By Jeff Herring
As a therapist and coach that helps people to achieve the changes they want in their lives, I've sometimes thought about jumping on the weight loss band wagon. You know, write a book like Dr. Phil.
The problem is that it would be a very short book, with just two chapters with one page each.
The first chapter and page would say eat differently. The second chapter and page would say exercise more.
That's really about it. We tend to make it harder with lack of discipline and self control.
How our language gets in the way
We talk all the time about losing weight. But think about that language. Losing weight? Have you ever lost your keys? What do you immediately try to do? That's right, find theme again. How many of us have lost weight and then found it again?
That's why I coach people to use the phrase "getting rid of weight."
It works.
What works for me
When I want to get rid of weight, here are the three things that always work for me:
1. Exercise regularly, just about everyday.
2. Give up soft drinks.
3. Eat nothing but fruit before lunch. It fills me up, tastes good, and helps the weight come off because fruit is made up primarily of water. You do have to make bathroom trips a little more often, but it is worth it.
วันศุกร์ที่ 10 สิงหาคม พ.ศ. 2550
Weight Loss: Getting Rid of Weight or Losing Weight
10 Weight Loss Tips for Permanent Weight Loss
by: Brooke Castillo
1. Eat only when you are hungry.
This means stop eating the minute you are full. This means if you go out to dinner and eat all the bread in the breadbasket you don't eat your dinner. This means if it is lunch break at work and you aren't hungry don't eat. This means if you are in the middle of a sandwich and you are no longer hungry, you stop eating.
2. When you aren't hungry and eating for joy only, make sure you are eating something fantastic and tasting every bite.
There will be times when you want to eat just for the joy of it. I say if you only do this 10% of the time you can still lose weight. But the trick is to make sure you enjoy each bite, taste it fully and stop as soon as the joy of eating it fades. If you pay attention, you will be surprised how soon this might be.
3. Be curious about yourself-not judgmental.
When you do something that you think is "off" you plan of what you would like to be doing, be curious and try to find out why you do what you do. Explore the thoughts that lead to the action. Be kind and understanding with yourself. Give yourself the benefit of the doubt.
4. Believe it is possible to be thin without being mean to yourself.
You do not have to beat yourself into submission for thinness. In fact, I have found the opposite is true. Loving yourself and being kind to yourself is a much better path to permanent weight loss.
5. Feel your feelings.
Be anxious. (Don't eat.) Be sad. (Don't eat.) Be afraid. (Don't eat.) Be angry. (Don't eat.) If you use eating as an alternative to feeling you are most likely going to be overweight. The sooner you feel your feelings the sooner they will subside.
6. Stop expecting things "out there" to change so you can feel better.
Don't wait for a better job, a thinner body, a nicer husband or a better tasting diet in order to be happy. You can be the source of your own joy by finding out what you love to do and who you love to be. By living your own truth, you can be happy no matter what is going on "out there."
7. Even when you think you have "blown it" write down every piece of food that goes into your mouth and then read that list with fascination.
It may feel better to write in the food journal when you are eating fuel most of the time, but that is not when it is the most important. When you are fog eating and storm eating and binging and going crazy with food, you have the best opportunity to learn about yourself and why you do what you do. No matter how much you have eaten and no matter how big the binge was, write down every single thing that went into your mouth and look at it with kind curiosity.
8. Realize that eating when you aren't hungry is not satisfying hunger or comforting you-it's just making you heavy.
Notice the terminology you use when discussing food. " I had my chocolate fix." " I needed comfort food." "I wanted to give myself a treat." Food is not a good source of emotional comfort and it cannot fix you.
9. Remember the past does not equal the future
We have all been on many many diets. Many of us have been heavy a long time. This does not mean that you can't lose weight. You have been doing the best you can. And when you know better- you do better- and you look better….
10. Never give up!
Enough said.
Healthy Weight Loss
by: Scott Mogul
Healthy weight loss is a major topic of discussion and with good reason. During the past 20 years, the number of people classified as overweight or obese has more than tripled. These frightening statistics show how important it is that people are educated on healthy weight loss.
The media is full of advertisements for crash diets and meal substitutes. However, experts say that the key to healthy weight loss is eating the right foods and taking regular exercise. Moreover, many suggest that crash diets can actually lead to weight gain in the long run. Healthy weight loss is about lifestyle changes. This means making a permanent change to the way you eat and exercise. Many people find rigid diet plans difficult to stick to leading to a yo-yo effect on their weight – constantly losing it and then putting it back on. Healthy weight loss needn’t be like this.
The main principles of healthy weight loss are :
* Eat a balanced diet: Ensure your diet includes all the major food groups and concentrate on eating fewer foods high in fat, sugar and salt. You should also increase your uptake of fruit, vegetables and healthy grains. By filling your plate up with lots of vegetables, you’ll find you still feel full but lose weight!
* Exercise, exercise, exercise! This doesn’t have to mean running or joining a gym. Walking for thirty minutes 3 times a week will help make you fitter and can lead to healthy weight loss. Find something you enjoy and you’ll be more likely to stick to it. Swimming, cycling, horse-riding, walking and keep-fit classes are some examples of great weight loss exercises.
* Drink more water! Many people mistake thirst for hunger, and increasing your uptake of water can help prevent this. Water is great as it helps flush out the toxins in your body and keeps your skin hydrated. Drinking 8 glasses of water a day can help towards achieving healthy weight loss.
* Changing the way you think about food. Many people eat for the wrong reasons, and this is why they gain weight. When you eat, think about your reasons, are you really hungry? Many people find they reach for ‘comfort foods’ when they are stressed, tired or bored. By becoming more aware of these patterns you can help break the cycle, and instead of reaching for chocolate try going for a walk or something else to distract yourself.
* Speak to a professional! If you feel you need to lose a large amount of weight or are unsure about the right plan for you, contact your doctor. Your weight is affected by more than just food, many health conditions can lead to a change in weight. Therefore, it is worth getting checked out and taking their advice on the best eating and exercise plan for you.
* Be patient! Healthy weight loss is not achieved overnight and should be a gradual process. Stick with your new changes and you should notice a gradual but permanent change in the way you look and feel.
วันพฤหัสบดีที่ 9 สิงหาคม พ.ศ. 2550
How to Choose The Best Weight Loss Program
by: Howard McGarity
You have tried losing weight on your own and you have even had some success. But life is hectic and stressful and in time, the pounds always creep back. Now you weigh more than you did a year ago.
This is discouraging and depressing and like many others you might be thinking that you just can't face another diet alone. When you were at the end of your rope did you ever consider the support of a formal weight loss program?
For many, this is a good idea. By having professional guidance and an organization as your "buddy" you have a much better chance of success.
BUT BE CAREFUL! Not all programs are created equal. If you want to choose wisely, here are six questions you should ask.
1. DOES THE PROGRAM EMPHASIZE OVERALL FITNESS AND GOOD HEALTH? If the advertising emphasizes dramatic before and after photos with claims of the ease and speed of pounds lost per week, beware. Average weight loss during an extended program should not exceed two pounds per week. This is equal to fifty pounds in six months or one hundred pounds a year. Is the goal of the program to achieve a normal bodyweight as the natural result of a balanced lifestyle that promotes health and fitness?
2. IS THE MEAL PLAN PALATABLE AND NUTRITIOUS AND AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL GROCERY? Your first consideration is that the meals on a plan include a variety of tasty foods that supply all the nutrients necessary for long-term health. This eliminates menus that prohibit entire categories of food or limit portions to the point that you are always hungry. Some plans "do it for you" by providing prepared meals and snacks to manage what and how much you eat. This is easy and effective (and expensive) but your success is dependent upon the prepared meals. How long do you plan to buy prepackaged food? What happens when you start shopping and cooking for yourself and return to eating out? See number three below.
3. IS THE PROGRAM BASED ON LEARNING HOW TO CHANGE DIETARY AND LIFESTYLE HABITS? Lifestyle behaviors can be "relearned" and this should be the backbone of any good program. This is the only way that you will become permanently lean, fit and healthy. This is the only way that you can walk away, free of the oppressive burden of lifetime, yo-yo dieting.
4. WILL YOU LEARN HOW TO DEAL WITH SITUATIONS THAT CAUSE YOU TO BACKSLIDE? Will you have live support when the going gets tough? Will you learn strategies to deal with lifestyle saboteurs when they arrive to ruin your plans?
5. IS EXERCISE A PART OF THE PROGRAM? Exercise is an indispensable part of a balanced fitness plan. Exercise provides a big metabolic boost to losing weight and simultaneously reduces stress and elevates your mood. Equally important however, is that exercise prevents the loss of lean muscle mass during periods of reduced caloric intake and is also critical for long-term weight maintenance. See number six below.
6. ARE THERE FOLLOW-UP PLANS TO HELP YOU KEEP THE WEIGHT OFF PERMANENTLY? People experience different learning curves when it comes to changing their lifestyle. No matter how effective a plan is over the short-term, you have wasted your time, effort and money if you have to start from the beginning over and over again. Make sure that the plan you choose emphasizes permanent weight loss and has a system to support your efforts until you are comfortable going it alone.
Mastering Leptin the Key to Weight Loss
by: Kevin Flatt
Leptin leapt into the headlines when it was identified in 1995 as a protein that triggers weight loss in mice. Leptin (the Greek term for thin) is a hormone released by your fat cells. When you lose fat, leptin levels drop and when you gain fat, leptin levels rise.
Recent research into leptin has revealed what is likely to be very important in the control of appetite, weight loss and the regulation of body weight. Advances in leptin research and its role in the control of obesity would lead to reductions in diabetes, coronary heart disease and many forms of cancer, all of which are increased in obesity.
American adults are overweight and more than 30 percent are obese. Currently 50 million Americans suffer from metabolic syndrome - a disease associated with obesity and encompassing coronary artery disease and type 2 diabetes.
Leptin affects our weight and our appetites. Levels of leptin rise just before a meal and fall when people are full. It is now known that leptin not only can affect the chemical responses that affect how hungry you are but also can affect the wiring of your brain.
Scientists are interested in whether leptin may be manipulated to help people, especially overweight people, to lose weight and not put it back on. They know that leptin is released by fat cells and tells the brain how much fat is on the body. Once leptin has been secreted by your fat cells, it travels to the hypothalamus. This is the part of your brain that controls eating behavior.
Defects in leptin signaling leads to obesity, overeating, and decreased energy output.
Normally, when leptin levels in the blood go up, the brain signals us to stop eating. But since obesity isn’t the result of a lack of leptin, it is a lack of response to leptin, and obese individuals tend to have more and larger leptin-producing fat cells than thinner people, their leptin levels increase substantially with every pound of additional weight gain. This is illustrated below.
Mice lacking leptin ate voraciously and grew enormously fat; leptin injections made them stop eating and slim down. The discovery led researchers to think that fat people might also lack leptin, and that it could make them lose weight. But it was not so. Scientists found that most fat people had lots of leptin, and giving them more had little effect. (The New York Times 26/11/2002).
Researchers at the Oregon National Primate Research Center conducted a study in mice involving two separate groups that were fed high-fat and low-fat diets. The high-fat diet group developed symptoms of diabetes and obesity while the low-fat diet group did not. The researchers tested cells which conduct nerve impulses and found the cells behaved as if there was no leptin present, even though levels were 40-times higher than in normal mice. (Cell Metab. 2007 Mar;5(3):181-94).
This is due to obese people becoming resistant to leptin’s signal. When the brain fails to sense the leptin hormone’s signal correctly it thinks that more fat is required, even though we have enough, and fat begins to accumulate while metabolism slows down. Some scientists think that either leptin is not transported through the blood-brain barrier properly or the brain is not interpreting the signals properly.
With the regular discovery of hormones involved in regulating body weight it is a diverse and rapidly expanding field.
My own research of the literature has revealed to me some dietary factors that block leptin from crossing the blood-brain barrier and interfere with leptin signaling. In addition, there are foods/methods that correct these problems. I will discuss these issues in due course.
If this article is reproduced please ensure the link to my website is kept live. If you can't see the links hover your mouse over the words in the bio box.
References
Enriori PJ, Evans AE, Sinnayah P, Jobst EE, Tonelli-Lemos L, Billes SK, Glavas MM, Grayson BE, Perello M, Nillni EA, Grove KL, Cowley MA. Diet-induced obesity causes severe but reversible leptin resistance in arcuate melanocortin neurons. Cell Metab. 2007 Mar;5(3):181-94.
Natural Weight Loss for Good Health and Well Being
by: Jennifer Kays
Weight loss is becoming an unhealthy obsession dealing with body images, but in some cases can improve health and fitness. When weight loss is a result of eating healthy, exercising and/or taking natural weight loss supplements in contrast to synthetic prescription drugs with the risk of harmful side effects, weight loss can be effective, rewarding, and greatly improve overall health.
Extra weight, especially extra fat on a person's body, applies significantly increased stresses on the heart, joints and back. These stresses can be extremely detrimental to one's health. Healthy weight loss can reduce the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, arthritis and other health problems, as well as generally extending an otherwise average life span. Recently, the scientific root cause or explanation of obesity has been revealed as being part of one's physiology. The internal functions of an obese person are different than those of a healthy person, and cause intense hunger pains and food cravings.
Natural weight loss supplements can help counteract this constant hunger and lead to healthy weight loss. Unbalanced hormones are a common cause of weight gain, therefore taking natural hormone balancers and herbal supplements would help to create a healthy weight loss regimen. Restoring your health allows you to lose weight naturally, without excess frustration and effort. It's all about losing weight from the inside out.
Emotional issues always accompany change, especially changes in our bodies e.g. natural weight loss. Weight loss affects our perception body image, our sense of identity i.e. who am I?, and how we feel about ourselves in general. Weight loss also effects our social relationships in that there may be people in our family or social contacts that are emotionally invested in our remaining the same i.e. overweight with all that it symbolizes e.g. friendliness, non-threatening, protective, jovial, helpful, etc. Beyond our physical health, it can be said that "size matters" cognitively and emotionally to ourselves and others. Eating and food have come to symbolize being accepted, being cared for and comfort. Having the support of others in our efforts to naturally lose weight and regain our health is a huge advantage.
We have been "conditioned" to fear any kind of loss, including weight loss. Especially if what we may lose is something with which we identify i.e. use to tell us who we are.
The emotions of fear, anger, anxiety and depression effect our weight. We often tend to "stuff our feelings" or numb these emotional feelings or stress by overeating. We may even overeat, thinking that will ease the physical discomfort caused by excess weight e.g. physical pain, lack of sleep, and lack of energy caused by moderate depression. To improve our overall health and support us through the process of natural weight loss and the emotional dynamics around it, we can take advantage of natural sleep aids, natural depression relief and natural pain relief health care products.
Our weight and health is greatly dependent upon our having a healthy digestive system or metabolism. Our digestive system converts, on a cellular and muscular level, the foods we eat, eliminates toxins, and uses and stores glucose for energy. Natural enzymes trigger hunger signals and facilitate absorption of nutrition. Good digestion with the help of natural enzymes aids in the conversion of fat to muscle.
Allergy and sensitivity to food, parasites, yeast overgrowth and emotional stress are signals of digestive disruption and inflammation. Natural essential fatty acids work to reduce intestinal inflammation, decrease harmful acids, help the liver process proteins that grow muscle, balance hormones and facilitate the elimination of toxins. Natural essential fatty acids help clear our digestive system of heavy metals, harmful bacteria, pesticides that we are increasingly encountering in our environment. Essential fatty acids along with natural fiber help us clean out the intestinal debris that harm our health and often lead to weight gain. Essential fatty acids also help our brain's neurotransmitters to function properly in order to deal with stress, emotions, and cravings that can lead to overeating and weight gain.
Natural amino acids are the building blocks that make up proteins. Next to water, protein makes up the greatest part of our body weight. Amino acids help increase metabolism, build muscle, ease moderate depression, and help burn fat. Natural antioxidants help carry more oxygen to cells and muscles to help increase energy, burn fat, build muscle and process the foods we eat.
Hormone balance is essential for natural weight loss. Our metabolism slows as we get older because of the decrease or imbalance of hormones. This contributes to weight gain. Hormone balance also helps us deal with stress that leads to weight gain. Proper hormone balance helps to decrease cravings and binge eating. There are many natural hormone balancing products available, e.g. natural progesterone, promensil, soy isoflavones, essential fatty acids and hormone balancing formulas.
Our metabolism's primary task is to nourish our brains. We need healthy neurotransmitters to help us curb craving, ease depression, and deal with stress that lead to weight gain. Balancing our natural brain chemistry has a calming effect and allows us to feel a sens of well being and safety. There are many natural health care products to help balance brain chemistry, e.g. essential fatty acids, natural depression relief products, natural products to increase serotonin, and more. When our brain feels well and safe, it is prone to change our metabolism from calorie saving to calorie burning.
Our bodies were designed to move and be active. Movement requires muscle activity. Muscle activity uses the glycogen supply found in our muscles. When this glycogen supply stored in our muscles is used, our body is forced to use stored fat as an energy source. Using this stored fat through movement and exercise, results in natural weight loss. There is no reason for us to become athletes to accomplish natural weight loss. Low impact exercise like swimming, walking, etc, can be done slowly and without strain. In order to lose real weight rather than "water weight", it is important to drink extra amounts of water when exercising. Drinking more water will also help our digestive system and metabolism to use and eliminate extra weight.
Remember, the first objective, accomplished through natural weight loss, is to improve our physical and emotional health. This involves having a healthy digestive system, a healthy emotional system and a healthy nutritional system. We can build these healthy systems with natural vitamins, amino acids, antioxidants, natural digestive aid, pain relief aid, natural sleep aids, natural emotional and mood aids, essential fatty acids and many more helpful natural health care products. We need to concentrate on improving our general health, feeling good, and living well through natural weight loss, rather than constantly comparing ourselves to someone else's idea about appearance from some magazine. Physical and emotional health is primary. Appearance may be important to us, but it is secondary. Through natural weight loss, we can live well and live long.
