Weight Loss Help and Tips

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How to prepare your healthy weight loss plan Posted: 27 Jul 2011 06:56 AM PDT Pre-designed diet regimes do not suit everybody. In addition, not every diet circulating in the market is healthy or returns weight loss results. Understandably many people just want to follow a simple healthy balanced diet which will help them lose weight. This is what most experts profess anyway, as the right way forward. At the same time most people don't know where to start. What is healthy, how do you go about it, what is balanced and how much are you meant to be eating to lose weight? All these are common questions people ask and in this article I will try to provide some tips on how to prepare a healthy weight loss plan. Before you even think about food A weight loss plan is not just about food but all the other steps you need to make to set up. These steps can help you with any weight loss regime you may want to do. First: Weigh yourself and decide how much weight you need or want to lose. This way you can plan on how long it will take you to lose the weight, how many calories should you be eating and most of all you can have a clear goal of what you want to achieve. For your weight loss is always recommended not to exceed 1 – 1.5 kg per week. Second: Keep a foods and drinks diary for a week. I have mentioned the importance and role of food diaries in a number of previous articles such as 'How to control your desire for food' and 'Weight loss: An introduction to a healthier life style'. What, when and why you eat what you eat can play a role in how you plan your meals and your weight loss plan. Third: Make a list of the reasons why you want to lose weight and what it means to you. Also make a list of coping strategies for the times you may struggle. Use the lists to remind yourself why you are following a healthy weight loss plan in the times you want to give up or give in to that pizza. Food planning Before you attack the super market for food shopping you should have an idea of what 'healthy' is. This part could be the most complicated. There is a plethora of foods which do claim to be a 'healthier' option however the reality may be different. For example a lot of oily sprays which derive from vegetable oils and margarines may advertise that they are healthier as they contain less saturated fats. However, they tend to contain a high amount of trans fats which may be more harmful. 1. Do some research on which foods are best to avoid. There is a lot of information available. You don't have to study for a PhD in Nutrition or spend hours on the internet. Make a small list with some basic foods, containing for example trans fats, soy and processed foods and try to avoid including them in your shopping list. 2. Stick with simple and natural foods but do have a variety. Include foods from all 3 categories, which are proteins, carbohydrates and fats. In simple words include meats, vegetables, and fruits. When it comes to more processed carbohydrates such as pasta and bread aim for wholemeal and less refined options. Aim for 'good' fats such as the Omega fats and avoid trans fats. 3. Do try to avoid sugars as much as you can. It is quite well known that the cookies, cakes, and sweets don't help with losing weight. But apart from the obvious sweets can you cut down on the sugar you add in your coffee, or the sugary drinks and fruit juices you drink? You will be pleasantly surprised how many calories and sugars you can avoid consuming in a day. If you have to have a drink or have to have a sweet try to replace them with healthier and less calorific options. For example have a green tea or a fruit tea (no sugar) instead of a fruit juice, or have a fruit instead of a cookie or even a spoonful of yogurt with a tiny amount of honey instead of a cake. 4. Replace and don't exclude. Healthy food doesn't have to be rabbit bland food. As I have already mentioned apart from some exceptions, a healthy weight loss plan is not about restricting yourself with food. It is important to have variety of nutrients. So when you plan your diet replace those foods which may be harmful or calorific. Replace vegetable oils and margarines with olive oil, a cereal bar with a fruit, chips with mash potatoes or even better with a big salad, fruit juice with fruit tea (no sugar), mayonnaise with vinaigrette and so on. 5. On that same note replace the ways by which you cook food. It is not just the ingredients that make a meal healthy or calorific but the preparation of them as well. For example don't fry the food but grill or roast it, don't add loads of vegetable oil but only a tablespoon of olive oil and so on. You can find loads of fun, tasty recipes which include healthier cooking options and fresh ingredients. Make a collection of recipes or cooking ideas beforehand so if you are stuck for ideas or not sure how to do it you can use them. 6. Know your maths and calories. Calories are not the end to all means in a weight loss plan; nevertheless, if you only need 2000 kcal per day and consume 3000 kcal of salad you will still put weight on. In addition you are likely to have some serious wind issues. Don't get obsessed with calorie counting but have an idea how many calories each meal worth. On average women require 1500 – 2000 kcal per day and men require 2000 – 2500 kcal per day. In simple math's terms 1lb of fat translates to 3500kcal. So in order to lose 1lb of fat per week you need to eat 500kcal less than you need. You can find charts which calculate the basal metabolic rate (amount of calories used just to be alive) and charts which calculate calories according to different activities. All these charts will not give 100% accurate calculations but you can use them as a guide. 7. Read the labels. It is always good to have a look at the labels of the food you buy. Look for sugar, carbohydrate and salt content. It is very rarely that trans fat content is actually included in the labels, however, avoid a product if it contains hydrogenated oils or cooked in hydrogenated/ vegetable oils. You don't have to become obsessed, but is worth check what you eat. As I mentioned earlier a lot of 'healthy' products may actually have more risks for health than the benefits they may provide. Moreover, food can have an accumulative effect. What that means is that the 2 grams of sugar in a sandwich may not tip the scale. However, by the time you add all the things you have consumed in a day the result may be high amounts of sugars, salt etc. The rest 8. Exercise. Last but not least, include exercise in your weight loss plan. The benefits of exercise are not just limited to increasing weight loss but extend in most areas of life. But to keep it to the point, what can exercise do for your healthy weight loss plan apart from being healthy? Exercise helps with increasing the amount of calories you burn not only while you exercise but also when you are resting. The more muscle you have the more your metabolic rate increases. Well that doesn't mean that you have to kill yourself in the gym. In any way you can increase your physical activity will help. In addition, with exercise you do get fitter and you behind does look better in that dress. 9. Do consult the appropriate medical and/or fitness professionals before making changes to your diet and/or physical activity especially if you have any pre-existing health complaints or concerns. The above are only some suggestions and you should only follow what suits your individual needs.

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1200 calorie diet for women Posted: 13 Jul 2011 01:51 PM PDT Dieting is one of the ways to lose weight but from the questions we get from our readers it seems that many people do not know where to start. This is normal since the word 'diet' has been associated with deprivation and this keeps people away from even trying to control what they eat. As a result their weight is increasing and the problem becomes even more difficult to handle. Our goal with this article is to give you an idea of a diet you can follow to lose weight quickly but at the same time healthy and without restricting any food group from your meals. The diet is easy to follow and will give you about 1200 calories per day. See below some common questions/answers about this diet. How many pounds can you lose by following a 1200 calorie diet? This depends on your BMR and your daily calorie requirements. If for example you need 1500 calories per day to maintain your normal weight then by following this diet correctly for 1 month you can lose up to 2 ½ pounds. The logic is the following: You need 45,000 calories per month (1500 calories per day x 30 days) to maintain your normal weight. If you consume 36000 calories per month (1200 calories per day x 30 days) then you will save 9000 calories per month (45000 – 36000). Taking into account that 1 pound = 3500 calories, this means you will lose about 2 ½ pounds per month. Is it safe? As a general rule you should always consult your doctor before making drastic changes to your diet. The average woman needs about 1500-1800 calories per day to maintain normal weight. The suggested diet is for about 1200 calories per day which is just 300 calories less than the average. You can also read how to lose 5 pounds quickly for more information on quick weight loss and calorie burning. For how long should I follow this diet? A month is the shortest period you can follow this diet if you want to get fast results. Depending on your results you can choose to stay within the 1200 calories per day or gradually increase it to 1500 and 1800. This of course depends on your activity level, age and exercise. Do I have to exercise? Yes. Dieting alone cannot help you lose weight and keep it off. We mentioned above that dieting is one of the ways to lose weight but you also need to exercise regularly in order to increase your metabolism, accelerate the fat burning process and convert the fat tissues into muscles. Cardio exercises for 3-4 times per week are sufficient for beginners. How to you call this diet? This is an example of a balanced diet where you get to eat all kinds of foods but in moderate quantities. More attention is given to carbohydrates and protein and less to fat (but it is not eliminated completely). What do I need to get started? You should first download and print the diet and read it carefully. Take note of the items that you do not have available and create your shopping list. Have a look at the recipes and make sure that you can prepare those meals using the correct ingredients in the proper portions. Once you have everything ready take a note of your weight (early in the morning) and start with the diet. Make sure that you do not break the diet rules very often and once per week take note of your weight and mark your progress. Is this diet for women only? No. Both men and women can follow this diet but it will be easier for women to adjust to the proposed meals because it is closer to the recommended amount of calories they consume per day. I still have questions, who can I contact? If you still have questions about the diet you can contact our team of experts at diet@weightlosshelpandtips.net 1200 calorie diet for women ( download as PDF ) Day 1   Breakfast: whole grain bar with yogurt and fruit 1 wholemeal cereal bar 1 / 2 yogurt, (Low fat 0% -2%) 1 fruit of your choice (apple, orange etc.)   Snack: Croissant with butter and honey or jam 1 / 2 butter croissants 1 teaspoon honey or jam Lunch: Spaghetti with tomato sauce with peppers and mushrooms and salad 1 cup cooked pasta 3 tablespoons tomato sauce with peppers and mushrooms 2 cups salad of your choice Snack: Half a sandwich with wholemeal bread, ham (pork or turkey), cream cheese, tomato and lettuce 1 slice whole wheat bread 1 / 2 slice of ham or ham turkey fillet 1 tablespoon cream cheese 1-2 slices tomato 1 leaf lettuce   Dinner: Peas with cheese, salad and bread 1 / 2 cup cooked peas 1 piece (30 g) cheese (feta cheese or yellow cheese, low fat or 2 tablespoons of cream cheese) 1 cup salad of your choice 1 slice whole wheat bread DAY 1 Breakfast Snack Lunch Dinner Snack Total Energy (kcal) 224 137 371 137 323 1192 Protein (g) 10.31 2.36 10.72 7.11 11.39 41.89 Total Fat (g) 4.03 5.99 13.24 5.13 18.8 47.19 Saturated (g) 0.38 3.32 1.92 2.36 6.11 14.09 Carbohydrates (g) 39.03 18.82 53.58 16.61 29.98 158.02 Sugars (g) 19.96 8.95 7.45 3.01 10.46 49.83 Vitamin C (mg) 83.74 0.09 53.64 7.42 33.63 178.52   Day 2   Breakfast: whole grain cereals with fruit and milk, bread, margarine and honey or jam 1 / 2 cup whole grain cereal with fruit 1 / 2 cup low-fat milk (1% -1.5%) 1 slice whole wheat bread 1 teaspoon margarine 1 teaspoon honey or jam   Snack: Half a sandwich with whole wheat bread, smoked salmon and cream cheese 1 slice whole wheat bread 1 thin slice (30gr.) smoked salmon 1 tablespoon cream cheese Freshly ground pepper   Lunch: Chicken soup with cheese and salad 1 cup of chicken soup 1 piece (30 g) cheese (feta cheese or yellow cheese and low fat) 1 cup salad of your choice   Snack: Cookie with yogurt 1 cookie 1 / 2 yogurt (0% -2%)   Dinner: Omelet with vegetables and ham and salad 1 egg 2 egg whites 1 / 2 cup vegetables of your choice 1 slice of ham or ham turkey fillet 1 teaspoon olive oil 1 cup salad of your choice DAY 2 Breakfast Snack Lunch Dinner Snack Total Energy (kcal) 223 137 337 137 298 1132 Protein (g) 8.8 9.49 19.81 8.95 20.27 67.32 Total Fat (g) 5.35 5.04 21.22 5.14 19.21 55.96 Saturated (g) 1.55 2.18 6.56 1.29 4.18 15.76 Carbohydrates (g) 37.25 13.96 16.5 14.29 12.32 94.32 Sugars (g) 18.64 1.59 3.87 2.04 6.68 32.82 Vitamin C (mg) 10.53 0 19.14 1 88.71 119.38     Day 3   Breakfast: Half a sandwich with wholemeal bread, ham (pork or turkey) and cottage cheese and milk 1 slice whole wheat bread 1 / 2 slice of ham or ham turkey fillet 2 tablespoons cottage cheese 1 cup low-fat milk (1% -1.5%)   Snack: Fruit 2 fruit of your choice   Lunch: Artichokes with potato, cheese and salad 3 / 4 cup artichokes 1 piece (30 g) cheese (feta cheese or yellow cheese and low fat) 1 cup salad of your choice 1 small boiled potato (125gr.)   Snack: Cream crackers with ham 2 cream Crackers 1 slice of ham or ham turkey fillet   Dinner: Fish soup (with rice) and bread 1 cup of soup (with rice) 2 slices whole wheat bread DAY 3 Breakfast Snack Lunch Dinner Snack Total Energy (kcal) 223 137 407 136 350 1253 Protein (g) 16.79 2.55 11.92 7.19 19.85 58.3 Total Fat (g) 6.02 0.42 21.22 5.13 12.38 45.17 Saturated (g) 3.02 0.05 6.38 1.76 1.98 13.19 Carbohydrates (g) 26.38 35.11 47.39 14.81 41.09 164.78 Sugars (g) 14.33 23.8 7.37 0.86 4.9 51.26 Vitamin C (mg) 0.56 165.48 42.23 1.12 2.65 212.04   Day 4   Breakfast: Cereal maize (corn flakes) with milk and fruit 1 / 2 cup corn cereal (corn flakes) 1 cup low-fat milk (1% -1.5%) 1 fruit of your choice   Snack: Croissant with butter and honey or jam 1 / 2 butter croissants 1 teaspoon honey or jam   Lunch: Fish soup (with rice) with bread and mayonnaise 1 cup of soup (with rice) 1 slice whole wheat bread 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise   Snack: Half a sandwich with wholemeal bread, ham (pork or turkey), cream cheese, tomato and lettuce 1 slice whole wheat bread 1 / 2 slice of ham or ham turkey fillet 1 tablespoon cream cheese 1-2 slices tomato 1 leaf lettuce   Dinner: Risotto with prawns and salad 1 / 2 cup cooked rice (3 tablespoons uncooked) 5 shrimp (large) 1 teaspoon olive oil Fresh chives, parsley 2 cups salad of your choice DAY 4 Breakfast Snack Lunch Dinner Snack Total Energy (kcal) 222 137 378 137 320 1194 Protein (g) 10.42 2.36 17.39 7.11 10.38 47.66 Total Fat (g) 2.66 5.99 21.13 5.13 14.34 49.25 Saturated (g) 1.59 3.32 3.28 2.36 2.06 12.61 Carbohydrates (g) 41.93 18.82 30.64 16.61 38.05 146.05 Sugars (g) 26.06 8.95 4.64 3.01 5.41 48.07 Vitamin C (mg) 85.82 0.09 2.65 7.42 38.88 134.86   Day 5   Breakfast: whole grain cereals with fruit and milk, bread, margarine and honey or jam 1 / 2 cup whole grain cereal with fruit 1 / 2 cup low-fat milk (1% -1.5%) 1 slice whole wheat bread 1 teaspoon margarine 1 teaspoon honey or jam   Snack: Breadsticks with ham 2 breadsticks 1 slice of ham or ham turkey fillet   Lunch: salad with Giants 1 cup cooked beans 1 cup salad of your choice   Snack: Half a sandwich with whole wheat bread, smoked salmon and cream cheese 1 slice whole wheat bread 1 thin slice (30gr.) smoked salmon 1 tablespoon cream cheese Freshly ground pepper   Dinner: Salad with pasta, tuna and mayonnaise 1 / 2 cup pasta (cooked) 1 / 2 cup chopped tomato 1 / 2 cup chopped bell peppers 80g. tuna in water 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise 1 teaspoon of mustard or ketchup Fresh chives, basil DAY 5 Breakfast Snack Lunch Dinner Snack Total Energy (kcal) 223 136 331 137 298 1125 Protein (g) 8.8 7.25 10.76 9.49 24.45 60.75 Total Fat (g) 5.35 6.21 18.62 5.04 8.3 43.52 Saturated (g) 1.55 2.36 2.62 2.18 1.62 10.33 Carbohydrates (g) 37.25 12.37 33.5 13.96 31.07 128.15 Sugars (g) 18.64 2 7.13 1.59 6.34 35.7 Vitamin C (mg) 10.53 1.12 56.38 0 72.08 140.11   Day 6   Breakfast: Half a sandwich with wholemeal bread, ham (pork or turkey) and cottage cheese and milk 1 slice whole wheat bread 1 / 2 slice of ham or ham turkey fillet 2 tablespoons cottage cheese 1 cup low-fat milk (1% -1.5%)   Snack: Yogurt with fruit 1 / 2 yogurt (0% -2%) 1 fruit of your choice   Lunch: Fried Prawns with salad 10 shrimp 1 tablespoon olive oil 2 / 3 cup tomato juice 45gr. slice 1 cup salad of your choice   Snack: Half a sandwich with wholemeal bread, ham (pork or turkey), cream cheese, tomato and lettuce 1 slice whole wheat bread 1 / 2 slice of ham or ham turkey fillet 1 tablespoon cream cheese 1-2 slices tomato 1 leaf lettuce   Dinner: Pizza cheese and salad 1 slice of pizza with cheese 1 cup salad of your choice DAY 6 Breakfast Snack Lunch Dinner Snack Total Energy (kcal) 223 135 373 137 320 1188 Protein (g) 16.79 9.27 19.88 7.11 12.27 65.32 Total Fat (g) 6.02 2.21 27.9 5.13 16.18 57.44 Saturated (g) 3.02 0.02 9.05 2.36 6.51 20.96 Carbohydrates (g) 26.38 21.56 12.9 16.61 32.09 109.54 Sugars (g) 14.33 11.9 10.21 3.01 7.41 46.86 Vitamin C (mg) 0.56 83.74 49.97 7.42 21.4 163.09   Day 7   Breakfast: Cereal maize (corn flakes) with milk and fruit 1 / 2 cup corn cereal (corn flakes) 1 cup low-fat milk (1% -1.5%) 1 fruit of your choice   Snack: Breadsticks 3 breadsticks   Lunch: Meat soups with bread and salad 1 cup consommé 1 slice whole wheat bread 1 cup salad of your choice   Snack: Croissant with butter and honey or jam 1 / 2 butter croissants 1 teaspoon honey or jam   Dinner: Half a sandwich with wholemeal bread, ham (pork or turkey), egg and cream cheese and salad 1 slice whole wheat bread 1 / 2 slice of ham or ham turkey fillet 1 egg (boiled or scrambled eggs without oil) 1 tablespoon cream cheese 2 cups salad of your choice DAY 7 Breakfast Snack Lunch Dinner Snack Total Energy (kcal) 222 135 378 137 325 1197 Protein (g) 10.42 3.9 19.79 2.36 15.13 51.6 Total Fat (g) 2.66 5.7 18.87 5.99 19.67 52.89 Saturated (g) 1.59 2.31 3.66 3.32 5.28 16.16 Carbohydrates (g) 41.93 16.95 33.94 18.82 23.65 135.29 Sugars (g) 26.06 3 6.57 8.95 7.56 52.14 Vitamin C (mg) 85.82 0 25.62 0.09 38.84 150.37

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How to lose 5 pounds quickly? Posted: 10 Jul 2011 08:04 AM PDT Fast weight loss is always a very popular subject among people who want to lose weight for a special occasion. Last week we got a simple but yet very interesting question from a reader that ended: How can I lose 5 pounds quickly? The full question was the following: I don't normally have an issue with my weight, i am slightly overweight but not by much, i am still happy with the way i look. i need to know how to lose about 5 pounds fast, i bought my graduation dress two months ago and when i put it on today it was too small, my graduation is in  week and a half, how can i lose five pounds that quickly? Here is the reply from our team of weight loss experts. The graduation day fast approaching, you bought the dress a few months ago but when you do a trial before the big day is too small. That is a very familiar picture for a number of people; it may not be a graduation but it may be a wedding or a special occasion. Time left to fit in the dress? 1 ½ weeks. What do you do to lose those extra 5 pounds? Well to be very honest there is no way you can actually lose 5 pounds of fat in 1½ weeks. It could appear like to do lose 5 pounds in that time scale but it would mainly be water. Some people will argue that it is good enough to just fit in the dress whether it is water or fat they lost. Safer diets Now that we have made it clear that you will not be losing 5lbs worth fat, one could say that it doesn't matter which diet you follow. All fast diets will bring the same result. As tempting as it is to follow a fad, fast style diet try not to. All of these fad style, 7-10 day diets have been criticized about their safety and the strain they place on the body. In addition, chances are that you will not do it just once but most probably every time an outfit doesn't fit. Yo-yo style dieting can have negative health effects. Below are some suggestions. Calories Calories do matter. Even if you do follow a healthy balanced diet, if you consume more calories than you use then you will store them as fat. It is harder to do so with a healthier diet as this kind of diets consist of a high amount of foods which are low in calories, such as vegetables. Think about it, how much salad would you need to consume in a day to reach 3000kcal? Moreover, you are likely to suffer from gastrointestinal complaints after all that green, with the most common being the 'embracing wind'. To stir back to the main point now; and that is calories. If you want to lose weight you need to create a negative calorie balance. This means consume fewer calories than you need. By how much should you cut? Some authors suggest that 1 lb of fat translates to 3.500kcal. Therefore, if you want to lose 1lb of fat you need to use 3.500kcal. It sounds a lot? It is. So if you were to lose 5lbs of fat in a week you would need to burn: 3.500kcal x 5lbs = 17.500 kcal per week If you divide this number by 7 days in a week then: 17.500 kcal / 7days = 2500 kcal per day Let me thing, does that mean you will have to starve yourself completely? A point to make In reality all these calorie calculations do not work to the letter. The business of losing weight and dieting is a lot more complicated than simple numerical calculations. The calculations assume that people burn calories at a constant rate and it is all of it fat. However, in reality metabolism can slow down as part of energy/calorie restriction and also the body will be losing glycogen, water and protein as well. Use them as a guide only Apart from some very few exceptions (severe illness being one of them) the task of losing 5 lbs of fat in 1 week or even 10 days is more like mission impossible. So concentrate in lowering calorie intake within safe and healthy ranges. The average recommended calorie intake for women is approximately 1500 – 2000kcal and for men and young adults is 2000 – 2500 kcal. The amount of calories used everyday depends on many factors such as body size, age, and physical activity. In general, if you are consuming astronomical numbers of calories then try to lower it down to the recommended values and do account for factors which may influence calorie usage. For an average calorie intake aim for about 500 kcal reduction and is recommended not to go bellow 1200kcal intake per day. What will you get with a 500kcal reduction? If we go back to the calculations you have: 500kcal x 7 days = 3.500kcal in a week which is about 1 lb of fat. Exercise Exercise will increase the amount of calories you burn, simple. If you lower your food intake by 500kcal you burn 1lb of fat so if you use 500kcal through exercise you just increased your fat burning potential. As mentioned above in reality it doesn’t work like that; however the truth is that you will increase the amount of calories you use and increase your weight loss with exercise. See 10 fitness tips for women for more details. Be aware: It does make sense that the more you exercise the more calories you will burn. However, it may be tempting but do not take on a really heavy and intense workout 2 hrs a week for a week in order to maximize weight loss. If new to exercise you will get DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) which means that every muscle you worked will hurt. You don't want to be the girl/guy in the party who 'looks really good in that outfit but what is it all about with the Robocop movements?' Aim for 1 hour a day. Start with light exercises or a run. Maybe try adding exercises from Pilates which can help you cheat a bit with a flat stomach effect. Do consult a medical professional and a fitness professional to make sure is safe and appropriate before taking on any exercise. Be strict but choose healthy You only have 7 – 10 days to lose the extra pounds. It will require being strict with food intake. However, do be healthy and do make healthy food choices. Consuming 1200kcal from McDonalds is not healthy and the pickles do not count towards your 5 a day regardless what the advert said. Follow a balanced diet such as a modified Mediterranean, the zone diet, the new Atkins diet etc. Some diets are more general some can be more specific with meal plans. Choose what suits you as an individual. In general aim for loads of vegetables and fruit, a moderate amount of protein and a low amount of carbohydrates and sugars. I would say if you can avoid any refined sugars is the best. See some of my other articles for more details on healthy diets such as Diet Tips: The role of proteins in weight loss and Weight loss: an introduction to a healthier life. Some easy ways to cut down calories is to avoid alcohol, refined sugars, fizzy drinks, milkshakes, snacks such as energy or cereal bars and finally hot drinks such as sugary coffees, and rich hot chocolate. Coffee is actually considered by some researchers as a way to increase metabolism and fat burning. However, too much coffee is not good for your nervous system and can give you palpitations, increased heart rate and can make you feel anxious and restless. You don't want that so don't drink yourself senseless with coffee. Cheat There are small little things you can do to cheat your way to the outfit without necessarily losing all the weight. 1. Avoid foods that can make you bloat. A large amount of vegetables, especially if eaten raw can make you feel bloated and as mentioned above can give you gastrointestinal complaints. It may contradict previous advice of adding fruit and veg in your diet. Well you can do both. In moderation is the answer. Maybe steam your veg especially carrots which can be hard to digest, and have a mixture of raw salads and cooked vegetables instead of just salads. Breads and refined carbs can also make you feel bloated. As I have mentioned above try to avoid them. 2. If there is still an inch left, then try some of the control underwear. This is not a weight loss tip and most definitely will not help you lose weight; however some of the control underwear can help shave an inch from the body. Don't go for the really tight, I can't breathe type, just normal control. For future reference It may be too late now but you will find that for the future this is a very valuable point. Allow more time for losing the extra pounds. Make it a rule that you will try the outfit at least 2 weeks before the big event. What can you do in 2 weeks? A lot more and you have a lot more chances in actually losing 5 lbs in 2 weeks. You may still have to be strict with your diet and all the above but you will get better results with less heartache. Make long term changes Eating healthier and exercising is best kept for long term. Why only use them as a remedy for emergencies and not adapt our lifestyle to a healthier option? It doesn't have to be a forever dieting and exercising life or even be massively dissatisfied about your weight. Make small changes in your diet and add 30min of exercise is good enough. This way you will be able to control your weight better and also lose weight easier for when you need to. How to Lose 5 pounds summary 1. You will most probably not lose 5lbs of fat in 7 – 10 days. Even if you lose 5lbs it will be some fat but mainly glycogen, water and some protein. 2. It is best to follow a healthy diet combined with exercise and do not lower your calorie intake to much. It is not good and you will not lose more fat. 3. Do little things which can help you cheat your way in the outfit. The above are only weight loss tips. It is always recommended to consult the appropriate health professionals before making any changes to your diet and lifestyle.

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Raw food diet voted second best weight loss diet Posted: 03 Jul 2011 09:41 AM PDT The raw food diet was voted second best weight loss diet according to a diet ranking contest performed by usnews.com health department. The diets were rated by a group of 22 experts that included nutritionists, dieticians, doctors, health professionals and weight loss researches. The study took about 6 months and examined 20 diets on how effective they are in losing weight in the short term, how easy they are to follow, how safe they are and how they can help you maintain your weight in the long term. What is the raw food diet? The raw food diet is similar to vegetarian diet and its roots go back to 1800 when a doctor with the name Maximillian Benner invented the first form of a raw diet. Since then it has evolved but the main idea of the raw food diet is that you consume mainly plant based foods and foods that are not processed, cooked or genetically altered. By adopting the raw food diet you can expect to eat lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, virgin olive oil and other natural and organic foods. There are more food choices and recipes than you can initially think that fall into the category of raw food and in accordance with this diet. It takes more time to prepare your raw food meals but once you get used to the habit of eating raw or nearly raw food you can speed up the process and invent your own ways to cook. Can you lose weight with raw food diet? Yes you can. If you follow the raw food diet for a couple of weeks or more you will lose weight because you will eat mainly fruits, vegetables and other items that are high in fibre and protein. These 2 components can generate fast weight loss results mainly because they can keep the feeling of fuller longer. Is the raw food diet suitable for everyone? We always encourage our readers to consult their doctor before engaging in drastic weight loss diets or techniques. The raw food diet restricts certain food items from your diet and this can generate adverse effects to people who are suffering from various diseases. The American Diabetic Association has also rated the raw food diet as inappropriate for infants and children. The available research about the raw food diet does not expose any side effects but on the contrary it suggests that people who have followed the raw food diet successfully have managed to lose weight. It is no secret that a lot of celebrities are using the raw food diet to get fit before their appearances or get ready for their new movies. It should be noted though that it is not an easy diet to follow especially if you are new to dieting. A final word The raw food diet was voted among the best weight loss diets because it is guaranteed that you can lose weight. It can generate both short-term and long term results and it is safe to use provided that your doctor approves. On the negative side it is not easy to follow and you need to spend some time learning about what to eat and how to prepare your meals. If you are anxious to lose weight fast then you can try it out and come back to share your opinion and experience with our readers.

Weight loss tips for controlling hunger Posted: 03 Jul 2011 06:55 AM PDT Hunger is a common issue for many dieters and a point in which a lot can struggle. Another difficult point is weight loss motivation. Both these issues in combination can make dieting to look like mission impossible. So what can you do and/or eat to overcome these difficulties. Question: I am 37 years old I am 60lbs overweight and I have no drive what so ever. I am trying to put myself on a diet but I get very hungry mid way thru the day to wear I get shaky and feel sick. I eat a breakfast and have fruit for snack but I am constantly hungry. What can I eat that will keep be not feeling hungry? Answer by Hara Hagikalfa. View more answers in our Weight loss Advice section I have looked at some of these issues in previous articles so for some points I will only give a brief outline. Breakfast is quite an important meal for the day. If you start your day in the wrong foot you will spend all day chasing your feet to get in line. What does that mean in terms of diet and hunger? As I have mentioned before if you have a breakfast full of carbohydrates results in your insulin levels to hit the roof very fast. When all sugar has been absorbed from your blood insulin falls again and your body receives the signal that you need food. The result: you feel hungry, shaky, sick, irritable and so on. The solution is to eat protein for breakfast. Protein can make you feel full for longer and you have a better insulin response. Snacks: If you have to have a snack, again aim for a protein based one or a handful of nuts. Studies suggest that nuts tend to make you feel full and they are also a good source of essential fats. But they are quite calorie dense so keep it to a handful. Best carry snacks such as nuts in your bag or have them handy. If you are out and you start feeling hungry you are more likely to get just anything you can find. In addition, the longer you let yourself be hungry the worst you are going to feel. As a result you will again end up eating anything and everything under the sun to satisfy your hunger. There is also what they call the 'emotional' hunger. The solution for this is trying to modify your behavior and relationship towards food. One of the main ways is try to associate your feelings with other activities rather than food. See also emotional eating One area which I haven't mentioned so far is actually the physiological aspects of being overweight. Adipose tissue (fat) is actually seen by many researches as biologically active and it produces hormones. Many of these are involved in metabolic regulations such as food intake and energy expenditure. One such hormone produced by adipose tissue, is leptin which is believed to be involved in food intake regulation. In simple words one of the jobs of leptin is to make you feel less hungry. Majority of overweight and obese people have high levels of leptin however; they tend to also have leptin resistance which means that they are less reactive to the effects of leptin. What does that mean in very simple words is that they feel hungry and find it hard to regulate their appetite. Food restriction also can result in levels of leptin to decrease which again wouldn't help. Suggestion box Breakfast: Cereal, toast, bagels, marmalade, fruit with yogurt and honey etc. all sound very healthy. However they are full of sugar and quite frankly full of calories. You have this breakfast by 8am and by 10am you want to kill everybody in the office for food. Substitute all of the above with eggs, ham, grilled bacon, cheese, smoked salmon and so on. You can have a couple rye crackers instead of toast with it. It sounds like a big full of calories meal; however you will feel full for the day and is unlikely that you will be attacking the snacks. Snacks: Mid day snacks usually include cereal/energy bars, biscuits, crisps etc. Fruits are a healthy snack however they too contain a lot of sugar. A fruit after a carb loaded breakfast will only continue the hunger cycle. Try dried fruit and nuts or an avocado maybe a couple of rye crackers with some cheese. They tend to settle the stomach. In many ways this one of the reasons why many overweight people may find it hard to control hunger and follow diets. Some studies suggest that a low fat diet may help in improving leptin resistance. Do make sure that you do eat essential fats such as olive oil, fish oils etc. but maybe substitute foods high in fat with those with less fat content. I prefer to recommend not choosing low fat versions such as low fat mayonnaise, but choose foods which normally contain less fat (i.e. cottage cheese instead of yellow cheese, lean cuts of meat instead of just eating chicken etc.). Use some of the tips which I have included in my article in regards to emotional eating ('How to control your desire for food'. Tips such as doing others activities or eating smaller portion can help in controlling hunger in general. Persevere. Unless the reason why you could be feeling hungry is based on a different health complain, losing weight should improve things like insulin and leptin sensitivity. So hunger can improve. It is a little bit like the chicken and egg predicament; you need a chicken to make the egg but you need an egg to produce the chicken. However, this does not mean that there is no solution. Following a healthy, low fat but balanced diet and cutting down moderately on calories should help. It may be hard to begin with but if you make a list of things you can do to battle hunger and cravings then it is already made easier. Exercise is one more thing you can add. Exercise does help in weight loss as it does increase metabolism in general and also you burn more calories with exercise (see '10 Fitness Tips for Women for more details). Some studies also indicate that exercise per se can help in improving insulin and leptin regulation, amongst other health benefits. Consult a medical professional. As I mentioned above there may be other health reasons why you may feel hungry or have symptoms such as feeling shaky, dizzy, and sick. One such reason could be thyroid dysfunction. However, this is up to a medical professional to carry out the appropriate assessment and tests and include or exclude any other problems. In addition, is always recommended that you consult a medical professional before going on a diet or taking on exercise. Finally, work on your motivation. One point to start from is by actually making a list of why you want to lose weight. Going on a diet because is what you should be doing and going on a diet because you want to and you know why are 2 different things. Find the reasons why losing weight is important to you and why it means a lot to you. Once you have the list ready place a copy on your wallet, and one on the fridge. When you feel you lose the will to continue look at your list and remind yourself why you are doing it. Get a diet buddy or join a club. Studies show that diet clubs can have a high rate of achieving weight loss. This is not because they actually use a more effective diet, but because they have support systems which help people in adhering to dieting and losing weight. Your diet buddy could well be a spouse or your partner. Support coming from the family is as important, effective and valuable as weight watchers. Set goals and reward yourself. Set weekly goals based preferably on diet adherence not on pounds lost. Best not reward yourself with food though as it could be creating emotional connections. Example could be that if you manage to follow your diet plan all week (fortnightly or monthly etc.) you will go for a massage, a manicure etc. Set your little rewards according to what you enjoy. See your rewards as saying well done you achieved something, instead of buying yourself out.

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