It takes a lot of willpower to ignore the biscuits in the biscuit tin. It takes determination to pick a chicken salad over a nice big burger and chips. It takes control to avoid picking up a bar of chocolate over an apple in the store. It’s hard to watch other people enjoying a custard filled, sugar glazed doughnut. I know, I’ve been there so many times…
It’s so challenging to see the bright side of missing out all these things you love to eat. You know you need to lose weight. You know these things will put on weight. You know that if you just say no to some of these things more often it’ll help you reach your goal….but even then it’s not as easy as that.

Weight loss isn’t easy, and for those who do lose weight easily, they normally put it back on easily too. But you don’t have to torture yourself. You can have chocolate, you can have cake, you can have burgers and deep fried chicken….but you can’t have loads of it. During weight loss, you need to be happy with what you eat otherwise you feel like you’re on a diet which makes you feel like reaching for the take away menu even more!

Things you can do to keep you and your diet happy;

* Choose a day when you can have whatever lunch or dinner you want. The rest of the week, stick with as much vegetables and lean meats and fish as possible. But that one day is yours to have chicken nuggets and chips for lunch or pizza for dinner if you want to. I do this on a Saturday as it’s nice to do what I want on the weekend.

* Either say no completely or control your portions. Some people find it easier to have the”out of sight out of mind” approach and not buy or even look at temptation foods in store. That way when you get home, you have only healthy foods and you get into the habbit cooking and eating these foods. If you can do that, great! But if you love your temptation foods too much to completely go without them, then you need to remember you can have them as long as you keep your portions sensible. Now I know how hard that can be….you cut yourself a piece of cake and decide to go back for one more piece, or you cut yourself a slightly larger piece than you really need. Trust me, I could eat a whole cake in one sitting! But why do that to yourself? Why not have a little piece each day to keep your sweet tooth under control? Keep at the smaller portions and it’ll become second nature

* Swap high sugar and fat to low sugar and fat. There are so many varieties out there that are helping you make a healthier choice and still you can eat the foods you want! There are so many low fat and low sugar sauces, treats, desserts and drinks out there that DO taste nice, you just need to give them a try!

Well, I’m finally back at the gym (horrah!) and I realised that I’d been out of it for so long that I just didn’t know how to tackle it!

I know that for me to lose weight, I need to be doing cardio most of the time. But when I was doing my routine before, I was doing up to an hour on the cross trainer 2-3 times a week and weight wasn’t budging very much.
So, I had a really good chat with one of the gym staff to see what he might suggest. He explained to me that it’s not necessarily what I’m doing but how I’m doing it. He asked me about High Intensity exercise and whether I’d tried it. I told him that I had, but because of my health issues, it caused my muscles to severly spasm!

It turns out that I was using the cross trainer on a too high effort level. He said that I don’t need to be doing really high resistance levels, just the motion of switching between fast pace and low pace movement. He showed me a program on the cross trainer that tells you when to use a fast pace and when to slow it down throughout the workout whilst keeping it to a lower resistance level so I don’t stress out my muscles.

I loved the program. Very simple to set up on the machine and I can do it for as long as I want and it’ll figure out when to slow down the pace and step it up again. It actually made the time on the cross trainer fly by and it felt a lot more fun instead of zoning out staring at the clock every few minutes! It’s the first time in a while that I actually realy enjoyed my work out and I’m looking forward to doing it again this week!

Doing this High Intensity workout means it’ll help spike my metabolism to help burn fat more. If I can do this type of workout 3 times a week and build up the time on the cross trainer, it’s really going to help kick start more weight loss!

I’m very excited to have learned something new and I’m looking forward to doing this new routine. It gives me more purpose and focus in the gym and I can tailor the idea to any of the machines.

I thoroughly recommend chatting with one of the trainers in your local gym about your weight loss and what you’ve tried/has or hasn’t worked for you. They may just hold the answer you’re looking for!

You know what? Not all treats have to be full of calories, fat and sugar. It’s true! There are so many tasty things out there that will satisfy your sweet tooth, but the biggest part is giving it a go!

Fruit is the simplest way of getting your sweet tooth fix. Clemantines, grapes, pineapples…there are a ton of sweet fruits to choose from and experiment with! You just need to be careful with how much of these you eat as you don’t want to be having too much sugar, natural or not, when trying to lose weight.
Yoghurt is awesome to have for pudding and adding fruits will help count to your 5 a day. I have found a no fat no sugar yoghurt that is thick, creamy and perfect to add fruit to. The yoghurt called “Total” has a no added sugar and no fat version of it’s original and is wonderful to use to thicken smoothies or blend on it’s own with fruit of your choice for your customised yoghurt. I love to have ti with pieces of fruit added to it, maybe with some honey.

OK, so you have to have some chocolate or “proper” sweet otherwise you’ll go nuts, right? Well there are little solutions to that too… Marsh-mellows are lovely squishy sweet things and there are plenty of no sugar ones out there that practically taste exactly the same, if not better than the original full sugar ones! They are ideal for a sweet treat! Also, instead of going for the whole hog and buying yourself a whole chocolate bar, get chocolate chips instead. Just have tea spoon sprinkle with your yoghurt to get that chocolate crave out the way without gorging on a huge sickly bar! There is also no added sugar chocolate, you know…and that stuff can be just as lovely as the full sugar variety without as many calories.

Hot chocolate drinks can be used as an after dinner pudding to calm that chocoholic in you without too many calories. And it will last you a bit longer if you drink it slowly through the evening. Again, there are some absolutely lovely “light” versions that have much less sugar in them than the original ones, so try them out!

Honey is a wonderful sweetener. Add it to yoghurt, pancakes, fruit and smoothies to sweeten it up with less calories. But if you’re not keen on honey, I would recommend trying out different types as I have found out some are not so nice whereas others are just lovely!

If you want to try your hand at cooking some of your own treats like cookies and cakes, remember you are in control and you can use whatever recipes you have as a guide. Instead of butter or lard, use margarine. Instead of cane sugar, use sweeteners or the “half spoon” sugars that combine sugar with sweeteners to cut back on the calories. Maybe leave the chocolate out of the recipe and replace it with nuts like almonds or dried fruit. There are so many things you can customise! The outcome may not come out exactly like the one with all the fat and sugar, but with some practise you’ll get a great treat that not only you worked hard on, but something much less fattening too!

Ok, savoury puddings might not be your thing, but if you really want something to fill you better than sweets, then maybe a few crackers with low fat cheese might just be the trick. You can get some lovely low fat sweeter tasting crackers that with the cheese can really satisfy your sweet tooth without you craving anything more sweet.

Lastly, one of the biggest things is to watch your portions! It may be a low fat cake, but if you eat all of it, you may as well not have bothered with a low fat cake! Savour you treats, make them last and enjoy them instead of just gulping them down before you’ve even had the chance to properly taste it! Have a smaller plate, take smaller bites and use smaller spoons/forks to make smaller portions look and feel larger and last longer. Have a glass of milk, water or cup or tea with it, whatever drink helps to fill you up.

Puddings don’t have to be your enemy, you can make them your friend with just a little bit of thought and compromise!

Well, now that everything is back to normal after Christmas and New Year, I’ve really got to grips with my diet by scheduling what I eat. I know, it probably sounds a bit overboard…but actually, it’s made healthy eating a hell of a lot easier and I’m getting much more of a variety of food too!
I realised that I was eating plenty of chicken and lean meats, but I was hardly eating fish. Fish, as it is or only smoked, can be incredibly low in fat and calories whilst containing healthy oils. So I have now incorporated a lot more fish into my week through scheduling my meals. I’ve also allowed myself treats, but only twice a week. I can choose what days they fall on, but it means that once my two treats are up, that’s that!

So, to spread out what I have each day, I make sure I’m not having the same thing twice in a row so that I can have a better variety of meat and fish in my meals. With each of my meals, I will make sure I’m getting a good serving of vegetables and fruits and stick to having things like couscous, rice or pasta earlier in the day and only once in the evening a week. This is how my weekly meals look:

Monday – Toast+Fruit for Breakfast, Soup+Fruit for Lunch, Fish+Veg for Dinner

Tuesday – Cereal+Fruit for Breakfast, Sandwich+Fruit for Lunch, Chicken+Veg for Dinner

Wednesday – Toast+Fruit for Breakfast, Soup+Fruit for Lunch, Fish+Veg or Fish Pasta Bake for Dinner

Thursday – Cereal+Fruit for Breakfast, Sandwich+Fruit for Lunch, Chicken+Veg for Dinner

Friday – Toast+Fruit for Breakfast, Soup+Fruit for Lunch, Fish+Veg for Dinner

Saturday – Cooked Breakfast, Soup/Sandwich+Fruit for Lunch, “Anything I want” Dinner (eg, pizza, kievs, burgers, take away:but only once a month etc)

Sunday – Cooked Breakfast, Soup/Sandwich+Fruit for Lunch, Red Meat+Veg for Dinner

Treats (Chocolate, cake, sweets, etc) Twice a week, anytime, anyday.

Pudding – Fruit, Hot Chocolate drink, Light Popcorn, Treat (if the two only allowance hasn’t been used up!)

Drinks – No Alcohol (because I don’t drink it anyways!) Green Tea, Weak Squash, Water, Milk.

Snacks – Fruit, No Sugar No Fat Yoghurt, Low Fat Cottage Cheese, Low Sugar Nut Bar.

With this set into place, I don’t get bored because I’m eating something different each day, I’m not stuck as to what to have for meals because it’s all ready sorted out for me and I can keep track on what I’m eating MUCH more easily! It’s made food shopping much easier too as I know what to get and know how much it’ll be too.

I highly recommend looking at what you eat during your week and slimming it down, especially if you’re like me and struggle with exercise. It’ll take some time getting used to, but after a month of replacing rice and pasta with broccoli and beans for example, you’ll soon not only get used to it but enjoy it too! Remember, you don’t have to be eating things you hate! If you don’t like fish, then alternate your meals with lean meat and chicken, or quorn! There’s so many combinations, you just need to find what works for you and tweak it down the line if it’s not quite right.

Hurrah for a happier healthier you!

This certainly means that a lack of the mineral calcium in our diets can be among one of the causes of abnormally high body weight. According to a study, if you are getting a low average level of calcium i.e. 255 milligrams daily, you are 84% more likely to be overweight than those getting the highest level of 1,346 milligrams per day. Similarly, by simply getting adequate calcium in your diet, as many as 80% of you can help yourselves lose excessive weight. It has been also found that people who consumed 1000 – 1200 mg of calcium daily lost about 10 pounds after a few weeks.

Calcium & weight loss connection

Diets high in calcium increase the fat burning effect of a meal i.e. if your diet contains less calcium than the recommended range, the body releases more of the hormone calcitriol which regulates the working of fat cells in our body. Due to this increased secretion of calcitriol, your fat cells make and store more fat and your weight increases and vise versa. According to the second theory, high calcium diets may suppress fat accumulation and weight gain with a positive effect on glucose tolerance, insulin resistance, and lipid profile.

Foods that contain calcium

Foods that are high in calcium include low fat dairy products e.g. skimmed milk, soy milk, low-fat cheese, yogurt and baked beans, dried figs, broccoli, darkest green leafy vegetables and calcium-fortified food like cereals and orange juice. If your diet is not high in calcium, some good calcium supplements e.g. chewable calcium tablets should be considered. Another best source of calcium is coral calcium obtained from fossilized coral reefs above sea level.

In light of the above-mentioned facts, overweight or obese individuals who are interested in working toward better health should consider increased calcium intake along with an overall healthier lifestyle. At the same time, they should be strongly advised to eat a low-calorie diet and consult their dietician or doctor to decide about which form of calcium will work best for them.

Finally, do remember to introduce certain vitamins and minerals to your diet that help in calcium absorption as most of the calcium you consume is lost in urine. A balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals help calcium get easily absorbed in the bloodstream.

The basics & the mechanism

Studies and research have shown that obese or abnormally overweight people have lost up to 10 pounds in just 6 weeks by switching to green tea instead of coffee. Therefore, If you’re looking for an easy and simple method to lose weight, you should consider adding green tea to your diet. An effective dietary tool and an efficient fat burner, this delicious and refreshing drink is a lot more than just a part of an afternoon snack. The subjects that took green tea regularly lost fat around their mid section as well as subcutaneous fat.

If you want to know how to lose weight with green tea promptly and prominently, some basic knowledge about its various ingredients will surely help you better understand how this wonderful “natural” supplement helps you get rid of your “unnatural” mass.

Green tea – mode of action
Green tea increases your body heat (thermogenesis) and hence, burns fats, releasing calories in the body. This increase in 24-hour energy expenditure, in turn, speeds up your metabolism. Secondly, Green tea suppresses lipid metabolism by preventing the fat cells from multiplying and enlarging, inhibiting fat absorption. This results in reduced fat accumulation in the body.

There are several ingredients found in green tea that are responsible for its amazing impact on your body such as:

Caffeine: Green tea contains just an optimal amount of caffeine which quickens the rate of your body metabolism. This, in turn, causes a greater calorie burn, helping you lose weight quickly and effectively.

AR25: According to a study, AR25 (Exolise) component found in green tea helps significantly in obesity treatment by directly inhibiting gastric and pancreatic lipases, the enzymes mainly responsible for fat storage in the body.

Catechins: These substances found in green tea can help you lose weight and prevent obesity by inhibiting the movement of glucose in fat cells. This also lowers blood sugar and cholesterol levels, which is great for people with diabetes and heart disease.

EGCG: A compound called EGCG (epigallochatechin gallate) found in green tea acts as an appetite suppressant by triggering the release of the hormone noradrenalin. However, Green tea also contains Vitamin B, C and thiamine. This ensures that your brain cells have sufficient energy all the time which will surely help in achieving your weight loss goals.

Different Forms of Green Tea
Today, you can easily get green tea in a variety of forms like tea bags, diet pills, patches, supplements and even shakes. For the most enjoyable ones, you should look for green tea that you can actually drink. You should, however, make sure that you buy only from established brands.

Frequency of green tea consumption

As recommended by most dieticians, green tea sipped after a meal can significantly aid digestion. While there’s no recommended dosage, studies show that drinking 3- 4 cups of green tea per day is enough to speed up your metabolism. Nevertheless, it should be taken at least twice daily, once during a morning or afternoon meal and once right before going to bed.

Do remember, like any other supplement, green tea is no miracle or magic pill and solely cannot lose your weight for you. Adding green tea for weight loss into an overall balanced diet, exercise program and safe weight loss supplement (such as Proactol), however, will significantly increase your chances to burn fat and drop pounds in a very short time.

With so many weight reduction tablets and weight loss supplements available in the market today, the choice and the decision of what will suit you the best has become even tougher. Speaking of prescription-based weight loss pills, the same dilemma is faced by the doctor or a physician who has to decide what will work best for his or her patients, considering all the associated factors in mind e.g. patient’s lifestyle, dietary & working habits, current body mass index and health conditions etc.

You should also keep in mind that even if your doctor prescribes certain weight reduction tablet for you, it does not necessarily mean that it is completely free from side effects. In fact, clinical studies & trials have revealed quite the opposite. One of the most recent of such anti-obesity medications is Tesofensine which is currently being developed to be launched and marketed as a powerful weight loss drug.

What is Tesofensine?

Tesofensine is a currently under-developed but soon-to-be-launched anti-obesity drug that is considered as one of the most potential weight loss medications made and used as of today. According to a study published in the medical journal called Lancet (issue 2008; 372: pages: 1906-13), Tesofensine was first given to elderly people who had Alzheimer and Parkinson disease patients, who significantly dropped some pounds after using the medication for 6 months.

How does Tesofensine work?

Tesofensine essentially works by blocking certain specific neurotransmitters (hormones) in the brain. This eventually leads to suppressed or reduced appetite and hunger. Hence, a person does not eat much and yet does not feel hungry as he or she will, otherwise. The drug also seems to reduce overall body mass, which is considered one of the most important determinants of your body weight.

Is Tesofensine safe?

Unfortunately, even during this published study, Tesofensine did show some significant side effects such as: increased heart rate (abnormally fast pulse) and high blood pressure, as well as reduced muscle mass of the body. It should be remembered that, ideally, any quick weight loss pill should aim to reduce the “fat mass” of the body, leaving the “muscle mass” intact. This was, however, not the case with Tesofensine and it also significantly caused reduction in the much-needed muscle / protein mass.

Some other side effects associated with the use of Tesofensine were dry mouth, headache, nausea, insomnia (lack of sleep), diarrhea and constipation. The study also found that as many as 13 % of the total obese people who took part in the study had to withdraw from the research because of the same safety issues.

For the same reasons, researchers agreed at the end of the study, that Tesofensine needs more clinical research, testing and monitoring, as many of the undesirable effects were found to be potentially hazardous.

Therefore, based on the on the facts and discussion, it is logical to conclude that no medical treatment to date (especially the allopathic drugs) is free of side effects or undesirable potential. In fact, if used for a long period of time, such drugs can even lead to serious health complications and would also tremendously increase your spending on the overall health costs.

Practicing natural anti-obesity measures such as eating a well-balanced & healthy diet, exercising at least 30 minutes a day and choosing a natural weight loss supplement (such as Proactol) still remain the most effective measures to lose weight and gain healthy benefits of life. If chosen wisely, herbal weight loss supplements like Proactol are not only considered relatively safe but are very economical and cost-effective for your savings in the long run.

Is herbal weight loss really possible?

Speaking of safe weight loss through rapid fat loss, everyone seeks the perfect solution through various diet supplement reviews. . Natural nutrition diet supplements present an option that offers an extra bonus to get into the diet and fitness routine and achieve safe weight loss. Specific herbs and organic, fiber-based extracts have the ability to speed up your metabolism, curb appetite, increase fat burning and boost energy.

However, with countless herbal diet supplements available in the market today, it’s really tough to figure out what will best suit your nutritional needs. From vitamins to minerals to weight loss pills, there are thousands of options to choose from. But do they really work, and if so, which one is the best? Let’s find out.

Definition of a dietary supplement: Any vitamin, fiber, mineral or nutrient that is ingested in addition to the nutrients already being derived from food and beverages alone is known as a dietary supplement.

The substances can be organic in nature or synthetic to function like their organic counterparts. Such substances organically found in many living things are thought to aid the body’s cells, as well as assist metabolism, growth, immunity, organ function, energy levels and weight management. Most importantly, dietary supplements are thought to protect the body from disease and promote overall prime health and well-being.

The recommended guidelines

Experts agree there are some rules of thumb for choosing dietary and nutritional supplements. The FDA’s new good manufacturing practices ruling ensure that dietary / food supplements:

• Are produced in a quality manner
• Do not contain contaminants or impurities
• Are accurately labeled

In addition, you must also consider the following aspects while making your mind to choose one for yourself.

Are ingredients natural: Supplementing with a fiber supplement, for example, can be a good idea as it will fill you up quicker allowing you to eat less (acting as an appetite suppressant as well). It is also good for the digestive system, may lower cholesterol levels and will help you loose weight significantly.

Is it credible?: In this era of evidence-based medicine, you are supposed to consider evidences, pure facts and real testimonials, not claims. Accordingly, go for a dietary supplement that is clinically backed by a number of trials and studies and has been recommended by full-fledged health experts and doctors.

Is it of good quality? Supplements should be tested for potency and potential toxicity and backed up with the best research and science available. Also, a good manufacturing source is a key element in ensuring quality. So, look for trusted brands that have been around for some time to be sure what is on the label is safe and exactly what is found in the product.

Is it safe? Many times you hear “natural” and automatically think it is safe. However, make sure to do your research when planning to take any kind of natural dietary supplements. Read the authentic testimonials, and see if the product has been approved by some major international and credible authority on health. Ideally, it must have a high safety profile i.e. should show no side effects even after long term use. Similarly, user compliance and tolerance is another important issue to be considered while choosing the best suitable dietary supplement.

Look for extra fitness advantages: A natural dietary supplement that offers herbal weight loss (e.g. weight loss drinks, meal replacement shakes & slimming patches) that could eliminate excess body fat, lower cholesterol, and help suppress the appetite should definitely be at the top of your list.

Last but not least, based on the best diet supplement reviews, you should choose a natural dietary supplement that has been proved to have no side effects from long term use and is a viable, 100% safe weight loss supplement to help you achieve a slimmer, healthier body. However, don’t forget that dietary supplements are designed to supplement your diet, not to replace nutritious foods.

Unveiling the ‘raw” myth

According to popular diet reviews, eating the raw food diet is a revolutionary way to eat. Many believe that it keeps them smart and healthy. The focus of this diet is on eating uncooked, highly nutritious foods e.g. fruits and vegetables to lose weight quickly and effectively. Of course, these foods are low in calories and might seem extremely good, but eating them raw or uncooked is favored as it is believed that they lose nutritional value when cooked.

In addition to enabling weight loss, the raw food diet apparently increases one’s metabolism, making calorie burning easier. Some experts have also suggested that a raw food diet is a good antidote to eating disorders. In addition, it can help make your immune system stronger, and helps the body rid itself of harmful toxins. It’s also mentioned in some diet reviews that eating raw foods improves the look of their skin.

Following are some important points that must be taken into consideration before you make your mind for this way of eating.

What is a raw food diet?

The raw food diet, (also referred to as ‘living foods’) consists of food that is uncooked and unprocessed. A food is essentially ‘raw’ if it is kept below 115 degrees Fahrenheit; the temperature above which enzymes are destroyed. It still contains important enzymes which assist in the digestion and absorption of food.

What does the raw food diet consist of ?

Generally, it consists of fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, grains, sprouts, legumes and other organic foods that are in their original state and have not been processed. It also includes unpasteurized milk, water, juice, and tea.

So, is the raw food diet all good?

The most interesting yet strange thing about consuming raw food is that, despite of all the said benefits and advantages, there is still no scientific evidence to support the claimed benefits of raw feeding. For example, according to the FDA, health benefits claimed by raw milk advocates do not exist. Therefore, experts are divided on whether it is healthy as a long term way of eating.

Consuming raw food also increases risks of many other associated problems such as:

Increased risk of food poisoning: Food poisoning is a health risk for all people eating raw foods. According to a study, food poisoning attributed to contaminated raw produce has risen ten-fold since the seventies. Salad, lettuce, juice, melon, sprouts, and berries have been most frequently involved in outbreaks.

More chances of malnutrition: While the raw food diet is rich in some nutrients, it lacks others. For example, a raw vegan diet may be deficient in calcium, vitamin D, vitamin B12, iron and zinc. Similarly, an important concern in a raw food diet is the lack of animal proteins. It is important to remember that one needs to get all the essential amino acids for proper growth which will not be possible with eating raw food diet alone.

Enhanced risk of chemical toxicity: Most of the fruits and vegetables are loaded with pesticides. So, it’s preferable to go for organic food materials to reduce the chances of side effects and to get the full benefits of the diet. Therefore, it might be best to consume only organic raw food.

Not suitable for everyone: A raw food diet, as a whole, is usually not recommended for children, women who are pregnant, people suffering from osteoporosis, and those who are anemic. There may not be enough vitamin B12, enough vitamin D and enough calories for a growing child on a totally raw vegan diet.

Finally, do remember that you can probably lose weight on the raw food diet, but how much is too much for you? That’s just another risk associated with eating raw food.

So think twice before you decide!

Everyday there are temptations, but with a goal a day, you can overlook those tempting foods and you can get yourself motivated everyday!

I have set myself a goal of purposely burning 100 calories a day. Doesn’t matter how I do it whether it be walking, or doing my Wiifit or going to the gym….It may not sound like much but it means that on those days that I’m at home with very little to do, it gets me up off the couch and thinking about moving around either doing housework or exercise!

Another goal you can set yourself is “No chocolate today” or “Walking to work today” or “Have fruit for pudding”…something that will be against your normal routine to kick start good habits! Because it’s just for a day it means you are in control, but you are still achieving something positive everyday to help your weight loss, exercise and diet. Make it a challenge if you want to! But just make this the one thing you definitely do today.

Along with my burning 100 galleries a day, I’m adding another goal a day that might be different each day. Tomorrow for example I’m going to do “No sweets/chocolate today”. Each time you can complete this goal, it gives you such a great sense of being in complete control of your decision! It’s no longer something that just happens, because you are consciously thinking “I’m not doing that today”….but it also makes it non-threatening because you’re only not doing it that day. You can set yourself another goal tomorrow and the next day and then maybe go back to a previous goal but maybe make it more challenging!

I’ve been enjoying doing these goals as they help you feel really good about yourself! Walking past the chocolate counters in stores on my “No chocolate days” are so satisfying without saying I can never have chocolate whilst losing weight! It’s good fun and productive so give it a try!