Fasting and a Better Weight Loss Program

Fasting is not new. In fact, Indian, Asian, and Middle-Eastern mystics have used fasting as a means to connect with higher levels of consciousness for millennia.
 There is just something about going without food or drink that strips the soul bare and enables the powerful intellect of man to rid itself of most of the distractions that get in the way of realizing eternal truths. This all sounds pretty heavy and heady and it is. However, for practical purposes, fasting actually leads to a better weight loss program We are not proposing fasting as the main way of losing weight.
 That would be irresponsible, if not outright dangerous. 
Instead, we are proposing that used in conjunction with a sensible diet and weight loss regimen, fasting can help boost the effect of your weight-loss program. 
Moreover, fasting can help dieters clear mental hurdles that get in the way of them fully committing to their weight loss regimen. Indeed, in the battle between mind and body, fasting is a great technique that bridges the body and mind to help the mind take full control.
Mind over body
There is no better way to tell your body that you are its boss than through controlled and regulated fasting. Why do you need to tell your body that you are its master? Well, for the most part, the main reason you are reading this article is because you have a tough time keeping your weight in check. In other words, you have a tough time controlling your body. Appetite is a function of the body. Hunger is, in large part, a signal from your body. 
When you fast, you make a commitment to keep your body in check. It is a brute force method, but it is effective. Fasting communicates to the body that regardless of whatever signals the body sends to the brain regarding hunger, your mind is still in control. By refusing to give in to the body's signals, your mind actually acts to re-balance your body. This is one of the cornerstone benefits of fasting.
 Let's face it, many of us have out of control appetites. If we see something that looks yummy, we have to take a bite. When a certain time of the day comes, we need to eat, regardless of what we are doing. If you live like this for quite an extended period of time, you slowly realize that your stomach is controlling you. The more you let your stomach win out, the less power you have over your impulses.
Responsible fasting
If you have decided to go on a fast to effect a better weight loss system, you have to be responsible about it. 
This means you must not put your health in jeopardy. Consult with your doctor first. Prepare lots of juices and nutritious fluids. Don't jump into your fast whole hog. Ease into it. Make adjustments. Remember, real weight loss is a marathon, not a sprint. Fast nice and easy. Don't rush into it and always feel free to end your fast the moment it becomes uncomfortable.
Emily Shelley has had more than 15 years working as a nutrition professor and is owner of The Diet Connection. Her deep understanding of nutrition will address your unique challenges and concerns. She believes people can learn to nurture themselves with healthy foods and make healthy choices often. This is her article about a better weight loss. Be sure to check out her other weight loss articles.

Some Helpful Weight Loss Tips

If you are among those suffering from obesity and overweight, you need to take some serious actions to shed extra kilos.
 Because, being obese or overweight, you are inviting a number of diseases, including Type 2 Diabetes, Sleep Apnea, High Blood Pressure and Chest Pain. Over and above, obesity degrades your quality of life and gives birth to depression. 
Therefore, it is vital for you to lose weight and live a healthy life.
Losing weight looks easy, but it can turn out to be a difficult task as you have to refrain from your favorite food and include physical activities in your routine. Here are some useful medical weight loss tips:
• Avoid private or public transport for short distances: You do not need a car or bike to go to the closely located market, theater, eating joint, etc. Try going on foot; it will help you burn some calories and keep your body fit.
• Say no to snacks: Though you love snacks, you have to avoid their intake to make your weight loss goal achievable. French fries and all other deep fried items add to your body fat; therefore, it is better to stay away from them.
• Exercises: Exercise plays an important role in reducing weight and makes your body slim.
 You can also consider swimming, aerobics and crunches.
• Household chores: It is good to have a servant who washes clothes, do dishes and keeps your home neat and clean. But, it will be better if you do most of your household chores yourself as it can help you lose some kilos.
• Don't skip meals: It is a myth that low intake of food or skipping meals can burn calories. Since our body needs calories to burn calories, it is very important to eat right amount of healthy food after regular intervals of time.
• Drink sufficient amount of water: Water helps kidneys function properly, which helps in shedding calories.
• Start playing outdoor sports: Since outdoor sports are all about running and sweating, participating in one is a good way to lose weight naturally.
If you are not able to reduce or manage your weight even after following the above-mentioned tips, you can contact any of the reliable weight loss clinics. These clinics examine your body carefully and suggest a diet plan that is best and effective for you. They also suggest a few medicines and injections, so that you lose weight as soon as possible.
Gaurav Mahajan is a professional content writer and webmaster of California Medical Weight Management (CalMWM) reputed medical weight loss centers in California offers three-step (fast, safe and effective) weight loss programs for men & women. Free Consult with our physicians for personalized diet plan and healthy weight management.

The Weight Loss and Nutrition Fad

Getting in shape and being thin is all people want these days but just being thin is not what is important.
 The weight loss and nutrition fad that is out there is not the healthiest one. We should not want to just "get thin." We should want to eat healthy, workout, and get the nutrition we need to then have weight loss.
Men and women have different body types. 
Men and women can not lose weight the same way, they have to take a different approach. Men naturally have faster metabolisms than women do. So, unfortunately, it is harder for women to lose weight. Due to this, many women feel that they need to starve themselves to get thin. This is not the right thing to do. This will actually only make your metabolism slower. When you have a slow metabolism, you won't lose weight. You'll just gain more back in the end.
So, how can you achieve proper weight loss & nutrition? There are many great diet plans out there to help you get started. In reality though, all you need to do is start eating the right foods and working out. Working out is not for everyone, so make it fun. 
Go for a bike ride with your family or just play catch in the backyard. Whatever you have to do to get up and get moving will work. Don't think that you have to go for long runs to get into shape. 
That is not what you have to do. Working out can be anything that involves physical activity. So, the slogan "eat less, move more" is so true.
As for the right foods to eat, we could go on forever.
 Fruits and vegetables at every meal along with protein and a little bit of carbs is great. Fruits are filled with antioxidants and other nutritional things to help you maintain a healthy body weight. We also recommend that you try to eat spicy foods. Spicy foods boost your metabolism and help you shed unwanted fat. This does not mean you have to eat jalapeƱos at every meal. Just add a little red pepper here and there and you should be set. The addition of healthy supplements on a daily basis is also recommended in order to make certain you are receiving a balanced daily requirement of nutritional food. 
Get started today and you'll see that you too can obtain weight loss & nutrition benefits.
If you want to learn more about weight loss and nutrition please click here:
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The Skinny On Subliminal Weight Loss

Subliminal weight loss is possible in this day and age.
 A lot of effort has been put into making sure that products which use the subconscious technology to lose weight are manufactured as well.
 A huge number of skinny people, who were once struggling with being overweight or obese, can now be found. Moreover, these are people who have used the subconscious mind to develop mechanisms and strategies through which to lose weight and stay fit. The messages developed here, are geared towards reprogramming the mind to the possibility of weight loss.
Subliminal weight loss is effective in the sense that it uses what people have in plenty to achieve these results, using the subconscious mind. Rather than encouraging people to look for resources with which to buy equipments or tools for weight loss, it simply takes advantage of the subconscious. This method ensures that people who find dieting or exercising to not be their cup of tea, now have an alternative.
 Excessive weight is responsible for a number of health problems. If there is one extra strategy through which to eliminate this problem from people's lives, that is better.
The messages used in subliminal weight loss programs are designed to help promote healthy lifestyles. One of these is to encourage any person embarking on this venture to love fruits. These messages are meant to help you decide on the need for developing proper and healthy eating habits. A person is encouraged to embrace fitness, vitality, in addition to inner contentment. These messages will address matters to do with your physiology as well. The message is designed to help you develop healthy behavior, which speeds up any weight loss.
The mind has the ability to internalize things which you may not be able to recall and thrust you in the path of being overweight. If you take the time, you may finally remember what drove you into this kind of life.
 Once you find out what it is that is responsible for thrusting you into such a life, subliminal weight loss messages can be used to reprogram your mind. As soon as your mind has been reprogrammed, it is easier to abandon certain aspects of your life, which cause you to be overweight. Get these messages, and listen to them if you are struggling with weight issues.
Subliminal weight loss programs are effective. They will set you off on the path towards embracing a better lifestyle. You will not need to struggle with a lifestyle that seems to take you towards weight gain than your body can handle. As a matter of fact, it's easier to walk in freedom if you find that you had embraced behaviors in the past which only made you struggle with being excessively stout.
 Once you find victory in this area, continue to listen to the messages and keep yourself in the right frame of mind which means you're never at threat of being obese ever again in your life. That is the essence of these subliminal weight-loss programs.
Click Here to get your Free 'Secret Success Package' and transform your life in amazing ways!

Weight Loss Benefit Of Jogging: How To Get Rid Of Love Handles

Use the benefit of jogging exercise to lose love handles
If you are anything like I was many years ago you might describe yourself as 'cuddly' or 'huggable'. Anything to disguise the fact that you're a little overweight and have a few rolls of unsightly fat around your middle. If this is you then you might want to learn the secret of how to get rid of love handles.
Sorry, there's no secret way to eliminate love handles but I can tell you about how I managed to lose my love handle fat. It didn't happen overnight and I did have to work at it but slowly the fat around my middle and other parts of my body started to melt away and I've managed to stay reasonably lean for many years now.
Nutrition and exercise is the key to losing love handles
I didn't know much about nutrition and exercise at the time and I still don't know that much but I did know that you need to do some exercise. Any exercise is better than none right? I also knew that the more calories you eat the more fat accumulates on your body. I've no idea why it all seems to go on around your middle first but it seems to be very common.
The first thing I did was cut down the size of my meals to reduce my calorie intake. This is very difficult to do if you have a low metabolism like I do because you don't have to eat much before you start putting on weight. This means that you probably don't eat much to start with. You can also make adjustments to the things you eat to help you lose fat. For more about nutrition see this article: Food To Help You Lose Weight.
The next step is to introduce some regular exercise. This will burn off some of the calories that you consume allowing you to at least eat something. When you decide what type of exercise you are going to do you should pick something that you'll enjoy doing and can see yourself doing regularly and consistently. That way you'll be able to keep it up for a long time to come.
Jogging to lose weight
I chose to start jogging. I wanted to lose body fat all over but I was most concerned about my love handles. I also knew that I would enjoy jogging in the park along the riverbank. Pleasant surroundings is a definite bonus and incentive to keep going as are the occasions when I happen to meet a girl jogging and swap weight loss notes.
Your weight loss from jogging
Exactly how many calories you'll burn by jogging depends on a number of factors. The heavier you are and the faster you run, the more calories you'll burn. A rule of thumb estimate suggests that jogging for weight loss will burn off roughly 10 calories per minute. You can use this estimate to work out how much jogging you are going to need to do.
The calorie burned jogging in 30-minutes 6 times a week will be roughly 1800 calories a week. Another rough rule of thumb suggests that 1 pound of body fat is equal to 3500 calories. At this rate you should lose about 1 pound of weight every 2 weeks, which is a very slow but healthy way to lose weight. This assumes of course that your weight was stable before you took up the exercise and that you don't eat more than you did before.
It was a slow process but over time it did show me how to get rid of love handles because they eventually disappeared. I still enjoy the jogging to this day and my love handles have never returned.
Steve Gee

7 Weight Loss Myths Broken

With so much weight-loss information out there, it's hard to make sense of it all and distinguish fact from fiction. Here are a few common myths explained and clarified!
To loose weight I need to...
1. Cut the fat in my diet
Myth
Fat is essential to every diet and should consist of 15 to 30% of one's daily calorie intake. This being said, it is important to give your body the best fats (unsaturated fats: monounsaturated and polyunsaturated; including omega 3 and 6), limit the saturated fats (animal fat from meat and dairy) and avoid the trans-fats (in many baked pre-packaged goods). Fats are important for many functions in the human body, as every cell membrane in our body consist of them.
 They play an essential role in many bodily functions as well as being essential for absorbing lipid-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K). The Mediterranean diet, world renowned for its health properties and healthy weight virtues is a perfect example of this. Fat consists of 25-35% of calorie intake, only 8% being saturated (dairy and meat), the rest coming from olive oil and other plant based sources.
2. Cut the carbohydrates
Myth
My defense of carbohydrates is continual! Why are they essential? Carbohydrates serve crucial functions in the human body. Among other things, they are your body's principal source of energy and the only source of energy for many important cells such as neurones and red blood cells. This being said, an over consumption of carbohydrates transforms itself into fat, which is why, on average, an adult's plate should consist of only 20% whole grains and or starchy vegetables, the rest being vegetables, fruits, protein and fat.
Most important of all is the type of carbohydrates you choose. The reasons this food group has a bad reputation is that chosen incorrectly they wreak havoc on your blood sugar and cause you to crave more food rather than fill you up and provide you with the nutrients and long-lasting energy you need.
Which ones are best? Choose complex carbohydrates like whole grains instead of 'white' or refined carbohydrates (white rice, white bread, white pasta... ).
3. Replace sugar with artificial sweeteners
Myth
You've heard that sugar makes you gain weight therefore you make sure to drink diet coke rather than the original, put sweetener in your coffee and feast on sugar-free cookies.
On top of the fact that there is not much research on the safety of artificial sweeteners, the consumption of aspartame and saccharine, like sugar, is very addictive, and they wreak havoc on our blood sugar, causing drops in energy that make us crave more food as a result. Ironically enough, diet drinks have also been linked to obesity and overeating.
There is a lot of research that links diet drinks to weight gain. The theory is that because the sugar-free drink contains no calories, its sweet taste sends a signal to the brain to expect food and calories, and because these are not arriving, the body starts craving food and more calories. Another explanation is that consuming high amounts of sugary substances dulls your taste buds and as a result, makes you crave more high calorie foods.
The ultimate solution to free yourself of this vicious cycle and loose weight, is to wean yourself off of sugar and sugar substitutes slowly. You can start the weaning process with Stevia, a safe and natural, no-calorie sweetener.
4. Eat less
Myth and reality
Reality: Portion control and snack control are two of the keys to maintaining a healthy body weight. The easiest way to control your portions this is to see your daily food consumption as a pie chart! On average, 60% of your plate should consist of vegetables and fruits; 20% from carbohydrates; and 20% from protein. This can be modified depending on your age, the season, your activity level and other factors.
Not making it to your next meal without a snack? Put an end to this snacking by:
  • Increasing your consumption of satiable foods and decrease your refined carb consumption (white carbs). Satiable foods include those rich in fiber and healthy fats. Refined carbohydrates, including sweets will give you a quick burst of energy and then leave you tired and feeling hungry.
  •  
  • Train your body not to eat outside of meals and put yourself on a fixed meal schedule.
  •  Notice that when you are jetlagged you are hungry at the times when you normally eat at home. This is because the body remembers that you usually eat at certain times at which point it prepares itself to digest. Getting yourself on a 3 meal a day with no snacks schedule should take about the same amount of time as getting over jetlag: a few days to a week. Most adults have a relatively sedentary lifestyle that does not require snacks if they've had decent satiable meals.
The myth part is that one should not starve him or herself. Consuming three meals per day and having only fruits or vegetables as occasional snacks, helps to avoid the feeling of being ravishingly hungry and making unsound food decisions while in a hypo-glycemic state. Meal skipping also slows your metabolism meaning that your body burns less energy throughout the day. Meal skipping also provides you with less energy to go for that jog or power walk which will burn calories and also increase your metabolism!
5. Do not eat 2 hours before going to bed or after 8 pm
Partly true
I am not big on rules, especially when they are aimed at everyone but let's see why this can partially hold true.
Our bodies have an energy stock to keep us going between meals called glycogen stock; it releases energy for 6-8 hours after your meal. Fasting for 12 hours between dinner and breakfast is an important weight loss tool for the simple reason that after the body has depleted its stock of glycogen it starts burning your stock of fat. If you are snacking in the evening, the body's glycogen stock is replenished and you are not giving a chance for your body to burn fat.
My revised version of this weight loss 'rule' which is also important for your health is to: fast for 12 hours between dinner and breakFAST.
6. Eat low calorie foods
Myth
Diet foods may cause overeating. Professor David Pierce explains that foods with low calorie content disrupt the body's ability to use taste to regulate caloric intake. (1)
In addition, diet foods contain more artificial flavors and products in order for the food's taste not to be compromised. Why is this bad? The health consequences of regular consumption of these products are uncertain and little long-term research has been done.
7. Drink a lot of water
Myth and reality
It is commonly recommended that people trying to loose weight increase their water consumption.
 This is mostly because thirst is often mistaken for hunger. Also, while you are drinking water you are not drinking calorie containing drinks such as juices, soft drinks, alcohol, etc. Water also helps your body eliminate toxins which are more present in your circulation when you start eating healthier. Removing these toxins contributes to your health. In terms of losing weight though, water does not contain any magical component which will help you achieve this.
References:
1. Smucker, Celeste M. 'Evidence shows diet soda is not a healthy weight loss product.' February 26, 2012 http://www.naturalnews.com/035070_diet_soda_weight_loss_aspartame.html#ixzz2CN7Qc2WS
For healthy recipes and health tips check out and for more information on choosing healthy fats go to: http://michellesavard.com/blog/

Ephedrine Weight Loss

Ephedrine Weight Loss; Can I really lose weight by using Ephedrine products? 
Ma Huang (Ephedrine) has been shown to increase the effectiveness of thermogenesis (fat burning) in the body. It contributes to the release and blocks the re-uptake of the neurotransmitter norepinephrine. 
This gives norepinephrine the ability to continuously stimulate receptors in your body, causing fat cell "flood gates" to open and facilitate fat loss resulting in weight loss.
Not only does ephedrine increase the rate at which fat is lost, it preserves muscle at the same time, making it an ideal dieting aid for athletes. The most comprehensive look at ephedrine for weight loss is a recent meta-analysis published in The Journal of the American Medical Association.
 This meta-analysis was done by the request of the US Department of Health and Human Services. It reviewed 44 controlled trials on the use of ephedrine for weight loss. It found that on average, it increased weight loss 1.3 lbs. per month more than placebo. However, combinations of ephedrine or ephedra with caffeine or herbs containing caffeine resulted in an average weight loss of 2.2 lbs. per month. Through nutrient repartitioning, ephedrine promotes fat loss while preserving fat-free mass.
One of the reasons why it is such a powerful weight loss agent is that it operates through a variety of mechanisms, including increasing levels of norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine, and stimulating both alpha and beta adrenoreceptors. It (through facilitating the release of adrenaline and noradrenaline) stimulates the alpha(1)-adrenoreceptor subtype, which is known to induce hypophagia (appetite suppression).
 It is estimated that appetite supression accounts for 75-80% of the weight loss with ephedrine.
What is Ephedrine? 
Ma Huang (Ephedrine) is known as one of the world's oldest medicines. Ma Huang (Ephedrine) is a member of the family of herbs known as the Ephedraceae. Ma Huang is a shrub-like plant found in desert regions throughout the world. It is distributed from northern China to Inner Mongolia.
 The dried green stems of the three Asian species (Ephedra sinica, Ephedra intermedia, Ephedra equisetina) are used medicinally. The North American species of ephedra, sometimes called Desert Tea or Mormon Tea, does not appear to contain the active ingredients of its Asian ephedra counterparts.
Ephedrine is a naturally occurring central nervous system stimulant obtained from the plant Ephedra equisetina.
 Ephedrine is produced by chemical synthesis, the synthetic product being marketed in the form of its salt, ephedrine sulfate; it occurs as a white crystalline powder with a bitter taste, soluble in water and very soluble in alcohol. Ephedrine's peripheral stimulant actions are similar to but less powerful than those of epinephrine (also called adrenaline), a hormone produced in the body by the adrenal glands.
What is Ephedrine used for? 
Ephedrine has been used in China for more than 5,000 years to treat symptoms of asthma and upper respiratory infections. It has also been used in the treatment of headaches, fevers, colds, and hay fever. Today, compounds derived from this herb are commonly found in many over-the-counter (OTC) cold and allergy medications. Ma Huang is also found in some weight loss and energy products.
 For dieters, Ephedrine suppresses the appetite and stimulates metabolism through a process known as thermogenesis. Recently, Ma Huang has been the subject of scientific research for obesity because of this thermogenic fat-burning effect. It is used to increase heart rate, blood pressure and performance. This is normally released by your body under stress to enhance sports performance.
Ephedrine has moderately potent bronchial muscle relaxant properties, and therefore is used for symptomatic relief in milder cases of asthmatic attack; it is also used to reduce the risk of acute attacks in the treatment of chronic asthma. Ephedrine is also used to treat low blood pressure, because it constricts blood vessels and stimulates certain actions of the heart.
What are the side effects of use and Ephedrine Weight Loss? 
Some of the more common side effects people experience from taking the drug are nervousness, dizziness, tremors, rapid heart rate, headaches, jitters, palpitations, insomnia, increased blood pressure. 
When taken at higher levels, ephedra can cause drastic increases in blood pressure, as well as cardiac arrhythmias. Discontine use if you experience any side effects.
Do not use this ephedrine weight loss product if you are now taking a prescription containing Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor (MAOI) (Certain drugs for depression, psychiatric or emotional conditions, Parkinson's disease) or 2 weeks after stopping the MAOI drug. If you are uncertain whether your prescription drug contains an MAOI, consult a health professional before taking this product. Do not store above 30 degrees C (86 degrees F). Protect from moisture.
What is an ECA stack? 
The ECA Stack is a component found in thermogenic weight loss pills, composed of ephedrine, caffeine and aspirin working to speed up the metabolism and thus cause calories to burn faster and result in weight loss. Anyone with high blood pressure or heart problems should not take the stack.
Benefits of Ephedrine (Ephedrine Weight Loss) 
o ephedrine increases metabolism 
o ephedrine suppresses appetite 
o ephedrine preserves muscle tissue 
o ephedrine treats symptoms of asthma and upper respiratory infections
Chester is a health nutrition consultant and is the owner of AstroNutrition - a provider of premium health nutrition and sports supplements. (link to category product page).