lifestyle of habit and happiness, not a routine of forced misery.
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Health - School for Overweight Teens

A residential school program for overweight teens comes with a hefty price tag (some in excess of $5,000 per month). These programs rely on the same formula for weight loss as is commonly recommended; strict eating guidelines and increased activities. In other words, better nutrition and exercise. Hopefully some counseling is offered, and college prep courses are usually on the curriculum, but what about those kids? Are they getting a realistic head-start on a lifetime of healthier habits or are they simply doing what they are told, only to be fed to the wolves when they leave the safe environment of the school?

I tried to find stories of teens who had successfully completed these programs and gone on to healthy lives, and came up empty. If you are one or know of someone who's been through one of these live-in school/weight loss programs, please drop me a line. I'd love to hear a success story. If you want to be everything you can for your kids, here are ideas for getting them (and you) up and moving again.

Exercise Should be Fun

Get your child interested in some type of exercise activity, whether indoor or outdoor by helping them discover what they prefer to do. What about bike riding or hiking with a GPS (hand-held Global Positioning Satellite unit). If you like the outdoors, Geocaching sounds like enormous fun and anyone can do it. Adults are reporting losing 20, 30 or more pounds while they are out exploring the woods and hills in their surrounding area. Learning to use a GPS is also educational and helps kids learn math, science and physics while they're losing some pounds at the same time. You may find some Geocaching sites in your area. I searched on the Internet and discovered there was a Geocache not 200 yards from my house!

What's a Geocache? It's a "treasure" of sorts. One person puts a small package or box somewhere, out of sight, then lists the location via GPS. Using a GPS device you look for and attempt to locate the caches. Once you find one you may leave a note or mark that you were there, and then you return the cache to its hiding place for the next person to find. It's not about taking the cache, it's about locating it.

Get your kids to a martial arts class, if they are at all interested. Martial arts teaches kids discipline, respect for authority and builds their self esteem and confidence, plus it teaches self defense. Frankly, I'm starting to think about taking some type of martial arts myself. Perhaps Tai Chi or some other gentle movement practice. Any activity you find for your kids may also turn into your favorite activity as well, and what if you could do it with your kids? That can be the best of all.

Talk to your kids to discover what activities they may be interested in, and explore the options together

My son is a good example. He was never over weight but at around 13-years old his skin tone was flabby. He didn't go outside much, preferring to play Nintendo or watch TV, and since he was an excellent student, I didn't push him to go outside more often. Luckily neighborhood kids invited him to play football one day, and today five years later he's in excellent physical shape, has confidence a mile high, and he was just honored by winning the "Program Award" which the coach explained is granted to the one player he'd choose, "If I had to pick just one as the most outstanding overall." I have no worries that he'll continue with a healthier lifestyle from this point forward.

Before he took up football we bought him an expensive bike which was rarely used. He also has a skate board, a mini-scooter, and a pogo stick. We tried karate (he broke his wrist so had to quit, and then didn't want to resume), he likes Paintball. Sometimes it takes awhile to find the right thing but nearly everyone will feel better when they find a physical activity they like. Exercise isn't just sit ups and push ups. It's anything you do that includes movement.

No matter where you live get out the phone book and search for indoor and outdoor activities in your town, or use the Internet and search for "indoor sports" along with your city's name. I found listings for Vancouver Parks & Recreation, Vancouver Indoor Sports and a site on Sports Walking with a search for "indoor sports Vancouver Washington" (without the quotes).

Can Video Games Help with Weight Loss?

Video games can help with losing weight. Just ask Tanya Jessen who lost 95 pounds, Matt Keene who lost 150 pounds, or Tim Mitchell who lost 50 pounds over a few months time about DDR (Dance Dance Revolution), a video dancing game. Learning the steps is the challenge and since you're moving while you play (dancing really), so you or your kids gain skill at the game while also gaining excellent physical shape and hand-eye coordination at the same time. There are DDR clubs all around the world and many web sites devoted to the play and practice including [http://www.getupmove.com].

Another exciting new game is called Yourself!Fitness. It's an XBox game with a PC version due early December 2004 and a PlayStation version in January 2005. Visit [http://www.yourselfFitness.com]. Yourself!Fitness includes a virtual trainer called Maya who takes you through your paces with hundreds of exercises from weight lifting to yoga.

Finding something your kids will enjoy that keeps them active is all it takes, and if they are reluctant, once their blood starts pumping they'll get much more enthusiastic. Games that incorporate a skill that's built up over time are excellent for increasing your child's self esteem, and with you along side, looking clumsy too, helps them see we all have to start at the beginning. You may just find something you love too.

Don't be afraid to try a few different activities before you find the right fit. The money you spend on equipment, games or lessons will be saved in less spent on junk food, soft drinks and medical bills down the road. Get up and get moving and your kids will naturally follow your lead.

Not everyone can afford to send their kids to a residential program, so design a program yourself, right in your own home. Switch from chips and cookies to fruits and vegetables for snacks, and above all get up and get moving!
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6 Best Healthy Recipes For Weight Loss and Healthy Living

1. Chicken Vegetable Soup

This is perfect for soup fans. Among all the recipes for healthy living, vegetable soups stand out because of its simple nature and easiness to make. All you need is the breast portion of chicken sliced into small pieces; sliced carrots; pureed ginger, diced onion, garlic, and some chicken broth. All you have to do is to mix everything together, simmer, and enjoy the warmth of having healthy recipes for weight loss!

2. Tuna All-Around

Fish is common when you talk about healthy recipes for weight loss. They are not just less in calories; they are also good for your protein supply. You may think that healthy recipes are very hard to do, but with tuna, you can also opt for the canned products. This healthy recipe for weight loss is very versatile because you can pair tuna with anything. You can eat it with rice, bread, or even pasta! Just remember to keep your carbohydrates in moderation.

3. Sandwich it is!

People who prefer sandwiches to make recipes for healthy living usually choose multi-grain and whole wheat bread. This is because the ingredients have not been refined and contains less or no sugar at all. Healthy recipes of sandwiches commonly involve the presence of tomatoes, lettuce, and low-fat meat like chicken or tuna.

4. Salads Galore

Salads are the king of healthy and delicious recipes for weight loss! Why? It contains all the healthy selections of food like fruits and vegetables. Fruits are your healthy dose of sweets while vegetables make you feel full that you can prevent yourself from craving for meat. Salads are as versatile as sandwiches because you can mix and match everything healthy. Try something new like kale and quinoa and dress it up with vinaigrette, the more preferred dressing for healthy recipes for salads.

5. Snack it up

Are you obsessed with snacking? Not a problem. You can always turn to your all-time dependable apples, pears, and avocado. However, if you want to explore more on recipes for healthy living in your snacks, you may want to try a mixed pleasure of sunflower seeds, raisins, and nuts like cashew and pistachios. You should however keep it under 200 calories to stay in shape.

6. Drink and shrink

This is the favorite of many and is the trend-setter of healthy recipes for weight loss. It has earned the adoration of famous celebrities and has shown great results. For those who do not have juicers, you may try using your home blenders. You may first try the basic smoothies with healthy and delicious recipes by blending mango and banana then you can go introduce your taste buds to exotic fruits like dragonfruits and some frozen berries. You can add yogurt to your heart's delight!
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some Exercises That Will Aid You Change Your Physique Faster Than Any Additional Exercises You May Have got Tried

1. Lunges together with a barbell. Properly performed, this exercise is typically the king (or queen) regarding muscle building reshaping exercises.

a couple of. Indoor Rock Climbing. Zero other exercise will continue to work since many muscles (both huge and small) at typically the same time than applying a Computerized Indoor Mountain climbing Wall!

3. 100 Repetition Squats - while standing up straight, in the squat position, holding either the pair or dumbbells in your sides or perhaps a gentle barbell across your shoulders (behind your neck) - a person slowly squat to parallel, without using any jerking motions. Then when standing up backup, you refrain through locking out the legs in the top position. Duplicating this sequence for as many times as you possible may, upward
to 100 repetitions. When you are able perform 100 repetitions, you just add more bodyweight. If you need a rest during the set associated with 100 reps - with regard to health reasons - after that take one - yet before then, when you obtain back up continue where you left off until you have performed 100 reps. This kind of volume training drives an enormous amount of oxygenated bloodstream throughout your entire body enhancing your endurance, melting entire body fat, cleaning out your own lymphatic system, and improving your metabolism.

100 Representative Squat Details:

Using the straight barbell or dumbbells, with very little bodyweight and your feet smooth on the ground spaced about twelve - 14 inches aside, bend into a complete parallel squat position (as one of our pleasant personal trainers to aid you the very first time you attempt this one - plus always use a jones machine or a squat rack for safety purposes).

Perform as numerous squats because you possibly can without having stopping or altering your own form. Then stop plus rack the weight. Sleep for 15 - thirty second (or until a person catch your breath), after that select the weigh back upward and continue until a person need another short break.

Replicate this format until you have completed 100 repetitions. Objective is to squat one hundred repetitions in one arranged. Once you reach that will goal, simply add five or 10 pound in order to the bar.

It's essential which you start this workout with guidance first (Use a private if you possess access to one, not only anyone who is operating out in the fitness center that day) and begin with a very gentle weight, preferably just the particular weight of the pub.

I promise, if a person keep your form rigid, and you perform this particular exercise as outlined right here, you'll have among the best reduce body's on your prevent (including the tightest rear-end around).

4. Interval Coaching. Begin performing your preferred cardiovascular exercise like running on the treadmill. Warm-up at a low speed for 5 minutes, after that increase the speed plus the inclination 50 -- 100% for 2 -- 5 mins, then decrease the particular speed
down again to your own slower pace for 2 minutes. After that, continue to alternate from your slow pace for 2 minutes to your fast pace for 5 minutes until you've completed your full 30 - 45 minute training session. Remember to monitor your pulse the whole time. And if you feel faint or dizzy at any point, stop immediately.

5 Reasons To Consume Body fat Burning Dietary supplements

I feel sure this statement maintains running in your thoughts and jogging in your own heart, but keep in mind that, this particular is not what everyone has within their minds. We personally have a large amount of friends, who spend many hours at the gym, yet their efforts go ahead vain. This is where body fat burning supplements come in to the picture for all those, who wish to lose weight.

In case you are wondering the reason why you will ever want in order to consume this type of thing in order to get rid of your own fats, following are the particular top five reasons that will would convince you for the same:

• To kick off almost all those stubborn fats -- Sometimes, regardless of how hard a person try, you might be just not really able to get free of the stubborn fat. This is when a person need supplements that assist you kick off all those fats, which don't keep your side for the long time. Don't be concerned - such powdered stuffs may seem harmful in order to you at first, yet they are not!

• To obtain in the desired form - We all possess that dream figure or even physique within our minds. In case you want to observe yourself in the reflection, just the way a person imagine yourself in your head, after that it is time with regard to you to introduce body fat burning supplements in your own everyday life.

• To fit in to your wedding gown -- If you are the particular would-be-bride, but are not able to kick off those unsightly bat wings or body fat thighs, then there will be nothing that can assist you, except for the particular right kind of natural powder, which helps in throwing flabbiness off your entire body. No matter how a lot you workout or perspiration at the gym, a person can't burn off the particular fats quickly. Thus, with regard to special occasions, depending upon substitutes is important.

• To strengthen up your body -- Sometimes, you don't would like to lose weight, yet want to tone upward your body. If you need to perform that, but are not able to do this with almost all those aerobic tricks or even Yoga Asana, then presently there is nothing else, yet a good supplement, which may help you get in to the figure that you want to.

• To prevent dieting -- I understand whenever you say that you don't want to diet; don't worry; thanks to supplements that help you kill those ugly fats on your body, you can simply avoid dieting and get into the desired shape with lesser efforts.

6 Best Healthy Recipes For Weight Loss and Healthy Living

1. Chicken Vegetable Soup

This is perfect for soup fans. Among all the recipes for healthy living, vegetable soups stand out because of its simple nature and easiness to make. All you need is the breast portion of chicken sliced into small pieces; sliced carrots; pureed ginger, diced onion, garlic, and some chicken broth. All you have to do is to mix everything together, simmer, and enjoy the warmth of having healthy recipes for weight loss!

2. Tuna All-Around

Fish is common when you talk about healthy recipes for weight loss. They are not just less in calories; they are also good for your protein supply. You may think that healthy recipes are very hard to do, but with tuna, you can also opt for the canned products. This healthy recipe for weight loss is very versatile because you can pair tuna with anything. You can eat it with rice, bread, or even pasta! Just remember to keep your carbohydrates in moderation.

3. Sandwich it is!

People who prefer sandwiches to make recipes for healthy living usually choose multi-grain and whole wheat bread. This is because the ingredients have not been refined and contains less or no sugar at all. Healthy recipes of sandwiches commonly involve the presence of tomatoes, lettuce, and low-fat meat like chicken or tuna.

4. Salads Galore

Salads are the king of healthy and delicious recipes for weight loss! Why? It contains all the healthy selections of food like fruits and vegetables. Fruits are your healthy dose of sweets while vegetables make you feel full that you can prevent yourself from craving for meat. Salads are as versatile as sandwiches because you can mix and match everything healthy. Try something new like kale and quinoa and dress it up with vinaigrette, the more preferred dressing for healthy recipes for salads.

5. Snack it up

Are you obsessed with snacking? Not a problem. You can always turn to your all-time dependable apples, pears, and avocado. However, if you want to explore more on recipes for healthy living in your snacks, you may want to try a mixed pleasure of sunflower seeds, raisins, and nuts like cashew and pistachios. You should however keep it under 200 calories to stay in shape.

6. Drink and shrink

This is the favorite of many and is the trend-setter of healthy recipes for weight loss. It has earned the adoration of famous celebrities and has shown great results. For those who do not have juicers, you may try using your home blenders. You may first try the basic smoothies with healthy and delicious recipes by blending mango and banana then you can go introduce your taste buds to exotic fruits like dragonfruits and some frozen berries. You can add yogurt to your heart's delight!

Article Source

7 Best Fitness & Nutrition Apps

Keeping track of your fitness and nutrition goals has never been easier. With lots of great free apps on the market, you never have to pick up pen and paper again.

Here are 7 of the Best Fitness & nutrition apps available on the market today:

1. My Fitness Pal: 4 MB in size and very user friendly. My Fitness pal has an easy to use calorie counter and comes with a very large database which contains 3,000,000 foods. App users will also be pleased to know that the app is free and comes with added features like: fast food counter, exercise calculators, voice commands and push button notifications.

2. Calorie Manager: This app is 3 MB and gives you access to a wide range of foods. The app is subscription based and will give you access to FatSecret, Fitbit and Nutritionix. These databases contain millions of items which include packaged, generic and restaurant based meals. Scan barcodes while at the supermarket, track your progress over a week, and manage your calories all at the touch of a button.

3. Weight Challenge: Download size is 4 MB and very easy to use. Keep track of your calories, waist measurement and exercise goals. Other advantages are: Target setting, reminders, feedback of your progress and a user friendly interface.

4. FatSecret: Just 1 MB in size and perfect for calorie conscious eaters. Obtain all the nutritional information you need on the go. The app also comes with a food diary to track all the foods you are eating throughout the day.

5. Food Diary: This app is 9 MB in size. It is easy to stay on top of how many calories you are eating. The app will also calculate fats, carbohydrates and protein in everything you eat. Other features include: a portion size selector, daily reports, weekly goals and the progress you are making.

6. What I Eat: 3 MB in size and simple to use. With this app you choose what you want to see. It's a great way to keep track of what you are eating without have to scroll through a heap of calorie databases. You can also color code entries and export them to an excel spreadsheet for better viewing.

7. Flatten Your Belly: 5 MB in size and the best app to teach you how to lose belly fat fast. You won't find another app that will teach you forty different ways to move that stubborn belly bulge in ways that truly work.

Now you have 7 of the best fitness & nutrition apps to choose from it will be that much easier to drop those pounds fast.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9215276

3 Easy Ways to Get the Most Out of the Medifast Diet

In this article we are going to look at 3 easy ways to maximize your success with the Medifast diet. As many of you already know, Medifast is a simple and straightforward way to dropping LOTS of weight safely and easily, and in a hurry! But there are ALWAYS little things you can do to turbocharge your results, and optimize your outcomes...and I like to think that I've tried them all..:-) So if you are ON Medifast right now, and want a couple pointers in the proverbially right direction ( which in our case...is an arrow DOWN on the scale!) read on as I share a few of my favorites.

Filed Under: Diversity is Key

Lots of people who use Medifast have a PARTICULAR food or flavor that they LOVE. (as do I!) But...one key I have found to take my own meal replacement efforts UP a notch is to mix things up! If you eat the same foods, day after day you WILL be prone to tire of them, EVEN if they are things you love to eat. And people who get BORED on diets, tend to quit them FASTER and with less success than those of us who keep things interesting and diverse day to day!

Filed Under: There is MAGIC in the Motion!

It amazes me how much Medifast makes me want to move, energized and eager to show off the pounds that are melting away. But so many people I speak to, ( men and women alike!) movement is like a FOUR LETTER word, even when on a weight loss program. Notice that I did NOT say exercise - as that tends to intimidate some people..:-) Just start by moving your body, in a chair, in your living room, in your garden....just MOVE! The combination WILL pay huge dividends, I promise!

Filed Under: Vivid Visualization

This is VERY important to me - PICTURE your body looking the way you want it to. Look in the mirror and VISUALIZE yourself looking your best in YEARS....attractive, confident and beautiful! This ALWAYS helps me when I hit a bump, or rut...allowing my "minds" eye to see the fruits of my labor paying off, EVEN when the mirror hasn't quite caught up yet..:-)

Filed Under: Who is Medifast For?

Anyone who has NOT had success on OTHER diet programs! If you've failed with other weight loss regimens, the Medifast weight loss community may be EXACTLY what you are looking for.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1344314

12 Days of Dieting Journey

With the urban lifestyle obesity is seen to be a major problem now. If you are having obesity then read this article on 12 days diet carefully and get rid of obesity forever. This 12 days diet journey will surely help you to loose extra fats from your body.

On the first day of 12 days diet journey, you will have to remove all edibles completely from your daily routine which contain high amount of fats and oils so that the 12 day diet journey may succeed.

On 1st day, get up early in the morning and go for walk. After that, take a cup of tea with only 2 toasts. Eat salad for lunch and in the evening, take a cup of tea with only 3 biscuits. At night, have supper of any Chinese dish which you like to eat. Do not lie down just after eating your supper but walk for at least 20 minutes before going to bed. Please continue this routine for next 3 days of 12 days diet journey.

On 4th day of diet the 12 day diet journey, get up early in the morning and do suitable aerobic exercise at least for 30 minutes. After exercise, eat breakfast consisting of 1 cup of tea and 3 toasts. One needs to eat any food which contains minimal amount of fats and oils in the noon. Drink a glass of milk in the evening. A single apple would be your supper on 4th day diet journey. Walk for half hour before you go to bed.

After 4 days have been completed of 12 days diet journey, we are sure that you would feel pleasant changes in your figure now.

On 5th day, do aerobic exercise for 45 minutes. Running is the best aerobic exercise. Take a tea cup with 3 toasts. At noon, eat a Chinese meal and come up and down the stairs at least 5 times without a break. It is one of the good aerobic exercises. You need to eat something which contains fewer amounts of fats and oils in your supper and again, run for 20 minutes. It will be end of 5th day of 12 days diet journey. Continue this routine till 10th day of 12 days diet journey.

On 11th and 12th day of 12 days diet journey, get up and do aerobic exercise for 45 minutes. Take a cup of tea with 3 toasts. At noon, eat salad and in the evening, play squash for half hour and at night, eat supper having healthy but low fats and edible oils and walk for some time during the night.

12 days diet Journey ends with this leaving pleasant changes in your body.

I lost 40 lbs in 3 months with extreme dieting measures that almost destroyed my health. Spicy food + lots of milk that lead to serious diarrhea every day. I've been doing a bit of research after my dramatic weight loss experience and found that there's actually a PROGRAM designed to do what I attempted, except its basically more healthier and effective.
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How the Lipo Dissolve procedure is done?

Lipo Dissolve is a minimally invasive procedure where phosphatidylcholine and deoxycholate (PCDC) are injected into the fat layer. A series of small shots are administered with tiny needles to target specific problem areas. Lipo Dissolve can also break down cellulite to smooth and even out the tone and texture of problem areas as well. Lipo Dissolve doesn't require anesthesia and is virtually painless.
There has been some discussion regarding the long term effects of Lipo Dissolve and whether or not it actually destroys fat cells or simply breaks them down only to redevelop in the future. Lipo Dissolve can assist not only in the breakdown of fat cells but it can actually kill some fat cells or at least shrink them. However, fat cells still reside in other areas of the body where you do not receive treatment so it is still possible to gain weight in those areas.
If you are considering Lipo Dissolve, although it can be effective on many, one should be realistic about the results it delivers. Do not consider Lipo Dissolve a weight loss management program or you will most likely be very disappointed. The best candidates for LipoDissolve are people of normal weight with a body mass index of less than 30 who are experiencing pockets of excess fat in certain areas.

Top 10 Fad Diets to Avoid

In the hullabaloo of all the raging diet plans, you feel compelled to follow one and get impressed by the results of another; but what is it exactly that is to be done! We give you a brief idea of top ten fad diets in the society.

When you are obese and want to lose fat desperately, a lot of things may appeal to you. Some are willing to try everything from whacky diet plan to a stomach staple. Some crash diets can be injurious to health and some others can lead you to starvation. Some top notch fad diets include:

Atkins; as this one is popular since last so many years. It is based on eating just enough to feel full and not to over eat in any condition. It condemns the inclusion of carbohydrates and processed food in the diet.

Grape Diet - It is a strict process which allows only grapes and water to be had in the name of food. If followed properly, this one cures many other ailments as cancer and diabetes.

Green tea diet makes the inclusion of green tea in every meal and snack essential. If you have this nutritional low calorie diet, it reduces the acidic juice formation that produces acidity.

Mono diet suggests you to have only one kind of food in a day. This is based on the theory that to digest different kinds of food in our more co-ordination is needed, which may upset stomach and give rise to other ailments.

The 3-hour diet ensures that you eat every three hours. All you need to do is to break down your main meal into three portions and eat it at regular intervals. This will mar the urge to keep munching also. It is effective to reduce as much as 8 lbs in just 3 days.

Lemon juice therapy for ten days is also effective if you can handle it. The only eatable allowed is lemon juice with cayenne pepper and maple syrup.

For gassy stomachs, cabbage soup prepared from boiled mixed vegetables' soup with cranberry juice and low calorie food is allowed.

Raw food diet is the healthiest of all. You need to have only raw vegetables which can be boiled only below 116F. This ensures to clean your system.

The most interesting ice cream diet is nothing but the control over calories. As much calories are allowed in a day, you allot it to ice creams or sometimes substitute it to brownie.

Zone diet is the one which suggests change of a zone and allows 40% carbohydrates in food with 30% protein and 30% fat in any meal.

I lost 40 lbs in 3 months with extreme dieting measures that almost destroyed my health. Spicy food + lots of milk that lead to serious diarrhea every day. I've been doing a bit of research after my dramatic weight loss experience and found that there's actually a PROGRAM designed to do what I attempted, except its basically more healthier and effective.

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Loss weight by Ending the Have a problem with Yourself

Self talk is vital. You can stop typically the struggle by ending the self talk that supports the struggle. You've heard it before--what you focus on is what you receive. Nowhere is that more true than in believing it is a struggle to stay healthy. Who would want to be healthy if it's such a horrible struggle? Yet, you've probably seen people who are fit, healthy and happy; you might even know a few. They seem to bounce when they walk. They're animated and excited about life, and if you asked them they wouldn't say it's a struggle. "What do you mean, " they'd ask? Struggle? Nah, I'm just doing what I want, " and they'd mean it.

Forget the notion that you have to struggle and eat celery sticks for dinner. It's not true. Despite the fact that you've lost the weight before and gained it right back, despite your belief that you can't even look at food without gaining weight. All of those thoughts are just more beliefs that are keeping you stuck. What you focus on becomes your reality.

What if You Never Got Hungry?

I'm a prime example. I don't struggle. Some days I eat a lot. Some days not so much. Some days very little. Yesterday I ate my usual breakfast and then, strangely, I just didn't feel hungry all day. I felt different somehow. Not ill, but I just didn't want to eat. "What's up with this?, " I thought to myself, but I decided to just ride it out and see what happened. Well, I'm here to tell you that nothing happened. I lived to tell another story, see another day. Nothing fell from the sky and the world didn't stop spinning because I didn't eat much yesterday. It was just another day.

Today I ate a few handfuls of malted milk balls. No big deal to me, but I know many of you are thinking, "I'd never be able to eat just some, I'd have to eat them all, " and that is my point. Telling yourself you can't eat "some, " or as many as you want, but that you believe you'd be compelled to eat them all, no matter how many there were is a belief that is keeping you stuck. I don't believe that to be true, and so, for me it is not true.

Changing a Fundamental Belief with EFT

How do you change a fundamental belief? You start with basic EFT using it for everything that comes up, even though it may not seem related. Every worry, fear, doubt, struggle. Use it on everything, and those issues that do make a difference in your eating will start dissolving away. Try it - what have you got to lose but some weight?

What's EFT? It's Emotional Freedom Training and it's taking the world by storm as an easy, self administered practice to help reduce or eliminate the emotional issues that keep us stuck. Free information available at EmoFree. com. I added EFT to my toolkit as soon as I learned it because it's easy to learn, easy to use, and it's effective.

To learn EFT specifically for weight loss, get The Daily Bites (see resource box below).
Remember those healthy folks I mentioned earlier? They don't view how they eat or how much they exercise as a struggle at all. They are active because they want to be active, and they eat foods that make them feel great. They probably eat a lot of the same things you eat too--I'm talking about everyday people who have learned to feel good about themselves. None of them are perfect--despite the common belief that there is some "perfect" body, it's just not true. Everyone has a wrinkle here, extra skin there. Every single one of us is flawed in some way or another. It's what makes us unique.
Choose to focus on the benefits, rather than the sacrifice

Everything worthwhile takes effort--having a baby comes to mind. All mothers will likely agree that childbirth has its down side, but the ultimate reward makes it all worth it (yes, some women feel great while pregnant, but I wasn't one of them). Otherwise, everyone would become a single child.; -) Think about it.

Being a professional musician or football player comes to numerous who played Little Little league and started practicing the particular piano when they had been very small. Padraig harrington has been only 3 or 4-years old when his dad first taught him in order to hold a golf golf club. He also showed your pet videos of professional golf players if he sat in their high chair eating their dinner (his dad has been a little odd, I would say). Woods started golfing at such a younger age which he literally increased up playing the overall game. This individual wanted to play. Their father undoubtedly drove your pet to work harder in it than most kids would, but he experienced to have a solid drive of his personal or he never might have made it. But you may be wondering what if he'd hit 6-year's old and suddenly believed to himself, "I don't wish to practice. I hate golfing. I want to perform with my friends. Items never be any great at his stupid sport. inch

Maybe things might have ended up differently. The particular bottom line though will be he did what this individual did because he desired to (his parents certainly had a lot in order to do with it too), as well as the reward? Today he is considered as the most gifted golf player ever, and to exactly what does he attribute their success? The practice plus discipline of his thoughts. He learned in one associated with his primary coaches in order to harness the power associated with his mind--using NLP plus hypnosis techniques (and probably he's since started in order to use EFT as well). Learn to occurs thoughts to focus on the particular results you would like - or even conversely concentrate on avoiding exactly what you do not would like, and you will win your reward, loving the process, rather of dreading it.

Exactly how to Get Started

Beginning from right now, obtain a box of toothpicks, matchsticks, marbles, small rocks or even twigs from the backyard. Something small enough a person can make it with a person. Whenever you catch your self starting to say something negative, "I don't would like to..., or, "I dislike..., " or "I'm going to strangle... " Anything unfavorable you catch yourself stating or starting to say, regardless of whether towards yourself or somebody else doesn't matter.

Begin noticing how often if you're feeding yourself negative power. Then, apply the QUIT technique as soon because you realize you are usually doing it, you shout (to yourself) STOP, plus immediately replace what a person were saying with some thing else. Here's what We mean:

"I hate getting to wash the... QUIT... it's nice obtaining a opportunity to stretch and flex while the car will get cleaned. "

Yes, it can stiff and forced, in first. Anytime you try to change a conduct it will feel pressured. Just allow yourself to be able to learn to make do it yourself talk, and that early on discomfort with the method will pass. It may start to be enjoyment to "catch" yourself. Since soon as you commence doing it, you'll recognize how often you're recently been feeding yourself negativity, and you should also see how quickly you may change that behavior.

Positive people tend to be able to be happier people. Now i'm not suggesting you obtain a individuality change, but I will be indicating, if you ultimately desire to drop some weight in addition to never see it once more that you change your current thinking from how very much you'll have to challenge to simply how much better most likely going to feel.

Doctor, Why Can't I Loose Weight and by the Way Why Do I Feel Sick?

Doctor, Why Can't I Loose Weight and by the Way Why Do I Feel Sick?

This the number one question heard in my office and in physicians' offices throughout America. There is a strong relationship between weight gain, difficulty in losing weight and feeling sick. Candida Albicans, an opportunistic fungus, is often the link between weight gain, feeling ill and the difficulties people have with losing weight. Focusing on removing Candida Albicans from the body rewards the dieter with a feeling of well being and weight loss that is steady, sustainable and healthy.
Americans are embracing the low carbohydrate diet for its ability to reduce their waist size and weight even when other diets have failed. The more important benefits of a low carbohydrate diet are usually lost in our obsession with weight. Low Carbohydrate diets have been used by nutritionists and holistic physicians for decades to control Candida Albicans. The weight loss and feeling of well being that accompanies a low carbohydrate diet is mostly associated with controlling this serious, but often over looked health condition.

I often see patients in my office who want to lose weight and have tried every diet and pill on the market with little success. During their history they often reveal a list of symptoms and complaints that they feel have no relationship to their weight problem. These patients do not realize that their weight problem and their other complaints are symptomatic of a more serious health condition known as systemic Candida Albicans. By concentrating on treating the underlying Candida Albicans my patients are able to loose weight and improve their overall health.
Betty F. . . was consulting with me for continued weight gain. She was finding it difficult to stick to a diet and exercise, partly since she saw such limited results. During her consult she admitted to gas, indigestion and fatigue. Her history included birth control pills, antibiotic use and several yeast infections. Her treatment plan included a low carbohydrate diet, nutritional supplements, and anti fungal herbals. She returned is 4 weeks, she had been able to stick to the diet with much greater ease, she felt more energetic and had no more gas. She was even happier that she had been able to loose 9 lbs. She reached her goal of a total weight loss of 22 lbs over the course of 3 months and has been able to keep it off. She now sticks to a sound diet and only takes a multi nutrient with herbals.

Candida Albicans is opportunistic yeast that often over whelms the body after antibiotic, may be passed from person to person with the exchange of body fluids, and from direct contact. It may be found in the reproductive tract, the mouth, the GI tract and in the blood. There are several common signs of Candida Albicans including vaginal yeast infections, thrush, jock itch and athlete's foot. Candida Albicans has been linked to a number of health conditions including; asthma, depression, dizziness, fatigue, headaches, hypoglycemia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), learning disabilities, menstrual problems, Migraines, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Syndrome (MCSS), Prostatitis, sinus problems, and Urinary Tract Infections (UTI).

One of the major secondary problems associated with Candida Albicans is weight gain. A number of the problems associated with losing weight and staying with a diet are doing to Candida Albicans. A person with systemic Candida Albicans will often crave sugar and simple carbohydrates because this is the main source of nutrients for yeast. Mood swings and depression are often associated with the rapid change in blood sugar levels caused by the yeast. Patients often complain of gas and bloating caused by the fermentation of foods in their intestines by the yeast which naturally release gas, just like in Champaign and beer. The fermentation of foods in the intestine may also lead to alcohol production that is absorbed through the gut and may lead to symptoms of confusion, altered behavior, and difficulty concentrating. Determining whether you have a Candida Albicans can make a big difference on how easy you will be able to lose weight and keep your weight loss off.

Questions to determine if you may have Candida Albicans:

1. Have you used antibiotics in the last 2 years?
2. Do you have gas or bloating?
3. Do you have sugar cravings?
4. Do you have low blood sugar?
5. Do you have history of yeast infections, vaginal, oral, athletes foot, or jock itch?
6. Does your partner have a history of yeast infections, vaginal, oral, athletes foot, or jock itch?
7. Are you sensitive to smells?
8. Are you sensitive to alcohol?
9. Do you suffer from symptoms that your doctor cannot explain like; headaches, migraines, depression, diarrhea, dizziness, IBS, menstrual or sinus problems?
10. Do you feel fatigued all the time?
11. Do you have a hard time concentrating?
12. Do you just not feel right?

Candia Albicans can be diagnosed by a blood analysis by your physician, though many traditional physicians do not regularly order this test. A major problem with treating Candida Albicans is the low regard most physicians place on controlling it spread. A recent study showed that 27% of nurses and 33% of doctors have Candida Albicans on their hands in a hospital. You can get a reasonable idea if you have problems with Candida Albicans by answering the questions in the box above. A yes answers to 6 or more questions above, associated with any of the signs or symptoms listed above, is a good indicator that you may have a Candida Albicans problem. Dr. Mark Leder, a chiropractor and nutritionist in NYC, states " I have treated thousands of women for weight loss and I find that over 75% of them are suffering from Candida Albicans. I tell them, you want to loose weight,? You want to be healthy? Deal with the Candida problem and everything else will follow." A low carbohydrate diet is the first step to dealing with Candida Albicans, but an herbal anti fungal is just as important.

When Candida Albicans presents itself as a vaginal yeast infection or athletes foot will often be treated with medication. Medications may be oral or topical and can be in prescription or over the counter strength. The problems with medications is that they are often short term and or do not get to the root of the problem. To properly reduce the amount of Candida Albicans in the body a low carbohydrate diet is the first step. Nutritional and herbal supplements are also key components. Regular intake of natural anti fungal supplements gives the body a chance to gentle and slowly reduce the amount of Candida Albicans in the body. There are a number of natural anti fungal herbals and products available on the market, but quality and effectiveness vary greatly. One of the best products available, through physicians offices only, is called RxBotanicals Diet Enhancer which contains powerful anti fungal and natural herbal relaxants. The combination of anti fungal and natural herbal relaxants found in RxBotanicals Diet Enhancer gentle lowers the amount of Candida Albicans in the body while making the dieting experience easier and more successful.
America will continue to focus on the weight loss associated with low carbohydrate diets. Nutritionists and physicians will continue to embrace the multitude of health benefits associated with a low carbohydrate diets with herbal remedies and its relationship to reducing Candida Albicans in the body.
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Top 10 Questions and Answers on Atkins Diet

1. What is Atkins Diet?

Dr. Atkins diet, first introduced in 1972, is strictly focused on limiting carbohydrate consumption.

That is why it is called a low-carb, high-protein diet or sometimes simply a low-carb diet, together with other diets such as South Beach Diet, Power Protein Diet etc...

2. What are carbohydrates, and where can they be found?

Carbohydrates provide your body with its basic fuel, very much like a car engine and gasoline. Glucose goes directly into the cells, which convert it into the energy they need.

There are two types of carbohydrates:

Simple carbohydrates (also called "sugars" on food package labels): glucose, fructose and galactose are referred to as monosaccharides. Lactose, sucrose and maltose are called disaccharides (they contain two monosaccharides).

Complex carbohydrates ("starches"), made up of chains of glucose molecules, which is simply a way plants store glucose.

Starches can be found in great quantities in most grains (wheat, corn, oats, rice) and things like potatoes and plantains.

Your digestive system breaks a starch back down into its component glucose molecules so that the glucose can enter your bloodstream.

A complex carbohydrate is digested more slowly than simple carbohydrates because it takes longer to break down a starch.

Complex carbs can be either high in fiber such as broccoli or low in fiber such as bananas or potatoes.

But carbohydrates are not the only substances the body uses: it also needs proteins and fats.

3. What are proteins and where can they be found?

A protein is any chain of amino acids. Carbohydrates provide cells with energy, proteins provide cells with the building material they need to grow and maintain their structure.

Protein can be found in both animal and vegetable foods. Most animal sources (meat, milk, eggs) provide "complete protein": they contain all of the essential amino acids.

Vegetable foods usually have few or none of the essential amino acids. Example: rice is low in isoleucine and lysine.

Some vegetable sources contain quite a bit of protein --things like nuts, beans, soybeans, etc. are all high in protein.

4. What are fats and where can they be found?

Fats are also an important part of our diet. Many foods contain fat in different amounts. High-fat foods include dairy products like butter and cream as well as mayonnaise and oils.

There are two kinds of fats: saturated and unsaturated.

Saturated fats are normally solid at room temperature, while unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature.

Vegetable oils are the best examples of unsaturated fats, while lard and shortening (along with the animal fat you see in raw meat) are saturated fats.

We can further distinguish the unsaturated fats between polyunsaturated and monounsaturated. Unsaturated fats are currently thought to be more healthy than saturated fats, and monounsaturated fats (as found in olive oil and peanut oil) are thought to be healthier than polyunsaturated fats.

Fat is necessary because: the only way to get certain fat-soluble vitamins is to eat fat, your body has no way to make certain essential fats, so you must get them in your food.

Another reason is that fat is a good source of energy, in fact it contains twice as many calories per gram as do carbohydrates or proteins. Your body can burn fat as fuel when necessary

5. and how can I loose weight by reducing carbohydrate consumption?

Atkins diet and other low-carb diets are based on the theory that certain carbohydrates have a greater impact on blood sugar levels than others.

So you count these carbs. They are the ones that matter. To figure out the net carb count of a food item, you need to identify the carbs that don't have a high impact -- those from fiber and sugar alcohol, and subtract that total from the overall carb count

Just regulate your blood sugar levels (from carbohydrates) and you'll be able to better regulate your appetite... and your weight.

Therefore, say Atkins diet proponents, the culprits are carbohydrates and there is nothing wrong with eating as much meat as you want!

What you should do is restrict carbohydrate consumption, specially starchy foods such as bread, rice, corn etc..., except for what they consider as "good carbohydrates" such as high fiber vegetables (broccoli etc...)

According to them, the energy we need should be taken from proteins, and sometimes fat, but as few carbohydrates as possible, hence the name: low carbohydrate diet..

6 . What else does the human body need?

Mainly vitamins and minerals. These can be found in various foods, fruits, etc..It seems the "Standard Western Diet" is deficient in vitamins and minerals. This has led to the creation of vitamin and mineral supplements.

7. Is Atkins diet efficient?

Anybody can note the simple fact that cutting back on carbohydrates works, at least for a quick drop in body fat and body water.

However, for most dieters the problem is the long-term effects on the body due to such a drastic reduction in carbohydrates.

Whatever Atkins diet proponents have said, this remains a real problem and people like those at South Beach Diet have tried to solve it by introducing carbohyfrates after the 14 days initial phase.

8. What about the "fat makes you fat" theory?

According to Anthony Colpo, one of the most articulate of the Atkins diet defenders:

"Some folks have been so inculcated with the simplistic "fat makes you fat" theory that they just cannot believe a diet high in fat can lead to a loss of bodyfat.

The fact is, high fat diets can result in spectacular fat loss - as long as carbohydrate intake is kept low. Eat a diet that is high in both fat and carbohydrate and your bodyfat percentages will head north real quick! "

9. Does Atkins diet cause coronary heart disease (CHD)?

On May 26, 2004 A Florida businessman filed suit against the makers of Atkins diet.

The man claimed as a consequence of following the low-carb diet, he suffers from severe heart disease, necessitating angioplasty and a stent

One of the fiercest opponents of Atkins diet, the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) President Neal Barnard, M.D, said that the diet proponents "push dieters to avoid healthy foods, like rice, beans, and pasta, while ignoring the risks of high-cholesterol, high-fat meat and cheese. The idea that cholesterol and saturated fat don't matter is a dangerous myth."

But what does the other side say? As expected, we hear a totally different story.

Here is Anthony Colpo's take on the CHD issue:

"A low carb diet based on paleolithic food choices, that is, a diet based on free-range animal products and low carbohydrate, low-glycemic plant foods, fits the bill quite nicely. So go ahead, eat your steak and salad!"

10. Are there any other health risks?

In additon to CHD - coronary heart disease - Atkins diet has also been blamed for a number of other "atrocities", such as: colon cancer, impaired kidney function, osteoporosis, complications of diabetes, and to cap it all: constipation, headache, bad breath, muscle cramps, diarrhea, general weakness.

A few quick answers to some of these accusations from Anthony Colpo:

Kidney disease: "Bodybuilders and strength athletes have been consuming high-protein diets for decades. Given the widespread global participation in these activities, if the claims of kidney damage were true, by now there would be an enormous number of case studies of ex-bodybuilders and strength athletes afflicted with kidney disease," which is obviously not the case.

Osteoporosis: "a low-carbohydrate, high fat, high protein diet is a far better choice for building strong bones than a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet."
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Cabbage Soup Diet - The 2 Advantages and 3 Disadvantages Are Discussed

The Cabbage Soup Diet has been getting great testimonials from people who have undergone the diet. Some can attest that they have lost over ten pounds in just one week. Others say that it's the best diet they have done. However, others say that although the weight loss is undeniable, the after effects as well as the condition while on the diet is not worth it. The Cabbage Soup Diet is just one of the many fad diets that have hit the market in the past years. Let us consider the advantages and disadvantages of the Cabbage Soup Diet.

The 2 Advantages

1. Dramatic and speedy weight loss. The Cabbage Soup Diet promises weight loss of up to ten pounds in just one week. This can be very essential for people who have to undergo surgical operations and need to lose weight fast. The Cabbage Soup Diet is also essential for people who need to lose weight immediately for special functions such as weddings or an important first date.

2. The presence of good dietary fiber and other nutrients. Cabbage and the other ingredients have fiber in them that helps sweep away toxins and waste from the body. Cabbage, if eaten regularly and often can help with constipation and prevention of other digestive problems. Celery has the same effect as well as green pepper. Tomatoes are rich in lycopene, a helpful antioxidant known to reduce the risk of certain cancers. More importantly, Cabbage Soup is very low in saturated fat and has almost zero cholesterol. It can greatly help obese people in losing weight and can reduce the risk of heart attack and hypertension.

The 3 Disadvantages

1. The Cabbage Soup Diet can only be done in a week at most. Because of the dangerously low levels of carbohydrate and calorie content of the diet, medical experts only advise at most seven days for the diet to continue. A longer period can be very unhealthy and can result in a collapse in the dieter's health. Worse, it can lead to sickness and other complications.

2. Effects on the dieter during the dieting period. Some people who have undergone the Cabbage Soup Diet complain of irritability, weakness and lack of concentration. This is because the person is taking very little calorie and carbohydrates that they cannot function very well. The dieter also feels hungry more often since the soup, with the lack of meat, is often not filling. However, unlike the high protein diet such as Atkins and South Beach diets, this diet is relatively low in cholesterol and fat so it can be considered healthier.

3. Blandness of the Cabbage Soup. One can only take in so much cabbage. It lacks flavor and since the heart of the diet is cabbage, it is the main course in every meal with the dieter often advised to eat as much of the soup as possible. There have been many varieties of the Cabbage Soup already. Some add spices like curry or herbs to make it tastier. Because of this, the diet is criticized as having high levels of sodium which can be harmful to one's health.
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