Stomach Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are a normal part of puberty for most girls and guys. Stretch marks are a major problem nowadays. 90% of pregnant women have this problem, 70% of the teenagers and 40% of sportspersons have to face stretch marks. Stretch marks are fine lines on the body that occur from tissue under your skin tearing from rapid growth or over-stretching. Stretch marks often appear on the breast and abdomen during pregnancy. The reason is partly hormonal. During pregnancy, hormones have the job of softening the collagen ligaments of the pelvis, so that the tissues can stretch easily during childbirth. People who are obese often have stretch marks. Bodybuilders are prone to getting stretch marks because of the rapid body changes that bodybuilding can produce.

Stretch marks occur in certain areas of the body where skin is subjected to continuous and progressive stretching. Stretch marks on stomach can make too uncomfortable to put on a bikini on the seashore. They are incurred as an outcome of extreme weight loss and gain, frequently because of pregnancy. Stretch marks develop because of pregnancy can make purple or reddish ugly marks around the breasts and hips but are mostly likely to affect the stomach. Stomach stretch marks are incurred as a result of extreme weight gain and loss, often due to pregnancy. Pregnancy stretch marks can leave ugly, reddish purple marks all over your hips and breasts, but are particularly likely to affect your belly. Stretch marks are caused when the skin is pushed beyond its ability to stretch, resulting in tiny tears.

When these tears heal, they are replaced with scar tissue. These rippled and discolored scars are what we call striae, or stretch marks. Stretch marks on stomach develop while the bodies need the necessary quantities of elastin and collagen. Rub a qualitative cream that includes triggers of collagen and elastin so as to avoid stretch marks. Stretch marks are developed while the skin is pressed away from its capability to stretch, outcoming in small tears. These tiny tears are changed with scar tissue. These discolored and rippled scars are known as stretch marks or striae. As scar tissue includes less color as compared to normal skin, they keep on paler than remaining skin while tan. In many cases, stretch marks can be removed naturally application of stretch marks cream.


Juliet Cohen writes articles for plastic surgery and skin care blog. She also writes articles on beauty tips.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

8 Questions To Ask Before Hiring A Personal Trainer?

Personal training is becoming more and more popular as people struggle with their waistlines and general health. But with thousands upon thousands of personal trainers popping up all over the place how do you know which ones are the real deals and which ones are in it just to cash in on this highly lucrative market. Don't spend all your hard earned money before you ask the following 8 simple questions:

1. Experience

Find out what previous experience your trainer has. Do they mostly train body builders? Have they trained people of your age before? Certain trainers will stick to certain types of clients, are you one of those clients? Find out how long your personal trainer has been working in the industry and doing what.

2. Qualifications

Ask where they obtained their qualification? Can you verify it on the association's website? Common qualifications are REPS in the UK and ACE in the USA. If you are not sure then ask for details so you can call or verify the information before commencing.

3. References

Can the personal trainer offer you any references? It is always reassuring to call up previous or current clients and ask questions about the personal trainer, the results, and the training programme. References on websites are one thing but talking in person is another.

4. The Package

Now you know about the credibility of the personal trainer, you can start asking about the packages they can offer you. If you are training for weight loss and they do not offer you any nutritional advice then be very weary. It is almost impossible to lose weight without first addressing your eating habits regardless of the amount of exercise you perform.

5. Results

Get down to the bare bones of why you want a personal trainer in the first place, results. Find out what results you can expect. Be very weary of personal trainers that promise you the earth just to get you to sign up. All good personal trainers should offer you a full money back guarantee should they fail to deliver the results you agree upon. If they don't, then ask for one and see how many change their minds about the results they promised.

6. Assessments

Ask about what assessments you will receive before the training begins. Blood pressure, body circumference measurements, BMI, lung capacity are all standard assessments these days. What are more important are the postural assessments, biomechanical movement pattern assessments, Range of movement tests. If you are not being tested to this degree then the personal trainer is literally guessing and using a one size fits all programme. The more testing that takes place the more specific for YOU the programme will be.

7. Training

Find out what an average training session will consist of. All personal trainers have their particular favourite methods of training. Don't get dragged into something you don't want to do. If they want you to sprint up hills and do some boxing but that is not your idea of fun then tell them so. There are many ways to achieve the same results. If they can't offer you something you enjoy then look elsewhere otherwise you'll get fed up and de-motivated very quickly.

8. Support

Do they offer you a support system? If you only see your personal trainer once a week and need help with some exercises or nutrition can you contact them? All good personal trainers will leave some line of communication open for their clients. If they don't then they don't care enough about YOU and should be dismissed.


Greg is a health and fitness professional based in Hampstead, North London. He achieves fantastic results for his clients by using his indepth knowledge and the most up to date techniques. http://www.gbpersonaltraining.com

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

The New Age Of Fitness Is Here! Workout Pass

Searching For The Ultimate Athletes Workout Routine

It's amazing to me, but in today's health conscience society, in a health industry full of specialists, why is physical fitness training still back in the stone age? Why is it so hard to find workout programs designed for each individual sport? If you have a bad back you don't go to a general M.D., you go see an orthopedic doctor. If you have an impacted wisdom tooth you don't go to a general dentist, you see an oral surgeon. If you suddenly develop double vision you don't go to your local eye glass store, you see an ophthalmologist. So, when I want to improve my golf game and I want a workout routine that is specific to the sport of golf, why can't I find any? The Internet is completely inundated with general workout plans and body building workouts, but finding an excellent workout plan that you can trust for each of the different sports is more than difficult, it's almost impossible!

Workout Plans For Different Sports

I understand that professional and college sports teams have workout routines designed for their athletes, but I'm talking about the aspiring athlete. Where does he find a workout plan specific to the sport he is interested in. Where are baseball player workouts? Where are football player workouts? Where are hockey player workouts or basketball player workouts? Workouts for these and other different athletic sports are not general fitness or bodybuilding workouts. Although they may incorporate general and bodybuilding workouts. Workouts for these sports reflect the rigorous and physically demanding aspects of each specific sport. Workouts need to be tailored to fit each sport differently because not all sports require the same muscle groups to be strengthened the same. Workouts should be divided into types depending on their tasks in that way workouts can properly focus on speed, technique, strength and endurance.

List Of Workout Plans For Your Favorite Sport

Basketball Players Workouts - You will need an overpowering combination of strength, agility, quickness, conditioning and power. Your workout routines need to get you jumping higher, cutting faster and overpowering your opponents. If you’re not at top condition, you will get out played by your opponent.

Golden Glove Boxing Workouts - If you want to join the ranks of the top-ranked boxers in the world, you are going to need a serious training program. Your workout routines need to build blinding speed, explosive punching power and endless endurance. You'll need a lethal combination of devastating hand speed, bone-crushing power, blinding foot speed and endless stamina. Hand speed, strength training, quickness and endurance workouts are what is needed.

Baseball Player Workouts - Your baseball specific workout routines will have you hitting harder, running faster and swinging quicker. Just having good baseball skills is no longer enough. Today's baseball players are getting bigger and stronger - and you need a solid strength and conditioning program just to keep up! If you want to compete at the next level, you need the total workout package: strength, power, speed, and coordination.

Ice Hockey Player Workouts - Your workout routines should consist of off-ice strength and conditioning programs just for hockey players. That means a workout plan consisting of strength training, plyo-metrics plus speed and agility drills. As a result you will get benefits of lightning speed and bone crushing strength to name a few.

Soccer Players Workouts - Your workout routines need a combination of lightning quick agility, incredible leg strength, blinding speed, massive power and never ending endurance. Serious soccer players who want to take their game to the next level need to workout on strength training, plyo-metrics and lightning fast foot speed.

Tennis Players Workouts - Tennis is a game of strength, speed, agility and power. Your workout routines should produce a unique combination of super endurance, explosive serving power, crushing ground strokes, blinding quickness, and finesse. Serious tennis players who want to become champions should workout on their strength training along with quickness, power and agility workouts.

This is only a partial list of the different workout plans for athletes.

When General Workout Routines Aren't Enough

I consider myself to be physically fit with part of my general workout routine consists of a great deal of walking. When I went bike riding with my grandson the other day it completely changed my mind of what my total fitness was. About ten minutes into our ride my leg muscles began to burn fiercely and it wasn't much longer until I had to stop and rest. Although part of my general workouts consisted of a lot of walking which worked some of my leg muscles, it didn't workout the muscle groups that were needed for bike riding. I guess Lance Armstrong's Tour De France record is safe for now. If I were an amateur cyclist interested in turning pro, where would I find a good cycling workout plan?

Workouts Need To Be Tailored To Fit Each Level Of Athlete

Once you find an excellent workout plan for your sport that you feel you can trust, you then have to hope that the workout routines are good for all levels of fitness whether you are at a basic, intermediate or advanced level. No matter what physical shape you are in or what bodily conditions you are working with, your workout plan needs to have exercise routines tailored for you. What good is your workout plan if all it has are workout routines designed for advanced level athletes. It shouldn't matter if the only exercise you get is running to the fridge before the game starts, or if you've been training for years, you want a workout program for each level of fitness. Hopefully, the workout programs are designed for athletes by coaches that know about something about making high quality workouts for different levels of expertise. Lets face it, if you can't perform the workout routines then you aren't going to do them. The people who see the best results from their workouts are often the people who enjoy their workouts the most. Probably the best way to get results is by joining a workout website with a members' forum which provides a great area for social networking, where you can meet other athletes and sports trainers, exchange tips and find training buddies to workout with.

Beware The Workout Plan That Does Everything

In conclusion, be very careful of the workout plan that claims they will make all athletes better at every sport. It can't happen! As I've already shown you, every different sport requires strength, speed, agility and endurance from different muscle groups. Therefore, no single workout plan is going to allow you to excel at every sport. I have reviewed literally hundreds of websites in search of the best one to meet the criteria that I previously mentioned in this article. You know how many I found? "46" That's right! 46 fantastic workout programs for athletes. 46 superb websites that are all part of a network called "WORKOUT PASS". Workout Pass Network is the "Baby" of Professional Fitness Expert Ryan Lee who was fed-up with the lack of specialized workout sites among other problems and wanted to give you something more. So he brought together the world's elite fitness experts to create the Workout Pass Network of sites. A network of 46 workout sites and growing weekly.

The Future Of Specialized Fitness Workout Plans Is Here!

Each site is devoted to a different sport or part of the body or piece of fitness equipment. That is "46 Workout Plans" with over "10,000 Workout Routines" designed by some of the worlds foremost experts in the field of fitness and personal training. Just pick the workout routine you want and it pops right up. You can either view it online or print it out in print ready format. All of the workout routines are broken down into weekly scheduled exercises which include how many sets of exercises for each workout and how much rest between exercises you should take. Plus, each workout routine shows you animated exercises making sure you are using the correct form. I can't stress it to you enough just how important it is for you to use the correct form while working out. For each workout routine you get a complete description of each exercise. Now for the best part. For just a small membership fee you not only become a member of the site you joined but, you become a member of each and every workout program in the Workout Pass Network plus all the new workout programs that are added to the network in the future. Your membership includes free access to the exclusive members-only forums which are visited daily by the world's best fitness experts and coaches who are standing by ready to answer all your fitness and workout questions. Whether you have a specific training question for our experts, are looking for a workout partner, or just want to meet kindred spirits, I have no doubt that you will feel right at home.

As always, before you engage in any sport or workout routine you should check with your doctor to make sure it is safe for you.

Visit The Workout Pass Network

The Glycemic Index Diet Plan And Its Benefits For Weight Loss

If you have diabetes or you need to lose weight the Glycemic Index Diet Plan might be just the solution you’re looking for. This diet is based on a diet plan that was developed in the 1980’s as a way for diabetics to better control their blood glucose levels and subsequently manager their diabetes.

It was discovered that the diet plan had a wonderful side effect; efficient weight loss. Since that time the Low GI Diet, as it is often referred to, has become quite popular with non-diabetics as well. Individuals who use the diet claim they are able to lose weight as well as retain more muscle. Many people report the diet helps them to shave off weight in critical areas as well, including the stomach.

Under the Glycemic Index Diet Plan, foods are divided into three categories based on how they rank on the glycemic index. The glycemic index ranks foods according to how quickly the body is able to digest them. Foods that are processed more quickly by the body rank higher on the Index. Foods that take longer to be digested by the body rank lower on the scale.

The idea is to base your diet on foods that rank in the low to medium range by eating foods that rank high on the Index sparingly. Some of the low foods which are allowable on the Glycemic Index Diet Plan include broccoli, tomatoes, cauliflower and other fruits as well as whole grains. Legumes are also allowable. Some foods rank in the middle range, including bananas and apricots.

When dieters first start the eating plan they are in what is known as Phase One. Under this phase, dieters are encouraged to eat only foods which are low on the glycemic index in order to lose weight. These foods are low in calories and high in fiber which makes it easier to lose weight. Dieters should plan to be on the first phase of the diet for about three to six months depending on how much weight they want to lose. After that time period, the individual may then advance to the second phase, which is the weight loss maintenance phase. In this phase, you may eat low as well as medium foods according to the glycemic index. It is important to understand that exercise is an important component in both phases of the diet plan in order for it to work effectively.

The Glycemic Index Diet Plan by itself is not a complete solution for weight loss. You must be dedicated to participating in an active and healthy lifestyle. It should also be understood that this is not a diet in the true sense of the word but rather a change in lifestyle. If you abort the diet plan after losing weight and return to eating large amounts of highly processed and refined foods it is quite likely that you will regain weight, particularly if you are not exercising on a regular basis.

One of the major advantages of this diet plan is that it is not as restrictive as many other diet plans. For example, you can have some carbs on this diet as long as they are good carbs and they rank low on the glycemic index. In addition, it is perfectly okay for you to eat out. Once you have become familiar with which foods rank low on the index you can then usually find something on any menu which is acceptable according to the Low Glycemic Index Diet plan.

Vegetarians frequently find that many low carb diets do not work well for them because they place a strong emphasis on meat. With the Low Glycemic Index Diet plan there is no such problem because proteins from vegetables can replace meat.

With time and dedication the Low Glycemic Index Diet plan has proven to be quite effective at managing diabetes, promoting weight loss and encouraging a healthy lifestyle.

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Wesley Atkins is the owner of The Low GIi Diet Breakthrough website at: Glycemic Index Diet Plan - In his nutrition program you too can discover how to lose 19 pounds of fat every 21 days with the Low GI Diet.

Why Refined Carbohydrates Are So Damaging To Weight Loss Plans

While a common weight loss recommendation is to reduce carbohydrate intake (primarily foods like breads, cereals, pastas, and sweets), for many people it is unclear why this is so important. In fact, even some doctors and scientists insist that weight loss is a simple matter of burning more calories than one consumes and it doesn't matter what kind of foods those calories come from. This may seem logical at first, but with a greater understanding of how the body processes carbohydrates, it becomes readily apparent that certain kinds of calories are much easier to burn than others and consuming large amounts of carbohydrates, even in the context of a relatively low-calorie diet, most definitely predisposes the body to storing fat.

At the heart of the matter is the hormone insulin. The function of insulin is to stimulate the cells to take up sugar from the bloodstream (when blood sugar is high, as it typically is shortly after eating) and store it for reserve energy.

This extra blood sugar is first stored as a compound called glycogen in the muscles and liver. Glycogen can be quickly converted back to blood sugar when needed for energy to fuel sudden bursts of activity. The available storage space for glycogen is pretty limited, and when insulin has caused the glycogen storage to be filled up, the remaining excess blood sugar is stored as fat.

There is considerably more storage space in the body for fat than there is for glycogen. There are billions of fat cells in the body, each of which can enlarge to over 100 times it's original size to accomodate extra fat storage. As an aside, this is why it is possible to get fat again after liposuction - even if you remove many of the body's fat cells, those that remain can enlarge considerably to store fat.

Insulin is extremely powerful in its fat storage effects. In fact, not only does it stimulate fat storage, high levels of insulin block the effects of the body's fat burning mechanisms. This is where the importance of limiting carbohydrate consumption comes into play.

High carbohydrate intake (and it really doesn't need to be very high) stimulates the release of large quantities of insulin. This high production of insulin effectively prevents the body from burning fat - for 24 to 48 hours! In fact, a single meal containing 20 to 25 grams of refined carbohydrates (about the amount in a slice of sandwich bread) can completely block your ability to burn fat for 1 to 2 days - regardless of what you eat and how much or how hard you may exercise during that time.

Now, that last point is sometimes confusing to people because many people eat relatively high amounts of carbohydrate and still manage to lose weight - at least in the short-term. Notice that I said that high carbohydrate intake causes high insulin production that blocks FAT burning. You can still lose water weight through various methods (if you happen to be eating a low protein and low fat diet, you will typically lose a lot of water weight), and you can still burn calories, but what you burn will be glycogen and lean body tissue (protein from your muscles) and not fat. As you may be aware, lean body tissue (muscle) is highly metabolically active, and if you burn that tissue, ultimately your metabolism will slow down, making it harder and harder to lose weight.

Because of the effects of insulin, minimizing carbohydrate intake is strongly recommended for sustainable fat burning and the most efficient and lasting natural weight loss. This is not to say that everyone will benefit from being on a high protein diet such as Atkins. Excessive protein intake can create its own problems that can ultimately interfere with ongoing weight loss due to detrimental effects on the liver. Instead, the best diet program in most intances involves eating plenty of fresh or frozen vegetables and fruits, nuts, seeds, and moderate quantities of protein from lean meats, fish, eggs, and dairy. The carbohydrates you do consume are best obtained in high-fiber forms from vegetables, fruits, seeds, and nuts, rather than from refined grains.

A few diet plans will recommend a low carbohydrate intake, yet suggest allowing yourself a "reward" of some high-carbohydrate food like a cookie or other sweet as often as once per week. I disagree with this recommendation as it can sabotage your natural weight loss program on two levels. First, as we've been discussing, the carbs will trigger a high insulin release which will shut off your ability to burn fat for up to two days. So, at once per week, you could lose as much as 8 days per month of potential fat burning - decreasing the effectiveness of your diet by as much as 25%! The other problem is that eating carbs tends to set you up for carb cravings. At the very least, such cravings will test your will-power, and they could cause you to cheat on your diet repeatedly. This could ultimately doom your diet to total failure. My advice is to save your carbohydrate consumption for special occasions only - which should be limited to once per month or less.

Hopefully you now have a better understanding of why high carbohydrate consumption is so damaging to a natural weight loss plan. If you commit to a healthy diet and avoid the carbs for 2 to 3 weeks, you will likely find that you don't really miss them after that period of time and so avoiding them becomes much easier. With a little extra effort early on, you'll find that eating a healthy diet becomes natural to you and you'll be able to reach your long-term weight goals.

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Dr. George Best has been in private practice as a holistic healthcare provider in San Antonio, Texas since 1992. For more information, to obtain a free natural weight loss guide, and/or to access his E-Book, "Training Your Brain For Weight Loss", please visit his website on diet and exercise motivation.

The Permanent Diet - Why Fitness Is A Lifestyle

Have you ever tried to diet your way to a better body? I have a slight hunch that you have, and I'm willing to bet that at some point you terminated that diet. Any mention of the word "diet" will leave most people with awful memories: restrictive, boring, and painful sound accurate.

Why I ask? Why? Simply put, a diet is not a solution, it's a marketing gimmick. They're all temporary and short sighted, setting you up for failure.

If you think about it, in order for someone to gain weight, you have to live a lifestyle that caters to gaining weight - whether that be from excessive eating or lack of physical activity. The weight doesn't just jump onto you overnight. It may take years of poor habits to get to your current level.

If it took you 10 years to accumulate the excess weight, it's not going to come off in 1 month or even 6 months in some crash diet. There lies the answer, if it took a certain lifestyle to gain weight, it's going to take a different lifestyle to take it off. It's a change in lifestyle, not a quick fix diet. Being in shape should be the result of how you live every day.

If you fix the habits or actions that have caused the weight gain, you can cause the weight to come off automatically. Cleaning up some daily habits will often do the trick. For example if you drink 1 can of soda every day with your lunch - exchange that for water. Just that one simple change added up over 1 year will result in a 16 pound difference. Add 30 minutes of physical activity 3-4 times a week and there's at least another 12 pounds each year.

Maybe it's the glazed donut at work 3 times a week - 12 months later there's another 11 pounds. These are simple conscious actions that you take throughout each day to make a difference in the long term. A great habit is to just drink water all day long - not only will you get the benefit of hydration you'll also skip the extra calories from soda, fruit juices and coffee mocha delights.

How about switching to skim milk instead of 2%, while that may not be for everyone, it's just an idea of how simple taking away a few calories here and there can be. Take 1 year, and week by week, improve upon your current habits with nutrition or physical activity. By the end of the year you will have seen significant results, all from those very slight changes. Losing weight doesn't have to be restrictive or obsessive in any sense of the word. It all comes back to what your lifestyle is like, that's what will ultimately determine what your weight will be. You've probably heard of someone getting liposuction or another form of weight reduction surgery. Often times they just gain every bit of the weight back, they got their quick fix, but in the end their lifestyle just puts the weight back on.

Lottery winners get their "get rich quick" scheme, but in the end, many of them are just as poor as they were before they had won their money. They're original lifestyle catered to that style of living. Although they got a lucky break with the winnings, their habits of spending, attitudes toward money and no savings ultimately put them right back at where they started.

So if you are looking for that "get thin quick" scheme, I urge you to reconsider your perception on how you view weight loss. Weight loss is a process and not a one time event - as I'm sure you would like to maintain your ideal body weight once you reach it. The word diet alone implies that you will at some point quit the behavior and quite possibly gain all the weight back. This continues in a cyclical fashion, just like a yo-yo, going up and down and up and down. Weight loss is more than just a temporary fix, it's a lifestyle change. Be like a rock, when a rock is dropped it just drops, and stays down.

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Zach Hunt is the owner and head Spokane fitness coach of Physzique, a high-end personal fitness coaching service in Spokane, WA. He helps his clients to quickly and permanently drop unwanted fat and transform their body with a proven system that takes less than 3 hours of exercise each week. Go now to Spokane Personal Training for immediately usable health and fitness tips.

Four Fantastic Foods that can Boost Metabolism

There are a number of ways you can help keep your metabolism ticking over. Regular exercise, properly planned meals and an improved diet are all essential elements which can work together to keep your metabolism high. However, there are certain groups of food which many believe to have metabolism boosting properties. Eating these foods alone will not super charge your metabolism. However, implementing them as part of an overall metabolism boosting plan can really improve its effectiveness. In this article I describe these foods and how they can help keep your metabolism high.

1) SUPER FOODS:- These are foods which are believed to aid weight loss, boost your metabolic rate, reduce cholesterol levels, lower the risk of heart disease and improve your mood. Super foods include; beans, blueberries, celery, grapefruit, oranges, pumpkin, salmon, tomatoes, walnut and yoghurt.

2) SPICY FOODS:- Spicy foods are believed to increase your metabolic rate temporarily by raising your body's temperature which raises your heart rate and leads to an increased number of calories being burned. They are also believed to have thermogenic properties which stimulate the body's fat burning process. When it comes to spicy foods there are a number of options available to you including; buffalo wings, indian food, mexican food, peppers and thai food.

When eating spicy foods it is particularly important to make sure that you do not over indulge. Firstly, you should not over indulge because the fat burning effects of spicy foods are both limited and temporarily. Secondly, excessive consumption can produce a number of unwanted side effects such as stomach ulcers, acid reflux (which can lead to heartburn), irritation to the digestive tract and even damage to your tastebuds.

3) PUMPKIN SEEDS:- Pumpkin seeds are a particularly healthy snack food. They are low in calories, high in fiber and rich in protein. The high fiber content makes it more difficult for the body to process pumpkin seeds, meaning that more calories are burned in the digestion process.

Apart from their metabolism boosting properties pumpkin seeds are high in zinc which is known to boost the immune system and maintain prostate health in men during later life. They are also believed to benefit the digestive system.

4) WATER:- OK I know water is not technically a food but drinking water and staying hydrated is essential if you want to keep your metabolism working at an effective rate. If you do not stay properly hydrated then your body goes into water retention mode and stops concentrating on certain bodily functions including the burning of calories and fat. Therefore, consuming adequate levels of water will help keep your metabolic rate high.

Increasing your metabolic rate is a complex process which depends on a number of factors. As I have already mentioned eating these foods alone will not instantly boost your metabolism. Over indulgence can also be damaging for your body and your metabolic rate. However, by incorporating the above foods into your diet in a moderated and controlled way, you can take your first steps towards an improved metabolism.

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The Free Fitness Tips Blog provides you with fantastic, free advice on all aspects of fitness. To find out more about boosting your metabolism head over to the Free Fitness Tips blog

Why There Is No Such Thing As A Quick Fix Weight Loss Solution

by: Mike Warner

We are blessed in today’s society that whatever we want, we can pretty much get it straight away. When I mean straight away, I mean now.

You want to go on a vacation, jump online and you could be on your way this afternoon. If you are hungry, stop by at a fast food chain. If you want to watch your favorite TV show, you can use TIVO or the internet (sometimes) to do so, whenever you want. It’s quite amazing what we can do.

All of this instant gratification though is making it very hard for us to be healthy and lose weight.
Because we are so used to getting whatever we want, when we want it, we’ve been conditioned to believe that we should be able to lose weight at the push of a button, or the taking of a pill, without changing anything we’re doing.

Because we live such abundantly, and are spoilt by how quickly we can get it, we feel it should be the same when it comes to weight loss. We believe there’s got to be a way to easily, and very quickly pop a pill, and enjoy safe weight loss.

Now, if we think logically about this, it does not make any sense. Anyone who knows anything about weight loss will tell you that it comes down to one simple formula:

You have to burn more calories per day than you eat.

If you can manage that, you can’t help but lose weight. The problem is of course in managing it. For you to lose weight, you need to do this for an extended period of time. And of course to do this, you have to modify your lifestyle.

The thing is though, we don’t want to eat less. We don’t want to give up our favorite foods and drinks. And of course, we don’t want to exercise.

The fact that we resist change so much means there has been a multi-million dollar weight loss drug and supplement industry that thrives. Its amazing that what we’re willing to try, just so we don’t have to eat less or exercise more.

Some of the side effects created by some of these drugs are pretty severe, so much so that you wouldn’t wish it on your worst enemy. Ironically, there is enough people in the US that are happy to pay for it, as long as they can just keep their old habits and let the drug do all the work.
Now, am I saying that weight loss drugs and supplements are all useless?

No, not necessarily. What I am saying is that if you are really serious about losing weight and keeping it off, you do need to make some lifestyle changes. And you know what?

It won’t be easy. Anytime you do make some lifestyle choices, there’s going to inertia. You’ll have resistance from yourself to making the change. You just have to keep focused on your end goal.

So, what is smart is to focus on changing your lifestyle, and choosing effect supplements to help you do this, if it is appropriate for you.

How do you know if a supplement is appropriate for you?

All you have to do is figure out what lifestyle choices you’re going to make. Decide what habits you need to form to maintain the body you want. Now think about all the things that might go wrong, when you make those changes.

For example, if you are overweight, you should start by looking at what you are eating. Often people will over-eat and under-drink. What I mean by that is that they will eat, even when they are not hungry, just because its lunch time, or because food makes them comfortable, and they won’t drink water regularly throughout the day (and leave themselves dehydrated).

So in that case, this person should think about how they can have water within touching distance of themselves throughout the day. If you do that, you will naturally sip it. You’ll be amazed how this simple tip controls your appetite.

If comfortable eating is a problem, I would now look at one of the popular weight loss supplements out there, called Hoodia. I would choose Hoodia, because, to date, there are no known side effects that have been reported. This doesn’t mean that it won’t cause side effects, because Hoodia is quite new to the market, but at this stage it seems the best choice. I would though be very careful about where I buy my Hoodia from. The source where you get your Hoodia is the most important factor you have to think about if you plan on using it.

The reason Hoodia would be effective here is because its job is to make you feel full. So if you are already feeling full, you don’t have to worry about comfortable eating. You can now focus on eating a balanced diet, full of good nutrition so that your body gets all the nutrients it needs to help you lose weight.

Again, I would not recommend relying on Hoodia long term. Use it in the short term to get into good dietary habits, then when you do get used to eating healthy foods, wean off it.

That way you keep in total control, without relying on anything. You’re just using it (Hoodia in this case) to make it easier for you to change your lifestyle. The point is, if you want to keep the weight off, you have to take the power off the pill, and put it back into your ability to change your lifestyle. If you do that, you’re more likely to stick to your new habits, and therefore keep the weight off.

About The Author: Mike Warner
If you are interested in how to buy real pure, hoodia and avoid fake sellers, visit: http://www.idealweightresearch.com/hoodia/real-hoodia.html. We also have weight loss information at: http://www.idealweightresearch.com/

Mothers!! Burn Your Baby Fat & Get Your Body Back

What Is It?

This lifestyle program for busy moms is a comprehensive guide to what’s arguably the most widespread, challenging and frustrating issue faced by moms today: how to get their pre-baby body back. For almost all mothers the changes their bodies incur during pregnancy coupled with the countless responsibilities that motherhood bring spell trouble for regaining their pre-pregnancy figure.

There is no shortage of fitness, diet and fat loss products on the market today. You can find a veritable library of conflicting arguments almost anywhere you choose to seek information on the subject of fitness for women, whether it’s online, at your local library, through contact with personal trainers, or through the (less reputable but nevertheless very common) ranks of wannabe experts: aka, those frustrating people with no qualifications and no practical experience but are self professed experts because they ready the last issue of Shape magazine.

What Sets This Product Apart?

After months of frustration spent trawling through the mass of conflicting information on fitness and fat loss, it was with a mixture of joy and near-tearful relief that I stumbled across Fit Yummy Mummy!, by Holly Rigsby. As the title suggests, this product is specifically for moms wanting to get fit. Literally all aspects of losing fat and getting fit are covered – and the best part is that it is written specifically for busy moms. The material is presented in a manner both chatty and educational – it’s kind of like having a friendly conversation with a close friend that happens to be a fitness expert (with the added benefit of being able to refresh your understanding of the matter at any given time, simply by scrolling back to the relevant section!)
The tone of the book presents a welcome contrast to the other fitness products so freely available elsewhere on the Net: it’s friendly, understanding of the unique situations moms face, informative, and above all, commonsensical. No unrealistic recommendations, 2 hour workouts, or zero-carb diets here: it doesn’t take long to see that this lady knows what she’s talking about when it comes to mom’s lifestyles (and did I mention she’s a mom too?)

What’s Actually Included?

There’s a quick section on getting started and goal setting along with some morale-boosting advice on how to stay on track throughout the program, and then it’s straight into an action plan to get you started on the path to burning baby fat and getting your body back.

The Supportive Nutrition Plan is next – this is particularly helpful! Every conceivable nutrition issue is covered, from how often you should eat to what you should keep in your pantry. And on top of that, it includes a ‘Create a Menu Planner’ to guide you in creating every meal to support your success.

Next, the Fit Yummy Mummy fat loss workouts are covered, but not without easy to follow explanations of the why’s and the how’s for every part of the workout program. The workout plan even offers four different formats that you can plug into your lifestyle, something not found in any of the cookie cutter fat loss programs on the market. My favorite part of the workout section is that regardless of your exercise (or lack of exercise) background, there is a workout designed specifically for you. And no matter what you fitness level is, none of the workout programs require more than 90 minutes a week.

Finally, there’s a section called the Busy Mom’s Fat Loss Companion crammed with easy to use tools and resources like a goal setting sheet, fitness journal, exercise descriptions and even a ready made grocery list. The author has figured out every excuse and obstacle busy moms have and addressed them all.

Just Because It’s Detailed Doesn’t Mean It’s Confusing

Sound overwhelming? It’s actually very user-friendly. Not only is this e-book packed with sound practical advice and the whole thing is laid out in a very logical and easy-to-understand format, but it comes with a Quick Start Guide to make sure you start acting (and seeing results) fast. The tone of Fit Yummy Mummy light and non-threatening (no scientific terminology here!) and it proceeds in a logical manner from step to step, with plenty of photos and descriptions to ensure that you are doing everything right.

Troubleshooting

In my opinion, one of the best parts: a follow up e-mail coaching series from the author that keeps you on track, gives you daily fitness tips and even healthy recipes. While most moms have the best of intentions, staying on track is tough. This follow up e-mail coaching series is the perfect solution.

The Verdict

Regaining their pre-pregnancy body is a daunting task for most moms, but the author’s personal experience and hands on work with over 250 moms is pretty reassuring; and she certainly knows how to break it down for even the most exercise illiterate. In addition to the main features detailed above, there are plenty of valuable extras included to make getting your pre-baby body back as easy as possible: checklists, do’s and don’ts, printable workout sheets, even ready to follow meal plans!

All in all, two thumbs up from me: when the information on hand is as detailed, easy to absorb, and - above all – reliable as Fit Yummy Mummy, you really can’t go wrong.

Find out more about Fit Yummy Mummy! here

Lose Fat Around The Middle

By: Brin May

To have an effective weight loss plan it is a good idea not only to use weight loss supplements but also to exercise and adjust your eating. A lot of the supplements on the market today such as Acomplia suppress the appetite and curb cravings. While it is a good idea to reduce the amount of calories to reduce weight, it is important to remember that the body also requires calories to operate efficiently. It is the aim of this article to understand the difference between calories in and calories out using weight loss supplements.

Eat little and often is now a popular phrase amongst dieters and rightly so! Eating large meals leaves you lethargic and causes the body to store excess energy in the form of glycogen as fat. Eating small amounts but often increases the bodies metabolism and reduces the bodies need to store energy as fat. It is advised to eat every three hours starting with a breakfast, lunch and dinner. In between these main meals a mid morning and mid afternoon snack is advised to curb hunger pangs and reduce fat storage.

Eating five small meals a day will keep you from going hungry and keep your energy system firing. Coupled with exercise and plenty of water will further increase the metabolism and increase burning and breakdown of fat cells from around the middle. Further fat reducing tactics is to avoid certain food types. It is beyond the scope of this article to list all the food types required for weight loss but it should be suffice to say that high density rich foods should be replaced by low density organic foods. Everyone should know that red meat, sugar, salts, preservatives, dairy products, caffeine and alcohol are dense by nature and can cause diabetes, obesity, cancer etc.

If you are is mainly a red meat eater and a lover of dairy products then changing over to products like soya, salads, beans, rice, nuts, seeds, fruit and veg can be a huge undertaking. It is advised to gradually cut down on the high density foodstuffs and even consider a supplement such as an appetite suppressor which limits your cravings for junk food. Acomplia is a popular weight loss pill that provides an essential remedy for persons with cravings and who tend to eat large meals.

However, when using supplements, even though there are very little side effects the lining of the stomach could be aggravated if combined with irritants such caffeine or alcohol. These substances should be avoided especially if you are taking supplements because both these are irritants on their own have been known to cause stomach cancer. In fact, caffeine can cause you to store fat around your middle due to the stimulant effect of the product. Any product that causes stress or stimulates the body in to a fight or fright response causes fat to be stored. This is something we have inherited from our hunter and gatherer ancestors. Having good health is the 'hidden fortune' for future prosperity. Without energy and vitalism which comes from good health you are limiting yourself to how much you can achieve. It is important to stay active and complete a minimum 30 minutes activity a day as recommended by all leading health experts.

About the Author: Brin May is an expert on weight loss, fitness programs and a reviewer who has many weight loss and personal training review websites. For more information including discounts, special offers and reviews visit http://weightloss.review-z.com

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

Review Of Homemade Supplement Secrets By Jeff Anderson

Fitness Level: Beginner and Advanced

Benefits: Intensive, easy to follow, and designed for results.

Downsides: There is time involved, in order for readers to figure out what works for THEM. This is not a quick-fix, and there are time commitments and strict attention to detail involved.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Body builders know, whether beginners or advanced, that the right supplements play a key role in our development. We are targeted with “new and improved”, and “amazing results” products in every magazine we open. And keeping up with it all is not only time consuming, but expensive.

Jeff Anderson understands this, and for that reason has compiled an amazing amount of information in The Average Joe’s Guide to Homemade Supplement Secrets.

At almost 200 pages, Anderson addresses the most common issued faced by body builders—when it comes specifically to the science of supplements.

Chapter 1: Supplement “Suckers” 101 Hitting the advertising hype head on, Anderson explains the supplement industry’s play on our need for instant gratification. He warns of the scams and misleading information, and informs readers how to beware of pitches and ploys that drain the money from our pockets.

Chapter 2: Sports Supplements…Are They Worth it?
In Chapter 2, Anderson throws a little history into bodybuilding and supplements. Believe it or not, it’s a bit eye opening. The possibility that generations of highly successful and prominent body builders gained mass and muscle without the Internet and local supplement stores is something you can’t overlook. Of course, Anderson acknowledges that there are, in fact, many effective sports supplements available and recommended—he just reminds you that they aren’t all necessary for your success. Included in this chapter are also proper progress outlines, general nutrition and caloric intake levels, and more—to ensure you are naturally on the right track, before involving supplements in your regimen.

Chapter 3: Even YOU Could Launch a Multi-Million Dollar “Supplement Company” Out Of Your Living Room…In Your UNDERWEAR!
Diving into the “claims” made by supplement companies, and the rebuttal from the Federal Government, Anderson discusses the supplement boom over a decade ago. Through misleading claims by supplement companies—and misuse from over-eager consumers, laws were put into affect, regarding what claims can be made, and how effective the new laws and regulations really are—and how they affect YOU.

Chapter 4: Sports Supplements Marketing Secrets…EXPOSED!
Stressing the importance that the consumer—YOU—understands the methods in which supplement companies get you to buy, buy, buy, is drilled down in Chapter 4. Anderson implores readers to truly get a grasp of the tactics and schemes used by “big business”, so they don’t fall prey to useless, money-wasting and ineffective supplements. By gaining a firm understanding, readers will then be ready to move on to the next level.

Chapter 5: The Good, The Bad, And the Ugly…And How To Tell The Difference!In Chapter 5, Anderson arms readers with some key points to consider, when thinking about purchasing the latest and greatest supplement. These include how to research the manufacturer for legitimacy, looking for actual results to back up claims, how to do your own research, finding complimentary training information, demanding a money-back guarantee, identifying credible advertising, and much more. Consider this chapter as your armed guide to identifying useful, valuable supplements, which produce results!

Chapter 6: Building Your Home-Based “Supplement Lab”Armed with the necessary knowledge and supplement information, Anderson takes the next step in explaining to readers the key “tools” necessary in building their own, low-cost supplement arsenal right at home. Including specific product information and links, chapter 6 explains the reasons behind the tools, and how you can make the best of them—for under $100.

Chapter 7: How to “Knock Off” The Supplement Industry’s TOP SELLING Supplements…At A Fraction Of The Cost!
Chapter 7 is what you are waiting for. Anderson shows you just how overpriced some of the popular supplements really are—with a unique hook (see page 70). Analyzing each supplement, and what the results SHOULD be, Anderson delves deep into showing you how to target—and produce—what works for you. Best of all, he shows you the savings you’ll enjoy, when you master the art of producing these effective supplements on your own—and yeah, he shows you EXACTLY how to do that. He even shares the pros and cons of each.

In addition to this massive anthology of supplement resources and insider information, Anderson includes two powerful bonuses:

The Homemade Supplement Creators ‘Little Black Book’ is packed with direct contact information of the best ingredient suppliers around. These resources will save you $$$$ and give you top-quality results.
Unleashed is a compact, straight to the point guide on how to naturally skyrocket your testosterone level for massive and fast results.

Click here to read more on Homemade Supplement Secrets

5 More Fat Burning Tips for You

By: Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
TurbulanceTraining.com

At this time of year, we can use every last tip to help avoid
holiday weight gain.

So here are 5 more fat loss tips for beginner & advanced readers.

1) No liquid calories (with the exception of a post-workout drink).

Get rid of all the juices, the sodas, and the sports drinks. Liquid
sugar is the last thing you need when you are trying to lose fat.

You must also limit your alcohol intake - especially if you are
adding mix to drinks...that is a double calorie bomb! A single "Jackand Coke" is over 200 calories (100 calories from booze and 100 calories from mix).

2) No fast food.

Do not eat at fast food restaurants. Even if you choose what you
think is healthy, remember this:

Fast food restaurants are all about profit.

And in order to profit while giving you cheap, quick, and easy to
prepare foods, the quality of the food ingredients will be poor -
especially the protein.

Now you might have read that you can still make healthy choices at fast food restaurants. But you know what, that's just
politically-correct opinion. If it's fast food, it's poor food.

Walking into a burger joint and grabbing a chicken breast on a
white bread bun with a piece of old lettuce and a half-green,
half-pink tomato is "barely" healthy eating.

The politically-incorrect truth is that it's going to take time and
effort to eat properly. You will have to plan, shop, and prepare
healthy meals. You will have to spend time cleaning, cutting, and
cooking your food. That's the truth.

But believe me, it will taste so much better than fast food, and
healthy eating will make you more alert. Eating fast food will make you feel terrible, and will make you want to have an afternoon nap at your desk.

Make one small improvement to your nutrition everyday for the rest of your life.

3) Eat more fruits and vegetables.

If you are eating 2 servings per day, then go up to 4 servings per day by the end of the week. And even if you think you are doing great by having 5 servings per day, you still need to double that (take 2-3 weeks to work your way up to 10 servings per day).

Stick with fiber-rich fruits and vegetables - organic if possible.

4) Eat 1oz of almonds or walnuts per day (1/2 oz in the AM, and the other half in the afternoon).

Most nuts are roasted in oils (possible source of trans fats), so
stick to natural or dry-roasted nuts.

Don't panic...this small amount of nuts won't make you fat, but will fill you up and help you lose weight.

5) Be consistent with your workouts.

And make sure the workouts are efficient and effective. To make it easy for you to follow, stick with the Turbulence Training fat burning workout system.

It doesn't matter if you train in the morning before or after
breakfast, or at night before or after dinner, or at 1pm on days
when the moon is in line with Saturn...don't worry about the
details, just train consistently.

Click here to get Turbulence Training

6) BONUS TIP: Go for a walk after lunch or dinner (or anytime you eat a big meal). Research shows this will help you control your cholesterol and triglycerides, plus any movement is better than sitting around watching the TV and snacking.

Improve your lifestyle everyday,

Craig Ballantyne, CSCS, MS
Author, Turbulence Training

PS - Change your workouts to beat a fat loss plateau.

"The constant shakeup is amazing. I look forward to my workouts. I feel so much better than I did 6 weeks ago. I had almost given up on fitness as I was becoming very frustrated with my plateaus. I started out at 233 lbs and am already heading for 225 in only a few short weeks. Thank you for developing this truly amazing program and for sharing with the rest of us. It's very refreshing to enjoy working out again!"
Dave Heffernan

"Turbulence Training is AWESOME! I started working out in 2004 first time in gym at 39 yrs. Then I discovered T.T. in 2006 and started receiving unbelievable info on xercises/nutrition. Immediately I started incorporating T.T. in my busy schedule which is improving my strength, definition, flexibility and nutrition. Craig is quick to reply to questions and supportive. My confidence and strength has definitely improved. If I only knew of Turbulence Training in 2004. The gym crowd is really checking me out now."
Kimmie Clark

"I lost 14 pounds this month and the weight is just falling off me.
My wife says I now look like when we first met and I still have
more to go. I can fit into my old jeans again which is a big deal
for me. I just cut back on starches and bread and do your routine 2-3 times a week. I never thought in a million years that just 10-20 minutes of weight training followed by some cardio would get me such steady results. I even cheat a bit on the weekends."
Billy Williams

Turn your health around with Turbulence Training

About the Author

Craig Ballantyne is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist and writes for Men's Health, Men's Fitness, Maximum Fitness, Muscle and Fitness Hers, and Oxygen magazines. His trademarked Turbulence Training fat loss workouts have been featured multiple times in Men’s Fitness and Maximum Fitness magazines, and have helped thousands of men and women around the world lose fat, gain muscle, and get lean in less than 45 minutes three times per week. For more information on the Turbulence Training workouts that will help you burn fat without long, slow cardio sessions or fancy equipment, visit TurbulanceTraining.com

The Facts About Hormones And Fitness After Forty

By Jon Benson

Fact: Did you know that many women going through or on the other side of menopause often experience a severe drop in their testosterone level? The sad thing is that so many people have ignored this issue with women over the age of 40, that menopausal symptoms have, in some cases, simply become accepted as part of "growing old."

Nonsense.

Don't settle for that! There are many things you can do about menopause and the hormonal issues it can bring about (both males and females experience testosterone declines with age, so men...listen up!) First, let's talk about some natural means of overcoming menopause.

In Jill Langham's incredible free report, "The Menopause Solution" (available when you purchase Fit Over 40), many practical treatments are discussed. Some involve what's known as HRT, or "hormone replacement therapy", and that is most definitely a valid form of treatment and one to discuss with your physician.
However, Jill will be the first to tell you, as will the other 12 ladies all over menopausal age profiled in the Fit Over 40 book, that simple dietary changes and weight training can make an absolute 'world' of difference - not just in how you look, but in how your body produces hormones naturally...especially testosterone!

Testosterone can increase up to 50% through consistent weight training. Can you believe that? I noticed this I was forced to cut back on my HRT when consuming more protein and training harder, so I know this is true in my case. This is why the role models in Fit Over 40 are so important. Read what they do and why they do it... and then apply their strategies to your own life. These people feel so good primarily because their hormones are optimal!

That's right... and I'll repeat it. HORMONE HEALTH MEANS GOOD HEALTH. Without proper hormonal function, no matter how 'well' you eat or how 'much' you workout, you may never feel As good as you can or discard those fatty hips or soft stomach.

Testosterone is also key to keeping your sex drive high and alive. This is... well, rather important to most people! Those of us who eat and live the Fit Over 40 Lifestyle often report feeling no different than when we were teenagers in how we respond and feel sexually and physically. This is due to the fact that we're using our body the way it was designed to be used - and in most cases, that's sufficient to create all the natural hormones you need. Sometimes, HRT is necessary.
A special menopause supplement in the March 1999 issue of the "American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology"recommends the addition of androgen (testosterone) to estrogen for all women undergoing surgical menopause. The report says, "The use of androgen therapy may also be beneficial to women who experience loss of libido and other symptoms of testosterone deficiency during natural menopause."

This is something best discussed with your physician. However, Jill Langham's report covers both sides - the natural and the HRT - and gives you an ideal role model to follow to balance both. Jill may hold the title of "Fittest Female At Fifty", but let me tell you, she has the body and the get up and go of a LUCKY 20-year-old!

Let me say this in closing: I believe, as other nutritionists echo, that hormone balance is MORE important for fat loss than any single factor, including "calories out, calories in." Just because you consume fewer calories than you take in does NOT mean you will lose body fat. I've seen this so often it's not even funny. We're not talking 'starvation diets'... everyone agrees this is not the way to go. I'm talking 'mild' caloric restrictions, just as all the experts (including myself) will tell you to do, resulting in zero fat loss.

Why? Chances are great that it's hormonal. That can be changed! I discuss hormones in detail in Fit Over 40. Hormones make or break the fat loss cycle. And, as Jill and others in Fit Over 40 prove, the secret often lies in simple, consistent changes in lifestyle.

You can do it - and while you're at it, never accept the social 'norms' for aging!

Jon Benson, Creator/Co-Author
Fit Over 40: Role Models For Excellence At Any Age

Are Toxins in your fat cells released when you lose weight?

By Tom Venuto, CSCS, NSCA-CPT
BurnTheFat.com

QUESTION: Dear Tom: I have been following your Burn The Fat system with good results. I am losing body fat and maintaining my current lean mass. I've noticed that during my calorie deficit phase I sometimes suffer from light headedness and nausea out of the blue for no particular reason but not during my maintenance phase. I was looking into it and read an article that said that toxins from the food in the "typical American diet" of processed crappy foods get stored inside our fat cells along with excess dietary fat when we overeat, and when we create a calorie deficit and burn the excess fat in our bodies, we release those toxins back into the blood stream. Have you ever heard of this? Any truth? ?

ANSWER: Yes, your fat cells can accumulate numerous types of toxins. For example, almost everyone has traces of pesticides in their bodies. Many people freak out when they hear this, so they become more likely to fall for all kinds of bizarre and usually unproven "detoxification" rituals. It is a shame that our environment has become polluted, but the real questions are whether trace amounts of these substances pose any health risk and whether you actually have toxic levels in your body.

One group of substances that has come to attention recently in the context of fat loss, (in addition to health concerns), is organochlorines, including DDT, PCB’s and Dioxins. There is scientific evidence that these chemicals can be stored in fat cells and are released into your system when fat is lost.

The fish and wildlife service web page (fws.gov) has some detailed info on the chemistry and toxicology. One part was of particular interest:

"Organochlorines (OC's) are compounds that contain carbon, chlorine, and hydrogen. Their chlorine-carbon bonds are very strong which means that they do not break down easily. They are highly insoluble in water, but are attracted to fats. Since they resist metabolism and are readily stored in fatty tissue of any animal ingesting them, they accumulate in animals in higher trophic levels. This may occur when birds eat fish that have been exposed to the contaminant. It may also affect humans if they drink milk of a dairy cow that has ingested the chemical because the chemical is excreted in its milk fat. This is called biological magnification."

Some people may recall Rachel Carson and "Silent Spring" back in the 1960's which was largely responsible for the environmental movement and banning of DDT pesticides. Despite being banned decades ago, these chemicals can remain in our environment and in our bodies for years and organochlorine pollution appears to remain a very real issue today.

As for the release of these substances from your fat cells with weight loss, well, what can you say; those are the consequences of environmental pollution and this is just one more reason to stay lean and eat clean and perhaps also, do your share to take care of our environment, if you are so inclined. But I do believe for the most part, your body is quite well equipped to naturally detoxify most toxins that are ingested in "normal" (small) amounts or would likely be released slowly with normal rates of fat loss. I don't think this is a reason NOT to lose weight, although some researchers say that obese men and women have to "weigh the health advantages of losing the weight with a potentially harmful effect."

Unfortunately, there is another twist: Some data suggests that if these chemicals are released into your system as you lose weight, they could hamper fat loss by decreasing thyroid (T3 conversion) or reducing thermogenesis during weight loss if an obese person had accumulated these chemicals in their fat cells.

Everyone who loses weight experiences some degree of metabolic adaptation as they diet and lose weight, and some obese people seem to have a defect in thermogenesis or their hormones may be out of whack. Scientists began wondering if chemicals released from stored fat into circulation could be a cause of this metabolic slowdown. To the best of my knowledge, these findings have not been confirmed as causative through experimental research, but it's a disturbing prospect because getting lean is hard enough as it is.

Regarding the question about nausea and lightheadedness, I looked at several scientific studies on this subject and even after reading the full papers, I did not see any references to nausea or light headedness being related to Organochlorine release with weight loss. I did, however, see references to suppressed immune system and estrogenic effects in addition to the effects on thyroid. Light headedness could be as simple as low glycogen or blood sugar and caloric deficit.

If you take this research at face value it creates quite a conundrum, doesn't it? My advice is... don't. Don't be alarmist. Take the weight off anyway. Do it slowly and safely, and then keep it off - do NOT cycle up and down in weight. Also, this might be yet one more good reason to question the wisdom of losing weight quickly since the total body burden of OC's is greater in overweight people than in lean people, leaving them more susceptible to adverse effects. As one researcher said, "it could be preferable to moderate body weight loss."

I wouldn't let articles about "the typical American diet poisoning you with toxins" make you worry too much or jump on any bizarre detox rituals that don't have scientific support. You have to be pretty careful in the area of "detoxification" because it is filled with quackery and pseudoscience. Packaged, processed and refined foods are unhealthy. But this issue isn't about chemicals used in food processing, nor is it as simple as saying that eating "junk food" fills you with toxins. This is an environmental pollution issue, where the toxins find their way into our food supply - even "clean foods" - and then into our bodies, where in this case, they remain there for years.

I know it would be great if I could end this article by telling you how to get the OC’s out of your system. Unfortunately, the research data I have read does not propose a solution yet. Some people choose organic to avoid pesticides that are still used today, although the benefits of that would be preventative, not retroactive. For now, the best bet is to lose weight at a sensible rate, maintain a healthy weight, and eat clean, unprocessed foods as much as possible.

If you'd like to learn more about how to decrease your body fat level in a safe, sensible, natural way, then visit: BurnTheFat.com

About the Author:

Tom Venuto is a natural bodybuilder, certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS) and a certified personal trainer (CPT). Tom is the author of "Burn the Fat, Feed The Muscle,” which teaches you how to get lean without drugs or supplements using methods of the world's best bodybuilders and fitness models. Learn how to get rid of stubborn fat and increase your metabolism by visiting: BurnTheFat.com

The Anti-Diet: How To Lose Weight Without Dieting - Review

I was looking around for some weight loss and dieting information last week and it was a collegue of mine that pointed me to a site the promotes an e-book called The Anti-Diet: How To Lose Weight Without Dieting.

In this book, they discuss in detail:

** the foods you should eat and the ones you should avoid
** the exercises you should do and when to do them to achieve optimal weight loss
** the motivational tools you may need to start and continue to loose weight
** how to shop for foods in the grocery store
** how to change and stop craving for food
** how to chart your weight loss
** how to lose weight and keep it off

I found the book to be created as a no fluff, information filled book with over 40 pages. They do not care to give their customer's filler just to say we wrote a 350 page book filled with useless information, a bunch or recipes and pictures. I know that most of you are too busy to sit down and read a huge book and read information you already know. This is a no nonsense guide to lose weight the right way. If you want a book with a lot of filler and useless information this isn't the book for you. But if you want a book with tons of useful information and a guide to tell you exactly how to get started and keep the weight off than this book was written and is for you.

As an added value when I bought this e-book, they offered 4 bonuses that valued over $297 for free.

Namely, they are:
Bonus #1: What to Eat When You're Away From Home or on Vacation
Bonus #2: Foods that Burn Fat & Calories
Bonus #3: Exercises That Can Be Done Anywhere & At Anytime
Bonus #4: Free updates of The Anti-diet: How To Lose Weight Without Dieting & Keep It Off Forever! eBook.

They also offer a one-on-one consultation free with the eBook purchase. I haven't used this yet, but they state "When you are a month into your new lifestyle all you have to do is contact us and we will give you a FREE consultation to continue to guide you in the right direction."

So, check out the The Anti-Diet: How To Lose Weight Without Dieting now!

Best Weight Loss Pills - Weight Loss Pills - Are They Safe

by Ricky Hussey

It's the latest weight-loss pill or herbal supplement that has people talking and you wondering whether it really works. Certainly the appeal of losing weight quickly is hard to pass up.

But do these pills and products lighten anything but your wallet? And are they a safe option for weight loss? Here's a look at some over-the-counter weight-loss pills and what they will and won't do for you.

Types of Weight Loss Pills

There are two basic types of weight loss or diet pills: prescription pills and non-prescription pills.
Prescription Pills - Weight Loss Drugs

Prescription weight loss pills are like drugs. They are closely regulated and require FDA approval. Examples of such weight loss pills include Xenical (Orlistat), Phentermine/ Fentermine and Meridia (Sibutramine). These pills are typically subjected to a range of clinical tests to prove their effectiveness for weight reduction and to monitor side effects and health risks.

Three major categories for this are- appetite suppressants, fat burners and fat blockers. Although all of the mentioned are very popular, fat blockers are now available more easily and have gained enormous popularity in a short period of time. Xenical in particular has been very popular. Some have even referred this to be among the best weight loss pills ever. Xenical which is the brand name for Orlistat works by blocking a pancreatic enzyme called lipase and subsequently inhibiting fat absorption.

So does Xenical live up to the mark of being considered among the best weight loss pills? Clinical studies have proven that Xenical works on varying degrees on different people, but it does work. The variation is determined by compliance, diet and exercise. In one year clinical trials between 35.5% and 54.8% of the subjects achieved atleast a 5% reduction in body mass. Upto 24.8% actually achieved atleast a 10% reduction in body mass!! The most impressive finding was the reduction of incidence of type II diabetes in almost 37% of the subjects. It was because of these findings that Xenical is considered among the best weight loss pills ever.

As scientists start to tap into the earth and realize the possibilities that can come from it, we will start to see more natural organic products for our health start to come out. Luckily for those looking to lose weight quickly and keep it off there are products out there that work differently then prescription drugs. These herbal weight loss pills work WITH your body and help you lose weight and keep it off.

Do Weight Loss Pills Work?

Weight loss pills can be effective and sometimes it does not work. When these pills are used under the supervision of medical department along with the exercise program and proper diet, these pills are effective for the short term. The body is adapted to various weight loss pills, so it provides less benefit to the people.

Will Hypnosis For Weight Loss Work For You?

As of the moment weight loss hypnosis has been the subject of many questions some people just find the procedure a little too easy for weight loss. Most of the experts say otherwise. The problem with believing in weight loss hypnosis can be rooted to the false ideas of hypnosis that television and Hollywood has embedded into our minds.

Hollywood has created the mindset that a hypnotist is a person with a spiral rotating glasses that makes the person go all sleepy or maybe aperson with a pendulum in a chain that oscillates ever so slightyly, some even go as far as having full control over a person's actions and decisions.

Misconceptions

1.A person won't hear anything other than the voice of the hypnotist. This isn't true, the senses do not become selective with hypnosis.

2.The hypnotist has complete control over the patient during hypnosis. This is again false, in fact hypnosis gives the subject more control over his decisions it just removes the scattered inhibitions that a person usually connect with weight loss.

3.Only the gullible and weak minded are affected by hypnotism. This isn't true, every normal person can be hypnotized. Anyone willing to follow instructions for self-improvement can be hypnotized.

4.Hypnosis puts things into your mind and controls you. No hypnosis is never about mind control nor putting things into your mind. Basically, a person already has it in himself to improve. In the case of weight loss hypnosis, a person entering into the program already has the want to lose weight, but is only inhibited due to their past or the negative vibes in their environment. These negative conditioning is removed through hypnosis, and what is left is the person's desire to lose weight.

Real life hypnosis is actually giving the person more control over his actions. For example, people who volunteer to go up on stage after hypnosis, this isn't a form of mind control rather hypnosis gives the person an acceptable context that makes a person realize that their inhibitions aren't as important as they make them to be.

As for hypnosis for weight loss, most of the time hypnosis helps by contributing to the person's will power. Most of the time, people who try to lose weight by sheer willpower fail miserably because willpower is from the conscious mind. However, we can see that the conscious mind isn't all that controls the body, in most cases, the unconscious has more control over the body than the conscious. Oftentimes, having a conscious driving force towards weight loss can produce a conscious driving force towards the other direction, that which is towards self contentment, which is most of the time either snacking or forgoing the trip to the gym.

Hypnosis uses a series of conversations with the unconscious mind to lose inhibitions and to see the benefit of the activity, in this case wight loss. By removing the negative training that your environment has given you, the body will automatically go towards what it thinks is the better more beneficial path, which is in this case healthy eating and exercising behaviors.

Hypnosis in a sense, lets the person control his emotions, rather than letting his emotions control him. It is all a matter of reinforcing the desire to lose weight that is already there and then removing the inhibitions against it.

Bill Urell, the author, reviews only the best diet and fitness plans, tips, and articles that promote healthier lifestyles.

Source: http://www.fullofarticles.com/Article/Will-Hypnosis-For-Weight-Loss-Work-For-You-/105759

EcoSlim Natural Slimming Drops - Weight Loss Without Pills!

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Used as part of a healthy eating plan and a regular exercise program, EcoSlim can help you to lose weight and keep it off forever, leaving you feeling slim and full of vitality!

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Are you ready for weight loss?

So you've decided you want to lose weight. Sure, you know that accomplishing your goal means cutting calories, but have you considered what else you need to do to get to your target weight?

Once you've made up your mind to lose weight, you probably want to get started while your willpower is strong. But if you don't plan ahead, you'll likely be ill-equipped for any challenges you face along the way, making it far too easy to give up and increasing the risk you'll put the weight back on.

So before you throw out all your chocolate and stock up on carrot sticks, here are some things you may want to consider.

• Have you discussed your plan with your doctor? Aside from helping you to determine a healthy weight, your doctor can help you to set appropriate goals, determine whether you have any health concerns that could affect your weight loss plans, and point you towards additional resources if you need some extra help.



• Have you set a reasonable target weight? Sure you may want to look like the airbrushed models you see in the glossy magazines, but have you thought about whether that is a realistic weight for you? Your doctor can help you to determine a target weight that can help you look and feel your best. Or use our ideal weight range calculator.



• Is your plan realistic? Weight loss is yet another example of 'slow and steady' winning the race. Rather than trying to drop a size by tomorrow, set a goal of 1 to 2 pounds (no more than 1 kg) per week. It takes a deficit of 3,500 calories to lose a pound - so to meet this goal, aim to cut 500 to 1,000 calories a day through a combination of diet and exercise.



• Have you planned for setbacks? When was the last time you set a goal and every little detail went according to plan? While an optimistic outlook will help you reach your goal, if you don't think about how you'll handle any setbacks along the way, you're not giving yourself all the tools you need to succeed. You may feel disappointed with yourself if you give into temptation and have that extra slice of chocolate cake, but decide ahead of time how you are going to handle such roadblocks so they don't derail your weight loss plans.



• Do you have a support system? For some people, weight loss feels best as a solitary effort, while others may find support and advice from someone who can relate helps them stick to the plan. Think about your style and seek out support if you think it will help you. Family, friends, weight loss groups and online forums can all provide the encouragement and advice you are seeking.



• Have you thought long term? In truth, losing the weight is only the first part of your goal. Keeping it off is the second. Think about whether you are ready to make permanent changes to your eating and exercise habits, because your old ways are how you gained the weight in the first place.

Article Source: http://bodyandhealth.canada.com/channel_section_details.asp?text_id=3352&channel_id=1055&relation_id=17811
Written and reviewed by the MediResource Clinical Team

Walking to Lose Weight - Lose Weight by Walking

Author: Alien

Walking is often recommended as part of a weight loss program. Find out how far, how fast, and how often you should walk as part of a weight management program. Learn how to burn fat and eat better. Most people are curious to find the answer to the question: does walking help you lose weight. Well, walking is actually one of the easiest and most effective ways of losing weight, provided you show a complete sincerity in doing it. Going for a walk once in a blue moon won't really help. If you wish to make a difference, then you will have to put in hard labor to achieve your goal and then sky is the limit.

It's true. By adding this natural and inexpensive exercise to your agenda, you can lose weight and keep it off. The key is to be persistent, stick to a regular program and make it interesting.

Interested in Intervals?

Try incorporating intervals to make your walking workout more challenging. This doesn't mean you have to cross-train. Simply walk very quickly for a brief period and then slow back down to your normal pace and repeat.

Hills will Help

This could be as simple as finding a staircase to climb during your route or making a side trip to the nearest natural incline. And the more you mix it up, the more effective your workout will be. Plus, your leg muscles will begin to look more defined and toned. Start out with adding them just once a week.

Get Your Arms into the Action

When developing a routine to lose weight by walking, it is important to use as much of you body as possible. If you bend your elbows at a 90 degree angle while walking and pump the back and forth while walking, you will move faster and burn more calories.

I've always had dogs, but I didn't walk much with my last one. And guess what? For the first time in my life I gained weight. Since getting my new dog, who happens to be a Belgian Shepherd so you can imagine how active he is, I've shed a few pounds.

Recently, we discovered a new park that actually has exercise stops. That's where you are given various stationary "equipment" and a sign with instructions on how to use them. For instance, you can do chin ups on a raised bar. You can walk the balance beam. You can do step-ups. You can do 10 pushups. You can climb up and over a 4 or 5 foot wall.

Of course, you can do sit-ups, abs crunches, and various stretches, too.

Obviously your dog can't do most of those exercises, but he probably doesn't need to. You do.

There are a number of reasons why it's good to take advantage of those exercise stations.

1) They take the boredom out of just walking

2) They give you a more complete workout

3) They boost your heart rate more so than walking

4) They will help sculpt your body

5) They help you to lose weight

The best way to exercise to lose weight is to walk in intervals of fast walking and slow walking. You can even add short jogs if you like. You do this by alternating and giving each variation one or two minutes, and repeat the cycle 10-15 times. This type of exercising, called interval training, helps boost your metabolism while giving you a good fitness workout.

When you add in those exercise stations, your magnify your results.The key to losing weight by walking is to do it consistently at least 5 times per week for a minimum of 30 minutes a day. Keep challenging yourself to walk faster and further as your body gets used to the exercise. Eat healthy and stay away from junk food (at least most of the time) and you will be able to lose weight.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/weight-loss-articles/walking-to-lose-weight-lose-weight-by-walking-235404.html

About the Author: Read out Blackheads. Also check out for bodybuilding clothes and weight loss

Best Food for Weight Loss Some Foods Help Lose Weight

Author: Alien

No food alone could ever cause us to lose weight, there is no such thing as the best single weight loss food. We all understand that weight loss is the result of the energy consumed from all various foods within the diet, and that a diet's total energy must be lower than the energy used by the body. Some foods make it really difficult to lose weight. They create their own self-sustaining cravings ("Betcha can't eat just one!") and play havoc with your blood sugar and, ultimately, your waistline. But other foods do just the opposite.

Statistical data from 2003 to 2006 indicate that obesity rates had risen in 31 of the 50 American states. The data came from surveys conducted by different local health departments on the height and weight of people from different states. Another result of the survey pointed out a close relationship between obesity and heart disease among the respondents. Due to the serious health implications of the study, state funding had been allocated to educate people about the dangers of being obese and overweight. The government-sponsored weight loss programs also focused on simple information campaigns about good eating habits. People were provided flyers and other reading materials that contained information on how to make proper food choices. This strategy made sense since there are types of food that can actually curb one's appetite and stop your sugar cravings. These food groups also boost metabolism which helps consume stored fat in the body which, in the process, leads to weight loss. Shown below are some of the “good food” that should be part of a weight watchers eating plan:

1. Beans – Beans contain cholecystokinin, a digestive harmone that acts as a natural appetite suppressant. Beans also keep blood sugar on an even keel and helps stave off hunger longer. High-fiber bean varieties can even lower cholesterol levels.

2. Salad – Eating salad is highly recommended by the American Dietetic Association because the vegetable-based meal is rich in vitamins c and e, lycopene, folic acid, and carontenoids. However, it is best to cut down on the dressing when eating salad. Some salad dressings can actually be high in calories.

3. Eggs – Eaten in moderate amounts, eggs are good for the health since these contain protein that helps prevent spikes in blood sugar. Weight watchers are often advised to eat only egg whites.

4. Green Tea - This type of tea is an antioxidant and helps stimulate metabolism which, in turn, burns fat. Green tea is rich in antioxidants called catechins.

5. Soup – Having a little chicken soup is good for the body because it helps decrease hunger. Chicken soup is considered a folk remedy for colds and flu.

6. High-fiber Cereals – Cereals which are high in fiber help improve digestion and are good for reducing hunger pangs.

7. Tofu – If you eat tofu, you tend to eat less food. Tofu is considered as an appetite-quashing protein.

8. Desserts: You have to try and keep your sweet tooth under absolute control and avoid desserts.

9. Olive Oil - Cooking food in olive oil is healthy because it contains mono-unsaturated fat which is widely accepted as a product that helps prevent cardiovascular disease.

10. Pears – This fruit is a good source of fiber and fructose which does not cause spikes in blood-sugar levels.

11. Nuts - Research released by Purdue University showed that adding about 500 calories of peanuts to their regular diet helped them eat less food that could cause weight gain.

12. Watermelon - Who doesn’t love diving into a crisp, juicy slice of watermelon when it's hot outside?

"Half of the watermelon comes from water. …It’s a wonderful way to satisfy thirst and a yen for something sweet," says Moores.

To keep your cool and cut your time in the kitchen, start with prepared produce, such as cut-up fruit and washed greens. Add rotisserie chicken, prepared soups, and pre-threaded kabobs when you need something a bit heartier. Pre-prepped foods may cost a little extra, but they save time in the kitchen.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/weight-loss-articles/best-food-for-weight-loss-some-foods-help-lose-weight-235487.html

About the Author: Read out Blackheads. Also check out for bodybuilding clothes and weight loss