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Dirk Wessels asked:


I believe there are many diets out there that work and generally I can not blame the particular diet for my failed attempts in the past. Everything boils down to attitude.

All my life I have been somewhat overweight and oversized. I remember on the day of Princess Diana’s wedding some of the kids in my class asked me how much I weighed and I told them 72Kgs. This is not so bad, except that I was in grade 7 (12 years old). I stopped growing in length about 2 years after that, but by then I stood 1.92M tall. The problem is that I did not stop “growing” in weight. By the time I left school I weighed around 105KGs.

While I was at school, my mother, sister and I tried every possible diet under the sun, but nothing lasted and soon afterwards we would pick up the bit of weight we had lost during the diet.

By 1996 I had moved to Johannesburg and my mom moved up there for 1 year to fill the position of national director for Child and Family Welfare and we decided to share an apartment. On the first of February 1997 I bought a book called Unlimited Power by Anthony Robbins. Many of you will probably know Anthony Robbins who, in my opinion, is the greatest inspirational speaker in the world. I sat down in a restaurant to start reading this book and I could not get myself to stop reading. Eventually, by midnight, the restaurant closed and they chased me away, so I returned home and continued reading Unlimited Power, which I finished during the course of the next day.

The book is not dedicated to weight loss at all, but Anthony does mention how he lost 36 pounds (16Kgs) in a couple of weeks and he gives one piece of advice regarding weight loss: “If you want to loose weight, buy a blender” (paraphrased). That was all the motivation I needed. The book had inspired me so much that, at that moment, I believed I could achieve anything. I took off to the shops and bought a blender, a scale and a bunch of fruit. When I got home, I told my mom what I had read in the book and that I would only be eating (drinking) fruit for the next couple of months until I had lost at least 10KGs. I also threatened that I would move out of the apartment and leave her alone in this big, scary city if she prepared any food other than blended fruit for me. Being the angel that she is, my mom agreed to this and decided to join me on my fruit diet.

On the second of February 1997 I weighed 122KGs. That was day 1, a Sunday, and I was still inspired from the book, so it went fairly easy. I don’t believe it matters what fruit you use. Many people say that bananas are fattening, but I have found that I need at least 1-2 bananas in every mix to enjoy it. Generally I add 2 apples, 1-2 oranges, 2 bananas and something like watermelon or “spanspek” into a blender and mush it all together into a fruit “goo”. Add a cup of water in the beginning to thin the mixture and add a dash of lemon juice to prevent the mixture from turning an unbearable brown color within a couple of hours.

On day 2, the Monday, I took a 2 liter bottle of fruit goo to work. This raised a couple of eyebrows as the mixture does not look very appetizing. Those few that agreed to taste it though, admitted that it actually tasted much better than it looked. However, all the stares and frowns did not bother me, as I was determined to make this diet work. The interesting thing was that by the time I got home on the Monday afternoon, I was still not hungry. Yes, in my mind I could imagine enjoying a juicy piece of steak, but physically I did not feel hungry.

I lost more than 2 Kgs in the first 2 days On the Tuesday morning I jumped on the scale and was pleasantly surprised to find that I had lost more than 2KGs. The needle on the scale rested halfway between 119 and 120KGs. In 2 days I had lost 2 KGs and I still didn’t feel hungry or deprived of food as I had on previous diets. This inspired me again and I could not wait to get to work and tell all those skeptics about my progress. Strangely enough, by the time I got to the office, I had decided not to tell anybody that I had lost 2KGs, but rather to push through and see how quickly I could loose another 2. It would, after all, be far more impressive to say that I had lost 4KGs than 2. 2 Kilograms had always been my limit on previous diets. I would loose the first 2 kilograms fairly quickly and then it would stop there. I did not have the discipline to see a diet through, but this time I was determined to get further. So I quietly walked in and tried not to draw too much attention to myself or my 2 liter bottle of fruit goo.

By the Wednesday morning I could not help myself and jumped on the scale again. My original plan was to only weigh myself once a week, but I was hopeful and again, I did not have the discipline to wait another day. Fortunately, the scale-needle god smiled on me and decided to rest just below the 119KG mark. That was 3 kilograms in 3 days!!! And I still did not feel hungry or feel the need to eat solid foods. I was on a mission here. Anthony Robbins’ advice was working and he had lost 36 pounds in a couple of weeks, so I could do the same!! Whenever I felt hungry, I simply poured another glass of fruit goo and when we got home in the evenings, my mom prepared another bottle of goo for us to share during the evening.

Less than three weeks later I had lost 10 kilograms!! Everybody at work knew and could see that I had lost weight and now, instead of laughing at the mixture I was drinking, they asked me about my diet everyday. How do you do it, what fruits do you put in that mixture, don’t you get hungry and may I taste it? Instead of laughing, these were the questions they were asking now.

During that third week, I got home one afternoon to find my mom, who had also lost around 7KGs by then, sitting in the lounge with an unusually guilty look on her face. I asked her what was wrong and she immediately looked down at the empty plate in front of her. She had bought some salty cracks (biscuits) and yes, by that time I was quite eager on putting some solid food in my mouth as well. We agreed to eat some salty cracks with cheese and tomato from then on and a week later we decided to give the diet a break, but simply to try and maintain our weight. By the 28th of February I weighed 111KGs, so I had lost 11KGs in 26 days.

During the first couple of days, I was loosing 1 kg every day. Pretty impressive, but obviously you can’t expect to keep that up. At some stage I remember my weight standing still for about 3-4 days. The scale-needle god was not smiling so brightly anymore. One morning when I got on the scale and noticed that the needle was still stuck on the same weight, I decided to move to the next level (whatever it takes, remember). Now, I’m not very big on exercise, but we did live in an apartment on the ground floor of a 10 or 12 storey building. So I jumped off the scale and ran out the front door with only my sleeping shorts and my slightly reduced stomach sticking out and proceeded to run (okay, I lie… I walked most of the way) up and down the stairs of this building. By the next morning I could see that the needle had moved a little and I continued walking/running up and down the stairs every morning. Everyone knows that exercise will help you lose weight, so that is not the great revelation I want to share with you. The point that I do want to make is that my attitude was right. I was going to lose weight!! There was no question in my mind and I believed that absolutely. Therefore, when I ran into a bit of difficulty, I did not give up as before but I simply changed my plan of action, by adding a bit of exercise to my routine and continued on.

The results I had booked a 4 week holiday in Greece for May that year and decided that I would continue to weigh myself every 2 days or so and ensure that I don’t pick up any weight before the holiday. By the time I left for Greece, I still weighed 111KGs. This may not sound important, but how many times have people told you that you should loose weight slowly or you will simply pick it up again, and more. Well, here’s my answer. I had a motivation to ensure that I don’t pick that weight up again because I wanted to look good and feel good about myself during my holiday. It worked. I don’t know how to express in words how I felt when I walked onto that beach on Myconos (the first island I visited).

Firstly, being from South Africa where we don’t have nudist beaches, just being there was quite a treat for me. Walking around without a shirt and not feeling embarrassed about the size of my stomach was absolutely amazing. For the first time in my life girls actually came up to talk to me and when I went to talk to them, they did not immediately give me a cold shoulder. On IOS, the party capital of Greece, I met a Swedish girl and we actually had a mini fling there for a couple of days. Something I had never experienced before. I left to go visit 2 other islands, but I went back to IOS and she was actually happy to see me. Again, something I was not used to before. I don’t believe anybody treated me differently because I had lost a bit of weight. In fact, I was still overweight and could have done with losing another 15-20KGs. Added to that, if you’ve seen my pic on my weight-loss blog, you’ll know that losing a bit of weight can’t change that face. Instead, I believe they treated me differently because I was more confident and at peace with myself and my own body.

In 1997 I was earning a pretty good salary, considerably more than most of my friends. Even so, between February 1997 and June 2000 my salary trippled without changing jobs. Generally people say you have to change jobs to get those sized increases, but I believe I achieved it within the same company simply because I had a newfound confidence in myself.

Success breeds success!!



Anne-Marie

MAIKEL WOOD asked:


Ever since obesity has been termed as an epidemic, it has attracted attention throughout the world. In America weight loss has become an industry. The air is thick with discussions and counter-discussions about various diet plans being proposed by various people.

There is a 5-Factor Diet, Atkins Diet, Bob Greene’s Best Life Diet, South Beach Diet, Cabbage Soup Diet, Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet, Anne Collin’s diet and now you have DASH diet and Fat Smash Diet and Size Zero Diet and …. it goes on!

Proponents of each of these diet plans make claims of how much weight you will lose and how rapidly you will lose weight. Some go to the extent of claiming that you will lose up to 10-12 lbs in a week whereas medical experts warn that such claims are ridiculous and weight loss of such proportions can come about only by losing water which is detrimental to the system. Moreover there is always the danger of gaining weight just as rapidly when you stop working on the plan.

Essentially all these plans boil down to a few basics! The body weight is contributed by fat, muscles, bones and water. Excess calorie intake is responsible for increased weight and so cut down the excess intake of calories. Increase metabolism so that stored fat can be burnt off; burn off the fat that is stored in the body by exercises and fat burning food. But do not starve the body of the essential nutrients.

Basically diet plans fall into three broad categories: the “fad diets”, those that are based on specially processed food and those that can be called as “natural diet” plans.

There is no clear definition of “fad diet”; it is very subjective. Fad diet is popularly believed to be a poor weight loss diet. A fad diet generally becomes very popular very quickly and falls out of favor just as quickly. Fad diets quite often claim very quick weight loss. Their claims for efficacy are generally not confirmed by any legitimate scientific studies. Often promoted by parties that publish books about the diet or those that sell some supplements or ingredients that are part of the fad diet, a fad diet may not achieve anything at all or at times may have an adverse effect on health.

The natural diet plan is based on use of food constituents that are normally in your diet; it recommends some of the constituents as being helpful and some others as being harmful from the point of view of weight loss. For example, it may recommend certain fish such as Sardines, herrings, etc as providing beneficial Omega 3 fatty acids or may recommend use of lean meat but not others such as pork; it may recommend low-fat skimmed milk but not the normal fresh milk. Natural diet is based on very clearly understood and recognized scientific knowledge.

The third category of diet plans mentioned above are based on use of specially processed food ingredients or supplements; this category is so highly commercialized that even if it has scientific basis at times lies on the boundary of fad diet plans.



Kate

MN Nikk asked:


One of the important things you can do for your overall health is to eat a healthy diet. Your diet affects your weight and increases your risks of health diseases. Deciding a healthy diet is easier to say than to do because it is tempting to eat less healthy foods. Different people decide different healthy diet because you might eat this kind of diet while others just cannot stand the food you eat and find its alternative. That’s what health experts are here for, to let us know which food are healthier than others.

What are the principles of healthy eating?

Know What Healthy Food Is and How You Should Eat

When pursuing a healthy eating plan, you should remember the following:

1. Try and Eat a Variety of Different Colored Food - You should remember that different foods have different nutritional values. Food can be rich in antioxidants or Vitamin C. So, when you go to do your regular weekly shop, try and see what different colored foods you can pick up.

Down the fruit and vegetable aisle you should see greens, yellows, oranges and reds. You should have as much of a color variety in your trolley as you can. For example, when picking out fruit pick up strawberries, oranges, pineapple, apples, blueberries and bananas and you will notice what a large color selection you actually have. The same goes for vegetables. Basically, more color means that it is better and healthier for you.

2. Eat Foods from All Food Groups - The problem with many diets these days is the fact that they tell you to cut certain foods from certain food groups, out of the diet altogether. This means that you lose important nutrition and don’t eat as healthy as you could be. So, the answer to a healthy diet is to eat a variety of different foods.

Generally, fruit and vegetables should make up the main portion of your diet but you still need carbohydrates such as potatoes, meat or fish and a little bit of fatty foods like flaxseed oil which many experts recommend as part of a good fat diet. Overall, a diverse mixture of all food groups is needed for a healthy diet!

3. When You Need to Eat Snack, Do It on Healthy Foods – It doesn’t mean that just because you want to lose weight, you’ll have to skip your snack. In fact, snacking can actually be quite good for you just as long as you are eating the right foods.

Generally, when we want to eat snack, we reach for a biscuit or a packet of crisps. However, if you want to eat a healthy snack, then you will have to swap those for nuts, seeds or fruit and vegetables. That way you will get energy, you will also be full until your next meal time and it will be completely healthy.

Since you know what foods you like and what you don’t, you really have to decide for your own healthy eating plan. However, the said tips above can help you to choose the best healthy eating plan for you.

If you are switching to a healthy eating plan, then a Proactol™ can help you. Proactol™ is new clinically proven weight loss product that can help you cut down your fat intake by 28% of your dietary fat intake when taken after food. You don’t have to deprive yourself of foods you love to eat healthy. Just eat the food you like in moderation and take Proactol™ to deal with your diet effortlessly.

Practicing a sensible weight loss is not just taking a diet pill - you should live for a long-lasting healthy lifestyle.



Armandino

Jill Miller asked:


If you have tried every so-called healthy diet plan on the planet and every exercise program from the latest fitness guru and repeatedly failed to achieve your weight loss goals, you probably need a “healthy diet check up…from the neck up.”

There’s no such thing as a healthy, fast, weight loss diet plan. Successful weight loss doesn’t just happen. It took more than a few days to reach the point where you are at right now. Give yourself a break and expect it to take awhile before you see measurable results. Take a leap of faith and follow some basic principles in your diet plan.

Begin with your “self talk.” This is the conversation that runs through your brain continuously. What kind of conversation do you have with your self talk? What type of negative self talk has kept you from reaching your weight loss goals in the past?

If you had a chance to do it over again, would you change the dialogue? That’s a no-brainer isn’t it? Well, the good news is that you can turn the tide of negative self talk beginning right now. It’s never too late to begin and you start by reprogramming your self talk and beginning a whole new weight loss diet plan.

A good starting point is to begin with positive affirmations. Positive affirmations, spoken aloud with authority and belief, positively affect your attitude, focuses your thinking and lead to a course of action that will help you become the person you want to be and have the things that you want to have.

Begin by writing your weight loss affirmations on paper. You can begin with something like, “I want to lose 25 pounds before Christmas.” That’s a worthy goal and attainable, but we need to put some work into structuring the affirmation.

First of all, “I want” gives the impression that what you desire is always in the future. In order to re-program your self talk, you need to trick your mind into believing that you have already achieved weight loss success. This is how your subconscious mind functions.

Your subconscious mind has no capacity for understanding the concept of time. Everything is in the moment. . .here and now. When you tell your subconscious mind that you “want”, that is exactly what you will get. . .want. . .without ever achieving fulfillment. Unless you change your mental tape recorder, you will achieve exactly what you are telling your subconscious, that you “want to lose 25 pounds.” You will “want to lose 25 pounds” for the rest of your days unless you change your self talk.

If your weight is 150 pounds and you desire is to weight 125 pounds, then you need to “be” 125 pounds from the moment you make the decision to change your self talk. What if you write your affirmation to read something like this: “I am healthy and fit, weighing 125 pounds.”

It is extremely important that your affirmation is crystal clear because what you affirm is exactly what your subconscious mind will bring you.

You needn’t limit yourself to one affirmation either. Write another one that reflects your new exercise program. “I enjoy my healthy new diet plan,” or, “I love the healthy foods I eat.”

Write and rewrite until you are absolutely certain that you have written your weight loss goals “in the here and now” AND represent precisely what you desire. Only then do you begin to speak it aloud and do so several times a day.

Remember to use the present tense. “I acknowledge achievement in all my weight loss goals.” “I have the skill and talent to exercise every day.” “I am a winner.” “I am grateful for all of my accomplishments no matter how small.”

At first you will feel awkward and uncomfortable and you may not feel or believe what you are saying. It doesn’t matter, continue to speak them aloud with as much conviction as you can muster. It’s taken a long time to train your subconscious to use negative self talk. If you will persevere with speaking your affirmations aloud, firmly and confidently, you will be amazed at how quickly you can turn your thoughts around.

You didn’t hop on a bicycle the first time and just take off down the street. It took practice to train your body to balance on those two wheels. This will take some practice as well. Continue to repeat your affirmations aloud, several times a day for the next 30 days and you will be amazed at how much you change your thinking and attitude.

Above all, take action. Do nothing and nothing gets done. Do something and many things are placed in motion.

Regardless of what you are doing in life, you need to take action. Do something every day to put your plan into motion.



Grace

Linda Smyth asked:


Now that the Atkins diet has fallen from grace, what type of diet is best for weight loss, and what’s the skinny on fat, carbohydrates and protein?

WHICH DIET IS BEST?

The acute fall in demand for Atkins-type low-carb food products, which led to the recent decision of Atkins Nutritionals, the promoter of the Atkins diet, to file for bankruptcy protection, has left many dieters wondering what type of weight loss diet is best. The short answer is: any balanced diet which is calorie-controlled. The US Department of Agriculture offers two dietary paradigms: it’s own “Food Guide” - a balanced food plan - and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan - a diet to reduce raised blood pressure - neither of which merits the description “low-fat” or “low carb”. Furthermore, the consensus among most dietitians and nutritionists is that the precise percentage of fat, carbohydrate or protein, matters less than the type of these macronutrients. Put simply, whether you eat 30 or 35 percent of your calories as fat is less important than the type of fat you eat.

FATS TO EAT, FATS TO AVOID

Recommended fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated varieties, with most coming from foods like fish, nuts, and vegetable oils. Oily fish, like salmon, mackerel and sardines, are especially nutritious as they contain omega-3 fats which are not manufactured inside the body and must be obtained from food.

The new “bad guys” are saturated fats and trans-fats (AKA hydrogenated fats). It’s best to eat less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fats and less than 300 mg/day of cholesterol, while eating as few trans fats as possible. Cheese and beef are the main diet foods which contribute to excessive intakes of saturated fat, while cakes, cookies, crackers, pies, bread, animal products and margarine are largely responsible for the high intake of trans-fats. Eggs, while high in dietary cholesterol, are now regarded as a healthy food.

CURB YOUR REFINED CARBS

The rise in digestive disorders such as diverticulosis, as well as metabolic disorders like insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, is directly attributable to our modern dietary preference for white flour foods, as well as our overconsumption of foods and drinks with too much added sugar, including: regular sodas, frosted cereals, cakes, and confectionery. Being easily converted to blood-glucose, these refined carbohydrates can lead to excessive levels of blood glucose and insulin - causing appetite swings, cravings and a variety of metabolic problems. And being easily digestible they can also cause calorie overload and weight gain. All this is reflected in the latest Dietary Guidelines which advocate a reduction in refined carbs and a corresponding increase in the consumption of whole grains, like oats, brown rice, basmati rice, whole wheat breads and pasta. Being largely unrefined, whole grains are richer in fiber and nutrients. In addition, they keep us full for longer, which assists appetite and weight control.

BE GUIDED BY THE GLYCEMIC INDEX

The most comprehensive guide to healthy carbs is the Glycemic Index (GI). Originally created to help diabetics control their blood-glucose levels, the GI classifies carb-rich foods into three categories: high-GI, intermediate and low-GI. Put simply, the higher a food’s GI value, the faster and greater its impact on blood-glucose, and the more health problems it can cause. Intermediate and low-GI carbs are the basis for the new generation of “GI Diets”, which in effect offer all the benefits of traditional low carb diets, without any of the nutritional risks associated with long term carb restriction.

Concerning non-starchy carbohydrates, the message has not changed in years. Eat plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables of all types, including: leafy green vegetables, deep green, yellow, orange or red vegetables; as well as fruits, notably: blackcurrants, cantaloupe, kiwi fruit, mango, all citrus fruits, and strawberries. All these foods contain important micronutrients many of which are beneficial for metabolism and weight management, as well as general health.

DO CARBS CAUSE A SLOWDOWN IN WEIGHT LOSS?

It’s not accurate to say that eating carbohydrate has a detrimental effect on weight. True, low carb diets are famous for causing fast initial weight loss, but let me explain how this occurs. When we eat a normal amount of carbohydrate, we burn it straightaway or else store it for future use in the form of glycogen. Point is, each unit of glycogen binds with 3 units of water. When we start a low carb diet, we rapidly use up all our stored glycogen along with the attached water. It is this sudden loss of water which accounts for most of the extra weight lost when starting a low carb diet. Naturally, as we reintroduce carbs into our diet, we rebuild our glycogen reserves and re-absorb water. Thus, it is more accurate to say that restricting carbs causes an unnatural loss of water-weight, rather than saying that eating carbohydrate causes a slowdown in weight reduction.

HOW MUCH PROTEIN DO WE REALLY NEED?

How much protein we need depends on our ideal body weight. This is because protein is not needed by fat cells, only by our lean tissue. According to official US guidelines, the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of protein for adults is 0.8 gram per kilogram (2.2 pounds) of ideal body weight. This RDA is said to meet 97.5% of the population’s needs. For example, a woman of 5′4 who is at her ideal weight of 126 pounds needs 45g of protein per day. This amount is easily obtainable as follows:

BREAKFAST (14g protein)

1 cup oatmeal, 1/2 cup skimmed milk, 2 tbsp wheatgerm

LUNCH (18g protein)

Whole wheat pita, 2 oz salmon, sliced tomato and spinach leaves

DINNER (34.5g)

3 oz chicken breast, 1 cup cooked rice, 1 cup mixed vegetables

This daily menu actually includes a massive 66.5g of protein, well over the RDA for a person of her size. Yet it hardly looks like a high protein eating plan, does it? This is because there really is no such thing as a food that is ‘just’ protein or ‘just’ carbohydrate - most foods are a combination of protein, carbs and fats. For example, 1 cup of cooked rice has 5g protein even though we think of rice as a ‘carb’. The same applies to spaghetti - in most people’s mind this is classed as a ‘carb’ food, yet 1 cup of cooked spaghetti contains 7g protein!

WHICH PROTEIN IS BEST?

Protein from animal foods is marginally better than vegetable protein, although many animal protein sources can be high in unhealthy saturated fat. Ideally, include both vegetarian and low-fat animal protein in your diet.

HOW TO GET 10g OF HEALTHY PROTEIN

Here are some easy ways to meet your daily protein requirements. Provided your weekly diet contains some complete proteins from meat, eggs or milk, vegetable protein is perfectly fine.

1.5oz of white fish

1.7oz of oily fish like salmon

1.1oz of skinless chicken/turkey fillet

1.25oz of pork tenderloin/lean beef

3 egg whites

2.5oz of Brazils

1.25 cups of fat-free milk

1 cup of fat-free yogurt

1/3 cup cottage cheese

1.5oz of hard cheese

1/2 cup of lentils

3/4 cup soybeans

2 cups cooked brown rice

2 cups cooked pasta

2 cups cooked oatmeal

2.5 slices of rye bread

1 tbsp wheatgerm

CONCLUSION

There is no best weight loss diet. Provided you choose foods from all food groups, taking care to select the right type of fats, carbs and protein, the exact percentage of these macronutrients is up to you. As a basic guide, eat 20-35 percent of calories as fat; 45-65 percent of calories as carbohydrate and 10-35 percent of calories in the form of protein.



Tom

Lucinda Reynolds asked:


So what this says to me is that we may think we are eating healtIf you want to lose weight then it is important that you learn how to follow a healthy diet. There are plenty of diet plans on the market that will tell you what to eat, but if their plan doesn’t include a variety of healthy foods, then forget it. You can lose weight and eat healthy at the same time.

A healthy diet should consist of all the foods in the food pyramid. Our bodies are designed to pull energy and needed nutrients from the variety of foods offered in this pyramid. But you have to remember that in order to lose weight you have to learn moderation.

Eating healthy is the best thing that you can do for your body and to increase your chances of losing weight. However, you also have to incorporate a little self-discipline. You still have to watch how much you eat. This means eating your meals a little slower and stopping when you start to feel full. Do not overeat! When you start to feel satisfied, get up and move away from your plate.

Fruits and vegetables are a very important part of a healthy diet. But you should probably choose organic grown fruits and vegetables. These should be free of pesticides and other chemicals. If you cannot find organic foods or cannot afford them because they do cost quite a bit more, buy a bottle of fruit and veggie wash. Wash all of your fruits and vegetables in this solution before you eat them. It will help to remove the residue from pesticides and other chemicals. I have my own personal experience to share with you to let you know that it works.

I have always had an allergic type reaction when I would attempt to eat fresh fruit. Just eating one strawberry would make my throat start to itch, my lips tingle, my ears itch and my nose would start to run. I always thought that I was allergic to fruit. One day I decided to try washing the fruit in veggie wash. The results were amazing. I was able to enjoy a fresh bowl of strawberries with no reaction at all!

hy but we are actually ingesting some possibly dangerous chemicals into our bodies when we eat fruits and vegetables. I recommend always washing your fruits and vegetables thoroughly with some type of natural veggie wash before eating them.

A healthy diet should also consist of healthy beverages. Drink plenty of water and cut back on the sugary drinks.

So if you are struggling to lose weight, give up the junk foods. Start a healthy diet that consists of a variety of foods in moderation. Try to eat six small healthy meals a day and you will not go hungry. If you follow this plan, you will find that the excess weight will start to disappear!



Urban Legend

Jun Yuan Lim asked:


The race to fitness is definitely on, with more and more people starting to become health conscious and jumping onto the bandwagon to lose excess fat and become fitter, leaner and of course, sexier.

As such, there are many fitness programs out there both online (such as weight loss ebooks, weight loss newsletters, weight loss forums, weight loss ezines, etc.) as well as offline (weight loss pills, fitness centers offering various fitness courses, weight loss centers, etc.) - these programs are all over (try typing “weight loss programs” in Google search engine and you’ll find millions of sites offering weight loss programs and packages), and people have spent lots of money on such programs, with hope that at the end of each program they’ll be able to get rid of their excess fats off their body and become fitter, leaner, slimmer, and sexier (as promised by these programs).

In this article, I’m going to reveal some of the more popular weight loss programs out there today:

1. Atkin’s New Diet Revolution by Dr Atkins

This weight loss program encourages a high protein diet and trimming down of carbohydrates intake. Dr Atkin’s New Diet Revolution suggests that for successful weight loss, one should feast on vegetables and meat and cut down on eating bread and pasta. The program also suggests that it is all right to pour in salad dressings and spreading butter freely.

2. Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet by Dr Heller

This program advocates low carbohydrate eating, approves of eating more meat, fruits and vegetables, as well as dairy and grain products.

3. Choose To Lose by Dr Goor

This program restrains on intake of fats, but does not restrict one on the intake of carbohydrates. Eating of meat and poultry, as well as low-fat dairy and seafoods is okay in this program. A green light is also given on the eating of vegetables, fruits, cereals, bread and pasta.

4. The DASH Diet

The DASH diet advocates moderate amounts of fat and protein intake but high on carbohydrates intake. This diet plan was designed following the pyramid food guide and encourages high intake of whole wheat and grain, as well as

fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy.

5. Eat More, Weight Less by Dr Ornish

This program is primarily about vegetarian fare and strictly low-fat. It gives the green light on “glow” foods but warns on non-fat dairy products as well as egg whites. This diet, however, is poor in calcium and restricts on the consumption of healthy foods such as seafoods and lean poultry.

6. Eat Right For Your Type

This program is interesting because the person’s diet is determined based on his/her blood type. This program recommends people with blood type O to eat plenty of meat. Diet plans for some blood types are nutritionally imbalanced and too low on calories. And for the record, there is no proof that blood type affects Tone’s dietary needs.

7. The Pritkin Principle

The Pritkin Principle focuses on the trimming of calorie density by eating watery foods that will make one full. According to the Pritkin Principle, eating of vegetables, fruits, oatmeal, pasta, soups, salads, and low-fat dairy is okay, but there are limits placed on the eating of lean meat, seafood and poultry, as well as other foods that are protein-rich.

8. Volumetrics

This program recommends eating the same types of food as The Pritkin Principle but restricts fatty or dry foods such as popcorn, pretzels and crackers. This programs is reasonably healthy given the high amount of fruits and vegetables intake, as well as being low in calorie density and saturated fats intake.

9 The Zone

This program recommends food intakes that are moderately low on carbohydrates but moderately high on proteins. It encourages eating low-fat protein foods such as fish, chicken, vegetables, fruits and grains.

With that, I hope that, based on the brief summary of the 9 different weight loss programs, you’ll be able to pick and choose the program/s that will suit you best.

Good luck.



Miguel

Lauren S Johnson asked:


 

Many of us start a diet regimen but we quickly end up abandoning our routine because of certain obstacles. One of the major reasons for a halt in a diet regimen is lack of time. Many of us don’t have the time to prepare healthy meals while at the same time having to complete our daily tasks and choirs. This usually means eating unhealthy processed food or eating unknown calories in the form of takeout. Basically, the only way to avoid this obstacle is to set aside at least an hour each day for cooking. This way you can be sure that you are consuming a healthy meal with the proper amount of calories.

Another obstacle in dieting stems from the taste buds. Many of us get so use to rich flavored foods that when we encounter healthy vegetables we get discouraged from the lack of taste. Well, one way to fix this is to spice up your veggies. First of all, remember not to overcook your vegetables as that will make them soggy. Be sure that your veggies remain crisp. And also add your favorite spices to your vegetables. Often times when we are on a diet we undergo a complete change where we abandon everything that we use to enjoy eating. So if there are certain spices which you loved to eat with your meals, you can easily add them to your vegetables in order to create a delicious treat.

And a final obstacle in dieting stems from our fear of abandoning junk food. We get so used to our salty and sweat treats that we can’t help but to long for them. So what can we do to reduce our dependency on these unhealthy snacks? Well, many of us are aware of the healthy snack alternatives that are available out there today. You can replace regular chips for baked, regular cookies for graham crackers, and soda for sparkling water. Believe it or not, maintaining a healthy diet does not have to mean dreading your meals. Simply try to liven up your meals with fun spices and healthy treats.



Poppy

Wael Serag asked:


Recent studies show that high blood pressure can be lowered by the DASH Diet plan and by reduced salt intake (sodium). The DASH eating plan also has other benefits, such as lowering LDL (bad) cholesterol, which, along with lowering blood pressure, can reduce your risk for getting heart disease. Each method alone lowers blood pressure, however, the combination of the eating plan and a decreased sodium intake gives the highest benefit and prevents the development of high blood pressure.

The DASH Diet Plan is:

1- Low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and total fat.

2- Rich in fruits, vegetables, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products.

3- Includes whole grain products, fish, poultry, and nuts.

4- Low in lean red meat, sweets, added sugars, and sugar-containing beverages compared to the typical American diet.

5- Rich in potassium, magnesium, calcium, protein and fiber (nutrients that are expected to lower blood pressure).

Daily Nutrient Goals of the DASH Plan (for a 2,100 Calorie Plan):

- Total fat: 27% of calories

- Saturated fat: 6% of calories

- Protein: 18% of calories

- Carbohydrate: 55% of calories

- Cholesterol: 150 mg

- Sodium: 2,300 mg. the diet offers 2 levels of daily sodium consumption 2,300 and 1,500 milligrams per day. 2,300 milligrams is the highest level acceptable by the National High Blood Pressure Education Program. 1,500 milligram can lower blood pressure further and more recently is more recommended as adequate intake and one that most people should try to achieve. The lower your salt intake is, the lower your blood pressure. Studies have found that the DASH menus containing 2,300 milligrams of sodium can lower blood pressure and that an even lower level of sodium, 1,500 milligrams, can further reduce blood pressure. Current salt consumption in the United States is 4,200 milligrams per day in adult men and 3,300 milligrams per day in adult women.

- Potassium: 4,700 mg

- Calcium: 1,250 mg

- Magnesium: 500 mg

- Fiber: 30 g

DASH Diet and Weight Loss

You can lose weight while following the DASH diet plan at lower calorie levels with increasing your physical activity. The best way to lose weight is by doing so gradually, getting more physical activity, and eating a balanced diet that is lower in calories and fat.

Physical activity can be done at one time for 30 minutes , or at 3 times 10 minutes each for a total of 30 minutes. To avoid weight gain, try to total about 60 minutes per day.

How to Lower Calories on the DASH Eating Plan?

The DASH eating plan can be adopted to promote weight loss. It is rich in lower-calorie foods, such as fruits and vegetables. You can make it lower in calories by replacing higher calorie foods such as sweets with more fruits and vegetables and that also will make it easier for you to reach your DASH goals. Here are some examples:

1- To increase fruits: Eat a medium apple instead of four shortbread cookies. You’ll save 80 calories. Eat 1/4 cup of dried apricots instead of a 2-ounce bag of pork rinds. You’ll save 230 calories.

2- To increase vegetables: Have a hamburger that’s 3 ounces of meat instead of 6 ounces. Add a 1/2-cup serving of carrots and a 1/2-cup serving of spinach. You’ll save more than 200 calories. Instead of 5 ounces of chicken, have a stir fry with 2 ounces of chicken and 11/2 cups of raw vegetables. Use a small amount of vegetable oil. You’ll save 50 calories.

3- To increase fat-free or low-fat milk products: Have a 1/2-cup serving of low-fat frozen yogurt instead of a 1/2-cup serving of full-fat ice cream. You’ll save about 70 calories.

4- Other calorie-saving tips:

- Use fat-free or low-fat condiments. Use half as much vegetable oil, soft or liquid margarine, mayonnaise, or salad dressing, or choose available low-fat or fat-free versions. Eat smaller portions and cut back gradually. Choose fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products. Check the food labels to compare fat content in packaged foods and items marked fat-free or low-fat are not always lower in calories than their regular versions. Limit foods with lots of added sugar,such as pies, flavored yogurts, candy bars, ice cream, sherbet, regular soft drinks, and fruit drinks.

- Eat fruits canned in their own juice or in water. Add fruit to plain fat-free or low-fat yogurt. Snack on fruit, vegetable sticks, unbuttered and unsalted popcorn, or rice cakes. Drink water or club soda and zest it up with a wedge of lemon or lime.



Declan

Mark Kimathi asked:


Do you want a sexy body, or you are embarrassed with the body they have now, or you simply want to remain fit and healthy. Consider a weight loss program. The race to fitness is on and a lot of people are getting into the band wagon. As such, many fitness programs are out in the internet, in gyms, spas and fitness centers all over the place. Some are too expensive to afford that one may even lose weight just by trying to work out the money needed to pursue these fitness programs.

But one need not have to go to the gym, the spa or any fitness center to spend much just to slim down to obtain that longed for sexy body. There are many weight loss books available in the bookstores which offer weight loss programs which are convenient and for free, except for the book of course. These weight loss programs, or diet plans are gaining immense popularity with so much publicity, testimonials and reviews that one may be confused which exactly to follow. So below are short summaries about the most popular diet programs out today.

Atkins’ Diet Revolution by Dr. Atkins: This is a low carb weight loss program that encourages high protein diet and a trim down on the carbs. Vegetables and meat are highly encouraged but one should fast on bread and pasta. Interestingly also is that one is not restricted against fat intake so it is okay to pour in the salad dressing and freely spread on the butter. However, if you donot plan your meals well, one may find himself lacking on fiber and calcium yet high in fat after the diet. Due to the fast on carbs intake of grains and fruits may also be limited.

Carbohydrate Addict’s Diet by Drs. Heller: This is also a version of low carb diet plan that also advocates low carbohydrate eating. It allows eating meats, vegetables and fruits, dairy and grain products. Though less restrictive on carbohydrates, the diets is still warns against taking in too much carbs. “Reward” meals are allowed to contain high amounts of fats and saturated fats.

Choose to Lose by Dr. Goor is in contrast to the first two a low fat diet. It is designed around strategies of restraining fat intake. One is given a “fat” budget and he is given the liberty on how to spend it. It does not pressure the individual to watch his carbohydrate intake which makes it a little easier to follow. Meat and poultry as well as low-fat dairy and sea foods are allowed. So is eating vegetables, fruits, cereals, bread and pasta. This weight loss plan can be considered to be fairly healthy. It has good amounts of fruits and vegetables as well as saturated fats. Watch triglyceride levels though; if high, trim down the carbohydrates and tuck in more of the unsaturated fats.

The DASH Diet is more in line with the conventional diet. It advocates for moderate amounts of fat and protein intake and high on carbs. Primarily designed to lower blood pressure, the diet plan follows the governments’ pyramid food guide and encourages high intake of whole wheat grains as well as fruits and vegetables and low-fat dairy. Some dieters think it allows too much eating to produce significant weight loss.

The Zone: Moderately low on the carbs yet moderately high on the proteins. It encourages low-fat protein foods like fish and chicken plus veggies, fruits and grains. It is also healthy but lacking in grains and calcium.

Eat More, Weigh Less by Dr. Ornish: This diet is primarily a vegetarian affair while strictly low-fat. Gives the go signal on the “glow” foods but warns to watch it on non-fat dairy and egg whites. This diet is generally poor in calcium and restricts consumption of healthy foods like seafood and lean poultry. You are also likely not to get enough proteins with this diet.

Eat Right for Your Type: This is an interesting one because it is based on the person’s blood type. Each blood type has a set of recommendations. For example it recommends plenty of meat for people with the blood type O. Diet plans for some blood types are nutritionally imbalanced and too low in calories. And for the record, there is no strong scientific evidence that blood type affects dietary needs.

Weight Watchers: High carbohydrates, moderate on fats and proteins. This is a very healthy diet plan and very flexible too. It allows the dieter to plan his own meal rather than give him a set to follow.

The Pritkin Principle: This is an interesting diet. It is focused on trimming the calorie density in eating by suggesting watery foods that make one feel full. Eating vegetables, fruits, oatmeal, pasta, soups, salads and low-fat dairy is okay. However it does limit protein sources to lean meat, seafood and poultry. Although it is healthy by providing low amounts of saturated fats and rich amounts of vegetables and fruits, it is also low on calcium and limits lean protein sources.

Volumetrics on the other hand is a low-density calorie eating. It recommends the same foodstuff as Pritkin but restricts fatty or dry foods like popcorn, pretzels and crackers. This plan is reasonably healthy given the high amounts of fruits and vegetables as well as being low in calorie density and saturated fats.



Southerner