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Sunday, June 30, 2013

Foods to Eat on a Diabetic Diet

Foods to Eat on a Diabetic Diet

Diabetics can develop hyperglycemia (excessively high blood sugar) if they are not careful about foods that they eat. According to the American Diabetes Association, the glycemic index (GI) is a scale from 0-100 that measures the affect of foods containing carbohydrates on blood sugar levels. Blood glucose increases faster after consuming foods closer to 100 and slower after consuming foods closer to 0 on the glycemic index. Your diabetic diet should consist of foods with low GI levels, preferably below 50. Vegetables, some nuts, some fruits and dairy products should be included because of their low GI ratings.

Fruit

    You need to be cautious when eating fruit because some fruits have extremely high GI ratings. However, there are many varieties of fruit that are considered safe for diabetics. According to The GI Diet, fruits with GI ratings under 50 include cherries, prunes, strawberries, oranges, kiwis, plums, grapefruit, peaches, apples, pears, dried apricots, grapes and coconuts. These fruits can be combined to make a fruit salad for your diet. Fruits with abnormally high GI ratings include dates and watermelon and should be avoided.

Vegetables

    Vegetables have extremely low GI ratings, which make them the perfect food item to include in a diabetic diet. According to The GI Diet, vegetables with GI ratings under 50 include frozen peas, frozen sweet corn, raw carrots, boiled carrots, eggplant, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, mushrooms, tomatoes, chilies, green beans, lettuce, onions and red peppers. These vegetables can be combined to make a salad that's perfect for a diabetic diet. Vegetables are also high in fiber, providing a more filling meal.

Nuts

    Peanuts and walnuts have GI ratings under 20 and make a great midday diabetic snack. Alternatively, you can add some nuts to your vegetable salad. However, be careful not to consume too many nuts because they are high in fat and calories.

Dairy Products

    Most dairy products have low GI ratings and are high in protein, so they are the perfect addition to a diabetic diet. Dairy products with low GI ratings include soy milk, custard, artificially sweetened yogurt, sweetened yogurt, chocolate milk, whole milk and skim milk. Ice cream has a GI rating of 62 and is one dairy product to avoid. If you incorporate these foods into your diet then you will be able to maintain safe blood sugar levels without starving yourself.

Saturday, June 29, 2013

How to Lose Weight Fast with Grapefruit Diet

How to Lose Weight Fast with Grapefruit Diet

The Grapefruit Diet Plan is a way to use grapefruit to lose ten to twelve pounds quickly. The plan is designed to be followed for twelve days with two days off the diet to eat sensibly. To keep losing weight you will need to restart the diet after the two days off.
You are allowed to eat vegetables such as red onions, green onions, bell peppers, radishes, cucumbers, broccoli, spinach, lettuce, cabbage, carrots, peas. However, white onions, potatoes and celery should be avoided. The grapefruit juice should be unsweetened.
Follow these steps everyday for 12 days.

Instructions

    1

    Grapefruit Diet Breakfast
    1/2 Grapefruit or 8 oz. Grapefruit Juice
    Black Coffee
    2 Eggs
    2 Slices Bacon

    The eggs can be any style and the grapefruit juice needs to be unsweetened.

    2

    Grapefruit Diet Lunch
    1/2 Grapefruit or 8 oz. Grapefruit Juice
    Salad with dressing
    Meat any amount

    The meat that you choose can be any style meat and the grapefruit juice needs to be unsweetented.

    3

    Grapefruit Diet Dinner
    1/2 Grapefruit or 8 oz. Grapefruit Juice
    Meat or fish unlimited amount
    Vegetables or salad

    Grapefruit Diet Night Time Snack
    1 glass tomato juice or 1 glass Skim milk

    The meat and vegetables that you choose can be any style meat and the grapefruit juice needs to be unsweetented.

Friday, June 28, 2013

How to Lose Weight With a Cereal Diet

How to Lose Weight With a Cereal Diet

If you are looking for a good kick-start diet to help you lose weight, a cereal diet is a low fat, low calorie, short-term diet that can give you a good start to a longer-term weight loss program or a quick fix if you need to lose just a few pounds. Read on to learn how to lose weight with a cereal diet.

Instructions

    1

    Eat a healthy cereal for breakfast each day. Have one serving or about 3/4 of a cup of cereal with 1 percent or skim milk and add some fruit such as some strawberries, bananas or blueberries.

    2

    Have a mid-morning snack of a piece of fruit, raw vegetables or a low fat cereal bar.

    3

    Eat a bowl of cereal for lunch. Eat the same type of cereal as you ate for breakfast or choose another kind that you like. Add milk and fruit to the bowl as well and consider changing it around each time you eat or adding multiple fruits to the bowl of cereal to keep things interesting.

    4

    Eat fruit or vegetable snacks in the afternoon mid-way between lunch and dinner to thwart cravings and reduce temptations to cheat. Some suggestions include fruit, a fruit cocktail cup, raw vegetables with a low fat dip, low fat cereal bars or a single serving of a prepackaged 100 calorie snack.

    5

    Enjoy a sensible dinner. Because of the reduction in your overall caloric intake through the day with the cereal diet, this dinner can be just about anything you like, within reason. Protein is a good idea at this meal because a large portion of your other meals do come from carbohydrates. Eat a decent portion so you become full and enjoy your evening meal.

    6

    Eat a snack in the evening such as fruits, vegetables, cereal bars or even an additional bowl of cereal with fruit if you are very hungry.

    7

    Follow this diet for two weeks and then add more variety to your diet according to recommended daily intake of meats, fruits and vegetables, bread and cereal and dairy products to ensure you are getting adequate nutrition. While this diet can result in weight loss over a short-term period, this is not a long-term weight loss solution.

Fatty Liver Symptoms Diagnosis & Cure

Fatty Liver Symptoms Diagnosis & Cure

Fatty liver is a buildup of excess fat in liver cells. Fatty liver can have serious complications if more than 10 percent of the liver's weight is made up of fat. Fatty liver causes no symptoms or damage for most people. The form of fatty liver that is not caused by alcohol abuse is called nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Severe forms can lead to liver failure.

Risk and Causes

    Fatty liver is found in almost all people who are heavy drinkers. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease has no known exact cause. In addition to alcohol abuse, fatty liver often accompanies rapid weight loss, obesity, diabetes, high triglycerides and malnutrition. Risk factors also include certain medications, gastric bypass surgery, high cholesterol, metabolic syndrome, toxins and chemicals (i.e. pesticides), type 2 diabetes and Wilson's disease.

Symptoms and Forms

    A fatty liver often shows no symptoms. Many people do not know they have fatty liver until they have medical tests. Severe cases may exhibit fatigue, weight loss, abdominal discomfort, weakness and confusion.

    Nonalcoholic fatty liver causes excess liver fat without complications. Nonalcoholic fatty liver is a common condition. Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis is inflammation of the liver in a small amount of people with fatty liver. NASH can affect the liver's ability to function, leading to complications. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease-associated cirrhosis is liver inflammation that leads to scarring of liver tissue. The scarring can become so severe that liver failure ensues. Alcoholic steatohepatitis occurs when fatty liver accompanies alcohol abuse and is associated with liver damage due to inflammation.

Tests and Diagnosis

    Liver function blood tests check liver enzymes and can help aid your doctor in making a diagnosis. Imaging such as ultrasound, computerized tomography (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is used. Liver tissue testing is done via biopsy in severe cases of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease to look for inflammation and scarring.

Treatment

    There are no standard medical treatments available for fatty liver disease. Current treatment is to focus on the cause and on risk factors. Alcohol-induced fatty liver generally improves when alcohol is stopped. Increase exercise and lose weight if you are overweight. Eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Select unsaturated fats over saturated fats in foods such as fish, olive oil and nuts. Eat whole grains such as brown rice. Keep your blood sugar under control if you suffer from diabetes. Patients with high cholesterol should work on lowering it with medication and diet.

Prevention

    A healthy lifestyle is the best way to prevent fatty liver. Avoid anything that stresses the liver, such as alcohol and certain medications. Eat more fruits and vegetables to benefit from the antioxidants they contain. Use household and work chemicals with care and follow proper safety measures; some chemicals can have a toxic effect on the liver.

Hypothyroid Weight Loss Diet

Hypothyroidism is another way of saying you have an under-active thyroid. According to AnneCollins.com, it is 10 times more likely to affect women than men and is most common between the ages of 40 and 50. Thyroid disease can be treated by dieting, exercising and destressing your body. Some doctors may also treat patients with a thyroid hormone. Doing nothing about hypothyroidism can lead to heart disease, cancer, diabetes, fibromyalgia or infertility, just to name a few complications. Getting serious about weight loss can dramatically improve your condition.

The Do's

    Despite medical treatment, people with thyroid issues often have difficulty losing weight. It's important for patients to focus on a diet that is high in fiber, low calorie and contains low-glycemic carbohydrates. Carbs that have a high glycemic rating are high in refined sugar, so they cause cravings and fluctuations in your energy levels. Eat spinach, asparagus, olive oil, apricots, sunflower seeds, avocados, whole grain cereals and oily fish to boost thyroid function. It may also help to increase the amount of selenium in your diet by eating tuna, whole wheat bran, onions, tomatoes and Brazil nuts. Meals should be spaced out and timed every few hours so they impact your hormones as much as they can. Exercise is also essential to any hypothyroid weight loss diet. It speeds up your metabolism and increases weight loss. Try to do 30 minutes of exercise every day.

The Don'ts

    There are thyroid-damaging foods to avoid or limit. Eat less of the foods that can interfere with iodine uptake. This includes broccoli, cabbage, kale, kohlrabi, linseed, mustard, sweet potatoes, lima beans, peanuts and products made of soy. Avoid caffeine-laden drinks such as soda and coffee because it is a stimulant that affects your thyroid. Alcohol and smoking will also affect the gland's functioning.

Supplements

    There are helpful herbs and supplements when you're on a hypothyroid weight loss diet. A diet low in iodine is usually associated with an under-active thyroid. You get the most iodine from sea salt and sea weed. There are also iodine supplements. The American Food & Drug Administration limits iodine in supplement form to 0.15mg. Some patients have had good results from taking 4mg of iodine and 600 units of vitamin E. A diet rich in zinc has also been shown to improve thyroid function. Consult with your doctor before buying or taking any supplements, as each case is different.

The Best Way to Lose Weight Fast

The Best Way to Lose Weight Fast

Weight loss can be difficult, especially if you have more than 20 lb. to lose. There are many commercial programs that encourage people to lose weight, and some of those programs involve unhealthy and even dangerous methods, such as taking pills or fasting. Luckily, there is a simple strategy that can help you lose weight fast, the healthful way.

Start a Workout Plan

    Exercising helps the body burn calories while increasing muscle strength. Once the muscle mass grows and becomes stronger, the body's metabolism increases, making it even easier to burn more calories. Start out slowly. Try to do an aerobic-style exercise at least 30 minutes, three times a week. Aerobic exercises will increase your heart rate to at least 60 to 70 percent of it's resting rate. These exercises include, but are not limited to, walking, swimming, biking or gardening. After about a month, increase your workouts to four to five days per week. Gradually, work up to exercising up to one hour every day.

Eat Whole Foods

    Whole foods are as close to their natural state as possible, such as fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains (like oats or rice) and lean proteins. Processed foods that contain additives, artificial fats and preservatives are unhealthy for the body, and can cause you to gain weight if they make up the bulk of your diet. Replace unhealthy, packaged foods with fresh, whole foods as much as possible.

Drink Water

    When the body is hydrated, your systems and organs function at optimal performance. Not only does staying hydrated help digestion and body function, it also helps speed up your metabolism, enabling your body to burn more calories. Drink at least eight glasses of water (8 oz.) each day. If you sweat heavily throughout the day, add a few extra cups of water. Carry a water bottle with you when you are at work or running errands to make sure you get your daily water intake.

Fatty Liver Disease & Diet

Everyone knows the importance of regular exercise and proper diet. By eating right and sticking with a workout routine, you'll ward off a variety of illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease. In addition, being active contributes to a healthy liver. Lack of physical activity may result in the accumulation of fat in your liver cells. This condition is known as fatty liver disease. If left untreated, this illness can permanently damage your liver.

Symptoms

    In most cases, symptoms are uncommon with fatty liver disease. But if you do have symptoms, you'll likely experience tiredness and pain on the right side of your abdomen. There are two ways to diagnose this condition. Doctors normally request a blood test to assess your liver enzymes. If your levels are higher than normal, an ultrasound is necessary to check for fat in the liver and other abnormalities.

Causes

    Because this illness deals with fat accumulation, a high-fat and high-calorie diet can contribute to fatty liver disease. Thus, this condition is more common in overweight and obese people. Having diabetes and over-consumption of alcoholic beverages also plays a role in fatty liver disease.

Shed Extra Pounds

    Fortunately, fatty liver disease isn't permanent. If weight is a factor, develop a weight loss plan. Losing body fat reduces the amount of fat in your liver cells. Modify your eating habits. Choose low-fat and low calories foods and eat smaller food portions.

Physical Activity

    Increasing physical activity is another way to reduce body fat and get rid of fatty liver disease. You don't have to exercise for several hours a day. Along with reducing your food portions and calorie intake, incorporate exercise into your daily routine. Set aside a minimum of 30 minutes a day for activity. If this isn't feasible, plan to work out at least three times a week.

Stay Away From Alcohol

    Even if alcohol didn't contribute to fatty liver disease, it's wise to completely eliminate alcohol from your diet if diagnosed with this condition. You can quickly reverse fatty liver with diet and exercise. However, consuming alcohol can halt recovery and cause further complications.

Thursday, June 27, 2013

How to Lose Weight Without Diet Pills

How to Lose Weight Without Diet Pills

Being overweight increases your chances for heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and many other illnesses. Losing weight can effectively reduce those chances; however, you should avoid the temptations of the vast array of diet pills available. Not only can diet pills add to your risk for heart disease and high blood pressure, they are expensive, cause dependency and can destroy your natural metabolic balance for good. Losing weight is not simple, but you can do it without pills.

Instructions

    1

    Decrease your daily caloric intake by 500 calories to lose between 1 and 2 lbs. each week. While counting calories may be slower than powerful diet pills, it is a safe, natural and sure way of shedding pounds. As a general rule, if you are inactive you should take in about 2,000 calories a day. If you are more active, you can eat up to 2,500 calories and still lose weight.

    2

    Burn more calories than you eat by adding 30 minutes of brisk exercise to your daily routine. Your choice of exercise will depend on your body type, weight and personal preference. For people carrying 100 extra pounds or more, a simple stroll through the park or cleaning the house is probably enough to burn the extra calories. If you are only trying to lose that last five pounds, you may be better off with weight training, aerobics or jogging.

    3

    Eat a wide variety of foods that include all of the vitamins and minerals your body needs to maintain balance and metabolism. Fresh fruits and vegetables are your best source of calories, while trans fats, saturated fats as well as refined flours and sugars should be avoided.

    4

    Expect slow results if you want permanent results. While some diet pills offer fast and dramatic weight loss, it is not healthy for your body to lose more than 10 pounds per month. The faster the weight comes off, the less likely you will be able to keep it off. Persistence, lifestyle change and a healthy diet are the best ways to lose weight naturally and safely without dangerous diet pills.

How to Get Rid of Fatty Liver

Bad diet and obesity contributes to fatty liver disease. Learn how to reverse this condition and stop liver damage.

Instructions

    1

    Lose body fat. Obesity and abdominal weight can cause the accumulation of fat in the liver. Go on a diet and resolve to maintain a healthy body weight to reverse fatty liver. Eat less fat and lower your calorie intake.

    2

    Exercise to reduce a fatty liver. Burning excess fat and calories and engaging in abdominal toning exercises can reduce or get rid of a fatty liver. Exercise for 30 minutes a day, and include movements to reduce belly fat such as sit-ups.

    3

    Change your eating habits. A high fat diet also increases the chances of fatty liver. Remove fatty foods from your diet and choose low-fat or no-fat substitutes.

    4

    Avoid alcohol. Too much alcohol damages the liver and triggers fatty liver. Stop consuming alcoholic beverages to reverse fatty liver and avoid liver damage.

Information on Fatty Liver

Fatty liver is characterized by the accumulation of fat cells in the liver. A common condition, fatty liver disease isn't serious in its early stages. But if left unresolved, permanent liver damage can occur. Diet and exercise can reverse this condition.

Signs and Symptoms

    For the most part, fatty liver disease doesn't present symptoms--especially in the beginning stages. And a number of people living with this condition don't notice a difference in their health. But as the condition worsens, you may start to feel a pain in the upper right side of your abdomen and experience unexplained fatigue.

Diagnosing Fatty Liver

    Doctors use two methods to diagnose fatty liver disease. They'll initially order lab work and examine your liver enzymes. High levels typically indicate some type of liver damage. To check for fatty liver (and to rule out more serious conditions), you'll need to undergo an imaging test such as an MRI or ultrasound.

Causes and Risk Factors

    The two most common causes of fatty liver disease are excessive alcohol consumption and a high-fat diet. Additionally, certain factors increase your risk of developing this condition, such as being overweight, high cholesterol, diabetes and high trigylcerides.

Watch Your Diet

    Whether you're trying to prevent or reverse fatty liver disease, your diet plays a huge role. Because a high-fat diet contributes to fatty liver, reducing your fat intake is a surefire way to stop the accumulation of fat in your liver cells and restore your liver's health, according to the American Liver Foundation. Eliminate junk foods from your diet and eat a healthy portion of low-fat or no-fat foods such as lean meats, fruits, whole grains and vegetables.

Get Active

    Along with a healthier diet, an active lifestyle can help you shed extra weight and reduce fatty liver disease. Get active and schedule at least 30 minutes of exercise (aerobics, running, walking) a day. You'll maintain a healthy weight and ward off numerous health conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.

What Could Cause Rapid Weight Loss in Dogs?

Weight loss in dogs is normal as they age, however rapid weight loss is a sign that your dog is in need of some medical attention. What could cause rapid weight loss in dogs?

Theories/Speculation

    Rapid weight loss in dogs could stem from a number of causes. First, you will have to observe the dog closely if you want to help. You will need to start looking for signs of intestinal parasites called worms. Your dog can pick worms up from eating something it is not suppose to. For example, another animal's stool. Signs to watch for--vomiting. Observe the dog's stool for worms or pieces of a tapeworm. Diarrhea. If you find these signs, then a trip to the pet medications section at your local store may help or you can consult with your regular veterinarian for the best course of action. If after observing your dog and there are no signs of worms, then there may be something wrong with your dog's digestive system.

Identification

    If you do not see any sign that your dog has worms or tapeworm, then you need to identify his daily behavior in order to inform your veterinarian. Mainly, watch your dog's appetite. Take notice of excessive flatulence, a rumbly tummy, constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, bad breath and tumors. These are symptoms of digestive system issues that would help your veterinarian determine where to start in helping solve your dog's rapid weight loss.

Effects

    The effects of a digestive system problem can cause rapid weight loss. A simple digestive system problem can easily turn into a major issue if you do not take action. Pancreatitis occurs when the pancreas starts to decrease the number of digestive enzymes to digest the food. Your dog may lose appetite. Your dog may start suffering from sugar diabetes (Diabetes Mellitus).

Prevention/Solution

    Providing your dog with plenty of fresh water and high quality dog food will prevent future digestive problems. Make sure your dog has the regular visits to the vet for routine check ups. And always be sure your dog has a clean environment.

Benefits

    The benefits of solving your dog's rapid weight loss could mean a longer life for your pet and more memorable moments for you, your dog and your family.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

How to Lose Weight With the Popcorn Diet

How to Lose Weight With the Popcorn Diet

There is a weight loss diet that focuses on just about every type of food out there, and popcorn is no exception. Popcorn is a handy food that is inexpensive, easy to make and high in fiber. Eating popcorn regularly, as long as there isn't butter or excessive salt added, can be part of a healthy, low-calorie diet for weight loss.

Instructions

    1

    Eat a few small, healthy meals each day. Concentrate your meals around high protein, low-fat foods. Start to or continue to eat vegetables and fruit as part of your healthy eating regimen.

    2

    Skip the normal snack foods during the day and use only popcorn as your snacks. Keep popcorn around the house at all times.

    3

    Get rid of other snack foods in the house that are high in fat and calories.

    4

    Drink water with your snacks instead of soda or other high-calorie drinks such as sugary juices.

    5

    Buy a hot air popper and popcorn kernels, and use those items to make popcorn instead of using microwave popcorn in your diet. Pop the popcorn without using oil to keep it low-calorie.

    6

    Enjoy the hot-air popcorn plain instead of putting butter or popcorn sprinkles on it, which can be high in fat, calories and sodium. Eat as much of this popcorn as you wish, which keeps you full because of its high fiber content. Lose weight as you constantly feel full from eating this low-calorie food.

Foods to Avoid for a Fatty Liver

Fatty liver is caused by the build up of excess fat within your liver cells. If more than 10 percent of your liver's weight is comprised of fat, you meet the criteria for a fatty liver diagnosis. Fatty liver is caused by a variety of factors including obesity, alcohol consumption, medications, diabetes or diseases that affect fat metabolism. If left untreated, this condition can lead to more serious complications such as cirrhosis. Avoiding specified foods while under the care of a physician may help to slow the disease's progress or reverse the condition.

Symptoms

    There are typically no symptoms that indicate the onset of fatty liver. The condition is usually discovered while undergoing medical tests for unrelated conditions or procedures. A small percentage of fatty liver sufferers may experience abdominal swelling, pain on the right side of the abdomen, jaundice and fever.

Refined Carbohydrates and Concentrated Sugar

    Reduce intake of any refined carbohydrates from bread, biscuits, pastry, noodles, pasta, cakes, desserts and sugar. Concentrated sugar also needs to be limited. This includes ice cream, sugary drinks, candy and jams and jellies. Both refined carbohydrates and concentrated sugar cause inflammation as well as disturbing the body's normal balance of blood sugar. Artificial sweeteners must also be avoided. They contain chemicals and additives that force the liver to work harder to digest.

Saturated Fats and Trans Fats

    Avoid deep-fried, fatty, and processed foods including red meat, pork, butter, ice cream, whole milk and cheese, mayonnaise, palm and coconut oil, french fries and pizza. Also avoid consuming junk foods made with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, e.g., donuts, potato chips and hamburgers.

Alcohol

    Even if your fatty liver does not stem from overuse of alcohol, alcoholic beverages are still toxic to the liver, disrupt blood glucose and triglycerides, and must be avoided.

Healthy Foods to Avoid

    Chicken and turkey, considered to be healthy, lean protein choices, must be avoided if they are not from organic free-range sources. Products from poultry not raised this way contain steroids, antibiotics and artificial grown hormones. As with artificial sweeteners, the liver must work harder to process these additives.

How to Do the Master Cleanse

The Master Cleanse is a pretty intense process. But just like exercise, the more intense the training, the shorter the duration. It involves drinking a concoction that has been coined as "lemonade" to give the body energy during the day. There is also a part of it that cleanses the body of backed-up toxins and wastes that takes place in the evening. In order to pull this off, you need great will power and, most of all, discipline.

Instructions

    1

    Remove the junk. In the first part of the Master Cleanse, you need to eliminate all the bad foods from your diet. This includes deep fried foods, processed foods, refined foods and foods that are high in saturated fat.

    2

    Ease your way in. You are to do an ease-in phase the first three days before the actual cleanse starts. This is to get your body acclimated to liquid calories. On the first day, you eat nothing but fruits and vegetables. On the second day, you drink the juices of the fruits and vegetables. On the day before you start the fast, you drink 2 liters of fresh squeezed orange juice mixed with water and 2 tbsp. of maple syrup throughout the day.

    3

    Make your lemonade. First thing in the morning, you need to prepare your daily lemonade. Mix 14 tbsp. of lemon juice, 14 tbsp. of maple syrup, 1/2 tsp. of cayenne pepper and 2 liters of water together. Divide it into two of your 1-liter bottles and fill the other bottle with water.

    4

    Drink the lemonade. Whenever you feel hungry, take a few shots of the lemonade and chase it down with some water. The 2 liters is your whole daily amount, so make sure to spread it out. You want to end up in the evening with no lemonade, so pay attention to the pace you set for yourself.

    5

    Do the flush. This part is done in the evening after you have run out of lemonade. Fill one of your liter bottles with room temperature water and a tablespoon of sea salt. Shake it up really well and drink it all down. You don't necessarily have to chug right down in one breath, but drink it down continuously until it is gone.

    6

    Be ready to evacuate. After about 30 to 60 minutes, you are going to have to take a lot of trips to the bathroom. This is where you will be flushing the digestive tract of backed-up fecal matter. Remain close to the bathroom until your bowel movements have gotten to the point where they are greater than 15 minutes apart. You should then be safe to go about your evening as usual.

    7

    Repeat the process. Now follow the same process every day for three to seven days. After your last day of the cleanse, do an ease-out phase exactly the same way as the ease-in phase but in reverse order. Do the orange juice the first day, the juices the second day, the fruits and vegetables the third day and then go back to your regular diet.

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

800 Calorie Diet Plan

The 800 calorie diet plan is classified as a very low calorie diet that requires physician supervision. The diet is designed for individuals with a body mass index greater than 30 to lose weight rapidly in a three- to six-month span. The average weight loss while pursuing the 800 calorie diet plan is an average of three to five pounds per week.

Liquid Diet

    The 800 calorie diet plan will be created by your physician to address your specific needs. The diet usually involves eliminating regular food from your diet and replacing it with a liquid diet. As part of the plan, your physician will often require behavioral therapy and physical activity.

    The regular meals are generally substituted with either special nutritional products containing high amounts of protein and a variety of vitamins and minerals or foods that contain the required amount of nutrition. The special nutritional products are generally 100 calories and are mixed in water. Individuals who have the craving for something salty or the desire to chew something can discuss with their physician what options are available.

    While undergoing the 800 calorie diet plan, patients are carefully monitored by their physician. The patient will see his physician every two weeks, and the physician will record changes in weight, blood pressure and pulse. Blood tests are taken every two weeks and other tests may be done as well. Close supervision is imperative because of the drastic caloric restriction and the potential need for potassium supplements.

Side Effects

    Patients on the 800 calorie diet plan have reported side effects such as fatigue due to such low caloric intake, constipation, nausea and diarrhea. The side effects usually clear within a few weeks and rarely prevent completion of the diet plan.

    Gallstone formation is the most common serious side effect seen with those on the 800 calorie diet plan. The likelihood of gallstone formation is increased during rapid weight loss because caloric reduction decreases the gallbladder's ability to contract bile.

Maintaining Weight Loss

    Since weight regain is common after stopping the 800 calorie diet plan, commit to a permanent shift to healthier eating, daily physical activity and moderation in food consumption to maintain results.

Fast Weight Loss With Juice

To lose weight fast, juicing is a great option. Fresh juice provides the needed vitamins and minerals to keep your body working well and supported. Purchasing the right juicer will make the switch to a temporary juice fast or adding daily juices to your diet much easier. Juicing both fruits and vegetables keeps a diet balanced. Trying different combinations keeps a diet from getting boring.

Make a Plan

    Knowing why you want to start juicing before you start helps keep you focused and dedicated. Write down your goals and post them somewhere you can easily read it. Being able to see what you have committed to will help on the days when it gets tough. Decide if a complete juice fast is in order or if just adding juicing to your diet is sufficient for you. A juice fast helps the body detoxify and lose weight much quicker than simply adding juicing to a diet.

Purchase for Life

    Compare juicers by reading reviews and checking warranties. Avoid purchasing the cheapest juicer you find. Commit to adding juicing to your lifestyle and watch the pounds melt away both quickly and for good. Changing your diet long-term is the best and most efficient way to see pounds melt away. Find a juicer that allows you to juice whole without removing parts of the fruit or vegetable. Benefits abound in the skins and seeds.

Balance It Out

    Fast weight loss from juicing happens for those who commit to a regimen. Make sure to add both fruits and vegetables to your juice diet. Find out which vegetables you like. Carrots and beets provide wonderful sweetness to a drink that might otherwise be bitter or bland. Try kale and celery for super benefits not found in many other vegetables. Fruits remain the easiest and tastiest option. Be sure to remove the rinds of citrus fruits before juicing.

Change It Up

    Try combining any variety of fruits and vegetables and see what you come up with. Try to do small batches at first when experimenting to avoid wasting money and time. Blend a banana in a blender and add it to a drink for a change. Bananas do not juice and clog juicers or cause them to break.

Expect Results

    Anticipate great results from juicing, but especially from juice fasting. As many as 3 or 4 pounds per day might drop in the first week if a strict juice only diet is followed. Expect an average of 1 pound a day of weight loss as the body's levels normalize. Results vary dependent on the person and his level of health at the beginning of the fast. Commonly, a person loses 20 to 30 pounds when completing a 21-to-30-day juice fast. For adding juice only to a diet (not a complete fast), expect 1 pound a week initially with less weight dropping after the second week.

How to Lose Weight on the Rice Diet

How to Lose Weight on the Rice Diet

The rice diet is a low sodium and low fat diet that has helped people lose weight for years. Despite the name of the diet, you are not restricted to only rice on the rice diet. You actually have dozens of food options on a daily basis. After following a few steps, you'll be ready to lose weight on the rice diet.

Instructions

    1

    Read what the rice diet entails from the Riceway website (see Resources below). The website has an introduction to the rice diet and outlines the different phases of the diet.

    2

    Purchase the foods needed for the rice diet. To see what foods you will be eating, go to the Riceway website. Once on the homepage, click on the "Portions" link. Read what constitutes a portion, and pick the food items that interest you. The different categories of food items are dairy, protein, starch, vegetable, fruit, condiments, beverages and fats. You can also shop for the rice diet from the comfort of your own home at the Rice Diet Store website. At the Rice Diet Store website (see Resources below), you can find all the food you will need for the rice diet and have it delivered to your door.

    3

    Begin the rice diet by undergoing the detox phase of the rice diet. The detox phase is explained in great detail on the Riceway website. Click on the "Phases" link and you will get a detailed outline of what you are supposed to eat during the detox phase.

    4

    Advance to the second stage of the rice diet. While the first stage is usually meant to last only one week, the second step is to be stayed on while you lose the weight you want to lose. You can find what you are allowed to eat each day on the "Phases" link of the Riceway website.

    5

    Continue to the third and final stage when you have reached the maintenance portion of your diet. This should be at the point that you have lost all the weight you want to lose. As with phase one and two, you can find information for the third phase on the Riceway website.

Monday, June 24, 2013

How to Lose Weight by Fasting

How to Lose Weight by Fasting

Many people try fasting over short periods to help kick-start a diet or new health regimen. Others try fasting to lose a set amount of weight quickly. In most cases, fasting involves going without food entirely; but some forms of fasting require only that certain foods be restricted. A conservative fasting program under the supervision of a qualified health care professional may be an effective solution to losing weight. Follow these steps to learn more.

Instructions

Find Out If Fasting Is Right for You

    1

    Learn more about the various forms of fasting, like water fasting, juice fasting and fasts that only require the elimination of meat and dairy products. Visit Web sites like the one run by Dr. Ben Kim (see Resources below) for the details.

    2

    Experiment with several shorter fasts before beginning a long period of fasting to see how your body reacts to the process.

    3

    Consider doing a colon cleanse before fasting in order to reduce the gastric discomfort that can otherwise occur. Many colon cleansing supplements can be quite inexpensive, depending upon how long you'll be taking them.

    4

    Think about the practical side of fasting. Decide if your daily routine will be disrupted by a fast. Ask the people around you if they will be supportive and sensitive to your needs if you do go on a fast.

Fast to Lose Weight

    5

    Drink at least 7 to 10 glasses, each 8 oz., of distilled or purified water every day of your fast--even if you're just on a juice fast or are otherwise restricting your diet. Fasting proponents often advise against drinking tap water. They argue that it can reintroduce toxins and chemicals into your system and undermine the fasting process.

    6

    Alternate between fasting periods and eating periods. Many people find that they can lose more weight by fasting if they do it for 2 or 3 days at a time, instead of fasting for a long period.

    7

    Use caution when breaking a fast by not having a large first meal. Try a smaller meal first. Wait a few hours to make sure you body reacts well to the food, and then eat normally after that.

1800 Calorie Diabetic Diet Plan

Diabetes patients must be wary of their caloric intake, as well as their overall sugar and carbohydrate intake, to ensure that their insulin levels are properly balanced. Maintaining a diet of no more than 1800 calories a day helps to ensure that diabetics can maintain better control of their blood sugar levels and assist in losing weight.

Diabetes

    Diabetes is a genetic disorder in which the affected person's body is unable to properly regulate blood sugar levels because of the body's inability to secrete insulin. Typically, blood sugar levels increase after consuming food, and a normal functioning body regulates this increase in blood sugar by producing insulin. This is not the case for diabetics. In turn, a heavily regulated diet as well insulin shots are necessary to reduce the symptoms of diabetes, which may include passing out and insulin shock, which can lead to death.

The 1800 Calorie Diet

    Simply, the 1800 calorie diet restricts diabetic patients to no more than 1800 calories of food a day. Within this diet is a further regulation of sugars and carbohydrates, which tend to be high in glucose or blood sugar. The main purpose of an 1800 calorie diet is to maintain the person's ideal body weight. People with diabetes have difficulty regulating blood sugar, so it tends to lead to increases in body weight, which can lead to additional long-term complications related to obesity.

    In general, the ideal weight for women begins at 100 pounds for a 5-foot woman, adding 5 pounds for every inch over 5 feet, and a 10 percent increase for women with wider frames. For men the ideal weight begins at 106 pounds for a 5-foot man, adding 6 pounds for every inch over 5 feet. The 1800 calorie diet ensures this ideal body weight.

Counting Calories

    When you follow the 1800 Calorie diet, your carbohydrates should make up no more than 50 percent of your daily calories. Diabetics should avoid products with refined sugar--typically any processed sweets or candy. You can count carbohydrates very simply. One serving of starch, fruit or milk, contains about 15 grams of carbohydrates, and three servings of vegetables is about 15 grams. For example, a cup of 1 percent milk is a serving. Each gram of carbohydrates is about 4 calories, making one serving of carbohydrates about 60 calories. On the 1800 calorie diet, you should consume no more than 15 servings, or 225 grams, of carbohydrates.

How to Lose Weight Fast With A Cereal Diet

How to Lose Weight Fast With A Cereal Diet

Cereal diets are a good way to lose weight fast. Cereal diets are a quick way to lose a few pounds. A cereal diet consists of eating a low calorie, low fat cereal for a few weeks in order to lose weight within weeks. Read below to learn how to lose weight fast with a cereal diet.

Instructions

    1

    CEREAL DIET MEAL 1:
    Eat a bowl of low fat and low calorie cereal such as Special K for breakfast, with 2/3 cup of skim milk or 1% milk.

    CEREAL DIET SNACK 1:
    If you are hungry in between breakfast and lunch, have a mid-morning snack such as fruit, vegetable or a low fat, low calorie cereal bar.

    2

    CEREAL DIET MEAL 2:
    Eat a bowl of low fat and low calorie cereal for lunch, with 2/3 cup of skim milk or 1% milk. Try a different flavor of cereal so that you don't get tired of eating cereal.

    CEREAL DIET SNACK 2:
    If you are hungry in between lunch and dinner, have and afternoon snack such as fruit, vegetable or a low fat, low calorie cereal bar. You can also try eating a 100 calorie count snack.

    3

    CEREAL DIET MEAL 3:
    For dinner, have whatever you want (within reasonable limits). Cereals diets will cause you to reduce your normal intake of calories that your body is probably use to getting and because you are consuming less calories, you can afford to eat a regular dinner.

    CEREAL DIET SNACK 3:
    For an evening snack, try eating fruits, vegetables, low fat and low calorie cereal bars or 100 calorie pack.

    4

    Follow the cereal diet for two weeks. Try working out or doing some type of exercise in order to lose more weight faster.

Easy Exercises to Lose Weight Fast

Easy Exercises to Lose Weight Fast

The most effective and lasting way to lose weight is through diet and exercise. To lose weight, you must burn more calories than you consume. There aren't one or two most effective exercises to lose weight. To gain the best results, implement a cardio and strength-building program.

Cardio Exercise

    Cardio is any movement that raises the heart rate for an extended period of time. To lose weight, you must increase the amount of physical activity you engage in. Cardio is beneficial in that you can burn a lot of calories in a fairly short period. The cardio program should be completed at a minimum of three days per week for a period of 20 to 60 minutes. For increased calorie burning, perform this activity daily if you choose. The amount of time you perform your selected exercise depends on your current fitness ability. Some of the exercises you can perform, but are not limited to, are walking, cycling, running, swimming, playing sports, using an elliptical machine or running on a treadmill.

Strength Training

    Strength training is essential for maximizing weight loss. While cardio is important for calorie burning, when you are done with a cardio activity, the calorie burning also ends. With strength training, you burn calories during the exercise and long after. When finished with a strength workout, the body will break down muscle fibers and rebuild. This requires extensive energy, which burns calories and fat. For 24 hours after a strength workout, the body is still burning calories, even while you sleep.

    The best way to complete a strength-building program for weight loss is to lift lighter weights and do more repetitions. Select the weight amount by how many reps you can do with it. The weight should be enough so that after 12 repetitions your arms feel fatigued. When you can complete 15 repetitions without a struggle, increase the weight. You can perform activities like bicep curls, lunges, squats, triceps pulldowns, crunches, military press, or push-ups. The workout should last between 20 and 40 minutes. You should complete three sets of 10 to 12 reps for each exercise. Select about seven or eight exercises and move between them without much rest in between.

    Your strength-building program should be completed no more than two or three days per week, but never on back-to-back days.

Exercise Schedule

    Cardio can be done from three days per week to every day. Your regimen will depend on your fitness ability and time constraints. Strength training should be completed no more than two or three days per week. Here is an example schedule.

    Monday, Wednesday and Friday: Complete cardio exercise for 20 to 60 continuous minutes.

    Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday (optional): Complete your strength training for 20 to 40 minutes, moving from exercise to exercise.

    Sunday can be a day of rest or a cardio day.

    When beginning your weight loss exercise program, it is important to pace yourself. If physical activity is new for you, stay on the low side of the time estimates until you have improved. It is OK to gradually increase the amount of time you perform each exercise.

Liquid Diet Weight Loss Tips

One of the quickest tracks to weight loss is a liquid diet. While results may be rapid, improper ingredients or infrequent intake can ruin your efforts. Getting information on what works well for your goals and how to maximize efforts is always a smart choice. You can lose weight and get great results on a liquid diet with a few tips.

Choose a Self-Sustaining Liquid Solution

    An incorrect assumption about liquid diets is that they must be low-calorie. This is unhealthy and will not sustain the body. Often low-calorie liquid diets lead to fatigue, collapse and unhealthy eating in the future. Choose meal-replacement liquids with the antioxidants and nutrients needed, the ones found in vegetables and fruits.

Do Not Combine With Exercise

    Once your diet consists of liquids, your body if fueled correctly will sustain itself through everyday activity. But the energy exerted during exercise is exhausting on a liquid diet. Exercise periods of over 30 minutes are ill advised for those on meal replacement shakes. During liquid dieting, weight loss is rapid and unless you are dangerously overweight exercise isn't always necessary. A doctor should monitor progress if you are exercising on a low-calorie liquid diet.

Keep Up a Decent Caloric Intake

    Calories are the last thing a dieter wants to ingest, but the body needs a sensible amount to function properly. Juice fasting is not recommended for long-term dieting as it has few of the calories the human body needs to live. Liquid diet solutions should carry 500 or more calories to sustain the body. Liquid diet meals under 420 calories each are dangerous and can lead to anemia, fatigue and muscle loss. The average human being needs at least 1200 calories daily to function and still be able to lose weight. Therefore, if you have three liquid meals a day, each meal should add up to be at least 400 calories.

Take a Break and Eat Solids

    Liquid diets are not designed for long-term use. You should never plan a staple diet around liquid meals. There are nutrients your body needs from solid foods that don't transfer well into liquid. Liquid diets should not be followed longer than three months. Lean meats and vegetables are good break foods to add energy and strength.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

A Home Remedy to Cleanse the Colon

The colon is an important elimination system. The body accumulates wastes from internal processes and from digesting food and beverages. After taking what it needs from food, the body sends the unwanted materials to the colon. In the colon, these wastes become fecal matter, which is removed through bowel movements. Cleaning the colon helps rid the body of toxins and wastes that can cause illnesses. Home remedies to cleanse the colon are natural and easy ways to detoxify the body.

Drink Plenty of Water

    Water is a great way to clean the colon. By drinking plenty of fluids, the body is able to wash away debris, impurities and harmful materials. Water reaches all systems of the body and provides a total body cleanse. Water is also needed to perform important body processes and to keep the body's chemicals balanced. Water also stops constipation by making loose, watery stools. Having frequent bowel movements is the best way to eliminate fecal matter and clean the colon.

Eat Fruits and Vegetables

    Another good way to encourage bowel movements is by eating more fruits and vegetables. These foods are high in fiber. Fiber is a substance that adds bulk to fecal matter, making stools large and soft so they can easily pass through the rectum. Fresh fruits and green leafy vegetables are best, but whole grains are also needed for a balanced diet.

Exercise Regularly

    Exercise is another way to stimulate the colon muscles. Any type of physical movement helps get the intestinal muscles moving. Walking, jogging, dancing and rowing are just a few of the aerobic exercises a person can benefit from. If you have access to a health club, exercise classes and exercise equipment can also help a colon cleanse.

Try a Fast

    Fasting allows the body to clean and repair itself. The body is capable of healing itself, but there is a limited amount of energy available. When food is eaten, the body expends a lot of energy processing the food. But if no food is eaten for a few days, the body has the energy for self-cleaning. A fast can last one day or one month. Short fasts of a few days can be done at home, but month-long fasts need to be done at a medical facility. Most people can do a one- to four-day fast without any problems.

How to lose weight on the oatmeal diet

How to lose weight on the oatmeal diet

So you have been to the doctor for the annual physical and your cholestrol is high or considered borderline and you want to lower it without medication. Or maybe, you find that you suddenly have "love handles" that you just don't love. Whatever your reason here is your chance to lower your cholestrol, lose weight, feel satisfied and look and feel great!

Instructions

    1

    Oatmeal can be such a warm cozy comfort food. Spruce it up with some berries, raisins or even a little cinnamon. Oatmeal removes cholestrol from the body and is filling and satisfying. Try to stay away from flavored oatmeal as it is higher in sugar. Opt for a lower sodium or plain variety. If cooked with milk use fat free milk.

    Have oatmeal plus fruit for any 2 meals of the day.

    2

    Snack on raw vegetables and fruit. Try to stay away from sweeter fruits such as bananas and mangos for example.

    3
    Drink up.

    Drink 8-10 glasses of water a day. This is mandatory as the water "flushes" the fat out of the body and helps to keep the body hydrated.

    In addition to water you may drink sparingly caffeine free beverages such as coffee, tea, seltzer and club soda.

    4

    Eat one well balanced meal a day. This should include 4-6oz. of protein such as poultry, and or lean cuts of meat from the loin or calf of the animal. At least 2 servings of leafy and/or green vegetables. Whole grains such as brown rice or a complex carbohydrate such as a yam which is a complex carbohydrate which is a good carbohydrate. Stay away from white potatoes and starchy vegetables such as corn.

    Be sure to only BAKE, BOIL OR BROIL. Follow the 3 B's when cooking.

    5

    "The first step to motivation is activation" as quoted from a Weight Watchers meeting. (More truthful words were never spoken). The more active you are the more motivated you will become and the easier this will become.

    Take 3 thirty minute walks a week. As you do this and this becomes less challenging pick up the pace to power walking. By next year at this time you might even be jogging. Set workout goals for yourself and stick to them.

    6

    Snacks. You are allowed 3 snacks a day. Choose from Sugar Free, Fat Free jello and puddings, fruit & vegetables.

Saturday, June 22, 2013

How to Lose Weight Fast at Home

How to Lose Weight Fast at Home

To lose weight fast at home, a diet and exercise plan that emphasizes exercise will deliver the quickest and most lasting results. It's natural to admire the hard bodies of TV and movie stars and believe that those results can only be attained with expensive gym memberships and personal trainers. But even the most elite personal trainers rely on weight loss principles that are actually very basic. You can make these same principles work for you at home with some fundamental nutrition knowledge, inexpensive exercise equipment, and your own ingenuity.

Instructions

Prepare to Lose Weight

    1

    Make sure that you are healthy enough to begin an exercise and diet plan. If necessary, see your doctor to discuss any health conditions you may have. During your visit, ask your doctor what aerobic exercise target heart rate is appropriate for your fitness level and age. Also ask what your approximate daily caloric needs are according to your height, weight, sex, age and activity level. Be sure to ask if there are any reasons you should not exercise vigorously or reduce your calorie intake.

    2

    Find a target heart rate calculator and also a daily calorie needs calculator on the Internet, if you are not visiting your doctor, or if your doctor does not provide you with your appropriate target heart rate and caloric needs. Use the Internet calculators to figure your target heart rate for aerobic exercise. Use the daily calorie calculator to determine how many calories you need to eat to maintain your weight; you'll reduce this number to lose weight.

    3

    Start a diet and exercise log to track your at-home weight loss progress. In your log, keep a detailed list of your food, including quantities. Also log your daily workouts, noting how much exercise you do, and also how you feel during your workout. Periodically note your weight and waist, hip, thigh and upper arm circumference measurements as well. As you progress, weigh and measure yourself once or twice a week, but not more often than every other day.

Exercise Regularly

    4

    Do aerobic exercise 6 days a week to burn calories and fat. Aerobic exercise is any strenuous activity that elevates your heart rate to your target rate for 20 minutes or more. Walking, running, jumping rope, or doing aerobics or dance along with a video, are exercises you can do at home or in your neighborhood, on your own schedule. These are also relatively inexpensive. If you've got money to invest, you can buy a treadmill, elliptical machine or stationary bicycle to use at home. If you have access to a pool, swimming laps or water aerobics are good low impact exercise options.

    5

    Lift weights and do isometric exercises to strengthen your legs, arms, upper body and core, to build and maintain muscle mass. Muscle is the type of body tissue that burns fat most efficiently, so if you have more muscle, you lose weight faster and keep it off easier. Curls, triceps extensions and side arm raises with dumbbells will tone your arms and shoulders. Push-ups will strengthen your chest and arms. Squats and lunges will tone your legs and buttocks. Firm your abdomen and waist with tummy crunches and floor "bicycle" exercises. To do the bicycle exercise, lie face up on the floor, and alternately touch each knee to the opposite elbow.

    6

    Use items around your house as improvised exercise equipment. Empty milk jugs filled with water will double as dumbbells. Fill the jugs according to the amount of weight you need--1 cup of water weighs about 1/2 pound; 1 gallon of water weighs 8 pounds. Personal sized water bottles also work well as weights

    7

    Invest in some inexpensive exercise gear from your sporting goods store or discount department store like Wal-mart or Target. A set of dumbbells, an big exercise ball, elastic tubing with handles and a medicine ball can all be purchased for less than $80 to $100 total.

Change Your Diet

    8

    Cut your daily calories so that you eat 250 to 500 fewer calories than your body needs to maintain your current weight, so that your body will burn its own fat for energy. Cutting more than 500 daily calories may initially cause you to drop pounds, but some of that additional weight will be muscle. Since muscle tissue is necessary for burning calories, losing muscle is counterproductive to losing fat.

    9

    Make sure that protein comprises between 10 to 35 percent of your daily calories, according to your age, sex and activity level. You can find a protein needs calculator on the Internet to more closely estimate your protein requirements by percentage and also by gram.

    10

    Eat at least five servings of carbohydrates each day, but substitute 100 percent whole grain breads and pastas for refined flour products. Watch your portion size carefully, but do not try to eliminate carbohydrates. Popular low carbohydrate diet plans advise you to drastically cut carbohydrates to force fat burning metabolic processes. Because carbohydrates are your body's main source of immediate energy, ultra low carbohydrate diets can impair your ability to exercise effectively since dietary

    11

    Load up on vegetables and fruits. At least five servings per day are recommended, but for fast weight loss, you should eat even more. Eat fruit instead of dessert and keep fresh crunchy vegetables available for snacking. Soluble dietary fiber in fruits and vegetables helps regulate the absorption of calories in your digestive tract, helping to stabilize your blood sugar levels and control hunger. Fiber also helps you feel physically full.

About Gas Pains

Intestinal gas is common, and the average person passes gas at least 12 times a day. In most cases, intestinal gas causes little discomfort and doesn't interfere with a person's daily activities. But occasionally, intestinal gas can build up in the stomach and cause pain. If the pain becomes severe, sufferers may be unable to walk or stand. Fortunately, there are easy ways to get rid of gas pain.

Time Frame

    Gas pain can be severe or mild, and discomfort can last for a few seconds to several hours. Gas pain is common after eating a meal or drinking beverages. It can strike as a sudden, sharp pain that quickly disappears; or gas pain can progress over time and linger for hours. Because gas pain can also indicate a serious gastrointestinal or gynecological problem, seek medical attention if pain doesn't subside within a few days.

Identification

    Gas pains can be felt anywhere in the abdomen, with common locations being the upper abdomen, lower abdomen and on your right or left side. Severe gas pains are intense and sharp, whereas mild symptoms include a dull pain or cramping sensation. Often times, gas pain is accompanied by abdominal bloating, in which the stomach feels tight or full. Abdominal distention may also occur.

Causes

    Gas pains result from intestinal gas. Several factors contribute to excess gas, which include swallowing too much air. This commonly occurs while eating, drinking or chewing gum. Additionally, certain foods such as fruits, vegetables, beans, dairy products and wheat can produce intestinal gas and pain. What's more, having a gastrointestinal disorder such as irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis increases the risk of gas pain. Other causes and risk factors include constipation, taking an antibiotic and overuse of laxatives.

Prevention/Solution

    Intestinal gas is common, and there's no way to stop gas pain completely. However, you can take steps to reduce the frequency of gas pains. For starters, it helps to identify foods that trigger gas pain. Keep a food journal and record all your meals. After identifying your problems foods, remove these from your diet and monitor your progress. If constipation causes gas pain, consider ways to regulate the bowels. Take fiber supplements, drink plenty of fluids or start an exercise routine.

Expert Insight

    Gas pains are often overlooked or ignored, and sufferers rarely seek medical attention. However, chronic gas pain can point to an underlying medical condition such as ovarian cancer. Finding the cause of gain pain is important, and if pain doesn't respond to home treatment or diet changes, doctors generally take an X-ray of the gastrointestinal tract (endoscopy) or schedule an ultrasound of the lower abdomen and pelvis. Both procedures can identify abnormalities and digestive disorders.

How to use Weight Watchers Diet Plan Points System

How to use Weight Watchers Diet Plan Points System

If you are trying to loose weight one of the most important things you can do is to find a diet plan that works for you and your lifestyle. If you find a diet that is supposed to be the latest and greatest plan and you are not comfortable with it then chances are you will not be very successful.

Instructions

    1

    Weight Watchers is a nationally recognized weight loss plan that has been around for several decades and has helped thousands of people loose weight and keep it off. One of the main reasons that they have been so successful is because they have a plan that allows you to attend meeting and learn how loosing weight can benefit your life. At the meeting you build a support system that is not like any other diet plan.

    2

    Weight Watchers has changes over the years and they have revised there diet plan many times but now they have a point system that has become very popular and successful for many people. Basically all foods that you eat are assigned a point value and depending on your body type, age, and weight you are given a maximum number of points that you can eat in a week. If you stay within that amount and you make sure that you eat a certain amount of water, oils and fruits then you will loose weight.

    3

    What ever plan you choose to loose weight you need to find a plan that works for you and that you can stick with it. Your health is so important and having too much fat on your body can cause a lot of health problems.

How to Lose Weight Fast - The Healthy Way

How to Lose Weight Fast - The Healthy Way

Most folks feel that losing weight is a daunting task and they are unsure of the best way to lose weight. If you need to lose weight fast, all you have to do is keep putting one foot in front of the other and dive into the weight loss process. Within a week or two you'll start feeling better and you will lose fat quickly. Here's the quickest way to lose weight fast - the healthy way: Add this to my Recipe Box.

Instructions

    1
    White flour is now enemy 1.

    Don't eat products that contain white flour. The most important thing to do first is realize how many products you eat contain white flour. White flour is now your weight loss enemy and you must replace all white flour products with vegetables (preferably green leafy vegetables). Broccoli has protein and many health benefits so you can start with that, but don't forget the hundreds of other green leafy vegetables that are out on the market as well. Doing just this one step is the quickest way to lose weight fast - the healthy way. But wait, there's more!

    2
    Simple sugars are now enemy 2.

    Stop eating sugar and sugar products. Simple sugars are also your weight loss enemy. Chocolate, candies, cookies, etc are super fun while you're eating them, but they completely sabotage any healthy diet and make you fat quick. Sugar also makes you tired. If you eliminate all simple sugars from your diet, you'll soon be amazed at how much energy and sleep you'll get.

    3
    Green leafy vegetables are your friend.

    Be sure to eat five small meals a day. This takes some getting used to, but trust me, it's one of the best ways to lose weight. When you replace white flour products with vegetables and stop eating simple sugars, you will want that small healthy meal every 3-4 hours. If you need to lose weight fast, be sure to eat a source of protein at EVERY meal (eggs, meats, nuts, etc) since protein is the one thing that will keep you full until the next meal. If you think of your plate in thirds, one third will be protein, one third vegetables and one third complex carbohydrates (sweet potato, whole grain wild rice, etc). Eat things that look like they just came from the farm or field - the more natural it is, the healthier it is for you and the faster you will lose the weight. If you can afford organic foods, great, but it's not necessary. If you get a sweet tooth, put some blueberries/strawberries/other fruit in yogurt and sprinkle some toasted almonds on top. It will get you through the moment until your next healthy meal.

    4
    Be sure to drink lots of water.

    Drink a lot of water to help speed up your weight loss. You should drink at least 3 tall glasses of water a day. Those sugar drinks, coffees and sodas are going to get you NOWHERE - you will not lose weight fast while consuming those products. They sabotage your healthy diet just like cookies, cakes and candies. Eliminate the sugar drinks and drink water, milk and not from concentrate orange juice instead. V8's are great too if you can stand the salt.

    5
    Exercising at home is simple.

    Find an "exercise" you like to do if you need to lose weight fast. "Exercise" is merely a way to get the body moving. So if you hate the thought of "exercise", think of it as moving your body instead. You can still lose weight fast if you watch your favorite TV show, march in place and raise your hands up in the air repeatedly for the duration of the show (and commercials too, no cheating!). Sure, it's really exercise, but by the time your show is over, you'll feel better about yourself, you don't have to mentally endure 60 minutes without entertainment and you'll help yourself lose weight faster. If you prefer to go to a gym and do aerobics or cardiovascular equipment - GREAT! Just keep in mind that you can "move your body" anywhere at anytime and every bit of movement helps with your weight loss. Typically you should "move your body" for 30-60 minutes, 3-5 times a week for best weight loss results.

    6
    Junk food cravings are a good excuse to take the dog for a walk.

    Don't give up when you go through the sugar and carbohydrate withdrawals. The first week is not easy I must say. You'll constantly be thinking about the white flour products and simple sugars you've given up. If you get to the point where you're going to indulge, put your walking shoes on and go walk around the block for 15 minutes. If it's raining or cold out (there is no excuse!!), turn on the tv and march for 15 minutes. While you are walking or marching, remind yourself that these cravings are the thing that got you where you are now (unhealthy and/or overweight). Also remind yourself that you deserve to be healthy and getting through the moment of 'deprivation' is key to your long-term weight loss success.

    7
    Yogurt raisins are a good option for indulgence on a 'day off'.

    Allow your self some type of indulgence once a week. This doesn't mean you can go back and eat that bag of chips or cookies (ie, white flour products) - you definitely will not lose fat quickly that way. What it means is that you can have a healthier snack to keep your weight loss on track. My favorite is yogurt raisins (as an example). Don't eat the whole bag for goodness sakes. I usually have 10-15 in the morning and the same in the evening on my "off day". On this one day during the week, it's very important to indulge on something you like (it's your reward for the week!), but make sure you don't overdo it. If you need a snack with some 'junk food' substance, check out my White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookie recipe listed below under "Resources". Try not to have more than 2 or three of those on your day off, then share the rest with your friends. You may want to enlist a friend or family member to keep you accountable on your 'day off' so you lose weight faster.

    8
    A trainer can keep you accountable.

    If all of the above fails because you can't do it on your own, you might want to hire a personal trainer if you need to lose weight fast. It might just be the next best way to lose weight if you find your self-motivation is limited. In this economy the trainers are actively looking for business, so I'm sure you could even find one to come to your house if you absolutely abhor the gym scene. You can sign on for 2-3 times a week if you can afford it, or if you can handle some work on your own at home, hire them for a once a week session. They can also help keep you accountable by phone when you get to the point where you're getting ready to open the bag of whatever white flour/sugar product is in your face. Determination and consistency are crucial to losing weight fast - the healthy way.

    9

    Be sure to check out the Resource links below for more information on exercising and staying healthy.

Fruit & Vegetable Diet Cleanse

Fruit & Vegetable Diet Cleanse

A fruit and vegetable cleanse is one of the safest and most sustainable of many diets meant to assist the body in detoxification. When undertaken with a focus on safety and health, this cleansing diet supports weight reduction and increases the body's ability to fight disease.

What to Eat

    First, avoid anything from an animal (including meat, fish and dairy). Second, avoid anything processed. This includes any refined foods (sugar, alcohol, flour, artificial sweeteners) and anything from a bottle, box or can. Finally, avoid anything cooked before it reaches your kitchen. A limited amount of grain may be eaten, but it must be whole, organic grain. Aim to eat two servings of liver-supporting cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, leafy greens, cabbage, brussels sprouts, kale) per day. In essence, the nutritional content of a fruit and vegetable cleanse is food that was available 500 years ago to residents of your region.

Making It Delicious

    Including organic, nonsalt seasonings and small quantities of pure fats and oils (especially extra-virgin olive and coconut oils) greatly increases the appeal of whole, organic fruits and vegetables. If you haven't spent much time in the produce aisle lately, don't worry. Inspiration abounds online, as thousands of whole-foods recipes are available free of charge on the Web. (See the resources section.)

Supplements

    Some dieters choose to add a supplement component to their cleanse. (Because they also help to hydrate the body, herbal teas are more ideal supplements than capsules.) To support the cleansing function of the liver, the dieter may take an herbal tea that incorporates milk thistle, turmeric, ginger and artichoke. It's also a good idea to supplement a cleansing diet with a high-potency probiotic, which will introduce a population of beneficial bacteria to the digestive tract to help out-process old digestive buildup.

Suggested Schedule

    Experts in naturopathic medicine (an alternative medical system that utilizes non-chemical methods to accentuate the body's ability to maintain itself) suggest that a fruit and vegetable cleanse should last from seven to 14 days. Try to taper your eating from more- to less-cooked foods over the course of your cleanse, and never "rebound" to normal eating by gorging on processed, animal foods.

Additional Considerations

    For best results, eat only foods grown in organic, outdoor earth (not a lab or hothouse) within 100 miles of your home, and are seasonal during your cleansing period. Most people find a cleanse most pleasant and beneficial during the spring and early fall, when seasonal vegetables are plentiful and there's a wide variety of choices.

    Carefully cleaning your living space (including replacing filters, removing all sources of mold growth and installing a whole-home water filtration system) also significantly assists your body with its detoxifying work.

Friday, June 21, 2013

How to Naturally Lose Weight Fast

How to Naturally Lose Weight Fast

Are you overweight? If so, you may have already tried a number of ways of relieving yourself of those extra pounds, but to varying degrees of success. Despite what many authors and food companies may say, it's very possible to naturally lose weight fast without any special foods or expensive fitness equipment. It does require a substantial change in behavior, and changing habits can be difficult, but the answer is simple and it does work.

Instructions

    1

    Stop eating all simple carbs, such as flour, sugar, starchy vegetables like potatoes, and most grains. These foods cause blood sugar to spike and the pancreas to release insulin to turn all that excess sugar into fat. Cutting out these foods is one of the most important things you can do to lose weight fast.

    2
    Eat Lots of Fiber to Lose Weight Fast

    Eat lots of fiber and green salad vegetables. Fiber will keep your stomach fuller longer, keeping the hunger pangs at bay. A diet that keeps you hungry all the time is not one that you will stick with for very long, no matter how fast the pounds come off at first. Eating lots of fiber and vegetables will also help stabilize your blood sugar, which eliminates the highs and lows following eating.

    3

    Drink lots of water and only water. Unsweetened tea and decaf black coffee are also permissible, but you will not lose weight fast if you are drinking hidden calories such as the sugar in soda pop or the cream in fancy coffee.

    4

    Eat plenty of fish, free range eggs and grass fed meat. Fat is not necessarily bad for you, but, like anything else, can be trouble when taken in excess. Aim for as many omega 3 fatty acids as possible, which are plentiful in things like wild salmon and grass fed bison, as opposed to the saturated fats and omega 6s, which make up most of the fat in regular ground beef.

    5

    Use artificial sweeteners very sparingly, and only to curb the cravings for high-sugar alternatives. Stevia is a natural sweetener that does not affect blood sugar levels, and frequently comes packed with fiber. You can't lose weight fast and eat a diet packed with sweets, but just a little now and then can be permissible.

    6
    You Can't Lose Weight Fast Without Exercise

    Exercise, exercise, exercise. The only way to make your body healthier is to give it a lot of attention, and that means frequent workouts. The importance of exercise absolutely cannot be understated. Not only will it help you naturally lose weight fast, but it will give you strength and stamina you never had before and improve overall health. Cardio will get your heart rate up and burn lots of calories while you are exercising, and weight training will improve overall strength and endurance, as well as burn more calories while you are at rest.

How to Lose Weight with the Banana Diet

How to Lose Weight with the Banana Diet

Love bananas and other fresh fruit? The banana diet is a diet from Japan that is extremely popular for being effective as well as far less restrictive than many other types of diets. The banana diet, also known as the morning banana diet, is very popular and since it is safe, it's a fad diet that's not likely to go anywhere.

Instructions

    1

    Prepare an eating plan. The banana diet is very simple in its execution: always eat a breakfast of a banana and water, or several bananas. Eat until you're full, but don't gorge or stuff yourself. Only eat raw, not frozen, and not cooked, bananas.

    2

    If you're a little hungry before lunch, go ahead and eat a small healthy snack, like a rice ball, a bowl of oatmeal, or a fruit bar.

    3

    Eat meals normally. You don't have to go out of the way to eat completely healthy, but if all your meals are four plates at all you can eat buffets, then don't expect a miracle. For the morning banana diet you will want to practice eating until you are 70% full - satisfied but not completely full and definitely not stuffed. No desserts, and eat dinner by 8 pm at the latest, although 6 pm is preferred.

    4

    Drink mostly water. The banana diet says to drink water in sips, and not in large amounts. Don't use it to wash down food. If you need a sweet in the afternoon, you can have one, but don't eat if you're not hungry.

    5

    A major part of the banana diet is to eat slowly and appreciate the taste of the food.

    6

    Always go to bed before midnight to get a full night's rest. Repeat this schedule day after day and watch as the pounds begin to melt away and you start to slim down with the new banana diet!

Thursday, June 20, 2013

Oatmeal Weight Loss Diet

Good old-fashioned oatmeal is nutritious and inexpensive and may help you lose weight. Oatmeal is high in fiber and may decrease your appetite, and it's an excellent source of carbohydrates for a weight-loss diet.

Health Benefits of Oatmeal

    The health benefits of oatmeal are due to the fact that it's made from oats. Whole-oat products are among the finest sources of soluble fiber. That will help keep your cholesterol levels in check and help lower your risk of heart disease. If you want to shed a few pounds, it appears that eating oatmeal may be beneficial as well.

Oatmeal and Weight Loss

    It's highly unlikely that any nutritionist would endorse oatmeal as the sole source of nourishment while attempting to lose weight; however, it may be possible to incorporate oatmeal into a diet and help to expedite weight loss.

    Because oatmeal is high in soluble fiber, it may promote a feeling of fullness after meals because it stays in the intestines for a longer period of time. As a result, there will be less desire to consume excess calories between meals.

    Oatmeal's soluble fiber combined with the fact that it's a low-fat food means that it can be used as a weight-control diet. Oatmeal also slows the nutrients going into your bloodstream.

    Another reason oatmeal may promote weight loss is because it's typically eaten for breakfast, and as a general rule, breakfast eaters are more successful at shedding pounds and maintaining a weight-loss diet than those who skip the morning meal.

Incorporating Oatmeal into Your Diet

    It's quite easy to add oatmeal to your daily diet. It doesn't have to be limited to breakfast, although hot oatmeal or cold oat bran cereal is a good way to start the day. Ground oatmeal can be added to several recipes for baked foods.

Foods for Rapid Weight Loss

There are certain steps you can take and certain foods you can eat to help you lose weight safely. In order to lose weight and continue a healthy lifestyle, losing one to two pounds per week is an ideal number to shoot for. Losing weight more quickly over a short period of time can put you at risk for gall stones, an eating disorder and loss of muscle as well as other problems. However, you can encourage a healthier lifestyle for yourself and naturally lose weight at a steady pace without facing the problems of losing weight too quickly.

Foods Encouraging Weight Loss

    Some foods naturally flush the fat from your system and "wake up" your metabolism. Citrus fruits and fruits such as apples and berries, as well as soybeans and garlic oil, are examples of foods that flush the fat.

    Eat more water-rich vegetables with your meals--zucchini, tomatoes, cucumbers and celery. Other examples of water-rich food are soups and salad. In fact, add more vegetables overall to your eating regimen, and keep them on hand for snacks throughout the day. They add more fiber, help you feel fuller and have plenty of good carbohydrates and nutrition.

    Eat equal portions of vegetables and grains at dinnertime. A cup of vegetables equals about 50 calories, while a cup of rice or other grain is approximately 200 calories. Fiber-rich vegetables will fill you up fast.

    Replace the soft drinks with plenty of water--at least eight glasses a day. This helps flush your body of unwanted and unnecessary toxins and keeps you hydrated.

    Eating whole fruits instead of drinking fruit juices fill you up and keep you satisfied longer. There is more bulk and less sugar in a piece of fruit than in a glass of fruit juice.

    Use flavorings, seasonings and spices to liven up your food, avoiding butter and margarine since they are major sources of bad fat.

    Eating low-fat yogurt two or three times a day helps the weight loss and keeps the body fat low. It is also a good source of calcium.

Other Healthy Habits

    As well as eating foods that encourage weight loss, get into the habit of exercising for at least 30 minutes every day. The combination of healthy eating and exercise quickens your progress of losing weight and changes your lifestyle from a sedentary to an active one. Remember that weight loss results when more calories are burned than consumed. Making exercise a part of your weight loss regimen is a "win-win" situation for you.

How to Fast for Weight Loss

How to Fast for Weight Loss

Fasting is a practice that involves choosing to abstain from food, drink, or both for a pre-determined amount of time. It is generally used for detoxification of the body or for other medical reasons. Fasting programs are also popular and proven weight loss methods when used safely and moderately. Due to the health risks of fasting, it is extremely important to follow a few steps to ensure that your fast is both effective and healthy for your body.

Instructions

    1

    Begin with a very brief fasting program before building up to a longer program for weight loss. If this is your first time fasting, it is best to start out fasting for only a portion of the day, such as a 12-hour period that starts at night. Generally, fasting for more than a few days is not medically recommended, so it is dangerous to subject your body to this practice without giving yourself necessary preparation time to adjust.

    2

    Prepare your body to undergo a fasting program for weight loss by limiting unnecessary food habits, such as the intake of alcohol, sugar and caffeine at least 1 week prior to starting your fast. You should also refrain from or limit your use of nicotine and try to avoid eating red meat. One of the primary purposes of fasting is to rid the body of these toxins, so it is usually helpful to get yourself in the habit of avoiding these substances before you even begin.

    3

    Allow yourself to eat only 1 meal per day while fasting. The best time of day to have this meal is usually about 3:00 in the afternoon, as this is the midpoint of the working day for most people. The meal you have should only be comprised of water, tea or juice and some form of raw fruits or vegetables to ensure maximum detoxification and weight loss.

    4

    Avoid exercise and other strenuous activity during your fast. Though refraining from exercise may seem to contradict the purpose of a weight loss program, your body will not be physically capable of performing any form of exercise due to the physiological effects of fasting. Denying your body food and water temporarily decreases the amount of energy your body is able to expend.

    5

    Rebuild the amount of food you eat slowly after you finish your fast. It is common to want to binge after completing a fast, but it is important to slowly increase your intake of food over a period of days to allow your digestive cycle to return to normal.

How to Lose Stomach Weight Fast

How to Lose Stomach Weight Fast

Maybe you just had a baby or you've been trying to lose stomach weight for years. Whatever the case, it takes will power and determination to lose weight fast, especially in the stomach area. Here's how to lose stomach weight fast:

Instructions

    1
    Eliminate white flour from your diet.

    Eliminate all white flour products from your diet and eat vegetables instead (preferably green leafy vegetables). Broccoli has protein and many health benefits so you can start with that, but don't forget the hundreds of other green leafy vegetables that are out on the market as well. Doing just the one step will help you lose stomach weight fast.

    2
    Eliminate sugar from your diet.

    Eliminate sugar from your eating plan. Chocolate, candies, cookies, etc are super fun while you're eating them, but they completely sabotage any healthy diet and make your stomach fat. Sugar also makes you tired. If you eliminate all simple sugars from your diet, you'll soon be amazed at how much stomach weight you'll lose.

    3
    Eat five small meals a day.

    Be sure to eat five small meals a day. This takes some getting used to, but trust me, when you replace white flour products with vegetables and stop eating simple sugars, you will want that small healthy meal every 3-4 hours. Be sure to eat a source of protein at EVERY meal (eggs, meats, nuts, etc) since protein is the one thing that will keep you full until the next meal. If you think of your plate in thirds, one third will be protein, one third vegetables and one third complex carbohydrates (sweet potato, whole grain wild rice, etc). Eat things that look like they just came from the farm or field - the more natural it is, the healthier it is for you and the faster you will lose the stomach weight fast.

    4
    Drink lots of water.

    Drink a lot of water to help increase your stomach fat weight loss. You should drink at least 3 tall glasses of water a day. Those sugar drinks, coffees and sodas are going to get you NOWHERE - you will not lose weight fast while consuming those products. They sabotage your healthy diet just like cookies, cakes and candies. Eliminate the sugar drinks and drink water, milk and not from concentrate orange juice instead. V8's are great too if you can stand the salt.

    5
    Start exercising.

    Start exercising if you haven't already. Do cardio 4-5 times a week for 30-60 minute intervals. Do abdominal exercises too, but you need to realize that losing stomach weight fast has more to do with your diet than doing hundreds of crunches in the gym (and if you're doing hundreds of crunches, you're doing them wrong! - you should be exhausted at 12 reps per set). Weight training will help you burn fat fast too, so don't be afraid to pick up the weights.

    6
    Get plenty of rest.

    Get at least 8 hours of sleep a night. The more rested you are, the better your body performs.