Fat loss versus muscle loss

Weight loss typically involves the loss of fat, water and muscle. Overweight people, or people suffering from obesity, typically aim to reduce the percentage of body fat. Additionally, as muscle tissue is denser than fat, fat loss results in increased loss of body volume compared with muscle loss. Reducing even 10% body fat can therefore have a dramatic effect on a person's body shape. To determine the proportion of weight loss that is due to decreased fat tissue, various methods of measuring body fat percentage have been developed.

Muscle loss during weight loss can be restricted by regularly lifting weights (or doing push-ups and other strength-oriented calisthenics) and by maintaining sufficient protein intake. Those on low-carbohydrate diets, and those doing particularly strenuous exercise, may wish to increase their protein intake. According to the National Academy of Sciences, the Dietary Reference Intake for protein is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight for adults.

Excessive protein intake, though not connected to declined kidney functioning in healthy individuals, may be harmful to those with certain kidney diseases.There is no conclusive evidence that moderately high protein diets in healthy individuals are dangerous, it has only been shown that these diets are dangerous in individuals already suffering from kidney and liver problems.

The Basal Metabolic Rate, which is the amount of calories the body expends at rest, meaning without performing any physical activity, is influenced by the person's total weight and total amount of muscle. The more muscle, the more calories a person can burn naturally. When the amount of muscle is increased, then more calories can be ingested without gaining weight. On the contrary, if the amount of fat is increased, increasing the number of calories ingested will only add weight.

Normally, when people lose weight, they lose a combination of fat and muscle. If the diet plan includes a daily caloric intake greater than the BMR, the person will most likely lose fat. In contrast, if the person follows a diet that includes a lower caloric intake than the BMR, this person will lose fat but also a higher percentage of muscle.[citation needed] Severe diets may make people lose 50% fat and 50% muscle weight thus affecting their metabolism because by losing muscle the BMR gets affected.

Maintaining muscle mass while losing fat is therefore a key factor to reach both the ideal weight and body composition. To achieve this goal, experts advise not to reduce carbohydrates aggressively. Fat can be lost by reducing the calorie intake by 20% of daily needs for two days.[citation needed] This reduced calorie intake, even in the presence of 100% carbohydrate consumption, allows for reduction of fat without muscle loss because the glycogen in the muscle is properly replenished.[8]

Exercising on days when the highest amount of carbohydrates is consumed, 1.5 to 2 hours after eating, is also helpful to achieve a balanced fat reduction in the absence of muscle loss. Within this window of time, sugar and insulin levels are undergoing a slow decline. When insulin levels start dropping, the pancreas then produces the hormone glucagon while releasing nutrients stored in the fat cells to the blood to be turned into energy. On the contrary, if blood sugar levels suffer a high increase, insulin feeds the muscle cells and deposits excess into fat cells. Furthermore, if insulin levels decrease too much, the muscle cells do not receive the appropriate amount of food they require. There should always be a meal left during the day after exercising to allow the muscles to recover from exercise.

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The 2011 way to stay healthy

Obesity is the most common disorder of the present time and is the main cause of many health problems like heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes and also kidney diseases. The main reason of obesity is an imbalance between energy intake and energy out put causing a large accumulation of fat in the body. In order to control obesity, caloric intake is reduced while maintaining the daily nutritional requirements of the body.

A well balanced diet is one that on a regular basis includes foods that meet our body's requirements for the wide variety of nutrients needed to stay healthy in 2011 or in any year and will not change. It's what you eat most of the time that affects your health most. That means no need for lists of "forbidden foods" that you need to learn to live without. That's self-defeating "diet talk" that we know has a slim chance of lasting long term!

But given the state of our national health, it's clear that most people's day-to-day eating habits are in sore need of a tune-up. Too much processed, high fat food, along with too little physical activity, are raising our rates of obesity, heart disease and diabetes, starting younger in life than ever before. On the other hand, reams of research tell us that many of these health problems are avoidable by eating a well-balanced diet and exercising regularly. And the earlier in life you begin, the better.

Without knowledge of the basics, the tendency is to mistrust your judgment and see way too many foods as "bad." Keep in mind that healthy eating isn't just about limiting the stuff that's not so good for you - it's also about going out of your way to eat nutritious foods. Here are some general guidelines for making healthy food choices:

Aim for more fruits and vegetables. Studies show that eating more vegetables and fruits at meals and snacks helps displace higher calorie - and often less nutritious - foods, without leaving you feeling hungry.

Include low fat protein foods - like lean meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, reduced fat dairy foods, beans, soy foods, nuts and seeds - with meals and snacks whenever possible. These foods will help you meet your daily protein requirements (50 grams perday for women, 63 grams for men), and provide many important vitamins and minerals.

Opt for whole grains whenever possible. Look for whole grain breads, fiber-containing cereals, brown rice and other "brown" grain foods.

Limit your access to "junk foods." You greatly increase your odds of overindulging if they're too easily available.

Trim the fat. Most people - particularly those who eat out a lot - eat far more fat than is healthy. Limit foods that are fried, prepared with a cream or cheese sauce, or have lots of added butter or oil.

Give yourself every opportunity to get the good stuff in and Don't skip meals. Skipping meals during the day also often leads to overeating at night, which is not a healthy habit, particularly for those watching their weight.

To make all this happen, it's important to "set the stage" to up the odds good eating to occur. That involves a little planning so that good food is available, and carving out time, a few times a day, to sit down and eat healthful foods.

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How to Lose Belly Fat - 5 Tips To Use Now

Fat is not always negative. We need fat to keep us warm, protect our internal organs from damage and keeps us healthy and our cells in prefer condition. It keeps our skin glowing. But fat becomes a problem when it is available in excess in the body. It disfigures us, puts our health at risk and cause us to feel tires and lethargic the whole day. Additionally excess fat especially belly fat can cause serious illnesses such as heart disease and abates. So how to lose belly fat fast if you are one of those plagued with the dreaded pot belly?
Women may be obsessed with ways how to lose belly fat fast since it hurts their looks and appearance in a negative way. The modern women are more prone to developing pot belly due to the high level of stress, the need to keep up with the demands at the workplace, the additional chores at home and a horde of other problem haunting the woman today. The hectic schedule simply means there is no time left to exercise. Women who have protruding tummies may be depressed trying to figure out how to lose belly fat fast and effectively.
But men are not spared from this problem either. No one what to go around looking like an eight month pregnant women along with the man's boobs too! Today's competitive workplace and the high targets set makes men strive harder and stronger, which all adds up to the stress level, An men too are complaining of having less time for themselves to exercise. Most of them would be too tired after a hard days work to spend more time to hit the gym. So if you happen to be one of them you may wonder just how to lose belly fat under these circumstances?

It can be a very demanding task but here are five simple tips to help you get started.
Tip #1: Exercise
There are no excuses allowed here, you need to exercise now. If you haven't already started on your own exercise program this is a great time to check out some of the options available and choose one that you feel might be suitable for you. Take into account your personal interest and the level of fitness you enjoy when choosing the program.
Tip #2: Food
Stay away from fattening food, and food that is high in salt content. Salt tends to cause the body to retain water which account for that bloated look in your belly area. Start consuming plenty of energizing food scubas fruits and vegetables for a change. You will soon notice your skin getting brighter and takes on a healthy glow if you follow this diet.
Tip #3: Slimming Wraps
This is a new way to lose belly fat but it works. If you are wondering how to lose belly fat fast for an upcoming unimportant event, then go for these wraps! They can be purchased under several commercial brands or you can even create one in your own home.

Tip #4: Sauna
If you have time to spare consider going for a special treat at the local spa. Get into sauna room which would help detoxify your body. You would feel refreshed and raring to go just after one session in one of these sauna rooms
Tip #5: Meditation
Now for that final touch, get a nice session of meditation to help lower your stress level and pout you in a more empowering state of mind. You may choose to follow some home made videos on mediation or you can even join into a club that specializes in these activities. It also helps to have a tutor or a guru you can rely on.

Threes are five very effective ways to help if you are looking at how to lose belly fat without expensive surgery.

Dramatically Increase Your How to Lose Belly Fat by checking out our free report. Go to http://www.fatloss-review.us right now before we wise up and decide to no longer reveal our secrets!

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

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How To Lose Weight Fast and Easy- we should take Actions to become healthy

 

and after one year

Just take action to change

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My "No Diet" Diet (continued)

First, I had to sit down to a meal on a plate at a table. Second, I had to take small bites and chew thoroughly to teach myself what it's like to eat slowly — and also learn to stop when I was full. Finally, I'd quit weighing myself. I shouldn't look at the scale if I'm not supposed to care.
Simple enough, right? Wrong.
Before I could actually enjoy a meal, I had to unlearn more than a decade of weight-loss brainwashing. I had to teach myself to look at turkey, avocado, and bread as a delicious sandwich instead of nutritional parts to be worked off later. I had to rediscover how much I could even eat, since up to now, my intake was either "strict" or "cheating."
The first time I tried this at dinner with friends, I ordered a salad with goat cheese and dressing that I ate with bread, a medium-rare steak, a glass of cabernet, and finally, oozing chocolate cake. It's not that I'd never ordered that way before. It's just this time, I didn't allow myself to feel bad about it. It was liberating — that night, anyway.
The next day, I passed on the after-lunch brownie I was offered, unsure of the damage I'd done the night before. But then I remembered I was missing my own point. I went back for the brownie and fought the urge to feel bad the rest of the day. On the third day, I freaked out. Suddenly, my jeans were tighter, so I spent the next few days eating egg whites, fish, and vegetables (no carbs!) and working out — until I got the nerve to step on the scale and saw that I hadn't doubled my body weight (and remembered that my jeans had just come out of the wash). I snapped out of it — that time. But I'd repeat this cycle for six months.
Determined to leave food guilt in the past, I tried an experiment. I would weigh myself every morning for two months to see how each day's intake affected my weight. Maybe one indulgent meal — or six — didn't ultimately make a difference. It was enlightening: When I ate Chinese, it was 2 pounds up. When I drank a lot of water, it was 1 pound down. If I ate five holiday-type meals in a row, the scale jumped 3 pounds. But once my life went back to normal, the scale rebalanced. Many times, nothing happened — even after three cookies and a piece of rugelach.
Success.
Along the way, I learned how I eat. I discovered I really did like richer Häagen-Dazs better than the pseudo ice cream I'd been eating for a decade. But I also learned that when I ordered Chinese chicken with string beans, I preferred brown rice instead of white. And I actually do love steamed broccoli with sea salt. As for pancakes, a bite is enough. I prefer the savory eggs.
It took me a year, but I've finally become that girl-who-can-eat-whatever-she-wants-and-never-gain-an-ounce — and I don't even need to think about my rules. Instead of writing a food log, I spend more time writing in my journal and doing active things, like running or rock climbing. And, of course, once I shed the desperation and guilt, I dropped those 3 pounds too.

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My "No Diet" Diet, part one.

WebMD Feature from "Marie Claire" Magazine

By Yael Kohen

What would happen if you stopped dieting? If you ate the steak — and the frites — because you wanted them? Yael Kohen discovered that eating what you want isn't as easy as you think.
It was the diet to end all diets. About a year ago — 15 years after my first diet — I decided to break my perpetual need-to-shed-pounds lifestyle to do something radical: eat what I wanted, when I wanted. Call it the "no diet" diet. It's the hardest thing I ever did.
See, the first time I went on a diet, I was 12. I was hardly plump, but there was no hiding my two stomach rolls in the black Betsey Johnson spaghetti-strap dress I bought for my bat mitzvah. And on Manhattan's Upper East Side, where I grew up, dieting is as much a rite of passage as your first period.
Through my teens and into my 20s, I went on and off a variety of diets, from Weight Watchers to Atkins to Cabbage Soup, until finally seeing a nutritionist I couldn't afford who had me eat four meals a day and diligently record each morsel in a journal. I hit the treadmill because it supposedly burned more calories than the bike. All this, and I was never really fat. Two years out of college, I was just 3 pounds shy of fitting into the Citizens of Humanity jeans I deliberately bought one size too small. But those 3 damn pounds wouldn't come off.
Oh, I tried. I ate salads and fruit, skinless chicken and broccoli. I craved the pancakes but ordered egg whites and learned to drink my vodka on the rocks. Except, of course, for all those times I didn't. The problem is, I love food: the smell, the taste, the experience of sitting down to a three-hour dinner with a bottle of cabernet and close friends. I love Italian peasant bread dipped in olive oil and a little sea salt; I love braised lamb shank over roasted fingerling potatoes; and I love, love molten chocolate cake. So when I say I tried, I really did, following all those meals with calorie restriction and exercise, questioning whether the gourmet food had been worth it.
Until one day, several years into this crime-and-punishment back-and-forth, I heard a very skinny friend call herself fat. If she could think she was fat, I wondered when, if ever, I would be satisfied with the way I looked.
That's when I said to hell with it and resolved to live guilt-free and eat what I wanted, when I wanted. I'd seen other people do it, and they were trim. But still, I knew I would need guidelines so I wouldn't revert to my deprivation ways — or gain weight.

Source of the article : Here

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Weight loss Tip 10

Opt for lighter choices once in a while at restaurants.

Many restaurants have lighter options on their menus these days, some have low-fat options and some have even jumped on the low-carb band wagon and offer low-carb options.

Whenever you're sitting in a restaurant looking through the menu, ask yourself if a lighter option would be a better choice. Where possible choose steamed, poached, boiled or baked foods rather than those that have been fried or deep fried.

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Weight loss Tip 9

If you're a weekend food binger, plan ahead to make sure you have plenty of healthier snacking options in the house.

For example, pre-prepare some air-popped popcorn, mix up a blend of your favourite unsalted nuts, have some low fat yogurts ready to go in the fridge and try adding a dash of cordial to carbonated mineral water instead of drinking high sugar colas, etc.

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Weight loss Tip 8

Get into the habit of carrying a bottle of water with you wherever you go.

Keeping water handy will help keep you sufficiently hydrated and will help stop you reaching for the closest thing available when you inevitably become thirsty, such as carbonated drinks full of sugar or coffee, which actually causes further dehydration.

It's a well documented fact that many of us often mistake hunger for thirst and actually eat unnecessary calories when we are actually thirsty. When we are well hydrated, we're also less likely to overeat when we do sit down at the table.

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Weight loss Tip 7

If you often fail to go on planned bicycle rides because it's too windy, reconsider.

If it's windy outside, it does make it harder to ride our bikes, particularly heading directly into a strong wind.

But for those of us who want to lose weight, this is actually a good thing because the harder we are forced to work, the more calories we'll burn each minute!

Just be sure not to try to maintain the same speed you were doing with the wind when you're against it, you may get your heart rate a bit higher than is absolutely necessary.

Just slow down a little and enjoy the ride (as best you can under the circumstances!).

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Weight loss Tip 6

Try to break unhealthy food associations.

Many of us get into the habit of enjoying unhealthy food and drink while we're doing everyday things like watching our favourite TV shows, visiting cinemas, going to our favourite club, etc.

Every time you go to the movies do you habitually order a large popcorn, ice-cream, large coke, bag of lollies or chocolates before sitting down? Or can you watch your favourite soap opera without a cup of coffee or tea and a few chocolate biscuits?

If the answer is yes and no respectively, you could have some unhealthy food associations that could be making you heavier or preventing you from losing weight.

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Weight loss Tip 5

If you often find yourself reaching for chocolate or lollies in between meals, try eating a handful or two of mixed, unsalted nuts instead.

For best results, mix your own and include nuts that you don't necessarily eat on their own. Eating mixed nuts together means you won't even notice the ones you don't normally eat.

Although some nuts are relatively high in fat, the fat they contain is good fat that our body needs to stay healthy. And because they are so filling, you will probably end up consuming far less total calories than if you ate a less healthy alternative.

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Weight loss Tip 4

Offer to be the "designated driver" more often.

If you go out for dinner and drinks with family and friends, offering to be the designated driver will save you hundreds of kilojoules because you can't drink as much alcohol.

In addition to drinking fewer kilojoules, you'll probably eat less as well because alcohol often makes us "let our guard down" and eat when we are no longer hungry.

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Weight loss Tip 3

Try drinking a glass of water before a meal.

If you tend to overeat at certain meal times (like dinner for example), try drinking a medium to large glass of water 10 to 15 minutes before you sit down to that meal.

Drinking water before your meal will partially fill your stomach and may reduce your hunger levels, because often when we think we are feeling hunger, our body is actually telling us that it is getting dehydrated and needs some water.

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Top 10 Best Foods that has high quality diets nutrients

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Follow These Tips to Become A Sexy Mom

Many of the women think that their pregnancy weight will get off as soon as they give birth but this is not true at all. Things do not get back to normal this easily. But if you really want to become a sexy mom you can do it easily with your strong will power and strength. Some useful tips are given below which should be followed by those mothers who really badly want to look sex as soon as their baby is born.
• Eat food items which contain less fat and loads of essential nutrients. Substitute the intake of fatty foods, junk foods and all other food items that are unhealthy with the ones that are more healthy for you like; fruits, vegetables, fish, etc. The more you stick to the recommended dietary allowance the more it becomes possible to look sexy again. It is very important for you to add food items from all the food groups mentioned on the food pyramid.
• Start doing exercise as soon as you recover from delivering a baby. Stop giving excuses and start doing things in a practical way. A combination of doing regular exercise and eat healthy food can boost your weight loss regime to a great extent. It is not necessary that you should be going to a gym or doing hardcore exercises you can lose weight while doing very light and ordinary exercises like; walking, jogging, yoga etc.
• Keep an eye on what you drink because drinking alcoholic beverages or fizzy soft drinks can cause real harm to your body. When you are in a habit of drinking alcohol every day, it may lead to a slow metabolism activity which is not healthy at all because if your metabolism activity is slow that means you are unable to digest your food properly and the more less you digest the more likely it is that deposits of fats start to appear in your body. While on the other hand, drinking soft drinks is also unhealthy as these drinks contain a lot of sugar and other unhealthy substances.
• Reward your efforts every now and then. This aspect is very necessary if you want to keep yourself on the right track for a very long time. you can reward yourself either by eating something of your choice over the weekend or by buying some more clothes that fit you well.
• Set goals for yourself that you believe that you can achieve in a realistic way. For instance, if you weigh 80 kg during pregnancy and you set the target of reaching 60 kg in just a month, then this goal will not be realistic at all. Because it is not possible to lose so much of weight in just a single month.
• Always keep an honest approach towards weight loss. It is not something that can be achieved instantly. After pregnancy it may take you several months to reach the desired goal in terms of weight loss.
• Keep control over your weaknesses if you really want to achieve something, control your cravings and odd time meals this will help you a lot in getting yourself back on the track. Whereas if you are unable to control your cravings then you can never succeed in getting your baby weight off your body.
• Take an encouraging approach towards weight loss instead of treating it as a problem. If you keep yourself positive and determined regarding weight loss then it is most likely that you will get what you want to achieve.
• Take professional help if you are unable to do this on your own. Some people are not capable of doing things on their own and they require someone to help them in achieving what they want to achieve. It is good to take others help if you really want to achieve a certain target.
With the help of the above mentioned tips you can reach the desired level of weight and can look sexy again. Getting pregnant never means that you are no longer capable of getting back to where you were. Post pregnancy body is like a challenge that one has to accomplish at any cost. There are many super models who have gone back to their pre-baby bodies within a few months time and most of the new mums follow the steps of their favourite super model in order to look as sexy as a particular model.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5904180

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Weight loss Tip 2

If we absolutely must eat chips, opting for straight-cut and fatter chips instead of crinkle-cut and thin chips will help minimize fat intake.

Straight-cut and fat chips have less surface area than crinkle-cut and thin chips so hold less fat.

Extra fat equals extra taste, but if we want to lose weight we have to make some sacrifices!

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Healthy Eating Rule No 10

 10.Consistency:

As with any plan or program, consistency is key. If you were to follow these
10 rules for 3 days and then eat whatever / whenever you wanted for the
other 4 days, then you would see little or no change in your health. If you are
consistent and eat smaller, more frequent meals – favoring healthy foods,
then you will see results in your weight, health, and energy levels – I
guarantee it.

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Healthy Eating Rule No 9

9. More Natural Fats / Less Saturated Fats:

Fat is another nutrient that gets a bad rap. Bad fats should be avoided at all
costs. Anything that is submerged in oil and then cooked contains bad fats.
Healthy eating should not be restrictive, but eating something that is fried in
oil is the worst thing that you can do for your body.
Bad fats: Anything deep fried – french fries, onion rings, red meat, whole
milk, butter, chips, etc.
Good fats: Olive oil, sunflower oil, canola oil, flax, peanut butter (natural – not
Skippy), walnuts, olmonds, olives, avocado, fish.

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Healthy Eating Rule No 8

8. More Complex Carbs – Less Simple Carbs:


Complex carbs = rice, wheat bread, oats/oatmeal, potatoes, beans, anything
WHOLE GRAIN. Simple carbs = cake, candy, whole milk, chips, crackers, anything made by
HOSTESS or FRITO LAY, etc.
Carbs receive a bad rap. The Atkins diet which preaches no carbs is a way to
lose weight fast, but unfortunately robs your body of a primary source of
energy – Carbs. Carbs give you the power to work a full day and still have
energy when you get home to do the things you like to do. Carbs are the fuel
your body needs to function throughout the day. It is important to understand
the difference between Complex Carbohydrates and Simple Carbohydrates.
Complex carbs are a better choice than Simple carbs because they digest
slowly and give you body a slow/steady supply of ‘fuel’. Simple carbs are
quickly digested and give you a surge of energy, but wear off quickly. If you
eat a candy bar for lunch, you feel great – for about five minutes, then you
probably become tired because your body has quickly used and digested the
simple carbs. This is known as a ‘carb-crash’ or ‘sugar crash’. This is why
eating that large piece of cake right after dinner makes you tired. You have
just consumed a lot of sugar laden calories and now your body has no
business working any of those calories off – it wants to sleep. Fruit and a
handful of walnuts would have been a better choice for a late night snack.

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Healthy Eating Rule No 7

7. More Fruits and Vegetables:


We all need more fruit and vegetables they contain high amounts of fiber
which makes us feel fuller, lowers cholesterol, reduces the risk of heart
disease, etc. – I really don’t need to explain why, right? You should be eating
fruit and vegetables at least 3 times per day. Fruits and vegetables are a
great way to get in that snack between lunch and dinner. Because they are
low in calories and are easily digested, fruits and vegetables are also a great
snack after dinner.

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Healthy Eating Rule No 6

6. Less Food Before Bedtime – Eat 1.5 Hour or More Before Bedtime:


This goes along with having a smaller dinner. It is generally a good rule of
thumb to eat your last meal 1.5 to 2 hours before you go to bed. You will be
allowing digestion to take place before you sleep. Giving your digestive
system less to do while you sleep often leads to a better night’s sleep.

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Healthy Eating Rule No 5

5. Smaller Dinners – Give Your Body a Break:


This is also common sense that many people seem to forget. When you eat
late, you are giving your body more calories at a time when you are less
active; therefore, fewer calories are burned. It should also be noted that
digesting food is one of the most strenuous activities for your body. Eating
right before bedtime is making your digestive system work overtime.

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Healthy Eating Rule No 4

4. More Lean Protein – Try To Have Some With Every Meal:


This isn’t to say that you should be eating a high protein diet like that of the
Atkins or a bodybuilder’s diet, but lean protein helps to slow the digestion of
all foods and also helps build and repair muscle tissue, helps control
metabolism, and makes you feel fuller longer. Lean proteins include Chicken,
Fish, Eggs, Turkey, and any cut of red meat that contains ‘loin’ or ‘round’ in
the name. Keep in mind that protein sources often contain fat, so portions
should be small. For chicken, a small to medium sized breast is good. For
red meat, think half of that much (the size of a deck of cards). Red meat in
large quantities is very very very bad for the heart and has not business as
part of a healthy diet. You should shoot for red meat no more than 2 times
per week. There are a lot of options, so give Chicken, Turkey, and all types
of Fish a try.

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Healthy Eating Rule No 3

3. Balanced Meals – Eat Your Carbs, Fat, and Protein Together:


This is a no-brainer. We all know that eating a balanced meal is better than
eating one thing all day. Let’s say that you were to only eat 2000 calories per
day (this is an average calorie count per day). Well, you could have 2000
calories worth of Twinkies or 2000 calories worth of vegetables, chicken, and
rice. Either way, you are having 2000 calories, but the Twinkie diet is
obviously the wrong way to go. There are definite proven benefits to eating a
balanced meal – the three nutrients complement each other well. By eating
PROTEIN, FAT, and CARBS together at every meal, you give your body a
proper balance of each nutrient.

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Healthy Eating Rule No 2

2. Correct Food Portioning – How Much Should You Be Eating?:


A very simple way to estimate your nutrient ratios is to follow the 3-2-1 rule.
Here's how it works: Imagine your plate divided into six sections like slices of
a pie. Fill up three slices (3/6 or 50%) with natural carbohydrates like
potatoes, yams, oatmeal, whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Fill up two
sections (2/6 or 33%) with lean proteins like egg whites, chicken or fish.
Finish with one section of healthy fats (1/6 or 17%). This simple method puts
you very close to the optimal ratios for baseline healthy eating.

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Healthy Eating Rule No 1

1. Smaller, More Frequent Meals – Eat Less Food More Often:


In my opinion, this is the most important factor to eating healthy. Eating
actually increases your metabolism and allows you to burn more fat. The
worst thing that anybody can do is eat a small breakfast, skip lunch, and then
have a large dinner - I call this the “traveling salesman diet”. Starving your
body of food (nutrition) for several hours tricks it into thinking that it is not
going to get food for a while. When your body does not receive nutrition for a
long period of time it will store calories as fat. If you eat frequently, then the
body uses the food for fuel more effectively, burning calories essentially as
they are consumed. Eating more frequently also keeps your body nourished,
feeling full, and reduces the changes that you will overeat.
How frequent do you need to eat then? Eat 4 or 5 meals spaced evenly
throughout the day. This would mean eating at 8 am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm, and
8pm. This may seem difficult at first, but this is the MOST IMPORTANT
RULE to healthy eating and isn’t that difficult once you begin following this way of eating. To make it simple, think of it this way – You will eat breakfast,
lunch, a small meal (or snack), dinner, and then another small meal (or
snack). The timing is up to you and based on your daily schedule, but keep in
mind that you should be eating something (a meal or healthy snack) every 2.5
– 3 hours. When you begin eating this way, it will seem like you are always
eating, but this is much healthier than starving yourself. When you starve
yourself, your body ends up holding on to the food you do eat and storing it as
fat. Remember, these meals should be smaller than the meals that you
would have if you only eat two meals per day.

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Healthy Eating 10 Simple Rules

If you follow these healthy eating tips, you will lose weight and become healthier.
Remember, this is not a DIET; it is a way to begin eating healthier. This way of
eating is meant to be easy to follow and is based on fundamental nutrition
principles. There are no calories to count, foods to restrict, or special drinks or
potions involved. It is just common sense eating with a few tricks of the trade
that allow your body to use food more efficiently.
If you consistently follow these 10 simple rules, then youWILL increase your
metabolism, you WILL become healthier, and you WILL lose weight. If weight
loss comes slowly, then you are less likely to put the weight back on. Look at the
results of those who have lost weight on a fad diet – they have more than likely
gained the weight back just as fast as they lost it.
Let’s begin with the rules  in the next post

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Healthy Foods for Healthy Children.

More than one third of children and adolescents are overweight or obese, and the problem is getting worse every year. In schools, the number of vending machines, snack bars, and other food options has increased strikingly in recent years. When kids eat at school, traditional breakfast and lunch programs are often less appealing than a soda and a bag of chips.
Many children's diets consist of foods that are high in fat and sugar. It is up to us to improve the nutritional value of our children's meals and snacks.
In its report Nutrition Standards for Foods in Schools: Leading the Way Toward Healthier Youth (http://www.iom.edu/CMS/3788/30181/42502.aspx), the Institute of Medicine recommends limiting food options that are not part of the school's healthy breakfast and lunch programs. When these other foods are available, they should follow a high nutrition standard.
For example:

• The best foods for establishing healthy eating habits in children are fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy dairy products. Snacks, foods, and beverages available to students should have limited calories from fats or sugars.
  
  
• Lowfat and nonfat milk and 100% juice should be chosen over beverages with nonnutritive sweeteners, like sugar substitutes. These sweeteners are not proven weight management tools. Plain, unflavored water should be more readily available than carbonated or fortified waters.
  
  
• After-school and fundraising activities should apply these nutritional standards, rather than relying on candy; other high-sugar foods; and carbonated, caffeinated beverages.

By replacing unhealthy foods in our schools with nutritional alternatives, we will help children to meet nutrition standards, lose weight, encourage better eating habits, and lead healthier lives. Speak out in your local school district about changing their food options today.

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Weight loss Tip 1

When eating out, always choose the smallest portion size available.

When we choose larger meals, most of us tend to eat past the point of hunger and in doing so consume more kilojoules than we need which contributes to weight gain.

Remember that if you are still hungry after choosing a smaller meal, you can always fill up with something else and enjoy a wider variety of tastes in the process.


source: Here

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Parents of Young Children May Not Be Eating Healthy

Becoming a parent is a common life event in early adulthood, but little is known about the connection between parenthood and weight-related health," write Jerica M. Berge, PhD, LMFT, from University of Minnesota Medical School in Minneapolis, and colleagues. "Understanding parents' health behaviors is important, because health habits may be perpetuated into adulthood and transmitted to children."
The goal of the study was to compare dietary intake, physical activity, and body mass index (BMI) among parents of children 5 years or younger vs these factors in young adults without children. The investigators analyzed data from 838 women and 682 men from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds who were included in the second and third waves of Project EAT (Eating and Activity in Teens and Young Adults). Associations between parental status and dietary intake, hours of physical activity, and BMI were evaluated .
Many dietary behaviors were similar between parents and nonparents. Compared with women without children, however, mothers reported greater intake of sugar-sweetened beverages, total energy, and percent saturated fat, and they had higher mean BMIs. Fathers did not differ from men without children in BMI. Compared with nonparents, both mothers and fathers had lower amounts of physical activity.
"Results of this study shed light on the relationship between parenthood and weight status, dietary intake, and physical activity in both mothers and fathers and indicate that mothers may be at greater risk for overweight and other negative health behaviors than fathers," the study authors write.

Source of the study: here

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Family Meals Might Help Kids Keep a Healthy Weight

Kids who sit down to eat with their families are less likely to be overweight and eat unhealthy foods, according to U.S. researchers who call for more shared meals.
In the first report to combine all existing studies on the issue, they found kids who eat with their parents at least three times a week had 12% lower odds of being overweight.
The children were also 20% less likely to eat junk food, 35% less likely to have eating problems like skipping meals or bingeing, and 24% more likely to eat vegetables and other healthy foods.
"Sitting down together as a family, there are nutritional benefits from that," said Dr. Amber Hammons, a psychologist at the University of Illinois at Urbana - Champaign, whose findings are published online May 2 in Pediatrics.
Still, the 17 studies reviewed in the new work were observational, and Dr. Hammons acknowledged that they don't prove shared meals trim waistlines.
"It's just an association," she told Reuters Health. "Families who sit down together could be healthier to begin with."
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, childhood obesity has more than tripled over the past 3 decades, reaching close to 20% in 2008.
The new report is based on findings from nearly 183,000 children about 2 to 17 years of age. While those studies yielded mixed results and weren't easy to compare, overall they show regular family meals are tied to better nutrition.
It's not clear why that is, Dr. Hammons said, but it's possible that parents may influence and monitor their kids more during shared meals.
"We also know that families that sit down together are less likely to eat high-calorie food," Dr. Hammons added.
As a result, the researchers encourage families to spend more time together around the dinner table.
"It doesn't have to be every day," Dr. Hammons said. "We know that families are very busy."
SOURCE: http://bit.ly/cxXOG

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2 Steps To Successful Weight Loss

You have probably heard a lot about the importance of positive thinking in weight loss. If you keep harboring negative thoughts, you will never be able to lose weight. On the other hand, if you become a positive thinker, weight loss will become easy for you. Let me give you an example.

Believe it or not, you are unable to lose weight because you believe that you are fat; chances are that, you even hate yourself for the same reason. Now, if you believe yourself to be thin instead. can you imagine the positive impact it can have on your weight loss goals? Your mindset and attitude can make or break your weight loss goals. In this article I will tell you how to develop a positive mindset.

Remember though that just as you cannot lose weight overnight, you also cannot transform your negative thoughts into positive ones within a very short time. So be patient with yourself and try to incorporate these changes slowly into your life!

1. The reason behind your weight loss: What is the big reason behind your weight loss efforts? Why is it that you want to lose weight? Is it simply because you are unable to bear with the taunts you receive from your office colleagues, or is it because you keep getting turned down for dates, or is it simply because you want a figure like your favorite celebrity whose photo you recently saw in a magazine? Whatever it is, write them all down on a piece of paper. Note down all the reasons behind your weight loss endeavors, no matter how small or big they are!

For best results, buy some Post--It-Notes® stickers and write down everything on such a sticker, and make copies of it on other stickers. Then stick those stickers at every corner of your house so that you are reminded of your weight loss goals everyday. Don't forget to stick them on your kitchen and refrigerator as well: those are the places where you are most likely to be tempted to eat the 'forbidden foods' or 'cheat' on your diet program!

2. Motivation and realistic goals: Now it is time to set some realistic goals for yourself. To do that, you need to know your ideal body weight, and then subtract that from your current body weight. The resulting figure you now get is the amount of body weight you got to lose to acquire the kind of figure you want.

Now, realistically, you cannot lose more than 2 pounds per week. Do the math and find out how many pounds you can lose a year from now. Again, be realistic in your goals, as unrealistic goals serve no purpose. If you weigh 100 pounds or more, don't expect to gain a svelte figure like Jessica Alba within a month!

Once you have set your goals, you now need some motivation that will help you achieve your weight loss goals. What you will use to motivate yourself will depend on the reason behind your weight loss. If you want to be like your favorite celebrity, hang the pictures of that celebrity all around your house. Side by side, also hang your picture with your current body weight! That would be more than enough to keep you motivated!

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Menopause And Weight Gain

Talking to most women over 50 you will quickly find that menopause and weight gain are linked in their experience. It is very common to put on weight at this time and while some of this may be due to lifestyle changes, that does not explain why suddenly we develop a tendency to put on weight at different parts of the body, especially the abdomen, while any weight gained when we were younger tended to be centered on the hips.

The truth is that hormonal changes do have a part to play in this, although the process is not completely understood. At menopause a woman stops ovulating, her monthly menstruation periods end, and her body produces much lower levels of the female hormone estrogen which is responsible for the ovulation process. Low estrogen has been shown to cause weight gain in animals and it almost certainly is the reason why our bodies change shape. While women of childbearing age store fat in the lower body, after the menopause they store it on the abdomen instead, like men. This leads to a greater risk of heart disease.

At the same time, both men and women tend to find muscle turning to fat as they grow older, and the metabolism slows down. This means that if you do not adjust your eating habits you will probably find that your weight increases. A person of 60 just does not need as many calories as a person of 40.
     
Hormone therapy with estrogen is sometimes prescribed to control menopausal symptoms. Many women will be surprised to hear that studies have shown that hormone therapy does not cause weight gain. Some women experience bloating and water retention in the early stages of hormone therapy but this is usually temporary and they have not gained any fat. Hormone therapy can reduce the risk of heart disease by preventing the changes in storage of body fat around the abdomen and lowering cholesterol. However, hormone therapy has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer in some studies.

If you find that you are gaining weight around the menopause, there are several things you can do.

- Eat a healthy, low fat diet with plenty of fiber, avoiding sugar.

- Take regular exercise. As people get older their physical activity levels naturally drop. Work often becomes less physically demanding, there are no kids to run around after, we take less active holidays and do things more slowly. 30 minutes of moderate physical activity every day will help to balance out the effect of this.

- Maintain your muscle strength and mass. Use weights for arm muscles and walking or cycling for legs.

- Accept the changes to the shape of your body. If you are not overweight, but simply have a thicker waist and slimmer legs, that is fine.

Consult with your doctor before starting any exercise program if you have any medical conditions or your fitness levels are low. Your doctor can also help with symptoms of the menopause and weight gain.

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3 Simple and Powerful Techniques to Help You Achieve Your Weight Loss Goals

There are many factors that determine the success or failure of your weight loss goals. In this article I will tell you about some of the things you should do in order to lose weight successfully.

1. Set small goals: Most people are unable to achieve their weight loss goals because they always think big. There is nothing wring with thinking big, but don't make your goals so big as though they become overwhelming and intimidating to you! Don't stretch your weight loss goals so far that you feel tempted to quit your weight loss program altogether! Start slow and you will see how easy it is to shed those obstinate pounds!

You know that you need to make huge lifestyle in order to lose weight successfully. Now, keep in mind that you cannot make these changes overnight! For example, if today I ask you to avoid eating junk foods altogether, will you be able to follow my advice? You will probably try hard to avoid junk foods for a day or two, and by doing that, you will be all the more tempted to take a bite of your favorite fatty foods. As a result, you'll end up gaining more pounds than what you started with! What a waste!

Here is an easier way to do it: instead of trying to cut down on your junk food intake entirely, try to replace one junk food with one good food. Do you eat butter? Well, replace that with peanut butter. Next day, replace burgers with raw carrots! If you eat white breads, replace that with wholegrain wheat breads.

You won't be able to accomplish all of these changes overnight, but you will be able to archive your goals if you do it slowly, bit by bit. Eventually you will realize that you have completely replaced your bad foods with the healthy foods, but without going through any stress or temptation!

2. Replace bad habits with the good ones: Remember that you gained weight because of certain bad habits. Ideally you should break those old habits in order to lose weight, but I know that breaking an old habit is easier said than done. What you can do instead of modify your bad habit enough so that it becomes a good and healthy habit.

If you are like most people, you have a habit of snacking in the afternoon. Instead of trying to break your afternoon snacking habit, try to replace the snack itself!. If you eat chocolate soups and cookies as snacks, replace them with low-fat yogurt and raw fruits!

3. Get rid of temptations: Unless you learn to control your temptations, you won't be able to lose weight successfully. One overwhelming temptation most people suffer from is that of food. Whenever you are tempted to eat, do something that would distract you from the thought of food. You can do anything such as dancing, driving, walking around your house, doing some sit-ups, or drinking a glass of water. All of these things will help keep yourself away from the continuous food cravings!

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How to lose weight the healthy way

The healthiest way to lose weight is neither crash diets nor bursts of exercise. The body likes slow changes in terms of food and exercise.
For example, someone who hasn't exercised for years shouldn't rush into running miles a day or pounding the treadmill. Not only will the struggle to do so leave you feeling disheartened and demotivated, you're also far more likely to injure yourself and set your fitness levels back further.
The same goes for people who suddenly start starving themselves. Diets that severely restrict calories or the types of food 'allowed' can lead you to be deficient in the nutrients and vitamins that your body needs.
So, if you need to lose weight, Follow these simple instructions?

Energy needs and weight loss

To lose weight, you need to get your body to use up these stores of fat. The most effective way to do this is to:

• reduce the amount of calories you eat
• increase your levels of activity.

This is why experts talk about weight loss in terms of diet and exercise.

Introduce changes gradually

Small changes can make a big difference.You should think of weight loss in terms of permanently changing your eating habits. While weight-loss goals are usually set in term of weeks, the end game is to sustain these changes over months and years, ie lifestyle change for life.

Increase your activity levels

Someone who increases the amount they exercise, but maintains the same diet and calorie intake, will almost certainly lose weight.
No matter if you hate gyms – even light exercise, such as a short 20 minute walk, will be beneficial if done most days of the week.
Every single time you exercise more than usual, you burn calories and fat.
There are lots of ways to increase the amount of activity you do. Team sports, racket sports, aerobics classes, running, walking, swimming and cycling will all improve your fitness levels.

Reduce your calorie intake

 f you're overweight, you can't continue with your current eating habits if you really want to lose weight.

It's not possible to reduce body fat while eating lots of food, cakes and sweets. This doesn't mean you can never have any treats, but you need to learn how to limit these foods to small quantities – say, for special occasions.
In terms of weight-loss, you can get your body to use up existing stores of fat by eating less and making healthier choices.
This doesn't mean crash diet (anything less than 1500 calories), which usually ends up with you either getting weaker or giving up in desperation. Quick-fix diets can lead to a yo-yoing effect of drastic weight loss followed by weight gain, resulting in a vicious cycle.
Below are ways to reduce calorie intake without having to alter your diet significantly.

• Replace fizzy drinks and fruit cordials with water.
• Swap whole milk for semi-skimmed, or semi-skimmed for skimmed.
• Eat less lunch than usual. For example, make your own sandwich and limit the use of margarine or butter and full-fat mayonnaise (store-bought sandwiches often contain both).
• Stop taking sugar in tea and coffee.
• Have smaller portions of the food you enjoy.
• Avoid having a second helping at dinner.
• Cut out unhealthy treats – such as confectionary, sugary biscuits and crisps between meals.
• Cut down on alcohol intake.

All these things will influence your health in a positive way.

Write down your plan

Once you've decided on what changes you're going to make, write them down.

 

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