Weight Loss Tips |

Please don’t be like me!

Several years ago I was warned to stay away from behind-the-neck exercises and movements, and do you think I listened? Of course not.

And as a result, I acquired a rotator cuff injury that slowly gets worse and worse over time.

It is often said that it is much smarter to learn from the mistakes of others than to have to suffer the consequences yourself. I’d say that I agree with that.

Just in case you are not quite sure what a “rotator cuff” is, its a handy little muscle on the back of your shoulder that literally helps your arm to “rotate” around the shoulder socket.

For most people, this muscle is not supposed to rotate far enough to take the arms too far behind the head.

Behind the neck exercises not only pull this muscle to the edge of its natural range, but often have additional weight resistance involved that cause even more stress to the area.

If this is done repetitively over time, the muscle will often get injured. Another thing that may happen is that it will become inflammed and swell to the point where the bone around it pinches the muscle. Both conditions are chronic, painful, and should be avoided at all costs.

So, if there are any behind-the-neck movements in your current workout, you will want to find more shoulder-friendly alternatives. And if such an exercise is ever recommended to you by a friend or exercise program, ask or look for a better alternative immediately.

You only get one body! Take care of it.

To YourBestBody,

Lawrence Cole

Your Lifestyle and Fitness Coach

Read this Exercise and Weight Loss Article at YourBestBodyNOW.com.

For safe and healthy weight loss, the profound sciences of Yoga and Ayurveda form a powerful combination. Yoga providing a system of exercises which help to burn fat, increase metabolism and promote fitness, while Ayurveda providing the guidelines for proper diet and nutrition. In this article I will explore Ayurveda, which is the science of self-healing and longevity.

A key concept in Ayurveda is that of the 3 Doshas (humours): Vata, Pitta & Kapha. A combination of these 3 bodily humours are responsible for the makeup of our human body. This article is focused on the Kapha Dosha, which is responsible for fat and is the prevalent dosha in those who are overweight and obese. Thus, from a Yogic and Ayurvedic point on view, in order to burn fat and lose weight one must reduce Kapha in the body.

As a quick review the following 3 most important points about Ayurveda need to be remembered:

1. The qualities of Kapha Dosha are: Wet, Cold, Heavy, Dull, Soft, Sticky & Fixed

2. Ayurvedic healing is based on the following 2 principles

* Like Increases Like

* Opposites Decrease Each Other

3. There are many treatment methods in Ayurveda and of these we are focusing on Diet for weight loss in this article. In future posts I will detail other Ayruvedic recommendations to reduce weight, burn fat and get fit.

So keeping the above in mind here are Ayurveda’s dietary recommendations for how to combat obesity, reduce fat and promote healthy weight loss.

General Diet Composition to Burn Fat:

* 30-40% of your diet should be whole grains.

* 20-30% protein (from both vegetarian and non-vegetarian sources)

* 40-50% mostly vegetables and some fruit.

Specific Dietary Recommendations to Lose Weight:

* Since like increases like, the qualities of Kapha should be a guide to help you choose the right type of foods to eat. So looking at it from that perspective one should reduce fatty foods, dairy, ice cream, meats (specially red meat) etc.

* For drinks, stick to hot drinks instead of cold ones. Again use Kapha qualities as a road map to help you choose. Drink teas, hot water, instead of cold sodas and milk shakes.

* Since opposites decrease each other, use more hot spices in your food. Ginger, cinnamon, coriander and other hot spices will all work to help you reduce Kapha, which is the key to reducing weight. The tastes you should shoot for in your diet are pungent, bitter and astringent. Foods with these tastes are all anti-Kapha and will assist in burning fat. The tastes you should generally avoid are sweet, sour and salty.

* Similarly increase salads, beans, dry cereals and cooked grains in your diet. Eating foods with Vata and Pitta qualities will increase those doshas in your body and will work against increasing Kapha.

* Eat one big meal a day and make it either your lunch or your breakfast.

* To avoid snacking, have a glass of hot lemonade made with honey. This will help burn fat and keep away the hunger.

Conclusion:

I hope what you begin to see with Ayurveda is that it gives you the knowledge and framework within which you can then customize the treatments you need using your intelligence. That’s why I call Ayurveda the science of Self Healing. Once you know the basic concepts, you can readily apply them to deal with any health situation that life throws at you. Specifically for weight loss understand the qualities of Kapha Dosha and tailor your diet and life style to reduce it. When you reduce Kapha you reduce fat. From a dietary perspective, simply reduce intake of food with the same qualities and increase intake of food with opposite qualities.

Few people who suffer from depression after a gastric bypass operation blame the condition on the procedure itself, or the very low calorie diet that follows weight loss surgery. However, low calorie diets have been found to cause depression, and they can increase the symptoms in already diagnosed depressive people. The diet following gastric bypass surgery is so low in calories that depression often follows the procedure – but the operation itself is rarely recognized as the cause.

Some doctors argue that depression is all in a person’s head. They aren’t too far off, but depression is not a mental illness. It is caused by inadequate levels of mood stabilizing chemicals such as serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine.

Many things can cause these chemicals to get out of balance, including weight loss and low calorie intake. Depression is one of the more serious gastric bypass complications.

Calories convert to fuel for the body. The body needs a certain number of calories to survive. When there isn’t enough fuel to go around, the most important functions of the body get first shot at the available food. This can cause lower serotonin levels in people who do not eat enough.

The lower levels then will cause the gastric bypass complication of depression. According to the Thinner Times website, psychological challenges are the causes of 5-10% of deaths occurring two or more months after gastric bypass surgery.

Depression is a dangerous illness causing thousands of deaths each year. The gastric bypass diet needs to be closely monitored and adjusted in order to prevent depression. Many small healthy meals per day are needed to take in adequate amounts of calories. This will ensure a continuous supply of fuel for your body.

These meals need to be well balanced with a healthy amount of proteins, dairy, fruits, and vegetables. Vitamins also should be taken daily to help supplement the food intake.

The loneliness a gastric bypass patient feels also contributes to depression. It is hard to go out to a restaurant and eat like friends do. Ordering and portion size must be taken into consideration. The joy of dining out with a date is also compromised. The need to explain actions causes embarrassment and feelings of inadequacy. Speaking to a date before eating at a restaurant will alleviate the fears of uncomfortable questions. The right person will understand and not judge the gastric bypass patient.

Symptoms of depression include sadness throughout most of the day and lack of interest in activities a patient once enjoyed. A depressed person may be tired and want to sleep all the time. They may be pessimistic and have a negative outlook on life. Severely depressive people will have thoughts of death or suicide.

When depression does occur, is is imperative to seek help immediately. There are medications available to help balance out the chemicals in the brain. Early intervention is important because after beginning a depression medication, sometimes up to 4 weeks can pass before a patient begins feel better.

If the first medication doesn’t provide relief within a month, inform the prescribing doctor and don’t despair. There are many medications to try. Each person is different and finding the correct medication sometimes takes a few tries.

People choosing gastric bypass surgery need to be aware of the serious side effects of depression. Depression is not something to downplay or ignore. It can be very serious and even fatal if not treated.

Patients should be informed of the ways to prevent depression form occurring, how to identify that they are having a problem, and the steps to take to alleviate symptoms.

Supplements containing green tea extracts are a completely natural way of reducing weight with very little risk of any side effects. There are many benefits associated with green tea. The Chinese have known about its medicinal properties since ancient times, however the western world is only just opening up to the benefits of taking green tea.

Weight loss pills or diet pills are all the rage at the moment. Everybody wants to look the best they possibly can and in order to do this everybody wants to be thin! Many weight loss pills contain green tea extracts. Green tea is a natural source of antioxidants. Green tea is useful in reducing cholesterol, and it also helps to reduce the blood sugar level after a meal. It does also help to reduce weight.

Although green tea does help in weight loss, you do however need to be very patient in order to observe the results. Keep in mind that weight loss does not occur overnight, even when you are using nutritional supplements. Since green tea does not have any harmful side effects associated with it, you might want to try out some green tea weight loss supplements. You can search for fat burning pills that contain up to 70-80% green tea extracts.

Fat burning pills including green tea weight loss supplements increase the metabolic activity of your body cells. This consequently increases the amount of fuel that your body consumes. The body’s fuel is calories, the higher the metabolism, the faster these are burned. Green tea extracts are also used to treat poor digestion and constipation, and also helps to fight against the free radicals in the body, the negative by-products created by normal bodily processes. Green tea supplements are rich in EGCG (epigallocatechin gallate) which is not only a mouthful, it’s an antioxidant and protects the body against any possible digestive problems. It is also helpful in cancer prevention and lowering cholesterol levels.

Green tea supplements are available in the form of tablets or pills. The advantage of green tea supplement over other fat burning pills is that it does not increase the heart rate of consumers. Many weight loss pills have the side effect of causing the patients heart rate to rise, causing a problem for certain groups of people with heart conditions. People belonging to any age group can use green tea to treat any medical complaints without any concern about its side effects.

Brown Seaweed contains Fucoxanthin. This is a pigment that gives the seaweed its brown color. It helps the seaweed to make chemical energy. Fucoxanthin is being studied for the purposes of weight loss and cancer fighting ability. It is used in Asian cuisine such as sushi, soups and salds.

Fat Burning?*

Rat studies have shown that Fucoxanthin may increase a protein in rats that causes fat to burn at a faster rate. The result is that these laboratory animals have a rapid loss of weight (fatty tissue). This protein is referred to as UCP1. It increases fat oxidation or fat burning.

Added advantage (An Antioxidant)

Fucoxanthin is an antioxidant. It helps to neutralize free radicals in the body. Free radicals are charged particles that the body generates in disease states (e.g. high blood pressure, obesity, atherosclerosis, cancer, etc.) and stress states. Free radicals promote aging and tissue damage in blood vessels and organs.

Added advantage (Omega-3 Fatty Acid)

In laboratory animals fed it with soybean oil, omega-3 fatty acid levels rose in the liver. Omega-3 fatty acids are thought to be heart friendly and protective against heart disease.

Final Words

Fucoxanthin is a promising nutritional supplement. Research continues in the areas of weight loss and omega-3 fatty acid levels. The studies involving fat-burning involves it raising the level of a protein called UCP1 that can burn fat at a faster rate in animal studies. Fucoxanthin is an excellent antioxidant.

*Read the Report: American Chemical Society’s 232nd National Meeting & Exposition, San Francisco, Sept. 10-14, 2006. News release, American Chemical Society.

Both in homes and fitness clubs, exercise bikes are a very popular piece of equipment. There are many people who workout on exercise bikes to stay in shape today, which is one of the reasons that these bikes are so popular. The following are just a few of the reasons that you should have your own exercise bike and how you can benefit from having your very own.

Believe it or not, most people do not get enough exercise each day. Much of society has become more and more technological and people across the globe have become more sedentary than every before. If you have your own stationary exercise bike at home, you have a great way for getting exercise, even while you are sitting down. You can simply put the bike in front of your television and ride the bike while watching your favorite television show. While this will not account for all of the exercise that you need, it will definitely get you on the right track.

Another of the many exercise bike benefits is that you can get on your bike and use it at any time. If you try to ride a regular bike, when the weather is bad you may not be able to go biking; however, no matter the weather, you can always get a workout on your home exercise bike. In fact, while it is thundering and raining outside, you can simply get on your stationary bike and enjoy a good ride inside knowing that you are staying dry and getting the exercise that you need.

Since many people in America are very sedentary, more and more people are at risk for heart problems. One great cardio vascular activity that can help prevent health issues such as heart disease is biking. While it is not a total solution to the problem, when you combine biking with a great diet, it can definitely help you protect your heart. So, while you are riding your bike, you’ll actually be adding some years to your life.

Exercise bikes are easy to keep up and they are also cost effective as well, you can even find a bargain on a used exercise bike, basically they are a great investment. So, why not take a look and see what types of bikes are available to you now. Picking out a great exercise bike may just be the way that you make your life a much better one in the future.

The constantly rising graph of obesity in the United States has triggered the demand for weight loss programs. These programs are not always advised by healthcare centers. Nowadays, there is a growing awareness about the hazards of obesity, thus inspiring more and more people to take some novel steps towards losing weight.

Classification of Weight Loss Programs :

I. Do-It-Yourself Program: This program can be initiated with the support of like-minded people, groups, or communities. Those vying for a Do-It-Yourself program rely on their own judgment, group support, diet books or charts available in stores. However, one must be careful since all diet books do not offer genuine information on weight loss.

II. Non-clinical Program: This program may or may not be commercial-oriented. A number of these programs are circulated through privately-owned weight-loss chains, which use books and pamphlets prepared by healthcare providers. Non-clinical programs offer counselors (who may or may not be professional trainers) for advice.

III. Clinical Programs: These are generally commercial-oriented and licensed by health professionals like physicians, nutritionists, psychologists. Clinical programs are provided in health-care settings as hospitals. The program allows patients complete services on nutrition education, medical care, physical activity, and behavior change therapy.

Clinical programs also include other weight-loss methods:

i. Very low calorie diets

ii. Prescription drugs

iii. Bariatric Surgery

The selection of weight loss programs depends on individual choice. However, one must remember that mental preparation is highly essential prior to indulging in any sort of weight-reduction program. If an individual is not emotionally prepared to undergo a weight loss session, then things won’t work out well. In fact, lack of mental preparation or emotional stress often leads the patient to acquire more weight. That is why quality weight loss programs include psychological counseling to overcome emotional stress and enable the patient cope with his changed lifestyle.

Consistency is the key to losing stomach fat at the gym


Woody Allen once said “80% of success is just turning up” and there’s a lot of truth in that statement. Losing stomach fat and successfully keeping it off permanently isn’t about any diet or weight reducing supplement. The only thing that will work for you long term is consistent good nutrition and exercise.

Burn more calories than you consume


To lose weight or more importantly, fat from your body you must burn more calories than you consume. That’s a fact, a physical law of the universe that states that all energy will be conserved either as heat or mass. The mass in this case is the fat that clings unattractively to your body, mostly around the stomach area.

Your goal is then to convert your fat reserves of energy into heat by work or exercise. Working your body requires energy, which can come either from the calories in the food you eat, or from the reserves in your body tissue, whichever is the easiest for your body to convert or burn. The calories that you consumed recently will be burned first and then your body starts to convert body tissue.

Good nutrition will help with any weight loss exercise program. You can get a taste of how small changes in your food can make a big difference in this article: Food That Help You Lose Weight.

How quickly will you get rid of stomach fat?


A very rough rule of thumb states that to burn off 1 pound of fat you need to do 3500 calories worth of exercise. Remember that your fat reserves will only be burned off once you’ve used up the calories in the food you just ate. If you’re weight was stable, neither increasing nor decreasing before you started going to the gym then you know that all the extra exercise you do is going to help you burning stomach fat.

How much exercise you do at the gym will vary of course and the calorie counters on the fitness exercise machines aren’t as accurate as you might think but they will give you a rough idea of how many calories you are burning. Very roughly speaking you might burn off 10 calories per minute jogging on a treadmill so if you do a mixed routine of machines and perhaps some weights or maybe a class then 500 calories a session is very achievable.

You can’t lose stomach fat fast and hope to keep it off permanently


But you’re thinking that 500 calories a session isn’t going to lose stomach fat fast if it takes 3500 calories to lose a pound of fat and you’re right. This is why most people fail to lose weight by going to the gym. They fail to realize that losing stomach fat requires consistency so they work out a few times a week for a couple of weeks and see no improvement so they give up.

500 calories a day is a pound of fat in a week if you go to the gym every day. Losing a pound of fat a week is a very safe and healthy way to lose weight and you should find that it isn’t difficult to keep it off in the long term.

If you’re too busy to go every day like me then 3 to 4 sessions a week is a good target to aim for. This should allow you to lose a pound of fat every 2 weeks, which is a great long-term weight loss plan.

Turning up consistently to do regular exercise whether it’s at the gym, the swimming pool, at work or just walking your dog is the key to losing stomach fat.

Scores of Americans are trying to lose weight, spending roughly $50 billion a year on diet programs and products like Curvelle, some of them do lose some weight. however, if you poll the same group few years later, you will find that all but a few all have regained whatever weight they lost.

Many people have no clue how much water they should be consuming daily and most of us survive from day to day on sodas and artificial flavored drinks and don’t drink enough water. In the absence of water, we would be diseased to death by our own waste products and toxins resulting from metabolism.

Water is crucial to digestion and metabolism and acts as a medium for various enzymatic and chemical reactions in the body. It routes nutrients and oxygen to the cells through the blood, controls body temperature and lubricates our joints. Dietary Pills and weight-loss pills like Curvelle aren’t subject to the same rigorous standards as are prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications. Thus, they can be sold with little proof of effectiveness or safety. Suppliers can make health claims about products based on their own biased review and classification of studies without the authorization of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, the FDA can pull a product off the shelves if it’s considered unsafe.

The consumer is in a very unsafe situation as they have no clue as to what they are getting or if the listing of ingredients matches what’s in the bottle. Many weight-loss pills such as Curvelle contain a intermix of ingredients like herbs, botanicals, vitamins, minerals or other add-ons. It is unclear and untested how these ingredients interact individually and in total with your body. Please follow advice from your doctor before starting these supplements particularly if you are currently on other medications.

Persons who go on a diet without exercising frequently get heavier with time. Though your weight may drop in the inception when on a diet, this weight loss consists of water for the most part. When the weight comes back, it is preserved as fat. To prevent getting heavier over time, metabolism must be increased by exercising regularly.

If you are interested in decreasing your body fat, you must focus on increased duration of exercise rather than limiting your food. The leading nutrition doctors now suggest that folks interested in losing weight must augment their physical activity.

Carbohydrates have become a subject that comes up when it comes to weight loss. Many people don’t know what carbohydrates really are until they go on a diet, or start reading labels and trying to limit them, but they still may not grasp how a good carbohydrate is good and a bad carbohydrate is bad.

Good Carbs vs Bad Carbs:

Good carbohydrates, bad carbohydrates, how do you know the difference? Carbohydrates turn into sugar when the body metabolizes them and this includes starches. Your body processes natural sugar or carbohydrates, different than it does unnatural sugar.

So if you understand the difference, say in eating an orange versus eating a Twinkie, then you can understand the difference in good carbohydrates and bad carbohydrates. While an orange has carbohydrates, which is natural sugar, you still get a nutritional benefit from it. Maybe a Twinkie has the same amount of carbohydrates, but it is considered bad, because a Twinkie has no nutritional value.

Carbohydrate Weight Loss:

When it comes to carbohydrates weight loss, it is by cutting carbohydrates to less than 20 grams per day, or less, that you actually can be considered on a low carbohydrate weight loss diet. Many people will take this to 0, by eating a diet of meat, not fried, which has no carbohydrates, eggs-no carbohydrates, vegetables-such as broccoli, asparagus, green beans, carrots, lettuce salads with no carbs and lose weight quickly.

When it comes to understanding carbohydrate weight loss diets, and fat storage, there is a difference, (not calorie-wise), of what natural carbohydrates can do for your system. Many people find they can substitute the vitamins, say in corn, which is high in carbohydrates and find them in a low carbohydrate substitute. This was how low carb diets were born, and the good carbs versus bad carbs argument started.

Take in Less Calories:

Taking in fewer calories than you burn will cause you to lose weight. Certain calories, such as protein, vitamins and minerals are easier to burn, or turn to muscle and others are put into your fat storage system, such as fat, sugar and carbohydrates. Fat cells grab onto fat, sugar and carbohydrates to store up for later, and cause you to gain weight.

Calories and Carbohydrates:

You can eat meat and low carbohydrate vegetables and fruit with an equal calorie count, and lose weight easier than in a high sugar, fat or carbohydrate diet. That is why low carbohydrate diets have worked for many people; they shifted to metabolizing calories the body can use.

For carbohydrate weight loss, you need to look at the nutritional components, and start choosing calories your body can metabolize for cells other than fat, and the cravings for sugar, starches and bad carbohydrates will subside, as you watch your carbohydrate intake.

In conclusion:

By limiting your carbohydrate intake to 20 grams or less per day, you will start dropping pounds quickly and feel healthier. Your cravings for sugar will subside after a few days, and some borderline diabetics are no longer diabetic. A low carbohydrate weight loss diet can be one of the quickest and healthiest ways to lose weight.