How To Strengthen Your Feet

1. Take Off Your Shoes- Practice walking without shoes inside your house. Once that feels easy for you, practice walking outside on smooth concrete and/or sand. Then transition to rougher surfaces such as asphalt and rocks. Once that feels comfortable, then, practice moderate paced exercise on these surfaces in order from softest to roughest. GO SLOWLY. Like practicing anything new, you want to take your time and transition smoothly. Otherwise, you increase your chances of injuring yourself.

2. Exercise Barefoot- Once you've got the hang of walking barefoot and/or doing moderate exercise outside without shoes, practice doing exercises that are more intense, such as weightlifting and sprinting. However, a word of caution. Make sure you cut the weight in half and/or less if you are lifting weights without shoes. You could injure yourself if you transition too fast. If you are sprinting outside and/or inside without shoes, then make sure you can walk and jog comfortably without shoes first. It doesn't make sense to go all out on an exercise if you can't even do the basics.

3. Repeat- In order for you to build and/or maintain the strength of you feet, you must continue to do the above two things. Otherwise, your feet will go back to the way they used to be. This means you must stay barefoot as much as possible. If you have to go out, invest in a good pair of minimalist shoes. Wear them at work if your boss allows you to. Otherwise, spend as much as time as you can without them. Your feet will thank you, as well as the rest of your body.

Your feet are the only parts of your body that are constantly in contact with the ground. They are your base. If your base is weak, then how can you expect the rest of your body to be strong? Just like a building, if the base is weak, then it is liable to collapse. Depending on the size of the building, hundreds of people could be killed. Similarly, if your base(feet) is weak, then it's not a matter of if you are going to injure yourself. It's only a matter of when.

Enjoy watching yourself gain strength and say goodbye to annoying ankle pain, knee pain, and/or back pain for good. Take advantage of your new found strength and challenge your family and friends to barefoot activities such as running, sprinting, basketball, football, soccer, and more.

Visit http://morayq786.tumblr.com/ to check out more reviews and helpful tips.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mohammad_R_Qureshi

Why a Foot Massage Is Where It's At!

Self-Care is Health Care: Invest in Your Feet for a Lifetime of Good Health
"Oh, my aching feet... " How many times in your life has this comment come out of your mouth? Maybe it's been after a long walk or run, a day at the amusement park with the kids, shopping at the Mall, after being on your feet all day at work, after wearing high heels or an ill-fitting pair of shoes. Whatever the reason, your feet are telling you that they've had enough and it's time for a little tender loving care.

And this is exactly why a foot massage is where it's at! We've got twenty-six bones and more than a hundred muscles, tendons, and ligaments in the foot and ankle. These itty-bitty bones and muscles bear the brunt of our body weight to stand, walk, run, hop, skip... move our body through space. All day log our foot muscles work and release so we can use the ankles, arches, and toes as levers to propel us through life, but how often are you giving your feet time to relax, re-charge, and refresh?
There is not much scientific evidence to back up the benefits, but foot reflexology has been used for thousands of years to relieve tension, improve circulation, increase "Qi" or energy flow, and help promote natural function for improved whole body health.

Reflexologists believe that there are specific points on the soles of the feet that relate to all our other organs, systems, and parts of the body. By stimulating these foot "reflexology" points you can not only help your feet feel better, but help the rest of your body too.

When any part of the body is feeling stiff, tired, or sore, stretching our muscles and massage can be two of the best things we can do to get some relief. It's easy to think about getting a neck or back massage to alleviate stress in the upper body, why not take advantage of the benefits of a foot massage and treat your feet?

Whether you have high arches, flat, feet, or a normal arch, whether you use your feet and ankles with good alignment for healthy movement habits, or your feet pronate or supinate, whether your feet are one hundred percent healthy or you're experiencing heel pain, arch pain, plantar fasciitis, pain under the balls of your feet, arch cramps, toe cramps, bunions, hammer toes, or other foot problems, taking care of your feet with a regular foot massage can help reduce stress and help your feet feel fit and fabulous.

It's great when you can find a friend, or hire a masseuse or reflexology specialist to give you a good foot massage, but this might only happen on special occasions, and there's a really good chance that your feet could actually use a little love on a more regular basis. We're using our feet daily; why not give them a good foot massage on a daily basis to help keep them strong, fit, flexible, and pain-free?
There are a lot of easy things you can do, and helpful foot-care products you can use, to enjoy a good self-massage to treat your feet! And it doesn't take long at all, with a quick 2-3 minutes, using the right foot-care tools; you can give yourself a great foot massage to help your feet feel better. Of course you can always spend a little more time focusing on your feet for preventative care to keep them well... 10-15 minutes, or even a full 30-45 minutes focused on your feet with a combination of both foot massage and targeted foot-care exercises can do wonders for maintaining healthy, happy, pain-free feet.

Wipe that "Oh my aching feet... " comment out of your life with a little TLC for your feet with regular foot massages, and foot-fitness exercises as a part of your weekly workout routine. Have you been paying attention to what your feet are telling you? Start improving your foot fitness today, your feet (and whole body) will thank you. A foot massage is where it's at to help reduce and alleviate foot pain and keep you relaxed, refreshed, and renewed.

Aliesa George, PMA-CPT is a Pilates, Foot Fitness, and Healthy Movement Habits expert. For more than thirty years, Aliesa has shared her knowledge and expertise helping thousands of clients improve their mind-body connection to achieve healthy movement habits for wellness success. Aliesa is the founder of Centerworks.com and author of numerous wellness resources including the book "Fantastic Feet! Exercises to Strengthen the Ankles, Arches, and Toes," "Pulse Power: The Daily Dozen - 10 Minute Workout Plan," "A Barrel of Fun: Pilates Arc Barrel Workout." Foot Fitness products created by Aliesa include, The Foot Fitness Kit, The Super-Ankles Foot Fit Board Workout, and the RunFit Kit for runners & walkers. To purchase these, or any of the other helpful Pilates, foot-fitness, and wellness products recommended by Aliesa please visit: http://www.centerworks.com/store/
Click here NOW for access to a FREE Foot Fitness Training Video for runners and walkers with Aliesa George and Centerworks.com. Discover easy ways to keep your feet pain-free, injury-free, fit, and healthy. http://www.centerworks.com/foot-fitness/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Aliesa_R._George

What You Can Do to Manage Your Heel Pain

When we break down the terms plantar and fasciitis we come up with this: Plantar = Bottom, Fascia = Connective Tissue and Itis = Inflammation.
So, quite simply, you have inflammation of connective tissue on the bottom of your foot. The key to effective treatment is to REDUCE your INFLAMMATION. Once you are able to decrease the amount of inflammation in your heel, you will also reduce your pain.
Your heel pain is being caused by inflammation of the large plantar ligament (fascia) of your foot and by tight calf muscles. This ligament is subjected to "overuse" which causes the pain. When these inflamed tissues cool at night, or with rest during the day, they become tight. Any weight bearing activity then causes an increased stretch, which results in pain. Bone spurs, if present, are not usually the cause of the pain.
If you are experiencing pain in your heel, especially with your first step in the morning or immediately after rest, and that pain eases up after a few steps, the following regimen should be followed:

1. ICE the sore area at least 3 times daily, either with a frozen water bottle or ice massage for 10 to 15 minutes.


2. STRETCH the arch ligament and calf muscles. This should be accomplished with the use of a night splint. You should use a night splint for 30 to 45 minutes every night to stretch out your calf muscle, achilles tendon, and plantar fascia. They are all connected and are contributing to your pain. The great thing about the night splint is that you can put it on and forget about it, you don't have to be in constant "work out mode" to get the stretch you need.It may also be helpful to keep a stretch band handy when resting for long periods of time, you can "sling" it around the ball of your foot for a good 30-second stretch. The "towel stretch" may lessen the severity of the pain you get during that first step after resting.


3. ANTI-INFLAMMATORY medication may be taken if prescribed. Take as directed and discontinue if stomach pain occurs. Over the counter medications like Aleve may help as well.


4. NO BAREFOOT WALKING! This includes just socks, lightweight slippers or sandals.


5. RUNNING OR CROSS TRAINER SHOES should be worn exclusively. This needs to be a name brand, sturdy motion-control shoe. Recommended brands include Orthofeet, Orthaheel, SPIRA, New Balance, Avia, Asics, Nike, Brooks, and Saucony. Rigid heel counters, rigid shank, external heel stabilizers, and dual density midsoles are important features.


6. IMPROVED ARCH SUPPORTS are required for improvement of heel pain. These supports will stabilize your foot and allow your feet to function properly, relieving the excess stress normally put on your arch and heel. Custom orthotics are recommended. You will have to see a podiatrist to have those made for you. However, you can find a good pair of over the counter orthotics that may help, too. We recommend "Powerstep" inserts. They fit most average foot types and will provide you with the support you need for about 6 months at a time.


7. WEIGHT LOSS if needed. This is often a common denominator with heel pain.


8. Additionally, a product like Biofreeze will offer temporary relief and can be used as often as needed.

You have to follow this treatment plan "Like a Religion". If you don't, you will not get the pain relief you are looking for, and you may very well wind up back at square one. A great number of our patients get better using this treatment plan and DO NOT end up getting injection therapy or find themselves in the operating room.
This condition is very treatable if you do your part. If your heel pain persists then you are a candidate for corticosteroid injections alternating with ultrasound therapy once a week for up to 6 weeks. If there is no, or minimal relief AFTER all of the above things, including injection therapy have been tried, platelet rich plasma treatment, along with surgery, is indicated.
You can find all of the items listed above in the Runnin' Bunion Superstore http://www.ourdoctorstore.com/runninbunion/ by clicking on the "heel pain" tab on the left hand side of the page.
Dr. Dave Williams is a podiatrist in New Mexico and West Texas. He is board certified by the American Board of Lower Extremity Surgery and a fellow of the American College of Lower Extremity Surgeons. He is a member of the American Podiatric Medical Association, the Academy of Ambulatory Foot and Ankle Surgery, and the American Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine.

The Runnin' Bunion is a valuable resource for the diagnosis and management of various types of foot pain. Please visit http://www.runninbunion.com to learn more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Williams,_DPM

The Medifast Diet And Salads: What Types Are Best?

I often hear from folks who think that a salad might be an easy way to incorporate their lean and green meal on the Medifast diet. In case you don't know, the lean and green meal is when you are supposed to add in a fresh and healthful meal to the five meals that the company already provides. This is the one meal that you design on your own. I believe the purpose of this is to make sure that you get fresh foods every day and also that you learn how to make good choices. After all, the whole idea is that you aren't on the diet forever.

I get a lot of questions about what type of salad you should be eating. Common questions are whether you can eat a fast food or restaurant salad. Or if the salad can have some type of meat in it. I also get asked a lot about salad dressing. So in the following article, I will try to clarify this.

The lean and green requirements are pretty simple. You should have 5 - 7 ounces of lean protein and three servings of vegetables. Many salads can be made to fit that description. It's best to try to stick to low glycemic vegetables. So you probably wouldn't want to have salad with corn or potatoes. A green salad with some meat, egg, or other vegetarian protein does fit the bill. Most people try to stick to a low calorie and low carbohydrate salad dressing. A good rule of thumb is two tablespoons of a dressing that contains less than five grams of fat and less than six grams of carbohydrates. If you are eating out and ordering your salad from a restaurant, it makes sense to ask them for a dressing that is low in fat and calories and then have them bring it on the side rather than pouring it liberally over the salad.

And yes, I believe that you can make this work with restaurant meals and salads as long as you are careful and not afraid to speak up and make requests. Honestly, if you look carefully at fast food restaurants, you will often find a couple of selections that will work. Any garden or green salad with grilled chicken and a careful choice of dressing applied sparingly can work. Now, a salad that is loaded in bacon, croutons, and cheese isn't going to be the best choice. But a salad that is a true green and light salad meets the guidelines. I don't think that there is any need to feel as if you need to chop up vegetables if you don't have time to do that. Bagged salads and restaurant salads can work as long as you chose them well.

Want to learn more about how to make life on Medifast a little easier? Lindsey's free Medifast ebook  features a list of all of the Medifast foods, recipes, tips, and coupons.  You can start reading immediately for free at  http://easiest-diet.com/free-medifast-ebook/html

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lindsey_Price

Healthy Diet for Breastfeeding

Part of being a mother is to ensure your baby's well-being. After giving birth, your body will prepare for another phase and that is breastfeeding. This time, you have to follow a healthy breastfeeding diet to produce quality breast milk for your little one. Since your breast milk takes all its nutrients from what your body acquires, it is your job to eat the proper foods to keep you and your baby fit at all times.

Brown Rice

You may be a little concern about your post-pregnancy body, but it does not mean you have to skimp on carbohydrates right after giving birth. Brown rice contains good amount of calories that you and your baby need to keep both of your energy levels high.

Citrus Fruits

Oranges are the best choice for nursing moms. Both of you needs Vitamin C to combat any infectious diseases. Since the first few months of your baby requires a lot of sleepless nights, vitamin C will save you from being stressed out and sick.

Leafy greens

Leafy greens are packed with iron, fiber, antioxidants and vitamin C. Vegetables like broccoli, spinach, cabbage and kale will be your "go-to vegetables" all through your nursing phase. Although, you really don't have to stress so much on eating foods that are low in calorie, leafy greens will be your best bet yet, since consuming them won't worry you from gaining more weight.

More fluids

You feed your baby through you and by drinking plenty of fluids will increase your milk production. Water is the safest and most reliable way to keep you hydrated. Aside from water, it is even better to enjoy fresh fruit juices and homemade soups to produce healthier breast milk.

Keep in mind that alcohol and caffeine are best to be avoided while breastfeeding. Your baby's growth is very crucial at this stage. Alcohol and Caffeine will affect your baby's sleeping routine and mental state. Your little one needs a good amount of sleep to develop his mental and physical growth.

Salmon, Lean Beef and Eggs

Salmon has the lowest mercury content of all fishes. It is packed with high contents of DHA which will help develop your baby's nervous system. On the other hand, Lean Beef and Eggs are rich in iron and protein too. These foods will keep you fit even after a long day of strenuous baby duties.

Breastfeeding is one of the best things you can give to your little one. Practicing a healthy breastfeeding diet is as good as eating the right food at the right amount. These foods are generally what you need when you breastfeed. So take the time to practice this diet, and rest assured your baby will turn out to be in perfect shape as he matures.

After learning about what foods to include in your breastfeeding diet, now is the time to know what foods to never eat simply by visiting this website: http://what-5-foods-to-never-eat.com/.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Yvette_Silvosa

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Is The Lemon Juice Diet Safe?

The Lemon Juice Diet is a cleansing and weight loss diet that was first developed back in the 1940s. Stanley Burroughs, an alternative medicine practitioner, invented it. Originally called The Master Cleanse, this diet had lost its pull over the past decades only to gain back its popularity in 2006 when Hollywood celebrity Beyoncé Knowles claimed to lose 20 lbs. because of it.

This fast can easily be considered a miracle diet, thanks to its ability to induce weight loss in as quickly as 10 days. Nevertheless, like any other diet, it is crucial that you consider its potential impact on your health.

What's In That Lemonade?

Basically, the Lemon Juice Diet consists of four ingredients. These are spring water, freshly squeezed lemon juice, maple syrup (Grade B), and cayenne pepper. Here's a breakdown of the roles each ingredient play:

Water: To keep you hydrated despite the fact that you are not consuming anything except the lemon juice mixture. Moreover, water will keep you satiated by filling you up until your next dose of the Cleanse.

Lemon juice: Lemon juice is said to promote the diet's "cleansing action", purifying the body by breaking up congestion and mucus, and at the same time lending a refreshing taste to the otherwise bland liquid diet. Lemon juice is packed with vitamins and minerals, too, which you may actually find handy if you are in this kind of diet.

Maple Syrup: For caloric and nutritional value, maple syrup is added to this miracle diet. However, take note that you cannot use just any maple syrup you find in the grocery aisle. For an effective Lemon Juice Diet, you have to get the Grade B type, which, according to Burroughs, is among the purest forms of maple syrup. Grade B maple syrup is less refined and more nutritious, as well. Nevertheless, Grade A and C syrups may also be used, but Burroughs stressed that Grade A is more refined, hence, less nutritious; not to mention it is much pricier than Grade B. Grade C maple syrup, on the other hand, undergoes the least amount of refining and is more nutritious compared to the Grade B variant. However, Grade C tastes less appealing, which can make the diet much harder to pursue.

Cayenne Pepper: As a Thermogenic Food, cayenne pepper raises the body's temperature, thereby hastening your metabolism. It is a proven appetite suppressant, as well, which can be very useful in curbing the appetite of any Master Cleanse participant.

The original recipe calls for 1 10-ounce glass of warm, filtered water; 2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly-squeezed and not from the bottle; 2 tablespoons Grade B maple syrup, and about a tenth of a teaspoon of cayenne pepper. If you find the mixture too spicy and unbearable, you can cut down the cayenne pepper a bit and then slightly adjust the amount as you progress and get used to the taste.

Other Lemon Juice Diet Components

Apart from the lemonade itself, the Lemon Juice Diet also requires you to have a Salt Water Flush (which is known by diet enthusiasts as SWF) every morning and laxative tea before retiring at night.

The Salt Water Flush consists of a quart of warm water and 2 teaspoons of non-iodized sea salt. The thoroughly mixed concoction is taken before anything else in the morning. The SWF is said to clean the colon and flush out toxins, so expect more bathroom trips than ever. Nevertheless, you'll feel great after a few bowel movements. After all, who wouldn't feel great once the toxins in your body are flushed out, right?

Lemon Juice Diet: Its Pros and Cons

Unlike other diets, the Lemon Juice Diet doesn't just focus on losing weight. It is also very beneficial to one's health. It is a form of liquid fast that helps flush out the toxins accumulated in our bodies after years and years of unhealthy eating and lifestyle. Apart from these, this diet can also help restore the body's normal pH, as well as relax your mind, body, and emotions.

Though some people might experience side effects like dizziness and upset stomach, these symptoms usually go away after day two or three. Then again, these side effects are considered normal body reactions and the benefits of this diet override its few disadvantages.

Keep in mind that any diet needs physical, mental, and emotional preparedness. Never go into the Lemon Juice Diet, or any diet, if you know that your health is compromised. Moreover, emotional and mental readiness helps you finish the diet successfully.

If you are interested in trying the Lemon Diet you will want the safest, most effective guide out there. I looked far and wide for such a guide. Go here and find out more http://aboutthelemondiet.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Darrell_Davis

Lose Weight on a Raw Vegan Diet and Start Living Again!

Do you have excess weight to lose? Have you tried every diet out there, only to give up and feel depressed and agitated? You really should consider adopting a better diet than the ones that you have previously tried. Why? Because clearly they do not leave you feeling good about yourself or your body. Have you ever considered adopting the raw food vegan lifestyle? The health benefits that come from this diet are endless, and weight comes off easily. This is what I call the Mother of all Diets. Here's why.

The calories are Low

When you start eating most of your calories in fruits, raw vegetables, sprouts, juices and nuts, you will see an obvious loss in your body weight, and this just keeps falling off if you stay on the raw food diet. What will give your weight loss an even bigger boost is if you eat fruits or fresh fruit juices only in the mornings. The reason is because fruits are low in fat and perfect for de-toxing, so weight will start to fall off rather quickly. Make sure you eat a variety of fresh fruits to keep your diet interesting - this will help you to stay on the raw food diet and help prevent cravings for bad foods. Why not try making for your breakfast a berry-banana smoothie? All you need is some fresh raw almond milk, some in-season berries (frozen is fine), one or two ripe bananas, and some vanilla extract or agave nectar to taste. You can even put a little pinch of sea salt in it to bring out the flavours.

It gives you abundant Energy

For lunch you should make for yourself a really big raw salad and also have a large glass of freshly made vegetable juice (made that morning, or the night before). This will skyrocket your energy to a whole new level, and you will find yourself feeling absolutely great all afternoon! People will also start commenting on your happy demeanour and sudden zest for life! It always happens!

Now, going back to the large salad for lunch - put as many of your favourite vegetables (and fruits) into it as your heart desires. I like to put into mine some romaine lettuce, fresh juicy tomatoes, onion, avocado, cucumber, walnuts, mungbeans and corn. And then for the dressing a little bit of extra virgin olive oil and also some freshly squeezed lemon, sea salt and pepper. Give it a go! This is very energizing and sustaining.

Just a word of caution however - If you are adopting this raw vegan diet for weight loss purposes, you need to limit your intake of avocado's and nuts. The reason being is that these two foods are rather high in fat (good fats) and calories, so limiting them is a must if you want to lose weight. I'm not saying to give them up altogether - just limit your intake to eating no more than half an avocado and one medium handful of nuts per day. You can increase this amount if you are maintaining your weight of course.

The conclusion of the raw food vegan diet is: Your weight loss will occur at a constant and rapid rate if you choose to undergo this amazing lifestyle. Many others have already lost weight in the same manner! To find out how they did and how you can too, CLICK HERE!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Loren_R_Antonios

Do you have excess weight to lose? Have you tried every diet out there, only to give up and feel depressed and agitated? You really should consider adopting a better diet than the ones that you have previously tried. Why? Because clearly they do not leave you feeling good about yourself or your body. Have you ever considered adopting the raw food vegan lifestyle? The health benefits that come from this diet are endless, and weight comes off easily. This is what I call the Mother of all Diets. Here's why.

The calories are Low

When you start eating most of your calories in fruits, raw vegetables, sprouts, juices and nuts, you will see an obvious loss in your body weight, and this just keeps falling off if you stay on the raw food diet. What will give your weight loss an even bigger boost is if you eat fruits or fresh fruit juices only in the mornings. The reason is because fruits are low in fat and perfect for de-toxing, so weight will start to fall off rather quickly. Make sure you eat a variety of fresh fruits to keep your diet interesting - this will help you to stay on the raw food diet and help prevent cravings for bad foods. Why not try making for your breakfast a berry-banana smoothie? All you need is some fresh raw almond milk, some in-season berries (frozen is fine), one or two ripe bananas, and some vanilla extract or agave nectar to taste. You can even put a little pinch of sea salt in it to bring out the flavours.

It gives you abundant Energy

For lunch you should make for yourself a really big raw salad and also have a large glass of freshly made vegetable juice (made that morning, or the night before). This will skyrocket your energy to a whole new level, and you will find yourself feeling absolutely great all afternoon! People will also start commenting on your happy demeanour and sudden zest for life! It always happens!

Now, going back to the large salad for lunch - put as many of your favourite vegetables (and fruits) into it as your heart desires. I like to put into mine some romaine lettuce, fresh juicy tomatoes, onion, avocado, cucumber, walnuts, mungbeans and corn. And then for the dressing a little bit of extra virgin olive oil and also some freshly squeezed lemon, sea salt and pepper. Give it a go! This is very energizing and sustaining.

Just a word of caution however - If you are adopting this raw vegan diet for weight loss purposes, you need to limit your intake of avocado's and nuts. The reason being is that these two foods are rather high in fat (good fats) and calories, so limiting them is a must if you want to lose weight. I'm not saying to give them up altogether - just limit your intake to eating no more than half an avocado and one medium handful of nuts per day. You can increase this amount if you are maintaining your weight of course.

The conclusion of the raw food vegan diet is: Your weight loss will occur at a constant and rapid rate if you choose to undergo this amazing lifestyle. Many others have already lost weight in the same manner! To find out how they did and how you can too, CLICK HERE!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Loren_R_Antonios

Fat Loss Factor Review

Lose Weight on a Raw Vegan Diet and Start Living Again!

Do you have excess weight to lose? Have you tried every diet out there, only to give up and feel depressed and agitated? You really should consider adopting a better diet than the ones that you have previously tried. Why? Because clearly they do not leave you feeling good about yourself or your body. Have you ever considered adopting the raw food vegan lifestyle? The health benefits that come from this diet are endless, and weight comes off easily. This is what I call the Mother of all Diets. Here's why.

The calories are Low

When you start eating most of your calories in fruits, raw vegetables, sprouts, juices and nuts, you will see an obvious loss in your body weight, and this just keeps falling off if you stay on the raw food diet. What will give your weight loss an even bigger boost is if you eat fruits or fresh fruit juices only in the mornings. The reason is because fruits are low in fat and perfect for de-toxing, so weight will start to fall off rather quickly. Make sure you eat a variety of fresh fruits to keep your diet interesting - this will help you to stay on the raw food diet and help prevent cravings for bad foods. Why not try making for your breakfast a berry-banana smoothie? All you need is some fresh raw almond milk, some in-season berries (frozen is fine), one or two ripe bananas, and some vanilla extract or agave nectar to taste. You can even put a little pinch of sea salt in it to bring out the flavours.

It gives you abundant Energy

For lunch you should make for yourself a really big raw salad and also have a large glass of freshly made vegetable juice (made that morning, or the night before). This will skyrocket your energy to a whole new level, and you will find yourself feeling absolutely great all afternoon! People will also start commenting on your happy demeanour and sudden zest for life! It always happens!

Now, going back to the large salad for lunch - put as many of your favourite vegetables (and fruits) into it as your heart desires. I like to put into mine some romaine lettuce, fresh juicy tomatoes, onion, avocado, cucumber, walnuts, mungbeans and corn. And then for the dressing a little bit of extra virgin olive oil and also some freshly squeezed lemon, sea salt and pepper. Give it a go! This is very energizing and sustaining.

Just a word of caution however - If you are adopting this raw vegan diet for weight loss purposes, you need to limit your intake of avocado's and nuts. The reason being is that these two foods are rather high in fat (good fats) and calories, so limiting them is a must if you want to lose weight. I'm not saying to give them up altogether - just limit your intake to eating no more than half an avocado and one medium handful of nuts per day. You can increase this amount if you are maintaining your weight of course.

The conclusion of the raw food vegan diet is: Your weight loss will occur at a constant and rapid rate if you choose to undergo this amazing lifestyle. Many others have already lost weight in the same manner! To find out how they did and how you can too, CLICK HERE!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Loren_R_Antonios

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7613927

Top 10 Fat Burning Foods to Get Ripped Abs

The Only Rapid Fat Loss Diet You Will Ever Need

While it is generally regarded that consistent weight loss of 2-3 pounds per week is the safest and the easiest to sustain, there are a number of reasons why you might want to push the envelope and embark on a rapid fat loss diet. Perhaps you have a class reunion approaching, or your friends surprised you with a trip to Cancun in two weeks. Or maybe, for psychological reasons, you need to see some quick results before you settle into a more conventional nutritional program. Regardless, there are no shortages of "starvation" or "crash" diets, supplements, and a million other items being peddled to people in your position. Let's talk about the problem with traditional starvation diets and then we will go over a rapid fat loss diet which is admittedly difficult, but which will also reveal astonishing results in just a few weeks.
Have you ever tried to lose weight by starving yourself with the "Grapefruit Diet", or the "Cabbage Soup Diet", or any of its myriad clones? If you have, you will probably recognize the problems with these diets. The first week, you will most likely lose a lot of weight. Perhaps even a pound per day. By day 7 you step on the scale and you're down 7 pounds! You tell all your friends about the diet and this is how the fad continues. However, during the second week the weight loss slows down, you are having painful cravings, you feel ill and foggy headed and unable to work. Worst of all, the weight loss has come to a standstill. So, you think to yourself "well ten pounds isn't so bad, I'll just end the diet now", and what do you know? Within a few days you rebound right back to your original weight or perhaps you even picked up a couple more pounds as a "souvenir" from your trip down starvation lane!
Here is an important point, and if you can remember this, you will never fall for another starvation diet again: Your body holds between 5-10 pounds of water underneath the skin. When you go on a starvation diet you are only losing water! The minute you start eating normally the weight will come back, and since your metabolism has likely slowed down from malnutrition, it is very likely you will gain a couple "souvenir" pounds as a reminder of your horrible experience!
When designing the ideal rapid fat loss diet we need to take the above into consideration and take advantage of the millions of dollars of research poured into nutritional science each year. I will warn you: This diet is not easy. But, on the upside, it is easier than gulping cabbage soup all day long and it is the most effective rapid fat loss diet that has been published to this day. Here are some of the advantages of this rapid fat loss diet:

• It includes fiber. This is important for the health of your digestive system and cholesterol. It is woefully lacking from most rapid fat loss diets.
• Sufficient calories. You will be in a caloric deficit, but the total number of calories are double than most "starvation diets" and the results will be much better because they are the right kind of calories.
• Timed carbs. By eliminating carbs you will spare muscle and burn fat quickly. However, if you were to cut carbs out altogether you would quickly plateau. It is important to shake things up regularly, and for this reason you will consume carbs at the right times. After workouts and once per week in the mornings, when insulin response is greatest.
• Healthy fats. The diet includes health fats which help with energy, strengthen immune system, increase oxygen uptake, and so many other benefits we don't have space to list them all.

Here is your shopping list:

• High Quality Protein Powder (Make sure it is isolate, buy a two pound bottle so you aren't stuck with a taste you don't like). If you like fruity flavors than I recommend Syntrax Nectar.
• Shaker bottles. You will find these at a sports supplement store when you purchase the protein powder.
• Milled Flax Seeds. These provide your fiber and some of your EFAs. Purchase these at a local health food store or online.
• Udo's Oil Capsules. This will provide you with the all-important EFAs. Available at any health food store.
• Oatmeal.
• One of the following: Raisins, blueberries, blackberries.
• Grape Juice (Optional, see below)

Take your ideal weight and divide by 30. Round this number down and this is the number of protein shakes you will be drinking throughout the day. Include the flax seeds with each shake and take two of the Udo's capsules with each shake. You will be mixing the powder with water only, and ice if you prefer. You can mix the shakes ahead of time and take them to work with you. It is very important to drink them regularly throughout the day and never go longer than three hours without a shake.
Pick one day per week for your carb meal. On this day, you will substitute a bowl of oatmeal and your chosen fruit for the morning protein shake.
If you work out intensely, you can include one 8oz glass of grape juice after a weights workout three days per week. Otherwise, the weekly oatmeal will be your only carb source.
After following the above rapid fat loss diet, and including the RFB training routine, many people have reported losing up to 30 pounds in 28 days. Of course, we know that some of this is water (5-10 pounds), but since calorie consumption is sufficient you will avoid the negative side effects of starvation diets, and most importantly, your will results will be long lasting.

The rapid fat loss diet is not complete without the RFB training routine. This routine takes only 12 minutes per day and is available on Matt Barlow's website here: http://rapidfatburning.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Barlow

When Elves, Bows, And Fat Loss Cross Paths

It is my belief that the reason why all the Elves in Tolkien-inspired movies are so slim and fat-free is because they've all been shooting a bow since they were little babies.
Seriously though; have you ever stopped for a moment to wonder how shooting a bow on a semi-regular basis could improve your muscle strength and endurance, rid you of extra fat, and even improve your concentration? I like to think about stuff like that from time to time and so I decided to do some research on the subject. Here is what I found:
Shooting a Bow Strengthens Your Back Muscles
Contrary to what most people believe, drawing a bow string does almost nothing to your arm muscles. In fact, the motion involved is much more similar to what you do with your arms when rowing, and the same goes for muscle activation as well - shooting a bow activates your back lateral muscles and gets them pumpin' real hard. There's one drawback (accidental pun.. I'm proud of myself!) though:
You'll have to shoot equally often with both your right and left hand, otherwise you'll end up with uneven back muscle development (making you look more like Gollum than an Elf). The solution is to purchase a bow that is for both right- and left-handed people. Luckily for us, these type of bows are very cheap, often in the <$50 range.
Archery Is a Decent Fat Burning Activity
Spending an hour shooting a bow at your local range will burn between 250 and 350 calories per hour, depending on your body build and the bow you're using. If you were to go hunting though, then it's a completely different story!
Since hunting often involves hours upon hours of tracking your prey and positioning yourself in the right spot, all of which is often done while tiptoeing (care to find out how many calories ballerinas burn?) to avoid scaring the animal away, an archer on a hunting trip will burn between 500 and 700 calories per hour, depending on how far of a distance he walks, and how often he keeps the bow string drawn in preparation for a potential shot - the more often it is drawn, the more calories you burn. Why?
Because it's more demanding than it looks. A typical hunting bow requires you to pull on the string with a force of 40 to 45 pounds! After you pull the string and if you are hunting, you'll often need to keep the string drawn for minutes at a time, perfectly steady and motionless, while waiting for that perfect moment to shoot. For most untrained people this is so taxing that their bodies literally start shaking 30 seconds into the ordeal. The only way you can avoid this is by properly choosing the bow drawing weight for your particular body build, and only buying a stronger bow once you've gained some experience.
Focus Your Way To Fat Loss
Many people who have gotten into the sport of archery reported an increased feeling of self-confidence and overall concentration, which would appear after a few days of bow shooting and never fade unless a break of 2 weeks or more was taken from the sport.
Perhaps it's a long shot and perhaps it's not, but I'm willing to bet my life that this improved concentration and self-confidence would prove to be a very effective aid in your weight loss efforts.
If you've never shot a bow before, why not give it a try at a local archery club? Worst case scenario: you'll have a wonderful time and a new experience to share with your loved ones - maybe even a new hobby. Best case scenario - you'll turn into an Elf.
Well, you know what I mean.

About the author: Mark Nazzal specializes in 1 on 1 online weight loss and fitness coaching. You can contact him for help with your specific dieting or exercising issue through his website, where a large number of helpful articles are also available: Help Me Lose Weight

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_J._Nazzal

Accelerated Fat Loss Methods for Faster Fat Loss

Do you want faster fat loss? Of course you do.
No matter how many products come out that promise people to expedite their ability to shed fat, people will continue to throw their money at them. We want efficiency and we're willing to pay for it.
Whether we think about it or not we are all concerned about doing things as efficiently as possible.
We rarely drive within the confines of our legal speed limits, we buy food from drive-through windows, and rarely take the time to adequately rest our bodies. All because we're concerned with saving time or being more productive with the time we have.
Losing a significant amount of body fat can take months to accomplish. Therefore, it goes without saying that anything we can do that will speed up the process is a welcome addition to our daily routine. As long as it doesn't take too much time, of course.
Well, I have good news for you...
Today I'm going to give you three ways that you can accelerate your fat loss results. And they won't cost you hardly anything in either additional time or money. Actually, the first method I'm going to provide you will probably save you money.
Fast in the Morning (Skip Breakfast)
Intermittent fasting is a method of accelerating fat loss and there are many ways to implement intermittent fasting to achieve that end. One of the simplest and most seamless ways to use intermittent fasting is to skip breakfast.
Skipping breakfast not only eliminates hundreds of calories from your daily intake, but it also serves to mitigate your appetite. I realize it sounds odd to say that skipping a meal would help to control your appetite, but it's true.
Most breakfast foods are laden with carbohydrates: fruits, cereals, bagels, toast, juice, milk, yogurt and oatmeal, to name a few.
Once the body is fed carbohydrates the rise in blood sugar and subsequent insulin response that follows actually triggers a response in which the body will crave more carbohydrates. If you've ever eaten a big breakfast and were hungry a couple hours later, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
Skipping breakfast will keep you from the food cravings that typical breakfast foods will induce and provide you with an easy way to cut out several hundred calories from your daily intake.
Do Cardio in the Morning
It's no secret that cardiovascular exercise (like jogging, jumping rope and elliptical workouts) is the best kind of physical activity for burning off unwanted body fat. But many people fail to realize that the timing of their cardio workouts can make a world of difference.
Cardio in the fasted state is ideal. This is when the body's blood sugar level is at its lowest, forcing the body to oxidize its fat stores to fuel physical activity.
The optimum way to structure your cardio workouts to maximize the fat burning benefit they'll provide is to do them first thing in the morning and skip breakfast to continue fasting for another three or four hours after your cardio workout is finished.
After a cardio workout your metabolism will be running in high gear and keeping your blood sugar in check by not eating will allow you to get the full fat-blasting benefit of having a revved up metabolism for the next few hours.
Even if you don't plan on skipping breakfast, cardio in the morning before eating is the most effective in terms of cutting fat.
But remember that if you can swing skipping breakfast, and fasting after completing your cardio workout, the fat shedding impact will be greatly enhanced.
Supplement with Caffeine
Besides a quality whey protein powder, I can think of no other supplement that can compare to the bang for your buck you get from caffeine.
Caffeine promotes the free flow of fatty acids, which not only allows you to burn fat faster, but also helps to target stubborn pockets of unwanted body fat plaguing your body.
The best way to use caffeine to accelerate fat loss is to drink a cup of black coffee (or coffee sweetened with stevia) about a half hour before your cardio workout. If you've never drank coffee before you should be forewarned that it is definitely an acquired taste.
If you try it and absolutely can't stand the taste of coffee you can substitute drinking a cup of coffee with taking a caffeine pill about an hour before your workout. Caffeine pills usually come in a dose of 300mg of caffeine per pill. You'll probably want to start out by taking half a pill, as 300mg of caffeine is roughly equivalent to almost three cups of coffee.
This can make you quite jittery if your body isn't used to taking in that much caffeine at once.
Faster Fat Loss is Possible
Before I wrap up I need to iterate the fact that the tips I've given in this article for speeding up your fat burning efforts will only be worth using if you're following a nutrition plan that's placing you in a caloric deficit and not filled with empty calories that bog down your liver - crap like processed foods and refined sugars.
However, when used in conjunction with a healthy nutrition plan and consistent exercise they will allow you to burn fat faster and reach your goal weight, or ideal physique, in less time.
Eat healthy, work hard and stay consistent. Remember that significant fat loss takes time. But, if you use the tools I've provided you above, the time it ultimately takes to transform your body will be reduced.

Green Coffee Extract is a powerful fatburner and is now available at Fatburners-R-Us - http://www.fatburners-r-us.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_T_Boyd

Accelerated Fat Loss Methods for Faster Fat Loss

Do you want faster fat loss? Of course you do.
No matter how many products come out that promise people to expedite their ability to shed fat, people will continue to throw their money at them. We want efficiency and we're willing to pay for it.
Whether we think about it or not we are all concerned about doing things as efficiently as possible.
We rarely drive within the confines of our legal speed limits, we buy food from drive-through windows, and rarely take the time to adequately rest our bodies. All because we're concerned with saving time or being more productive with the time we have.
Losing a significant amount of body fat can take months to accomplish. Therefore, it goes without saying that anything we can do that will speed up the process is a welcome addition to our daily routine. As long as it doesn't take too much time, of course.
Well, I have good news for you...
Today I'm going to give you three ways that you can accelerate your fat loss results. And they won't cost you hardly anything in either additional time or money. Actually, the first method I'm going to provide you will probably save you money.
Fast in the Morning (Skip Breakfast)
Intermittent fasting is a method of accelerating fat loss and there are many ways to implement intermittent fasting to achieve that end. One of the simplest and most seamless ways to use intermittent fasting is to skip breakfast.
Skipping breakfast not only eliminates hundreds of calories from your daily intake, but it also serves to mitigate your appetite. I realize it sounds odd to say that skipping a meal would help to control your appetite, but it's true.
Most breakfast foods are laden with carbohydrates: fruits, cereals, bagels, toast, juice, milk, yogurt and oatmeal, to name a few.
Once the body is fed carbohydrates the rise in blood sugar and subsequent insulin response that follows actually triggers a response in which the body will crave more carbohydrates. If you've ever eaten a big breakfast and were hungry a couple hours later, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
Skipping breakfast will keep you from the food cravings that typical breakfast foods will induce and provide you with an easy way to cut out several hundred calories from your daily intake.
Do Cardio in the Morning
It's no secret that cardiovascular exercise (like jogging, jumping rope and elliptical workouts) is the best kind of physical activity for burning off unwanted body fat. But many people fail to realize that the timing of their cardio workouts can make a world of difference.
Cardio in the fasted state is ideal. This is when the body's blood sugar level is at its lowest, forcing the body to oxidize its fat stores to fuel physical activity.
The optimum way to structure your cardio workouts to maximize the fat burning benefit they'll provide is to do them first thing in the morning and skip breakfast to continue fasting for another three or four hours after your cardio workout is finished.
After a cardio workout your metabolism will be running in high gear and keeping your blood sugar in check by not eating will allow you to get the full fat-blasting benefit of having a revved up metabolism for the next few hours.
Even if you don't plan on skipping breakfast, cardio in the morning before eating is the most effective in terms of cutting fat.
But remember that if you can swing skipping breakfast, and fasting after completing your cardio workout, the fat shedding impact will be greatly enhanced.
Supplement with Caffeine
Besides a quality whey protein powder, I can think of no other supplement that can compare to the bang for your buck you get from caffeine.
Caffeine promotes the free flow of fatty acids, which not only allows you to burn fat faster, but also helps to target stubborn pockets of unwanted body fat plaguing your body.
The best way to use caffeine to accelerate fat loss is to drink a cup of black coffee (or coffee sweetened with stevia) about a half hour before your cardio workout. If you've never drank coffee before you should be forewarned that it is definitely an acquired taste.
If you try it and absolutely can't stand the taste of coffee you can substitute drinking a cup of coffee with taking a caffeine pill about an hour before your workout. Caffeine pills usually come in a dose of 300mg of caffeine per pill. You'll probably want to start out by taking half a pill, as 300mg of caffeine is roughly equivalent to almost three cups of coffee.
This can make you quite jittery if your body isn't used to taking in that much caffeine at once.
Faster Fat Loss is Possible
Before I wrap up I need to iterate the fact that the tips I've given in this article for speeding up your fat burning efforts will only be worth using if you're following a nutrition plan that's placing you in a caloric deficit and not filled with empty calories that bog down your liver - crap like processed foods and refined sugars.
However, when used in conjunction with a healthy nutrition plan and consistent exercise they will allow you to burn fat faster and reach your goal weight, or ideal physique, in less time.
Eat healthy, work hard and stay consistent. Remember that significant fat loss takes time. But, if you use the tools I've provided you above, the time it ultimately takes to transform your body will be reduced.

Green Coffee Extract is a powerful fatburner and is now available at Fatburners-R-Us - http://www.fatburners-r-us.com/

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_T_Boyd

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7321098

Fast Weight Loss Tricks

Working out can be a big struggle for those who are looking to shed pounds fast. It's difficult to find the motivation and even harder to find the time in our already packed schedules. So when folks ask how to lose weight without exercise, I usually tell them these fast weight loss tricks.

• Start taking fish oil: Take 3 tablespoons of fish oil everyday. For many years fish oil has been used as home remedies to reduce weight. Studies support that using fish oil for weight loss increases our body's ability to burn fat. It also affects our the pathways in our brains that regulate emotion and motivation. Both of which have a profound effect on our commitment level and ability to shed pounds fast.


• Drink only water: If you are drinking coffee, fruit juices, milk, etc you are going to see immediate and substantial benefits of this. Even though these beverages have some nutritional value, they can be high in sugars and calories. And, you can get those minerals and nutrients naturally in fruits and vegetables. If you drink a lot of high calorie beverages you can easily drop 5 pounds quickly by just making the switch to drinking only water. This is one of the most natural ways to lose weight I know. Water is essential to the body. Without it you can experience fatigue, migraines, constipation, muscle cramps, irregular blood pressure, kidney problems, and dry skin. By making this one change to your daily diet, you'll be doing your body a favor for sure.


• Get more sleep: No one wants to be told when to go to bed. But if you decide to make sleep a priority you will see the results in your waistline. It is probably the single most effective way to lose weight. And most people don't give sleep and rest the attention it deserves. But it is important. 8 hours of sleep is optimal. When the body doesn't get the rest it needs, it affects the secretion of ghrelin which tells the body to feel hungry. Which means not only do you feel hungrier with less sleep, but odds are, you will probably eat more. So, if you're operating on 4-5 hours of sleep and you want to lose weight fast, try increasing your sleep time by a half hour a night until you get closer to the 8 hour goal. You will see a difference. And you'll feel better too!

Put these fast weight loss tricks to practice now and you'll see how to lose weight without exercise. If you want more great tips to lose weight you might want to grab a FREE copy of 'The Digest". Its your quick-start weight loss blueprint. Get it for free here: http://tipstoloseweightguide.com/free

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=R._Dean

Working out can be a big struggle for those who are looking to shed pounds fast. It's difficult to find the motivation and even harder to find the time in our already packed schedules. So when folks ask how to lose weight without exercise, I usually tell them these fast weight loss tricks.

• Start taking fish oil: Take 3 tablespoons of fish oil everyday. For many years fish oil has been used as home remedies to reduce weight. Studies support that using fish oil for weight loss increases our body's ability to burn fat. It also affects our the pathways in our brains that regulate emotion and motivation. Both of which have a profound effect on our commitment level and ability to shed pounds fast.


• Drink only water: If you are drinking coffee, fruit juices, milk, etc you are going to see immediate and substantial benefits of this. Even though these beverages have some nutritional value, they can be high in sugars and calories. And, you can get those minerals and nutrients naturally in fruits and vegetables. If you drink a lot of high calorie beverages you can easily drop 5 pounds quickly by just making the switch to drinking only water. This is one of the most natural ways to lose weight I know. Water is essential to the body. Without it you can experience fatigue, migraines, constipation, muscle cramps, irregular blood pressure, kidney problems, and dry skin. By making this one change to your daily diet, you'll be doing your body a favor for sure.


• Get more sleep: No one wants to be told when to go to bed. But if you decide to make sleep a priority you will see the results in your waistline. It is probably the single most effective way to lose weight. And most people don't give sleep and rest the attention it deserves. But it is important. 8 hours of sleep is optimal. When the body doesn't get the rest it needs, it affects the secretion of ghrelin which tells the body to feel hungry. Which means not only do you feel hungrier with less sleep, but odds are, you will probably eat more. So, if you're operating on 4-5 hours of sleep and you want to lose weight fast, try increasing your sleep time by a half hour a night until you get closer to the 8 hour goal. You will see a difference. And you'll feel better too!

Put these fast weight loss tricks to practice now and you'll see how to lose weight without exercise. If you want more great tips to lose weight you might want to grab a FREE copy of 'The Digest". Its your quick-start weight loss blueprint. Get it for free here: http://tipstoloseweightguide.com/free

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=R._Dean

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/6928214

Does Yoga Help You Lose Weight?

Yoga is an ancient discipline developed in India. It is a way of living that promotes physical and mental health. Practicing yogasana is beneficial to the body. A person can achieve self control, become physically fit, reduce stress and become mentally fit also through the practice of yoga. Weight loss methods usually involve crash diets and medications which can have severe side effects. Does yoga help you lose weight? Yes it does. Yoga is also a spiritual discipline which helps a person to evolve naturally in to a fulfilled human being.
Yoga teaches a person how to live properly. The asana prescribed by yoga teachers help a person to improve posture, adopt a healthy diet plan and burn calories through yogic exercises. Hatha yoga deals with the removal of surplus fat. It helps a person to attain a slim body. Yoga postures help to treat constipation by massaging the abdominal walls and muscles. This is the first step towards weight reduction in obese persons.
Obesity occurs generally because of fat accumulation, decreased physical activity and diseases or due to reasons related to emotional stress. Yoga unlike other diet plans relates to both the physical and mental aspects also and helps a person to reduce weight through proper asana and diet.
It is important to learn yoga from a proper instructor who will help chart a routine for exercise and a diet plan that is suited to a person. Daily practice is necessary to achieve the desired result. Yoga helps a person to become flexible and slender. The yogic disciplines require silence. Thus a person who practices yoga will be able to have power over the mind. The craving for food can be controlled easily. The lifestyle of a person will change for the better. Weight loss techniques in yoga have permanent effect. Other methods like crash diets or surgery are harmful to the human body.
The asanas recommended by yoga gurus for reducing weight are saral hasta bhujangasana, halasana, veerasana, dhanurasana, trikonasana, paschimotannasana, sarvangasana, hastapadangustasana, hastapadasana and ardhamatsyendrasana. Surya namaskar or worship of the sun by prostrating is an effective exercise which ensures a healthy body and also reduces weight. It should be performed at sun rise. Pranayama is the art of breathing properly. This yoga method regularizes breathing and makes the body fit. Pranayama also helps to remove obesity.
Yoga awakens the energy in the body, harmonizes body systems and purifies it. The asanas and shat karmas along with pranayama and mudras make a yoga disciple perfect in every way. Yoga is a discipline and should be practiced everyday to obtain the complete effect.

Visit my blog http://iwanttobehealthytoo.blogspot.com to receive a lot more information on weight loss and a free ebook. Also if you have a kindle, you might want to check out this ebook http://www.amazon.com/Get-Healthy-Today-tomorrow-ebook/dp/B006O8K7OQ "Get Healthy Today, Not tomorrow!"

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Iman_Dau

Weight Loss Tips

We live in a nation of growing obesity. Statistics indicate that obesity has doubled since 1980. A 2008 report showed that 1.5 billion adults were clinically obese and over 45 million children were obese. There are complications connected to being obese. Approximately 3 million people die yearly from disease brought on or made worse from obesity. These diseases include diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
Practice Prevention: There are many things you can do to control your weight and prevent obesity. It is fundamentally a shift in how you think. You must realize that you have a great deal of power over your own health. Consider the fact that you in part, can control how you age and how you can maintain good health throughout your lifetime. Of course disease can occur to any of us. However you can greatly reduce your risks with a healthy lifestyle.
Physical Activity: Exercise is a very important part of any healthy lifestyle. Exercise will strengthen your body and you will begin to build muscle. Your metabolism will increase because muscle has a higher metabolic rate than fat. So add some strength training routines to your exercise program. You can incorporate 2-3 strength training routines weekly. Only 15-20 sessions can have a huge impact on your physical strength and health. You will begin burning fat and therefore lose weight.
Good Fats versus Bad Fats: There are healthy fats to add to your diet. These include omega fatty acids such as those found in fresh fish. Salmon is has one of the highest levels of good omega fatty acids. 2-3 servings weekly could be very healthy and helpful to your weight loss. Research has shown that monounsatured fats are very effective for weight loss. A good food to add to your diet is avocados. Although not the lowest in calories, avocadoes are extremely nutritious and high in monosaturated fats. Try adding some avocado to a salad or make a guacamole dip to eat with veggie sticks such as celery and carrots. Other healthy food choices for good fats include grass fed beef and extra virgin olive oil. Olive oil has numerous health benefits. It has been shown to increase the fat burning response in the body as well as lower inflammation levels.
Sugar: Sugar is something you definitely want to eliminate from your diet, particularly if you are trying to lose weight. When you consume too much sugar, this signals your body to use insulin to begin burning it off. As a result, your insulin will spike. Whatever isn't used will be converted by your body into fat. Try to limit your sugar intake to no more than 10 percent of your daily calorie intake. So for example if you consume 1500 calories daily, sugar should comprise only 150 of those calories. Always be on the lookout for hidden sources of sugar such as those found in soda and juices.
A Healthy Breakfast: When you are sleeping your metabolism goes into more of a resting state. This is referred to as "catabolism". In order to turn it on as efficiently as possible, you need to eat a good breakfast. Having a protein with breakfast is helpful along with whole grains. A good breakfast choice might be a veggie omelet with whole wheat bread. Or some oatmeal topped with fresh fruit and a protein bar. And remember to start the day with drinking some fresh pure water to hydrate your body.
Eating Styles: Eating smaller "mini meals" is a very effective way to help you lose weight. Eating your meals at consistent times is helpful. Eating every three hours during the day is a good way to keep your body consistently fueled with energy. This will also keep you from overeating. Many people overeat because they starve themselves all day and then they binge on a huge dinner. The whole key to keeping weight off is to keep your metabolic rate as high as you can. Skipping meals actually lowers your metabolism.
Reward System: Everyone once in a while you really need to just reward yourself. If you are too regimented in your eating habits and never allow yourself a little indulgence now and then, one of two things will happen. Either you will end up binging or you will quit and begin to go back to your old habits. It is well known that when you are too restrictive in your diet you will usually binge within a month and potentially gain even more weight.
Supportive Relationships: Being with like minded people who take care of themselves will really help you. If you are with peers who are overweight and have no motivation to get in shape you will probably do the same. We tend to mirror those we associate with. So if this is your situation, why not look to broaden your horizons and meet new and interesting people. You could join a gym, or a local meet up group that does walking, hiking, swimming, dance, etc. This will change your outlook on yourself. Before you know it, you will incorporate new and healthy habits into your own life and be on your way to successful weight loss.
Eliminate Junk Foods: Go through your kitchen and eliminate all of the unhealthy junk foods and processed foods you have around. You will benefit yourself and your family by doing so. If you have easy access to junk foods, the odds are you will eat it. Anytime you feel rushed or upset about something you will reach out to these types of foods. Focus instead on filling your pantry with healthy, wholesome foods. Keep snacks such as fresh fruit and no sugar yogurts in your home.
Water: Water is very important to your good health. You need to stay hydrated. If it is hard for you to drink water, add fresh lemon or lime. Try drinking 4 to 6 glasses per day of water. Drinking water is helpful to weight loss because it keeps you feeling full. An easy way to get your water intake is to bring a few bottles with you to work to have readily available to you. This will lessen the temptation to consume soda or fruit juices that are high in calories and filled with sugar. Remember, whenever beginning any dietary or lifestyle changes, always consult with a medical professional, particularly if you are taking prescription drugs or suffer from any disease or ailment.

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If you would like more information regarding the treatments available at The Issels Medical Center in Santa Barbara, California, please call 805-962-2126 or toll free at 888-374-7735. And please visit the website at: http://www.issels.com/Questionaire/questionnaire_IMC.aspx.
By Tina C. Loren

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tina_C._Loren

How to Cut 3 Pounds in an Hour Before a Wrestling Match

Amateur wrestling, high school and college, besides being an extremely physical strength and skill dependent sport, is a game of weight. To posses the strength of a 160 pound person, but physically confront, by wrestling, a person with the strength of a 145 pound person, by dropping weight in order to equal your opponent, is normal practice. There's nothing illegal about it, we're not talking steroids or some physical enhancing drug. We're talking controlling your body to reach goals your mind has set.
Besides, there is a science to dropping weight. Do it incorrectly or too quickly and you will not only lose your advantage, you'll give your opponent a huge advantage by dehydrating and losing strength. You'll enter the match tired and sluggish, the exact opposite effect you were striving for.
Let's get one thing straight before we begin, you can not lose 3 lbs of body fat in 1 hour, not unless you cut an appendage off and that's not an option. However, you can lose 3 lbs of overall body weight by losing water weight. Remember Biology 101, the body could be consisted of 75% water, depending on the person's physical make up. The fatter the person the greater the difference in water weight than a muscular person, for example.
So what we really are attempting to do is rid the body of water (fluid), which will translate into less body weight. So how do we safely do this?
The first matter we must address is our diet, and I'm not talking just eating healthy, I'm talking eating sodium free. Salt, is the number one reason a healthy person retains water. There are other health reasons which cause the retention of water, but those do not apply in our case.
Therefore, if we eliminate as much salt from the body as possible, the body's resistance to losing fluid decreases making it easier to pass water weight through perspiration.
Perspiration if you recall, is the body's natural function to cool itself when temperatures rise above normal. Therefore, we must create heat to raise the body's temperature and force it to cool itself by perspiring.
There are probably many different methods, some complex such as water pills which causes a person to continually urinate, to rid the body of fluid, but we'll use an old tried and true method. Sweating.
Dress yourself in warm clothing such as sweat shirts and sweat pants. You notice I use the plural form of shirts and pants because you will put on layers of these clothes, at least two layers and three if possible.
Be sure to wear a hat of some sort, preferably a winter sock hat, as the body gets rid of a tremendous amount of heat through the head. We don't want that to occur in this situation. We want to retain as much internal heat as possible.
Exercise vigorously for at least 10 minutes. This can be jogging, either in place or around the gym, jumping jacks, what ever you find comfortable, but which will work up a good sweat.
After creating a good sweat, lay down and have someone wrap you in a blanket or wrestling mat. This will cause the body temperature to remain high after exercising, which will continue to extract fluid through perspiration.
After 20 minutes, unclothe and weigh in. You most likely have lost more than three pounds, but if not, you still have time to redress, with dry clothes, and repeat the procedure.
As with any drastic or sudden body change, there are dangers associated with this procedure. Never perform this procedure alone. Always have a coach or an wrestler with quick access to the coach, with you at all times. After making weight, re-hydrate with drinks such as Gatorade which are high in electrolytes.

Jim was an outstanding wrestler in high school. Jim (Coach) Bain is a former Minor League Baseball Player and successful Coach of Youth Baseball for over a decade and a half. He has drawn from fellow successful coaches' experiences and combined them with his own extensive experience to create a Baseball Teaching Website. The site is packed with 100s of tips, drills, history and instruction on how to play and coach the game of baseball. http://www.Learn-Youth-Baseball-Coaching.com

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9 Best Practices to Lose Weight

Many people are always looking for the best practices to lose weight. Burning fat does not have to be complicated. Actually, burning fat is a simple process. The hard part is adhering to a dieting plan. Discipline is required. You must consider your body type before adopting a dieting plan. There are various dieting plans for different types of bodies. Adopting any type of dieting plan may be a disaster. Begin by consulting a dietitian or health/fitness doctor.
Most methods of burning fat involve changing your diet. You can change your diet by cutting down your intake of calories, sodium and fat. This is a straightforward way of dealing with fat. The diet plans are simple and logical. As an example, instead of consuming carbon beverages, you can take water or fruit juice. Consumption of water can burn as much as 150 calories, while fruit juice can burn as much as 100 calories.
There are 9 best practices to lose weight, and these are:
First, you must learn to drink herbal drinks. Herbal teas are better than snacks and sweets. There are many types of herbal teas. Check your store for orange, almond and apple-cinnamon tea. You will be surprised but the aroma of tea is enough to make lose appetite for snacks. Tea not only gives you a feeling satiety, but it kills your cravings.
Second, you must avoid foods with high carbohydrates. High carbohydrate foods should be eliminated from your daily diet. These foods counteract the fat burning process. Meaning that all the fat you lost for the day will be restored at night if you eat carbohydrate foods.
Third, you must avoid taking alcohol. High amounts of useless calories are found in alcohol and these add nothing but more fat.
Fourth, motivation can help you eliminate fat. Reward yourself for working out and eliminating fat. Make it a goal and monitor your progress.
Fifth, you must find alternatives for high calorie foods. Find foods that taste almost the same but with low calories. For example, take fruit juice in place of soda. Baked chicken in place of fried chicken. Sub sandwiches in place of pizza.
Sixth, avoid starving yourself. Starving yourself creates a craving for delicious food that often contains high calories. It is better to eat little at a time.
Seventh, make it a habit to drink water everyday. Ideally, seven glasses a day is recommended. A glass of water before a meal is okay because it fills your stomach.
Eight, Remember to stick to your diet plan or training program. You must be consistent if you want to see good results.
Last, you must avoid checking your weight on a scale. Scales are not an accurate indicator of how much fat you lost. The fat you lose may be compensated by the build up of muscles, and the scale will not show this. It is better to check your girth. It is more reliable.

If you are a female or if you know a woman who is interested in losing weight, Briggs pants will help. These pants give a slimming look by conforming to you body fit. To read more about Briggs petite pants, visit the links.

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What Are the Characteristics of a Good Nutrition Bar?

A wide variety of Nutritional Bars have been on the market for many years each claiming that it will help you to control your weight. Needless to say not all actually perform as the same. What many manufacturers, that use artificial sweeteners in the formula to sweeten their nutrition bars is that in quite a few bars the artificial sweetener actual stimulates further hunger desire when consumer. This is not common to only diet nutritional bars but also several diet drinks and carbonated beverages.
I have personally experienced this hunger desire after consuming any diet products. Once I stopped consuming products with artificial sweeteners I no longer had the desire to eat. When I asked my doctor he confirmed that artificial sweetener actual make you feel like eating more.
Having made the above statements, the following question arises as to what makes one nutrition bar better than another?
Characteristics of a Quality Bar
Let's start by saying that a good bar should have the following characteristics:

• Taste good
• Should not stimulate further hunger
• Make a perfect mini meal or snack
• Provide your body with energy producing nutrients
• Allows you continue burning fat
• High in Protein
• Low in Carbohydrate fats
• Stimulate the Glycemic Response facilitating release of stored fats as fuel or proving energy
• Have more than one flavor to avoid you becoming fed up

Many bars provide some of these traits but not all of them do. However, the determining of which products have the ingredients that will support these characteristics is not an easy task and could be quite time consuming.
I could bore you with a lot of comparative information, but I would rather just prefer to share with you a product that both my spouse and I have used for years successfully to control our weights. The product that I am referring to is the GNLD GR2eat Bar.
Whether you are on a diet or not a good nutritional bar makes sense.
For the dieter the nutrition bar is an effective way of controlling your calorie intake, providing energy while losing weight. It helps to reduce hunger pangs in between meals.
For those people that are not a diet plan the nutrition bar helps to control their calorie intake, thus enabling them to maintain their desire weight. In either situation the GR2eat Bar provides a favorable benefit to the consumer. Binging on junk food whilst you are experiencing hunger pangs is not healthy and can be avoided or tempered.

GNLD GR2eat Bar provide the user with all of the above using only natural ingredients. It is part of the GNLD Dynamic Weight Loss Program. Based on user feedback and re-order levels this GR2eat Bar has been proven be a success. It is risk free and safe for human consumption.
To obtain more information or order your GNLD GR2 eat Nutrition Bar CLICK HERE! to visit the WholeFoodSupplementsOnline.com website.

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Buckwheat Nutrition - A Useful Way to Remain Healthy

Buckwheat is not a cereal grain. Buckwheat is originally a fruit seed. Like other cereal grains buckwheat nutrition is also very useful to keep the body healthy and fit.

A Nutritious Food like Buckwheat
A nutritious food like buckwheat is available throughout the year and they can be grounded as flour. A delicious item like porridge can be easily made from it. In some cases it has served as a substitute for rice. People suffering from diseases related to gluten and those who have sensitivity with the wheat can easily replace those items with buckwheat. It is gluten free and often well tolerated by the people. A hearty food like buckwheat is rich in minerals like magnesium and manganese. Moreover they are also rich in dietary fiber too along with an earthy flavor.

Description Of Buckwheat Nutrition
The buckwheat has a similar size to the wheat kernels but they have an unusual triangular shape. It differentiates the buckwheat from other cereal grains. To make it edible the outer hull of buckwheat must be milled and removed. The buckwheat kernels or groats have a very strong nutty flavor in it when it is roasted and they are often referred as one of the most renowned European dishes named "Kasha". When the kernels are unroasted, they contain much more subtle flavor. Generally the buckwheat kernels colors range from tannish pink to brown. Similarly when they are grounded as flour their colors become light or dark form. The dark form of buckwheat is more nutritious and they are denser too.

Nutrition Values of Buckwheat
The amount of nutrition values of cooked or roasted buckwheat is very high. One cup of roasted buckwheat can provide 154 calories along with 1 g of fat, 6 g of protein, 5 g of dietary fiber, 33 g of carbohydrates and many more. The roasted buckwheat is generally richer in dietary fibers and carbohydrates. They are also an essential source of several necessary minerals. One cup of cooked buckwheat provides 117 mg of phosphorus, 0.25 mg of copper, 85 mg of magnesium and 0.68 mg of manganese.

Nutrient Benefits of Buckwheat
Buckwheat nutrition is immense. Whether they are cooked groat kernels or whole-groat flour, they are always an excellent source of carbohydrates. The human nervous system or the cells rely on these sources of energy. The availability of high amount of dietary fiber helps the health of the digestive system. It helps in weight management and in reducing the blood sugar and cholesterol. The essential 13 vitamins and minerals are found in buckwheat and that's why it's considered as one of the nutrient-rich food. Therefore you need to ensure the presence of buckwheat nutrition in your regular meals for a healthy life.

Buckwheat nutrition is very useful to keep the body healthy and fit. You can get all the information about Buckwheat Healthcare Products at http://www.buckwheat.com.sg/products/prodlist.aspx

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New Rules for Pregnancy Nutrition

A new must-read for expecting moms is Bridget Swimney's recent fourth edition of "Eating Expectantly." Although the primary focus of the book is pregnancy nutrition, it also offers healthy lifestyle advice for the whole season of pregnancy, including pre-conception, pregnancy, postpartum and breastfeeding. Lifestyle emphasis goes beyond diet to living in a cleaner, greener and safer environment for you and your baby. This includes discussion on exposure to cosmetic and household chemicals during pregnancy.

As to the subject of pre-natal vitamins and supplement, much new research has been published lately on the importance of Vitamin D during pregnancy. In the past stress was given primarily to Folic Acid, which is still an important supplement. However, Vitamin D is an underestimated important supplement that many pregnant and breastfeeding women to not get enough of. Inadequate Vitamin D has been linked to gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia and decreased bone mass in newborns. New research now suggests that most women start their pregnancies with deficient Vitamin D levels, so the recommended levels of 600 IUs in insufficient. Now researchers are recommending pregnant women supplementing at a minimum of 1000 IU. Now vitamin levels can be tested to find out what dose is best for a person's specific needs.

Another important diet component during pregnancy is iodine which controls metabolism and is important in brain development. It's important for pregnant women to get an adequate supply of iodine in their diet to protect from birth defects and impaired cognitive function. Most people get most of their sodium from sodium based preservatives and adding salt to their food. However, not all salt contains iodine, including sea salt. A good way to get iodine in your diet is to buy iodized salt and eat foods already rich in iodine such as milk, potatoes and cod.

Choline is another nutrient that has not been stressed much in the past for pregnancy but is important for the developing brain. Recent studies have shown mothers who did not get enough choline in their diet had higher occurrences of neural tube defects in early pregnancy. Good food sources for choline include eggs, cod, lean beef and Brussels sprouts.

Swimney also cautions against substituting artificial sweeteners for women with gestational diabetes or just trying to watch their sugar intake. Research from Denmark showed an increase in pre-term deliveries for pregnant women who consumed more than one beverage daily with aspartame sweetener. While the study is not conclusive, it does give pause to consuming too much of these sweeteners during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

As far as healthy pleasure foods, Swimney gives a thumbs up to dark chocolate and natural cocoa. New research shows that these chocolates improve blood vessel function which is linked to improved cardiovascular health. Regular chocolate consumption is also shown to reduce pre-eclampsia and hypertension. That's a good reason to indulge in chocolate milk, hot cocoa or a few chocolate chip cookies!

Swimney gives more details on these health recommendations and many more in her fourth edition, "Eatting Expectantly." It is definitely worth checking out to assure you are doing everything you can to ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy.

Amy Jarman is owner of maternity and nursing clothes store Tummystyle.com with a wide selection of maternity swimwear, for your pregnancy by designers such as Prego Maternity, Maternal America & Belabumbum. TummyStyle has sells over 60 style of maternity swimsuits and can provide expert advice in fitting, comfort and style.

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