Blog on weight, How to Lose Fat on the Cheap

It may sound like a stupid question...like who doesn't need to lose weight?  But we often base our weight loss goals on an old version of ourselves that was once fit and thin.  When you get older, things change and it pays to actually assess your weight with the right tools so you know just how to set your goals. Do You Need to Lose Weight? If you're really not sure, your doctor's office is an excellent place to start. When was the last time you had a physical?  Now would be a great time to schedule one and talk to your doctor about your weight.  He or she can at least give you a ballpark for a healthy weight for you. But you shouldn't get all rapped up in the numbers on the scale.  Those who want to lose weight, really need to lose body fat. So while most of us use the scale to measure results, we should be using a tape measure. Another blogger wrote in one of her blogs, "your pants don't lie". What she was talking about is that drop...

We all have spent the last few weeks on an eating binge. You can’t just give up because you gain some weight and blew your diet. Don’t think your the only one who gained some weight lately.  But you can get your eating back on track. Here’s how. I know the Holidays aren't over yet, but if you start now you may avoid lots of pain later trying to lose the excess fat. First, Relax You need some perspective. You need to eat 3,500 calories to gain one pound of body fat. One unplanned treat — a slice of cake, some fries, or even a rich meal — probably won’t make a major difference on the scale. “We call these ‘taking timeouts,’ and we all take them,” says San Antonio nutrition consultant Rebecca Reeves, RD. “No one is perfect in their eating habits. What we have to learn is that we are giving ourselves permission to do this, and as soon as it’s over, we should go back to the eating plan we normally follow.” The goal is to not make a habit of it. “Most people overeat somewhere...

When you begin in the quest to lose weight, it's normal that you don't succeed or regain the weight loss because you don't really understand how the body works and how to lose weight and what to expect. The body is what I call "pre-programmed" to keep you from dying of starvation. This instinct was a necessity millions of years ago because humans were nomads who roamed the earth and were eating off the land, not knowing when they would find food again. Humans didn't become farmers and fisherman for several million years. So adding body fat was not something the body was worried about. It was normal to add body fat before the cold winters. Of course, many of the various civilizations are very thin like the people of North Africa. As we study different civilizations, we can tell that some of them have lived in the same region for thousands of years and their bodies have adapted to the climate which can keep them thin or keep the heavy. Your genes are preprog...

You need to read about Probiotics, it can help you lose weight among other things. Probiotics may seem new to the food and supplement industry, but they have been with us from our first breath. During a delivery through the birth canal, a newborn picks up bacteria from his/her mother. These good bacteria are not transmitted when a Cesarean section is performed and have been shown to be the reason why some infants born by Cesarean section have allergies, less than optimal immune systems, and lower levels of gut microflora. Probiotics are believed to protect us in two ways. The first is the role that they play in our digestive tract. We know that our digestive tract needs a healthy balance between the good and bad bacteria, so what gets in the way of this? It looks like our lifestyle is both the problem and the solution. Poor food choices, emotional stress, lack of sleep, antibiotic overuse, other drugs, and environmental influences can all shift the balance in favor of the bad bacte...

 More than ever we need to eat smart. Forget the chips and go for the vegetable tray. Try not to drink calories or at least keep it to a minimum. I avoid big meals and I don't eat late. I try to eat something small every 3 hours to prevent getting hungry. There are plenty of famous-name diets for weight loss, but none stands out from the pack when it comes to lasting results, a new review suggests. Looking at a dozen clinical trials, researchers found that three big-name diets -- Atkins, Weight Watchers and the Zone -- were all "modestly" effective over the course of a year. In studies that compared the plans head-to-head, people lost anywhere from 4 to 10 pounds, on average. Meanwhile, a fourth commercial diet -- South Beach -- was no better than traditional advice to eat a low-fat diet, the study authors said. And in the few trials that lasted two years -- all looking at Atkins or Weight Watchers -- people often regained some of the pounds they lost. "Fro...

Eggs are popular at breakfast time and are often used as ingredients in a variety of dishes. For some years, eggs were shunned because they're high in cholesterol, but now we know that cholesterol from the foods you eat doesn't impact your blood cholesterol levels.  Eggs are actually good for you because they're loaded with protein, vitamins, and minerals. And although eggs are a little high in fat, they're not too high in calories. In fact, one egg has only about 80 calories. They're an excellent source of choline that's necessary for healthy cell membranes in all of your body, and for mental function and memory. They also offer some vitamin D, which is essential for absorption and utilization of calcium. In addition, eggs contain folate and riboflavin, two B-complex vitamins that necessary for your body to convert the foods you eat into energy. You'll also get a dose of vitamin A from the yoke. Vitamin A is necessary for normal vision, gen...

Losing weight is a balancing act between the amount of calories you eat and the amount of calories you burn. For example, a women depending on height should stay in a range of 1500 to 2000 calories a day. A man depending on height can consume say 1800 to 2500 calories. Those estimates will depend on your age and activity levels (how much you workout). Weight loss comes down to burning more calories than you eat. This is important, you can’t exercise away a lot of calories. A normal workout, say a combination of running and walking for an hour, will only burn about 300 calories and that’s based on someone who is experienced at this type of workout. Someone new at this type of routine, you might only burn 100 calories. If your counting your calorie intake and don’t forget the drinks, You can balance the "consumption to burn" ratio by cutting back on sugary beverages and snacks. Once you understand the equation, you’re ready to set your goals. Remember you don’t have to do...

You probably wonder why exercise is so important to our body after all my father never exercised or his father either. Well, they came from a different generation. They lived a more physical life. I remember my grandparents; they worked sun up to sun down on a small farm raising chickens, and taking care of their garden and orchard. And my parents didn't have it that hard but without all the conveniences we have today they stayed busy all day between their jobs and shopping and keeping up the house. Today the average adult spends about 16 hours a day either sitting or lying down. When the body is sitting for more than 20 minutes it can go into hibernation mode just like when you're lying down. Several hours in hibernation mode will slow down body functions and will actually cause health problems. Exercise comes in many types. Playing sports like soccer or swimming or walking, jogging, using hand weights are just a few way to exercise. More people than ever are starting to...

It's not the mystery of the Century. I wondered the same think before I lost my body fat. Losing your body is key to the mystery. In order to lose fat you must learn how to eat and what to eat so your body burns that excess fat. The mistake I made for many years was thinking that I could burn the fat by exercising. Exercise is part of losing body fat but exercise itself won't burn fat, it helps your body to function better. You increase the oxygen in your blood stream and increase your strength and balance. You also strengthen your heart which is key to good circulation. It's better circulation and a strong heart that give you energy along with eating the right foods. So how do people stay thin? Once I lost most of my fat, my BMI was 21 at that time, I was already in the habit of eating fresh food. I follow the suggestions on the food pyramid. At first it might look like a lot of carbs, but they're good carbs, no processed foods here, they're all fresh foods. ...

It’s up to you to take charge of your health. You should know if you weigh too much, if you out of shape, or have too much body fat. That’s something children don’t learn, how to take care of themselves, how to take care of their health. Why is it that we don’t know that we’re not in good health or that we weigh too much? First of all, I think we do know but too often we ignore the signs. If a person has colds frequently or feels exhausted and has no energy, that’s a good sign that something is missing in their diet. Most of us reach for vitamin supplements for the answer, but what most people need is to examine their diet. Be truthful with yourself and start to keep a log of what you eat. After one week, I think you’ll know what’s wrong with your diet. Some people already know their diet is their problem but just don’t know where to start or don’t want to take the time to change. For example, I think we all know that fast food isn’t really a healthy choice. But every day we line up ...

This is an article I found in HealthDay recently, it's definitely worth a read. Your over-weight problem maybe caused from food additives. We can't get away from the chemicals in food but we can cut back on the cancer causing chemicals by eating natural whole foods. Restaurant food is never good for anyone's diet. Fructose -- a kind of sugar found in a wide variety of foods and beverages --may encourage overeating. Fructose may be best known to consumers in the form of "high-fructose corn syrup", which has long been added to manufactured foods from sodas to cookies. Distinct from sugar known as glucose (produced by the natural breakdown of complex carbohydrates), fructose is also a "simple" sugar and a natural component of fruit. However, "in a series of studies we have found that when compared to glucose, the simple sugar, fructose, is a weaker suppressor of brain areas that help control appetite and the motivation to eat," said stu...