Weight Loss

How to Control Hunger?

Posted in Healthy Diet, Weight Loss on January 29th, 2012 by Body Health – Be the first to comment

Mexican BreadEveryone wants to live longer and healthier life. Problems like weight gain and obesity are a result of faulty lifestyle. People generally eat food stuffs that have higher fat contents in them. The result is many types of disorders in human beings and a waste of money.  We should eat a balanced and nutritious diet so as to remain healthy and fit. The important question for most of the people is to how to control hunger. We should take our breakfast, lunch and dinner on time. The diet we should eat should contain the following elements in it:

  • Good amount of vitamins and minerals
  • Right amount of fiber in it
  • Plenty amount of water
  • Sufficient amount of carbohydrates

Apart from food we should inhale fresh air and take right amount of sunlight in winter season. The food we eat gives our body energy in the form of calories. The food is broken into energy in our digestive system. And with the help of this energy we are able to work and do the important function of our body. What usually happens is that when a person is hungry he eats oily and fatty food stuff. This food stuff although contain energy but it get stored in our body in the form of fat. On the other hand food items like fresh fruits and vegetables contain lesser amount of calories but fulfill the carving for hunger. So the best advice is to eat fruits and vegetables instead of fatty food stuff.

  • Usually due to hunger human beings start consuming lots of food stuff, which results in obesity and weight gain. We should eat that food stuff which does not increase our weight but make our body fit and healthy. We should take a good amount of fiber in our diet as fiber boosts our digestive system and suppresses our hunger.
  • We should also do regular exercises, the exercise converts stored fats in blood sugar. This blood sugar is absorbed instantly into our body. So the energy requirement of our body is fulfilled and we do not feel hungry. We should eat that much food which meets the energy requirements of a human body. Eating too much or too less can cause a problem for our health.
  • The intake of water also decreases the appetite of our body. Water is a well known hunger suppressant. Water boosts the metabolism of the human body and is a vital part of human being’s body. In case one is feeling hungry he or she should take cabbage or other vegetables and fruits to meet the hunger.
  • Other alternative food is the pickles, the pickles meets the energy requirement of the human body. Care should be taken when we purchase pickles. There are pickles that contain artificial coloring in them to make them yellowish in appearance. We should purchase pickles that are free from artificial colors and chemicals in them. These colors and chemicals can affect our intestine and digestive system.
  • Taking an apple to meet hunger is also a good alternative for human beings. Apples contain vitamins and carbohydrates in them to meet the calorific demand of our body.

How to Suppress Hunger?

Posted in Weight Loss on January 29th, 2012 by Body Health – Be the first to comment

French PatisserieIn order to lose weight, it is necessary to experience hunger. This is particularly true for persons who have tried combining foods, appetite suppressants and meal-timing strategies. Furthermore, natural foods consumed in order to eliminate food cravings and hunger pangs may not work for the majority of persons seeking to lose weight. Nevertheless, there are several strategies which can be adapted in order to help suppress hunger.

It helps to avoid refined carbohydrates in your diet, eating large portions of fiber, drinking a minimum of 8 glasses of water daily, obtaining sufficient natural sunlight. Although hunger may not be absolutely eliminated; hunger every so often is necessary to achieve weight loss. Besides, it is a natural human response emanating from a decrease in the normal consumption of calories.

The problem arises when people feel that they have to respond to hunger pangs with every given opportunity. If you are able to suppress the hunger pangs then the body system will in due course adjust. As a result, you will be able to live comfortably with lower levels of body fat. This strategy has been effective, making it possible for persons to lose more than 50 pounds in a short span of time; without having to take any drugs.

Lifesaving foods & beverages

Several foods and beverages can be taken in the event of intense hunger pangs. These foods/ beverages do not contain large amounts of calories. However, they remedy the discomfort generated by hunger without generating extra fat in the body.

Cabbages & cashews: Two servings of cabbage and two of cashews offers the perfect remedy. Two servings of cashews supply your body with half the amount of calories recommended for the body daily while the cabbages supply your body with an insignificant level of calories. Nonetheless, the consumption of this diet eliminates hunger pains by signaling to your body that you have consumed large portions of food while in fact, you have consumed only 900- 1000 calories of cashews and 20 calories of cabbages.

Water: Clean pure water is an effective appetite suppressant. Therefore, 8 glasses of water daily will be effective in reducing the intensity of hunger pains. Taking a glass of water and patiently waiting for 10 minutes will help drive your appetite to manageable levels.

Organic vegetable broth: Organic vegetable broth available in local health food stores is recommended, particularly were water is not the preferred choice. However, it is advisable to consider the ingredients carefully in order to avoid products containing excitotoxins. Excitotoxins including MSG, yeast extract, hydrolyzed vegetable proteins and autolyzed yeast extract cause neurological disorders by harming nerve cells. If chicken is the preferred flavor, then the organic chicken broth is good enough. Heating the entire quart in a large bowl and eating it like soup will get you full even before you complete the soup. Furthermore, you will get only 20 calories from the soup.

Green vegetables: Vegetables like lettuce, bokchoy and cabbage offer very low levels of calories. They can therefore, be consumed in large quantities.

Apples: Apples are high- fiber foods often recommended to help suppress hunger pangs. They demand more chewing which makes it highly unlikely to overeat.

Medifast Diet Plan

Posted in Healthy Diet, Weight Loss on December 5th, 2011 by Body Health – Be the first to comment

Banana DietMedifast is a rapid weight loss program in which the participant will be utilizing meal alternatives and real foods. This will help determined individuals in understanding the pitfalls of dieting and how to avoid them. This can also provide tools and prepared meals that help a person to lose weight properly. The program is customized for diabetics, men and women. Specific guidelines are given to nursing mothers, teens, seniors, those who have done bariatric surgery and patients with gout who wish to get involved in the program. Nutritionally balanced food, portion controlled, low-fat meals, drinks and snacks are included in the plan.

Medifast – Nutritional Philosophy

Medifast is not only designed for an individual to lose weight but also to give a new healthy way of living. For beginners, the initial program set is the Medifast 5 & 1 Plan wherein the person will eat only 5 Medifast prepared meal and a green lean self prepared meal every day. The offered meals will depend on your lifestyle whether you need standard, for women, men, meatless, diabetic and exerciser.

All these plans are created to set your body into ketosis, a state of increasing fat burning process to achieve your goal quickly. You will be losing 2-5 pounds per week as typical results of the plan. These results are attainable given the low calorie meals provided by the program.

The Medifast website is giving a lot of benefits including package deals for buying the drinks and meals available as well as enrollment programs. You can also sign up for a free session with a mentor who will be guiding you throughout the plan.

Getting Started

More people chose to start the program with the Mediplaast 5 & 1 Plan. Medifast meals are low fat and have a low glycemic index which is also safe for diabetic individuals. These can be ordered online where you can choose over 70 different types of foods and flavors and you can pick up some which has special price or may take your own favorite food. The 5 of your 6 daily meals would only cost you $11 a day. Medifast was designed by a physician who understands the right way of losing weight and has been highly recommended by over 20,000 doctors.

Start out the plan by eating 6 times a day, once every two to three hours. This will set your body in burning your fats slowly and losing weight safely without missing any nutritional values from food. You take 5 Medifast meals, 1 self prepared lean and green meal which consists of a portion of lean meat and cup vegetables that are non-starchy. You have to eat every 2-3 hours accompanied by 64oz of water per day. This type of plan is easy to follow and there is no need for you to guess or count the calories, carbohydrates and points in your food. Medifast meals are nutritional foods prepared ready right out of the package. This is the best healthy weight loss plan for individuals with busy life style.

Lipodissolve Explained

Posted in Liposuction, Plastic Surgery, Weight Loss on July 26th, 2010 by Body Health – Be the first to comment

Lipodissolve InjectionThe problem with excess fat, other than the obvious health hazards, is in losing it. Fat, like most physical problems simply refuses to go away no matter how hard you try. There are lots of new and innovative ways of losing fat coming to the forefront these days, but most of them are not worth a mention. So how does lipodissolve fare?

If you haven’t heard of it yet, you should know that lipodissolve is a process in which a chemical known as phosphatidylcholine (PPC), is injected in your body, in order to melt away the excess fat. This formulation usually also contains lecithin, derived from Soy beans, which enhances the action of the enzyme lipase, which is responsible for breaking down fat.

In some other formulations homeopathic agents and FDA approved medications may also be used. More often than not, the quality of the formulation used in the process is what determines the results.

And how does lipodissolve actually work? Well, it bursts open the fat cells! Yes, the formulation used in the process causes a reaction known as ‘lysis’ which basically involves the rupturing of the walls of the fat cells. When this happens, the cell matter gets dissolved and is gradually flushed out from within the body. This happens after the fat content of the cells is taken to the liver, further decomposed and then excreted.

So now that you have understood the basic of lipodissolve, here are some other facts about this process which may be of interest:

  • Lipodissolve scores over liposuction because it is not a surgical procedure and neither does it require anesthesia. The entire process lasts about 30 minutes and you can resume work once it’s over.
  • As you may have guessed by now, lipodissolve actually works best for spot reduction. So, if you have a specific area of the body where fat has accumulated, you can use this treatment instead of doing something which will also affect other parts of your body.
  • Usually visible changes start occurring after two sessions, while in some cases even one is enough.
  • The number of sessions you will require depends on the amount of fat accumulated. As there is a limit to the amount of chemical formulation injected in your body, doctors will space out the sessions 4-8 weeks apart. It usually takes about 3-4 sessions to achieve desired results.
  • You should remember that the success of lipodissolve is not judged by how much weight you have lost, but by the reduction in girth. So, you can lose 6-18 cm in the abdomen, 4-12 cm for thighs, 2.5-7 cm for arms and so on.
  • The results of lipodissolve can last as long as seven years if you maintain the right lifestyle with lots of exercise. But since deposit of fat is related to the ageing process, you may want maintenance treatment for even longer lasting results.

So, hopefully this explains the lipodissolve treatment comprehensively and you can now decide whether you want to go for it or not.

The Benefits of Mesotherapy

Posted in Cellulite, Healthy Diet, Liposuction, Plastic Surgery, Skin Care, Vitamins, Weight Loss on July 23rd, 2010 by Body Health – Be the first to comment

Mesotherapy InjectionReducing body fat, for looking good and feeling better is what everyone wants. But it’s achieving this objective which is the difficult part. You may have tried a lot of things, often because others were doing the same. But if you have not yet found the right results, maybe you have not yet tried mesotherapy. If you keep reading you will find out more about this wonderful medical procedure and its various benefits too. Maybe then you will decide to give it a try!

Conceived in the year 1952, this is an esthetic medical treatment which can serve as a great alternative to liposuction and plastic surgery, or even the use of invasive chemicals. This treatment aims to remove the cellulite which accumulates just under the skin in and around the mesoderm layer. Hence the name ‘meso’-therapy!

So what are the major benefits of mesotherapy? Here is a list which will amaze you for sure:

  • It is a non-invasive process. This is not a surgery or anything remotely as painful as some other fat removal techniques. A mixture of amino acids, vitamins and other medications are simply injected under the skin to start melting down excess fat.
  • The process is subtle and you do not feel a thing. As the medication starts working it breaks down cellulite and improves the flow of blood. This allows fat to be carried away and excreted from the body.
  • You do not require preparation for this therapy. In fact, the only thing you need to do, is maintain a healthy diet before and after the therapy. The entire procedure usually lasts no more than 30 minutes, which is why it is often called a ‘lunch time treatment’.
  • Mesotherapy helps in removing fat from specific areas of the body. Thus getting rid of love handles or double chin, is possible without bothering other parts of the body. This is why mesotherapy is used for sculpting and toning purposes.
  • This therapy can also induce weight loss, because once the fat stores starts to be depleted normal bodily functions resume and so, more of the stored fat is utilized for creation of energy.
  • Even if you are not bothered about losing weight, as long as you lose those inches, this is the treatment for you. This is because mesotherapy is known to bring down waistlines and cloth sizes.
  • As fat under the skin starts disappearing, the skin quality improves because it is not stretched anymore. Also irregularities in the contour of the skin (caused by lumps of fat) also disappear with passing time.
  • Unlike some other non-invasive treatments, mesotherapy does not take ages to show its action. You can start losing fat and getting slimmer within 2 weeks. The effects can be enhanced even further if you exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet.

And the best part is that the changes brought about by mesotherapy are usually permanent. As long as you take care not to accumulate fat any further, you are fine. So, have the benefits of mesotherapy motivated you enough to give it a try?

10 Ways How Not To Lose Weight

Posted in Exercises, Healthy Diet, Plastic Surgery, Supplements, Weight Loss on June 30th, 2010 by Body Health – 1 Comment

Bad DietWeight loss must be at the top of your mind when you are overweight or obese. But this does not mean that you must throw caution to the wind in order to achieve the desired weight loss results quickly. But the question is how do you know which weight loss methods are improper? Well, you have come to the right place because if you keep reading you will find out 10 ways which are definitely NOT right for losing weight.

All these ways of losing weight may be followed by more than one person today, simply because people are often misled when it comes to weight loss, partly due to their urgency and haste. So, you must make it a point not to adopt the following ways in order to lose weight:

1. Methods which can induce bulimia. There are some specific diets and techniques such as forced vomiting which can lead to bulimia. Use of laxatives and diuretics fall in the same category and can be really harmful for your body. Losing weight is not so important that you will put your life on the line!

2. Crash diets or yoyo diets. Crash diets are basically an alternate name for starvation. These can cause serious malnutrition in the body and you will find little or no energy to carry on with day to day activities if you are on one of these diets. Moreover, they can ultimately lead to hospitalization if it’s not already too late!

3. Surgical fat loss methods. It is true that modern medical science can allow you to lose fat via surgery. But is it worth a try? Perhaps not, if you consider the risks and side effects which are part and parcel of these surgeries. Surgery may be an option only when diet and exercise is not doing the job for you (which is highly unlikely) and your weight is getting out of bounds. But do give proper thought to these life-changing surgeries if you must undergo them.

4. Fat burning drugs. Over the ages fat burning drugs have been the dieter’s best friend or at least this is what people wanting to lose weight think. But in reality most of these fat burning supplements have side effects for which they have been withdrawn from the market.

5. Drugs which suppress appetite. These drugs have also been used by many weight loss hopefuls, but most have paid the price because these drugs can damage your health greatly.

6. Fad dieting. These diets are promoted as the next best thing since sliced bread, on the internet. While very few of them work, there are quite a few which may be unsafe for you.

7. Psychological techniques such as hypnosis. Despite the clamor about weight loss induced by hypnosis, there is no scientific evidence that this method actually works.

8. Going flat out. If you are too harsh on yourself whether at the gym or at the dinner table, you will never be able to achieve weight loss.

9. Exercise without proper diet. Exercise alone cannot help you lose weight, though this is what some people profess.

10. Taking it as a duty rather than a challenge. Remember that weight loss is not a chore; it is an objective you want to achieve for your own good!

Is It Possible To Lose Weight Without Exercising?

Posted in Exercises, Healthy Diet, Weight Loss on June 29th, 2010 by Body Health – 2 Comments

Healthy FoodIs losing weight easy and convenient? Well, the answer is no, it is not. You may not have been very circumspect all the while you were gaining weight. But now if you are desperate about losing weight, you definitely need to be determined and disciplined. However, the biggest obstruction in the way of losing weight is your work which leaves you hard pressed for time. How can you exercise? And if you cannot find time to exercise, do you stand any chance of losing weight? Well, you will be pleased to know that a proper diet can compensate for the lack of exercise in shedding weight from your body.

So, it is actually possible to lose weight even if you do not exercise. But you are warned at the onset that dieting without exercise will take time to bring about desired results. Thus, you need to be patient with your diet and not lust for quick results. Your overall body weight is a balance of your calorie intake and the calories burnt. So by burning more calories than you eat, you can attain sufficient weight-loss.

If you have decided to achieve weight-loss through dieting, you will do well to follow the steps below:

1. Familiarize with what you eat for a fortnight. When you start off with your dieting plans, give yourself a fortnight to understand and adjust to your new, improved diet. Study portion sizes of foods, how many meals you need to eat, how frequently you need to eat, how to prepare your diet etc. If need be, keep a tab on all such necessary details and try to decide upon a diet plan that augurs well for your body.

Daily Weighting2. After getting familiarized with this new found diet and dieting schedule, start weighing yourself. Throughout the day, measure your weight at different intervals such starting from the time you wake up to the time you hit the bed at night. Also, keep weighing yourself after every meal.

3. After a fortnight start restricting your diet without changing the overall quantity of food. Do not cook your food in oils and fats. Instead of frying foods, boil or bake them. For example, when you are having an egg, have a boiled one and not an omelet.

Fat Burger 4. Fast foods and snacks are a strict no-no, but some exceptions apply. However, you can gorge on fresh popcorn, chunky peanut butter, or a handful of nuts. These foods will not add extra calories to your body.

5. Start reducing your portion sizes by the day. If you manage to do so (in conjunction with the above steps), you will feel less hungry and the desire to eat big, heavy meals will also reduce considerably.

Follow Diet6. Lastly follow carefully how much you gain post each meal and how much you lose during your slumber. Understanding your body rhythm and digestive mechanism, you will be able to adjust accordingly.

Follow all the above mentioned steps religiously. It may take some time for you to obtain noticeable difference in weight, because without exercise, the process of weight loss gets hindered. However a proper diet and a disciplined life schedule will definitely shed those extra kilos in your body and lend you the perfect body shape!

Why Can’t I Stop Eating At Night?

Posted in Healthy Diet, Healthy Sleeping, Nutrition, Weight Loss on June 28th, 2010 by Body Health – Be the first to comment

Midnight SnackFood habits can make or break your health. When you are on a diet, you may be really happy that you are finally consuming nutritious food which will help you lose weight and attain your health goals really fast. But there may be specific problems which may throw a spanner in the works of your best laid plans. Excessive eating at night is one such habit, which may even become a disorder if you let it be.

Who does not love a midnight snack? But when this occasional snacking becomes a habit, you may find it going all downhill from there on. And soon you may find yourself having a bigger meal than your dinner in the middle of the night! But for your own good you should check your night cravings at the earliest possible point of time.

This is because; eating recklessly at night can ruin a hard day’s schedule of diet and exercise, which you stuck to, so religiously in order to attain your health goals. You will be eating only unhealthy snack food at night because that’s what cravings are for.

But why can’t you stop eating at night? There may be several reasons behind this if you consider this problem as one which is similar to binge eating. Research shows that depression, anxiety, interpersonal problems, boredom, and dieting are few of the main reasons behind night eating.

Snacking at night on sugary foods can have a comforting effect on your system. This is because the simple sugars present in these foods create a feeling of euphoria and energy-rush when they mix with the bloodstream. This can give you a morale boost when you are depressed or sad due to professional or personal problems.

Boredom may also be the reason why you walk up to the fridge late at night and gorge on the candies, pastries and other sinful delights. When you are not tired enough to fall asleep, you may find hunger building up within you and will soon want to take a look at what’s there to eat. This is a bodily response, because the longer you keep awake the more energy you need.

You may also be on a very strict diet during throughout the day. So subconsciously you hate all your meals from breakfast to dinner. And when the rest of your family is asleep at night, you feel the urge to indulge yourself in some delicacies you have been denied throughout the day. This can also lead to a night-time eating marathon, because you want to cheat!

There may be the fact that your diet is providing you insufficient calories and nutrition. This may leave you hungry even after dinner. Thus, you cannot help yourself from making guerrilla attacks on your fridge in the middle of the night!

Moreover, if your fridge is stacked with god food while you are on a diet, this urge to cheat may grow even stronger.

While these are the primary reasons behind night time eating, you must make sure that this does not become a disorder of any sort for you.

I’m Too Fat to Give Birth

Posted in Diabetes, Nutrition, Pregnancy, Weight Loss on June 25th, 2010 by Body Health – Be the first to comment

Fat LadyGiving birth to a child is an experience of a lifetime. But there can be many complications even when you are on the verge of becoming a mother. And if you are obese, you are right in the firing line. Yes, a fat woman runs a very high risk of developing complications while giving birth. Not only that, the child too may be born with certain birth abnormalities. So, if you are too fat, your child will automatically inherit the risk of potential health hazards during or after birth.

Researchers have not been able to establish yet whether obesity has a direct negative impact on the mother and/or child during birth. However, there has been enough evidence to conclude that certain other health conditions (that follow obesity) have a telling impact on the mother and/or child at the time of birth. One such condition, Type 2 diabetes, which is related to obesity, can heighten the risk of birth defects.

Type 2 diabetes (in which blood sugar levels in the body are beyond normal) disrupts the delicate embryo to a large extent. The excess blood sugar is transferred to the embryo from the mother. This stimulates the production (or rather overproduction) of free radicals which are toxic for both mother and baby. Excess sugar can also trigger the formation of metabolic byproducts that derail the signaling mechanisms, essential for embryonic development.

While obesity is certainly not the only reason behind diabetes, it cannot be ruled out a potential cause of birth defects. So, if you are overweight, you need to understand that shedding a few kilos can curtail blood sugar levels in the body, if not absolutely cure diabetes. In fact, research says that women suffering from pre-gestational diabetes but with controlled blood sugar levels in the pre-conception period face a lower risk of transferring congenital abnormalities to the newborn child.

Being overweight can also have other serious repercussions on the child. You surely must be aware that extra fat deposited in blood vessels impedes blood flow to vital organs in the body. Well, you may contract heart disease as a result, but have you ever wondered that it affects your child as well? Your baby (scientifically an embryo) depends on you for life. While the baby is in your womb, important nutrients, body fluids and blood are conferred from your body to your baby. Due to extra fat in your blood vessels, even your baby will not receive regular inflow of blood. This can adversely affect the health of your baby.

Studies claim that obesity heightens the odds of birth anomalies such as cleft palate, spina bifida, heart abnormalities and hormonal defects. On many occasions, parents are left wondering about the reasons for their child’s health problems. One reason could be the mother’s obesity during pregnancy.

If you are too fat, your child’s delivery could also be complicated and complex. Most obese mothers have to undergo Cesarean sections to deliver their children. So, if you want to experience a normal, hassle free delivery and your child to be fit, lose weight FAST!

Why Fat People Hate Going To Gym?

Posted in Exercises, Weight Loss on June 24th, 2010 by Body Health – Be the first to comment

Tired Fitness WomanOne of the most important things fat people need to do is to workout on a regular basis. After all only the right exercises and body weight can help someone who is overweight or obese, get in shape. But you will be surprised to know that fat people are actually the ones who hate going to gyms! And why is this, the case? Well, there apparently are quite a few reasons why fat people detest gyms. Keep reading to find more about them.

Most people who are fat or overweight did not get out of shape overnight. When you gain weight you do so gradually due to months and years of improper diet and lack of exercise. There may also be other reasons for weight gain, such as problems with the thyroid gland etc. But more often that not its lifestyle and diet that causes unnatural weight gain and makes people fat.

And what does a gym routine do to you? It basically ‘wakes and shakes’ you up! If you are fat and have a sedentary life to blame for it, a gym routine will challenge you with lots of activities every day, which you may not have done ever in your life. So, the body’s natural resistance to change kicks in and you simply do not want to break out of your comfort zone and exercise on a regular basis.

This feeling of resistance is even stronger if you are not too bothered about the fact that you are fat. In fact there are some people who do not even know the health risks associated with being overweight. So, you may think that gym workouts are too tiring and you can easily skip them. The reason you find gym workouts tiring is that you may be coming off a long period of inactivity and your extra weight makes it more difficult for you to move around with ease.

Moreover, it is a known fact that stamina and energy levels decrease with the continued accumulation of fat in your body. This means that you feel tired quite easily and simply cannot muster enough energy to complete your gym routine. Thus your dislike for the gym increases even further.

To top it off, if you have a trainer who pushes you hard (for your own good, obviously) you may dread every workout session rather than looking forward to it. Most fat people who hate gym feel that too much is being asked of them by their trainers. Little do they realize that it’s all part of their necessary training.

Then there may be the fact that you are intimidated by the gym environment. If you are odd one out in a room full of hunks and babes flaunting and toning their beach bodies, you are bound to feel out of place. Many fat people quit gym because they feel that they are being ‘stared at’ or are the butt of jokes. A strong inferiority complex is often the reason behind this feeling.

The bottom line is that if you want to lose weight you must try hard and shed your inhibitions. It’s tough, but you simply cannot hate the gym!