Diet articles online

By: Oliver Turner

Obesity is a growing concern in today’s world. By following the given weight loss instructions you can lose weight and maintain a steady weight throughout.

Chinese diet tea

With the intake of Chinese diet tea one can reduce weight and can live slim and trim. Chinese diet tea causes rapid and substantial weight loss. Chinese diet tea prevents the formation of body fat. Experts say that intake of Chinese diet tea significantly increase energy expenditure and also significantly effect on fat oxidation. Chinese diet tea does not contain caffeine that’s why it does not affect heart rate. So it is safe and highly helps in weight loss.

Water

Intake of water helps weight loss. Water has no calories, cholesterol and fat. Studies showed that a high consumption of water does not allow more fat to be deposited inspite of being metabolized into energy and helps in weight loss. So, increasing of water consumption will prohibit fat deposition and in this way you obtain weight loss. Eight to twelve glasses of water help in weight loss.

Free diet plans

Free diet plans are also helpful in weight loss for those people who are busy and don’t have time for shopping and preparing their own meal. Free diet plans are mostly prepared on the recommendation of dietician and nutritionist. Hence, these are specially organized for athletes and dieters as they contain less fat and calories. As a result, by using free diet plans you can lose weight and maintain it steadily.

Balanced and nutritious diet

With balanced and nutritious diet one can lose weight. Balanced and nutritious diet should be according to your own body need. If you want to take balanced and nutritious diet then you must take exclude fat from your diet and should include juicy fruits, green leafy vegetables, roughages, cereals and brown bread which is free from fat and full of proteins.

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By: Trenton Martkes

Why is our society so keyed in on fat loss? Have you ever thought about it? Well let’s do that in the next couple of paragraphs. Let’s try to break it down to reveal both the healthy and the not so healthy aspects of this fat phobic craze.

Fat is viewed in our society in a negative light and for many different reasons. Fat is looked down upon in the social arena as unattractive in both a sexual way and lack of athleticism. These are two of the most glorified things in our culture that is sex and sports. Case in point, you don’t find fat ladies in bikinis adorning the covers of all the big name magazines including what might be the best example the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. You don’t find fat actors though the people and events they are portraying are anything but thin and sexy. If you want to be sexy you have to experience fat loss.

Fat is also viewed as unproductive in the areas of work and health which often coexist. You obviously wouldn’t find fat people in physically demanding jobs for one because if they were in those jobs they wouldn’t be fat and for the other as fat people they won’t do as well as thin and in-shape people would. You don’t see fat soldiers, fat construction workers, fat cowboys, etc. The only way you can have success in these areas is fat loss!

Fat people are also not as productive, even in jobs that aren’t as physically demanding. They are typically more unhealthy and find themselves taking more sick days. Obese people die younger of things like cancer and heart disease and diabetes and stroke. This all adds up to less years of productivity. Fat people are also less mentally and emotionally healthy which is just as important in your career (no matter what it is) as your physical health. The fact is that people would rather be bossed by, work with, buy from, and be served by people who are at least healthier appealing. This gets at both the social perception as well as the actual productivity. Fat people are on the whole less fun to be around and less productive to be around too. So fat loss is also more productive in monetary terms too.

The sad part about all of this is that often it is less the fat person’s fault than us skinny people want to think. We want to think that we are thin and healthy appearing because we work harder and are addicted to food less than the obese. What scientists are finding is that this is far from the truth. Fact is that fat loss is harder for some than for others because of genes, not work-ethic, or mental health, or any of that. So fat people are victims of discrimination based on something they can’t help much like the color of skin for instance. So think about it and be more humble about this than you are right now ok?

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By: Jerry Hall Leo

A good diet is important for good health. A healthy and varied diet can help to maintain a healthy body weight, enhance general wellbeing and reduce the risk of a number of diseases including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and osteoporosis.
A healthy diet consist of four main categories of foods - of course there are some other minor groups. But these four main food groups will provide a healthy diet the bulk of its nutrition. They are: vegetables and fruits, grain products, milk products, and meats and alternatives.

A healthy diet will serve a good balance of each of the food groups listed. Of course, different individuals will need different amounts of food. Other factors such as age, body size, activity level, gender will also affect the amount of food you eat. Below is a guide to provide you with a general idea of how much from each group you should serve for a healthy diet.
Please note that meat is NOT a necessary part of a healthy diet. Contrary to what many say, you can get enough proteins from vegetables, beans and soy products.

A healthy diet is a diet based on breads, potatoes, and other cereals and is rich in fruits and vegetables. A healthy diet will include moderate amounts of milk and dairy products, meat, fish or meat/milk alternatives, and limited amounts of foods containing fat or sugar.

You must have carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals salts and fibre in the correct proportions. If there is not enough protein, you will not be able to grow properly and you will not be able to repair yourself i.e. wounds will not heal properly. If you do not have enough energy containing foods you will feel very tired, you will not have enough energy. If you have too much energy containing foods you will become overweight.

If you think that you are overweight you might try taking more exercise to “burn off” some of the excess food which you ate at you last meal.

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By: Cinneide

In the condition known as hirsutism, individuals will experience a larger than normal amount of hair growth on the body. While it can affect both men and women, it is usually ladies that will suffer more often. The hair is commonly found on the chest, on the face, on the stomach or the back. It will be dark, thick and coarser, in most cases, then hair found elsewhere. It is not a bad thing but it is uncomfortable and unwanted inmost cases.

Why Is It There?

Individuals who are dealing with hirsutism want to know first of all how it happens. In most cases, the problem for women is excessive levels of male hormones. It is important to understand that women have these hormones usually, but at much lower levels. When there are excessive amounts of them, specifically androgens, there are often results that are less than favorable such as with the occurrence of hirsutism. Individuals will likely have a deeper voice; they may have acne and menstruation cycles that are not balanced and regular. They may have more muscles than other women do. It is also important to point out that hirsuitism can also occur due to the follicles reaction to these excessive levels of hormone.

If you are taking medications such as birth control pills or steroids, the symptoms of hirsutism will also be noted in some women. Also, there are some cases in which women have the condition as a hereditary condition.

What Can Make Hirsutism Go Away?

- Overweight individuals often have the symptoms of hirsutism. If you are overweight, the best remedy for the condition is to actually lose weight. As you do so, your hormone levels will go back to a normal level.

- Depilatories are another option to use. You can use hair removal creams to help you as well. Make sure to insure you have no allergic reaction to these conditions prior to using them on large areas.

- If you pluck these hairs, they will likely come back faster. That is due to an increased amount of blood flow to the area.

- Bleaching products also work. Again, test for allergic reactions when using chemicals of any type.

- Electrolysis or laser hair removal are other options. Here, the follicle that produces the hair is damaged and this keeps the hair from re-growing. Although expensive, this can be a permanent solution to your condition.

- There are also a number of prescription medications that can help. Anti androgen medications will be regulated by your doctor.

The bottom line is that hirsutism is a condition that you can treat and you do not need to live with. To choose the right solution for you, consider your condition and severity of it. Also, find out from your doctor what is causing it as many medical conditions that can should be treated. Then, choose the method that fits with your preferences as well as your budget.

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By: Jerry Hall Leo

This food group includes milk, cheese, yogurt and fromage frais. Calcium fortified soya alternatives to milk can also be included. This group does not include butter, eggs and cream as these fall into other food groups.

Try to eat 2-3 servings a day. A serving of milk is a 200ml glass, a serving of yogurt is a small pot (150g), a serving of cheese is 30g (matchbox size). Choose lower fat versions whenever you can, such as semi-skimmed milk, low fat yogurt and reduced fat cheese.

These foods provide:

Calcium: needed for development and maintenance of healthy bones
Zinc: required for tissue growth and repair
Protein: needed for growth and repair, and also a source of energy
Vitamin B12: required for blood cells and nerve function
Vitamin B2: needed for the release of energy from carbohydrates and protein
Vitamin A: (in whole milk products) for growth, development and eyesight

Healthy eating tips

• Choose low fat milk i.e. semi-skimmed or skimmed milk
• Choose low fat yogurts and reduced fat cheeses

Meat and Alternatives

This food group includes meat, poultry, fish, eggs and alternatives (see below). Meat products include bacon, salami, sausages, beefburgers and patי. Fish includes frozen and canned fish such as sardines and tuna, fish fingers and fish cakes.

Proteins are required for growth and repair. Proteins contain Carbon, Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen and sometimes Sulphur. Proteins are very large molecules, so they cannot get directly into our blood; they must be turned into amino-acids by the digestive system. There are over 20 different amino-acids. Our bodies can turn the amino-acids back into protein. When our cells do this they have to put the amino-acids together in the correct order. There are many millions of possible combinations or sequences of amino-acids; it is our DNA which contains the information about how to make proteins.

Choose lower fat versions whenever you can. Some meat products, e.g. beefburgers and sausages, can be high in fat. Trim visible fat off meat where possible. The Government recommends that we eat two portions of fish each week, one of which should be an oily fish (e.g. salmon, mackerel, trout, sardines or fresh tuna).

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By: Lisa Scott

Ephedra supplements are hard to find in stores because of the dangers linked to them, but they are still legal and available to anyone determined to take them.

I see them now and then in gas station markets or 7-11s, usually sold at the counter in colorful little packets labeled something ridiculous like ‘Super Boost’ or ‘Ultimate Energy Pills’. If you’re thinking about taking some of these, just be careful not to over do it, and to avoid other stimulants.

Even ephedra by itself boosts your chances of having heart attacks, especially in people who already have heart trouble or blood pressure issues. The irony is that most people that would want to take ephedra supplements to lose weight are the exact same people who are at the most risk by taking them.

Ephedra supplements used to be a very popular way to promote weight lose in the obese. Like most stimulants, ephedra supplements significantly boost metabolism and lower appetite, so they make an effective and tempting alternative to diet and exercise.

Because of the risks associated with it, ephedra supplements have waned in popularity as diet pills. They’ve been replaced by a host of other ‘natural’ and ‘herbal’ supplements that are every bit as dangerous but just haven’t gotten a bad reputation yet.

Don’t be fooled by the term ‘natural’ or ‘herbal’; these two words are by no means synonymous with ‘healthy’ or ‘safe’. After all, ephedra comes from a 100 percent natural herb, and so do hemlock and nicotine.

Most of the ephedra supplement overdose cases I hear about these days have been in college aged kids taking ‘herbal ecstasy’ concoctions. Herbal ecstasy is basically a combination of epehdra, caffeine, and pseudephedrine, all of which together act synergistically to really put your heart into overdrive.

For many the result is just a lot of sweating and teeth clenching as they go dancing from club to club, but every now and then the cocktail proves too much and causes heart failure.

Ephedra supplements are definitely a risky and unhealthy way to lose weight. While not an especially dangerous drug in itself, mixed with caffeine or other stimulants ephedra can become a serious risk to your health.

Every year there are some reported cases of people who unknowingly overdosed by taking some kind of ephedra supplement and then going on to have coffee, Sudafed, or some combination of other stimulants that put them over the top.

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By: Roger Overanout

Weight-loss is one of those things that most people consider at some time in their life. Trying to find the best diet or the most efficient type of exercise seems to be a never-ending job.

Initially it may seem that the desire to find the ideal weight loss program is all about looking good to others, this may be true but in reality it should be all about your own feelings of self worth and that relates to more than just your appearance.

I am not suggesting that you should not ask yourself how can I lose weight, I am suggesting that you should also ask yourself how can I find a sense of my inner well-being regardless of how my body looks.

If you are already on a diet and trying to lose weight it is probable that the desire for a feeling of self-worth is at the root of your desire to lose weight. If this is the case why not make it of equal importance to the attempt to lose weight, by being prepared to accept yourself as you are you will find it makes it easier to make progress with your diet.

Once you are able to accept yourself for what you are you will find that emotionally you will feel much better about yourself, this will help you to get the dieting and weight loss into perspective with the other parts of your life, so helping you to deal with the root issues underlying your feelings about your body size and shape.

It may be that you should obtain professional help in dealing with any emotional issues that arise while you are considering these matters, alternatively there are several good books and other resources that can help you develop this area.

As you will come to realise both the problem and the solution to the question of weight loss start and end with you. What I mean is the real situation is not how do you lose weight or what diet do you go on, the real problem is in your judgment of yourself.

Try to look at yourself in a new way, try to remove self judgment about your weight and image, relax and allow people to see you for what you are, once you are able to accept yourself you will find it easier to stick with any diet or weight loss program you choose to use.

In fact it may be that you decide you really like the person you are now and decided that you don’t need to reduce weight at all!

Roger Overanout

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By: Mark Peoples

If you’re like the average American male, your body retains your excess calories as fatty tissues. Why? Eating large burgers, fries, and liters of soda is not exactly healthy. Watching NFL or NBA doesn’t exactly count as exercise either. You lack physical activity and diet control. Here comes the bad news, most of these fat cells are deposited in your gut and upper body resulting in protruding stomachs and flabby arms. Not exactly Brad Pitt-like. Diets and weight loss are necessary if you want to circumvent these scary effects.

However, following programs on diets and weight loss are not enough if you want a rock-hard or at least, a well-defined physique. What you need to do is to combine a well-balanced diet (think vitamins, proteins, and carbs) with resistance training. It’s not at all difficult, but commitment is necessary if you want to achieve your dream body. First, consult your doctor for a whole body check-up because resistance training can aggravate past injuries such as fractures or back injuries. The sooner you know what to avoid, the better your program would be. Second, identify what muscle groups you want to develop. It’s not a pretty sight to have a muscled upper body and skinny legs. Third, enroll yourself in a gym with proper equipment and team up with a trainer/fitness instructor you feel comfortable enough to work with. It is important to talk to him about fitness goals, lifestyle, and your over-all health. He might even prescribe a procedure about your diets and weight loss that would be suitable for your lifestyle.

Diets and weight loss experts usually recommend building muscle in order to lose weight. The thing to remember always is your RMR; this measures how fast your metabolism works (read: burns calories) at rest. It is important to get your RMR past this level for you to effectively use body fuel. This is why you have to lift weights. As you lift weights, the body tends to develop more muscle or leaner mass. Muscle burns body fuel or calories even at rest; so the more muscle you have, the faster the pounds are shed. Another key factor is progression. Soon your body would start to get accustomed to the weights you lift. Hence, you use less effort and energy which staggers the whole weight loss process. The right weight for you is the weight which you can’t lift for over 12 reps. It is also advised to increase the weights every one or two weeks.

An effective diet for persons doing resistance training would be high in protein, with significant amounts of carbs. However, vegetable and fruit servings shouldn’t be taken out as these contribute to the body’s water needs. Diets and weight loss are effective and healthy only when coupled with exercise and physical activity and vice versa. So get up and move for a fitter you.

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By: Stephen Holt

Although regular aerobic activity is important to the health and wellbeing of everyone, far too many people make the crucial mistake of assuming painful, strenuous workouts are the most productive way to exercise.

The startling fact is that moderate exercise - with the prime example being walking - may be an even more effective way to exercise, especially if you need to lower your blood pressure, and definitely if you’re just beginning your fitness program.

Before starting any new fitness program - especially if you haven’t exercised in a while or if you have medical problems - you should always consult your doctor first. Your doctor might even suggest you change some of your lifestyle habits such as your diet or medications in addition to starting an exercise program.

A doctor’s prior approval is especially important since some activities can cause your blood pressure to rise to potentially dangerous levels. Recent research shows that vigorous exercise in unfit individuals may actually be harmful and should be avoided unless tolerance to the exercise has been built up over a reasonable period of time.

On the other hand, numerous studies have proven people who exercise moderately and regularly are more likely to have blood pressures in the healthy ranges.

Different types of exercise obviously depend on your fitness levels, but cycling, walking, swimming, are excellent choices for starting a fitness program. For each of these options, you can easily control your work level and your progression so that you keep your blood pressure within a healthy range during the activity and eventually lower your resting blood pressure, too.

Progression is vital to the success of your fitness program. Start slowly so that your body has time to adjust and adapt. Remember, one of the main reasons people give up and quit new fitness programs after just a few weeks it that they try to work too hard, too soon.

If you decide to start a walking program, for example, start slowly by walking two or at most three times a week for ten to fifteen minutes at a time at a leisurely pace. Gradually increase either your pace or time each week. After a couple of months, you can increase the number of weekly sessions, too.

If you decide to join a health club, you should start with a qualified personal fitness professional who will take all medical history into account and help you design an appropriate fitness program.

Uncontrolled high blood pressure leads to many different medical problems such as stroke, coronary disease, and kidney disease, so it’s crucial you do everything you can to control your blood pressure. Gradual progression is the key to keeping your blood pressure under control, maintaining your weight loss, avoiding injury and ensuring long term success.

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By: Kirsten Hawkins

Surgery is the most severe of the recommended treatments for obesity. Bariatric surgery is reserved for cases of severe obesity that have been resistant to all other methods of weight loss and weight control. There are two basic types of bariatric surgery (also known as gastrointestinal surgery), each with a different purpose.  The risks for both are similar, as are the prospective results and outcome.
 
Restrictive Weight Loss Surgery
 
The first type of bariatric weight loss surgery is ‘restrictive’. It includes the well-known ’stomach stapling’. The purpose of restrictive surgery is to restrict the amount of food that can be eaten at one time. Doctors create a small pouch at the top of the stomach that holds about one ounce of food, with a small opening at the bottom to hold food in the pouch and cause a feeling of fullness. After the surgery, a patient can eat no more than 3/4 cup to a cup of well-chewed bland food at a time without becoming nauseous. The intent of the surgery is to reduce the amount of food eaten by restricting the amount of food that can be eaten at once.
 
Variations of restrictive surgery include ‘lap banding’, in which the pouch is created by wrapping a silicone band around the upper part of the stomach. Since there is no need to cut into the stomach or intestine, the complication rate is lower than in standard restrictive surgery, and the recovery period is shorter.
 
The second type of bariatric surgery for weight loss is the malabsorptive variety. These are the more common type of surgery for treatment of obesity. The most well-known of the procedures is the gastric bypass. The purpose of gastric bypass and other types of bypass surgery is to prevent the effective absorption of nutrients from food eaten by ‘bypassing’ most of the intestine in the food’s path through the body. The malabsorption results in significant weight loss and a reduction of appetite.
 
The possible side effects of gastric bypass surgery include:
 
Chronic diarrhea
Stomach ulcers
Foul-smelling stools and flatulence
Risk of nutritional and micro-nutritional deficiencies
Dumping syndrome - symptoms include faintness, fainting, nausea, sweating and diarrhea after eating
 
Patients seeking bariatric surgery are evaluated by a medical professional for suitability for the surgery. Candidates include those who are at least 80-100 pounds overweight, and who have shown little success with traditional weight loss methods. In additions, patients who have other physical problems which require weight loss may be candidates.
 
If you’re considering weight loss surgery, you must realize several things:

1. The risks of surgery are serious.
2. You will require lifelong medical supervision after the surgery
3. You will still need to make lifestyle and dietary changes.
4. Many health insurance plans will not cover it.
 
Be sure that you choose a surgeon experienced in bariatric techniques, and that you will be provided with full physical and emotional support before, during and after the surgery.

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