Pregnancy Weight Gain: What's Considered Healthy?

Author: Allie Montgomery

Like most things in life, there is no one-size-fits-all plan that addresses weight gain during pregnancy. How much weight gain is healthy depends on many factors, including your body mass index (BMI) going into the pregnancy and your weight from the pregnancy. Like it or not, weight gain with a pregnancy is a given, but gaining the right amount of weight can support your baby's healthy and make it easier to get rid of the weight after delivery. You can work with your physician to see what plan is right for you. You can also consider these general (and we do mean general) guidelines for weight gain during pregnancy from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists:

Weight Before Pregnancy Recommended Amount of Weigh Gain
Underweight 28 to 40 pounds
Normal weight 25 to 35 pounds
Overweight 15 to 20 pounds
Obese At least 15 pounds

If you are carrying more than one child, you will need to gain more weight than normal. You will often need to gain in excess of 35-45 pounds. Also, weight concerns do not stop after delivery, because extra weight gained after pregnancy can increase the risk of complications in future pregnancies, even if the woman does not gain enough weight to be considered overweight.

What if you are underweight or overweight before the pregnancy?
If you are underweight before your pregnancy, it is very important to gain a reasonable amount of weight especially during the second and third trimesters to promote the health of your unborn child. Without the extra weight, you may run the risk of your baby being born pre-mature or smaller than average. If you are overweight before your pregnancy, although it carries risks such as high blood pressure, stillbirth, labor complications, pregnancy is not the time to try and lose the weight. Even women who are overweight going into a pregnancy should have some weight gain during the pregnancy, while keeping an eye on the scale of course. If you gain more than the recommended amount during the pregnancy and fail to lose the weight within six months after delivery, you may run a higher risk of being obese later on.

Where does the weight go?
Let's say after delivery your baby's weight is 7 or 8 pounds. This accounts for some of the weight gain during the pregnancy. So here is a simple breakdown of where the other weight is distributed:

• Baby: 7 to 8 pounds
• Enlarged breasts: 1 to 3 pounds
• Amniotic Fluid: 2 Pounds
• Placenta: 1 1/2 pounds
• Enlarged Uterus: 2 pounds
• Increased volume of fluid: 2 to 3 pounds
• Fat stores: 6 to 8 pounds
• Increased volume of blood: 3 to 4 pounds

Within the first trimester, most women do not need to gain much weight, which can be very good news if you are struggling with morning sickness. If you start out with a healthy weight before pregnancy, you will only need to gain a few pounds within the first few months of your pregnancy. You will be able to do this with an extra intake of 150 to 200 calories a day, about the amount of 12 ounces of orange juice with calcium or a serving of low-fat yogurt. Your normal appetite would typically provide these calories.

Steady weight gain is very important when you reach the second and third trimesters, especially if you were at a healthy weight or underweight before pregnancy. This means that you will probably be gaining 3 to 4 pounds a month until delivery. This will be possible with an extra 300 calories a day. If you began your pregnancy underweight, your physician may suggest boosting your calorie intake more than normal amount during pregnancy.

Pregnancy menu
It would be easy to add these calories to your diet with un-healthy junk food, but it won't be giving your baby the nutrients he or she needs. It is more important to pay attention and not overeat and make nutritional food choices. You could try:

• Trading eating white bread for some whole-grain variety
• Getting rid of iceberg lettuce and choosing mustard greens, arugula, or spinach instead. You could also use black beans or soy nuts to top your salad and drop the bread with dinner.
• Eating sliced fruit instead of reaching for the cookie.
• Choosing juices that are fortified with calcium and other nutrients.

Working with your physician during pregnancy
Your physician will want to keep a close eye on your weight during pregnancy. During your pregnancy, you will need to eat healthy foods and be sure to keep all of your prenatal appointments. To keep your weight in the optimal range, your physician may offer suggestions for boosting your calorie intake or cutting back as needed.

Soup – Healthy, Hearty and Quick

Author: Neomi Heroux

Winter and soup just seem to go together but don’t even consider that watered down, canned stuff when you can dish out real soup made with heart healthy olive oil and fiber from the onions and vegetables that satisfy your tastes and appetite. This recipe only takes a few minutes to prepare and is perfect for busy days when you need real food but don’t have a lot of time.

Beef Bean Soup

Ingredients in order of use:

2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup chopped onion
1 tsp of prepared minced garlic or 1 clove fresh garlic
1 lb of lean ground beef or ground pork
1 cup of beef broth
1 small can of chopped tomatoes
1 15 oz can of kidney beans
1 15 oz can of whole kernel corn
½ to 1 tsp of Chili seasoning to taste
½ cup of finely chopped cabbage

Sauté onions in olive oil in a 2 quart saucepan until onions are transparent; add garlic and ground meat. If using whole garlic, mash the clove before adding to mixture. Continue to sauté until meat is done. Add beef broth and canned tomatoes. Rinse and drain kidney beans, drain corn, and add chili seasoning to mixture. Cook at a low simmer until beans and corn are heated through. Add cabbage and cook just until cabbage is wilted. Serve immediately.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and shredded cheddar cheese sprinkled over the soup if desired. Add corn muffins or corn bread or hot rolls to taste.

This recipe can be prepared without the ground meat and with vegetable broth instead of the beef broth for a vegetarian diet. It will still provide protein, as well as fiber, because of the bean and corn combination.

Serves 3 to 4 people.

Idiot Proof Diet: Fat Loss 4 Idiots Introduces the no Brainer Diet Anyone Can Stick To!

Author: Aaron Jarvis

Are you tired of all of the fly by night diets on the market? Well here is your idiot proof diet review. There are so many diets on the market in this day and age. Each of these diets states that they are the miracle cure to fat loss. But is it true? Chances are no.

There are pills and drinks on the market today in which swear that you will lose 10 to 20 pounds in as little as a week. This is not a safe way to lose weight as you are depriving your body of much-needed nutrients. Most of these diets require you to exercise a great deal as well as barely eat. The fact of the matter is on these diets is that you may drop enough pounds to get into that special outfit, but it will not stay off. This is considered a roller coaster diet and most of us have been on them.

We can break the cycle. Losing weight is not rocket science. If you modified the way that you eat as well as exercise a bit, you can drop the weight and keep it off. No more roller coasters. A great way to do this is with fat loss four idiots. This program is a Web-based program in which will teach you how to eat properly. It is low cost, easy to understand and safe. One of the best parts of this program is that you won't starve. You actually have a meal plan it is specifically designed for uninterrupted weight loss. You can customize the meal plan to fit the foods you enjoy while still providing optimal results. Fat loss for idiots food is made up of lots of fruits and vegetables as well as protein to boost your metabolism and melts away the pounds.

With this diet you will not have embarrassing weigh ins, personal trainers or even coaches. It will be up to you to follow the plan. When done correctly this program can assist you in losing up to 9 pounds within the first 11 days. You will quickly and easily find yourself making healthier decisions and dropping the weight on a regular basis. After a couple of days on this program, eating healthier will seem second nature to you.

This diet plan is not a fad and it may not suit everyone. But if you have the willpower to succeed and are tired of the excuses and weight, then this diet may be the one that will break the cycle for you. Fat loss for idiots is available for instant download online as an e-book with a 60 day no questions asked guarantee. If you find that this diet will not work for you, then you can return it. So you have nothing to lose but the extra weight. This has been an idiot proof diet review with an important message to get healthier, slim down and be the person that you want to be. Fat loss 4 idiots can get you there!.

About the Author:
Are you sick of your body? Do you really want to lose weight and you need to lose it fast? Are you sick of all the weight loss scams? Well guess what I have taken all the guess work out of weight loss programs. I have actually reviewed 25 different weight loss programs and will give you the top 3 absolute best Idiot Proof Diet programs know to man and woman!

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Detox 101 - Super Simple Detox

Author: Irina Wardas

Detox and cleanse are very popular words nowadays, especially in spring. Many of us are into detox: we want to try it, we all have opinions how to do it, we like it or we hate it. It might be a recipe for a drink, or a several day procedure, or maybe even fasting, juicing or profound cleansing program with professional help.

First, what is a toxin, anyway? It is basically any substance that creates irritating or harmful effects in the body, which can sometimes even damage our tissues and organs. A lot of people are not aware of the fact that everything we breathe, eat, drink, and even touch, contain toxins; in other words, we can acquire toxins from our environment by breathing them, by ingesting them, or through physical contact with them.

Toxins can be poisons, heavy metals, pesticides, fungicides, cleaning solvents, smog, and many substances that we don't even know are leeching into our bodies via our clothing our furniture, and even out carpets. Did you know that the worst toxins we can ingest are put into our foods as additives and preservatives?

Our body itself produces toxins through its normal every day functions. Fats, free radicals, different irritating substances act as toxins on the internal level. Our body is very intelligent, it is functioning non-stop 24/7 and obviously there are toxins that need to be eliminated. When these substances are not eliminated, they can cause irritation or inflammation of the cells and tissues, blocking normal functions on a cellular, organ and whole body level.

We have to listen to our bodies because they always try to tell us if something is wrong. An overloaded body will alert you that it is in a toxic state by sending out messages in the form of fatigue, gas, headaches, food cravings, constipation, food allergies, chronic pain, blood sugar imbalances, attention problems, premenstrual syndrome, poor sleep, acne and other skin problems, poor digestion, bad breath, etc.

Detox is a relative term, because anything that supports elimination can be said to help us detoxify. As a matter of fact, our body cleanses itself by an absolutely natural process. If the body is working well with good immune and eliminative system, we can handle the basic every day exposure to toxins. But sometimes we need to change our dietary (healthier food choices) and lifestyle (clearing toxins by sweating, either from exercise or heat) habits to reduce intake of toxins and improve elimination.

You may be amazed with the fact that simply drinking more water (filtered of course!) helps us eliminate more toxins. Shifting from the most congesting foods (sweets, diary products, bread, fats, fried foods, refined flours, meats, hydrogenated fats, drugs) to the least (fruits and vegetables, grains, nuts and legumes) can help most of us detoxify somewhat and bring us into balance in general.

And we don't need an excuse to wait for spring to cleanse our bodies, we can do it using seasonable super foods, such as apples, beets, garlic, leafy greens, lemons, onions, radish, seaweed, turnip, watermelon, etc. We need to include these fantastic fruits and vegetables in our routine and use one or two every day. Why? Because these fruit and vegetables purify our blood, purify and protect our liver, cleanse the intestines, help excrete heavy metals, improve the cleansing function of the glands, purify our gastrointestinal GI tract. In case you have forgotten by now, we are talking about whole foods only- fruits and vegetables, not drugs or magic pills!!!! Amazing? Isn't it? The power of food can make miracles!

As we can see, cleansing body will involve some dietary and lifestyle changes, but it doesn't have to be a torture experience. Simply eating cleansing super foods every day can increase your energy, bolster your immune system and leave you with healthy routine to live by all year long.

We do need to cleanse our bodies not to become a toxic dump. The question is how far we should go, what type of cleansing will work for us. Well, it depends on our current diet, our physical state and energy level, in other words, it depends on our individual lifestyle and needs.

About the Author:
Irina Wardas is a founder of NaturalCounselor.com and helps women who have stress or weight management issues and are experiencing increased appetite, mood swings, insomnia and lack of energy. As a Holistic Health and Nutrition Counselor,she works around food choices and lifestyle alternatives. To learn more about her eBook "Detox 101-Super Simple Detox - Detox Your Body with the Seasons" visit her website

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The Hidden Truth on Losing Weight Exposed

Author: Peggy Edwards

People tend to imagine that quick, healthy weight loss solutions are magical regimens that will bring results without any need for time and effort on their part, which is a sure fire way of getting disappointed and frustrated. Remember that inexpensive and quick, healthy weight loss diets need a lot of effort and willpower on your part and you shouldn't be lazy about it. In fact, it was laziness and lack of effort that actually gave you this problem in the first place.

It is also worth nothing that the word "quick" does not necessarily mean "instant". You didn't gain all of those pounds in one day so don't expect that you will lose all of it that fast either. There are some strategies that can make you shed a lot of fat in mere days, but these can be extremely risky and rapid weight loss can be fatal.

Quick healthy weight loss is not about starving yourself to lose weight. The human body has a natural defense against starvation, which kicks in and forces your metabolism to work slower and store more reserve fat instead of energy. If you starve your body, all you are doing is making yourself more susceptible to weight gain since every bit of food you eat will now be converted into fat and the body will run on a reduced state, which makes it use up less energy and fat. In the worst-case scenario, starvation can affect your neurological system and promote long-term brain damage.

The first step in losing weight in a safe, fast, and efficient manner is to remind yourself of why you want to lose weight. Make sure that you are doing it because it is good for your body instead of doing it to look good in front of other people. Losing weight for the purpose of being beautiful can be negative as it might lead to the development of low self-esteem and unreachable goals. People who had such poor self-image as to consider rapid weight loss would not be content with the results, however thin they get. On the other hand, a person who does it for health benefits will immediately feel results and will be pleased with developments that are felt instead of seen.

Be consistent. As mentioned before, in order for a diet regimen to work as fast as it should, an individual should not deviate from the plan. Being inconsistent with your diet and activities will greatly lessen the effect of any exercise or weight loss regimen, and may even confuse your body's metabolism.

Always be active both in mind and body. Don't settle for quick fixes. If you're not pressed for time, take the stairs instead of the elevator. Ride a bike instead of driving or commuting (this also helps the environment, not to mention your wallet with gas prices as they are). If you are only going to go to a place that is very near, it is better to simply walk. Sometimes, simply going outside and spending more active time with your loved ones will do wonders for your physical, mental, and emotional health.

About the Author:

You can find out more about Losing Weight as well as much more information on diets and weight loss at http://www.FatLoss4IdiotsReview.net

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Most Common Weight Loss Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Author: Gregory Wadel

Being an overweight person in today's world is becoming a normal condition; there are now large numbers of children just starting school that have a weight problem. The two main methods that people currently employ to shed excess pounds are surgery which might be considered excessive by some, or exercising and eating more healthily. If surgery isn't bad enough, increasing numbers of overweight people start to take weight loss drugs as a fast and relatively inexpensive way to shed excess fat.

These drugs usually work buy telling the brain it's no longer hungry, stimulating metabolism to aid the shedding of excess fat. It was only after scientists discovered that these drugs had side effects and were related to heart valve disease that they were taken off the shelves. Not to be defeated though, manufacturers have introduced updated drugs, prescribed by doctors but the FDA approval process is slow.

The chances are that if you asked enough people, someone will say they have used them and been happy with the results. Let's be honest, it's in our nature to like things that provide near instant results, without having to put in any effort. Many millions of dollars are spent each year in The United States alone whilst the drug manufacturers spend huge sums on further research into weight loss drugs.

An individual wishing to buy weight control pills can do so over-the-counter or have them prescribed by their doctor; however there are still health risks associated with their use. But they are not the only side effects and some can be more harmful than others. These include heart attacks, tremors, strokes, hallucinations and renal failure.

The side effects vary depending on the lifestyle and health of the person and can be minimized as long as one consults the doctor first before buying them; it should be noted that if one stops using the drugs, the side effects will not necessarily cease. Problems like depression, nausea, bad mood swings, nightmares, insomnia for example have all been reported when a person has stopped taking the weight control pills.

Despite all the bad publicity, weight loss drugs do work but they are more successful if they are used in conjunction with a low calorie diet and regular exercise, preferably using a properly worked out exercise regime. This means eating a good diet containing food from all the food groups that includes vitamins and minerals; fiber can be found in oats, rice, potatoes, cereals, vegetables and fruits.

A person can jog every morning or sign up and workout in a gym but just as a person should consult a doctor before taking medicines, a doctor should also be consulted prior to undertaking any form of exercise. The most efficient exercise should be regular and contain a mixture of cardiovascular (walking, swimming etc.) and weight training using machines to build muscle, burn off excess calories and lose the extra pounds.

About the Author:

Gregory Wadel Gives You More Resources about Staying Healthy, Losing Weight and Living a Long Prosperous Life. http://amazingweightlossresults.com

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Diets and Weight Control Programs

Author: Carolyn Bell Smith

Nowadays health-conscious people are concerned about their health and fitness. Many want to sculpture their bodies to achieve the magazine-cover look. As a result, health spas and gyms are appearing all over to cater to the fitness buffs.

Exercise machines and weight loss products have gained control over the airwaves. But it will take more than exercise. Being healthy and fit requires being responsible and setting long-term goals, creating good eating habits, and developing a new way of thinking about diets.

A diet should be thought of as a means to provide the body with essential nutrition to restore and maintain healthy growth. The popularity of keeping fit has many views, programs, methods and strategies. Among these are high carb diets and low fat diets, and food combination diet. All seems to be effective, but which one fits your lifestyle.

The first thing to know would be the fundamental differences between these diets. If one can not decide, try them all and stick with the one that fits your lifestyle. The high carb diet is about the intake of carbohydrate rich foods, low fat diets is about low fat food intake and the combination food diet is about not mixing proteins and carbohydrates together at the same meal.

Diet programs help shed unwanted pounds, gain weight, and can help heal the body. The important aspects of having a proper diet are moderation, balance and variation. One must be careful not to leave out important nutrients and other substances necessary for a healthy, energized body.

If weight loss is desired, it can easily be obtained by choosing one of the diets above. Just remember that a quick fix diet does not work. Develop a low fat, high energy lifestyle. More energy must be expended than consumed to lose fat.

The body composition can change without losing weight if a person is exercising and building muscles. A lifelong nutritious and exercise program will slowly change the body composition. The body will lose fat and gain muscle.

Weight training helps to increase muscle mass; so there is some benefit when incorporated into your weight loss program. It will also increase your resting metabolic rate (the amount of calories burned while resting). However aerobic exercise burns more calories.

A moderate calorie restriction with regular exercise is the best way to lose weight. As long as a person is consistent, the weight loss will be steady and slow; which will develop a lifestyle change.

Set a reachable goal to keep yourself motivated. Before starting a regimen of any type, consult your healthcare professional.

About the Author:

Carolyn Bell Smith, committed to help others improve their health, fight sickness, disease, and building a strong immune system. For more nutritional health information: Renewedhealth To request a Lifestyle Tips Newsletter Newsletter

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How to Lose Belly Fat in 3 Steps

By: Wanda Lam

Everyone knows that being overweight and carrying excess fat around the waist isn't good for your health. When most people think about fat, they think about subcutaneous fat - the fat right underneath the skin.

However, another kind of fat can become a serious health problem for both the overweight and people who look slim by comparison... The name for this fat is belly fat or visceral fat. This fat surrounds the internal organs found within the abdominal cavity.

Some theories have linked visceral fat to an increased risk for developing high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke and cancer.

Here are three basic steps you can follow that will help you lose weight and burn off dangerous belly fat.

1. Set goals

If you are serious about losing weight and eliminating high-risk fat, then you must set goals. Find a quiet moment alone with a notepad and a pen and write down all the possible reasons why you would want to lose weight. Then think about all the problems not losing weight will cause you and write those down. Visualize yourself having lost weight and how that would make you feel. Now right down how much weight you want to lose and the waist size you are shooting for. Write down the date in the future you would like to achieve your goal. Review your notes and get your mind into seeing yourself reaching your ideal weight and size everyday.

2. Change diet

If a person eats too much of certain foods and isn't physically active enough to use the excess calories, then he or she will gain weight. Take a good look at what you eat and how much of it you consume. Find out how much calories are in the foods you eat. If you buy packaged foods in the supermarket, then you should read the nutrition label for calorie and fat information. Take note of how much calories you consume everyday and if it is excessive, cut it down to a level that meets your energy and nutritional needs.

3. Exercise

If you want to lose weight and burn fat, then you also need to exercise daily. Exercises such as sit-ups or crunches will strengthen your abdominal muscles, but it won't burn off the high-risk visceral or deep belly fat. The best exercises for losing weight and burning off fat are exercises that workout the cardiovascular system. You should walk briskly or jog for 30 to 45 minutes, five days a week.

Summary

You have read that losing weight and burning off visceral or deep belly fat will help you reduce the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, stroke and cancer. You also have the three basic steps you can follow - setting goals, changing diet and exercising daily that will help you lose weight and burn off deep belly fat.

Copyright (c) 2008 by Wanda Lam

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Diet Your Way to a Longer Life?

By: Debra Tan

Lately, people are searching for the fountain of youth, but not with facelifts or Botox. They are turning to their diet to help them live longer.

Research on monkeys, rodents, fish and even insects has shown that if calories are cut below what the animal would normally choose to eat, they actually live longer.

A recent study at Tufts University shows that people who restrict their calories do not just live longer, they are healthier. In an animal study conducted, the animals actually aged biologically slower. Their hair has gone gray less quickly. Their hormones have stayed at their youthful profile and their immune function has stayed good.

So what is the theory behind this research?

With fewer calories, cells throughout the body appear to die more slowly and repair themselves more easily. Research on fruit flies and rats has shown that a 30% reduction in calories can lead to 30% longer life, according to the National Institute of Health.

There are 2 simple “drug-free” ways to help you to maintain a moderate diet and keeping your weight down:

1. Eat slowly. Or take a break in the middle of your meal, go outside and have a fruit juice.



Theory: By the time you return to your meal, you will find that you are no longer hungry. It takes some time for the body to digest the food and send the signals to the brain that you are already satiated. Giving your body enough time to make this neural connection will prevent you from overeating.

2. Wear a shapewear.

Theory: Shapewear are specialized medical grade garments that compresses at a particular pressure that is optimal to blood and lymph flow.

Shapewear meant for cellulite purposes may resemble a pair of undergarments or a pair of tights, and will help to reduce cellulite by improving lymphatic drainage and eliminating water retention. Shapewear that compresses around the abdomen can also act as an “appetite suppressant” as you are less likely to feel hungry.

So is there really a fountain of youth in eating less? Well, there certainly appears to be a small fountain. Given the genes we have got, we can certainly do our best to have a healthier lifestyle by choosing to eat wisely. As the old saying goes, “you are what you eat”. So it is really up to us to choose to eat well and live well.

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Can Meat and Milk Help You Lose Weight?

By: Tom Parker

Meat and milk have been touted as key components of a healthy diet for as long as I can remember. Furthermore, they are both foods which I believed had their place in a weight loss diet. Meat is a rich source of protein which is essential for building and repairing your body's cells. Milk is a fantastic source of essential vitamins and minerals including calcium which promotes strong and healthy bones. However, in recent times both of these seeminly beneficial foods have come under increasing scrutiny. Campaigns such as Not Milk are claiming that milk is a poision, not a health food and with the increasing popularity of the Atkins diet evidence is mounting up against the consumption of meat. In this article I plan to look at both sides of the argument and come to a conclusion as to whether meat and milk can help you lose weight.

1) Meat:- Although there are other dietary sources of protein available, meat protein has a very high biological value (BV). Proteins with a higher BV can be better utilised by the body and amongst other things promote the most lean muscle gains. Meat is also full of other important nutrients. For example, beef is a great source of Iron.

Apart from these general health benefits it has been suggested that diets high in meat can help you lose weight. This idea was largely popularised by the Atkins diet which claims that by reducing your intake of carbohydrates and increasing your intake of meats, you force your body into a state of ketosis where it burns fat for energy instead of carbohydrates. There are a number of studies backing up this claim including a March 2007 study from the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) which compared four weight loss diets (including Atkins) and found that after 12 months participants on the Atkins diet lost the most weight and experienced the most favourable metabolic effects.

However, critics suggest that by eating too much meat you are putting your health at risk. Some of the criticisms include that you will not be getting enough nutritional value from this type of diet, that you will be consuming too much fat, that it can promote heart disease and that it can be dangerous to your health. Critics also state that no long term studies have been conducted to monitor the effects of the Atkins diet over an extended period (at the time of writing this article none have studied the diet for longer than one year).

2) Milk:- Milk is a rich source of calcium, protein (which again has a high BV) and also contains seven other essential nutrients. It is believed to help prevent oseoperosis (reduced bone density), diabetes and heart disease. Furthermore, a wealth of studies are available which back up the health claims made by milk.

Like meat, milk has also been linked with weight loss. Research performed by Dr. Michael Semel in the Nutrition Research and Metabolic Clinic at the University of Tennessee found that low levels of calcium in the diet led to your body producing hormones which tell your fat cells to produce more fat, increasing overall body fat accumulation. High levels of calcium in the diet led to these hormones being suppressed and resulted in overall body fat loss. More interestingly this study suggested that calcium from dairy products (such as milk) was twice as effective at promoting this fat loss compared with other calcium sources.

However, milk also has a large selection of critics. Many campaigners suggest that all the good press milk has received is the result of a highly effective marketing campaign. They also suggest that many of milk's health claims are false and there are a number of studies which back their claims. In particular, many people believe milk is fattening and this is supported by a study from Catherine S. Berkey of Harvard Medical School which suggests that drinking too much milk can lead to weight gain in children.

So what conclusions can be drawn from the above information regarding meat and milk as weight loss foods? First, let's look at the facts. It is largely agreed and supported by research that protein has a satiating effect (makes you feel fuller quicker) and that it also has an increased thermic effect (burns more calories whilst being processed) compared with fats and carbohydrates. More and more research is also becoming available which supports the notion that calcium can help you lose weight. Finally, it is universally agreed that many of the nutrients found in meat and milk (such as Iron, Vitamin D, Vitamin A and Potassium) are good for your body and should be present in a healthy diet. Whichever way you look at it meat and milk do contain a lot of nutrients which are proven to help you lose weight.

Many of the criticisms levelled at meat and milk refer to excessive consumption. Meat and milk do contain saturated fats and eating or drinking too much of either can lead to health problems and also deprive you of important nutrients. However, as part of a balanced diet I believe meat and milk can help you lose weight and also help you maintain a healthy body.

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Healthy Foods: the Most Essential Element of Weight Loss

By: Gary Grewal

Weight loss can be futile process if you just go on diets without finding out what will really suit your body and metabolic system. You can diet for 25 years and still end up fatter with a slow metabolic system. So it is important to choose your diet in a way that you will actually benefit from it.

Fruits and vegetables make up a great diet. Amidst the cheese, butter, cream we have forgotten the classic delicious tastes of fruits and vegetables. So chuck the diet and eat healthy. Narrow down on the fruits and vegetables you love. You may be a huge fan of tomatoes, or cucumber. So take up the vegetable you love and look up for healthy recipes for which you favorite veggie forms the core. Find out as many recipes as you can and cook it up and eat healthy. Coming to fruits, cut pieces of fruit which you may like, apple, guava or anything and keep it store for quick snacks. This is definitely healthier than the fad laden potato chips, or the chocolate cookies.

Go for morning walks. It makes you brisk. Even if it’s for 15 minutes, it’s a healthy weight loss tip. See to it that you spend at least 30-45 minutes on walks per day. Follow a basic weight loss routine like dumbbells, weights etc. at home. Do not skip breakfast. Prepare healthy dishes like tomato sandwiches or a fruit salad for breakfast. For lunch and dinner cook up vegetables and mix it with brown rice. Use lemon juice to spice it and eat salads. These are not only healthy but they are delicious as well. Treat your taste buds to the taste of natural food and not junk food. Lemon, garlic, and tomatoes are a few ingredients you can use in almost everything, to make sauces, salad dressings, juices or simply to add flavor. Look up for such vegetables which has various healths advantages and make use of them in your diet. This way your diet will have variety and you won’t have a monotonous dieting regime with the same one or two dishes.

If you follow this kind of a healthy diet made up of your favorites you will look forward to your meals every day. At the same time you will not feel guilty of hogging something of high calories. Your weight loss regime becomes an easy task. Following this kind of a diet with pave way for a rapid weight loss and you will witness the change in a few weeks time or may be few days even. The best part is that the natural food goes down easy on your body and you will stay healthy since it won’t affect your system. These weight loss tips will suddenly seem like a miracle cure which you were ignorant about all this time. So remember, weight loss is not about starving yourself, it’s about eating healthy and staying fit. So keep it natural and enjoy the experience.

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Easy Weight Loss - The Secret Reason Why You Are Not Losing Weight!

By: Steve Davidson

There is no such thing as a perfect and easy weight loss system; do not dismiss professional advice because it is surprising just how much help your doctor can be with information on systems that do work. Being overweight is the cause of many medical conditions which require long term attention but obesity also affects the way we see ourselves as well.

Although there are many easy weight loss systems available, especially over the Internet, the degree to which anyone sees results is down to how well they apply themselves to the problem. First of all you have to ask yourself about the reasons why you want to lose weight; is it for yourself so you are healthier and have better looks or are you doing it for someone else?

No matter what weight loss program you choose, you need to take into consideration the following factors; what, how and when you eat, your behavior and the activity level you are planning to have. Weight loss should not be achieved at a rapid rate so do not expect to lose thirty pounds each and every month because you will not achieve this and may create physical problems that often occur when weight is lost quickly.

To keep things simple it is easier to consider that one pound lost per week is realistically the equivalent to around 3,500 calories which breaks down to losing 500 calories a day, every day whether through dieting, exercise or both. Although most people eat far too much junk food, there is nothing wrong with a little now and then, and no-one should have to give up every type of food they enjoy although some thought should be given to how much is consumed.

Emotions have a great deal to do with weight gain as many people (more likely women but not exclusively) eat more when they feel depressed, unwanted or unloved. Problems occur when medical conditions arise from overeating, like diabetes which is on the increase but we must not forget other diseases like cancer, heart conditions and raised blood pressure. If the psychological aspect of using easy weight loss methods and weight gain is not considered as part of the overall cure, but if we just rely on dieting then we will not be addressing the real issues of obesity.

All that said it has been shown that it is actually beneficial for the person using a weight loss program to be light-hearted about it as the mental attitude makes losing weight more likely. It helps to provide an environment of positive mental attitude which is necessary for us if we wish to be successful in any endeavor. Most people that loss those extra pounds claim they have more energy and are able to do things that their weight had stopped them from enjoying previously.

Once the effects of an easy weight loss program are felt by the dieter, they feel more positive about the future and realize the result they want to achieve is possible.

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Lose Weight Naturally - And Complete Detox Tips

By: Steve Davidson

Many companies and individuals want you to believe that natural weight loss is difficult to achieve but it's just a case of not eating as much, and having enough regular exercise; advice like this is for the most part ignored. This should be an easy concept for the many overweight people around the world; this obviously isn't as easy as it sounds because currently over a third of Americans are overweight. Despite this, most of these overweight people want to be trim again although it is probably more for cosmetic reasons than those related to their health.

The strange thing is though that it is so much easier to stay trim than it is to lose weight because as soon as you start putting on weight, many things become more difficult. This is something that all of us know deep down, that if we do not watch what we eat and how much we exercise, then we are doomed to an overweight future.

Apparently even if you have lost weight with a calorie controlled diet, it doesn't take long if you come off it to revert to your old ways and you can start watching the pounds go back on again. Extra weight often results in health issues and can negatively impact on one's emotional state and self-esteem but all this can be cured with a healthy, natural weight loss program.

Most health experts contend that the significance of excess weight is more than cosmetic as it takes a huge toll on a person's physical health. The annoying thing is this isn't rocket science, mankind hasn't always been this heavy and we certainly aren't born that way so it means we need to maintain a natural, healthy weight.

Stick to a healthy diet that contains the correct food groups with a balanced amount from each if you want your natural weight loss program to be successful. A typical meal like this would be a jacket potato with vegetables and some lean meat, which would be healthy and give the balance you require.

Health experts say that dietary fat promotes weight gain because it is a very dense source of calories and you store those calories as body fat easier than calories from other sources. Manufacturers have realized that there is a huge market for low-fat or even fat-free products but the propensity and popularity of these foods are not lowering the average weight of the nation.

Whilst completely false, the perception is that you can basically eat exactly what you want provided it is fat-free but there are still calories in the food which can easily be converted to body fat. This is a trap that many people fall into and forget it's about eating from the correct food groups, and if you have to snack make it a small healthy one.

It is believed in some circles that a natural method of weight loss is to eat less but more often without actually missing meals, which can get you into bad habits. Maintaining a healthy weight is just that; a natural weight loss program that will continue and allow you to live a long healthy life.

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Fat Loss vs. Weight Loss

See if you agree with the following statement. Fat loss and weight loss are essentially the same thing, interchangeable.

If, like many people, you said yes, you guessed wrong. Fat loss and weight loss are not the same thing at all. In fact, they are not even close.

If you browse the diet book section of your local bookstore, or surf the Web, you will see that most books and diet programs contain the words weight loss in their title or subtitle. Most diet programs are about weight loss, which is the incorrect approach to this whole area. As a trainer and author specializing in healthy fat loss and fitness, I recommend you only concern yourself with taking off excess fat.

Here is why. Weight is good, not bad; you do not want to lose weight, and most importantly for your health, you do not want to lose muscle. Our weight is made up of tissue, muscle, bone, blood, fat, water, and the rest of our physical body. Muscle, like every other component of our physical make-up, is most important. And fat is also a necessary, vital part of our physical make-up.

It is excess body fat that is the big problem. Having excess body fat, being fat, increases your risk of heart attack, stroke, diabetes, hypertension and many other serious diseases. And perhaps most serious of all, if you can get more serious than a heart attack or a stroke, is that excess body fat is being linked to many more types of cancers than previously known.

Excess fat is bad news and that is what I urge you to focus on, fat loss. The following is so important it bears repeating: you do not want to lose weight. That is just a convenient way of avoiding the word fat. Fat has ugliness attached to it. No one likes to be called fat or think of themselves as fat, so we say overweight, portly, rotund, chubby and use other phrases like take off pounds, lose weight, or take off inches.

We can play word games, deny it and dance all around the fact that we are fat and we have to lose fat. But it is more effective and realistic to just face up to the job at hand, which is to lose excess fat. And in fact, once they take 100 percent responsibility for doing just that, many people become highly motivated and do the job more quickly and easily.

In my many years working in fat loss and fitness, I have learned what I believe is the best way to take off excess fat fast, healthfully and permanently. And that is through adopting a balanced, plant-based diet of whole, fresh, natural foods, and doing daily exercise.

The type of program I recommend is simple and ferociously effective. It does not include diet foods made with reduced fat. No low carb, no carb nonsense. No fat blaster pills. No processed, packaged foods delivered to your door. No meal replacement shakes or herbal remedies that melt fat away. I strongly urge my clients and readers to stay away from all these bogus and often dangerous weight loss approaches. Unfortunately, they are unending and many people are eager to buy into magic bullets or shortcut ways for losing fat.

It is legitimate to ask why is a balanced, plant-based diet of whole, natural foods so effective at losing fat. The answer is simple and irrefutable: there is no more effective way to lose fat permanently than to cut out all the fat that comes with eating animals and animal food products like dairy and eggs. And permanently eliminating all refined, processed and fast foods from your diet. These are loaded with sugar, salt and added fats, including hydrogenated fats/oil, one of the worst substances you can put in your body. Put even more simply, we are what we eat.

That is the difference between fat loss and weight loss, and the difference between the approach I recommend and all the books and programs touting weight loss.

If you are interested in permanently, healthfully losing all the excess fat you want to lose, I urge you to adopt a balanced, plant-based diet of whole, fresh, natural foods, without meat, poultry, fish, dairy products or eggs.

When you do this, along with getting daily exercise, you will really start to see the excess fat on your body melt away. Healthfully and permanently.

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How to Lose Fat- Best Way to Lose Tummy Fat & Gain Abs Muscles

How to lose fat on your belly, thighs, men breasts, behind and love handles. Most people continuously look for instant ways to lose abdominal fat. It will not happen overnight and requires a strict diet or exercise regimen to be successful.

While not all methods of losing fat work, a greater majority of people fail to achieve their goals simply because they don’t keep to their programs.

I was once an overweight and read high and low to find ways on how to lose fat mainly on my fat stomach and thighs. After a long search, I realized that it was not my diet that failed to work but rather my inability to keep to my program. You must have had the same problem at one point in time.

As I searched the internet for fast programs on how to lose fat without taking pills and supplements, I stumbled on one weight loss eBook that offered very candid help.

One thing that attracted me to it, is that it talked of one big secret that most people don’t want you to know about. The secret of learning about your metabolism rate.

The program also involved a purely natural method of weight loss and muscle gaining. My biggest problem was losing my abdominal fat. Abdominal fat tends to be very stubborn to reduce and is usually the last phase of your weight loss program.

The program was developed by a renowned American Fitness instructor Tom Venuto. Venuto is holds a degree in Bsc. In Exercise Science, is accredited to a dozen American fitness associations.

He is a certified personal fitness instructor. Tom has won 2nd place in Mr. Natural USA and North America. The most remarkable achievement is that he achieved all this through the exact natural program which he developed and tested on himself.

Some of the many things that you will learn on how to lose fat on your belly and other areas include:

•The downloadable eBook explains why 95% of
people trying to lose a fat stomach, belly or
love handles do not succeed. The one secret
that they do not know.

•It will teach you why supplement and weight
loss companies are getting away with murder
selling you drugs that don’t work.

•It will show you exactly the 10 best foods on
how to lose fat with a diet and the 10 worst
foods to avoid.

•Some fat flashing cardio techniques that work
within the first week and nobody will ever
teach you anywhere else.

•Why 95% of all diets fail and the exact steps
you need to take to avoid the infamous weight
loss plateau.

•How to instantly crank up your metabolism into
a fat-incinerating furnace and control it just
like a bulb switch when you need it at the
levels you want it.( Worth the whole program
and a half)

•The # 1 reason why most people looking for ways
on how to lose fat on their belly fail to cut
the last 10lbs of their abdominal fat.

•Why and how the supplement companies ensure you
will never find out about liquid and powdered
meal replacement drinks. (This is a gem) and
much more.

There are hundreds of other very important facts that someone searching for how to lose fat and gain muscles will learn with this course.

Tom is a guy that you would definitely want to listen to on how to lose fat in your body since he walks the talk and introduces to you a program he personally developed and tested on himself. Of course with astounding massive muscle results like his picture shows on his website

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Burn Fat Fast-fastest Program to Burn Abdominal Fat, Love Handles, Men Breasts and Thighs

Burn fat and turn it to muscles. There are a lot of products out there that tell you how you can reduce belly fat, men breasts, and the waist line. However, very few of these really products really work. Actually, in most cases, it’s the lack of knowledge of the very process of weight loss by the candidate that leads to failure.

Most people who go out and try to burn fat to become leaner do not have someone to explain to them why process XYZ is important. Most importantly, very few understand what those weight loss steps do to their body.

Why for example should this diet be spread out the way it is? What exactly are the desired bodily processes that are being induced by this step or the other?

Without such knowledge it’s no wonder over 95% of people on diet and in gyms never really get their desired results. We are not even mentioning the people that have got hooked up to weight loss pills by overzealous companies.

On the other hand, most people want to burn fat fast without due regard to their body’s assimilation rates. A good example is that while most people take on dieting as a natural way to burn fat fast, few understand their body’s metabolic rates.

Every individual’s metabolism is different and one needs to learn how they can work with it and not against it. Its rebound effect is usually to the opposite of your goals.

So far I have only seen one fitness guru who has made extreme effort to try and explain the hidden secrets that help you burn fat fast. Pills and supplement companies have nightmares to think that one day you might discover the very easy and inexpensive ways to burn fat.

They especially do not want you to know about metabolism rate and how you can be able to influence it to naturally burn out your body fat fast. They also do not want you to know about the liquid and powdered food alternatives which would impact on their bottom line-big time.

So how do you break into these secrets and conspiracies before you even go on a diet or join a gym?

The reduce-fat-guru that has made great effort to enlighten you on the underhand secrets of the weight loss industry is called Tom Venuto. Tom is a two time runner up in the Mr. Natural USA and Mr. Natural North America. He holds a degree in Bsc. Exercise Science, is accredited to a dozen professional fitness associations in America and a certified personal instructor.

He has developed an eBook program that takes your hand and leads you on how to burn fat fast and in a natural safe method. The eBook is easily downloadable form his website and among other many things will explain to you:

•Why 95% of people trying to burn fat from their bodies fail. What secret do they not know?

•Why weight loss pills and supplement companies are getting away with murder for selling you worthless drugs.

•The 12 best and 12 worst foods for a person that wants to burn fat fast and effectively.

•Why the food companies will never want you to discover other alternative liquid and powdered natural foods for your program. It’s something to do with their bottom lines.

•It will show you some secret cardio exercise techniques that will make you lose fat fast and within 2 weeks.

•How to be able to instantly and on-demand, turn on your metabolism into a fat-guzzling- super efficient furnace.

•The primary reason why most people trying to burn abdominal fat fast fail to remove the last 20lbs of their stomach fat. It also includes many more facts and secrets to burn fat fast from your stomach, thighs, breasts, and behind.

The most compelling reason to listen to Tom’s advice is the fact that he is not all theories. He developed and tested on himself the exact program that he has used for the last 25 years.

It’s the same program that worn him titles allover. His massive muscle mugshot on the website attests to the effectiveness of his program.

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How to Reduce Flabby Tummy Fat

Reduce tummy fat using natural methods. Many people in America are suffering from obesity. It is now a matter of national concern and overweight cures are being sought even at the home level. Obesity even in children is seen mostly through hanging flabby tummy fat which dangles and can be quite unsightly even to the individual.

Making the best of a bad situation is usually the attitude that one should start with even before starting to reduce tummy fat. Incidentally, all people that have gone through a weight loss program will tell you that reducing tummy fat was their last and biggest challenge.

Fat deposited at the base of the abdomen is hardened. To get rid off tummy fat is usually the final stage in shedding weight and most people fail to remove the last 10-20lbs.

While doing sit-ups is mainly the way that most people think is the fastest, it is not very useful at the initial stages. Starting with sit-ups will take a lot of energy from your body, is physically draining and one is liable to give up altogether owing to the strenuous exercise.

It is always advised that a person that wants to reduce tummy fat should always start with fat burning foods. This reduces the tummy fat to a manageable level where one can now gradually start on the physical exercises.

Do not strain yourself trying to reduce flabby tummy fat in weeks. Your tummy fat took time to accumulate there, so give it time to gradually be digested off by a consistent dieting or exercise program.

One of the most resourceful ebook programs available online was developed by Tom Venuto. A Bsc. In Exercise Science degree holder and a former Mr. Natural USA, he trains you how to lose tummy fat in the most natural and effective way, yet.

A pure natural bodybuilder himself, he will take your hand in his ebook and guide you through the process explaining why 95% of people on diet fail.

He will also teach you how to crunk up your metabolism rate (rate the body breaks down fat) and turn it into a fat-burning-on demand furnace.

There are many other facts to reduce tummy fat to learn from Tom, who developed the program and tested it on himself with astounding results. You can see his massive muscles in his picture when you follow the link below.

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What are the Dangers of Hoodia Gordonii?

Hoodia Gordonii is a plant that is grown in South Africa. Although often referred to as a cactus it is actually a species of succulent. The plant has been used for thousands of years by the Bushmen of South Africa as an appetite suppressant. They would eat the plant to suppress their appetite when going on long hunting trips. In more recent times there have been scientific tests performed on Hoodia by the Brown University when rats were injected with an extract from the plant and during this test they reported no dangers of Hoodia.

Along with these test results, there is also the history of this plant being used in South Africa for thousands of years and in all that time there has never been any reports of any negative side effects from the plant.

Concern was raised over Hoodia as a result of known dangers from other herbal weight loss products. In particular, the product Ephedra which was also used as an appetite suppressant and caused negative side effects and in some cases even death.

The difference between Hoodia and Ephedra is that the Ephedra plant was a stimulant and resulted in stimulating the heart and blood pressure which produced negative results. Hoodia is not a stimulant and has no effect on the heart or blood pressure.
With all the testing performed on Hoodia Gordonii it has proven to be very safe and it has shown no dangers when used as an appetite suppressant.

Hoodia simply mimics the effect that glucose has on our body by sending a signal to the brain to tell it that the stomach is full. As a result you no longer feel hungry and reduce the amount that you eat. The results of using Hoodia to assist with weight loss have been incredibly effective by many people.

Testing and the history of usage have shown Hoodia to be safe but these results are based on 100% pure Hoodia. The safety of inferior or even copycat products are not guaranteed so it is important to buy only 100% genuine Hoodia Gordonii.

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Pure Hoodia - Take it or Leave It!

There is no question about the effectiveness of Hoodia with assisting weight loss. It has shown to have incredible results and with no negative side effects. When you think about it, it really sounds like it’s too good to be true. Well, it can be too good to be true if you don’t buy pure Hoodia as it is only the 100% pure plant product that will give you the results that you are after.

Unfortunately there are many people out there who have created products imitating Hoodia but they aren’t the genuine product. The problem with these fake products is that they haven’t been scientifically tested so there is no guarantee of their effectiveness and there is also no guarantee of their safety.

Pure Hoodia has been scientifically tested and has proven to be both safe and effective. It is pure Hoodia that has been used by the San Bushmen of South Africa and has been used for thousands of years without any negative side effects. It is only pure and genuine Hoodia that you can really trust to give you the best results.

The copycat products that are on the market cannot give you any guarantees and they are most likely to be too good to be true. Genuine Hoodia however does give the results that it claims and is a very good appetite suppressant. Sticking to a healthy diet has never been easier than when using Hoodia.

So when it comes to using this amazing plant to help you lose weight, take it or leave it. If it is a copycat product then I recommend you just leave it, if it is 100% pure Hoodia then take it and shed those unwanted pounds to get that figure you have been dreaming of.

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