How to get motivated to lose weight
How to get motivated to lose weight
Ok let’s be realistic, if you don’t take action you will not lose weight. It all starts when you actually decide that you are going to do it and take the required steps to make it happen.
On this page I want to give you some awesome tips on how to get motivated to lose weight and achieve your weight loss goal.
1. First you should ask yourself what is the reason why you want to lose weight. Write this down on a piece of paper.
“I want to lose weight so I can….”
- take off my shirt on the beach
- go dancing and feel confident about myself
- get more attention from women or men
- be healthy
- play my favorite sport
- look better and find someone to go out on a dat with
- look good in my bikini
This is a very cool exercise that is going to help you a lot. Just practice it as many times as you can.
2. Set realistic goals for yourself. Before you even think about losing 100 lbs you need to lose the first 10 or 20 lbs. If you set your goals in small increments you are more likely to succeed.
I recommend that you try to lose 10 lbs first. Don’t set deadlines. Some people say it’s good to have a deadline but from my experience deadline can make you fail, because if you don’t achieve your goal by the set date you are more likely to get discouraged and that could stop your progress.
3. Try to reward yourself. This works amazingly well! It’s a simple but proven tactic that works.
For example if you lost 3 lbs last week go buy yourself that new pair of shoes or that cool piece of clothing you were checking out for a while. You can also take a trip somewhere and have some fun. It’s important that you reward yourself with a nonfood treat 
4. Take pictures of yourself each week to record your progress. This is a very effective strategy and it will keep you motivated for months to come. Take about 4 different pictures on Monday each week and save them to compare it with the new pictures you will take the next week.
You can even keep a journal of your entire progress. Get some kind of notebook and make each page for a different week. Then just tape your pictures on that page so that you can track
your progress and see your results.
5. Find someone to do this together with. I am sure you got friends who also would like to lose some weight. It’s recommended that you find someone you could lose weight together. This way you guys will be able to support each other and stay on track. Tell your friends about your weight loss goals. Let them support you!
6. Find other weight loss success stories. It’s a great motivational strategy as well. There are plenty of videos out there and magazines with all kinds of weight loss success stories. Read some of them whenever you can, but stay on track with what you are doing and don’t try to buy some miracle pill that they said they used. Just use their story as a motivational tool
7. You can also bet someone or yourself that you will lose weight
For example, you could bet a family member that you are going to lose 20 lbs and if you don’t you will give them $1000 or clean their house for 5 months.
Here is another example, tell your friends that you will lose 20 lbs and if not you will shave your head bold
The greater the risk the higher the chance that you will achieve your weight loss goal, so try to make it as much extreme as possible.
8. Get a picture of a celebrity that looks good and paste your smiling picture over their face.
Then just post it in your house somewhere where you can see it everyday before you walk out and when you come back home. It’s important.
9. Get a cool wallpaper for your PC with a great looking body so that you can see it everytime you sit down by your computer. You want to make weight loss a big part of your lifestyle now.
10. Try to hang out with people who are already thin
This goes back to the old saying “you become who you hang out with” It’s so true and not just for weight loss, so make sure you do that.
If you hang out with people who look good and are thin you will want to look like them and your mind will develop a strong desire for that outcome.
That’s just a few strategies I wanted to post for you. If you just apply some of them your weight loss goal will become much more realistic and you will stay very motivated to lose that unwanted fat.
Once you start losing weight all that will become a routine for you and you won’t even need to try hard to apply all those weight loss tips.
Start losing weight now
Colon Cleanse Reviews | Scam
I am sure you have seen all the websites promoting Colon Cleansers with Acai Berry. It’s supposed to be the new diet recommended by Dr Oz, which can’t be further from the truth. These companies usually offer a free trial where you only pay for shipping and handling but then hit your card with like $70 charge after first 7 days. The fact is that some companies do offer legit colon cleansers out there. You can in fact lose some weight on it but it’s nothing major and you will not keep it off. Some of those companies claim you could lose over 20 lbs which is a bunch of BS.
Colon Cleansers are used to clean out your digestive system from toxins and not as the main supplement for weight loss.
I found this cool video on Youtube today about Colon Cleansers. It’s really funny….check it out
Anyway, colon cleansers will not make you lose a lot of weight like they want you to belive. Do your own research and stay healthy
Lose That Nasty Fat Review – Read this before you buy
Today we would like to review a product called Lose That Nasty Fat by Chris Maywood. We have received a bunch of emails from people asking us if this program was legit and if it actually works, so we decided to take a closer look.
First of all, we purchased the product after going to their site and watching the video. It was very convincing and made a lot of sense.
We are usually very skeptical of those programs because a lot of them usually do not provide a lot of value to the customer, but to my surprise this one was different.
After logging into the members area Chris has 3 videos for you to watch right away. Those videos are very motivating and will help you set your mindset for weight loss. Mindset is
everything because if you don’t believe in yourself you will never succeed.
Next he provides the ebook which is packed with a lot of great information. I love Chris’ approach to weight loss. He makes it really easy and once you read it, you’ll know what I mean.
If you are on the go he includes some awesome audio recordings for you to listen on your mp3 player. I kinda liked that cause I do a lot of traveling myself.
Next there is also a great little tool included for you to help you manage your weight loss progress. The software easily installs on your PC and has a lot of great features.
Chris has definitely created a great weight loss program. The videos alone make the product worth the price he is charging. It’s definitely not some scam or something that doesn’t deliver on its promise. I highly recommend that you check it out for yourself. You won’t be disappointed.
Here is the link to their site where you can get a discount:
Breast Actives Reviews – Check out these results and Breast Actives before and after pictures
Breast Actives is a program that is supposed to make your breasts larger. It’s advertised as the most popular natural breast enhancement product on the internet today. We have
decided to write a review about it so that you can decide for yourself if you are going to try it or not.
The Breast Actives Review
The product has 2 parts to the system. It has the Breast Actives pills and the cream that you apply on your chest. It provides you with the natural supplements that you could be
missing if your diet is not balanced.
The good news is that it’s all natural. If you have considered a plastic surgery then you might want to try this before you spend thousands of dollars on unatural ways to make your
breasts bigger.
Breast Actives is a herbal formula that is proven to be effective. We have actually done some research on people who used the product and most of them actually noticed some great
results with it.
Breast Actives Ingredients:
Vitamin E (as d-Alpha Tocopheryl Succinate) 60 iu 200
Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) (seed) 400 mg *
Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) (seed) 350 mg *
Dong Quai (Angelica chinesis) (root) 250 mg *
Blessed Thistle (Cnicus benedictus) (root) 125 mg *
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinales) (root) 125 mg *
Kelp (Ascophylum nodosum) (whole plant) 50 mg *
Watercress (Nasturtium officinale) (leaf) 50 mg *
L-Tyrosine 50 mg *
Those are all ingredients in the Breast Actives formula that we have found on their website.
All those ingredients are relatively safe and 100% natural.
So here are some benefits of using Breast Actives:
- You don’t need a surgery to get bigger breasts. This is a huge deal
for many women who don’t want to have any scars.
- The product is 100% natural and safe to take
- No real bad side effects. Just imagine how many side effects there are or complications
if you go with the surgery.
We have found some Breast Actives before and after pictures too
So is Breast Actives a scam?
Absolutely not. They sell worlwide through many different channels like Amazon and more. They have proven track record and many satisfied customers all over the world.
If you would like try Breast Actives product they are offering a free trial at their website.
Click Here to try Breast Actives now
Top 10 Exercises to Lose Weight
Along with a proper balanced diet it is very important to exercise regularly in order to stay trim and fit. The most appropriate and effective exercises consist of the right blend of cardio and toning. The results can be achieved faster by following this combined approach.
A list is provided below comprising of top ten exercises that will help you to lose weight, along with the amount of calories that are burnt respectively in each exercise.
1. Step Aerobics
The main focus of this form of exercise is the body regions of legs, bums and hips. These areas are of concern for many women as weight gain often takes place in these body zones. Hence these areas need to be toned down by doing this exercise daily for about an hour. You can split up your regime into two half-an-hour sessions. The results can be realized within a fortnight. It is has been found that this exercise burns about 800 Calories of energy in one hour.
Another exercise which is similar to the above form of aerobics is bench presses. This can be effectively done along with step aerobics. However you need to know how to do them precisely in order to get proper results.
2. Cycling
Depending upon the distance that you cycle, this exercise can act as an effective calorie-burner. It is recommended that whenever possible you take a ride on your bicycle to local visits, if time permits. However if there is paucity of time, exercise bikes are also available which can help you to get the benefits of bicycling. In countries like China, bicycle is considered to be one of the important modes of communication and hence, exercising is automatically incorporated in the daily lifestyle of the people residing over here.
Inside your house you can also do bicycling on the exercise-bikes while watching your favorite show or game. You would not also feel bored by this method. Depending upon the distance traversed and speed of cycling you would be able to burn anywhere in the range of 500 to 1000 Calories on an hourly basis.
3. Swimming
Swimming is considered to be an exercise that involves many body parts and is really comprehensive in its effect. If you swim across to the other end of a medium sized pool and come back and repeat this process for an hour, approximately 800 Calories of energy would be burnt. Swimming has an amazing toning effect on your entire body. You can also spend an extra half-hour at the Jacuzzi after you have completed this activity of swimming.
4. Racquetball
In this interesting sport, sideways running is involved, which is an amazing cardio workout. This workout helps you to tone your thigh and leg muscles. You can also socialize with many people with the help of this entertaining activity and keep yourself engaged in longer workouts. You would not also feel the urge to skip your gym sessions after engaging in this sporty session. It has been observed that after playing this game for an hour, energy of 800 calories is burnt.
5. Elliptical Burner
This is a fantastic cardio workout, which assists in buildup of strong muscles. It also helps to tone your stomach. If someone finds this exercise boring, the sessions can be split up into short bursts of 10 minutes each and the exercise can be done in this manner for the entire course of the day. You can also listen to some lively music while following this activity. On an hourly basis about 600 calories of energy is expended due to this activity.
6. Rowing
If you really love water sports then rowing is an amazing way for toning your arms. This enjoyable activity can be easily pursued by getting enrolled in any nearby rowing club. You might also like to try out this activity before actually getting registered. You also have the option of using the rowing machine present in your gym, but that would be not provide the same experience as rowing in the lake.
Not only does this activity strengthen your arm muscles, but you can also effectively burn calories. This sport is really an amazing workout for those who love to do rowing regularly. One can spend anywhere between 500 to 600 calories of energy after rowing for an hour.
7. Walking
Walking is such an integral part of our life that we often tend to forget that it is also an effective exercise. Walking briskly can also serve the purpose of an effective cardio workout which helps in toning legs, hip and also the stomach. You can have many variations in walking actually. You can walk up the hills, or walk across hills or also sprint according to your physical capabilities. These variations would also alter the amount of calories spent. You can include walking in your day to day activities like going to your nearby bus stop or grocery shop. A brisk walk in the morning really boosts you entire system and you feel energized for the rest of the day. Walking at a normal rate utilizes approximately 360 calories of your body energy in an hour.
8. Dancing
Similar to swimming, dancing also involves all parts of your body and is therefore considered to be a very powerful workout. You can play on some lively music to which you simply love dancing, to make this activity as exciting and entertaining as possible. Along with burning those calories dancing also acts as an amazing stress-buster. Ensure that if you are into dancing you do that on a regular basis for at least an hour at a stretch.
Dancing also helps you to exhibit your natural talent in this activity. It also provides the scope for innovating fantastic new moves. You can find many dancing DVDs online as well as in the music shops that can help you a great deal. Since there are variations present in different kinds of dancing done the amount of energy spent also varies. But on an average, a person tends to spend 600 to 800 calories of energy on an hourly basis with this activity.
9. Exercise DVDs
Nowadays many good DVDs are available which allow you to do your exercises effectively. These can be effective in your weight loss and muscle tone up regime if carefully selected.
10. Horse riding
This activity might not be easy for everyone to pursue, but if you can arrange for this at least once in a week, then there is nothing like it. You can stay healthy, enjoy nature and also remain fit by taking up this enthralling activity.
How to Lose Belly Fat
Belly fat is also known as visceral fat, stomach fat, pot belly and many other names. It is different from the subcutaneous fat, in the sense, that this fat lies deeper down within the body. There are many health hazards associated with possessing belly fat. It has a tendency to accumulate around the various organs in the body. Belly fat is the reason of many other deadly diseases like diabetes, high cholesterol levels, heart attacks, etc. An alarmingly high number of Americans are being detected with these killer diseases every passing day, all which have belly fat as the root cause. Hence, some effective tips are being provided regarding belly fat loss.
1. Eat Many Times A Day (preferably 5 to 6): By 5 to 5 meals, it does not mean that you need to have heavy meals so many times. You will end up becoming more obese if you do so! It is about splitting your major meals into smaller meals at regular intervals with increased frequency. The traditional approach of eating prescribes having meals thrice daily. However, in this method we have a tendency to overeat. Whenever you overindulge there is a chance of belly fat developing. So, a safer way is to spilt these up into 5/6 smaller meals so that you do not get any chance to overeat. Also, it has been found that the body’s metabolism levels are enhanced on eating meals frequently as energy is consumed by body for digesting and assimilating this food taken. Also remember to have the major quantity of meals during the initial part of the day and lower the food volumes as you move on to the latter half.
2. Consuming Foods that Help to Burn Fat: A high-protein low-carbohydrate diet and saturated fats are the most appropriate food items for losing visceral fat/belly fat. There are various such useful food items that you can effectively consume like fish, lean meats, eggs, vegetables, natural fruits, whole grains, etc. However avoid consuming canned or sweetened products as they contain lot of additional preservatives and chemicals. Not all fats are harmful. Fish fats, nuts, various plant seeds, and olive oil all contain beneficial fats. The fatty acids are essential for the combustion of the accumulated fat in the body, more specifically belly fat.
3. Proper intake of essential fluids: Water should be consumed in plenty if you want to lose belly fat, especially during times of workout or when you are sweating. To enable the body to function at its optimal level your body needs sufficient quantity of water. When the human body gets dehydrated, the body organs start working harder so that water reserve levels can be maintained. The task of burning fat to produce energy is done by the liver. It is one of the worst sufferers when a body gets dehydrated. If in any way the liver function becomes affected, then the process of bat burn becomes less effective. Hence you need to take proper care of liver which is a very crucial body organ. Again, do not have the canned variety of fruit juices, soft drinks, or chocolate drinks, as they have a high percentage of sugar content.
4. Lift Weights: Lifting weights prompts your abdominal muscles to work hard. They then become tight and supple. There are many exercises which are extremely useful for your abs when practiced correctly, like, dumbbell rows, chest presses, squats with free weights, lat pull downs, etc. These exercises have a stabilizing effect on your core muscles.
5. Doing A Cardio Workout: Cardiovascular exercises supply fresh oxygen to the body, thereby helping it to lose fat. Extra calories are effectively burnt when exercises like jogging, running, brisk walking, tennis, dancing, swimming, and cycling are undertaken. Aerobic exercises act as a catalyst to the body’s metabolism process. However there needs to be a proper frequency and duration of getting a cardio workout and if you are a novice you should definitely get the advice of experts in this field. It has been observed that doing a cardio workout for a period of 30 minutes to 45 minutes thrice in a week is very effective.
6. Doing Excessive Crunches Is Not Effective: You might think that doing many crunches will help you to lose belly fat quickly, but this is not actually true. The reason behind this is that instantaneous reduction of fat in any portion of the body is not practically possible, and abdomen is also not an exception in this regard. The only method that really works is a proper mix of healthy dietary habits, enhancing body metabolism by undergoing a weight training regime, and appropriate cardiovascular exercises. However one should not infer from this that crunches are just not effective. But, the abdominal muscles need to be exercised in the proper manner. By this it is meant that sufficient rest after an intense workout is also essential. You can work out a circuit style in your mode of working with your abs. Working out alternately for three days weekly is a good approach for abdominal workouts.
You need to remember that in this era of marketing gimmicks lot of commercials are aired on how to do away with that irritating lump of fat. There are no magic or quick- fix solutions to this and only a disciplined and perseverant approach can show you the desired results. You need to properly have your waistline measured with the tape which would indicate whether you have an unhealthy waistline or not. Sometimes fat accumulation is more due to hereditary reasons than due to unhealthy lifestyles. So, those people who have a natural tendency to gain weight need to be extra cautious. Your target should be to keep the overall level of fat in your body very low. Women have a tendency to put on more weight post-menopause as belly fat becomes an irritating problem for them. However a disciplined approach to life and listening to expert advice from dieticians and health experts can help you a great deal in this regard.
How to Lose 20 lbs In 1 Month
Having an excess weight of 20 lbs in your body can be a really bothering experience. Many people try out the various methods suggested by their friends or relatives but do not get satisfactory results. For some people losing weight might not be that tough, but they realize that somehow they are unable to maintain the new weight that they have achieved. Within a few days they regain the weight they have lost and come back to their original shape. However following some highly effective and safe methods can help you to get rid of this unwanted mass in just a month and also help you to maintain that slim and trim figure on a sustained basis.
Weight loss of twenty pounds can be achieved in a month provided you follow an optimum blend of these three regimens – diet, exercise, and supplement/drug. Professional athletes mix all these three methods in their weight loss endeavors. Various “slow carb” diets are also being devised which are extremely effective in the weight loss programs. A few basic rules that always need to be kept in mind are:
Rule Number – 1: Avoidance of “white” Carbohydrates
The easy thumb rule would be to stay away from consumption of any carbohydrate diet that is white in color. So, the foods which fall under this category would be rice, bread, cereal, pasta, potatoes, and also fried food taken with breading. However exceptions can be made if you undergo resistance training. But to be on the safer side, it is better to avoid consuming anything white for carbohydrates.
Rule Number – 2: Persisting with the Same Meals Repeatedly
The people who are most successful in their dieting endeavors are those who persist with the same category of food products. This is true for both fat loss as well as muscle buildup programs. Given below are the food items which ought to be persisted with regularly. If you feel bored having the same dish again and again, then try to be innovative. Try out the various combinations possible with the food items mentioned.
Food Items for Protein Consumption: Egg white along with a complete egg, Chicken thigh or breast, Organic beef that is grass-fed, Pork
Leguminous Food Items: Black beans, Lentils, Pinto beans
Vegetables: Asparagus, Spinach, Mixed vegetables, Peas.
You can consume as much as you want of the abovementioned food items. Remember to stick with the basics like having meals four or three times a day. You have to eat in an intelligent manner when going out to dine at the restaurants. You can easily ask for vegetable or salad dressings from the waiters present over there. Try to avoid potatoes and French fries which contain a very high percentage of carbohydrates. You might be surprised to know that Mexican cuisine contains a substantially low amount of carbohydrates. Vegetables which are present are lower in carbohydrate content, when compared with rice.
Many people complain that they feel weak after consumption of diets which are low in carbohydrate content. Hence they quit from these diet regimes citing reasons of insufficient calorie intake. If you compare half cup of rice with that of spinach the calorie counts come to 300 and 15 respectively! You ought to remember that vegetables are calorically less dense and hence that has to be compensated by a leguminous diet for adding the caloric load. Although many athletes in order to boost their body metabolism split their diet intake for the entire day into 6 or 8 times, it is practically not feasible for the common person. .A good balance would be to consume food for 4 times a day. You can consider having your breakfast at 10 A.M., lunch at 1 P.M., a smaller lunch for the second time at 5 P.M., and dinner at 10 P.M. In between you can actively engage yourself in sporting activities in the evening from 7.30 to 9 P.M.
Rule Number – 3: Avoid Intake of Calories through Liquid Diet
Try to consume as much as water possible, as that would reduce your urge of having other high calorie beverages. You can also consume lot of unsweetened tea, iced tea, coffee (devoid of the white-cream), diet sodas and other low –calorie/no-calorie beverages. Drinking soft drinks or juice prepared from various fruits should be avoided. Research has shown that consumption of wine in limited amounts can help in fat-loss and in recovering quickly from the sport injuries.
Rule Number – 4: Give Yourself A Break for One Day In A Week
It is humanly very tough to always maintain a tight leash on your dietary pattern. You would definitely have the urge to indulge in some foods which you like. So keep one day allotted for that purpose. Allow yourself the freedom to eat whatever you feel like on that day. But remember that you would not even look back at those items for the next 1 week. This is really a very practical approach. Surprisingly, it has been noticed that instead of increasing your body’s fat content, this sudden increase in calorie intake for just one day enhances the rate of fat loss! You also ensure that the metabolic rate of your body is not hampered due to sustained calorie restriction.
Rule Number – 5: Effectively Implementing the Calorie Shifting Technique
The technique of calorie shifting can be effectively used for losing weight rapidly. This process involves fooling the metabolism system of your body. In this method you have to boost your body’s metabolism by eating meals several times a day and still managing to retain almost the same amount of calorie intake. Since you consume food in small amounts each time frequently instead of large volumes at one go, your body’s metabolism level is always raised thus effecting greater calorie burnout. It has been observed that a person can lose about 11 pounds of weight in just a week by implementing this method intelligently. You can stick with this diet till your desired results are achieved. So, if you want to achieve the weight loss of 20 pounds you can easily attain that within 30 days.
Choosing the Right Weight Loss Supplement
From the various available choices of weight loss supplements, it is really hard to pick up the most appropriate one for you. You see in the various fashion magazines those super-skinny supermodels looking gorgeous on the cover pages. After seeing them, the urge to look and feel good increases even more. Many people resort to extreme steps for attaining those enviable figures. Lot of money is spent behind costly surgeries and some resort to consuming diet pills. Some people start starving themselves even at the cost of doing damage to vital body organs. However it is very important to remember that drastic weight loss is never recommendable from the point of health. Many people experience severe headaches and nausea. Other serious ailments might also develop if you fail to supply your body the requisite amount of nutrition.
However the positive thing to note is that there are indeed healthy weight regimes that can be followed to deliver you the desirable level of slimness. There are two varieties of weight loss supplements that are available, one is of the natural origin and the other is of the synthetic kind. These need to be taken in appropriate combination to ensure that while you are dieting you do not lose out on any essential nutrient. Some supplements also make you feel full and hence you do not feel the urge to eat much. Some supplements effectively help you in stronger muscle growth. A company that is very popular in this domain is GNC. They have a wide array of weight loss supplements. If you want to get involved in the weight loss program, you can easily enter into any GNC store where various products would be available. Supplements are available according to the various needs. One can get supplements for buildup of muscle mass, or someone can also find the perfect dietary supplement.
The industry of weight loss supplements is assuming even greater proportions with the advertising industry and showbiz making bigger strides. Many people want to come into the limelight and for that they need a shape and figure which they can boast of. You can also get information about the various weight loss programs and products that are available on the Internet. Multi-level marketing is also being done on the products. Ask any nearby medicine dealer, he would be able to tell you about the products available in his shop. Supermarkets are also a great place where these supplements are available. Before opting for any specific supplement there are a few questions which you should ask yourself. You need to ask yourself the goals which you intend to achieve in a realistic and defined manner. Have proper strategy and time frame in mind. Decide after consulting with healthcare practitioners and fitness experts the amount of weight which you should lose and the best way to go about that. They might tell you that weight loss is not really required and you just need to tone and firm some muscle portions. Your body’s metabolism and any pre-existent disease will also play a role in the choice of supplements and only a medical expert can help you in this regard.
Opting for natural varieties of weight loss supplements is always safer than the synthetic supplements. These supplements would usually be bereft of side effects if properly used. Let us have a look at some such supplements.
If you are currently on a strict regime of exercises and want to enhance the calorie consumption then bitter orange can be a very good option. Many consider this supplement to be an effective substitute to ephedra. Another dietary supplement which is worth mentioning is Chitosan. It prevents the absorption of fat contained in the diet that you consume. However according to the FDA for experiencing weight loss drastically this supplement might not be that effective. For body fat reduction and build up of muscles, chromium is a very effective element. It is very safe to use and according to FDA does not have any conspicuous side effects.
CLA (Conjugated Linoleic acid) helps in reduction of body fat and appetite. It also effectively helps to build muscles. However a person might not have significant reduction in the aggregate body weight. If a person has a tendency of frequent diarrhea, gastro-intestinal problems or chronic indigestion then the intake of this supplement should be carefully assessed.
Extract of green tea is also extensively used to increase the fat metabolism in the body as well as enhance the amount of calories burnt. But there is excess caffeine present in this supplement and hence the use should be done after consultation with health experts. Also there is a tendency of people vomiting after intake of this supplement. Bloating and indigestion are other common side-effects that are noticed after consumption of this supplement. For effectively blocking the absorption of fat in your body, Guar gum is considered to be a very effective and safe supplement. Calorie intake is also significantly reduced after consuming this supplement and one can experience significant weight loss too.
There is a bit of a controversy surrounding the efficacy of Hoodia in weight loss. Though many users claim to have received lot of benefits in terms of appetite reduction and weight loss, the facts are not corroborated by the FDA. Country mallow, alternatively also known as heartleaf does decrease your appetite for food and increases the amount of calories burnt. But, the presence of ephedra, a very hazardous supplement, renders it unsafe. Although you can still find heartleaf openly being sold in the market, you should try to avoid this supplement at any cost.
Ephedra is a very toxic weight loss supplement that has been strictly prohibited from being used by the FDA. Even MLB and NFL have banned the use of Ephedra. There are a multitude of side effects that are observed with the use of this deadly supplement like heart rate irregularities, high blood pressure, sleeplessness, heart attack, seizures, and even death from strokes. Still many illegal organizations sell this supplement through the internet due to its capability of decreasing a person’s appetite.
The Truth About Weight Loss
It might sound strange to some people but the truth is that eating too little or starving yourself can act as an impediment in getting a healthy, lean and fit body. What actually happens is that your body starts burning muscles and in lieu of that starts storing fat. This is response due to ‘Starvation Metabolism‘. In this scenario the body when not provided sufficient calories, start to adapt to the changed condition by intake of less calories for functioning. As a consequence, it is found that dieters frequently put on the weight that they had lost again, as they have converted their bodies into fat-storing machines by starving themselves unnecessarily.
Now the natural question that can arise in the mind of any person is that how can weight loss be actually achieved. The answer is by ‘being vigilant’. You have to know one thing for sure, and that is the fact that there is no wonder/magic pill that can deliver you instant results, whatever the advertisements might claim. Of course, certain isolated situations remain, where grapefruit consumption has worked wonders. But that is not the general rule. Fad diets are mere gimmicks and majority of the so-called ‘scientific’ ones are far from effective. In spite of these truths, people in U.S. spend in excess of 50 billion per year on these stuffs. So the motto for succeeding in your weight loss endeavor should be “Spend calories in greater amount than that consumed”. This would lead to the dual E’s. (Eat correctly and Exercise). This is what any reputed healthcare practitioner or dietician would tell you to do if you are really serious about losing weight. You need to have the perseverance and the will-power to stick with a rigorous dietary and exercise regime over a long period in order to see the desired results in your body.
So, the most widely prevalent myths are listed below for your convenience.
MYTH NUMBER – 1: If you skip meals you can achieve your goal of weight loss faster. This is a totally erroneous statement. In reality, the effect produced is just the opposite. Dieting depends on the robust theory of greater quantity of calories burnt than that taken in, and fat combustion automatically starts to occur. So you must stick with regular intake of meals, especially during morning. If you start to deprive your body the requisite nutrients and enter into the mode of starvation, more harm than good is done. The metabolism rate drops within your body and your body gets accustomed to little or no food. Such is the vagary of nature. The harm that you inflict on the body is long-lasting. It becomes difficult to bring the metabolism levels back to track. Till the metabolism rate regains its original level, any kind of normal eating would lead to fat accumulation and weight gain. It is really a vicious cycle from which it becomes extremely difficult to come out. Additionally, avoiding meals might give you feelings of lightheadedness and fatigue. It can also jeopardize the levels of cholesterol in your body which can be fatal for diabetic patients. So, briefly speaking, crash diets and fasting are nothing more than sabotaging the body. Therefore one should eat moderately and frequently to elevate the metabolic levels and get a filling effect.
MYTH NUMBER 2 – Starches have a fattening effect. This is a baseless and unscientific statement. It is never really feasible to totally avoid intake of starches as they constitute a major part of the staple food items like pasta, bread, grains, potatoes, fruits, rice and corn. If someone cuts out starches entirely, he would be depriving his body of the core nutrients that act as primary fuels for the body. Starches are essential in maintaining the body system function in a balanced manner. There are 3 fundamental macronutrients or substances that are present in food, which are carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Starch is nothing but a form of carbohydrate.
MYTH NUMBER 3 – Vegetarian diets are healthier than mixed diets. If you consume a diet which consists of solely French-fries and rice, or of cheerios and bananas, then that is termed as vegetarian diet. But this type of diet is not recommended in the long-run. The development and the evolution of the human body have occurred in such a manner that a varied and diverse diet providing all the requisite nutrients is essential. Meat, for a long time has been an important component of this diverse dietary regime and it is not always available in plenty. Hence, the specific animal proteins which are present in meat cannot be compensated by any other dietary item. Vegetarians need to ensure that they adequately make up for this avoidance of meat intake. Luckily, there are some vegetable items, beans and nuts which have proteins in sufficient quantities. Hence these need to be taken in plentiful amounts. Also elements like Zinc and Vitamin B12 tend to be missing in diets which are of vegetarian nature. So, external doses of these substances are often required.
MYTH NUMBER 4 – Sweating helps in weight loss. This statement is partially true. If sweating is produced due to exercises then definitely that is a good sign. Otherwise, if are just sitting idle and sweating due to heat, you are only dehydrating yourself by losing essential water content from your body. Sweating is nothing but an amazing mechanism of cooling the body due to evaporation of the water particles from the skin. It is not an indicator of your weight loss progress. If you lose excess water you would suffer from acute dehydration which might also turn fatal. Your electrolyte-balance gets affected and you start suffering from muscle cramps and other side-effects.
MYTH Number 5 – If anything is fat-free it can be considered as calorie-free. This is true if the fat-free criterion is exactly met. However, in reality most of the foods that are claimed to be fat-free, like, many dairy products, ice-creams, cheese, and butter contain fat in concealed amounts. Even the manufacturers know that manufacturing these items in total absence of fat would render them dry and flavorless.
Why Is It Hard For Women to Lose Weight
It is medically and statistically observed that women have a harder time in losing weight compared to men. The obvious question that would arise in the mind is the reason behind this fact. There are in fact, a variety of reasons which contribute to the weight loss goals for women being harder to achieve. A woman’s psyche obviously has a lot to do with it. Apart from that, there are other physiological and hormonal issues in women that make weight loss harder than men.
A few important reasons are mentioned which can explain to an extent the underlying causes behind this difficulty faced by women.
1. Pregnancy – In majority of the cases, it is not the incident or the event of pregnancy that makes it tough to shed weight. It is that nature has adjusted the body of a woman to contain twenty percent more fat, bigger fat cells, and possessing a larger number of enzymes for storage of fat. All these measures are present in a girl naturally to face the eventuality of pregnancy any time.
2. Body mass – The percentage of body mass which is lean is higher in men as compared to women. A lean body mass signifies the proportion of muscles present in the entire body of a person. This is a very crucial factor as muscle is a big contributor behind metabolism levels. In case of men, they can easily change the body’s metabolism levels, thereby influencing the buildup of muscles in the body.
3. Thyroid - Issues related with thyroid is more prevalent in women than in men. It has been statistically found that one out of every eight women in the age bracket of 35 to 65 years and one out of five women greater than the 65 year mark have some sort of thyroid dysfunction. If the thyroid gland secretes lower quantity of thyroid hormones then the metabolism of the body becomes slower and fat loss becomes tougher.
4. Estrogens – The actual function of the estrogen hormone in women is to keep off weight. But the scenario changes during the menopausal phase when the estrogen levels plummet. In addition to this, there are estrogen fluctuations that occur in women on a monthly basis too, and that is also considered normal. This hampers the consistency required in the weight loss programs as specific periods of the month get affected.
5. Brains – Many women might not like to hear this fact, but it has been medically proved that women find it more difficult resisting their favorite foods as compared to men. This is because of the structure of the brain in women that makes them tempted towards overindulgence in certain food items. Studies have also shown that overeating is more rampant in women than men. Women also tend to suffer from a higher percentage of eating disorders or behavioral issues like binge-eating.
6. Insensitivity to Insulin – Insulin insensitivity is more prevalent in women as compared to men and related diabetic symptoms are hence more pronounced in women. Any person who has the problem of insulin insensitivity would find it hard to convert sugar into fat and this aspect also affects the weight loss plan.
7. Lack of proper exercise – In majority of the cases it is found that women are less updated than men regarding proper weight loss strategies and exercise regimes. The fascination for looking muscular and athletic is more predominant in men. Hence many women do not actually know the exact exercise routine which they need to follow in order to lose weight optimally. Again different people have different metabolic patterns and physical requirements. The way a body responds to the various exercises also varies from person to person. Sometimes you might need to exercise at 80 % of your body’s maximum capability and include weight training effectively to see the loss of those additional pounds of fat. A device known as the heart rate monitor would be able to tell you the exact percentage of the maximum that is being done. You might require exercising in this manner for approximately 20 minutes to 60 minutes, for 3 to 5 times in a week.
8. Stress – Stress plays a big part in weight gain. Although the science involved with this is a tad complex, in layman’s terms it can be said that brain and body are closely inter-related. When you are under a lot of stress, certain hormones are released by the body, which influence the release of other hormones (mainly cortisol). This hormone enhances a person’s appetite, thereby prompting a person to overeat. One important aspect that has to be borne in mind is that this incident becomes especially pronounced when there is constant presence of stress and no respite is available from that.
9. Sleep – Insomnia is a big factor behind rise in cortisol amounts. As you can clearly understand there is a close connection between sleep and stress levels. If you do not receive adequate sleep, you will naturally feel more stressed out. Women often suffer from depressive symptoms or mood swings which make them feel more stressed out. As a result of this their sleeping patterns get disrupted.
10. Trying to Achieve it Alone – The biggest blunder that many women make while trying to lose weight is trying to achieve weight loss alone. Studies have clearly confirmed the fact that if you take support of experts and get others involved in your weight loss plans, the task of adhering and following the various strategies becomes easier. But many women try to keep their weight loss programs a secret and do not want to even seek help from experts.
11. Consuming the Leftovers – Many times it is found that any leftovers that remain after the entire family has finished lunch/dinner, is consumed by the housewife of the house. It is a custom in many families and these small portions of food make a big impact to the waistline of a woman.
It is really complex to clearly find the relation between the mind and the body patterns in women but the above mentioned reasons are generic in nature and observed extensively.