The Pros & Cons of the Cabbage Soup Diet - Does it Really Work?

Can a diet comprised of soups, salad, vegetables, and small quantities of beef and chicken really help you lose the weight super fast? The notion that you can lose ten pounds in a week with the diet is true. It can in the short-term anyway. This diet is much like the Atkins diet, South Beach diet, and other radical diets that focus on limiting your food choices to a single low-calorie set of foods. The good news is that you will likely lose the weight to begin with. The bad news is that it's simply not healthy, and it teaches you bad weight-loss habits which can have dangerous consequences.

The Cabbage Soup Diet focuses on weight loss through a lack of calories. This lack of calories also comes with a lack of essential vitamins and nutrients. You could take vitamin pills and other supplements in an effort to make up the difference. However, the diet is still a very extreme method of losing weight. There is no variety--it is a strict regimen of specific foods.

The other problem with this and other lose weight fast diets is that you made unhealthy food choices to get yourself into the mess and are using unhealthy food choices to try and fix it. You only get one body. Do you really want to spend your entire life making one unhealthy choice after another? The diet doesn't encourage you to exercise or make good choices in the first place--basically, it's a quick fix which works but can set a dangerous precedent. Also, a lot of the weight loss will be a reduction of fluids and even some muscle which will come back once you begin eating healthy again.

While some people may try to convince you that cabbage has magical fat-burning properties, health experts state that it does not. It's the super-low calorie consumption that gets the fat off. Experts also agree that any diet which advises you to consume less than 1,200 calories is to be avoided. Most will tell you that you can become sick from depriving your body of essential nutrients over a long period of time.

If you are dead set on trying the cabbage diet, at least check with your family doctor and see if he clears you to try it out. The best thing you can do is to lose fat the right way. Eat a balanced meal in proper portions and exercise. The fat may not fall off as fast, but it's more likely to stay off. This is simply due to the fact that you're making a lifestyle change instead of reaching for instant success. Good-bye to you, and hopefully to that excess weight, too!
Article Source

Free Diet Programs - How to Create Diets From Your Food Choices - And is Your Diet "Tricking" You?

One of my biggest pet peeves is hearing people tell each other how much weight they've lost in the last few days on their new diet "kick."

It's not that I don't want people to lose weight; in fact, I'm probably going to be your biggest advocate if you want to lose weight.

The reason why I get frustrated with this extremely quick "weight loss" is because I don't want people to just lose "weight," I want them to lose the RIGHT kind of weight.

And believe me it really matters.

Hear me out for a second...

People who lose a ton of weight right after starting up a new diet are not losing the right kind of weight.

Very low calorie diets and very low carbohydrate diets will cause you to lose lots of water weight and glycogen stores (glycogen stores are just carbohydrates stored in your muscles.)

And for every ounce of glycogen, you store 3 ounces of water.

When you are eating a very low calorie diet, or a diet that totally restricts or severely limits carbohydrates then guess what?

Those glycogen stores and the water surrounding them gets used up very quickly, and all that water, and glycogen weighs quite a bit and it also burns up very quickly.

So the actual weight loss you see on the scale is just this initial flushing of the glycogen and water, and nothing more.

In addition to this loss of glycogen, you will probably lose quite a bit of energy as well, because this glycogen is used to give energy to your muscles.

To make things worse, you can't visibly tell if anyone has lost water and glycogen. No one walks around and says, "Wow it looks like you've lost lots of glycogen lately! How did you do it? What's your secret?"

No one cares, and no one can see it, so why should you care?

And that's the thing, you shouldn't really care, but lots of people are tricked into thinking that a specific diet works "magically" because they see this initial drop of bodyweight is such a short period of time.

And they see this drop in water weight when they step on the scale.

Don't be fooled by these "tricks."

You probably want to lose weight to get healthier, or to look better, or maybe both. And I'll tell you right now that flushing this water weight and glycogen is not going to help you do either.

If you think these diet tricks are bad...

They are only half the problem.

There's an even bigger issue that can really set you back on your quest to lose weight that is rarely brought up in the dieting community.

And that problem is:

After you're done flushing out this "non-visible" weight, often times you begin losing something you really don't want to lose... your muscle.

You really don't want to lose muscle because muscle burns fat, and muscle is what gives you your tone, and lot of your shape.

Also, it's much harder to get back the muscle that you lose.

Unfortunately, most diets are geared towards eliminating muscle.

But why would they want to destroy your muscle?

Simple, it's because muscle weighs more than fat, and muscle is easier to lose than fat because your body wants to hold on to it's reserves.

And your body's reserves are fat.

When you get on a really low calorie diet your body will begin to think it's starving.

And when your body is starving, it really wants to hold on to it's fat stores, but it has to get energy from somewhere... so your body will literally eat away your muscle for energy.

But again, why would diets target muscle loss?
Because it's a quick and easy way to see results on a scale, and if you see results on a scale you'll probably think the diet is working.

But this muscle loss is a problem because just like water weight, losing muscle is not really a "visible" way to lose weight, especially if you have a good deal of fat covering your muscles.

Think about it for a second, if you can't see your muscles right now, if you lose some muscle, will you see that weight loss in the mirror?
Probably not.

Sure, if you lose some of your muscle you will see the scale weight go down, but you'll most likely look in the mirror and wonder why you aren't actually SEEING any results.

And once you get rid of too much muscle, it just gets that much harder to lose fat, or any weight at all, because remember muscle is what burns fat.

And if you're losing your muscle just to make your scale happy, you're really asking for trouble.

What you want to do is to find a way to preserve your muscle while losing fat.

Basically, you want to keep the muscle that will give you your toned shaped body, and burn the fat that is on top of that muscle.

That is really the ultimate goal. Not just blind weight loss.

If you didn't need to know your body weight to find out the best nutritional plan for you, I'd say just throw the scale away.

But that's another story...

People who experience the initial "scale weight" drop from these restrictive diets often get excited and think that the diet is working extremely well...

But the truth is their weight loss will level out quickly and they will either stop losing weight, or just lose weight at a slower rate.

And the really bad part is that the second they start eating more food, or eating more carbohydrates then they will almost always gain all of, or a majority of the weight back in just days.

This is especially true if they've only been on one of these restrictive diets for a month or less.

The weight gain you will experience when you switch back to your normal eating habits will be just as fast, and just as dramatic as the initial weight loss.

And that's no fun.

But why does this sudden weight gain happen?

Remember that when you are on a very low calorie diet, or a diet that is very restrictive on carbohydrates, that the carbohydrates in your muscles (glycogen stores) are extremely low.

As soon as you begin to replenish them you will gain weight at an incredible pace as the glycogen goes back into your muscles, and along with that you will also gain three times as much water as the glycogen you get back.

Because remember, for every ounce of glycogen you have, you store three ounces of water.

And this water and glycogen is really heavy, so it will show up on your scale.

Keep in mind that this weight gain may be shocking, but it is mostly weight that no one can see. So although it's kind of scary, it really does not matter in the mirror.

What does matter is the fact that if you've been on these kinds of diets for any significant length of time, the diet has probably destroyed a good chunk of your muscle tissue.

Remember that muscle burns fat, and now you don't have as much.

What do you think that does to your ability to burn fat?

And what do you think that does to your ability to eat the same amount of food and maintain your weight?

That's right, you have a lower ability to burn fat, and you're likely to gain fat at a faster pace.

Does yo-yo dieting sound familiar?

And in addition to this problem, extremely low calorie diets can severely slow down your metabolism beyond just losing muscle.

Your body adapts very quickly, and when it realizes that you're not giving it enough food it starts to panic and begins to conserve energy as a defense mechanism.

Basically, your body slows down it's metabolism as a direct response to extremely low calorie diets.

Sow now we have an even bigger problem to compound the problems we already had.

To summarize...

-We have a body that didn't have any glycogen stores

-And we've destroyed a lot of our muscle tissue

-And now we have a slowed down metabolism

-Which means we can't eat as much food as we used to or else we'll probably gain weight.

As you can imagine, we've put ourselves in a very bad environment for trying to maintain any type of weight loss. And this is probably one of the biggest reasons why people have so many problems with keeping their weight off.

In summary, extremely low calorie diets or diets that severely limit your carbohydrate intake often do these things:

-Give you rapid weight loss that you can't see in the mirror (glycogen, water)

-Destroy muscle tissue

-Slow your metabolism

And when you go back to your normal eating habits, these things often happen:

-You gain back the weight you lost as quickly as you lost it

-You probably gain back more than you lost because you destroyed muscle and damaged your metabolism.

Now we know what happens when we go on these extremely low calorie diets and carbohydrate restrictive diets, and why the weight loss is "fake."

And we also know that this "fake" weight loss can also cause you to gain back more weight than you lost originally because this "fake" weight loss can slow down your metabolism and destroy your muscle tissue.

Alright... but what can we do to prevent this from happening?

The solution may be simpler than you were expecting...

You can avoid these negative side effects first and foremost by making sure you are eating enough food, so you don't damage your metabolism.

Eating enough calories (food) is the key here.

Food is the key because when you drop too low in calories (food) your metabolism slows down, and you begin to destroy your lean muscle.

Eating the right amount of calories is the most important factor to looking great and losing the right kind of weight.

And if you want to take your weight loss to the next level, you can see even greater results by making sure you have enough protein in your diet.

Protein is the building blocks to muscle, and when you give your body enough protein, it will help your body hang on to as much lean muscle as it can because you are giving your body what it needs to keep your muscle around.

With calories (food), there really is a fine line between being too little and too much. And each person is different.

That's actually another reason why a lot of these "popular" diets are really bad. They simply don't take YOU into account. They just engineer a diet for the average person, and they just assume that you are that "average person."

Because most diets don't tailor their plan around YOU, they simply won't work for YOU, unless you get lucky and fall into the definition of the diet creator's "average person".

There's such a fine line between losing and gaining weight.

You have to make sure you don't eat too little, and make sure you aren't eating way too much.

You really need to find the right number for you. Not the "average person."

So how do we find your number?

First let me say this...

If your diet is not asking you these questions before giving you a recommendation on how to lose weight, then you're probably not going to want to use that diet.

These are the questions that will determine how many calories you need to lose weight that you can actually see in the mirror:

-How old are you?

-How much do you weigh?

-How tall are you?

-What is your gender?

-How active are you?

It seems simple, but I bet you've never been asked those questions before starting a diet... but you really do need that information to recommend anything that will work effectively for you.

"Prescription without diagnosis is malpractice." (Think about that quote for a bit.)
But, really these are really the two biggest factors...

1.) Get your calories right. Make sure you aren't eating too little or too much food.

2.) If you want to turbo charge your visible weight loss, make sure you're eating enough protein.

Finding out your optimum protein level also depends on your goals, what you want to look like, and how much muscle mass you want to retain.

Most diets won't ask you those types of questions.

The fact is that most diets are just trying to be a one size fits all solution.

The only way they can make it appear like their diets work is if they just give you a really low calorie, or really restrictive diet. That way they know they'll at least get that quick "fake" weight loss to trick you and get you hooked.

Even if the diet isn't really working, and you're not seeing any results in the mirror.

Here's something to think about...

Notice that we did not talk about specific foods, such as whole wheat bread, salads, fruits, fast foods, etc?

We didn't talk about them because the truth is, specific foods don't matter as much as you might think.

Even eating "junk food" does not matter in moderation, and yes you can lose weight while eating "junk food" or even candy. (It may not be the healthiest thing to do, but that doesn't mean you can't do it and still lose weight.)

It's probably one of the best kept secrets in the diet industry.

The concepts we talked about in this post were all about eating enough calories, and not restricting carbohydrates.

And now that we've started to understand that you can eat more calories, and don't need to eliminate specific things like carbohydrates, or fat out of your diet.

You may begin to realize that this opens up a lot of possibilities...

-You can eat protein.

-You can eat fat.

-You can eat carbohydrates.

Did you know that these three categories (protein, fat, and carbohydrates) are the building blocks to all foods?

All foods have at least one of these, if not two or all three of them.

What does this mean for you?

Well, it means that all these building blocks are OK for you to eat while losing weight.

And because all foods are made of these building blocks, then that means almost ALL foods are OK for you to eat.

Even while losing fat.

You just have to know how to come up with the right combination of these building blocks to help you lose weight.

I've spent over a year of my life developing a tool that not only helps you figure out how much of each building block you need to lose weight.

But this tool figures out the right numbers for you based on who you are right now and what your goals are.

This tool also lets you pick the foods you want to eat, and it figures out how to create a diet for you using the foods you chose.

Yes you can eat more use it to eat all organic, vegan, raw foods, or even a diet based entirely on fast foods, or candy it's your choice. And I'll be perfectly honest with you, this software program is not for everyone. Some people will love it, and others will choose not to use it. But either way it's at least worth checking out.

I've named this tool OK-Cal.

And OK-Cal actually asks you the right questions, and ensures that you get enough calories, and if you want it will help you get the right amount of protein too.

OK-Cal figures all of this out for you, based on who you are, and what you want to eat.

It's your choice, and you can have a custom tailored weight loss diet created just for you every day based on the foods YOU choose.

100% organic, or 100% fast food, it's your choice. OK-Cal has the technology built right in to handle almost any food preference.
Article Source

Jenny Craig Or Nutrisystem - Which is Better?

It's very easy to get these two meal replacement plans confused. Both are extremely convenient plans which require no point tallying or calorie counting and provide the food for you. Both are endorsed by celebrities. (Queen Latifah and Valerie Bertinelli for Jenny Craig. Marie Osmond and Jillian Barberie for Nutrisystem.) In this article I will explain what I believe are the key differences between the two plans. Hopefully, this information will help you decide which would be best for you.

The Similarities: Both Nutrisystem and Jenny Craig rely on a wide variety of prepackaged meals. You choose your preferences for meals and snacks and you then order them from the company. The foods are low in calories and carbs and high in protein. Both companies encourage you to supplement the meals with your own healthy options like fruits and vegetables. Both have lots of variety and allow comfort foods like pizza, macaroni and cheese, desserts, and snacks. I find the taste of the foods to be similar and pretty decent.

The Major Differences: The major difference between the two plans is the level of one on one support you receive and where you receive it. By and large, Jenny Craig encourages you to visit the clinics and work there with your assigned counselor. You can also sign up with Jenny online, and with that option, you will communicate with your counselor via telephone. The company wants you to check in at least once per week. Although there is no specific cost for the counseling, Jenny does have membership fees in addition to the cost for food to cover this.

Nutrisystem provides counseling and support as well, but it is by and large online. This support and weight loss counseling is free. You only pay for your food. The counselors are available to conference via telephone if you prefer, but I find it's really quick, easy, and immediate to chat in real time online. This counseling is not mandatory though. There is no one to require you to check in once per week or at all if you're doing fine on your own. This is a personal preference. Some people want all the support they can get, while others prefer to seek support from close friends or family.

Costs Of Both Plans: Both plans require that you pay for your foods. This cost is pretty similar, averaging about $10 per day, but there are usually coupons and specials running. However, Jenny Craig does charge additional membership fees in addition to the food. This is to cover the one on one counseling. A current example is "$35 for six weeks plus the cost of food." Since Nutrisystem only charges for food, it is a bit cheaper, usually running about $100 per month less.

Which Is For You?: Which of these plans is best for you depends a lot on your preferences. If you feel you really need intensive face to face counseling and don't mind paying a bit more for it, then Jenny Craig may be a better fit. But, if you're fine getting support online or on the phone and only want to pay for your food, you may prefer Nutrisystem.
Article Source

How To Lose Water Weight With "This" Powerful Diet

If you're wondering how to lose water weight, then you can do it very quickly through a very special dieting technique known as calorie shifting. What calorie shifting does is it breaks every dieting rule ever created and make weight loss including water weight drop very quickly and stay off as well. In many cases people can lose up to 10 or more pounds in less than 2 weeks. So how does this work?

Well again, calorie shifting breaks every dieting rule ever created. The most unusual part about this diet is that you actually drink more water and eat more frequently. This combination actually raises metabolism and forces your body to burn more calories more often, causing weight loss to occur quickly.

When eating and doing calorie shifting, it is necessary to eat up to 4 or more meals a day and make sure they are relatively small meals. One good way to use this strategy is to eat every 2-3 hours and stop eating when you almost feel full.

Now as for the drinking part, you have to drink at least 10 glasses of water a day. This doesn't substitute normal drinks, so you can keep drinking coffee, juices, sodas and whatever else you please, including alcohol.

When it comes to which foods you can/cannot eat, calorie shifting really makes it simple. You can eat basically anything you wish, though I personally recommend you stay away from unhealthy foods. It is also important to eat in different orders. So whatever meals you eat during day 1, should not be eaten during day 2, so make sure to make a list of different foods to eat so you can keep track of this.

If done correctly, you are bound to see results within the first 1-3 days. You will not only lose water weight, but fat as well. Calorie shifting is a unique dieting technique that works for absolutely everyone and best of all, it is extremely flexible so if you live a busy lifestyle or need to look good for the summer or up coming events, then this is the diet you need to try!
Article Source

The Flat Belly Diet - Foods To Lose Belly Fast

1. Water

The first basic ingredient for a flat belly diet is water. I know that everybody advices that, but do you really drink enough water? Every day, in a consistent manner? If you want to lose belly fast is not enough to drown your self after reading this article, and tomorrow forgetting about it. Make a habit of drinking at least 8 glasses of water every single day, from now on. Not only a week or a month, but all the time.

2. Eat more fiber

There are many myths about fiber, but the science proved its helpful role in losing weight. The fiber will make your digestive system work efficiently and help you lose belly fast. In fact, start to eat fiber and you'll notice the difference in matter of days.

3. Probiotics

For a flat belly diet probiotic diaries is a must. Together with water and fiber, this is the perfect formula to lose belly fast. Your digestive system will greatly increase in efficiency and will boost the whole metabolism in burning away the fat. Starting your day with a healthy combination of fiber and probiotic diaries is the greatest favor you can do to your body.

4. What to reduce

This is the part the none of us love about the flat belly diet, but we have to apply it if we want to succeed. So what to remove from your diet, or at least significantly reduce:

-trans fats, processed foods, junk food

-carbonated drinks, beer

-sugar and white flour

5. For even faster results: exercise

No need for hours of hard work if you want to lose belly fast. A minimum of 30 minutes a day is enough to achieve amazing results, together with this flat belly diet. Any kind of physical activity is good, depending on what your time and lifestyle allow. Still, the best exercises to lose weight are squats and weight lifting.

The flat belly diet is not complicated and works on simple, healthy principle.
Article Source

Healthy Weight - Discover All About It

According to the US FDA ôHealthy weight is a body weight that is appropriate for your height and benefits your health.ö  The healthy weight theory is also commonly known as the ôSet-Point Theoryö.

Living in a body considerably heavier than its healthy weight promotes increased risk of asthma, heart disease, high blood pressure/hypertension, osteoporosis and arthritis, Type 2 diabetes, gallstones, stroke, and certain types of cancer (esp. colon, breast, and female reproductive system). Obesity has also been associated with increased risk of problems with anxiety and depression.

As much as we may desire to be more slender than our healthy weight, it is not in alignment with our ideal health and overall wellness. The foundation of a successful weight loss program is a shift in consciousness towards a proper weight management program geared, one focused on reaching and sustaining an individual body’s healthy weight.

BMI - The FDA recommends a measuring tool called the BMI or Body Mass Index for helping determine whether you are at a healthy weight for you or if are underweight or overweight. The BMI is based on a person’s height and weight. A BMI of 19-24 is considered a healthy weight, under 19 is considered underweight, 24-29 is considered overweight, and 30+ is considered obese. The US Dietary Guidelines for Americans references a BMI chart for adults over the age of 20 to use in identifying where they fall in this spectrum.

One important component of a healthy weight that the Body Mass Index doesn’t account for, however, is the body’s percentage of body fat to muscle mass. An easy way to estimate your body fat percentage is to measure your waist with a tape measure. This measurement approximates your body’s amount of visceral fat. Generally speaking, and according to the National Heart Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, a male with a waist circumference more than 40 in. (101.6 cm) and a female with a waist circumference more than 35 in. (88.9 cm) is at greater risk of disease than those with waist circumferences less than that.

Design your weight objectives, then, not around those pants you want to fit into, but around your ideal BMI-range and body fat percentage. The formula from there is simple:
Consume more energy (calories in food) than you burn (through activity and exercise) to gain weight;
Burn more energy than you consume to lose weight;
Strike a balance between how much energy you consume and how much you burn to maintain your existing weight.

Many factors influence your healthy weight û age, genetics, metabolism, diet, and lifestyle (that’s your habits and behaviors) û but only certain of those factors can you do anything about. There’s no sense bemoaning age or genetic history, but you can effect enormous changes in your metabolism (and thus your weight) by making changes in your diet and lifestyle.

When you’re at your healthy weight, you feel good and have all the energy you need (and more) for your work and leisure activities.

Teaming Up At School Or Work To Lose Weight

Teaming up either at school or work to lose weight may be one of the best ways to accomplish your diet goals according to a study published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. The study followed a group of friends who partnered up in an effort to lose weight as well as several individuals with the same goals. At the end of the study, researchers found that people who partnered up were not only more likely to complete their diet program but also lose more weight than individuals who dieted without a support partner. Furthermore, dieting partners were more successful in maintaining their weight loss than individuals dieting alone.

So, what makes the strong difference between dieting with a partner and dieting alone? Researchers believe that the element of social support is a compelling factor. A weight loss partner can provide both the moral support and discipline you need to stay on track.

While just about anyone can serve as a weight loss partner, researchers believe that buddies from school or work make better weight loss partners because they are not as likely to be judgmental as family or even close friends. In addition, a weight loss partner from school or work is more likely to understand the unique frustrations dieters face in the real eight to five world of work or school.

When making the decision to team up at work or school, dieters should consider several key factors in selecting a weight loss partner. One of the first factors they should consider is the type of weight loss partner that would best suit their needs. For example, ask yourself whether you are more in need of someone to work out with you or someone to help you avoid those tempting dessert laden office parties and the ritualistic afternoon snack hour?

You should also consider finding a partner who will mesh well with your personality as well as schedule and location. While you may work at the same company as someone else interested in losing weight; if your schedules constantly conflict, chances are you won’t be able to provide much support to one another. The same is true when looking for a weight loss partner at school; the buddy system will work much better if your schedules are similar and classes located near one another. Finally, be sure to look for a weight loss partner that is not too strict or too indulgent in their support. Look for someone who will be supportive but firm in keeping you on track.

When you do find the right support partner, be sure to sit down with them to discuss mutual goals. Consider ways in which you can support one another in your weight loss efforts, such as these:

ò Take turns bringing healthy snacks to work/school.
ò Set aside a time during the day when you can discuss progress, setbacks and tips.
ò Get together to visit the gym or take an aerobics class during your lunch hour.
ò Exchange low calorie, low-fat or low-carb recipes.
ò Celebrate one another’s victories.

With the right amount of support and encouragement, you may be amazed at the success you can achieve in your weight loss goals.

Phentermine may be the Right Solution to Reduce Obesity

Phentermine is short-term obesity reduction diet pill. It acts as an appetite suppressing drug. It does not cure obesity by itself but it helps you to control your appetite. But for losing weight you have to maintain a restricted diet and do exercises. So, it implies that the diet pill should be used in conjunction with exercises and a restricted diet program.

As your appetite gets decreased your food intake too decreases. Phentermine is not to be taken without any consultation with a doctor. He is right person to decide whether you require it or not. Follow his instructions on your Phentermine intake doses.

Phentermine is not a self medication drug. Pregnant women and breast feeding women should not use this pill as the side effects of it may show up in the child. It is advisable that an individual with blood pressure, heart ailments, diabetes, and allergy must tell his health history to his doctor before going for the drug.

Phentermine diet pills are available with local pharmacists and online pharmacies. The online pharmacies are better option as one can find low price Phentermine pills plus you need not spend time to go on for hunting it.

Your obesity may be due to high intake of food or hereditary or general lack of physical activity on you part, but lessening of food intake would always help in removing the obesity. There are hundred of ways to get away from obesity. But before opting for a method it should be clear on your mind that nothing works better than following a restricted diet plan and doing physical exercises. Phentermine diet pills act as an agent to lower appetite and nothing more than that. It should not be used for longer period than prescribed as the pill is to be used for short-term only.

Hoodia Diet Pill- Natures Cure for Obesity

Our brain, the seat of wisdom, is difficult to fool. You feign fatigue, but your brain can well see through your act. If you are on diet to reduce weight, your brain will always keep you alert to your hunger, thus always pushing you to break resolutions of eating less. And herein laid the problem of fats. Nevertheless, scientists engaged in finding a solution to obesity were not ready to relent, even if that meant fooling the brain.

Hoodia diet pill is the result of such constant research. Scientists discovered that nomads in the deserts of Kalahari, who went on hunting, would consume a cactus called Hoodia to get over the hunger. What was in the cacti that helped dampen appetite? This was the question that scientists began investigating upon. It was ascertained that Hoodia has a wonder molecule, which fools the brain into believing that the stomach is full. This is why the nomads of Kalahari could run the entire day looking out for a hunt without feeling hungry; and this is how people looking out to reduce weight will not have the desire to eat and lose weight early.

Hoodia diet pill makes use of the miracle molecule present in the Hoodia plant. It is known as P 57 molecule. The license for developing Hoodia diet pill was taken by Cambridgeshire bio-pharmaceutical company, Phytopharm, which later sold the development and marketing rights to Pfizer, the pharmaceutical giant credited with developing Viagra.

A remarkable weight loss is brought about by Hoodia diet pill. In as less as 14 days, weight loss starts becoming visible on the user. Hoodia has been proven to reduce calorific intake by as much as 40%. The San people of Kalahari could not at first appreciate the use of Hoodia as a diet pill. This is because they had been using the plant to do away with the hunger pangs during periods of starvation. The San people live in deplorable conditions and Hoodia Gordonii is food, water and medicine to them. Pharmaceutical companies have promised a cut in the royalty to improve the conditions of these indigenous people.

Hoodia diet pill is organic and has no synthetic or artificial appetite control agents. Besides the users of Hoodia pill have testified that the use of the pill left no bad taste, no sick stomach, and no pounding heart at all. Moreover, the users did not feel the hunger pangs whole day. The normal dosage of Hoodia is 1200 mg in 3 to 6 pills a day. Users also complained of lesser or no side effects. Hoodia diet pill must be abstained if patient is already using any other appetite suppressant.

Failing energy and sleeplessness, associated with other weight loss drugs, can be bid farewell with Hoodia diet pill. It provides unperturbed energy. The San people also used it to treat diabetes and hypertension, although research has not yet been undertaken on Hoodia’s capabilities to treat these.

Diets and Diet Programs - Choosing a Diet that works

If you find yourself with a few added pounds, feeling sluggish or just wanting to be the best that you can be, then your diet has a lot to do with your optimal performance.  There have been many studies on which diet works the best.  Although there are plenty of choices such as the Atkins diet, South beach diet, Mediterranean diet, etc.  Many health professionals are quick to note that not every diet is perfect for everyone.

Most health professionals agree that as long as you stay within a healthy range, then there are plenty of ways that your diet can help you take off the weight and make you look and feel great.

Health professionals advise a person to eat a balance diet, which includes fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean meats.  Using these foods, dieters can come up with some very healthy choices to lose the pounds.  Unfortunately, when people are on a diet they think of all the foods they can’t have instead of the foods they can.  There are dozens of fruits and vegetables that can fit into anyone’s diet and plenty of lean meats that offer flavor and give you the protein that is needed daily.  Just because you can’t eat bacon or lots of butter on a diet, doesn’t mean that it’s the end of the world.

If you want to find a diet that will lose the pounds and keep it off, then don’t think of it as a diet, think of it as a lifestyle.  Choose a lifestyle with all the healthy foods that will help keep off the pounds and keep you looking and feeling great.

Everyone is different.  We all have different metabolic rates.  Finding the ’perfect’ weight loss program is a personal choice. Base your decision on your lifestyle and ability to be flexible.   I’ve found that moderation works well for me and no one program is ’perfect’ for me.

Why Celebrities Endorse The Zone Diet Meal Delivery

Don't get what all the fuss is about with zone diet meal delivery? When so many top celebrities are endorsing the zone meal delivery you've got to wonder what all the hype is about. But let's forget about its popularity for the moment and pitch it against the 'worse' alternative to prove its credibility.

Most people work more than 30 hours a week, but if you're a professional or just a damn hard worker then you're probably doing more like 60 hours a week. If this is the case then two things are probably suffering - your health and your well-being.

Having such a hectic and busy schedule is more likely to take up most of your waking hours, leaving you with little time to do even the simplest things in life such as cooking a nutritious and healthy meal. Being in this predicament will probably mean that you're living on instant meals and fast-food. I guess things could be a lot worse - you could be going hungry, but even so, you're putting your health at risk.

Cooking is a real chore for some, for others it's like a science experiment gone bad. If you can't cook a half decent meal without causing and insane amount of mess and poisoning yourself, then you're probably in need of some help. You could get yourself some cooking lessons or get yourself some cookbooks to help you master the art of cooking, but if you really have no time to cook, either won't be of much use.

So maybe you don't really have a choice when it comes to your diet and health, perhaps fast food seems like the only option to take. Of course, if you've heard of the zone meal delivery, then it may have crossed your mind to give it a go, since it's highly convenient and healthy to boot. The food you eat is far more important to your health than you think. It's what fuels the body and helps it repair. Without a healthy diet you may find yourself more susceptible to illnesses and viruses. Your energy levels may also be low due to the poor quality of fuel.

You can only live on fast food for so long before it takes a real toll on your body and your health. Maybe you've noticed the pounds pack on already and you're not feeling overly energetic these days. Too much bad fats and sugars is probably the cause, coupled with a lack of nutrition. Zone diet meal delivery avoids the bad fats and sugars and provides healthy yet delicious alternatives. What's more, it's not as expensive as you might think.

Don't be fooled by thinking that fast food is cheap. If you eat out a few times a day and you're a heavy snacker, then you'll be doing both your waistline and your wallet a favor by trying out zone diet meal delivery. Just think, 5 delicious meals a day delivered straight to your door. You won't have to touch a frying pan or even a microwave again.
Article Source

Jenny Craig - Great Diet Plan That Really Works To Loose Weight And Get Healthy

A great commercially driven weight loss plan is the Jenny Craig Diet. Many people have raved about the plan and the company also has many celebrities that it uses in its ads who have lost a lot of weight using the plan.

The plan is were you go to a Weight Loss Center and meet with a consultant that helps you maintain a weight loss plan. It is similar to the Weight Watchers plan were they also suggest that for better results that it is advisable to attend meetings. The consultant will help you get on a meal plan that is low in calories and will fit in with your lifestyle and body type. The plan is basically a low carb, low fat, high protein diet plan and is similar to many other diet plans.

It is important to be successful on this plan that you attend the meetings and follow your consultants advise. It is a great plan if you do not have much time to prepare meals because you buy your food from Jenny Craig.

The cost involved with the Jenny Craig Diet plan is inexpensive for the plan. It will cost you about $25 - $50 for the first 6 week period. It can be a little expensive when you purchase the food. You can expert to pay between $100 - $150 a week for the food. They sell the food you need at your local center.
Article Source

How Hypnosis Can Help On Weight Loss

For decades, people have turned to hypnotherapy to help them in all sorts of way, from unearthing and resolving hidden issues from one’s past to severe behavior modification. Hypnotherapy has been used with great success in helping people quit smoking, build self-esteem, and learn new subjects and skills. It’s no wonder people are turning now to hypnosis to also help them lose weight.

Does it work? For some. Hypnosis works on the unconscious mind through the power of suggestion, and the effectiveness with which a person can be hypnotized depends on how receptive the subject is to the experience. Put another way, hypnosis works best for people who come at it with an ôopen mindö.

How does hypnosis help a person lose weight? The same way it helps modify any behavior, by targeting your habits. It is one’s habits that lead to excessive weight gain and obesity, and it’s a change in those habits, replacing old ôbadö ones with new ôgoodö ones, that produce the kind of changes that can be sustained.

To build new, desirable, and sustainable habits, you must break down all your old associations regarding yourself, your weight, your appearance, food and eating, exercise, etc. and build new, positive and desirable associations. This is where hypnosis can be of tremendous aid.

In a hypnotic state, you can more easily overcome those unconscious obstacles that hinder your weight loss efforts. Most people already know full well that proper diet and exercise is the way to lose weight, and yet so many find themselves helpless to do what they know they ôshouldö be doing.

What causes that is usually an unconscious association from our pasts that we’ve habituated in our everyday lives. These associations become so much a part of us we don’t ever think about them, much less question them. But when we remove our conscious mind from the equation, we’re more easily able to access those deep-seeded assumptions and reprogram them.

A person who continually struggles with diet and exercise programs, jumping from one to another as each in turn proves increasingly fruitless is most likely unconsciously resisting their own aims. As long as this condition remains, every attempt this person makes at weight loss will be equally counterproductive.

Losing weight is a state of mind. A person must be willing to lose weight to lose it û not simply be willing to diet and exercise, but deep down willing to lose weight. Success depends on a winning attitude on an unconscious level that permeates everything you do, whatever you do.

Hypnosis can help you build a new self-image, allowing you to envision yourself at your future weight. Hypnosis can help approach your weight and weight-loss program from am ore relaxed and stress-free perspective. Hypnosis can help build your optimism, enthusiasm and (most importantly) self-esteem for the task. And hypnosis can help you experience some of the benefits of living at your ideal weight here and now, in the present, even whilst you live in the body in which you currently live.

The key to having a successful experience using hypnosis to lose weight is realizing that hypnosis alone won’t do it. No amount of hypnosis can replace a healthy and balanced diet and an active lifestyle with a blend of aerobic and anaerobic exercise. Nothing can replace these cornerstones of maintaining a healthy weight, but hypnotherapy can certainly make adopting these new habits easier and more pleasurable, as it can put you in the right frame of mind to reap the benefits of all you do to get your weight loss goals met.

Top 10 Fad Diets - Best Way To Lose 10 Pounds

If you'd like to know about the top 10 fad diets online today, then you've come to the right place. Fad diets just might be the best way to lose 10 pounds. A fad diet is a diet that promises quick weight loss in a a short period of time. A good fad diet must contain a weight loss plan that incorporates proper eating and effective exercise. A plan like this will ensure healthy weight loss without causing undue stress on the body.

Fad diets have become extremely popular as they provide easy ways to lose weight as soon as possible. If you do a little research, you will find that most celebrities use fad diets due to their hectic schedules. I'm going to take a wild guess that you aren't a celebrity like me so I'm sure you'd find this next statistic interesting.

According to the American Obesity Association, over 64% of U.S. adults are overweight. If you feel like you are one of those people, then I'm sure you've probably tried several different diets already. With so many diet programs out there, it can be very difficult to figure out which diet is best for you. I know this because I went through many of the same struggles you may be going through now. Sometimes it's not always easy to spot a good fad diet. There are too many diets out there that promise unrealistic goals just to attract your attention.

A good meal plan is the foundation to every diet. If a diet has a poor meal plan, it simply will not work.

Here comes the hard part. If you are planning on starting a fad diet, you should ask yourself two important questions, how much weight can I expect to lose and does this diet work? Unfortunately, most diet websites fail to tell you the truth in this regard. I know this for a fact because I've tried many different diets with no success.

If you're interested in starting a new diet or if you'd just like to get an idea of what the top diets currently are today, my Top 10 Fad Diets comparison website [http://top-10-fad-diets.com] will help you make your choice! See the features, benefits and prices that match your needs at a glance along with opinions and reviews.
Article Source

Calorie Shifting is Easy - Why is it So Easy?

Calorie shifting is an easy diet to follow. Once you read the rules below, you will understand why:

1. You can eat as much food as you desire, at each meal. Eat until you are completely satisfied. But you must stop just short of being too full.

2. You must eat four full meals every day, of a diet consisting of a variety of foods from all four food groups.

3. Each meal must be spaced out by at least 2.5 to 3 hours in between each. No snacking is allowed in between each meal.

4. You must drink 10 glasses of water each day.

5. You are required to take a mandatory 3-day break from the diet every 2 weeks. You are allowed to eat anything you want during those 3 days, guilt free. The only caveat is that you must stop eating when you are satisfied, and do not eat until you are too full.

That is really all there is to the calorie shifting diet. While on this diet, you can reasonably expect to lose 9 pounds every 11 days. That is nearly a pound per day! You diet for 11 days. Take a 3 day break. Then you diet again for 11 days before you take your next 3-day break again. At this rate, you would be losing approximately 20 pounds in one month!

One useful tip for would-be followers of this diet plan: If you start your diet on a Monday, then your 3-day breaks will fall on alternating Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

What could be better than a diet that allows you to eat as much food as you want from all four food groups, four times a day. And you get to take every other weekends off from the diet to enjoy food, guilt-free!
Article Source

Lose 20 Pounds This Month

How would you like to lose 20 pounds this month? Get out your calendar. What date will it be 30 days from today? Circle that date. Now think of the number that represents your weight. What number is 20 less than that? Imagine yourself weighing that much. Will you have to go out and buy new clothes? Will your pants be too loose for you? Will you have more energy? Will you have more self confidence?

The Calorie Shifting Diet is a revolutionary new approach to dieting. This diet succeeds where others fail.

On other diets, you lose your motivation to stay on track because you are constantly confronting temptations to cheat. The stresses of daily life, social pressure, and sheer insecurity cause us all to derail from our diet tracks time and time again.

On the Calorie Shifting Diet, you get to confront your temptations head on. And indulge in them!

The Calorie Shifting Diet allows you to eat as much food as you desire at each one of four full meals every day! You get to eat food from all four food groups.

Moreover, you are required to take a mandatory 3-day "cheat break" from the diet every 2 weeks. That means that you must follow the diet strictly for 11 days. Then you get to take a break from the diet and eat whatever you want for 3 days. Then you may resume the diet again for another 11 days before you must take your next 3-day break again.

Calorie shifting is based on the principle that you can induce fat burning at will, simply by shifting the types of calories you consume, from meal to meal, from day to day. In doing so, you are simulating a nutritional deficiency, thereby triggering the release of the hormones in your body which are responsible for burning fat.

You can reasonably expect to lose 9 pounds every 11 days. That is just short of 1 pound per day!

Is it safe to lose weight this rapidly? Most dietitians and nutritionists would agree that it is not. Therefore, this diet imposes the mandatory 3-day break in order to give your body a chance to rest from the rapid weight loss you will have been experiencing.

One hint: If you start your diet on a Monday, then your 3-day breaks will fall on every other Friday through Sunday! You can have every other weekend off from the diet!
Article Source

Dr Suzanne Gudakunst Reviews - Who Should Use The Top Secret Fat Loss Secret

Dr Suzanne Gudakunst's weight loss program, known as the Top Secret Fat Loss Secret Program is causing a great deal of discussion in the weight loss industry. And indeed, this is an unorthodox diet plan which also claims to be able to cure certain illnesses which may be lurking inside of your body.

But is Dr. Suzanne Gudakunst's program the right one for you? This is an important question to answer because your choice of a diet program will also determine the results that you achieve with it. In this Dr Suzanne Gudakunst review I shall attempt to help clear and of the uncertainties surrounding this question so that you can make the right decision.

First, we need to fill in some blanks as to what this program actually is. The Top Secret Fat Loss Secret is a detox type program. This means that it cleanses your body of all sorts of parasites, intestinal plaque, and bowel worms which may have infested your body and are causing it to function worse than it should be. This internal pollution is what is causing many people to become fat and even obese. It can also be the cause of various illnesses, some of which may be serious. Often, it is this sort of internal pollution which causes you to fail with one diet after the other.

So, if you have failed with numerous diets before and don't know why, it may be because your body is infested from within. If you're truly infested, then you may also suffer from frequent bowel problems, stomach aches, or an unhealthy skin. If this is indeed the case, then Dr Suzanne Gudakunst's program may be the solution that you seek. By purifying your body, you will also improve your health.
Article Source

How Does The Fat Smash Diet Work? - A Unique Look At This Hot Topic

With most diets, you will either not lose the weight you had anticipated, not be able to stick to the limited foods allowed or lose the weight and immediately put it back on. If this sounds like you, you have been following the wrong diets. There is a new diet out called the fat smash diet, which is explained as easy to follow and but for me did not give the results i expected. So, what is this diet? How does the fat smash diet work?

This diet is a ninety day program, like most diets is split into phases. in this case it is split into four. The Fat Smash Diet plan focuses heavily on healthy fruits and vegetables, which have been scientifically proven to lower the risk of cancer, heart disease and more, and help to fill you up without piling on the pounds. Although I found focusing in fruits by themselves and nothing else made my body feel malnourished due to the lack of a balanced diet . Let's take a look at each phase of the diet on it's own.

Phase One - Detox

This phase should last for nine days. The main foods to consume in these nine days are fruits and vegetables. You can eat pretty much any of them except avocados and potatoes. Though you can eat nothing else. the diet states that by avoiding caffeine and alcohol during this phase you will be cleansing your body. This I do agree with, but because you are focusing solely on fruits and vegetables it is hard to keep your nourishment balanced. When asking how does the fat smash diet work, it is important to know that detoxification is important, but so is a balanced diet, so for this phase I would just suggest a balanced plan. I cannot include the entire plan in this article but i will try and cover as much as possible.

Phase Two - Foundation

This phase should last for three weeks. You can eat all the phase one foods (vegetables and fruit) and also start to introduce lean meats, such as turkey, chicken and fish.

Phase Three - Construction

This phase should last for four weeks. In this phase you can start to introduce some bread and whole wheat pasta. You can eat mayonnaise, peanut butter, two cups of freshly squeezed orange juice, a cup of pasta, two whole eggs, four slices of wholegrain bread, three cups of low fat milk and an ounce of cheese per day.

Phase Four - The Temple

You follow phase four for life, to make sure the fat stays off. As well as the foods allowed in phase three, you can add some potatoes and white rice and some beer or wine each week. But alcohol needs to be moderate. Keeping this phase for life was difficult for me but for you I if you are motivated to do so it can be done. The idea is that by phase four you will have retrained your body to enjoy the new range of foods which you were not accustomed to eating in the past.

So, let's look again at the question, how does the fat smash diet work? The answer is follow the four phases, cut out all foods except for fruit and vegetables, then slowly re introduce smaller portions of lean meat, cheese, and certain breads, and follow the stage 4 for life. I could not go into great detail of the fat smash diet meals in this article but I hope you enjoyed the summary.
Article Source

Can You Really Lose Fat on a Calorie Shifting Diet?

Well you might or you might not lose fat on a calorie shifting diet (depending on your ability to commit) but a calorie shifting diet is much more logical than starving yourself on a crash diet.

If you follow the simple principles of a calorie shifting diet and get some regular brisk exercise you will lose fat and keep it off.

There are some forms of dieting you should never embark on; diets that take you under 1000 calories a day; diets that promise a miracle fast fat loss when you eat only a specific fruit or drink; diets that advise you not to exercise - they are all trouble.

They may "work" very short term but medium and long term, fad diets are for the foolish desperado.

A calorie shifting diet, conversely, works on sound principles. The main concept is that you should not let your body get into the habit of expecting the same type of meal at the same time of day.

At least 4 meals a day with a varied calorie intake is the plan. This speeds up your metabolism and you'll burn more fat, just like you will if you vary your aerobic or resistance exercise program every few weeks. Otherwise, your cunning body adapts and conserves food energy in the form of body fat.

If you can afford 5-10 minutes a day to plan your next day's food intake, you will have no problems with a calorie shifting diet. Also the more food you can prepare in advance, the better.

Knowing what you are going to eat for the day is an excellent way to avoid snacking on junk food. It's just a matter of getting used to being organized and following through.

So, yes you really can lose fat on a calorie shifting diet.
Article Source

Lemonade Diet Vs Other Fad Diets

There have been many diets recommended by various parties claiming to be effective and promising things that sound too good to be true. However, the definition of a fad diet is simply one that gains and loses popularity very rapidly. Some fad diets include the Atkins Diet, the Cabbage Soup Diet, the South Beach Diet, the Zone Diet, the Negative Calorie Diet, the Low Fat Diet, the 3 Day Diet and the Low Carb Diet, to name a few.

The Lemonade Diet is a short term diet that is meant to serve as a detoxification routine, allowing your digestive system to take a break whilst burning excess fat stores as well. The idea for the Lemonade Diet was proposed by Stanley Burroughs in 1976, and is also known as the Master Cleanser Diet. The Lemonade Diet usually lasts 10 days, with a 3 month break before resuming the diet. It is a very strict procedure that allows only the intake of lemonade. Hence, this diet is known also as a cleansing diet or a juice fast.

When on the Lemonade Diet, it is crucial that you consume approximately 12 glasses of lemonade each day. This lemonade has to be made specifically with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 1/6 teaspoon of cayenne pepper. This provides your body with approximately 100 calories per glass, or 1200 calories a day.

In addition to the lemonade, you are allowed to consume only water or peppermint tea to prevent dehydration. The diet begins with a glass of salt water flush in the morning, followed by the consumption of lemon juice throughout the day, as your only source of energy. It ends the day with a glass of laxative tea. When you wish to get back to your normal diet, it is important that you go through the ending process to allow your system to readjust. This necessitates a gradual shift to raw fruits and vegetables for approximately 3 days.

Bear in mind that whilst weight loss will occur with the Lemonade Diet, it may not be healthy, and the diet is used mainly for detoxification purposes. It is not recommended as a weight loss regime, and if used for long periods of time may lead to fat storage. It is also not suitable for children, or people with health problems. Due to the nature of the Lemonade Diet being similar to a fast, you may experience symptoms such as headaches, fatigue and nausea. It is recommended to embark on this diet with a professional or with medical advice, and if the symptoms are too severe the diet should end prematurely.

Whilst the Lemonade Diet will kick start your weight loss plan, it should be viewed as a detoxification routine and not a diet plan. Any weight loss during the diet is a result of fasting, and the weight loss is easily gained back if one is not careful. Maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle is crucial to maintaining your weight after you complete the diet.
Article Source

Top 2 Harmful Myths People Have About The Master Cleanse Diet And Fasting For Weight Loss

Here are the top 2 misconceptions that people have about the Master Cleanse Diet and Fasting for weight loss in general.

Misconception #1: The Master Cleanse and Fasting are some Weird Extreme New-Age
Religious Stuff.

Fact: According to wikipedia (the number one authority for information on the web, online encyclopedia) Cleansing and fasting have been around for thousands of Years. Ancient Greeks Fasted, Hindu yogis are famous fasters, Fasting is important part of Taoist training, Plato and Aristotle fasted regularly to enhance physical health and stimulate mental powers. Fasting and cleansing can be concluded that they are defnitely not something new.

More Facts from Frontier Magazine:

In 1933, Dr. Anthony Bassler, MD, a professor of gastroenterology, summarized a twenty-five year study by saying, "Every physician should realize that intestinal toxemias are the most important primary and contributing causes of many disorders and diseases of the human body."

"Fasting and natural diet, though essentially unknown [in today's U.S.] as a therapy, should be the first treatment when someone discovers that she or he has a medical problem."

Dr Joel Fuhrman

Misconceptions #2 The Master Cleanse, fasting is for everyone!

Master Cleanse is not for everyone. People with lots of stored toxins will experience more detox symptoms if released too quickly. The general rule of thumb, is that anyone who's body is weak ie: pregnant women, going through chemotherapy, fever or have any type of ailment that affects your body., you don't want to go on the Master Cleanse Diet. If you insist, It is best that you first consult a doctor.
Article Source

Green Tea Patches For Weight Loss? obesity,weight loss,diet,green tea

One of the newest products to hit the dieting market are weight loss patches.

Inspired by the success of nicotine patches marketers struck on the idea that weight loss patches may work the same way. Weight loss patches are basically designed for people who forget to take their regular dosage of weight loss supplements or capsules. With weight loss patches, a person will no longer need to take pills as he will have a 24hour supply of substances stuck to his skin.

Weight loss patches are commonly made from such ingredients as algae and seaweed which are known appetite-suppressants. Later studies on weight loss and diets led to the use of green tea as a weight loss patch.

What? Green Tea as Weight Loss Patches?

As far back as the Ming dynasty and perhaps even earlier than that, green tea has been used as herbal remedy and overall health drink in China. In recent times, speculations on the use of green tea as a possible remedy for cancer have arisen due to the discovery that the polyphenol substance found in green tea can stop cancer cells from growing.

The polyphenols in green tea weight loss patches also have other uses. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition shows that green tea polyphenols can speed up the metabolic rate of the body. With this recent discovery, several companies specializing in pharmaceutical products have started introducing green tea into the market as a supplement either in the form of diet pills or weight loss patches.

Green tea weight loss patches are a better alternative to other products since they have no adverse side-effects. Other substances that induce weight loss like ephedra may increase heart rates which could lead to cardiovascular complications.

Green tea weight loss patches are good for people with high LDL, the bad cholesterol found in the body. Because the antioxidants in green tea weight loss patches destroy LDL cholesterols while at the same time enhancing the good cholesterol levels in the body, a balance in the body is achieved which could only lead to overall good health and well-being.

Green tea weight loss patches works in two ways. First, they suppress appetite naturally and safely. A study at the University of Chicago showed that rats when injected with green tea can lose up to 21% of their bodyweight. This is due to the fact that a substance present in green tea acts as a natural appetite-suppressant that staves off hunger.

Green tea weight loss patches also increase metabolism. With their high epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) content, green tea weight loss patches have a distinct advantage over stimulant diet drugs which can be harmful to individuals with hypertension and heart complications.

Why Your Diet May Not Be Working

Jennifer, a middle-aged single mother with one six-year-old daughter, has been skipping sweets for a few weeks now.  She’s also become a stickler for portion control.  She feels as if she’s eating less than ever, and she’s been diligently exercising for an hour at a time at least four days a week.  Yet, she hasn’t lost a single pound.  The question is, ôWhy?ö

This is a dilemma which affects dieters the world over.  They think they are taking the steps necessary to lose weight, but nothing seems to be happening.  In essence, they are trapped in a dieting rut and they don’t know how to free themselves.  As a result, they become frustrated and depressed and may then engage in binge eating.

One of the problems with diets is that they are often standardized.  As a result, they don’t take into consideration your individual physiology and metabolism.  They provide a cookie-cutter approach to weight lossùan approach which may not work in your individual case.  As a result, an increasing number of people are turning to dieticians to formulate a person weight loss strategy for them.  This process has been made easier through the Internet, where you can correspond with a dietician any time of the day or night via e-mail.  The dietician can also act as your personal coach, helping you through your dieting dilemmas.

Another reason that you may be failing at your diet is because of a lack of support.  You may have family members who can eat whatever they want and seemingly not gain a pound.  As a result, they may fill your refrigerator with junk food, leading you into temptation.  Also, you may feel as if you have no one to turn to in order to discuss your weight problems.  In order to solve this problem, many individuals look to psychotherapists to help them with their food-related issues.  This can be particularly important if an individual has turned to purging in an effort to combat their weight problems.  Bulimia is a serious disease which must be treated in order to ensure the good health of the patient.  Thankfully, there are a number of treatment programs throughout the U.S. specifically focusing on bulimia.

Yet another reason for diet failure is hidden calories.  You may literally be consuming calories and not even realize it.  For instance, the frappucinos that are so popular today are loaded with caloriesùas many as 600 in a single serving!  You may also be indulging in sugary sodasùanother source of extra calories.  By taking a few simple steps, such as eliminating the exotic coffee drinks from your diet and substituting skim milk for whole milk, you may be able to eliminate the hidden calories that are denying you dieting success.

Lack of consistency can also be a diet-killer.  You might go on a diet for a while, then quit before you’ve made any measurable progress.  It’s only natural to want to see quick results.  The problem is that healthy weight loss involves losing only a couple of pounds a week.  That means you’ll have to stay on your diet for months before you see appreciable weight loss.  Discouraging?  It can be, but if you keep a positive attitude you can achieve your ideal weight.

You may also be more successful in your dieting if you consider it to be a lifestyle change.  Therefore, your diet becomes a meal plan for life.  This means that you must change the way you look at food.  It is designed to be fuel for your body, and nothing more.  As a result, you should not turn to food to make you feel better or to provide you with a sense of comfort.  A lifestyle change implies commitment; it means that you are prepared to follow the plan for the long haul.  If you feel as if you cannot be on your diet for any appreciable length of time, perhaps it’s time to consider a different diet.   Your aim ultimately should be not simply to lose weight, but to become healthier.  A fad diet will not allow you to reach that milestone.   Therefore, you must choose your diet carefully.

Low Carb Diet û Is It A Good Way To Lose Weight?

It is a true fact that the people following a low fat diet loose weight drastically. But the recent clinical studies prove that people reducing carbs steadily, loose weight still rapidly. Look at the negative and positive aspects of the diet before committing to it.

There are different kinds of diet introduced by the medical experts such as Atkins diet, South Beach Diet, the Zone Diet, Sugar Busters, and Protein Power diet etc which aim at reducing the consumption of fatty foods. The two main ingredients that increase your weight rapidly are the refined flour and sugar. They increase the glucose levels in the blood, and helps pancreas to produce more excessive insulin. Due to the excessive amount of insulin the carbs are easily converted into fats. When your food comprises of low carbs, the pancreas produces less of insulin. The unnecessary storages of fats are burnt and you swiftly start loosing weight. When you stick to the low carb diet the level of glucose in the body is less and you are less prone to diabetes.

Due to the increased level of insulin production, hormonal changes take place and you develop blocked pores in your skin. These problems later lead to skin diseases like acne, pimples, whiteheads etc.

Some people cannot simply desert the carb rich foods because they are strongly accustomed to the taste. Such people must use substitutes like breads with wholesome grains. You can continuously enjoy with your favorite dishes while reducing your weight.

Apart from abiding to a particular diet pattern, it is also important to plan an exercise routine. As far as possible, keep a track of your weight and gradually increase your exercise duration. Make sure that you are strictly following your diet pattern you have chosen.

Low carb diet is a very good way to lose weight.

Make A Weight-Loss New Year’s Resolution And Stick With It All Year Long weight loss, new year\'s resolution

Losing weight is one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions each year. We all start with great intentions but after a few weeks, we fall back into our usual unhealthy lifestyle and the weight we did lose creeps back on. Let’s take a look at what steps to take to make sure we still stick to our weight-loss resolution at the end of December.

Determine your ôWhyö and write it down.

Think about the reason why you want to loose weight. Is it to look better in a bathing suit for that vacation in July? Is it to be healthier and get your risk for heart disease and diabetes down? Do you want to be able to enjoy a more active lifestyle? Do you want more energy to play catch with the kids? Be as specific as possible.

Now take out a sheet of paper and write down your big ôWhyö.

Set and write down sensible weight-loss goals.

The next important tip to being able to stick to your weight-loss goal is to set a sensible goal to begin with. You shouldn’t expect yourself to loose more than 1 to 2 pounds per week. Look for a Body Mass Index (BMI) calculator online to help you determine whether you are underweight, normal, overweight, or obese. The higher your BMI, the more weight you can expect to lose in the long run. If you are in the normal range, but feel that you should lose weight, you may not want to aim for more than 5 pounds. On the other hand, if you are obese, than losing 50 pounds this year may be a good goal for you.

I would also like to encourage you to consult with your physician before starting any weight loss program. He or she can give you an even better idea on a good goal for you.

Make a plan you can stick with all year long.

You know yourself better than just about anyone else. Most likely you’ve been on a diet or two (or more). So you already know what doesn’t work for you. You’ll be most likely to stick with something common sense making small changes that you can live with from here on. Eat healthier and consume fewer calories, but also get more active.

Set small goals along the way.

Look at where you are at now and at your goal for the end of the year. Now break it down into several small goals. You want to break your weight loss journey down into small chunks that seem more attainable. Focus on the first ôminiö goal until you reach it and then move on to the next one.

Keep track of your progress.

Keep a journal and record what you eat and how active you are during the day. If you chase the kids around the yard for 20 minutes, record it. Writing these things down builds accountability. You’ll find yourself thinking, ôIf I eat that cookie, I’ll have to write it down. I better skip itö. Or if you haven’t been a couch potato all day, you may be motivated to take a quick walk around the block so you can jot it down in your journal.

Celebrate each small goal.

Remember those small goals you planed out? Make sure you celebrate each goal you reach û but not with food. Reward yourself with a new blouse, a manicure, or a good book. Pick something you truly enjoy. This will build some positive reinforcement that will keep you going until you reach the next goal.

Keep your ôWhyö in mind.

Don’t loose track of the big picture. Remind yourself daily of your big ôWhyö, the reason why you want to lose weight. Keep the sheet of paper with your reason for losing weight close by and read it every morning or every evening. This is another big motivator to keep you going all year.

Losing weight can seem like a daunting task, especially if you have a fair amount to lose and you are just starting out. Don’t let it intimidate you though. Take it one step and one pound at a time. Before you know it, it will be the December and you will be 5, 10 or 50 pounds lighter. I know you can do it!

Holiday Diet And Weight Loss Tips

The approaching holidays are a nightmare for anyone engaged in a weight loss or diet regimen and with very good reason. With all of the temptations that seem to lurk around every corner, office get-together and holiday party; it can be easy for even the most determined dieters to get sidetracked and lose sight of their weight loss goals. This year; however, by giving your choices and portions a little carefully aimed attention you can avoid destroying all the hard work you have put into your diet the rest of the year.

One of the biggest challenges for many dieters during the holiday season is avoiding the hectic round of get-togethers and parties that almost always come hand in hand with the holidays. The good news about such events; however, is that many of them tend to be buffet and pot-luck types of affairs; which gives you numerous options that can help you to stick to your diet plans. While buffet tables are typically laden with heavy casseroles and fatty appetizers, you can usually find at least one platter of fresh vegetables served with a nice low-fat dip. Also, opt for fresh fruits instead of the abundance of baked desserts that are typically offered. Instead of stocking your plate up with diet dangerous foods, choose steamed vegetables and healthy grains such as wild rice and wheat bread. Opting for white meat instead of dark meat can also help you to stay on the straight and narrow, by avoiding additional calories.

Whenever possible, limit the amount of alcohol based beverages that you consume. Just a few alcoholic beverages contain a surprising amount of calories; not to mention the fact that they only serve to increase the appetite of most people. Choose a light bear, wine spritzer or carbonated flavored water instead.

When it’s your turn to prepare the mound of requisite holiday food, remember that there are several tricks you can employ in order to stay true to your diet goals and keep family and friends pleased at the same time. One way to do this is by substituting evaporated skim milk for regular milk or cream in your holiday recipes. This will help to tremendously cut down on the amount of fat and calories included in your dishes without sacrificing taste. Unsweetened applesauce makes a great substitute for calorie laden oil while egg substitute can easily replace the requirement for eggs in most recipes without any noticeable change to the taste.

Finally, one of the best ways that you can avoid overindulging this holiday season is to take it slow and easy. Remember that the entire point of this time of year is to get together with friends and family members; many of which you might not see for months to come. Focus on the fun and conversation instead of rushing through a heavy meal and you’ll find that not only did you enjoy this year more, but that you made it through with your diet intact.

How to Naturally Turn Your Slow Metabolism into a Fast Fat Burning Machine

When Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other holidays come around where I eat more than usual, I never feel guilty about how much I had eaten.  The reason is because I’ve learned how to train my metabolism to burn enough body fat to allow me to have more ôcheatö days.   I’m not saying to eat anything and everything once you increase your metabolism (this is unhealthy), but what I am saying is that once your body is use to being in the fat burning mode, the guilt of eating ôfatteningö foods on holidays is not there (at least not for me).  Whenever I feel that my metabolism is slowing down, I don’t worry at all because I know exactly what to do to get my metabolism back on its fat burning track.  Once you understand how powerful your metabolism is when you feed it energy (continuous small meals throughout the day along with exercise) and how powerful it is to burn fat, you will experience guilt free ôcheatö days too.

Increase metabolism for easy weight loss and fat burning

Metabolism = the amount of calories our bodies burn per day.

To permanently lose body fat weight, you must increase your metabolism. In order to increase your metabolism, you must do weight training exercises to condition your muscles and feed your metabolism by eating regularly throughout the day.

A slow metabolism results in less fat loss

When we lose weight, we also lose protein from our muscles.  The faster we lose weight (by cutting down too much on our calorie intake), the more protein is used for energy; and when you lose too much protein from your muscles the result is a slow metabolism.  This happens because your muscles need protein to grow and stay strong.  When protein is taken from your muscles, you lose muscle tissue.  Muscle tissues are metabolically active and burn calories (even at rest).  Your body needs calories to feed these metabolically active tissues so that it has energy to continue to burn calories.  The calories that are burned also come from the fat that is stored in your body.  So in other words, the more calories you eat, the more energy your metabolism has to burn the fat that is stored in your body.  Without the calorie intake, your metabolism has no energy therefore it will slow down and you will burn fat at a very slow rate (if you burn any at all).  Having energy is not the only reason for a fast or slow metabolism.  You see, when you significantly cut down on your daily calorie intake, your metabolism burns calories slower to prevent your body from starving.  Being that your body now doesn’t know when you will feed it; your body will store the calories to be used later.  The calories that are stored, are stored as fat.


Increase your metabolism and lose more body fat weight than water weight

When you lose protein from your muscles, you not only lose muscle tissue, but you will also lose water.  Protein holds about 4 times its weight in water. To lose 10 pounds of body fat, you would need to burn 35,000 calories (3500 calories = 1 pound).  If you lose those 10 pounds in one week do you honestly believe that it was body fat?  The answer is no, only about 2 pounds was fat and the rest was water (Do not be fooled by what the scale says!)  When you increase your metabolism, your body has a reason to hold onto the protein (remember protein holds water) and use the energy to burn fat.

Yes you will lose some protein from your muscles even if you lose weight the right way.  The key is to provide your muscles with enough protein each day so that it can not only replace your protein loss, but use the extra protein to help build new muscle tissue and stay conditioned.

Eat more food to increase your metabolism

Protein helps build muscle, but carbohydrates are your body’s main source of energy.  When your body has a deficiency of energy (carbohydrates) and takes the protein from your muscles as energy, the protein is converted to carbohydrates before it’s used as an energy source.  Therefore, when you eat, you must have the right amount of carbohydrates and proteins in your body so that energy can be used efficiently.  You must also eat more frequently to fuel your metabolism all day long.  Eating at least 5-6 small meals each day will give your metabolism the continuous supply of energy it needs to burn fat longer and faster.  If you are short on time and not able to cook, do not resort to eating junk food as one of your meals; instead opt for a good meal replacement product to satisfy your body.

Exercise to increase your metabolism

Exercise in general burns calories. Weight training will help you to increase your metabolism because that is how you condition your metabolically active muscles. Whenever you increase your physical activity, especially through exercise, you must increase the amount of calories you consume each day.  Remember, the more energy (calories) you give your muscles, the more energy it has to burn fat that is stored in your body.  Also remember the less energy you give you body, the more protein will be taken from your muscles to be converted to carbohydrates as energy, which leads to a slow metabolism.

Low glycemic index diets are better then high protein diets

Australian research team lead by  Dr. Jennie Brand-Miller at the University of Sydney conducted a trial in which 129 overweight subjects ages 18 to 40 were randomly assigned to one of four weight-loss diets for 12-week. All four diets were comprised of reduced fat (30 percent of total energy intake) and held daily calories to 1400 kcal for women and 1900 kcal for men.

This was the first clinical trial comparing the effects of glycemic index and high-protein diets on weight loss and cardiovascular risk.


The diets varied in target levels of carbohydrates, proteins, and glycemic load (i.e., glycemic index multiplied by the amount of carbohydrate, divided by 100) as follows:

Diet 1: carbohydrates comprise 55 percent of total energy intake, protein 15 percent of total energy intake, high glycemic load (127 g)

Diet 2: similar to diet 1 except a lower glycemic load (75g)

Diet 3: protein comprises 25 percent total energy intake (based on lean red meat), carbohydrate reduced to 45 percenttotal energy of intake, and high glycemic load (87 g)

Diet 4: Similar to diet 3, except low glycemic load (54 g).


Brand-Miller and her team report that the diets resulted in similar reductions in weight (4.2 percent to 6.2 percent of body weight), fat mass and waist circumference.

However, in the high-carbohydrate diets, lowering the glycemic load doubled the fat loss. The investigators also found that total and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels increased with diet 3 and decreased in diet2.

In the short term findings suggest that dietary glycemic load, and not just overall energy intake, influences weight loss,

Foods with a low degree of starch gelatinization, such as pasta, and those containing a high level of viscous soluble fiber, such as wholegrain barley, oats, and rye, have slower rates of digestion and lower glycemic index values.

Without any drastic change in regular dietary habits, one can simply replace high glycemic index grains with low glycemic index grains and starchy vegetables with less starchy ones and cut down on softdrinks, that are often poor in nutrients yet high in glycemic load.

Emotional Eating- Shedding Light on your Hidden Patterns

Are you hungry or is there something else going on when you think about food? There are various reasons for deciding to eat.  Regrettably, not all of these are for sustenance, nutrition, or observing a balanced diet.  If you’ve realized that you like to eat for other reasons, then it might be time to sort out the problem.  One of the main reasons why you may find yourself eating is a way to avoid dealing with emotion.  If this is an issue, then there are several ways to distance yourself from this type of eating.

Telltale characteristics are implicated in emotional eating.  You should recognize these, lest they lead you to ongoing weight gain, or being unable to enjoy a healthy lifestyle.  Often an emotional eater will eat when they feel depressed, angry, or stressed. Boredom is also a cause for overeating, and can begin the cycle of emotional eating.

Other factors are at play in emotional eating as well.  For example, one who eats from emotion will often times head automatically for the refrigerator after they come home, without even realizing it.  You may also find that it is hard to talk about emotions openly with others. Food takes the place of talking.

If you suspect that you do have an emotional eating problem, the first thing you should do is to look at your feelings and try and discover which emotions are contributing to the problem.  Monitor your behaviors and feelings when you are eating and try to be more aware at those times.

When and How

Notice when you eat and how much you eat.  Eating when you are not hungry, eating too fast, or eating while ignoring something stressful, are signs of emotional eating. If you can notice when you are eating, move away from the food areas.  You can go into an area until you calm down and allow your emotions to slow down.

Try breaking up patterns and habits. For example, having a quick bite when you get home from work.  Recognizing your patterns is the first step to breaking them, and becoming aware is the first step to recognizing these patterns and moving away from being controlled by your emotions.

All Diets Work--No Diets Work

Have you lost weight in the past only to regain it a short time later? Have you followed every diet including Atkins, South Beach, the Drinking Man's diet, the Peanut Butter diet, or even the Chocolate Diet? All of these diets work, and none of them work, meaning you can and probably do lose weight on any of them, but you won't keep it off. Why not? Because the day will come when the diet is over and you're right back to your regular routine; the same routine that got you fat in the first place.

In the past diets carried a warning not to stay on them longer than the prescribed period; usually two weeks, some a mere three days. Today's popular diets are attempting to style themselves as lifestyle choices, but this isn't working either. People want to be able to eat a sandwich now and then. They want the burger and the bun! Strive for balance choosing foods you prefer, and you'll have a better chance at lasting weight loss success.

Small Changes: Big Answer to Weight Loss Blues

Start today, and work one day at a time making one or two small changes such as switching to the calorie-free soft drinks then weaning yourself down to two or less a day (if you drink more than that now of course). Changes don't have to be drastic. In fact trying to make drastic changes in your lifestyle never works because while you may be happy in the beginning, you slowly grow miserable toward the end. In fact, that's the problem right there: you anticipate an end.

Weight Loss Comes Down to Choices

Talk to people who've lost weight and kept it off. They'll say, This is a lifestyle. It's about choices you make every day. Are you choosing to take an extra helping, even though you're comfortably full? Change that one behavior and you're on your way. Do you choose to take the bag of chips to the couch? Change that, in fact just stop eating on the couch entirely and you're one step closer. Eliminate the habit of grabbing a few bites on your way past the candy dish, that alone can shave several pounds. I once lost eight pounds simply by eliminating the candy dish I kept at my desk (not to mention the money I saved not buying a couple pounds of candy a week).

Choose one small habit or behavior at a time, not your entire existence, and you'll have a much better chance to reach your weight loss goals.

Women's Health and Fitness - Weight Training To Lose Weight

Weight gain is a lot easier as you grow older particularly as the motivation to exercise also wanes, but you can turn it around it does not matter how old you are.  You should start to weave some sort of exercise into your daily life.

One type of exercise that you should consider to do is weight training, also known as strength training or resistance training.  Weight training will not only help with losing weight but will also trim and tone your body. Age does not matter it has been shown that women as old as 70 who have started to weight train and have improved their body strength within a very short while.

Weight training is an important element in fighting flab; maybe it is the most important.  If you do aerobic exercise you only burn fat during the exercise but with weight training you burn fat even when you have finished.  The body is still burning fat for up to as much as twelve hours after finishing the exercise whilst it is building the muscles worked, so you can still be burning fat while you are resting.  But that is not the end of the story.

A body full of muscle uses far more calories than a body full of fat, so you will find that you will need to eat more to maintain your weight and your muscle.   You do not need to worry that you will bulk up like a body builder, as you do not have the right makeup to do this, as a woman you will only elongate and define your muscles, and build lean muscles.

When you first start to weight train you might find that your weight will actually increase. This is because muscle is heavier than fat but as muscle is smaller so you should notice the body getting smaller even if the scales do not show an decrease in weight.

The additional benefits from weight training are:-

1. It helps to strengthen and increase the density of your bones because the act of the muscles pulling and flexing the bones helps to lay down more bone fibre.

2.  Stronger muscles helps your body to be more steady and so helps to prevent falls.

3.  It has also been found that it can fight the build up of abdominal fat by lifting weights at least twice a week.

Finally when weight training make sure that you change your routine around so that the body can not get use to the routine.  It only takes the body about six weeks for it to learn how to work efficiently if keeping to the same routine and therefore you will stop seeing any weight or body changes.

So have fun and start weight training to lose weight and tone your body.

The Dieters Survival Guide For Holiday Parties

If you have been watching your weight all year, you certainly won't want to add back the pounds during the holiday season! By making a commitment to yourself and your health, with these tips it will be possible to enjoy the holiday celebrations without adding extra pounds.

1. Don't think diet, rather think about eating smarter.

2. Before attending a party, have a small high quality, nutritionally balanced meal. That way you will be less likely to be hungry and fill up on snack foods served with drinks.

3. While at a party, determine to hold your drink in your dominant hand all evening. This will make it a little less convenient to reach for food.

4. Think of one daily indulgence, rather than a 'day of indulgence'.

5. Before attending a party resolve to snack only from fresh fruit and vegetable choices.

6. If you must have a taste of chips and other 'dry' snack foods, alternate with fresh vegetable crudit?s. It is quite difficult to mix the tastes, so you are likely to eat more slowly and eventually give up. When that happens stick to the fresh food choices.

7. Choose between an alcoholic beverage, a dessert or a 'sinful' main course, rather than indulging in all three. Rotate your choice when you have several events to attend.

8. Choose almonds, pecans and walnuts, eating individually and slowly. This way you can avoid handfuls of salted peanuts or cashews.

9. Alternate alcoholic drinks with a glass of sparkling mineral water with a dash of lime, or a vegetable juice dashed with a chili sauce.

(c) Kim Beardsmore

Zone Diet û A New Weight Loss System

The Zone Diet works on the principle that 100,000 years ago, we were meat eaters, and our metabolism is designed to handle the demands of a meat-based diet.

Madonna, Demi Moore, and Jennifer Aniston swear by the results of the Zone Diet, which was created by Barry Sears, PhD.  The Zone Diet contains 40% carbohydrate, 30% protein, and 30% fat and is known as the 40-30-30 plan.

As the food industry evolved, more carbohydrates have been introduced into our daily diet, thus causing an imbalance in our metabolism to burn fat.  The reason for our extra weight can also be attributed to the many grains and starches in our diet (pasta, rice, breads, and potatoes).  The Zone Diet's approach calls for a return to the diets of our ancestors where meat, fruits, and vegetables are the main dietary foods.

The Zone Diet suggests that you need the right ratio of carbohydrates to proteins and fats in order to control the insulin in the bloodstream.  Too much of the hormone (insulin) can increase fat storage and inflammation in the body (conditions that are associated with obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease).  Sears asserts that by using the Zone Diet, you are actually optimizing the body's metabolic function.  Through the regulation of blood sugar, you allow your body to burn excess body fat.

Although you are not prohibited from any particular food group, it is best to avoid food with high fat and carbohydrates such as grains, starches, and pastas.  The ideal sources of carbs are fruits and vegetables and for monounsaturated fats olive oil, almonds, and avocados are recommended.  The Zone Diet claims to use food as a drug for overall good health, weight loss and prevention or management of heart disease and diabetes.

Sears says that you can test to see whether you are 'hormonally' correct by eating following the Zone diet and see how you feel four hours later.  To simplify the Zone Diet, fill one-third of a plate with low-fat protein, and then two-thirds with fruits and vegetables.

Celebrities and some health experts say that the Zone's recommendations do not stray far from the USDA's (United States Dietary Association) dietary guidelines and therefore are advocates of the Zone Diet.  Others argue that the Zone Diet has flawed ratios but Sears argues that the Zone diet is a low-glycemic-load diet that has adequate protein.  .

A critic of the Zone diet such as the AHA (American Heart Association) classifies the Zone Diet as high protein and does not recommend the Zone Diet for weight loss.  They contend that the Zone Diet has not been proven effective in the long term for weight loss.  The AHA issued an official recommendation warning against diets like the Zone Diet.  They believe that the Zone Diet is hazardous as it restricts the intake of essential vitamins and minerals present in certain foods.  The AHA also contends that the protein ratio in the Zone diet is too high even if the minimal fat ratio is good.  Robert H. Ecker M.D of the A.H.A. finds the Zone Diet's theory on insulin flawed and argues that there is no scientific proof that the hormone insulin plays a big role in weight regulation.