Thursday, May 22, 2008

Medifast Diet and Fat-Burning State

The medifast diet is a very safe and effective diet and weight loss program. The main reason for this is because it gives enough nutrition while at the same time induces your body into a mild fat-burning state.

What is the Fat-Burning State?

When you are on the Medifast 5 & 1 Plan, your daily calorie intake is very low at around 800 to 1,000 calories. This causes your body to enter a fat-burning state - a "mild ketosis". In this state, your bodys fat releases free fatty acids, which are transformed by the liver to an energy source - the ketones. This mild fat-burning state helps the body achieve fast weight loss while preserving muscle tissue. It also helps eliminate physical hunger and provides sufficient levels of energy at the same time.

The fat-burning state is not harmful to your health. It is just a normal way that your body uses to manage energy. You get enough protein intake on the Medifast 5 & 1 Plan so that you are protected from losing muscle tissue. Regular exercise also helps in this area.

Are you in a fat-burning state?

You will know that you are in the fat-burning state if you feel less hungry and more energized, and start losing weight at a steady rate. It usually takes about 3-5 days, after you start the medifast diet, for you to move into the fat-burning state.

Do I need to use ketone test strips?

It is not recommended that you use ketone test strips while on the medifast 5 & 1 plan because:

1) With medifast program, you are only in a mild fat-burning state. The ketone test strips are meant to be used for a much stronger fat-burning state as you would be in a low carbohydrate diet.

2) The ketone test strips can give you inaccurate results if you are not using them consistently very day - the same way at the same time.

Jodi Thompson runs a few websites on weight loss and diet programs, including medifastworks.com To learn more about medifast diet program, tips, and stories, visit medifastworks.com

Weight Loss Diets For Losing Weight

Diet is one of the deciding factors of weight. You can easily control and reduce your weight using the diet that you consume and the exercise that you do. Different type of food comprise of different quantity of nutrients. The nutritional value is one of the most important things that are to be considered to judge the goodness of a food, however most of the times we simply consider the taste. There is a lot of difference between dieting ad a weight loss diet. Dieting is a general term that is associated with monitored diet. This simply indicates that you are consuming a specific diet for a specific purpose. Dieting and food for dieting not necessarily means the food that is meant for weight loss.

The food that specifically targets weight loss is known as weight loss diet. Most of the doctor's advice a low carbohydrate and a low fat food for controlling weight. Carbohydrate is easily accumulated in the body in the form of calories. The carbohydrates that we consume is easily converted to sugar and hence to energy. The energy that we get by consuming the carbohydrate is referred to as calories. The calorie content of a particular food hence refers to the amount of energy that you can get with a particular food. You can control the calories intake and hence reduce weight gain.

The weight loss food is the food that comprise of the nutrients in just the right quantity to allow you to reduce weight more easily. The weigh loss diet may comprise of a low carbohydrate diet or a low fat diet so as to reduce the fat content in the body. The intake of salts is also a deciding factor that we forget most of the times. The more salt we intake in our diet, the more would be the body's requirement of water in our body. The salt that is contained in our body is kept in a non toxic form in our body with the help of water. When we consume a lot of salt, we have to consume a lot of water as well to keep the salt in a non toxic form. The increased water consumption would ultimately lead to weight gain. Hence the weight loss diet keeps a check on the different nutrients to allow you to lose weight more easily. You can get additional information on the weight loss food online.

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Can Herbal Weight Loss Pills Really Help You Lose Weight

Allopathic medicines and pills for weight loss are often associated with toxins and side effects. Therefore most of the people are, generally, reluctant to take them. Herbal weight loss pills, as the name suggests, are made from organic plants and herbs which have medicinal properties. They are considered safe, efficacious and without side effects. In any case, even if they do not do any good, it generally does not do any harm either.

What are some of the benefits of herbal weight loss pills? Herbal plants grow naturally in the lap of raw, primal nature in wild and mountainous areas. Of course they can be transplanted and recycled in the nurseries, but their basic properties remain unaltered.

Obesity or being overweight is becoming a worldwide epidemic. It is more prevalent in affluent countries and spreading fast in countries which are growing economically. Although weight loss herbs should be taken as closely to their original natural form as possible, their tastes and odors are quite often odious and unbearable. They are, therefore, converted into pills for easy ingestion.

Herbal pills are more affordable than allopathic pills as their manufacturing and processing is not as complicated as their allopathic counterparts. They also tend to be fairly fast acting.

Herbal weight loss pills can fight the overweight problems created by eating foods with excess fats and carbohydrates. They can even help in genetically inherited hormonal disorders leading to obesity. They work faster and can be made tasty as well. They give you pleasant feeling, and reduce craving for food in a natural way which leads to weight loss in shorter span of time.

Herbal weight loss pills are rich in vital vitamins, proteins and other nutrients. They can be good dietary supplements and even perfect dietary substitutes. They are also good substitutes for artificial products such as laxatives, diet drinks and so on. They stimulate natural thermo-genesis which improves the metabolic action in your system that burns extra calories in the body and converts food into energy. When thermo-genesis is combined with the ingestion of appetite suppressants, you achieve the weight loss faster.

However, you need to use a little caution when taking herbal weight loss pills. It must be noted that they should be taken only after your BMI or Body Mass Index crosses the prescribed level with respect to your body. Taking them as a preventive step without considering the critical BMI level may cause certain reactions that may prove harmful to your body rather then benefiting it.

There are several companies that manufacture herbal weigh loss pills under different brand names and different shapes. The drug that you are about to take should have undergone sufficient clinical tests and should have shown positive results.

Herbal weight loss pills are of two types, prescriptive and non-prescriptive. The former are obviously prescribed by the doctor and should only be taken under his instructions. Most of the various pills are usually non-prescriptive and are easily available over the counter from any pharmacy outlet working under minimal FDA guidelines. Some of these non-prescriptive herbal brands are produced by companies such as Herbalife and Metalife.

It is, however, advisable to take any herbal weight loss pill-both prescriptive and non-prescriptive under the advice of a qualified doctor.

There are lots of ways to lose weight, so don't get discouraged, get help. For weight loss tips for real people go to http://www.weightloss.best-info-online.com/ and get reliable information for achieving weight loss. For additional information about a weight loss program that really works, please go to Healthy Weight Loss Review.

Lose Weight With a Green Tea Weight Loss Supplement

Supplements containing green tea extracts are a completely natural way of reducing weight with very little risk of any side effects. There are many benefits associated with green tea. The Chinese have known about its medicinal properties since ancient times, however the western world is only just opening up to the benefits of taking green tea.

Weight loss pills or diet pills are all the rage at the moment. Everybody wants to look the best they possibly can and in order to do this everybody wants to be thin! Many weight loss pills contain green tea extracts. Green tea is a natural source of antioxidants. Green tea is useful in reducing cholesterol, and it also helps to reduce the blood sugar level after a meal. It does also help to reduce weight.

Although green tea does help in weight loss, you do however need to be very patient in order to observe the results. Keep in mind that weight loss does not occur overnight, even when you are using nutritional supplements. Since green tea does not have any harmful side effects associated with it, you might want to try out some green tea weight loss supplements. You can search for fat burning pills that contain up to 70-80% green tea extracts.

Fat burning pills including green tea weight loss supplements increase the metabolic activity of your body cells. This consequently increases the amount of fuel that your body consumes. The body's fuel is calories, the higher the metabolism, the faster these are burned. Green tea extracts are also used to treat poor digestion and constipation, and also helps to fight against the free radicals in the body, the negative by-products created by normal bodily processes. Green tea supplements are rich in EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) which is not only a mouthful, it's an antioxidant and protects the body against any possible digestive problems. It is also helpful in cancer prevention and lowering cholesterol levels.

Green tea supplements are available in the form of tablets or pills. The advantage of green tea supplement over other fat burning pills is that it does not increase the heart rate of consumers. Many weight loss pills have the side effect of causing the patients heart rate to rise, causing a problem for certain groups of people with heart conditions. People belonging to any age group can use green tea to treat any medical complaints without any concern about its side effects.

Christopher DiCicco owner of Flexhealthnutrition.com has been involved with health and nutrition for over 20 years.

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Loss Weight And Control Your Appetite With Satiety - Foods With Fullness

Diet and health trends seem to come and go as often at the months of the years. However, the latest information and buzzword for controlling your appetite and managing your weight is called "satiety".

Satiety (pronounced "sa-tie-atee") is the buzzword for the feeling of being full after eating. In addition to the term "satiety" another buzz phrases is are rapidly gaining popularity. This phrase is "Foods with Fullness".

Similar to the term satiety, Foods with Fullness helps to describe the feeling of being full and satisfied after eating food. However, the latter phrase is more descriptive and easier to remember for most people when thinking about this concept.

So if you ever wondered why you more full after eating a baked potato then when you ate a croissant, the idea of foods with fullness become immediately apparent.

A Satisfying Experiment

In 1995, the results from a study conducted by an Australian researcher from the University of Sydney named Dr. Susanna Holt and her research partners was published. In the study, Dr. Holt ranked different foods using a "Satiety Index". This index ranked foods on their ability to satisfy hunger among the research volunteers. The Satiety Index is based at 240-calories portions of 38 different types of foods. The baseline was 100 the food achieved for this was white bread. Thus, the research scores food of more than 100 more satisfying than the baseline, white bread, while below is less satisfying. After consumption, the volunteers reported to the researchers how hungry they felt. In addition, the volunteers were not allowed to eat anything additional for another 2 hours.

Below are some of the results of the research:

Fruit ranked at the of top of index at 1.7 (170%). This means that as a group, fruit was 1.7 times more satisfying than white bread (baseline 100 or 100%) to the volunteers. In addition to fresh fruit, consider eating dried fruit such as dried cherries, dried apples, dried wild blueberries and dried strawberries achieve satiety. Many of my clients in my nutrition and fitness coaching practice have achieved the satiety by eating foods with fullness. One source for getting a wide selection of dried fruit delivered to your door is from Traverse Bay Farms www.traversebayfarms.com. This company even offers free shipping on 4lbs. of dried fruit.

Croissants were about half as satisfying as baseline white bread. (47%)

Cheese ranked 1.46 (146%) more satisfying; eggs ranked 1.50 (150%); beef ranked 1.76 (176%); popcorn ranked 1.54 (154%); cake ranked .65 (65%); oatmeal ranked 2.09 (209%); doughnut ranked 68 (68%); boiled potatoes 3.23 (323%); French fries ranked 1.16 (116%). An interesting find was that jelly beans also ranked well on the scale, but additional comments suggest the volunteers may have been "sugared out" by the jelly bean consumption. So the next time you visit the movies, enjoy some extra popcorn and skip the candy.

Although, additional work is needed, we now have a starting point to determine which foods help to keep us satisfied longer or satiety. You will soon see food products being labeled and a new food category emerging called: Foods with Fullness. These will be foods that help to keep you feeling fuller longer. So the next time you are looking turn off your appetite or manage your weight look to consume foods that rank high on the satiety scale or in other words eat "Foods with Fullness" - ability to keep you full.

Tony Anderson is a entrepreneur and fitness and nutrition writer.

Weight Loss Products and Treatments - How to Lose Weight at Home

Everyday and everywhere we look, we see photos of super thin models and perfectly proportioned actresses. So, it's easy to lose perspective on what our bodies should look like. For starters, most of us are not built to be that thin, nor should we be. But the majority of us are looking for an easy weight loss plan that works.

Most of those models and actresses are well below a healthy weight. And you have to remember that those professionals get paid to look that good. It's part of their job. I don't know about you but I certainly don't want to spend the majority of my life worried about how I look.

But if you want to be healthy and in shape, that's completely reasonable. And if you're wondering how to lose weight at home , we have the answer here..... Below are four simple steps to get you on your way to looking your personal best. Use these steps and you will see results over time. There is no real quick fix to losing weight. Making changes you can stick to is the best way to lose weight and keep it off.

Step 1: Try making small changes instead of overhauling your life all at once. It can be overwhelming to change too much too quickly. A lot of times you'll end up eating everything in your cabinet and then punishing yourself or just quitting altogether. So start out by trying baby steps. You can switch to diet soda, use mustard instead of mayo on sandwiches, and take the stairs instead of the elevator at work. Doing anything, no matter how small, is better than nothing.

Step 2: Keep a journal of everything you eat for an entire week. Also write down the amount of calories in the food. This can be a huge eye opener. We usually tend to underestimate the amount we eat. After a week you can get a good idea of your eating habits. Some people barely eat all day then eat a huge dinner. Others tend to snack their way through the day. Figure out what you're doing and then see where you can improve.

Step 3: Get a good amount of activity every day. A goal to work up to is 60 to 90 minutes a day. This doesn't mean you have to spend that time in the gym. You can count walking through the grocery store, taking the stairs, or even playing with your dog at the park. Those little things add up during the day. You can always start out small and then add more every day or even week. The most important thing is just to get up and move.

Step 4: Readjust your portion sizes at meals. There are quite a few of us that have been taught to eat everything on our plate. Unfortunately, this habit is hard to break. But you can make it healthier. The best change to make is using smaller plates, bowls, glasses, and utensils. This will literally trick your eye into thinking you have more food. Another way to get the right portions is to use your plate as a guide. Half of your plate should be used for vegetables, one-quarter for whole grains, and one-quarter for protein. This makes eating healthier a snap.

Portion control is the one item that needs to be mastered when you want to reduce your weight. A good way to do this without any extra temptations is try try a meal system. Diet-to-Go and Bistro MD both offer fantastic meal plans that are delivered right to your door. And they give you everything you need without the extra calories. These programs are a great support when you're trying to change your eating habits.

The trick is just getting started. Start doing each of the above steps each day even if you just do a bit. Once you see some results or start to feel better it will be easier and easier to change your life...one day at a time.

You Can find out more about How to lose weight at home quickly and safely, visit our site and get our FREE Weight Loss Tips Guide

Women In The Gym

Women's workouts and female exercise programs should not be much different than men, if you want to burn fat. Many times when I visit a gym and watch others workout, the form was just dreadful in so many exercises, with the worst being the deadlift form.

In my last trip to the gym, I watched two women round their backs like a rainbow as they lowered the bar. So sad to see a great exercise ruined because someone didn't properly teach this exercise. (And magazines are to blame sometimes as well, I've written articles where we've had to toss some of the accompanying photos because the fitness model was doing the exercise with brutal form).

Whatever you are doing in the gym, never round your back. So when you squat, deadlift, or do dumbbell rows, maintain a slight arch in your low back.

And don't stop using good form once the exercise is over. If you're picking up dumbbells off the floor (or picking up toys at home), squat down and avoid rounding your back.

I also recommend avoiding sit-ups and an excessive amount of crunches. The benefits aren't worth the risks.

Back to my gym visit...about 20 minutes through my workout, a young woman of about 45 came in and started doing a superset of split squats and dumbbell chest presses.

I was very impressed. AND she had a training journal to record her sets, reps, and weights.

You know what, I bet this woman succeeds and meets her goals. As we've said many times before, recording your workouts is a key to success so that you can refer back to what works and what doesn't. Plus, it keeps you on track.

Unfortunately, I was a little disappointed when she started doing dumbbell triceps kickbacks. I think these are one of the most useless dumbbell arm exercises in the world. You'd be far better off doing some version of the pushup - that would give you more total body results.

So today's 3 lessons were...

i) Don't round your back when lifting.

ii) Keep a training journal for motivation and direction.

iii) Avoid isolation exercises, and choose total body movements to get more results in less time.

By doing this, you will burn lots of calores after training. Add in intervals in place of slow cardio, and you should be able to get all of your results in only 3 sessions of 45 minutes per week. Much less time than you spend now with slow, boring cardio.

You have permission to publish this article in your web sites, ezines or electronic publication, as long as the piece is used in its entirety including the resource box, all hyperlinks (HTML clickable) and references and copyright info.

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

Fat Loss Secrets - 3 Secrets That Won't Cost You a Dime

The weight loss industry wants to keep you in the dark. They don't want you to be educated or learn any of the so called fat loss secrets. Why? Because if you knew that you could have effective fat loss on your own why would you need their expensive monthly membership programs, specialty meals, and supplements.

I want to help you, I want to show you that you don't need to spend big bucks to lose belly fat and enjoy the figure and target weight you strive for. The follow three fat loss secrets can be implemented by anyone, anytime and they won't cost you a dime.

Secret #1 Your metabolism is everything and you can speed it up

The consensus on metabolism is you either have a fast one or a slow one, and it slows down for everyone as we get older. NOT TRUE. People who discover that by spacing their meals out through the day, eating more smaller meals rather then 3 big meals you can increase the rate of metabolism.

Secret #2 Counting calories not just eating "healthy"

Do you know how many calories you should be eating each day based on your age, weight, and activity levels? How about how many your currently eating on average each day? You need this information, and you need it now. So starting today in a journal write down everything you eat for 7 days and the calories you take in from it. At the end of 7 days get the average.

Next, search for a calorie calculator on the web, and find out what your suggested calorie intake is for each day. You want to modify your daily calorie intake to be below this number, about 250-500 calories is enough to make a difference, anymore then that and you risk not losing weight because your body thinks it might be starving.

By cutting the number of calories you eat each day you will create a calorie deficit that in turn will burn fat to make up the difference. As far as fat loss secrets go, this is what most diets are based on.

Secret #3 Exercising and dieting is the real catalyst

Not all diets stress the importance of exercise but I will. If you implement the tip above of counting your calories, tracking what you take in and then measuring that against what you should be eating exercise will make a profound difference in your fat loss.

Let's assume you cut your daily calorie intake by 500 calories below you suggested limit. You then exercise for 30 minutes that day. You've suddenly created an even bigger calorie deficit of 750 or maybe even 1000 calories depending on how hard you work out was. This will make a big difference at the end of each week when you weight in.

So maybe these fat loss secrets aren't all that "SECRET" shall we say. How ever their smart practical education about fat loss as a whole. I suggest you continue learning about how we gain and lose weight, and how you can lead a healthier lifestyle.

To learn more about Fast fat loss visit http://www.stopbellyfat.com a popular website people visit to learn about and choose a fat loss program.

Fad Diets - What's Wrong With Them?

If you go on a fad diet and it helps you lose weight fast and get results, what's wrong with that?

I'm sure you've seen many ads on the internet and in magazines promising you huge weight loss in only a few days time.

Is this type of weight loss really possible? Yes - but ... in almost every case the weight loss from a fad diet is temporary and usually due to loss of water weight. Our bodies are made up of a large percentage of water so as soon as your body rehydrates itself you'll put that quick weight loss right back on.

What are some of the reasons a fad diet is bad for you?

#1 A fad diet usually tells you to focus on a single food type and avoid all others. This means you miss out on the nutrition you really need and can get from a more balanced diet approach. Quite often these fad diets will even tell you to take vitamins and supplements to make up for all the nutritional deficiencies you experience while on that fad diet. However, your body will not be able to absorb the nutrients from the recommended supplements unless you take them with food. And many of the foods that help you absorb nutrients are banned on fad diets.

#2 Fad diets are usually so restrictive and unappetizing that, after as little as one day, you'll begin having overwhelming cravings for other foods and most likely you'll give up. This can also wreak havoc on your self esteem if you beat yourself up for not having enough willpower to stick it out with the diet.

#3 Fad diets are temporary solutions to your weight problems. Even if you do follow through to the end with a fad diet you have not made permanent, healthy changes to the way you handle food in your life. So fad dieters tend to be yo-yo dieters that go back and forth between extreme low-calorie fad diets to periods of bingeing on food groups that were missing from the fad diet. So fad dieters will inevitably end up on a roller coaster of gaining and losing the same pounds, over and over.

No matter what you see in the media about quick weight loss fad diets, realize that these diets will never work long term.

The best way to lose weight and sustain that weight loss (so you never have to diet again) is to eat a variety of healthy foods, avoid overeating, and do regular exercise. This simple formula works every time.

Keira Adams is publisher of The Internet Spa at http://www.internet-spa.com

Get the information you need to rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit.

How To Lose 5 Pounds In a Week

If you are looking for an answer to the common question of how to lose 5 pounds in a week, you've come to the right place, because I am going to present to you with a week long plan and how this can be done. Make sure you read the whole article through so you don't miss out on any crucial tip or trick.

Your week long plan is made up of 2 integral parts: The fitness part and the nutritional one.

Fitness part

Day 1: Do at least one hour of aerobic activity. You can an evening walk, go swimming, play some sports with your friends, go running, or anything else which gets your heart beat racing. Aerobics burn a lot of calories which is your main objective in your week long efforts.

Day 2: Do one hour of strength exercises. If you have a gym membership now is the time to use it. But even if the only place you workout is at home, you can still do an effective workout. Do some pushups, crunches, squats, or borrow some dumbbells from a friend.

Day 3: One hour of aerobics, the same as day 1.

Day 4: Take some time off from physical activity to allow your muscles to rest.

Day 5: The same as day 1.

Day 6: One hour of strength training. Make sure you work at least 2 muscle groops.

day 7: The same as day 1.

Nutritional part

1. Eat at least 3 different vegetables each day.

2. Eat 2 pieces of fruit each day.

3. Do not eat any fried food, fast food or candy.

4. Drink 8-10 glasses of water each day.

5. Eat 4-5 small meals each day instead of 3 big ones.

6. Reduce the amount of carbs that you eat.

7. Eat at least one portion of protein each day, like fish, meat, eggs or soy.

Follow these guidelines and you will be 5 pounds slimmer after one week.

To discover an additional 43 training secrets and 27 nutritional tricks which will help you look fitter, click this link: How to get a flat stomach with this simple trick. To read how you can lose as much as 9 lbs. in 11 days in keep it off, visit this webpage:
How to lose 9 lbs. every 11 days with The Shifting Calories method.

John Davenport lost over 30 pounds in his twenties after being overweight most of his life. He writes extensively on diet and fitness issues.

The Biggest Secret to Eating Carbs

If you were told to ever stay off carbs and that's what all diets tell you to do, because of the way carbs turn into sugar. How does some people end up losing weight with such high carbs then? This would drive most people, who enjoy eating carbs very nuts.

One diet is high in carbs, and the next diet is low in carbs, or the next has not even a slice of bread. Here is the correct answer to battling the question about whether carbs should be used and how much carbs should be used in your nutrition plan.

There has been a big debate over carbs, especially since Atkins made low carb, the mainstream. Even before Atkins, there were low carb diets and ketogenic diets. The low carb diet was very popular in the competitive bodybuilding area, before Atkins.

As a competitive bodybuilder, I've learned how to manipulate carbohydrates to perfectly give me fat loss results while maintaining my energy levels for my daily energy expenditure which includes my weight training workouts and cardio machine workouts.

I've learned that if someone that does not exercise has been on low carbs for a couple of weeks or more and they introduce the carbs back in their system, they will gain weight. It won't be all fat, but a small portion will be and the rest will be glycogen (energy) and water. Initially, they will retain water and glycogen for the first couple of days, and then the fat will start coming back. The amount of hydration and glycogen storage (energy) stays high since you're not releasing this energy and sweat through exercise. This can cause bloat and puffy skin as well as weight gain even with the slightest bit of increase in the amount of carb intake.

Low carbs also reduce your caloric intake, which in the long run also reduce the amount of leptin produced by your body. Effects of lowered leptin levels are increase of appetite and gradual decrease in metabolism. That's why the typical person gets hungrier after starting a diet. The drastic effects of low calorie and low carbs can lead to leptin insensitivity, which I hope you don't encounter. This occurs mostly in hardcore low carb dieters or very obese people. Most people that encounter this don't even know it. There is recovery plan to fix your metabolism, and yes it includes eating carbs.

If someone is exercising, on a low carb diet and introduces more carbs into their system, this extra glycogen will simply be used to fuel the body and help the person perform better. Much more carbs are needed to produce a weight gain and puffy result. So, it takes the right amount and the right types of carbs to get the best results for rapid fat loss and muscle maintenance. Carbs are far from being the enemy of any real fat loss diet.

Now, there are different types of carbs. Carbs can be complicated. The 3 types are fibrous, simple and complex. There are foods, that combine all three or two or just one. Each type can also have different effects on your insulin. There are low, medium and high "glycemic" carbs within 2 of these different types of carbs (simple and complex). In general complex carbs are lower in the glycemic values, but not always. Simple are be medium to high and fibrous are always low.

For the most part of the day, you should be introducing low glycemic complex and fibrous carbs, except, after a cardio session or before / after a weight training workout. Carbs are the first source of energy for your body. Without carbs, you can still lose body fat, but you will lose much more muscle, therefore really you are decreases fat and muscle which means your just getting smaller but not leaner and defined.. So it all depends on your goals.

Once you have the right types of carbs for your body, you then need to make sure you're getting the right amount of carbs, to fuel your body every day. You can only generalize the amount of carbs needed and then tweak your carb intake after you calculate your basal metabolic rate, your caloric expenditure, your protein requirements and fat requirements. Your activity and goals will dictate how much carbs, including the rest of the macronutrients you need day to day.

Robert Lagana
http://www.laganafitness.com

Rob Lagana has competed in numerous bodybuilding competitions and is a multi-title winner. He currently holds the 2006 Mr. Canada Natural Bodybuilding title in the NFSO & IFSB. Along with experience, Lagana Fitness provides the ultimate pathway to achieving your cosmetic, health and wellness goals. Lagana Fitness offers unique motivational, bodybuilding and fitness tips with free subscription to his newsletter.

Fat Loss 4 Idiots Diets

The market for weight loss programs is vast and there are many differing ideas out there. The sheer scale of choice can be a discouragement to many that are seeking a way to healthy weight loss. The plan which works for some may be doomed for failure when it is tried by others and this make the choice even more disheartening.

Some people think looking thin and attractive means giving up the food we love forever. Rather, you can lose weight now, just like you had in mind by following a few simple guidelines, not rigorous, ball-and-chain rules. The best first step you can take here to lose weight now, is no more strict diets. A nutritionist friend of mine put it best when he said he didn't believe in extremes in any area of life, including low-carb diets. These types of diets are often so rigid and uncomfortable that sustaining long-term results is nearly impossible. That's no way to lose weight now. If you make any kind of all-encompassing decisions about your diet and health, the best one to let you lose weight now, is to go all-natural. And there are a few ways to do this, and it's easier to stick to.

So remember if you are sick and tired of starving yourself or depriving yourself to lose a few pounds only to have them creep back when you can't resist the cheeseburgers and fries, pizza or meat, potatoes and gravy? Do yourself and your body a favor. Get the information you can use to get rid of those ugly, fatty bulges that are literally ruining your health. I did and could not be happier with myself today.

Tired of the extra weight? Visit zach1201.wordpress.com to find out how to get rid of those pounds right now.

Cabbage Soup Weight Loss Fast And Easy

Cabbage soup weight loss is a quick and easy way to drop about 10 pounds in a week. This isn't a long-term eating plan. It's just a way to drop some pounds in a hurry. Sometimes that is just the motivator a person needs to start dropping toward an ideal weight. A quick weight loss in just a few days gets you started off right.

After you get started with the cabbage soup diet, you can shift to a more sustainable long-term plan combining sensible eating with exercise and over a longer period of time, you can attain your weight goals. Even though we all know that short-term diets don't produce long-term weight loss, as a motivator this plan makes perfect sense.

This diet is the first phase of a lifestyle change that will once and for all let you get your weight where you want it. And any time during your long-term weight loss plan where you need a motivational boost, drop back to the soup diet for a week and drop some more pounds again. Then go right back to your sustainable plan.

So what is a cabbage soup diet? Do you just eat soup for a week? That doesn't sound very appetizing does it? Actually that isn't it at all. The plan is that you will eat specific foods on each of the days of the diet. Then you eat all the cabbage soup you want. So the soup is a filler so you aren't empty with gnawing hunger pains. You're full all the time.

Now what kind of food can you eat on this diet? You get fruits and vegetable on some days. Beef or chicken with tomatoes is another day. One day you can eat bananas and drink milk. It varies day by day but in the week you get a wide range of choices. And there is no set cabbage soup recipe. You can vary the recipes to suit your taste. Make it bland or spice it up.

You can lose 10 pounds in a week. Then go on to lose as much weight as you choose with a sensible diet and exercise plan.

Visit our site to get great cabbage soup weight loss ideas and the detailed free 7 day diet plan.

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Al Bullington constantly is struggling with weight gain simply because he likes to eat too much of his wife and daughters' outstanding cooking!

Atkins Pre Maintenance Phase

After experiencing the Induction and OWL phases of the Atkins diet, your next step is to enter the pre-maintenance phase. This phase will set you up for a lifetime of healthy and balanced eating and living. You should begin this phase as you come within 5 to 10 pounds of your target weight goal. Your weight loss will be slowed down even further but it is for a purpose. You want to learn the practices and habits that will determine your long-term success.

In the OWL phase, you will be adding carbohydrate grams to your daily count in the increment of 5 grams per week. During pre-maintenance you will increase that to 10 grams per week. As long as you are continuing to shed weight (no matter how slowly it is coming off) you will continue to add grams. Ideally, toward the end of the pre-maintenance phase you will be losing less than one pound per week.

According to the Atkins book, you should continue this phase until you get to your goal weight and can maintain it for a month. This process may take anywhere from 1 to 3 months. Your goal is to reach a state called "carbohydrate equilibrium." This is your ideal carbohydrate intake and it will cause you to maintain your weight perfectly.

During pre-maintenance you'll get to try a wider variety of foods. Make sure to introduce new foods slowly and increase your carbohydrate intake at a measured pace. Don't add 20 or 30 carb grams a week. Measuring out the increases in increments of 10 will give you a better idea of your personal carbohydrate count. Knowing this number will help set you up for long term weight management.

Make sure to check with a carbohydrate counter resource book or a trusted website before you add a new food to your diet. Some examples of 10 carbohydrate gram foods include 1/3 of a cup of legumes, an apple, cup of potatoes and cup of plain oatmeal. These foods can be included on a daily basis, and then increased the next week.

Pre-maintenance is not a perfect process. It takes a delicate balance of carbohydrate counting and exercise to slow weight loss yet still move it forward. You'll need to pay even closer attention than you have before to make sure that your carb gram increase is not resulting in an increase in weight. There is a fine line between gaining, maintaining and losing, and during pre-maintenance you are trying to find out just exactly where that line is.

If you aren't able to add carbohydrates without stalling your weight loss, you may have a high metabolic resistance. You will benefit from increasing your exercise regimen to get your metabolism burning at a higher level. For you, the pre-maintenance phase will resemble OWL more closely.

Some people do a variation on pre-maintenance that allows them to have a treat once a week. Instead of adding 10 grams per day, they allow themselves a 20 to 30-carbohydrate gram treat a few times a week. Examples of the treat could be a piece of a fruit or a serving of sweet potatoes. A glass of white wine or beer also qualifies for this treat. This is a fun way to reward yourself and still be on the plan.

Yet another way to do pre-maintenance is to average out your carbohydrate intake for the week. Since life is sometimes unpredictable, it can be helpful to have a bit of flexibility in your eating plan. For example, if your current carbohydrate level is at 70 grams, you can limit yourself to 50 grams one day. Then the next day, you can splurge a bit on a meal and have 90 grams for that day. However, only follow this method if it doesn't create carbohydrate cravings. Sometimes excess carb grams on one day can make you crave them even more the next day.

The pre-maintenance phase will give you the tools for long-term success. By learning to slowly increase your carbohydrate grams, you'll have a better hold on the amount of carbohydrates that is right for you.

Roger Mitchell has spent lots of years writing informative articles on atkins diet like atkins diet basics Other related subjects can also be found at http://www.HealthyCafe.org/sitemap/index.html

This content may be used only in its entirety with all links included.

Lose 10 Pounds Fast With 5 Keys To Weight-Loss

So you want to lose 10 pounds fast? There are so many diets and training routines out there that all promise you can achieve huge success by using their product. The fact is there are some simple ideas that, if you apply them consistently will result in continued weight-loss which is safe and healthy. In this article I talk about my 5 keys to weight-loss and I am certain that by just following the steps outlined here you will lose weight very quickly indeed and have every chance to lose 10 pounds fast.

A major key to help you lose fat is to make sure you do not starve yourself. This is where many people who follow traditional dieting methods fall short. If your body is not getting an appropriate amount of fuel it begins to enter it's 'starvation mode' which means you will burn far less calories during everyday activity. The metabolism decreases and this is not conducive to fast weight-loss. Besides the obvious torment of traditional methods and the fact that muscle wastage rather than fat-loss is often their result, they also increase the chances of regaining any weight lost during the diet after its completion and any weight put back on is invariably fat. If you want to lose 10 pounds fast surely you want that 10 pounds to be made up of fat?!

This is what causes yo-yo dieting. You starve yourself for a few weeks and then end the program only to 'celebrate' the finish by finally being able to eat those foods you missed so much. This results in weight regain, leaving you depressed and frustrated and ready for another dieting spell. The cycle continues and is extremely unhealthy for both your body and mental health.

Below I give you my 5 keys to weight-loss that will help you to lose 10 pounds fast. If you are one of those people that constantly seem to be dieting you will find that making the following small changes to your lifestyle will greatly improve your long-term weight loss goals;

1. Eat 4-6 small meals per day, balancing your intake of nutrients. This helps increase metabolism as your body is constantly working to process the food, it also means you don't go hungry or get tires and will avoid you having to cheat by eating sugary foods to increase energy levels and stave off hunger pangs.

2. Start exercising - it may seem obvious but it is amazing how many people simply diet without any exercise. Even simple things such as parking your car in the space furthest from the shop, walking the dog or taking the stairs rather than the elevator will help. Activity has been proven to reduce the chance of depression and obesity and is a great way to stay young.

3. Use weight training combined with aerobic exercise - you don't need to lift massively heavy weights - just do a little, it helps regain any muscle mass lost during dieting and the aerobic workout will help increase the appetite appropriately. Muscle is important! When you increase your muscle mass, your resting metabolism gets a boost, and leads your body to burn more calories, even when you are doing absolutely nothing. On crash diets muscle is consumed by the body for energy so most of your weight-loss will be down to muscle wastage and not fat-loss slowing down your metabolism - do you get why 'starvation' diets don't work? They may claim you can lose 10 pounds fast but what use is that if its all down to muscle wastage and you can't keep it off?!

4. Eat Breakfast - this kick starts your metabolism for the day, meaning you will burn more calories and you won't get those 10 a.m. cravings, at which time many people make bad sugar-loaded snack decisions. Studies have shown that people who it a healthy breakfast actually lose more weight than people who skip it all together!

5. Drink Water - Your body is made up out of 60-65% water. Water is responsible for transporting important nutrients to the body's cells and getting rid of waste.

There are very few diets that help you lose 10 pounds fast and fewer still that can provide the continuous and long lasting weight-loss you are looking for. Ultimately it is up to you to get committed, get motivated and get determined to lose that unsightly, unhealthy excess weight - permanently. It is not easy, I know from experience, but I also know that it is definitely possible to lose 10 pounds fast or even more! Just by following the 5 keys to weight-loss above will give you a far greater chance of success.

Should you wish to learn more about losing weight and keeping it off please visit my website at Lose Pounds Fast where I review some of the products and programs that helped me and many other people to lose 10 pounds fast and permanently and also give you further tips on how you can lose even more weight and keep it off.

I hope you enjoyed this article and I look forward to hearing of your weight-loss success.

Isn't there more to it? Surely these aren't the only tips I need! If you wish to obtain further 'secrets' about weight-loss and fitness please visit Daniel's site at Lose Pounds Fast where he discusses in more depth, ways to transform your body and your life in a matter of weeks.

Weight Loss Pills That Don't Cause Jitters

You finally decide it's time to lose weight, but you know you need a little help getting there. Maybe you have tried weight loss pills before, but they gave you a horrible headache, made you feel sick, and you were shaky. There are weight loss pills that don't cause jitters that are all natural and they do the trick.

You can get some safe and all natural weight loss supplements that jumpstart your diet just as well as the strong pills do. You don't have the side effects with natural supplements and it's much safer to take them long-term if you feel like you need to stick with a program until it becomes a permanent lifestyle change for you.

When you gain weight it's very likely your metabolism has slowed down and is now sluggish. Sometimes you will want to take supplements just to get your metabolism revved up before you tackle the whole dieting thing on your own. It's difficult enough to lose weight, so why not take weight loss supplements, as long as they are natural and safe.

Of course before you take any strong, possibly dangerous weight loss pill, and even weight loss supplements that are natural and made from plants for instance, you should still check with your physician first. You want to do that especially if you are taking any prescription medicine. Your physician's office can even answer your questions over the phone instead of making a trip in.

Most of the weight loss products on the market today are a bit spendy. Sometimes you are paying for sneaky type companies that put "fillers" in their product and you just never know, unless you see that they have quality certificates. If they charge much less than the other company or brand, you might be cautious about purchasing from them.

When selecting weight loss pills that don't cause jitters, of course those are the supplements that are all natural, try to find one that has an appetite suppressant in it. Losing weight is all about speeding up your metabolism and reducing your daily caloric intake. If you don't have much of an appetite, and you eat less, you will lose weight. You don't want to starve yourself, but when you are hungry you can be more aware of your food choices. Instead of eating fatty, sweet, or processed foods, choose lean meats, whole-grains, fruit and vegetables. You will lose weight quicker and you'll be healthier as well.

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How to Reach Your Fitness Goals AND Watch TV

Here's a sad truth that arguably a large contribution to the obesity problem in the U.S.: Americans watch a lot of TV. Here are some interesting statistics from TVTurnoff.org:

  • The average American home has the TV on for 8 hours a day
  • The average American watches 4 hours and 35 minutes of television each day
  • The average American household is 2.55 people, but the average home also has 2.73 televisions

Statistically, we have more TVs per household than we do people in this country! We have very quickly become a lazy, entertainment seeking people. No wonder we have such a large problem with people being overweight and obese. This is no news flash, but when youre just sitting in front of the TV you are contributing to an overall sedentary lifestyle - a lifestyle that is proven to be prime ground for becoming overweight and obese.

The purpose of this article is not to suggest that everyone turn off their TVs for good (although that might not be a bad thing), but rather to suggest that we could all at least make some good use of the time spent sitting in front of the TV.

So how can we make this time more productive? Actually get up and do something rather than just watching the tube! Either during the show you're watching or at least during the boring commercials, get down and do some pushups. During a standard commercial break you could probably get in at least 20-40 pushups depending on your fitness level. Then maybe during another break do some crunches or other body weight exercise. The idea here is that if you're going to sit around a watch TV, at least do something productive and helpful towards achieving your fitness or weight loss goals.

Here is a short list of exercises that you can easily do at home that require little or no equipment that you could do while watching TV:

  • Pushups
  • Wall Squats
  • One-Leg Squats
  • Quick Jog Around the House
  • Chair Dips
  • Angled Calf Raises
  • Anything with Bands or Free Weights that you have at home

Get creative! You could even come up with little mini workouts you can do, or even have a competition between you and other people watching the show. See who can do the most pushups before the show comes back on. That way not only are you getting in some good exercise, but you're also have a good time with those around you and motivating each other to achieve your best.

About the Author:
Dan Patterson is an editor of BodyFitnessInfo.com.

Our goal is to help people learn to gain muscle and use techniques for natural weight loss.

Weight Loss Tips For Athletes

For a best performance, athletes are to be trim and healthy. Winning is based on their talent along with a healthy body. For workouts and practice, they need to shed weight without damaging their muscles. This is the point were most of them do not care about. In order, to gain a quick change they often skip meals or use diet pills and laxatives. Some even try vomiting by triggering their throat. Ultimately, such habits will lead to eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia.

Thus, athletes who are to be healthy end up in various diseases especially in women. Exercising towards the competition needs more effort. In certain cases, these people starve and follow unhealthy diets that might lead to diseases affecting the bone. Sudden change in the weight is always risky. An ideal goal is to reduce one or two pounds a week. Appointing a dietitian would help much in assisting a proper diet considering the weight, height, and age. With a healthy diet, it is easy to attain loss of fat than the muscle.

Athletes should always consume a variety of food. It is advisable not to skip meals especially when hunger cannot be controlled. Protein and carbohydrate enriched food stuffs can be taken before the routine workout or exercise. Calories are being burned off with exercise. Therefore, a well-planned food regime is to be prepared. Athletes put on weight after a particular competition. Retaining their old figure is not as easy as it sounds.

Consuming smaller meals within two to three hours and using considerably smaller plates keeps the person away from overeating. Skimmed milk and low fat diary foods should be preferred. Fish and chicken must be included in one meal of the day. It is better to avoid meat, but if it is a necessity remember to remove the fat before cooking. Including high-fiber food in the regime would give a feeling of fullness. Devouring fruits and vegetables will be more apt that it may avoid the person from over eating.

Fruit juices should be taken in plenty without much sugar and fat. Carbonated drinks are to be completely avoided. It is important for the athletes not to feel hungry during workouts. They might have a crave for sweets and confectioneries. A fruit or fruit juice before the work out will reduce their exhaustion and always feel full. Drinking plenty of water will prevent dehydration. Dehydration can result in serious problems to the health.

There are many risks for the athletes if they lose weight without any proper consultations. Along with the fat, muscle wasting might take place with heavy exercises, which can lead to diseases that may be even fatal.

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What Diets Work?

That's the question we're going to answer! First off all I would like to congratulate you for coming here! So many people fall prey to diet scams and listen to every new fad that comes out (DAILY!). Did you know that 90% of all popular diets fail? In fact many of them cause health problems at the same time. It's time to break this endless cycle. That's why you're here, and I won't disappoint you. Let's get started!

What Diets work? The Diet's that work are the ones which don't have negative side effects, the ones that help you lose weight and KEEP it off and the ones which also improve your well being. So which diets do this?

Diet #1: Drinking Apple Cider Vinegar and Eating Flaxseeds daily. Both of these products help improve your digestive system and slowly cause weight loss to happen. You can expect to lose 10 pounds in 3 weeks. Both can be found in your local health food store.

Diet #2: Walking 30 minutes a day. No matter who you are I think it is possible to find at least 30 minutes a day to walk! Doing this on a daily basis helps increase and drill your metabolism. You will see results in 3-4 weeks.

Diet #3: Eat virgin coconut oil. You can find these in your local health food store. Whenever you fry something, just use this oil instead of other cooking oils. Coconut oil is rich in healthy nutrients that help restore the body's function. If the body's functions are restored, then weight loss will follow as will increased energy and overall a healthier you. Coconut oil is very tasty and I highly recommend this one! If you want to lose weight with it you can expect to see results in 3 1/2- 4 weeks.

Diet #4: Seaweed. You can also buy these in your local health food store. They are known as "KELP". Seaweed feeds of the 7 rays of the sun and salt water full of vitamins and nutrients and concentrates them into itself. So when you eat it you're getting all these vitamins and minerals in you! So your body can regenerate and cause weight loss. Weight loss can be seen within 3 weeks + restored energy.

Diet #5: Calorie Shifting. This is the FASTEST and easiest of all these diets to complete because you don't have to do anything special. No exercise and no buying special products! You can even keep eating your favorite foods. Calorie shifting is a technique that enhances your metabolism and fat burning system. You can lose up to 10 pounds or more in less than 2 weeks.

Here is a valuable article about calorie shifting I recommend you read: How To Lose 10 Pounds In 10 Days. It explains calorie shifting.

You will understand how calorie shifting works and why it's so effective. So again what diets work? The answer is these 5. But in terms of fastest and most effective, calorie shifting takes the cake! (I didn't mean to say cake!)

7 Simple Weight Loss Tips To Lose Weight Fast

Without a doubt, dieting and losing weight can be among the toughest things to do in life. If you have been trying to lose weight and are having a difficult time with it, try some of these simple weight loss tips.

1. Make a Diet Journal - Write down everything you eat throughout the day no matter how small it is. This will help you stay on your diet in the long run. You can also use your journal to track your weight loss, your feelings and so much more. You can really get creative here. The main point is to write it down. It will keep you involved and motivated.

2. Drink More Water - I know this diet tips is so basic, but it is because it flat out works. 6-8 glasses of water every day may sound like a lot, but spread out over the course of the day it isn't. Drinking water before meals will also make you seem fuller and prevent you from overeating.

3. Don't Weight Yourself Every Day - Your weight naturally fluctuates day-to-day. Weighting yourself daily can lead to frustration and giving up on days you see no success. Instead, weigh yourself once a week at the same time, like Monday at 7:00am for example.

4. Have A Goal - Set a goal for yourself of where you ultimately want to be at. Now, break the goal down into reasonably obtainable chunks. For example, your goal is to lose 25 pounds in the next 3 months. Break that down into 5 pounds every 2-3 weeks. This makes it much easier to stay on your diet and achieve success when you work with smaller numbers.

5. Never Grocery Shop When Hungry - One of the biggest no-no's there is. You'll only find yourself getting all sorts of foods you know you shouldn't be eating. We've all been guilty of it before, but be sure you grocery shop after you eat.

6. Close The Kitchen - Late evening eating or snacking is a huge cause of weight gain. You eat, go to bed, and the food just sits in yours stomach and turns to fat. Set a time that the kitchen is closed and then stick to it. This tip helped me to lose 5 pounds in 10 days just on its own.

7. Eat At The Table - Always eat at the dining room or kitchen table. Avoid eating in front of the TV at all costs. You get lost watching a show and you just keep eating and eating.

These are just a few simple tips to help you lose weight fast and achieve success with your diet plan. They have certainly helped me achieve results, which I show you on my blog. Put them into practice and I know they will help you too.

By the way, you can learn more about how to Lose Weight Fast as well as see my results from the plan I have been using and much more information on weight loss on my blog at http://www.FatLoss4IdiotsReview.net

Hoodia Gordonii - Weight Loss and More?

Hoodia Gordonii has made quite an impact in the world of diet and weight loss. Used correctly, then it is certain that one will lose weight and on will stay slim. Just add a little bit of self-discipline to avoid cakes and chocolate and yout weight stays ideal.

Looking only at this, it is already amazing enough: a natural remedy, a plant, for weight loss without any chemical supplements and without any side-effects. Too much already? There is even more.

Many users of Hoodia Gordonii report to us that the taking of Hoodia Gordonii is worthwhile not only for the weight loss and the slimming. They say that when they take Hoodia they experience a general improvement in their health, in their mood. Their statement in general is: "When I take Hoodia Gordonii, I feel just better!" Additionally, there are reports from diabetics that they have an improved ability, to regulate the blood sugar, when they take Hoodia Gordonii.

Well, let's have a look at this. It is a fact that Hoodia Gordonii contains, besides the P57, a lot of other ingredients. Some of them may be responsible for the easier passing of sugar and other nutrients, through the cell-membranes. With this, Hoodia Gordonii would improve the basic metabolism and energy creation. The "fuel" in the body just gets used better.

Now it just would be logical. Naturally, staying slim is easiest, when a given amount of food lasts longer and therefore one eats less. This means: if one eats an apple and this apple delivers nutrients for 2 hours to your body, you will want another apple after 2 hours. If this apple lasts, with the help of Hoodia, for 4 hours, you want the next apple after 4 hours. And now it is an easy calculation: one eats 12 apples and the other one 6 apples who will be slimmer?

Hoodia also has the effect that the stomach gets emtiied slower. This way it contributes to a steady and slow release of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. This, obviously, lowers the stress for the endocrine and the glandular system, because normally surges of nutrients cause highs and lows of blood sugar, a roller coaster ride of inner stability. A slower and steadier inflow takes a lot of stress of the body and this, quite logically, helps you to feel well. To make it sound really good in other words, you could say: the intake of Hoodia Gordonii improves your energy and helps with rejuvenation and systemic renewal!

So, to cut a long story short: staying slim with Hoodia Gordonii is so easy, because it keeps the available amount of food longer in the stomach, because it makes the body use the available food better and therefore it makes us eat less!

On top of all this, Hoodia Gordonii is also a rich source of hormonal substrates, which the body can use to promote and regulate hormonal balance. Some people who use Hoodia Gordonii say that they feel "like being on a mood elevator"! So far there is no scientific proof for this and also no research is done - yet.

Over the years, the author became quite an expert on Diets and Weight Loss and he runs the website: http://www.hoodia-diet-shop.co.uk He was born in Switzerland, but lives now since many years in Spain, enjoying the lifestyle.

Finding Easy Weight Loss Diets

Although the title of this article is 'easy weight loss diets', I am not sure about it. Is any weight loss diet really easy? I don't think so. Enter the market for weight loss diets and you will be bombarded with information about different kinds of diets like the atkins diet and the south beach diet.

But which one is really best for you? Will a low carbohydrate diet work for you? Or will a normal high protein diet be the best one?

The worse part about diets is that what may work wonders for others may not work for you. Every individual is unique and hence has unique needs and requirements. This needs to be analyzed first before plunging to any weight loss program.

Why it doesn't work?

To understand why weight loss diets do not work for you, it is important to have some information on body genetics and metabolism.

Every human being has a metabolism rate or the ability to burn off calories. Similarly, every human being has a particular body structure. Some have broad shoulders and hips with minimum fat content. Others have droopy shoulders with a lot of fat deposits around the waist. This depends a lot on the genetics of the person.

So if you are genetically pear shaped, do not expect that easy weight loss diets will change you into a muscle machine. Or if you are an obese girl genetically, do not even attempt to turn into tyra banks. That's not going to happen.

Have realistic goals

Set yourself realistic goals and start slow. For example, if you are starting your diet plan on New Year, target a weight loss of 4 to 10 pounds by March.

This should be achievable provide you stick to your diet and exercise routine. And make sure that you stay motivated on the diet. A lot of people quit midway due to lack of results. Perseverance is a virtue that you definitely need to succeed.

For more info visit : Weight Loss Diet

Bodybuilding Cutting Exercises Are a Fitness Myth

Bodybuilders use high repetition sets to get ripped, but could get more results in less time by doing less work.

High repetition sets do not get you cut.

This is a myth, and there's a much better way to sculpt your body, get ripped, and finally achieve the elusive 6-pack.

But again, let me repeat, you won't succeed with high-repetition sets using light weights. And don't even worry about the "pump", but that's another article for another day. To get ripped, its all about nutrition and intensity. We want to be able to see our well-earned muscles and our 6-pack abs.

And that's why we get lured into the belief of the cutting exercises. Because it causes a burn in our muscles, we generally think, hey, this must be burning fat. But it's not! It's just a fatiguing sensation. If you are using a high-rep, cutting program, I doubt you are getting the results you want. You don't need to be in the gym too long.

There is a better way to burn fat. A faster way. And a smarter way. It doesn't involve "toning" workouts or "Cutting exercises". What you need to do for fat loss, and getting cut, is to focus on the same exercises that helped you build muscle in the first place.

So forget the pec-dec, and stick with dumbbell presses. Say goodbye to leg extensions, and keep using squats and lunges. Next up is the shocker! Use intervals to cut fat fast! Instead, we'll use interval training to burn fat and boost our metabolism in less than half the time as a normal cardio workout. Only 20 minutes of interval training done 3 times per week resulted in weight loss in one Australian study.

On the other hand, three 40-minute cardio sessions did not cause any weight loss in the same study. Shocking results, but it just goes to show you the power of intensity. No more slow boring aerobics. That means saying goodbye to light weights and high reps and long slow cardio. Goodbye, nice to know you! If you want to get ripped muscles, diet hard?

First, you need the proper dietary changes to promote muscle gains and body fat reductions. Nutrition is the most important factor for fat burning and getting cut. If your nutrition sucks, and you eat fast food or skip meals, you are in big trouble. There is no workout good enough to overcome bad nutrition. Next, focus on multi-muscle strength exercises and finish with interval training to burn more calories out of the gym.

No more machines. No more high reps. Use more intensity and put turbulence on your muscles. If you did a squat, a press, and a row in each workout, and then did intervals, you'd get ripped if your nutrition was good. Keep it incredibly simple, but intense.

Forget about slow boring cardio. You need to do short burst exercise instead. Consistency is key for getting cut.

Forget bodybuilding, use Turbulence Training to get ripped. Burn fat with bodyweight exercises.