Interesting stuff

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Adrenal Glands are important for Long Term Weight Loss

The two Adrenal function glands sits like a tiny pyramid on top of a kidney ("ad" "renal" means "over" the "kidneys"). These powerful little endocrine glands manufacture and secrete steroid hormones such as cortisol, estrogen and testosterone that are essential to our health and vitality.

Adrenal glands' job is to keep our body's reactions to stress in balance so that they are appropriate and not harmful. For example, the protective activity of anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant Adrenal hormones like cortisol helps to minimize negative and allergic reactions, such as swelling and inflammation, to alcohol, drugs, foods, environmental allergens, cancer, infection, and autoimmune disorders. These hormones closely affect the utilization of carbohydrates and fats, the conversion of fats and proteins into energy, the distribution of stored fat (especially around your waist and at the sides of your face), normal blood sugar regulation, and proper cardiovascular and gastrointestinal function. After mid-life (menopause in women), the Adrenal glands gradually become the major source of the sex hormones circulating throughout the body in both men and women. These hormones themselves have a whole host of physical, emotional and psychological effects, from the level of your sex drive to the tendency to gain weight. Every athlete knows that steroids (Adrenal hormones) affect muscular strength and stamina.

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Phosphatidylcholine as an excellent fat burner

Phosphatidylcholine (PPC) is a gylcerophospholipid that is involved in the metabolism of several lipid compounds. Phosphatidylcholine is widely found in the cell membranes of plants and animals and as an ingredient of fat dispersions (milk).

PPC acts as a supplier of choline, which is needed for sell membrane integrity and to facilitate the movement of fats in and out of the cells.

PPC is an excellent fat burner and many mesotherapy practitioners use PPC by itself for weight loss. However, many practioners prefer to use cocktails made up of combinations of caffeine, PPC etc to be more effective.

Organic Silicium for Cellulite Treatment

Organic Silicium as an ingredient used in Mesotherapy for fat dissolve, increases lipase production. It is 7 times more poerful that theophiline and caffeine/ trace element.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Weight Loss Sunglasses

This is such an interesting article by
By Glenn Mueller
eDiets Senior Writer/Editor

It doesn't seem to be mentioned in the hit song from the early '80s, but maybe the real reason Corey Hart wears his sunglasses at night is to keep his appetite under control. If you've been following the latest headlines, you'll know that a Japanese company is currently marketing a special line of sunglasses to help dieters lose weight. (As the popular humorist Dave Barry is fond of saying, "I am NOT making this up!")

The Japanese company, Yumetai, claims their magic glasses work in two ways:

Since the lenses are blue, they make food look extremely unappetizing. The company claims that the color blue suppresses the appetite sensors in the brain.
The lenses also block red light, which is said to stimulate the appetite center in the brain.
And to think, all this time I thought the secret to losing weight was to burn off more calories than you take in. I have been wasting valuable time trying to follow a healthy meal plan and get to the gym, when all I really have to do is wear blue sunglasses. Where do I sign up?! I'll wear two pairs at the same time... that way, I'll be sure to lose twice as much weight.

Oh well. In a culture obsessed with instant gratification, I guess it is not surprising that companies keep marketing absurd diet gadgets. After all, they wouldn't keep creating them unless people were buying them. As the great P.T. Barnum once said, "There's a sucker born every minute."

Now, I'm tempted to say that weight-loss sunglasses are the most ridiculous weight-loss product of all time, but I know they have stiff competition. There have been slippers, earrings, patches and even insoles for shoes that were marketed to help people lose weight. Not to mention sauna suits, soaps, stimulating electrodes and vibrating belts.

Monday, April 21, 2008

5 Ultimate Regimes for Lifetime Weight Management

1. Cardiovascular Exercise
Cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise has been known as a key to effective fat burn. A fitness program with the main goal of achieving weight loss must include at least three weekly cardio workouts. This translates into 20 to 30 minutes of any physical activity that gets your heart to beat at a rate that's 60 to 90 percent of its maximum.

Cardiovascular exercise involves working the major muscles of the lower body in a continuous, rhythmic fashion. Activities such as brisk walking, jogging, riding a bicycle and jumping rope all qualify as aerobic exercise and should be incorporated into your weekly fat-burning regimen.

2. Strength Training
When you lift weights (or engage in any other type of strength training), you push your body against a challenging (but controllable) level of resistance. If done right, muscles will adapt and grow stronger as they anticipate a progressively more difficult workout.

This muscle growth will take the form of a sculpted and more toned physique, and unless taken to an extreme, will usually not materialize into big and bulky muscles(so women out there, please don't worry). But what about that layer of fat that floats over every inch of your otherwise sculpted body? An increase in lean muscle, if only slight, will result in an increased basal metabolic rate, your body's requirement for fuel at rest. You need your muscles mass to burn up the fat cells. That's the reason why everyone should perform strength training at least twice a week.

3. Flexibility Training and Yoga
Many would question the connection between stretching and fat burning. Flexibility training increases the effectiveness of the rest of your fitness program in many ways. It cuts down on injury and recovery time, reducing next day soreness, getting you back in the gym sooner. Stretching improves performance, balance and speed of motion, allowing you to perform more work in less time.

Incorporating some stretching exercises into an otherwise strength training routine keeps you moving between sets, adding to the overall caloric consumption of your workout. Yoga, with its unique blend of stretching and strengthening exercises, has gained unprecedented popularity. Many fitness enthusiasts, who at one time wouldn't be caught dead in a cat pose, now find themselves attending regular yoga classes -- and looking as lean and fit as ever. This is what I believe to. Yoga actually helps me to understand each part of my body more.

4. Sleep, Rest and Recovery
Lack of sleep or rest is the culprit behind a failed weight loss program. A fitness and weight loss plan, be sure to include adequate recovery periods between workouts. Rest at least 48 hours between full body strength training sessions and limit cardio to no more than 3 to 6 hours a week. If over-trained, your body will break down, you'll lose precious lean muscle mass and actually get fatter. I have experienced that myself when I spin 2 hours a day. I put on weight easily on my waistline.

During sleep, the body's recovery processes go into high gear. Depending on activity levels and individual requirements, get 7 or 8 hours of sound, restful sleep every night. It is essential for good skin too.

5. Relaxation such as Massages are nececessary
Stress has been found to generate dangerously high levels of the naturally occurring hormone cortisol, which is produced by the adrenal glands. Cortisol has a major role in the regulation of blood pressure and cardiovascular function as well as regulation of the body's use of proteins, carbohydrates and fats. When cortisol is secreted, it causes a breakdown of muscle protein, leading to the release of amino acids into the bloodstream. This process can also raise blood sugar levels.

Massages can help us to relax as well as soothe those sore muscles. Going for massages regularly will not only ease muscles soreness, it is also beneficial for our overall well being.

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Best Crunch Exercise

Crunches on the fitball is now one of my favorite ab exercises. My instructor, Jeff has been training me on this movement one week ago and I start seeing my lower abs toning up. This exercise really helps define abs more than most of the other exercises. Position yourself with back on the ball making sure that it is adequately inflated. Be sure your low back is well supported. Position your hands behing your head and slowly roll your back down over the ball then begin to lift up feeling a strong abdominal contraction by lifting your lower abs simultaneously and repeat the movement 12 times. To increase difficulty, you can complete one crunch by counting 3 or 4 counts before lowering yourself. Perform three sets of eight to 12 repetitions. Be sure to relax your neck and your arms are always parallel to your ears.

Monday, April 7, 2008

Tight and Toned Abs again

NUTRITION:

This is the most important component to achieving a flat abs. First, you'll need to control blood sugar levels in order to lose body fat. This is best accomplished by consuming four to six meals per day. Don't mistake the definition of a meal for a six-course extravaganza. They are actually feedings. Each of the meals is comprised of protein, a little carbohydrate and a little fat.


RATIOS:

It's unlikely that you'll get tight abs and a flat stomach by consuming 80 percent of your calories from carbohydrates. Ratios can vary quite a bit, but consuming more than 55 percent of your calories from carbohydrate will not be optimal for fat loss.



TIMING:

I realize four to six meals sounds like a lot, but you must keep in mind that the body is always seeking to store body fat. It (the body) doesn't care if you want to lose fat. In fact, your body would prefer to keep fat in order to accomplish its number one goal of keeping you alive in case of a future famine or drought

Always consider the body from the inside out and not the other way around. In order to control blood sugar, eat every two to three hours throughout the day. When using the most effective nutrient ratios, this helps to control blood sugar (which, in turn, assists in body fat loss).



CALORIES:

Many of us are still consuming too many calories. It doesn't matter how healthy your nutrition program is if you're eating too much. It's important that you find maintenance calories first. Maintenance represents the amount of food you consume without any change in your weight. This will take some experimentation and some effort. Observation and trial and errors are what you need to do. Until then, you will not know what is the right amount of food to consume without putting on weights.


SLIGHT CALORIC DEFICIT:

After you have found maintenance, simply reduce your calories by 200. Our goal is to have you eating as much as possible and still losing fat and retaining muscle. But you must not starve yourself and thereby slowing the metabolism and losing valuable muscle tissue. The goal is to preserve muscle and make your body a metabolic inferno.


CONSISTENCY:

You'll need to be on this nutrition program six days a week with one day being somewhat of a cheat day. Unlike many, I'm not a big fan of the "cheat" day. I find that people tend to use it as an excuse to gorge themselves.

So, on Sunday for example, you're allowed to have some pizza, a bit of ice cream, etc. But nothing extreme! When you pig out, blood sugar levels can be elevated for seven hours or more. This will absolutely halt your body fat loss and actually backfire.



WEIGHT TRAIN:

At this point, you should be aware of the importance of resistance training. Just three to four workout sessions lasting no more than 35 minutes to an hour will do the trick. For every pound of muscle on your body, you'll burn 30-50 additional calories per day.

Part of your program should include abdominal exercises to strengthen and build the abs. That way, when you achieve your low body fat level, your abs will be tight.

By the way, there is one great movement to help pull the stomach inwards; however, I'll cover that in a future abdominal exercise article. I have to give you some reason to come back, right?



CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISE:

Perform three to five days per week of moderate cardio exercise for approximately 30-40 minutes. During two of the days, you can exercise at a higher intensity level to accelerate fat loss -- but, only if you reach a sticking point. Do this consistently, keep adjusting calories SLIGHTLY and change your routine every three to four weeks. You will get a flatter stomach!


Extracted from an article contributed by Raphael Calzadilla.

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Martial Arts: Another Fitness Craze

Monday, March 31, 2008

Life with Yoga

1. Yoga increases flexibility.

Flexibility will increase even without anyone realising it and this is for sure with Yoga. Pictures of yogis with their legs wrapped around their heads and bodies twisted beyond recognition are images often called to mind at the mention of yoga.

Stretching connective tissues in the body makes the tissue more elastic. This elasticity is one of the most important aspect of preventing injuries to the body.. Tissues such as muscles, ligaments or that can stretch without tearing will bring benefits to everyone.


2. Yoga prevents aging.

Along with preventing injury, flexibility also keeps the body young. As a body ages, its connective tissues and organs become rigid. This rigidity is the effect of denseness without circulation. If the body is not regularly stretched out, tissues become dense and are often coated in fibroid tissue. It's difficult for the tissues to get blood through them, let alone vitamins, minerals or energy.

Keeping your muscles flexible will keep the body young, and diminish the overall effects of aging. Even facial muscles can be exercised by practising yoga. "Tiger roar or Laughing yoga" are beneficial for reducing facial wrinkles. Other than Botox of course.


3. Yoga tones the organs.

Every posture in yoga has several functions. The forward bend helps to flush the kidneys. The triangle opens up the liver. When held for the right amount of time, a yoga practice can revitalize and tone every one of the internal organs. The benefits of keeping your organs in good condition go without saying. Organs are the production house of any individuals and keeping them in good shape is really important.


4. Yoga increases healthy energy flow.

The yogis of ancient India discovered nadis, or energy pathways, that flow through the body. As we age, the nadis constrict, allowing less and less vital energy to flow through the body. The result is aging, loss of energy and eventually death.

The practice of yoga is designed to keep these energy pathways open, thereby allowing plenty of vital energy, or life force, to flow into the body. This flow not only keeps you young, it also keeps the body healthy. Lack of life force in the body can often result in depression, anger or other negative states of being. When there is plenty of life force in the body, and the nadis are open, your overall feeling will be one of bliss, peace, equanimity, love and alertness. Their teachings and believes are very similar to those who believe in Reiki, another kind of self healing.


5. Yoga focuses the mind.

As you progress with a physical yoga practice, you will find your level of concentration will increase. I realised that during the one hour of yoga practice, my mind is only on yoga and nothing else as you will find that your position or posture will be compromised if you start thinking of something else.

This ability to maintain one pointed concentration will find its way into the rest of your life, the effect of which lends itself to brilliance in everything you do. With your total concentration, every action you participate in will be that much more perfect, well thought out and of service to yourself and all of humanity.


6. Yoga gives you love.

Through the practice of yoga, one comes to realize that we are all in this together. Yoga, in its essence, means union. And this union makes itself apparent on many different levels. You will come to know yourself, to find integration in the many aspects of your life. But you will also come to know others for who they really are. Beyond the masks we wear, we are all going through life in the same way, searching for union with each other and with a higher power.

Through yogic practices, you gain the insight to see through the masks of the ego, and to look deeply into your own heart. Why are you here? What is life showing you? How are you looking at the world? To come to know yourself is to love yourself with an unconditional mother's love. And to love yourself is to love the world and all of its inhabitants.

Monday, March 17, 2008

Abs Anatomy

The abdominals are composed of four major muscles: the rectus abdominis, the transversus abdominis and the internal and external obliques.

A lying abdominal machine will not give you a flat abs, a seated abdominal machine will not give you a flat stomach and 1,000 crunches per day will not give you a flat stomach.


 

RECTUS ABDOMINIS –

This is the infamous, but improperly-named "six-pack." It's actually an eight-pack. It's a long, thin muscle that runs vertically down the body from the breastbone and fifth, sixth and seventh ribs to the top of the pubic bone. With supportive nutrition and efficient work, it can help create the much desired "ripples" that poke out detailing the "eight-pack," but it can't create a flat stomach. The muscle fibers simply run the wrong way for that to happen.


 

TRANSVERSUS ABDOMINIS –

The transversus muscle holds your gut tight and flat. It's a thin sheet of muscle running along the sides of the abs, which joins connective tissue behind it. Its fibers run across the stomach, join into the rear area of the abs and wrap around the sides of the body. It attaches along the rib cage and into the back muscles. It's your body's natural corset! When you suck your gut in, you have just used your transversus. This is the only muscle that can help create a flat midsection!


 

INTERNAL and EXTERNAL OBLIQUES –

The internal obliques are diagonal fibers that fan out from the pelvis and ribs to the rear of the "eight-pack." They provide a layer of support over the transversus. The external obliques, also referred to as the "love handles," are composed of fibers that run from the front of the pelvis and "eight-pack" back to the ribs.


 

Flattening the Stomach, Concentrate on TRANSVERSUS ABDOMINIS
Focussing on the transversus abdominis will flatten your stomach. However, don't forget to work all four areas of the abdominals for maximum effectiveness and core stability.


 

Article extracted from eDiets

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Carboxy Therapy for cellulite free body

Carboxytherapy is another treatment tried six months ago.The simple technique claims to dramatically improve the appearance of cellulite by improving local tissue metabolism and perfusion. Treatments are rapid, but uncomfortable. You will feel the parts being treated balloon as the gas being flowed in by puncture holes made by needles, about 30G.

How is Carboxytherapy being administered?

It is a non surgical method. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is infiltrated into the subcutaneous tissue through a tiny 30G needle (0.3mm in diameter). From the injection point, the carbon dioxide diffuses easily into adjacent tissues. Needles will then be held firmly at the respective positions using a surgical tape. The treatment will be administered by the physician throughout of helped by a nurse or assistant and alcohol swaps being wiped at the punctured parts throughout to reduce discomfort.

How does the carbon dioxide work?

Carboxytherapy works in two complimentary ways. Firstly, and quite simply carbon dioxide mechanically kills fat cells but supposedly bursting them.

Secondly, it also has a strong vasodilatory effect (causes dilation of blood vessels) on the capillaries in the area. Wider vessels mean bigger and stronger blood flow to the area, which means more oxygen. The increase in oxygen is important because it eliminates the built up fluid from between the cells. The end result is fewer fat cells and firmer subcutaneous tissue. A vast reduction of cellulite can be observed even after two sessions of treatments.

My personal experience

Nevertheless, the treatment is not comfortable. The areas surrounding the injection sites will be inflated for 10 to 20 minutes as CO2 is being infiltrated. The level of comfort will decrease during the procedure.

Between 10 and 20 sessions are necessary to eliminate cellulite. Ideally they should be carried out every other day, although sometimes two or even one session per week will be sufficient due to the level of pain. This will depend on the extent of your cellulite. Each session lasts between 10 to 15 minutes.
After the 5th session you will see that your skin looks noticeably healthier. Around the 8-10 session mark, you will appreciate that your subcutaneous tissue is firmer. Before the treatment program ends you will have firmer, cellulite free skin. From my personal point of view, one will be advised not to sign up a course of treatments. Due to the level of pain and uncomfortableness, one might even give up half way through the process. An alternative way to get rid of cellulite or maintenance programme such as endermologie will be highly recommended. Endermologie is very comfortable and its effectiveness is not any less than Carboxytherapy. Therefore, a person like me who loves to try out all available treatments will only recommend Carboxytherapy to satisfy your curiosity rather than a long term maintenance cellulite reduction programme.

There are no restrictions on any activities after the treatment. Activities can be resumed as soon as possible.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Calories, Junk, Fitness

Nutrition is the KEY contributor to weight loss and weight management. It is vital that we stay conscious of what goes into our body. The quality and quantity of food we consume is directly reflected in our bodies' appearance, as well as our overall health. No amount of exercise can counterbalance a poor diet and unhealthy eating habits.


1. Do not drastically cut calories.

Our body need food to give us energy to perform our daily activities. However, we can limit the intake of empty calories. These come from foods with little or no nutrients. Sinful foods such as doughnuts, shortbreads etc will only add empty calories and we might need to forego more nutritional food to justify for additional empty calories.


2. Keep junk foods out of sight, and out of mind.

It is hard to resist the temptation of junk food such as potato ships, prawn crackers etc. In order to avoid giving in to these unhealthy snacks, it is advisable not to keep them within reach at all. Instead, keep healthy snacks that satisfy your cravings such as fruits and nuts.

3. Do not drink your calories.

Carbonated drinks, juices are high in sugar and therefore add tonnes of empty calories. By sticking to green tea and water you can cut hundreds of calories each day. By simple cutting out a couple high-calorie beverages daily, you can lose several pounds.


4. Make fitness a priority and I cannot stress more about it.

Make fitness a priority and schedule it whether in the morning or evening and stick to it Find out which time of the day is the best for you to work out. The best time will be first thing in the morning before going to work or in the evening before you relax with the rest of your family members. Whatever time of day or type of exercise you choose, it is important to be consistent and disciplined. Make it a priority and a habit.

Eat and Drink to Great Shape

Green Tea
Studies show that green tea extract boosts metabolism and may aid in weight loss. This mood-enhancing tea has also been reported to contain anti-cancer properties and help prevent heart disease.. It also has anti oxidant properties. Green tea is one of the main ingredients in most of the weight loss products. Japanese women have been able to control their weight compared to others and I believe their customs of drinking green tea actually contributes to this.


Soup
Eat less and burn fat faster by having a bowl of soup as an appetizer or a snack. Soup is a super appetite suppressant because it's made up of a hunger-satisfying combination of liquids and solids. Drinking soup before each meal will make you eat less especially carbohydrates such as rice, noodles etc..


Oatmeal
This heart-healthy favourite ranks high on the good carbohydrates list, because it's a good source of cholesterol-fighting, fat-soluble fiber (7 grams per 3/4-cup serving) that keeps you full and provides you with the energy you need to make the most of your workouts. Just add a tablespoon of oatmeal into your favourite hot beverage and it can be a satisfying and filling breakfast and or snack.

Learn to Boost Metabolism

1. Practice morning cold hydrotherapy. First thing in the morning when you wake up, drink 1 full glass of very cold/ chilled water on an empty stomach. Then take your time to go for breakfast or wait for at least 30 minutes before having your breakfast. The cold water will force your body to raise its core temperature, thereby stimulating your metabolism. You can also do the same thing before lunch or dinner.

2. Drinks lots of water and eat 5 small meals a day. Muscles and other tissues are made up of approximately 0f 80-percent water. If you limit your water intake, the body will retain water and make you feel like the "queen or king of bloat." It doesn't take much It is similar when your body is put on a starvation mode. Your body will react by conserving energy by lowering metabolism and body weight will then increase. Therefore, eating 5 to 6 small meals a day is recommended for a long term weight management programme.

3. Exercise in the morning. If you can fit it into your schedule, exercise in the morning. People who exercise consistently in the morning find that exercise at this wee hours helps to regulate their appetite all day long. They don't get as hungry and they start the day with a boost to the metabolism. Breakfast is a must for early birds especially.

4. Perform cardio interval training. Cardio interval training is simply short bursts of high-intensity exercise combined with more moderate intensity within the same workout. People who perform interval training twice a week (in addition to two other days of lower intensity cardio) lose twice as much weight as those who do just a moderate cardio workout. Your body will be working harder and will be forced to burn more calories. This is easily achievable in s spinning/ cycling in groups (RPM) class. During the class, the instructor will combine high and low intensities workout within the 50 minutes class.

Water Miracle

Drinking water is absolutely one of the most important things you can do for your health, for most importantly to control appetite. Water can help you lose weight, speed up your metabolism, nurture your skin, protect your organs and eliminate harmful toxins. Although you do get some water from foods and other fluids, drinking at least eight glasses (8 oz. each) of water every single day is a must. You should also be sure to drink water before, during and after each exercise session so you don't get dehydrated. And for me, getting enough water before each meal can satisfy hunger easily and make you eat slower. Slow eater usually can control their food intake better as the brain has enough time to transmit the "FULL" signal.

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Pear Or Apple


From a glance, people will be able to determine whether you are apple or pear shaped. The most precise way to determine your shape is by using a tape measure.


 

Get the tape measure and measure your waist and your hips, then come up with the ratio. If you are a pear, then it's your thighs, butt and hips that show the extra cushion. The more apple shaped you are the larger your waist size is going to be relative to your hips, and the much greater your health risks are when it comes to chronic inflammation, heart disease, diabetes and cancer.


 

The critical difference between the two shapes lies in the type of fat you have and where it's stored. Pear-zone fat is passive and actually protects against heart disease, the smaller your waist and the bigger your hips, the smaller your risk of heart disease. Apple-zone fat, on the other hand, is harmful. Apple shaped women have visceral fat, the very active fat. This type of fat is an actual gland that releases chemicals and hormones right to the liver. If too much starts to get stored in the liver and in excess in the abdomen, then their waist size gets larger, their insulin level goes up and inflammation occurs.


 

While apple-shaped women need to be very careful and alert about the many health risks associated with their body shape, they are not alone. Pear-shaped women also face serious concerns of their own. Osteoporosis, eating disorders, varicose veins and cellulite are all great health concerns for pears. Although pear-zone fat is actually healthy, once it's there it's extremely hard to get rid of. The good news for apples is their fat comes off much faster and easier.


 

Whether you are an apple or pear the best solution to taking control of your health is to follow a nutritious diet, exercise and minimize large amounts of stress.


 

Women need to throw away the scales and use the tape measure to measure their health. The key is to think about long-term health. This means eating healthy foods. These foods will protect you from heart disease, diabetes, cancer and osteoporosis and that's what you want."

Protein is the KING


You should be getting about 25 percent of your daily calories from protein but you should make sure to choose lean sources like low-fat yogurt, fat-free milk, fish and poultry to keep calories down. Nuts are also high in protein, but can also be high in calories, so eat them in moderation. A handful a day is recommended.

Protein helps to keep you feeling full and boost your energy -- aiding in your weight loss efforts. Eating additional protein is especially helpful for those over 40 in reducing abdominal fat.

Citrus Fruits to trim waist line

One the best way to whittle down your waist is to replace carbohydrates from sugar and refined grains (like white bread) with carbs from fruits and vegetables. Orange-hued foods were found to be the most effective substitutes.

Since fruits and vegetables are high in fiber, they keep you feeling full longer and researchers believe the high levels of antioxidants like vitamin C and beta-carotene fend off the belly fat. Get a good dose of beta-carotene from carrots, cantaloupe, squash and peaches. You can get your vitamin C from oranges and berries, but remember that fruit juice is not a good substitute for the real thing and you need fibre to fill you up. So go RAW!!


 

Selenium- Best bet to reduce abdominal obesity


This cancer-fighting mineral also seemed to lower rates of abdominal obesity, reporting that those with lower levels of selenium had larger waistlines.

Several foods contain selenium, such as whole grains, nuts (especially Brazil nuts), poultry, red meat and seafood and it is recommended 55 mcg per day. Foods rich in vitamin E, such as nuts and seeds, will increase the effectiveness of selenium in the body. Your best bet to get enough selenium is to eat a varied, balanced diet or try a supplement containing the mineral.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Chocolates for 100 calories or less

I always try to justify my indulgence of this sinful desserts based on those antioxidants we've heard so much about. While chocolate and wine do contain phenols, which may help reduce the risk of heart disease, these antioxidants can also be abtained from plenty of less-fattening sources, like fruits and vegetables.

I am so excited to include the followings in my blog as my daily if not weekly reminder everytime I feel like 'chocolating'.

Top 10 Chocolate Treats (for 100 calories or less)
1. 4 Hershey's Kisses (100 calories)
2. 1 cup diet hot cocoa and 1 chocolate graham cracker (80 calories)
3. 1 JELL-O fat-free chocolate pudding snack (100 calories)
4. 1 Quaker Chocolate Crunch popcorn cake (60 calories)
5. 1 cup strawberries drizzled with1 Tbsp. fat-free hot fudge (100 calories)
6. 1/2 cup fat-free chocolate frozen yogurt (100 calories)
7. 20 chocolate-covered raisins (80 calories)
8. 1/2 cup General Mills Cocoa Puffs cereal (60 calories)
9. 2 Snackwell's Devil's Food Cookie Cakes (100 calories)
10. 2 bite-size York Peppermint Patties (100 calories)

By eDiets Staff
Extracted from eDiet's site

No Pain No Gain


We go back to the gym after a long holiday or break, or when we decided to start on a new fitness regime, our body usually will give us a signal the following day or days…… PAIN or SORENESS.

The next day, we can't walk, we can't sit, we can’t move or sometimes even turn our heads! We start telling ourselves that these are good signs as the signs show we have worked out really hard.

Although it comes with the greatest intentions, one of the most common mistakes people make is to push themselves too hard the very first time back. Not only can this lead to soreness, but it can also cause injury, delaying your fitness goals further.

Serious injuries aside, muscle soreness after a workout can have two common causes — stored lactic acid in your muscles, or microscopic tears in your muscle tissue. In both of these cases, allowing yourself time to recover is the best solution. But there are a few ways to reduce the soreness:

Massage

After an intense workout out, go and have a massage. Go for aromatherapy massage or like me, Thai Massage as this is also an opportunity for the massage therapist to push the lactic acid out of your muscle tissues, preventing soreness.

Work Out To get more of your lactic acid out from your muscle tissue, follow up with a low intensity workout the following day, and be sure to stretch. Many individuals make the mistake of simply not moving when sore, when these movements can actually activate the muscles, and help recovery.

Baking Soda
Basic chemistry: what happens if you put an alkaline solution into an acid solution? It neutralizes itself, depending on the pH levels of both solutions. Lactic acid, as the name implies, is acidic. Baking soda is alkaline. Your skin is the largest organ that has absorption capabilities. So, try a bath with one-half cup baking soda dissolved in the water, and see how you feel afterward. For me, I will usually soak myself in bath salt which is easily available too.
In short, the worst thing you can do is not to move for two weeks at all after that initial workout pain. It is the continuation of this fitness plan that will bring you the results.
Acute injuries that cause intense pain need a different kind of treatment. And there is a simple formula to it, which is best remembered using a convenient acronym — RICE.

Rest: A torn muscle, ligament, tendon or bone needs rest to heal. Leave it alone. Unlike with muscle soreness, it is inadvisable that you keep moving your injury the day after it has happened.

Ice: One of my clients swears by it. After a workout, when she experiences pain, she fills up her bath one-quarter full with water and ice cubes, and relaxes for 10 to 15 minutes in it. Do the same after an acute injury when swelling occurs.

Compression: When an injury occurs, white blood cells and fluids rush to the injured site, causing swelling. This is a mechanism, not only to start the healing process, but also to make the injured site immobile. An elastic bandage can help to prevent or reduce excessive swelling.
There is another form of compression that I would like to mention here. Some of you suffer from arthritis and other forms of pains, and your doctor prescribes swimming. Besides improving joint mobility during water exercises, water acts like compression on your body. Hence, being emerged in water might ease your aches and pains.

Elevation: To help reduce swelling, elevate the injured site so it remains 12 inches above the heart. Use some common sense when doing this, to avoid further pain.

Extracted from an article contributed by: Eunice, DTR, CPT-ACE
Nutrition Specialist

Thursday, February 21, 2008

Daily Weight Watchers No Nos

1. Having a negative defeatist attitude. If you think there is no way that you are going to succeed this time, lose the weight and keep it off, then you will be right!

2. Going on any diet that is NOT a manner of eating that you can adhere to for the rest of your life. Be careful when deciding what nutritional plan you want to follow, as it should be a manner of eating that matches your tastes, budget and lifestyle. And of course practical ones.

3. Believing that you will eat cabbage soup -- or any other low-cal, monotonous fare everyday for the rest of your life. It isn't realistic to think you will eat that way for the entire time it takes to lose all the weight. It certainly won't teach you much about how to live healthfully for the long-term.

4. Weighing in too frequently, letting the scale rule your mood and actions. Pack the scale up, put a big red bow around it, and unwrap it after six months of consistent healthful living. It might actually show you something you want to see! That is exactly what I say to my boyfriend almost everyday.

5. Not drinking enough water. Water is all that you need to drink, and you MUST drink at least 64 ounces of it a day! Or 8 glasses the minimum.

6. Drinking sugar-laden drinks -- including "fruit" drinks. Fruitopia is neither a fruit nor a Utopia! Try putting your favourite non-water beverage in your pet's bowl, and see if they will drink it. And going out for tea or coffee too frequently do increase your calories intake! So, entertain only as and when necessary and pick your drinks or food wisely.

7. Consuming processed foods more often than fresh foods. Eating as close to natural is the best way to ensure that your body is as healthy as possible.

8. Not having a plan. "We never plan to fail, we fail to plan." Get a plan and stick with it, but make sure each step is realistic and change is gradual!

9. Not being aware of the nutritional benefits or detriments of what you consume. Lettuce is a great choice to eat, but spinach and other darker leaves have more nutritional benefit than the iceberg variety.

10. Finishing every last bite of a meal, even after you are full. Mother was wrong! Don't clean your plate, let the dishwasher do that! Especially if you are someone like me, hate to see wastage. Then pack the unfinished food and leave it to the dogs.


 

11. Going back for seconds at meals. If you like it that much, have it as a leftover the next day! Too much of even a good thing is no longer a good thing!

12. Skipping breakfast. Mother was right on this one. It is the most important meal of the day!


 

13. Starving all day. When you finally get around to eating, it is usually something unhealthy, and it gets stored as energy later, rather than burned as energy now! You totally mess up your metabolism if you do this!

14. Bingeing after "falling off the wagon," and waiting until tomorrow to get back on track. Admit now that you will stumble on this journey. Make it your goal to lengthen the amount of time between stumbles, and shorten the time it takes to get back on track.


 

15. Thinking you are genetically destined to be fat. The only fat gene is the one left hanging in your closet after you lose your weight! You may be predisposed to a condition, but HOW you live determines how great its effect on your life will be!

16. Treating "fat" as a personality trait. Fat is NOT a personality trait; it is a physical condition. Blond isn't a trait, either; it is a hair color! Do not allow yourself to be branded by ANY physical attribute or determent!

17. Not living each day to the fullest… thinking that it will come when you are thinner. BE, DO and then you will HAVE! BE a healthier person, DO the things a healthier person DOES and soon, you will HAVE a healthier life!

18. Thinking pills, powders or potions are more powerful than they really are for achieving weight loss. If those things really worked, no one would be overweight!

19. Thinking of exercise as a chore instead of a way to improve your health and life. If today, you were in an accident, paralyzed and could never walk again, do you think you would long to be able to go for a walk? Exercise is a "GET TO", not a "HAVE TO." Push yourself; you will be amazed at how it feels!

20. Indulging excessively in alcohol. Bottom line: When you drink, you suck down excess calories, alter your mind and let down your guard.

21. Watching sports rather than participating in sports. Would it be more fun to watch the Super Bowl or be the MVP of the game? Sunday football is a tradition, but playing a game of it in your own front yard will provide memories that will last long after the season is over!

22. Watching too much television. New rule: NO TV viewing unless you have walked for 30 minutes! True. And I always reserve TV time after working out.

23. Thinking that "dieting" sprees -- and not a total lifestyle change -- will garner lasting weight loss results. If you aren't changing your life, you aren't making lasting changes!

24. Consuming fast foods on a regular basis. The fried, greasy and high-calorie fast food that dominates our society's eating habits today is the leading cause of the obesity epidemic that we now face. Fast food should be taken sparingly or quantity be controlled.

25. Waiting for tomorrow to "get started," rather than RIGHT NOW! Do it right now. There is always tomorrow and to me, tomorrow will never come.


 


 

Extracted from Article By Julia Havey
eDiets Contributor

Saturday, February 16, 2008

Don’t forget to stretch

Stretch to match your activities. If you walk, run, play tennis or golf, functional flexibility can improve your stability and mobility. Activities such as Yoga and Pilates will complement your current cardio and strength trainings exercises. Regular and proper stretching will help you maintain ideal body alignment during all activities and improve your ability to use full, normal range of motion. Stretching is often a forgotten, yet very important, component of your fitness plan. Stretching exercises will be very beneficial for women who wants to maintain a lean body. As for men, stretching will improve their flexibility. Men might have strength but they are always lacking in flexibility.


 


 

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Couples Dieting

Losing weight is difficult. It takes healthy eating, exercise, commitment and support. Couples support each other through all sorts of lifestyle changes, such as marriage, a career switch and childbirth, but what about dieting?


 

When both members are equally motivated to shed pounds, they can support each other and achieve greater weight loss than when they go it alone.

Couples should undertake lifestyle changes together. When both resolve to change their lifestyle and their attitude about eating, then it can be a very positive experience -- one that will lead to permanent weight loss. Like to share food at each meals will be very encouraging as by doing this, not only can they add variety to the food they eat, but they do eat a smaller portion.

However, if you're committed to losing weight and living healthy -- and your partner isn't -- it can create conflict in the home. If your partner isn't willing to get on board your boat to better health, don't give up -- try leading by example.

While you can do it alone, teaming up is the best way to change both your lives. Change isn't easy, and having someone who's going through the same transformation and working toward the same goals will bring a sense of solidarity to the process.


I am a great advocate of couples doing a lot of things together -- and losing weight together is high on the list of course. Walking uphill together, doing yoga in a class can be motivating and romantic at the same time.


Change is inevitable, but it's nice to have someone there during those uncertain, trying times when you're struggling for a serious life change.


 

Changing lifelong habits of poor eating and overindulgence are changes that will dramatically affect the way you live, as well as how long you live, but it's a difficult transition. Just like any major change, you'll need support.


 


 

Dieting together can be a great way to bring you closer to your partner while achieving a healthier body, but if you don't keep the lines of communication open and support each other, it can also break apart a shaky relationship. Working together as a couple can create even greater results than going it alone, if you're both ready.


 

Extracted from article by:

Shawn McKee
eDiets Staff Writer

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

Eggs to look after your weight

Eating eggs for breakfast instead of a bagel can reduce hunger and caloric intake both at lunchtime and over the next 24 hours.

The study compared the effects on hunger of two calorically-identical breakfasts, one consisting of two scrambled eggs and two slices of toast with low-calorie jelly, and the other a 3 1/2-inch bagel with cream cheese plus a 3-ounce nonfat yogurt. The study was carried out in 28 overweight individuals, because previous research that found greater satiety from a high-protein breakfast had only tested normal weight individuals.

"Obesity is a serious problem in the United States and throughout the world," said Dr. Nikhil Dhurandhar of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center, the study's lead investigator. "Our hypothesis was that eggs could be useful in helping overweight people reduce their energy intakes, a prerequisite of losing weight. We needed to test it specifically in overweight and obese subjects instead of extrapolating the effects from their non-obese counterparts."

Subjects were randomly assigned to eat one of the two different breakfasts two weeks apart. Meals were prepared and eaten at the research facility to ensure complete control of the amounts consumed. Satiety and hunger after breakfast were evaluated by questionnaire and by measuring calories eaten at lunch, and from study subject diet diaries kept the following 24-hour period.

The researchers found that when participants had eaten the egg breakfast they consumed significantly less energy not only at lunch on that day, but also throughout the day and the next morning as compared to the bagel breakfast. On average they ate about 163 fewer calories for lunch, 263 fewer calories that day, and 418 fewer calories over a 24-hour period.

"Eggs are a convenient, affordable and nutritious food," said Dr. Dhurandhar. "They are an integral and established part of breakfast in many cultures and may be eaten safely on a regular basis. Recent data from the Nurses' Health Study showed that egg consumption did not contribute to the risk of coronary heart disease or stroke. Furthermore, eggs have a 50% higher satiety index than other common breakfast foods. These attributes suggest that eggs may be an important part of diets that promote weight management."

The findings from this study build upon earlier studies showing that protein-based breakfasts improved weight loss better than carbohydrate-focused breakfasts. One recent study from the University of Illinois, Urbana, found that a high protein breakfast increased loss of body fat and preserved lean muscle mass better than a high carbohydrate breakfast. The effects were increased when the dietary regime was combined with exercise.

In the current study, the researchers note that the sensation of satiety is multi-faceted, and eggs seem to have an impact on the psychological desire for food as well as the biochemical responses of the body to different types of nutrients. Dr. Dhurandhar and colleagues are currently carrying out longer-term studies to see the increased satiety and decreased energy intake translates into significant weight loss.

As a person fighting to remain in good shape, I do find eggs for breakfast very satisfying and will make me feeling full for a longer period of time. 2 soft boiled eggs will sure make and start my day with a cup of java of course.

Extracted from: e-diets

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Healthy Body Image

Only 2 out of 10 women in Malaysia are active in sports.

Women should take exercise seriously to lead a healthy lifestyle. From The Star Newspaper dated 5th February 2008.

As a woman myself, I always feel that leaders especially youth leaders should show a good example by having a healthy body image. Not for the sake of vanity but for HEALTH.

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Carbo Blocker

Businesses have cottoned on to the demands for a slim, trim figure by churning out fat-busting products from the frontiers of alternative medicine. Products such as carbohydrate blockers work by inhibiting the metabolism of carbohydrates into stored fat.

This ingredient is called phaseolus vulgaris, an extract from the northern white kidney bean. The extract interferes with an enzyme in the body called alphaamylase that breaks down carbohydrates into glucose. Instead, carbohydrates are excreted from the body before entering the blood stream. Brand names such as Carb Blocker, Carb Away etc are available and are sold in stores.

However, the effectiveness of these products are still dubious and no concrete evidence is shown.

Vaser as an alternative to liposuction

VASER LipoSelection®

What if you could ...

...

remove your unwanted fat and experience only low
to minimal pain
?

...

enjoy a new body contour that is smooth as well as
shapely?

...

reshape those trouble spots that just won't respond
to diet and exercise?

VASER LipoSelection® combines new patented technology with advanced surgical techniques to break up and remove fatty tissue. Unwanted fat can be efficiently removed from abs, arms, back, hips, knees, love handles, neck and chin, saddlebags, thighs - any place you've developed a little "extra cushioning."

The VASER System uses ultrasound energy to break up and emulsify fat, leaving surrounding tissue - such as nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue - relatively intact. Only the VASER LipoSelection® procedure can offer you an experience that is UltraSelective, UltraSmooth, UltraSound!

The VASER LipoSelection® procedure uses the VASER System's patented innovative ultrasound technology for fatty tissue emulsion and proprietary cannulae designed to minimize tissue trauma during aspiration. Because nerves and blood vessels are largely undisturbed, patients and physicians report low to minimal pain and bruising. Moreover, the VASER LipoSelection® procedure allows physicians to work with such precision that they can shape delicate areas like the inner thighs, arms, chin and neck.

How VASER LipoSelection® Works

The VASER Technology used for the VASER LipoSelection® procedure is efficient and precise because the sound waves it emits break up fatty tissue while leaving surrounding tissues largely undisturbed. Treatment with the VASER System has been reported to produce low to minimal pain, low to minimal bruising and swelling, and few complications.

Fatty tissue consists primarily of adipose (fat) cells, but it also contains other important tissues, including nerves, blood vessels, and connective tissue (see graphic illustration below).

The VASER System utilizes proprietary ultrasound technology to break up fatty tissue before removal.

Sound energy, similar to that used to remove a cataract from the eye, fragments fatty tissue. Fat cells, which are large and soft, break apart (think of how easily a full water balloon will burst) while leaving nerves, blood vessels and connective tissue largely undisturbed.

During procedure

The procedure usually performed under General Anaesthesia(GA), however Local Anaesthesia may be used for suitable candidates. With GA, more risks will be associated with the procedure. Depending on the area being treated, one to three hours may be required.

The procedure usually begins with the area to be sculpted being filled with a medicated saline solution which helps to numb the site and shrink blood vessels. A small incision will be made about 2 to 3 millimetres. The Vaser probe is introduced to emulsify the fat using the ultrasound technology before removal through a gentle suction.

After the procedure, fine silicone drains are inserted into the incision sites as an adjunct for speedy recovery. The patient can be discharged and be advised to wear a compressions garment to speed up recovery. 1 few days to a few weeks for complete recovery will be required. Bruising and swelling will suicide within 2 weeks. Patients are advised to perform regular exercises in the long run.


 

Costs: Price ranges from RM5,000 to RM18,000 per area.


 


 


 

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Stop when Full

Learning to manage your hunger is a very important key to staying on a weight-loss plan long enough to lose the desired weight. Hunger is a natural by-product of limiting your food intake, and it's very important to learn the difference between true hunger and a psychological desire to eat. Once you are able to identify these feelings, you'll need to learn to control your responses to them. And always eat when you are truly hungry and not otherwise.

The basic process of hunger can be likened to a traffic light: Green means start eating, yellow cautions that you're nearing the fullness point and red means stop. Our physiology is actually designed to give us the green, yellow or red lights, which could theoretically end the whole calorie-counting business in favour of simply eating according to physical hunger and fullness.

Unfortunately, the practice isn't that simple. For one thing, distractions get in the way of physical sensations. Though our body says "green light," we might not be able eat at that moment. Often, people eat when they are too hungry and continue to eat well beyond a comfortable feeling of fullness. Doing this consistently can lead to weight gain or weight fluctuations.

Satiety refers to how long you'll feel full. In other words, how long the light will stay red before turning green again. Many factors influence satiety. A long list of hormones and physical mechanisms trigger hunger and satiety. For example, low blood glucose and a hormone called neuropeptide Y (NPY) are thought to stimulate hunger. Conversely, hormones such as serotonin and cholecystokinin (CCK), as well as many nutrients in the blood, contribute to satiety.

Appetite is what most often determines how much we eat. Nearly everyone eats for reasons other than just being hungry. Some people have learned to eat "by the clock," so they eat on a scheduled time whether they are hungry or not. Others eat in response to mood: sadness, anger, anxiety, boredom or happiness. These triggers are types of psychological hunger, and they can be very powerful cues to eat -- and to overeat. And this is so common with women. This is the reason why I usually plan my food intake. More of this, will mean less of something else. This is where opportunity costs come in, as in economics.

Mechanisms that control learning behavior vary. Hunger and appetite are the big go signals; satiation and satiety are the main stop signals. A useful scale to gauge your hunger by is:

You're so hungry you feel dizzy and irritable.
You need to eat and you're having trouble concentrating.

You feel physical signs of hunger (stomach rumbling).
You feel just right -- perfectly comfortable.
You are comfortably full.
You feel a little too full.
You feel stuffed.
You're very full and might need to unbutton your pants or loosen your belt.
You feel intensely uncomfortable.


 

The indicators above are useful to determine hunger, satiety or just eat because you feel like eating. Or eating too fast to the extent that your brain can't give you satiety signal.


 

What else can you do?


Eat protein foods at each meal. Protein acts as an appetite suppressant to help control hunger pains.


Avoid simple sugar foods. And if you do succumb to them, ensure they are mixed with a meal.


Eat smaller meals. Eating smaller meals more frequently will help reduce the intensity of hunger pains and keep your metabolism revved up.


Consume high fiber foods. At each meal, consume high fiber foods first to fill your stomach and speed satiety.


EXERCISE! It regulates appetite to control hunger and food intake (not to mention burning calories and building muscle).


 

Contributed By Dr. Nancy Tice
eDiets Contributor

Updated: January 30, 2008

Thursday, January 24, 2008

A Java A Day will take your “Fatty Blues” away

Boost to Athleticism

It's also caffeine -- and not coffee, per se -- that makes java a powerful aid in enhancing athletic endurance and performance. So powerful, in fact, that until recently, caffeine in coffee or other forms was deemed a "controlled" substance by the Olympic Games Committee, meaning that it could be consumed only in small, designated amounts by competing athletes.

Caffeine stimulates the brain and nervous system to do things differently, including signaling you to ignore fatigue or recruit extra units of muscle for intense athletic performance. Caffeine may even have a direct effect on muscles themselves, causing them to produce a stronger contraction. But what's amazing about it is that unlike some performance-enhancing manipulation some athletes do that are specific for strength or sprinting or endurance, studies show that caffeine positively enhances all of these things.

Coffee, as you probably know, makes you more alert, which can boost concentration. But claims that it improves a child's academic performance can be exaggerated. Coffee-drinking kids may do better on school tests because they're more awake, but most task-to-task lab studies suggest that coffee doesn't really improve mental performance.

But it helps kids' minds in another way. A study from Brazil finding that children who drink coffee with milk each day are less likely to have depression than other children. In fact, no studies show that coffee in reasonable amounts is in any way harmful to children.

On the flip side, it's clear that coffee isn't for everyone. Its legendary jolt in excess doses -- that is, more than whatever your individual body can tolerate -- can increase nervousness, hand trembling, and cause rapid heartbeat. Coffee may also raise cholesterol levels in some people and may contribute to artery clogging. But most recent large studies show no significant adverse effects on most healthy people, although pregnant women, heart patients, and those at risk for osteoporosis may still be advised to limit or avoid coffee. However, coffee with too much sugar added will be bad in the long run. But it is the table sugar added which is harmful but not the coffee itself.

In other words, consume enough caffeine -- whether it's from coffee or another source -- and you will likely run faster, last longer and be stronger. But the harder you exercise, the more benefit you may get from coffee.

But you can get other benefits from coffee that have nothing to do with caffeine. Coffee is loaded with antioxidants, including a group of compounds called quinines increases their insulin sensitivity. This increased sensitivity improves the body's response to insulin.

That may explain why those drinking decaf coffee but not tea beverages also showed a reduced diabetes risk, though it was half as much as those drinking caffeinated coffee.

Coffee has large amounts of antioxidants such as chlorogenic acid and tocopherols, and minerals such as magnesium. All these components have been shown to improve insulin sensitivity and glucose metabolism.

Meanwhile, Italian researchers credit another compound called trigonelline, which gives coffee its aroma and bitter taste, for having both antibacterial and anti-adhesive properties to help prevent dental cavities from forming.

Extracted from: http://men.webmd.com and refer to http://vitalitycoffeeonline.blogspot.com/

Sunday, January 20, 2008

Another Carbs Inhibitor- Cheaters Relief


Advanced Formula Help Control The Carbs And Fats In Your Diet!

If I had to marry food, I just couldn't be faithful. I love to eat way too much. Evidently, I'm not alone. "Over-fat" or obesity a national epidemic in this country, Malaysia because of emotional eating and exercise habits, and a never-ending supply of delicious, calorie-rich foods. While you and I know HOW to eat properly, it isn't always easy to do, nor do we always want to. I've often advocated a diet higher in protein and lower in carbs and fat whenever possible. It can work wonders, as it has on many people whom I've trained and otherwise consulted.

But the reality is that there will always be that "other 10%" of the time where where my eating plans go haywire. Maybe I've had a bad and stressday in my office, a vacation (always a killer), bored, a "crisis" with family or friends, when some festive seasons like Chinese New Year is around the corner, and so on. Or, maybe I've got no particular excuse other than I want to give in to my culinary cravings.The bottom line is there is an endless variety of explanations why our diets stop looking like "diets" from time to time. And that's okay, because if you don't cheat on occasion, you'll go freaking crazy. Furthermore, sometimes your body just needs a change of eating habits, just like it needs a change of workout habits.

If you are tired of feeling guilty or depressed about enjoying delicious foods, or you are worried that you will suffer "cosmetic wounds" (fat gain, or loss of shape and definition) in the days that follow your cheating episode, then pops a few Cheaters Relief. Now you can eliminate your guilt and improve your shape and body when you want to be bad! It is what you've been wanting and looking for every time you splurge! As what it claims

Carbs Per Meal

Fats Per Meal

15 min. Before Meal

15 min. After Meal

45g-64g

8g-15g

2 capsules

2 capsules

65g-84g

16g-23g

3 capsules

3 capsules

85g+

24g+

4 capsules

4 capsules


 

My own experience: I usually will take 2 capsules before a large meal. From the ingredients, I found that it contains mainly chitosan which is a kind of sea shell substance known for its fat binding properties. Other than that, Cheaters relief claims to have other glucose regulator blend which will increase fat oxidisation control appetite cravings and promote suppression of appetite. However, its effectiveness as claimed can yet to be seen on myself but it is a better and cheaper fat binder as compared to Xenical, Roche as I am not a big fan of oily food stuff. However, some people who have allergy with seafood are advised to try this product sparingly first.

Friday, January 18, 2008

Metabolisms Booster

Tip 1 -- Determine your daily caloric needs (This is what I do when I first open my eyes in the morning)

To rev up your fat-burning engine, don't overload your system with too much food, Shames says. Figure out how many calories you need to consume each day to lose weight and keep your metabolism humming. Caloric level is determined by taking into account your age, sex, height, weight, lean body mass and activity level. Here's a quick formula from Shames to give you an idea of your magic number: Multiply your body weight by 11. For example, a 140-pound woman would need to consume 1,540 calories per day to lose weight. If you're very active, you can multiply your weight by 12.

Tip 2 -- Divide up your meals daily to 5/ 6 meals (Graze like a Cow)

Kick-start your metabolism and curb your appetite by dividing your meals into five to six small, nutritious meals a day instead of three squares. Eat a 200-400 calorie mini-meal every three to four hours. Your body will consume more energy to digest the food and your metabolic rate will increase.

Tip 3 -- Just keep on moving (Walk after a Meal)

Physical activity accounts for 20 to 40 percent of calories burned each day. The American Academy of Family Physicians suggests that a good goal for many people is to work up to exercising four to six times a week for 30 to 60 minutes at a time. If you can't do that much, do what you can. Walk the dog, park the car at the far end of the lot, take the stairs instead of the elevator, clean the house, just do something and keep on moving.

Tip 4 -- Pump iron (Strength Training Again!!!)

Muscle is your best friend! Your resting metabolic rate (RMR) is the pace at which your body burns calories at rest. It accounts for 60 to 70 percent of your daily calorie expenditure and it's closely linked to the amount of muscle you have. Muscle burns more calories than fat, and the more muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn, even while you sleep. Lean muscle needs calories just to exist, so start lifting those weights. I cannot be more long winded than that!!!!!

Tip 5 -- Sleep tight

Sleep loss may increase hunger and affect the body's metabolism, which may make it more difficult to lose weight. People who lose sleep may continue to feel hungry despite adequate food intake because sleep loss has been shown to affect the secretion of cortisol, a hormone that regulates appetite. Make sure you get in your eight hours or more of shut-eye every night. Please refer to my other post on Sleep your Fats Away……

Tip 6 -- Eat lean protein and good carbs


 

Your body burns some of its own calories when it digests the food you eat. This is called the thermic effect of foods (TEF) and it's what makes protein (which has the highest thermic effect of any food) and good carbs metabolism-friendly. Lean protein such as turkey and chicken also builds calorie-burning muscle. Good carbs such as whole grains, legumes, veggies and fruit are also your body's major fuel source, Shames says. They provide the energy to get you up and moving so you can burn more calories.

Tip 7 -- Drink H2O or Green Tea or Pu-Er Chinese Tea

Drinking water or tea may increase the rate at which people burn calories. Metabolic rates among study participants increased by 30 percent after consuming approximately 17 ounces of water. The energy-burning process of metabolism needs liquid to work effectively. Water or tea also fills you up, curbs your appetite, flushes out your system, and rids the body of bloat. Drink at least 8 to 10 glasses per day -- more if you're active or more……..


 

Extracted from acticle By Sheri Strykowski
eDiets Contributor

Updated: January 18, 2008

Cardiovascular conditioning is one important piece of the puzzle.

  1. Cross/ Mix Training -- Cross training combines a group of aerobic activities into one workout at steady or varying intensities. For example, take a 15-minute on a cross trainer and then walk or run for 15 minutes on the treadmill then cross trainer again for 15 minutes. This is a perfect time to incorporate a new activity you have always wanted to try to elevate boredom.


     

  2. Periodization -- One example of periodization is to choose a different activity seasonally. For example, you may spin (RPM) for one week and then cross trainer or treadmill machine on the next week. And it's good for your body to adapt to a new exercise every few months to optimize fat burning. Body needs new challenges to perform his optimum fat burning function.


     

  3. Fartlek Training -- Funny name but great results! Fartlek means "speed play" in Swedish. This training method is similar to cross or mix training (see above) but the intervals are not measured by time or distance -- they are irregular and ad hoc. For example, race-walk until you feel exhausted, and then walk until you feel recovered. Then when you are feeling refreshed again, sprint to the corner. Walk slowly to catch your breath and break into a jog again. You increase and decrease your speed (intensity) based on how your body is feeling. Accelerate when you are feeling energetic and then cut back the intensity when you are feeling too exhausted. Trust me, this works too just as in RPM where you spin and climb (OTT) throughout the 50 minutes.


     


     

  4. Circuit Train -- Perform several cardiovascular exercises in a row for several minutes each. For example, perform each of the following exercises one after the other for two to three minutes each. Step up and down on a step, jog in place, jumping jacks, jog around the perimeter of the room, jump rope, high knee kicks, and jump squats. Rest for several minutes and complete a second or third time. Circuit training is lively and less tedious than some other routines, so people tend to stick with it longer. It's also an efficient calorie burner, increases muscular strength and decreases body fat. This is also applicable to weight trainings.


     


     

  5. Double Up on Your Sessions -- Exercising twice in one day gives you two metabolic boosts. For example, in the morning, engage in a 30-minute walk on a treadmill. Then, RPM at night. I always find this regime helpful to kick start your day and to end your day guilt freely. You don't always have to be dripping with sweat to get benefits for a workout. If possible, keep your sneakers( in car boot) handy and take up any opportunity to get in an extra session most days of the week.


     

Give your cardiovascular conditioning your best effort. With each session strive to work a little harder than the last one. Walking is a great exercise, but eventually you must increase intensity from your starting level. If you keep walking at the same pace, the same course, the same amount of time and in the same heart rate range, the results will be diminishing. This is because your body is a really smart machine, it will get immune to your workout just as you get bored with the same routine. In order to change your body, push your physical limits beyond what you are accustomed to now.


 

Incorporating weight trainings with cardiovascular exercise are essential to promote fat loss. Having a good daily calories intake is also vital. The complete formula includes first making up your mind to exercise and eat healthy, followed by exercising your muscles, then performing aerobic motions and finally allowing your body to recover.


 

Contributed : By Kelli Calabrese MS, CSCS
eDiets Contributor

Updated: January 18, 2008

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

Duromine as an appetite suppressant

Duromine capsule

Treatment: As short-term adjunct in the management of obesity in a medically monitored comprehensive regimen of wt reduction based on exercise, diet & behaviour modification in obese patients w/ body mass index (BMI) of ≥30 kg/m2.

Contra Indications: Pulmonary artery HTN; existing heart valve abnormalities or heart murmurs; moderate to severe arterial hypertension; cerebro-vascular disease; severe cardiac disease including arrhythmias, advanced arteriosclerosis; hyperthyroidism; agitated states or a history of psychiatric illness including anorexia nervosa & depression; glaucoma; history of drug/alcohol abuse or dependence. Pregnancy, lactation.

Side effects: Dry mouth, GI upsets, heart palpitations, tachycardia, elevated BP. Overstimulation, restlessness, insomnia, tremor, headache, rash and/ or pimples.

Tried and tested: I find that its effect can last 2 to 3 days ie loss/ reduced appetite, insomnia for the first night (and therefore it is usually prescribed with some sleeping aids), face looks flushed and pimples/ acnes might occur on face or behind your back. This drug should be taken with extra care as it might cause mood swings. Not to be taken after 10am. Weight loss is very rapid as it can be seen within a week. Up to 3 kg can be seen after taking this drug for a week. However, the weight will pound up once taken off this drug as normal eating regime might resume. Therefore, I will recommend this drug as a short term measure and exercise and good eating habits in the long run in order to maintenance a healthy weight.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Almonds lowers risk of weight gain


An almond-enriched low calorie diet (which is high in monounsaturated fats) can help overweight individuals shed pounds more effectively than a low calorie diet high in complex carbohydrates.

Eating Nuts Lowers Risk of Weight Gain
Although nuts are known to provide a variety of cardio-protective benefits, many avoid them for fear of weight gain. A prospective study published in the journal Obesity shows such fears are groundless. In fact, people who ate nuts at least twice a week were much less likely to gain weight than those who almost never ate nuts.
The 28-month study involving 8,865 adult men and women in Spain, found that participants who ate nuts at least two times per week were 31% less likely to gain weight than were participants who never or almost never ate nuts.
And, among the study participants who gained weight, those who never or almost never ate nuts gained more (an average of 424 g more) than those who ate nuts at least twice weekly.
Study authors concluded, "Frequent nut consumption was associated with a reduced risk of weight gain (5 kg or more). These results support the recommendation of nut consumption as an important component of a cardio protective diet and also allay fears of possible weight gain."
Practical Tip: Don't let concerns about gaining weight prevent you from enjoying the delicious taste and many health benefits of nuts!


Cardio Queen

Lifting weights forces the abs to work harder and look tighter. Free weight squats, dumbbell rows, lat pulldowns, chest press, etc., will all work your abs because you must stabilize your core muscles to perform each of these movements correctly.

One of the best ways to get a soft and flabby body is to do nothing but cardiovascular exercise. Dieting places a lot of stress on the body and forces the body to lose fat weight and muscle weight. If you do nothing but cardio and never lift weights, you will lose muscle. A lot people never seem to accept this fact. And I can tell your this, as I have gone through a period of one year with only cardiovascular exercises of 5 to 6 times a week with minimum of 50 minutes per day. I don't loose any fat or inches at all. Contrary, I looked chubby and flabby,

Many women think if they even look at a weight, they'll immediately begin to look like Arnold Schwarzenegger. It will never happen as qomen just don't have enough testosterone to build huge amounts of muscle. Unless you're on steroids, there is nothing to worry about. In fact, the more fat that you lose and the more muscle that you gain -- the leaner you'll look. Trust me, even some men think that cardiovascular exercises are what they need to remain slim. This type of understanding even made me sadder.

The difference in results was quite profound and proves just how effective weight training is for reducing fat and attaining that elusive flat stomach.

Remember, we need to burn calories to get your belly tight and flat, but we must use exercise as a tool not as a "do as much as possible" event. That's called the "cardio queen" mentality. Cardio queens stay on cardio equipment for two hours at a time in the hopes that fat will disappear. Fat will disappear and so will a great deal of muscle. The result is a soft and stringy body that looks unappealing.

Perform two days per week of moderate cardio exercise for approximately 40 minutes. On two other days of the week, you can exercise at higher intensity levels combined with lower intensity to accelerate fat loss (with a reduction in time).

Exercise helps control visceral fat. Visceral fat is located deeper in the body than subcutaneous fat, which lies just underneath the skin. Visceral fat is very dangerous because it accumulates around the organs inside the belly. Increased levels of this type of fat have been linked with cardiovascular disease and other metabolic syndromes. Men are very prone to have this fat around the abdomen areas.

Performing crunches will ne'ver reduce the abdominal area because you're working to strengthen muscle. Just as 200 biceps curls will not make the arm smaller, nor will 200 abdominal crunches make the waist smaller. This does not mean you shouldn't work your abs.

The abdominals represent muscle and muscle needs to be worked with intensity and then receive rest to improve. Focus on a circuit style workout three alternate days per week


 

By Raphael Calzadilla, B.A., CPT, ACE
eDiets Chief Fitness Pro

Updated: January 15, 2008