How to Lose 10 Pounds in 3 Days With a Diet

Although it is a very short period of time, losing ten pounds in three days can be achieved simply by altering your diet. Carbohydrates, saturated fats and calories will need to be reduced significantly, in order for you to lose ten pounds in three days. These foods should be replaced with low-fat alternatives that are rich in protein. In order to lose weight quickly, it is essential that no more than 1500 calories are ingested each day.

Instructions

1

Replace starchy carbohydrates such as potatoes, white rice and pasta, with low-glycemic options. Beans and brown rice are good replacements for starchy carbohydrates.

2

Fill your diet with plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Snack on healthy foods such as apples and carrot sticks, instead of sugary, fatty treats like chips and candy. This will keep you feeling full, without adding too many calories to your diet.

3

Substitute your usual lunch for a bowl of soup. Studies have shown that soup can aid weight loss by keeping you feeling full longer, reducing the desire to snack.

4

Drink plenty of water. Drinking six to eight glasses of water a day will flush out toxins and help to keep you feeling full.

5

Kick-start your metabolism by eating a healthy breakfast. Fresh fruit, oatmeal or one slice of wholewheat toast, are all sensible options.

Foods That Help You Lose Weight Fast

While there's no magic food to help you shed pounds, there are many things you can eat to help you raise your metabolism, reduce appetite and accelerate weight loss. Since diet is such an important part of the weight loss journey, even small changes you make can have a big impact on the scale.

High-Fiber Food

Fiber works as a two-way weight loss aid. It provides satiety, so you end up eating less but feeling full, and it also regulates your digestion, preventing you from becoming bloated. High-fiber foods such as green leafy vegetables are especially good because they are low in calories and fat free, so your overall caloric consumption is reduced and your weight loss is quicker and more effective. Fiber also prevents blood sugar spikes, which can lead to cravings. Other high-fiber foods that can help with weight loss include lentils, oatmeal, kale, buckwheat and apples.

Spicy Dishes

Some spices such as ginger, cayenne pepper and cinnamon can raise metabolism, causing the body to burn calories faster and more effectively. Spices not only cause a significant raise in metabolic rate during the actual meal, but their effect lasts for up to 20 minutes after eating. Other condiments that raise metabolism include wasabi powder, coriander and garlic.

Lean Protein

Chicken, turkey, fish and eggs all have something in common: they are pure protein. Because your body works harder to digest protein than anything else, you burn more calories and boost your metabolism by eating proteins. Also, protein are more satisfying than carbs and sugars, so you are less likely to suffer spikes in blood sugar or to have cravings. Certain proteins, such as salmon and sardines, are high in Omega-3 fatty acids, which reduces the amount of leptin in your body. Leptin is a hormone that affects metabolism and fat burning: the less you have of it, the more effective your body is at losing weight. Low-fat dairy products and soy are also good sources of protein.

Low-Sugar Fruits

While fruits are natural and a good source of fiber, many contain high levels of sugar and can compromise your weight loss efforts if consumed in excess. Examples of high-sugar fruits include bananas, grapes, pears, pineapple and figs. On the other hand, low-sugar fruits provide lots of hunger-satiating fiber with very low calories. Examples include berries, papaya, plums, apricots, lime and melon.

Good Fats

Vegetable fats are good for lowering DLH cholesterol and providing a feeling of satiety. Since they don't contain cholesterol (as animal fats do), they do not increase the risk of heart disease or cancer. While consuming a large amount of any fats, including vegetable fats, can lead to weight gain, moderate consumption will help control cravings. Fish, which is high in omega-3 fatty acids, will even raise metabolism. Other good fats to consider are flaxseed oil, avocados and peanut oil.

Food Allowed on the hCG Weight Loss Protocol

Wheat Free Diet for Weight Loss

The concept of a wheat-free diet and weight loss go together like peanut butter and jelly. In fact, with the recent emphasis on low-carb nutrition and its effectiveness in promoting a healthy lifestyle, removing wheat products from one's diet can do wonders for improving one's lifestyle even if you are not actively looking to lose fat. But which wheat-free diet is best for sustained weight loss? Read on to learn about the Paleo Diet, a popular wheat-free diet for dropping pounds.

About the Paleo Diet

The Paleo, or Caveman, Diet was invented by Dr. Ben Balzer, and will go a long way toward fulfilling your goals for a wheat-free diet plan while simultaneously boosting fat loss, metabolism and overall sense of well-being. The theory behind the Paleo Diet is that mankind should return its eating habits to those practiced by our primitive ancestors. By eating more in tune with nature's plan and removing our dependence on overly processed and artificial foodstuffs, we will improve our health drastically.

The diet's creator also opines that grains were never suitable foodstuffs for humans, citing their extreme toxicity in their natural, uncooked state. Balzer suggests that although the toxicity of grains is lessened after exposing them to heat, some toxic chemicals still remain, entering and polluting our bodies upon consumption. Ergo, by eliminating grains such as wheat from our diets, the toxins present in these products will be flushed from our system.

Rules of the Paleo Diet

Living a wheat-free Paleo lifestyle is possible by adhering to a simple series of rules. The dieter must refrain from eating all grains, beans, potatoes, dairy, sugar, and salt. The majority of one's diet should revolve around meat, fish, eggs, poultry, vegetables, fruit, nuts and berries. Keep in mind that peanuts and cashews are not permitted items, as peanuts are actually a bean and cashews are outside the "nut" family altogether.

Beginning this diet is not easy, so individuals who are unsure of their willpower can "ease into" a Paleo lifestyle by making one change per week until, before they know it, they are following the diet in its entirety. We recommend excluding the easiest items first (such as the exclusion of additional salt in one's diet) and slowly moving toward the biggest changes (removal of all dairy and grains). While one following less than 100 percent of the Paleo Diet will only see a fraction of the possible benefits, a moderate approach to extreme dieting is often best for ensuring longer-term compliance. But with time, patience and hard work, you too can reap all the benefits from a grain and wheat free lifestyle.

What to Eat on a Fat Free Diet

Fat-free diets have been around for decades. As a result, fat-free goods line the shelves at grocery stores and fill our carts. Adhering to a fat-free diet--while monitoring calories and consuming a wide variety of foods--is one way to help you lose weight and stay healthy.

Grains

Grains are the foundation of most diets, including a fat-free one. There are countless fat-free options available to consumers. Include between six and 10 servings each day of whole-grain, high-fiber breads and cereal products, such as brown rice, whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, grits and quinoa. All of these products are naturally low in fat, and their high-grain content will help you feel satisfied longer after you have eaten.

Produce

Fruits and vegetables will make up the next largest group in your daily diet, and most of them are naturally fat-free. Leafy green vegetables, carrots, celery, apples, oranges and grapes contain only trace amounts of fat and are perfect for a fat-free diet. Try to eat between two and four pieces of fruit and three to five servings of vegetables daily. Choose from fresh, canned or frozen, but remember they must be prepared without margarine, butter, oil, cream or cheese in order to maintain their fat-free status.

Protein

Protein is an indispensible source of iron, minerals and is a necessary component of a healthy diet. If you're main goal is to eliminate the fat from your diet completely, you might want to consider replacing meat with protein alternatives such as tofu, beans, nuts and egg whites. Chicken breasts--with the skin removed--also are very low in fat and are a good option if you don't want to give up meat. Limit the amount of meat you eat to 2 to 3 ounces a day, and be sure to remove any visible fat or skin. To keep it as close to fat-free as possible, steer clear of bacon, sausage, processed meats and hamburger.

Dairy

Dairy products such as milk, yogurt, butter and cheese are an important source of calcium, vitamin D and vitamin A, but many are naturally high in fat. Look for fat-free versions of your favorites, and try to include two to three servings a day. In the freezer section, you can even find a reasonable selection of fat-free ice cream treats and frozen yogurt, allowing you to fill a dietary need and satisfy your sweet tooth at the same time.

Why Do I Gain Weight Before My Period?

Weight gain is a normal symptom of premenstrual syndrome, or PMS. This symptom of PMS is due to water retention.

Definition

Water retention occurs when your body retains more water than it should. This can cause a slight increase in weight as well as bloating.

Causes

According to the Mayo Clinic, it is unclear why women experience symptoms of PMS, or why water retention occurs directly before a woman's period. It is suggested that the hormonal changes in the body play a large part.

Symptoms

Symptoms of water retention include a slight increase in weight, bloating and feeling heavier.

Prevention/Solution

According to the Mayo Clinic website, lowering salt intake, being physically active and eating healthier can help reduce water retention before a woman's period.

Treatment

Water retention is not always preventable, but it is treatable. There are many over-the-counter medications available, such as Midol or Pamprin, that relieve water retention and other symptoms of PMS.

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.

How Many Calories Are You Supposed to Consume?

How many calories are you supposed to consume? The answer depends on several variables. First, what is your goal--to lose weight, to gain weight or to maintain your weight? Secondly, a lot depends on your age, your condition and how active you are. A 21-year-old woman who runs 5 miles a day is going to consume more calories than a sedentary 50-year-old man who spends most of his day sitting in an office and then, once he comes home from work, the sofa.

Basic Rules of Thumb

Simply put, if you want to lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. If you want to gain weight, you need to consume more calories than you burn. And if you want to maintain your weight, you need to strike a balance between the calories you burn and the calories you consume.
According to the University of Iowa Healthcare website, The National Academy of Sciences makes the following daily calorie recommendations:
1,600 calories a day for sedentary women and older adults
2,200 calories for most children, teenage girls, active women and sedentary men
2,800 calories for teenage boys, many active men and some very active women
The U.S. government is more succinct, with a flat recommendation of 1,600 calories a day for women and 2,200 calories a day for men.

A Personalized Guide

For a personalized guide to how many calories you, specifically, are supposed to consume, decide what it is you want to do--lose, gain or maintain weight--and then visit an online calorie counter (see Resources, below) to see how many calories you are supposed to consume. The counters factor in age, activity level and current weight.

Lose Weight

To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than you burn. Using the Calories Per Hour calculator, now housed on the Livestrong.com site, you'll see that a 50-year-old man, 6 feet in height and weighing a normal weight of 185 pounds, burns about 2,238 calories a day if he lives a sedentary lifestyle, which means he spends most of the day lying in bed or sitting around. This same man burns 2,327 calories a day if he is lightly active, and as many as 3,580 calories a day if he is extremely active, doing lots of lifting, loading and sports activities like running or playing basketball. If the sedentary man wants to lose 2 lbs. a week, he needs to cut back his consumption to 1,238 calories a day. The extremely active man, on the other end of the spectrum, needs to cut out 1,000 calories a day to consume 2,580 calories.

Maintain Weight

To maintain weight, you need to strike a balance between calories burned and calories consumed. Again, using the Calories Per Hour calculator, you'll see that a thin 21-year-old who is 6 feet tall but weighs just 160 pounds can maintain his current weight by consuming 2,290 calories a day if he lives a sedentary lifestyle, 2,381 calories if he is lightly active, 2,748 calories if he is moderately active, 3,114 calories if he is very active and 3,664 calories if he is extremely active.

Gain Weight

To gain weight, you need to consume more calories than you burn. A 35-year-old woman, 5 feet 9 inches tall, who weighs just 110 pounds, would likely be considered model-thin and could stand to pack on a few more pounds. Let's say she wants to gain 1 lb. a week. If she just sits around the house all day, gaining weight will be a lot easier than if she regularly runs or power-walks through the neighborhood. If she's sedentary, she can gain a pound a week by consuming 2,235 calories a day. If she's extremely active, she's going to have to do a lot more eating, with a daily consumption of 3,276 calories. If she wants to gain 2 lbs. a week, she will have to consume 2,735 calories a day if she is sedentary or 3,776 calories a day if she is extremely active.

How to Identify Symptoms of Hypothyroidism

Could you be suffering from Hypothyroidism? The symptoms are subtle and often mistaken for depression. If left untreated, it can cause anemia, low body temp and heart failure.

Instructions

1

According to The Merck Manual of Medical Information, the following may be symptoms of hypothyroidism. Read this list and note any symptoms that apply.

Slow pulse
Hoarse voice
Slowed speech
Puffy face
Loss of eyebrows
Drooping eyelids
Intolerance to cold
Constipation
Weight gain
Sparse, coarse, dry hair
Dry, scaly, thick coarse skin; raised thickened skin over shins
Carpal tunnel syndrome
Confusion
Depression
Dementia

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Other symptoms of Hypothyroidism you should take note of may include:
Inability to loose weight with diet/exercise
Low body temperature
Fatigue -chronic fatigue
Aches in joints, hands and feet
Trouble conceiving a baby
Moodiness, unstable moods
Difficulty concentrating
Feeling sad
Forgetfulness
Loss of interest in activities
Strange feelings in neck and throat
Ringing in the ears
Hotheadedness
Low libido

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You do not have to be suffering from all these symptoms to be hypothyroid. The symptoms are slow and gradual, you may only have a few mild symptoms that are un-alarming. Being cold all the time, yawning a lot to get air, suffering from severe menstrual cramps, or just an overall tired feeling can indicate a thyroid disorder. If you feel you have any of the symptoms mentioned, write them down.

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If you feel you may have a thyroid disorder, seek confirmation through a blood test that measures TSH, taken at your doctors office. Make a list of the above symptoms that you have and bring it with you. If your test results indicate you are hypothyroid, your Dr. will write a prescription for one of several oral preparations that replace the deficient thyroid hormone.

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THE SELF TEST. What's you BASAL BODY TEMP? Take your temperature every morning IN BED, right when you wake up before doing anything. Place thermometer under armpit and leave for 10 minutes (if it is mercury), or until digital thermometer beeps. Keep a daily log for 2-3 weeks. What is your average body temp? If it is below 97.2 degrees F than you should go to the doctor to get a prescription, unless you choose to try and treat it naturally. (which will be my next article).

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Consider if you may have Euthroid Syndrome-this is when you have low thyroid, but the tests come back normal. This is another reason why it is helpful to do the SELF TEST because well-documented studies show that low body temperature is indicative of euthyroid hypothyroidism.

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There are new guidelines that doctors are using to diagnose hypothyroidism which double the number of people who have a thyroid condition than under the old guidelines. The old test didn't recognize people with minor thyroid conditions. So if you tested negative in the past, go back and get tested again.

How to Quickly Lose Weight In Your Arms

Quickly lose weight in your arms with these easy and simplified diet and fitness tips. If your arms are flabby and not well-toned--then make these small changes to your diet and fitness regime to achieve the results you need. Don't go another summer hiding your arms. If you follow these steps then you can look good in a sleeveless evening gown, tank top or bikinis. Get the body you deserve today.

Instructions

1

Begin a cardiovascular workout program. If you want to lose excess weight in your arms, the first step is to burn through the fat by running, bicycling or by engaging in any physical activity that raises your heart rate. Try to break a sweat for at least 45 minutes each day. Wear long sleeves to create a thermogenic effect while exercising. This will encourage rapid weight loss in your arms.

2

Lift weights. Incorporate weights into your fitness regime. If your goal is to slim down then stick with lighter weights. Lifting heavier weights will help to tone your arms but it may leave your arms a bit bulky. Try weight-baring exercises like lunges and squats while holding weights. You will unveil slimmer, more fit looking arms in no time.

3

Reduce your sugar intake. Consuming sugar can reap havoc on your arms. If you desire slimmer, leaner arms limit your intake of carbs, white flour and sugar. Focus on eating green, leafy vegetables and fruits as these healthy foods will promote weight loss and help you to reach your fitness goals of having stronger, leaner, flab-free arms.

Safflower Oil & Weight Loss

Safflower oil is a polyunsaturated fat. It is derived from safflower seeds. Consuming safflower oil daily can help increase metabolism and decrease body fat percentages.

Misconceptions of Safflower Oil

Many people assume that fatty oils cause weight gain. However, unsaturated oils such as safflower oil are associated with weight loss and other health benefits such as decreased risk of heart disease and lower glucose levels.

Types of Safflower OIl

Safflower oil can be consumed as a supplement or in its liquid form. In a study conducted by The Ohio State University, subjects were given eight supplements per day divided into doses of two pills prior to each meal and prior to bedtime. The equivalent dose of liquid oil would be about 1 2/3 tsp.

Effects of Safflower OIl

Safflower oil has been shown in recent studies to decrease body fat and lower body weight. During Ohio State University's 16-week study, subjects lost 3.2 percent of their body fat on average.

Theory of Weight Loss with Safflower Oil

The Ohio State University researchers speculate that safflower oil consumption increases the production of the adiponectin hormone, which in turn may have triggered faster and more efficient fat burning.

Other Benefits of Safflower OIl

Safflower oil may also improve fasting glucose levels in diabetics and may also help to decrease the risk of heart disease.

Why Do You Gain Weight After a Hysterectomy?

Weight gain after a hysterectomy occurs because of the immediate shift in hormones if the ovaries are removed. If the ovaries aren't removed, your transition into menopause will be more gradual although perhaps faster than it would have been if you hadn't had a hysterectomy.

Hormones

When ovaries are removed during this procedure, this is considered a complete hysterectomy. You will instantly become menopausal. The ovaries produce androstenedione, estrogen and progesterone. Once the ovaries are removed, these hormone levels drop drastically.

Belly Fat

One of the outcomes is that you will find that you are gaining weight around your waist. Women who go through natural menopause experience the same thing, according to Womenshealth.org.

Androgens

When you gain weight in your abdomen following a hysterectomy or natural menopause, this is because of a decrease in estrogen and an increase in male hormones called androgens. Men are inclined to gain weight in their midsection and this same thing will happen to women when their estrogen levels decrease.

Balance is Upset

When a hysterectomy is done, this can upset the balance of androgens in relation to estrogen. The same thing happens during natural menopause. There are more androgens, which can cause male characteristics, such as midsection weight gain along with hair growth on the face and a deeper voice, to occur.

Recommendations

Everydayhealth.com recommends that you exercise more, use weights to build up your body mass and cut back on simple carbohydrates that have a high glycemic index. In addition, increase your intake of protein.

Age and Metabolism

As you get older, your metabolism slows and you are likely to retain water. Both of these factors make weight gain and bloating likely. Try eating less.

What Is CoQ-10 Used For?

Ten years ago most people had never heard of it. Today CoQ-10 arguably ranks as the 1 doctor-recommended supplement for overall health. Originally CoQ-10 was targeted for people with cardiovascular concerns, but health officials now realize it helps rejuvenate the entire body.

Foremost Nutrient for Energy

First identified in 1957, Coenzyme Q-10 is a vitamin-like substance required by the body to produce energy. CoQ-10 is the catalyst that helps convert the oatmeal you ate for breakfast into enough energy to propel you through a manic Monday morning. Conversely, insufficient levels of CoQ-10 will leave you feeling tired and drained, if not flat on your back in bed.

Cardio Concerns

Heart cells require more CoQ-10 than the trillions of other cells in your body to function properly. In "Breakthrough: 8 Steps to Wellness," Dr. Michael Galitzer, medical director of the American Health Institute, boldly asserts that all cardiovascular disease---from cardiomyopathy to hardening of the arteries---is a result of insufficient energy production in the heart. Dr. Jonathan Wright relates in the same book that anyone taking a statin drug (Lipitor, Crestor, Mevacor, Pravachol, Baycol, Zocor) for high cholesterol may experience a dangerous reduction in blood levels of this important heart nutrient. With a CoQ-10 deficiency, you can suffer liver damage, muscle weakness, or nerve pain, all unfortunate and well-known side effects from taking the statin drugs.

Dental Health

Think false teeth are inevitable if you suffer from gingivitis? Recently, medical experts have discovered the power of CoQ-10, applied topically and as a supplement, for quelling the inflammation that characterizes gum disease.

Youthful Skin

Numerous anti-aging serums and creams contain CoQ-10 as a topical means to fight the free radical damage that leaves skin dry, wrinkled and spotted. Well-known dermatologist and author Dr. Nicholas Perricone also suggests CoQ-10 supplements to his patients seeking supple, glowing skin. In "The Perricone Promise," he describes how CoQ-10 interrupts the transformation of essential fatty acids into skin-spoiling free radicals, and he claims that it boosts blood levels of vitamins C and E, two more important antioxidants for beauty.

How Much to Take

Since the body's ability to manufacture CoQ-10 depends on a near-perfect diet, and it significantly diminishes with age, consider adding a CoQ-10 supplement to your daily health regimen. Start with a 30 mg softgel and increase to 100 mg or more per day. In "YOU: Staying Young," Drs. Michael Roizen and Mehmet Oz recommend 200 mg per day for persons taking statin drugs or for anyone past the age of 60. Hate swallowing pills? CoQ-10 is also available in a flavor-friendly chewable tablet sweetened with xylitol, a sugar substitute that actually benefits teeth. Check with local vitamin retailers or try Chew-Q from swansonvitamins.com. Since CoQ-10 is fat-soluble, take it with food that contains some fat such as nuts or olive oil.

Rapid Weight Loss Soup Diets

Fad diets are classified as diets that cannot be sustained for a long period of time. Soup diets fit the mold. Typical soup diets claim to promote a weight loss of 10 lbs. or more in 2 weeks or less. While these claims may be true in some cases, the majority of the weight loss won't be from fat; it will be water weight. Diets such as these are unhealthy and not recommended; proceed at your own risk.

Cabbage Soup Diet

This diet is based on the idea that restricting yourself to portion sizes and calorie allowances only leads to cheating on your diet. The Cabbage Soup diet is intended to be followed as a 7-day plan. Each day on the diet is different: you will be indulging in different food groups each day, the one constant being that you can have unlimited cabbage soup. The diet claims to promote a weight loss of up to 10 lbs. in just 7 days. Of course, the weight loss claim is unsubstantiated, and losing such a drastic amount of weight in such a short period of time is dangerous. A side effect that should be expected just by taking a look at the main ingredient is incredible flatulence. If you embarrass easily or must work in public all day, this diet may not be right for you.

Sacred Heart Soup Diet

The Sacred Heart Soup diet claims to be affiliated with the Sacred Heart Hospital in Montreal Canada; however the hospital denies any affiliation with the diet. The diet claims to promote a weight loss of 10 to 17 lbs. in just 1 week. While there has been speculation about the hundreds of people who claim to have experienced extreme weight loss on this diet, such rapid results are reserved only for those who are morbidly obese; a person of average size cannot shed that amount of weight in such a short time. This diet works much like the Cabbage Soup diet in that you can only indulge in specific foods each day (e.g., unlimited fruits on Wednesday; eat as much beef and vegetables as you can handle on Saturday). If the Sacred Heart Soup diet and the Cabbage Soup diet were measured against each other, the Sacred Heart Soup diet would be the champion: flatulence is not a side effect, and the soup itself is more filling and tastier.

Amazing Soup Diet

The Amazing Soup Diet is unlike any other soup diet included on this list. Unlike the abovementioned soup diets, the Amazing Soup Diet isn't based on a fad or food groups. The Amazing Soup Diet claims to help its dieters lose up to 20 lbs. quickly, however no specific timeline is provided. The Amazing Soup Diet is based on the premise that a calorie-controlled diet leads to weight loss. The Amazing Soup Diet actually allows you to eat three hearty, calorie-controlled (400 calories) non-soup meals per day (breakfast, lunch and dinner). Any other time of the day you get hungry, you can fill up on limitless bowls of a 45-calorie soup. This diet is ideal for people who feel the need to "munch" all the time, because the low-cal soup satisfies the oral fixation.

How to Lose Weight on a Tuna Diet

How to Turn Fat Into Muscle

The mythological notion that you can some how turn fat into muscle is just that- a myth. It is physically impossible to turn fat into muscle and vice versa. BUT you can decrease fat while increasing muscle; often creating the illusion that you have turned fat into muscle. If you are looking to drop some weight and gain some muscle, aka turn fat into muscle, then follow the steps below.

Instructions

How to Turn Fat Into Muscle

1




Build muscle. The most efficient way to stimulate muscle growth is to weight train. Adhere to a weekly regimen that targets all major muscle groups, three to five days per week. The amount of muscle mass you want to develop will determine the amount of weight you incorporate into your training regimen. Consult with a certified personal trainer to develop a weight training program that fits your individual muscle building goals.

2




Burn fat. According to the American College of Sports Medicine you need to get 200-300 minutes of cardiovascular exercise per week, or 40 minutes per day for 5 days, to loose and maintain weight loss, however not all experts agree on this number. Depending on your body type and the amount of body fat you want to loose, there are various cardio routines that can assist you in your fat burning goals; consult with a personal trainer to determine what routine will work best for you.

3

Modify your diet. Building muscle while loosing fat can be challenging. To build muscle you need to fuel your body with food. Conversely, to loose body fat you need to restrict your daily calorie/fat intake. Eating proper foods such as lean cut meats, vegetables, nuts and fruits while reducing saturated fat and starchy foods like white bread will increase your metabolism, help you burn fat, and increase muscle mass after weight training. Because every individual responds differently to dietary changes, it is best to talk with a nutritionist about your fat loss and muscle building goals.

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Stay hydrated. It is always important to stay hydrated, but even more so when you are participating in regular physical activity. Drink at least six eight ounce glasses of water during the day and drink between sixteen and twenty-four ounces during your workout.

How to Lose 20 Lbs Quick on a Liquid Diet

There are two kinds of liquid diets: those prescribed by a doctor and those that are over-the-counter. Medically supervised liquid diets are often recommended to individuals who have been diagnosed with obesity and who need to lose a significant amount of weight to before a surgery or for other health reasons. Liquid diets followed at home can work for almost anyone with any health condition when done properly. As with any diet, weigh yourself every morning and be careful not to lose more than 2 lbs. per week.

Instructions

1

Develop ways in which you will deal with your hunger. Because liquid diets range from 400 to 800 calories per day, you will most likely feel hungry and sluggish. You must plan for cravings and decide an appropriate way to deal with this hunger. Join a meditation or light exercise class like yoga or Pilates, go for a light walk, read a book or watch a movie when you feel the cravings start. Consider keeping a journal and make note of what you are feeling that day and the reactions you are having to the lack of solid food.

2

Consume a significant amount of vegetable juices. Choose juices that have a high fiber content without a lot of calories or sugar. If you prefer the taste of sweet juices, drink them in the morning so that you will be able to burn off the sugars and extra calories throughout your normal daily routine.

3

Drink herbal teas and water, and eat soup. While both hot and cold drinks are good, avoid beverages that have added sugars, preservatives or flavorings. If you must drink coffee, consume it in the morning because it can dehydrate your body.

4

Choose protein shakes or meal replacement beverages. Avoid diet shakes and opt for meal replacement drinks because these beverages contain more vitamins, minerals and nutrients without any added artificial ingredients. They can provide a completely nutritious meal for your body and come in a variety of flavors such as strawberry, vanilla and chocolate.

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Eat a small dinner if you're feeling dizzy. While following a liquid diet for weight loss can work, you might feel lightheaded, nauseous or overly tired without solid food. Choose a lean cut of protein and vegetables and keep the meal light in order to avoid interference with your weight-loss goals. A small, solid meal can also help to stabilize your blood sugar to relieve any dizziness.

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.

What Foods & Drinks Cause Yeast Infections?

What Is Yeast?

Yeast is a single-cell fungi that exists just about everywhere in nature. There is yeast in the air, in soil, plants and in the food that we eat. Yeast commonly finds its way into our food and drinks through the use of baker's yeast and the fermentation process.

Alcohol

Many people recognize that beer contains yeast, but not everyone realizes that all types of alcohol, including wine, vodka, whiskey, gin and other hard liquors also contain high levels of yeast. Alcohol is produced when yeast is fermented---the foods that are used to make these alcoholic drinks (such as grape skins, potatoes, molasses and beets) contain yeast.
When a person drinks excessive amounts of alcoholic (more than three drinks per day), the yeast absorbs into the bloodstream and can cause or aggravate a yeast infection. Beer, wine and liquor also contain a lot of sugar, which also is a known cause of yeast infections.

Bread

Yeast is what causes bread to rise. The sugar that has been kneaded into the dough combines with the yeast and produces carbon dioxide (the same process that produces alcohol). The carbon dioxide causes the bread to rise. So when someone eats a lot of bread the solid yeast cells lay in the intestinal tract, which can lead to frequent yeast infections. Candida (another word for the bad bacteria that causes yeast infection) already exists in the intestinal tract, so when the balance is thrown off with the presence of more yeast, this can result in an infection.

Sugar

Eating too much refined white sugar could also cause frequent, recurring yeast infections. This includes the sugar in candy, chocolate, ice cream, syrup, sweetened cereal, iced tea and juice, and other sugary foods. A coffee drinker must also be wary of how much white sugar she adds to her cup when trying to avoid a yeast infection.
Sugar is very acidic. When the acidity in your body rises, it is the perfect environment for candida to thrive and propagate, which leads to infections.

How Many Calories Are in a Banana Smoothie?

Smoothies bars and shops are popping up all over the globe as fast as you can say the words these days. They can also be found in gyms, coffee houses and school lunch lines as well. One of the mainstays of smoothies seems to be the presence of bananas. They add a dynamic that is nutritious, delicious and satisfying. Add this to my Recipe Box.

Features

Let's first talk about the banana itself. It weighs in at about 120 calories on average. So every time you order a smoothie and add a banana you can expect 120 additional calories. I think it is important for you to know this number if you are trying to create a calorie-specific smoothie at your favorite shop or smoothie bar.

Function

Another great thing about adding bananas to smoothies is the fact that they add bulk and consistency. This makes them thicker and more fun to eat. If you go with frozen bananas it's even better. You can actually eat them with a spoon for a certain period of time.

Significance

There are some very important considerations when figuring the caloric content of a banana smoothie. One of these is the base liquid being used. It can be whole milk, skim milk, soy milk, orange juice, fruit juice or plain water. Every one of these will have different caloric contents (the following calcuations are based on eight-ounces):
Whole milk - about 150 calories
Two percent reduced fat milk - about 120 calories
Skim milk - about 95 calories
Soy milk (plain or vanilla) - about 100 calories
Orange juice - about 110 calories
Fruit juice - about 140 calories

Significance

Now let's look at the additions to the smoothies. These consist of peanut butter, other fruits, frozen yogurt, ice cream, sorbet, honey and protein powder.

Peanut butter - about 100 calories per tbsp.
Frozen fruit - Strawberries/Raspberries/Pineapple - about 50 calories per half cup.
Frozen yogurt - about 110 calories per half cup
Ice cream - about 150 calories per scoop
Sorbet - about 160 calories per scoop
Honey - about 60 calories per tbsp.
Protein powder (plain) - about 105 calories per scoop. Flavored is usually about 120.

Expert Insight

As you can see, there are a lot of factors governing the amount of calories in a banana smoothie. They range from as 300 to 750 calories. To make things easier for you, here is a basic banana smoothie recipe:

1 banana -120 calories.
12 oz of vanilla soy milk - 150 calories.
1 tbsp of peanut butter - 100 calories.
1 tbsp of honey - 60 calories.

Total = 430 calories.

Diet Menu Plan for an Underactive Thyroid

An underactive thyroid is caused by the thyroid gland's failure to produce enough thyroid hormone. Symptoms of hypothyroidism include a general lack of energy, tiredness, weight gain, constipation, dry skin and hair, hair loss, hoarseness, muscle stiffness or cramps, depression, slow heart rate and other symptoms of general malaise. While the medical treatment for hypothyroid disorder includes a prescription for synthyroid, the condition can also be managed by eating a healthy diet and avoiding certain foods, including raw cabbage, peanuts, mustard, pine nuts, turnips, millet and cassava root.

Breakfast

Eat a healthy breakfast every morning, including eggs, whole wheat toast or whole oat cereal, milk, yogurt, fresh fruit and herbal tea. Cow's milk, strawberries and yogurt are all high in iodine, which is a major component of thyroid hormone, as well as being a natural antimicrobial agent.

Mid-morning Snack

It is important to eat a healthy snack between breakfast and lunch. This will help to keep up your energy level and will keep you from craving foods that are high in sugar or "bad" carbohydrates throughout the day. An example of a healthy mid-morning snack that incorporates nutrients that can help you raise your thyroid levels naturally is a handful of Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds (selenium) or almonds (vitamin E), along with an apple, blueberries, an avocado (B-6 vitamin), pineapple or mango. Pears, plums, raspberries, cherries or cranberries are all good choices to include in your mid-morning snack, as they are high in polyphenols, which act as natural anti-fungal agents and help to raise your energy level.

Lunch

Eat a lunch that packs plenty of high-quality protein and vitamins for energy and muscle tone. Fresh white meat turkey sandwiches on whole wheat bread, a pita or whole-wheat tortilla wrap with lettuce, fresh greens, a slice of tomato and olive oil or pesto will give you plenty of vitamin B-6, as well as vitamin C, selenium, niacin and zinc--all important nutrients to boost thyroid production. As a side dish, include fresh legumes, potatoes, bok choy, chickpeas and a banana dessert. Drink a full glass of water with each meal to help you hydrate and flush toxins out of your body. Add a slice of lemon or orange for flavor and extra nutrients.

Afternoon Snack

A thyroid-boosting afternoon snack could be one-half of a cantaloupe, some yogurt, a hard-boiled egg, kiwi fruit, a pomegranate or tangerine, along with a handful of peanuts. Drink a glass of water, herbal tea or de-caffienated coffee with milk.

Dinner

Include plenty of fresh fish in your thyroid-boosting diet. Salmon, shrimp, snapper and halibut are all good sources of selenium, which helps to convert T-4 to T-3--thyroid hormones. Have a side of brown rice, which is full of niacin and B-6 vitamins, required for hormone production. Cook your meal with extra virgin olive oil for polyphenols, and top a salad of bell peppers, lettuce, tomatoes and celery with more olive oil. Serve eggplant or B-6 rich potatoes, as a side dish. Follow up your meal with a dessert of fresh berries in yogurt or cream.

The Best Weight Loss Diet for Menopausal Women

Menopause, the end of a woman's menstrual cycle, and perimenopause, the years before menopause, often mean gaining weight. Estrogen loss decreases muscle growth, allowing fat to take over and the metabolism to drop. By adding vegetables, fruit, multigrain breads and protein to your diet and eliminating fried food and other junk, you can lose the middle-aged spread.

Muscle Loss

Your body's hormonal changes during menopause affect your muscle growth. While menopause happens around age 50, women in their 30s lose a half pound of muscle each year. Muscle mass burns more calories than fat cells do. Once created, fat cells never disappear; they wait for new food to make them expand. When your body has more fat and less muscle, your metabolism downshifts.
Packing on more pounds often starts during perimenopause, the 2 to 8 years before menopause. On average, women gain about a pound a year. Losing those pounds, often gained around your waist, requires a healthy diet and an exercise plan.

Americans spend at least $40 billion a year on diets and weight-loss products. Many dieters steadily regain the weight, and it's confusing to sort through all of the nutritionists' advice.

Eating Healthier

Dietitians often suggest healthy lifestyle changes, rather than following a one-diet-fits-all-menopausal-women plan. With a few changes to your eating habits, you can take about a pound off each week and keep it off. By eating less processed foods and adding more natural ingredients, such as whole grains, fruits and vegetables, you can drop those extra pounds.

Mayo Clinic dietitians say that if you're limiting calories to 2,000 per day, you should get 45 to 65 percent from carbohydrates. Carbs include whole grains, beans and nutrition-packed fruits.
If you're perimenopausal and don't like to exercise much, though, limit yourself to 1,800 calories a day. If you eat less than that, you won't get the vitamins and minerals you need. Be sure to drink skim and low-fat milk or eat low-fat yogurt and cheeses for calcium, because menopause is when bones start losing their density and can break more easily.

What to Eat

Between 10 and 35 percent of your calories should come from protein. Eat more nuts, seeds, chicken, turkey and seafood, especially salmon and fish that's rich in Omega-3 oils, because they are packed with protein. Beans, lentils and soy are also rich in protein.

As you age, your body takes longer to digest food. Increasing your fiber intake pushes the food through your system more quickly and prevents constipation. Fiber, which comes from plants and isn't digested or absorbed in your body, is either soluble or insoluble. Vegetables, wheat bran and other whole grains are good insoluble fiber sources. Soluble fiber exists in oats, dried beans and some fruits, such as apples and oranges.

Nutritionists recommend smaller portions of meat, usually about 4 or 5 ounces each meal. Red meat has saturated fat, which can increase cholesterol levels. Choose leaner or fat-free meat or chicken without the skin, where most of the fat is concentrated. Bake or broil your meat to avoid vegetable oil fat.

Fried chicken, crackers, cookies, cake and donuts are definite no-no's, and you should also avoid candy, potato chips and other junk food. By reading the nutrition labels carefully, you can find food that has no trans or saturated fat.

Skipping Meals

Some dieters skip breakfast, but studies show that people who eat a healthy breakfast can concentrate better. Your breakfast should consist of whole grain breads, bagels, cereal or a low-fat bran muffin; protein-packed hard-boiled eggs, peanut butter, lean meat or fish; fruits; vegetables; and skim or low-fat dairy products. Wash it down with some 100-percent fruit or vegetable juice that lacks extra sugar.

If you love to nosh, eating five or six small meals daily may be the best advice. Carry some walnuts or almonds with you to munch on. Drinking water flavored with lemons or limes makes you feel less hungry between meals.

While it's hard to fight a craving for your favorite chocolate, learning to eat strawberries, apples and tangerines will satisfy your sweet tooth. And once you start eating more natural foods, you'll have more energy to tackle the mood swings and hot flashes that usually accompany menopause.

Natural Anti-Fungal Treatments

Typically, a person with fungal problems visits a physician or takes a quick trip to the pharmacy. This generally results in the patient using a conventional anti-fungal drug--like Clotrimazole, Monistat, Lamisil, Spranox or Diflucan. Some, however, prefer to deal with these sorts of issues by utilizing more natural anti-fungal solutions.

Vinegar Mixture

A natural home remedy for fungal problems--particularly when it comes to the feet--is to create a vinegar mixture, and then soak the affected area. To create the mixture, pour 1 cup of water into a bowl, and then pour one-fourth of a cup of vinegar into the bowl. Soak the affected area in the vinegar mixture twice a day for 10 to 15 minutes each time.

Baking Soda Mixture

Another simple natural remedy for fungal issues to is create a baking soda mixture. Take one-half cup of baking soda and mix it with 4 tablespoons of powdered sage, 2 tablespoons of dry white clay (fine) and 2 teaspoons of zinc oxide powder. Dust the affected area with the mixture. You can even spread a little around in your shoes, to keep them clean, dry and fresh.

Tea Tree Oil

Another natural remedy, albeit one that may necessitate a trip to an herbal store, is tea tree oil. Apply the oil to the affected area.

Low-Fat, Low-Sugar Diet

Doctors often recommend low-fat, low-sugar diets to treat a wide variety of conditions from diabetes to heart disease. Besides improving diagnosed health problems, eating less fat and sugar often helps overweight individuals shed unwanted pounds that could ultimately lead to serious health concerns. Whatever your reason for trying to eat a diet low in fat and sugar, you'll need to make some conscious choices about exactly what you should eat every day.

Breakfast

You've probably heard that it's a good idea to eat breakfast. In fact, you shouldn't skip any of your meals since your body needs a certain amount of fuel to run effectively. What you need to make sure is that you're not eating things like doughnuts, bacon, eggs and other fried foods. If you're attempting to stay on a low-fat, low-sugar diet, you should eat things like whole-grain breads and cereals. If you are having whole-grain toast or bagels, don't slather them with butter, jelly, or cream cheese. Instead, try eating them plain. If you absolutely must have something on them, try spreads made with 100 percent fruit and no added sugars, but use only a minimal amount. Some good whole-grain cereals are Total, Grape Nuts and Shredded Wheat. If you aren't sure about a cereal's fat or sugar content, check the label to see how much of each you will get from one serving. Also make sure that you are using 1 percent or nonfat milk on your cereal.

Another good option for breakfast is oatmeal with cinnamon. You could also try either low-fat or nonfat cottage cheese with a piece of fruit such as a peach or plain yogurt with some berries mixed in. If you absolutely must have something to sweeten your yogurt, try stevia. Just a few drops will go a long way. As far as drinks go, both coffee and hot tea are naturally fat- and sugar-free drinks as long as you're not adding any cream or sweeteners to them.

Lunch

For lunch, you can have a wide variety of types of foods. Popular lunch items are soups, sandwiches and salads. Watch out for soups because many cream type soups are high in fat. Also tomato soups made with whole milk can have lots of fat in them. Check the labels on cans at the store before you purchase soup. And if you are thinking about ordering soup in a restaurant, talk with your server about what is in the soup before you order it. Homemade soups are a good way to go, especially since you know exactly what you put in them.

Sandwiches can be a great lunch choice. Just make sure your sandwiches are made of whole-grain breads and lean meats. Lettuce, tomatoes and pickles are fine, but watch out for high-fat salad dressings. You can either skip the dressing altogether, have mustard or use low- or no-fat mayo.

Salads are another good lunch choice as long as you make sure any meats in them are lean. Be careful about having things like bacon, ham and fried chicken strips on your salad, since all these are high in fat. Also think carefully about what type of dressing you choose. Go with no-fat or low-fat dressings, and use them sparingly. If you are at a restaurant, consider getting your dressing on the side. That way you can control how much you have on your salad. As far as drinks go, try squeezing some lemon in your water to make sugar-free lemonade.

Dinner

When thinking about dinner, go with small portions (3 to 4 ounces) of lean meats, poultry or fish that are grilled, roasted or baked. Along with your meat, have lots of vegetables. Good low-sugar, low-fat vegetables include asparagus, broccoli, cabbage and mushrooms. But other vegetables can be beneficial. Just be careful about eating too many starchy vegetables such as potatoes, corn and green peas. Various types of beans can also be good as long as you eat them in moderation. If at all possible, skip dessert. But if you absolutely must have something, try a baked apple topped with a little cinnamon. Unsweetened tea is a good drink choice as long as you don't add any sugar to it.

Snacks

When eating a diet low in fat and sugar, you will find yourself being hungry quite often. So it's a good idea to eat two to three snacks during the day to help curb your appetite. Raw veggies such as carrots, celery and cauliflower are good choices as are apple or orange slices and a wide variety of berries.

The Best Diets for Belly Fat

Belly fat can be the hardest to lose due to visceral fat. According to the Body Sculpting Bible for Women, visceral fat is located underneath your belly fat and can accumulate around your organs. If left untreated, visceral fat can cause high cholesterol, which can lead to heart disease. The best way to reduce belly fat is to increase healthy foods such as vegetables and protein, lower your carbohydrate intake and eliminate or reduce saturated fat and refined sugar from your diet.

Low-Carb Diet

A low-carb diet significantly reduces your carbohydrate intake and increases your protein consumption. According to "The Abs Diet," protein increases your muscle and helps lower cholesterol while maintaining your energy levels. Carbohydrates are burned off while you are physically active, but when your body does not have enough carbohydrates it burns fat stored in your body. While on this diet, cut out snacks and sugary desserts as they contain simple carbohydrates, which provide little nutrition. Your carbohydrates should come from whole-grain bread, pasta, beans and vegetables. These carbohydrates are called complex carbohydrates and assist in lowering cholesterol and digest slowly, which leaves you feeling fuller longer.

Low-Calorie Diet

A low-calorie diet reduces your caloric intake from 2,000 to 1,600 in women and from 2,500 to 1,800 in men. Although you are reducing the amount of food you are consuming, your diet should still provide vitamins and nutrients. According to "You on a Diet," nutrient-dense foods such as asparagus, kale, garlic, bell peppers, onions and spinach are just a few vegetables that contain vitamins A, C, K, D, and E along with folate and zinc. These vitamins must be maintained to avoid vitamin deficiencies that can cause health complications. Meal replacement supplements can also be taken during lunch to reduce calories, but should be carefully monitored by your physician or dietitian. Saturated fat should be eliminated from your diet as it can lead to obesity, high cholesterol and diabetes. Saturated fat can be found in red meat, dairy and the skin of poultry. Switch to fish to reduce your fat intake, and provide Omega-3 fatty acids, a nutrient that helps maintain your blood pressure.

Flat Belly Diet

According to the "Flat Belly Diet," the cause of your belly fat is the unhealthy foods that cause bloating. Some of these harmful foods are high in sodium, which soaks up water and causes you to retain water weight. According to the American Heart Association, you need no more than 2,300 mg of sodium daily, but can go as low as 1,300 mg.

Avoid eating mass amounts of carbohydrates as they are high in calories and convert into fat if they aren't burned. Carbohydrates should only make up 25% of your meal, and should be complex carbohydrates, not simple. Although eating an energy bar boosts your energy and provides nutrients, the sugar substitutes in the bars can cause your stomach to produce gas and bloating. Gassy foods such as Brussels sprouts, broccoli, peppers and onions should be eliminated from your diet, or consumed in small portions until you lose your belly fat.

Thyroid & Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Two of the most common disorders that involve hormonal imbalance in women are Polycistic Ovary Syndrome and hypothyroidism. These two disorders have very similar symptoms and can usually only be distinguished through blood tests. Many women suffer from both at the same time. Both disorders affect many aspects of the woman's life and need to be treated properly.

Symptoms of PCOS

The symptoms of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) begin with irregular periods. Usually periods become heavier and abnormal. They may also become more spread out, instead of being every 28-30 days. Beyond irregular periods, PCOS symptoms include depression, mood swings, hair loss, weight gain and acne. These symptoms are the result of higher than normal levels of androgen hormones in the body. Untreated, these symptoms can cause infertility issues.

Symptoms of Hypothyroidism

The symptoms of hypothyroidism are similar to those of PCOS. Hypothyroidism in women usually results in irregular and heavy periods, depression, mood swings, weight gain and hair loss. In addition, hypothyroidism causes exhaustion, joint pain and muscle weakness. Hypothyroidism left unchecked can get out of control, causing a host of other diseases in the body.

Hypothyroidism and PCOS

When women go to the doctor complaining of unexplainable weight gain, abnormal periods and hair loss, the doctor will generally test for both PCOS and hypothyroidism. These are the two most common diseases with these symptoms that affect women of child-bearing age. A simple blood test can show which hormone levels are too high. Abnormal levels of the thyroid hormones (TSH, T3 and T4) indicate a thyroid problem while abnormal androgen levels indicate PCOS. Doctors are now discovering that hypothyroidism and PCOS go hand in hand and are researching the possibility that hypothyroidism can cause PCOS.

Hypothyrodism Complications for PCOS Sufferers

A woman who has both PCOS and hypothyroidism will deal with all the frustrations of infertility while also dealing with the aches and pains of hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism can cause additional fertility issues as well. Women with untreated hypothyroidism are more likely to have preterm labor, still births or even miscarriages. This means that someone with PCOS and hypothyroidism who does get pregnant has a lower chance of delivering a healthy, full-term baby.

Treating Hypothyroidism with PCOS

Since many doctors now believe that PCOS is made worse and possibly caused by thyroid disorders, keeping the thyroid in check is the best treatment. An endocrinologist can help a woman get her hormone levels back to normal through hormone supplements that are safe to use even while pregnant. Once her thyroid issues are in check, the woman can re-evaluate her PCOS symptoms and infertility issues and make educated decisions on fertility treatments and hormone therapy for PCOS symptoms.

How to Follow the Japanese Morning Banana Diet and Lose Weight

A Japanese doctor and his pharmacist wife recently created the banana diet. The diet is all the rage in Japan, and has caused a shortage of bananas in several parts of the country. Here's how you can follow the fad diet and lose weight.

Instructions

1

Eat as many bananas as you want to for breakfast. Eat until you are full, but all you are permitted to eat at this meal is bananas. To drink, you may have a glass of room temperature water. To get the water at the correct temperature, pour a pitcher of water every night, and leave it sitting out on the counter.

2

Eat a healthy, sensible meal for lunch. Although there are no restrictions, if you are trying to lose weight, you shouldn't poison your body with fried, processed foods. Make wise, healthy choices. Again, your beverage must be room temperature water.

3

Have a snack at 3pm. You are permitted to have a sweet snack at this time, and it's the only sweet you're allowed to have all day.

4

Have a healthy dinner, making sure that you've finished your meal before 8PM. No eating is permitted after 8PM on the morning banana diet. Again, wash your meal down with room temperature water.

5

Avoid dairy, sugar, and alcohol while following the morning banana diet for weight loss.

6

Go to bed before midnight each night. A well-rested body and mind are essential for any weight loss plan.

The 10 Worst Foods That Make You Gain Weight

There are plenty of foods to avoid when dieting, but everyone should avoid eating these foods. The top 10 worst foods to make you gain weight are not only horrible for the waistline, they are horrible for your general health as well.

Chocolate-Covered Donuts and Potato Chips

Donuts have very little nutritional value to begin with. They are typically a fried food, which makes them even worse than simply containing empty calories. Adding chocolate on top of donuts creates one of the worst scenarios for weight gain. Potato chips are simply fried starch--everything you should avoid when on a diet. It doesn't take many of these thin wafers of fat to make you pile on pounds.

Soda

Sodas have no nutritional value at all and are commonly loaded with sugar, corn syrup, and more sugar products. Between the caffeine and the sugar the "rush" of energy also triggers a rush of insulin released into the body.

Regular Pork Bacon

Avoid all fried versions of food. Deep fat frying adds unnecessary fat to the food and clogs arteries as well as adding inches to your waistline. Bacon is the worst offender in the fried foods category because it is basically belly fat from the pig.

White Flour Products

White flour products, including white bread and buns, are disastrous to your waistline. They are pure refined carbohydrates that have little value and boost your sugar levels, triggering an insulin release to help store the fat. As soon as that fast fix of sugar is depleted, you crash and your body screams for more sugar.

Whole Milk

Whole milk is a great source of calcium and even protein, but it is also loaded with calories. It is always better to eat your calories rather than drink them in the first place because liquid calories do not leave you feeling full or satisfied. Drink nonfat or 1 percent versions to get the nutritional value of milk with fewer calories.

Sauces, Regular Salad Dressing, and Margarine

Soy sauce tops the list because it is loaded with salt, but sauces and condiments are largely empty extra calories. Tomato-based sauces are worse than spice-based sauces such as mustard because they are higher in natural and artificially added sugars. Regular salad dressings are a particularly insidious food because they come on top of one of the most common diet foods: salads. Salads are good for diets, excellent for nutritional value, and fantastic for keeping pounds off, so people are often left wondering why the scale is going up instead of down. If your terrific salad is loaded with high-fat, high-calorie dressing, you are more likely to gain weight than lose it. Margarine is simply extra calories laden with trans fat to put on top of healthier food choices.

Beer

Alcohol is tough on the system, but beer tops the list. It is high in calories, carbs, and fat for a triple threat to your waistline.

Causes of a Man Losing Weight Too Fast

Diagnosis

Weight loss occurs when the body does not absorb as many calories as it uses. Rapid unintentional weight loss in men may be a symptom of serious illness. A comprehensive health history is the first step in making a diagnosis. The answers to questions such as when did weight loss start, how much weight has been lost, has diet or activity level changed, have there been mood changes or in bladder or bowel habits and any other symptoms will provide clues. A physical exam and laboratory findings, such as blood and urine tests, X-rays or ultrasounds, may be necessary to find the cause of unintentional weight loss and determine treatment choices.

Drug Use

Smoking causes loss of appetite. Medications used to treat obesity or adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (AADHD) suppress appetite and may cause the loss of several pounds, at least until tolerance builds. Drugs of abuse, such as amphetamine derivatives (methamphetamine) and cocaine are extremely addictive and usually cause rapid weight loss. Other chemical dependencies, such as alcoholism or narcotic addiction, can lead to malnutrition and weight loss. The social, legal and psychological long-term effects of drug addiction can be devastating to addicts and their families. Drug treatment facilities and 12-step self-help groups offer the best solutions.

Diabetes

Undiagnosed or untreated insulin dependent diabetes, also known as type 1 or juvenile diabetes, causes weight loss because the body cannot metabolize glucose. Other symptoms of diabetes include excessive thirst and urination and night sweats. While type 2 diabetes is characterized by weight gain and can be controlled with diet and exercise, type 1 diabetes must be managed with daily injections of insulin, the hormone responsible for glucose absorption, as well as strict dietary observations. Blood sugar monitoring must be done frequently for both disorders. Although a general practice physician can diagnose type 1 diabetes, a complete workup should be done by an endocrinologist, a doctor specializing in metabolic disorders.

Infectious Diseases

Spread by breathing the same air as infected persons, tuberculosis (TB) is a highly contagious disease and a serious public health problem. Some TB strains are becoming drug-resistant. Men are most likely to be exposed to TB in institutions with crowded populations, such as prisons or shelters. Symptoms of weight loss may accompany chills, fever, cough and fatigue. A positive skin test does not necessarily mean that TB is active, as the disease remains latent and non-contagious in many people. To confirm active TB, a chest X-ray is ordered.

HIV infection, a sexually transmitted disease, can manifest as weight loss with abdominal pain and shortness of breath 5 to 10 years after exposure. A positive blood or saliva test for antibodies can be done anonymously to confirm infection.

Cancer

Sudden weight loss may be a warning sign of liver cancer, which is more common in men between ages 50 to 60. Unexplained weight loss also may be a sign of pancreatic cancer, the fourth leading cause of cancer in men. Malignant growth in the colon, lung and some forms of leukemia also affect the ability of the intestines to absorb nutrients. Hodgin's lymphoma, although rare, is more common in men and is characterized by weight loss. A physical examination and diagnostic tests can detect cancer. Options for treatment may include chemotherapy and radiation.

Digestive Diseases

Pancreatitis is more common in men who have a history of excessive alcohol consumption or who have gallstones. Left-sided abdominal pain, especially after meals, and weight loss are characteristic of pancreatitis.

Another digestive disorder that causes weight loss, peptic ulcers occur when the lining of the stomach or intestines is eroded and infection by H-pylori organisms take hold. Risk factors include smoking, alcoholism, and frequent use of over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication such as aspirin or ibuprofen.

Other Conditions

Unexplained weight loss occurs in Inflammatory bowel disease, hyperthyroidism, and anorexia nervosa. These are conditions that do affect men, although they are more common in women.

Diet for Hyperthyroidism

Hyperthyroidism, or overactive thyroid, is a chronic condition in which your thyroid gland produces too much thyroxine hormone, according to the Mayo Clinic. This causes an accelerated metabolism that leads to significant changes in your body, including excessive weight loss, insomnia, hair loss, sweating and irregular heartbeat. To avoid muscle wasting and bone thinning, it is important to increase your food consumption---and especially to emphasize protein and calcium in your diet---so that you can regain body weight.

Protein

Your body needs protein for energy, muscle building and tissue repair. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, a lack of protein can cause growth failure, loss of muscle mass, a weakened immune system and heart complications. Protein can help strengthen bones, reducing the risk of brittleness and weakness. The National Dairy Council asserts that increasing protein intake along with calcium and vitamin D reduces bone loss and improves muscle strength in older adults. Protein can be found in fish, red meat, poultry, dairy and eggs. Fish contains less saturated fat than other meats and provides omega-3 fatty acids, which can help lower your rapid heartbeat caused by hyperthyroidism.

Calcium

According to the book Living Well with Graves' Disease and Hyperthyroidism, your bones are at a higher risk of being weakened when hyperthyroidism causes a loss of vitamins and nutrients from your body. Bone weakening can lead to osteoporosis, a condition in which the bones are so brittle that they easily fracture. To reduce the onset of these symptoms, increase your calcium consumption by drinking low-fat or non-fat dairy products. Calcium strengthens bones and can lower your blood pressure. According to the most recent edition of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Dietary Guidelines for Americans, calcium can also be found in spinach, calcium-fortified soy products, kale, okra and rainbow trout. Adults under the age of 50 should consume 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily and adults over 50 should consume 1,200 milligrams, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Caffeine

According to Living Well with Graves' Disease and Hyperthyroidism, avoid caffeine entirely if you suffer from hyperthyroidism. Caffeine can increase your heart rate and worsen such symptoms as anxiety, irritability, nervousness and fatigue. Chocolate contains small amounts of caffeine, so reduce or eliminate it from your diet. Don't drink coffee, tea, energy drinks or caffeine-containing soft drinks until your health care provider can advise you that it's safe to do so.

Diet for Burning Belly Fat

When we overeat, or eat more calories than we burn, our bodies stores the extra food as fat. Extra fat, especially around the abdomen, means an increased risk of heart disease. This extra fat is stored energy that needs to be burned in order to gain that tight, flat tummy that so many people desire. With hard work and determination you can win the battle of the bulge and lose that midsection.

High protein diets

The best diets to lose weight are those that are high in protein and low in carbs and fats. According to the Food Standards Agency, eggs are an excellent source of protein to help you lose belly fat. Eggs have often been seen as the bad guy because they have so much cholesterol. Eggs contain dietary cholesterol which has been shown not to increase the levels in your body. Eggs also contain a large amount of Vitamin B12, which has been proven to be a good supplement to increase weight lost. (See reference 3)

Low-fat dairy

According to an article in Obesity Research, people who consumed low-fat dairy products lose 70 percent more fat than non-dairy eaters. The important thing to remember when choosing dairy is to make sure it is low-fat, reduced-fat or fat-free. Good choices are nonfat yogurt and low-fat milk eaten at least three times per day. Dairy products can also help strengthen your bones and prevent bone loss.

Beans

Beans could be called nature's perfect food. Beans are excellent sources of dietary fiber which allow you to eliminate toxins in your body. They are good sources of protein and are high in iron. To burn belly fat, eat white beans, lima beans, kidney beans and navy beans. Beans can be a great substitute for meats, which contain a lot of saturated fats. When choosing foods to lose belly fat, natural foods are the best choice.