Diet and Exercise

Nutrition and physical activity is going to go along together for our bodies.
Exercise is going to give us fitness along with four major things: flexibility,
strength, muscle endurance, and cardiovascular health. Diet on it's own is not
going to be able to give you this. You need to have the physical part as well.
One thing to remember is that a bad diet can affect the way that your fitness
training goes even if you follow the best type of exercise plan that you can.
You need to put a healthy diet and a lot of exercise together to stay as
healthy as you can.

It is going to be achievable to answer the question of how long you need to
exercise to keep as healthy as you can. The average is at least 20 minutes of
exercise at least three times a week. This will help to strengthen the
cardiovascular health. Another idea is that 3500 calories must be used in a
week by doing any sort of physical activity. This will benefit you and your
heart as well. It is a good idea to speak to your doctor first to find out what
exercise plan is going to be best for you and your body.

The energy nutrients that are stored like glucose and fatty acids with a few
amino acids are let out into the blood during exercise in order to provide
energy for what you are doing. This means that the body will respond to
exercise by adjusting its fuel amounts.

There is a way to use diet to control high blood pressure and now they are
finding out that exercise has a role in keeping blood pressure from increasing.
With the reduction of sodium into your body, weight loss and limited alcohol
use, along with the increased amount of physical activity and a low fat diet,
you can control hypertension. Foods that are used for the purpose of lowering
blood pressure without using medication can include sweets and many beverages
that have sugar in them, red meat and fats.

To build muscle in the body, proteins are used and this is true when the body
is at rest after exercise or any type of physical activity. There is research
that has shown that athletes will retain more protein and use more of it as
fuel for the body. The American Dietetic Association has said that one gram per
kilogram of bodyweight is recommended for people that do not exercise at all.
For the athletes, the protein amounts are going to be higher. It should be
considered that athletes also need more carbohydrates as well. If they do not
take in enough crabs, their protein will be used all up for fuel and there will
not be anything left for muscle building after exercise is done.

There is increasing evidence that weight bearing exercises like walking,
dancing, running, sports and so much more. Are very good at getting good bone
health. Swimming has been a great use for bone health. Eating disorders like
bulimia and anorexia have been said to damage bone strength. Exercise alone
cannot make your body healthy. You need to have the proper calcium and other
vitamins and minerals required for bones must go with the adequate amount of
exercise to provide the best bone health. Along with exercise, diet can help
keep your body working good and in the right mode for the rest of your life.

High Fiber Diets

Fiber is mostly polysaccharides composed of glucose units, but human digestive
enzymes cannot break the bonding of these units. We can think of fiber as
non-starch polysaccharides. These include cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, and
some other types of fiber. That might sound like Greek to you, but fiber is an
important part of our daily diet, and a high fiber diet might be perfect for
your body.

Depending on their solubility in water, there are of two main types of fiber:
soluble fiber and insoluble fiber. Both of these types are important for
optimum health. Fiber has a number of health benefits and hence is highly
recommended in daily food. Some of its health benefits are:

It promotes the feelings of fullness and reduces energy consumption. It
prevents constipation, hemorrhoids, and other intestinal problems. Fiber helps
prevent bacterial infection of the appendix. It reduces the risk of colon
cancer. It stimulates the muscles of the digestive tract and helps them retain
their health and tone.

To keep the digestive tract healthy and prevent other disorders like
hemorrhoids and intestinal problems, people normally need 20 to 35 grams of
fiber daily. These can be obtained from a variety of plants, vegetables and
fruits. Fibers are especially abundant in whole foods. All fruits are rich in
fiber. For just 2 grams of fiber, you could eat 1 small apple, 1 peach, 1 small
banana, 2 prunes, 16 large cherries, or a number of other fruits. Grains also
contain fiber. For 2 grams of fiber, simply try 1 slice of whole wheat bread, 2
slices of cracked wheat bread, 1 cup of cooked oatmeal, 2 cups of popped
popcorn, or ? of a cup of corn bran.

If you are on a low-carb diet, you can try eating cooked vegetables to provide
your body with adequate fiber. For 2 grams of fiber, eat ? of a cup of
broccoli, 1 cup of celery, ? of a cup of carrots, 1 small potato, 1 large
tomato, or a variety of beans. Beans, or any type of legume, are the real
powerhouses for fiber. By only eating ? of a cup of kidney beans, 1 cup of
dried peas or lentils, or ? of a cup of canned baked beans, you can provide
your body with a whopping 8 grams of fiber. If all else fails, small amounts of
fiber can also be found in peanuts, walnuts, and pickles, so there is really no
excuse for not getting enough fiber in your diet!

Food Pyramid

An overwhelming variety of both natural and highly processed foods is available
at the market. To guide people in picking healthy food items, the US Department
of Agriculture has designed the food pyramid. It is a labeled illustration,
shaped like a pyramid, which demonstrates groups of essential food types and
the quantity in which a normal individual requires each of these foods.

At the base of the food pyramid are such food items that serve as ready sources
of energy. These are rich in starch, low in fat, and include cereals, pasta,
bread, and different types of grains. By the specifications of the food
pyramid, a normal adult individual needs 6 to 11 servings of these items daily.
Whole grains are the best and healthiest food of this group. In a single serving
of these foods you can include a slice of bread, a cup of cereal flakes, one
flat tortilla, and one ounce of rice or pasta.

As the geometry of the food pyramid shows, vegetables and fruits are required
in less quantity than carbohydrates. Normally, a grown person would need 3 to 5
servings of vegetables and 2 to 4 servings of fruits daily. The high fiber
content of vegetables and fruits make them ideal food items as fiber keeps the
bowel movements in order. In addition, they are both rich in vitamins (required
for immunity and general health) and minerals, which ensure the proper
functioning of various body organs. Among vegetables, go for more dark green
vegetables and try to pick fresh fruits instead of fruit juices.

Next upper chamber in the food pyramid is occupied by proteins and dairy
products. You need 2 to 3 servings daily of each of these foods. Protein comes
from lean meat, eggs, fish, beans, and nuts. It is advisable to remove the
visible fat on the meat so as to make it a low fat item. Be moderate in using
nuts, since they also hold fats. Among the dairy products, milk is the complete
diet with most of the required vitamins and minerals like calcium, phosphorus,
and magnesium. Cheese and yogurt are also recommended dairy foods. Try to
abstain from high intake of ice cream and cheese that is high in fat.

Lastly, at the top of the food pyramid lie fats, including oils, and sweets.
The recommended quantity of these items is limited to sparing use. Butter,
cream, oils, candies, margarines etc., are all foods that are not easy to
digest and hence should be used in minimal amounts. However, it is an important
part of our diet, just as all the other parts of the food pyramid are important
as well.

Fad Diets

Fad diets are a sort of diet plan or aid that aims at losing weight, usually in
a relatively short time. Fad diets attract a large number of people who suffer
from weight problems and are helplessly looking to some way of arriving at a
shapely physique. The problem with fad diets is that their fat-reducing effect
is temporary and results in quick regain of weight. What is worse is that most
of these diets are harmful to health.

Fad diets are not as new as they might seem at first. These date back to the
mid 19th century when an obese Londoner was prescribed such a diet on
experimental basis. Now, after a century and a half, fad diets have become
popular among people with weight problems. Teens and young adults especially
flock to fad diets for answers to weight problems.

Fad diets are usually centered on a higher consumption of fats or proteins
while stressing to go easy on or, in some cases, completely cut out
carbohydrates. It is the low intake of carbohydrates that brings about rapid
weight loss. In fact, this rapid loss is the loss of water that glycogen has
stored. With loss of glycogen, the large amount of water stored in it is also
lost and body weight drops. The fats are still there and as the fad diets are
given up, the body regains its proportion of water lost. Weight is put back on
as fast as it was lost.

Normally, carbohydrates remain the source of energy for work. With fad diets,
the carbs are no longer there so the body starts using the stored fat, breaking
it down. This may appear beneficial but in fact it is not. In the absence of
carbs, fats cannot be completely oxidized and put to work. Hence, the body
feels fatigued and weak. In addition, the ketone molecules resulting from the
fat-breakdown accumulate in the blood and are excreted out via urine, causing
dehydration.

Given the harmful health effects of fad diets, it is important for us,
especially the weight-conscious people, to recognize and beware of these diet
plans. Watch out for diets that:

Promise quick weight loss Publicize before and after pictures Present
weight-loss testimonials Tend to limit natural food choices Require a large sum
of money

Fad diets may be popular, but they can greatly hurt your body. Be careful with
any diet or exercise program and ask your doctor to be sure it is safe.

Dining

There is nothing to argue about, dining out when you are on a diet is very
stressful. This is especially true for people that love to eat and like food a
lot. This may seem like torture, the right way to go about it is out there for
you to eat normally. You do not need to splurge on some things even when you go
out to a restaurant. There is no reason why you have to give up dining out all
together. Remember that a diet is going to boost your health and to not ruin it
and the way that you are feeling.

When you are going out to eat to the fancy restaurant's the menu is going to
get you all worked up. The foods on there that are so fattening, yet so
delicious can tempt you. You need to relax and think about eating more your
favorite salad or soup before turning to eat the main entr�e. Sometimes you
have to watch though what type of soup and salads you are eating. Some are rich
in calories and can leave you feeling even hungrier than you were before. Try to
take on things like a broth vegetable soup or some salad with lemon or the
dressing on the side, this will help in the fact that you do not have to eat it
all. More often than other, restaurants will give you more than just one serving
size.

It is easy to have guilty pleasures with food when they are eating at a
restaurant. Many of the restaurants will have options for those that are
dieting but it can still be hard to pass up the tempting calories. You can make
your meal healthier with a few things. One example is to order a side salad
instead of the fries that most likely come with the meal. You can also order
low or no cheese when it comes your burger.

The sauces for a lot of people are hard to resist. They are a large source of
fat that you may not even notice. A good idea is to remember that the creamy
sauces are worse for your diet. Meat and chicken sauces, light salad dressings
and on the side cream sauces will keep your fat intake in a reasonable manner.
Keep it all as low as you can get it and you will not have to use all of the
sauce that is on your plate.

Having the quality control is very important. Restaurants will bring you a
larger portion that what you need most of the time. You should eat less of the
meal and dining out can become as safe as your home dinner experience. The best
idea is to share your meals with your dining partner. You can also always take
the rest of the meal home for the next day. This is like two meals in one. You
do not have to wreck your diet with dining out. Keep it under control and you
will find that some of the foods are going to be good for you and taste good
too.

Diabetics

When you have diabetes it does not mean that you have to eat bland food for the
rest of your life. You do although need to learn what is going to be good for
you and what is bad for your body. You need to create a healthy diet that will
keep your life healthy and give you the nutrients that your body needs to keep
heart disease away.

What is really bad for the diabetic to eat? This is what would be a bad diet
for everyone else. The answer is a diet that is high in fat, salt, sugar and
the over processed foods that you can find. This sort of foods is often filled
with poly saturated fats or trans fat, which cannot be burned off through
exercise. They are going to stay in the body and clog up the arteries. If you
have diabetes it can be the worst thing for your diet and this will increase
your chances of getting heart disease, stroke, and other heart problems that
can lead to complications.

This will not mean that you have to cut out the fat forever, however some fats
are healthy and necessary. It is very important if you have diabetes to know
which fats and foods are good for you and which fats are harmful for you too.
Fats are found mostly in processed foods and found in most of the fast food
restaurants and are not healthy. Omega -3 fatty acids are found more in fish
and are very good for diabetics due to the fact that they can help decrease the
risk of sudden heart attack. When you are working on your diet, you need to
remember that you can still have some sugars and fats but in lower amounts. The
way that these foods act with your body will increase the chances of health
problems happening in your body. You need to eliminate them from your diet so
that you can have the good effects for your health that your body needs for a
certain amount of fat to be healthier.

You need to control your intake of carbohydrates because it is important for
diabetics. This is because of the excess carbohydrates will turn into sugars in
the body and diabetics should be careful about the amount of getting too many
carbohydrates in their diet. This will affect their blood sugar levels.
Diabetics can learn about how to count their carbs from nutritionists or a book
that is good on the subject. This can help them in deciding how much to eat and
with what type of meal.

When you are a diabetic it does not mean that you have to limit your diet to
foods that have no taste. You can still have the foods that you want as long as
you keep the portions under control. It is about taking control so that you are
not eating more than what your body can process and that is the diet that
everyone should have in their life to be healthy and happy too.

Fat

Numerous sources of information will tell you that fats are potentially harmful
elements of your diet. While this is true in general, it does not imply that
fats are not valuable from a nutritional point of view. In fact, fats are
absolutely necessary for maintaining proper health. Fats are the chief form of
energy stored in the body. During times of unavailability of food, the fats
stored in the body provide energy to prevent starvation.

There is good scientific reason behind why fats, and not carbohydrates, remain
the chief form of stored energy in the body. The body cannot store glycogen
(the dominant form of the body's carbohydrates) in great amounts because
glycogen holds a great deal of water and is very bulky. Fats, on the other
hand, can be packed tightly together without water. They can store much more
energy than glycogen in a small space.

Foods rich in fats are valuable in many situations. One gram of fat (or oil)
provides twice as many calories as obtained from one gram of carbohydrates.
People doing hard physical labor and those traveling in cold climates require
ample supply of fats to provide energy in the form of heat. Fatty foods usually
carry tempting aromas and flavors that cause you to eat these foods in excess,
getting unneeded calories.

How do you know when to stop eating? Well, there are certain fats in the food
that slow digestion and give the brain a signal to stop eating. That is why
fatty foods give a fuller feeling of satisfaction.

The vital organs of the body are surrounded by and cushioned in fat pads that
function as shock absorbers. Also, the layer of fat beneath the skin prevents
the body from extremes of temperature conditions. Fats also dissolve some
essential nutrients like vitamins A, D, E, and K.

Without some fat in our diet, we cannot survive. The fear of eating too much
fat and gaining weight is often associated with anorexia and other eating
disorders, but fat, in moderate amounts, is actually healthy for your body.
Look for fats that are good for your body, such as those found in olive oil,
and reduce the fats that are bad for your body, such as the ones found in fast
food. Remember to eat a small amount of good fats every day so that you can
maintain good health.

Illnesses

There are illnesses that you can get from dieting and they are called eating
disorders. There are two main types and they are anorexia and bulimia. There
are about 2 million people in the United States that are suffering right now
from one of these eating disorders. These illnesses are going to be more likely
in girls and women than in men however there are male patients that are battling
eating disorders as well.

Anorexia is showing up more and more in teenagers. This is true more so for
girls of middle to upper class families. Men and boys suffer from anorexia but
not as often. Anorexia is when a person will not want to eat when they need to
in order to survive. There are anorexia patients that avoid eating most of the
foods that are out there but will also be more likely to follow activities like
grueling physical exercises in order to make their weight come down. Usually
their weight is already below normal. Gaining weight is the worst fear of a
person with anorexia. The excessive weight loss that anorexics usually have
will cause hormonal disturbances in women and girls and will seem to have a
number of health problems that can occur.

The reason behind anorexia has not been found out yet. There are health experts
that believe that biological, nutritional and psychological causes combined will
lead to this disorder. There are social and environmental causes like puberty, a
death in the family or any other stress related reason could lead to this. There
is not one single treatment that will exist for anorexia at this moment. There
are medications that are going to treat depression that is associated with
anorexia. The psychological and family support is going to need to be there for
the patient come of their eating disorder without fear.

Bulimia nervous is a common eating disorder where the patient is going to have
a tempting urge to eat. They will have repeated episodes of binging in a very
short amount of time. The patients of bulimia are going to be very afraid of
obesity and this will lead them to do self-induced vomiting in order to get the
food out of their body. Patients will also try laxatives, diuretics, strict
fasting, and dieting of any kind. They will also want to do hard physical
exercises for their body to prevent the weight gain. These are all going to be
hard on the heart and kidney functions as well.

Anorexia and bulimia are far more often seen in girls rather than boys. However
there are men that suffer from the disorders. There are around 7% of the young
women seeking heath advice or treatment that suffer from bulimia. Like
anorexia, the cause of this disorder is not known. There can be no one
effective treatment for the disorder. Medication may be used to help treat
depression and there is counseling that can help as well. Having the support of
family is going to help the bulimic patient as well. Both anorexia and bulimia
are dangerous and life threatening to anyone. If you are or know someone that
is suffering from either one, this is not a good diet and you need to find help
immediately.

College Students

When you go away to college, you are thrown into an unfamiliar environment.
Sleeping in a bed that is not your own and dealing with a new roommate you
don't know may be difficult enough, but you can't forget about learning how to
eat healthy foods while at college. Healthy eating is important so that you
keep the weight off and keep your immune system healthy.

It is first important to settle into an eating routine. At home, you would
probably never eat after a certain time at night--don't at college either. If
you're used to eating breakfast, wake up before classes in enough time to do
so. At the very least, be sure that you have time between classes for a
balanced lunch and dinner. Don't skip meals.

If your schedule is hectic, as most people find, you'll need to schedule time
to eat. Instead of grabbing food from a vending machine when you are hungry,
plan ahead. Take a healthy salad or sandwich with you to eat if you have class
over mealtime. Most professors don't mind if you bring food to class as long as
your eat it quietly.

When you do have time to eat in the cafeteria, it is important to make healthy
decisions. Most colleges offer pizza and a variety of desserts every day, but
that doesn't mean you have to eat them! Look for choices that have a balance of
the food groups in every meal. A good indication that you have a nutritious meal
is color. If your trey is colorful, with fruits, vegetables, and proteins, you
are on the right track.

Of course, not every college has a cafeteria, and even if yours does you might
choose to eat elsewhere. It's very tempting to order Chinese food or other
delivery, especially when participating in study groups. Try to find the best
options here and allow yourself to splurge only on special occasions. For
example, if someone is ordering pizza, see if the pizzeria also offers salads.
This may be a healthy option. Try to stay away from fried or greasy foods.

College is one of the best times of your life. Don't let poor eating choices
ruin the experience. You might also want to note as a closing thought that
alcohol has more empty calories than most of the foods you can eat at the
cafeteria combined. Staying away from it can not only keep you safe, but also
healthy. Add an exercise routine at a local gym, and you'll never see that
freshman fifteen!

Dieting for the Right Reasons

When it comes to dieting, far too often we take those first steps towards
weight loss bliss for what we later determine are all the wrong reasons.
Ultimately however, if your reason works for you there is no truly wrong reason
to diet. The trick is in finding the reason that will actually work for you.

I've seen all kinds of excellent motivators when it comes to dieting and taking
your dieting seriously. One of the more common reasons is to lose weight. This
is as good of a reason as any. Some want to get back into the size 5 jeans they
wore in high school while others would simply like to be able to look in the
mirror once again without feeling guilt. For some this is a simple matter of
vanity and for others it is finally managing to deal with what has become a
lifelong problem. If you find the inspiration you need to be successful with
your dieting this time as opposed to others, then that is the perfectly
plausible and acceptable reason for you to diet.

Other reasons for dieting include a desire to be more physically fit. Some of
us have a deep and abiding desire to live as long as possible and firmly
believe that the best possible method for accomplishing this goal is to live
the healthiest life possible. This is another excellent reason for losing
weight and getting into shape. If it works for you that is. The thing to
remember is that every person is going to have to find their very own
motivation deep within.

Yet another great reason is to have the energy you need to keep up with your
little ones. This is one of the most heartbreaking side effects for most when
it comes to obesity. There is simply no energy left over at the end of the day
to enjoy doing things with your precious little ones who are young for such a
very short amount of time. You desperately want to be able to build those
precious memories with them but absolutely have no energy with which to do so.
If that isn't bad enough you probably (if you are considered morbidly obese)
have noticed that many of the simplest activities with your children often
bring you physical pain that is the direct result of your weight.

Revenge is a dish that is best served cold and another excellent motivator for
some when it comes to dieting and taking off those pesky pounds. Losing a great
deal of weight takes time in many cases so you must be able to maintain your
motivation even when things are going rough along the way. The path to a new
body is not an easy path. This is for those who have some serious emotional
healing to do and the best revenge for old slights and wounds is to come back
more beautiful than ever before. If this motivation is what it takes for you to
take off the pounds then this is the motivation to which you should cling.

Religion is another common weight loss motivation. Some people believe the body
should be treated as a temple. There is nothing wrong with this philosophy at
all, though it takes some us longer to find our way to that line of thinking
than others. Religion and faith are powerful motivators, as they have been
known to bring healing to those in need by the power of their faith or their
prayers. If your faith can give you the will power and strength you need in
order to reach your dieting and weight loss goals then by all means lean on
your faith and hold it close.

No matter what motivation you have for dieting and losing weight if you find it
is no longer working for you, then you need to find another motivator quickly.
Without proper motivation it is quite unlikely that you will ever meet your
weight loss goals.

Dieting for Success Making it Happen

Dieting is far too often approached from the mindset of impending failure. Too
many people have tried and failed so many diets in their past that they try the
next new diet with the absolute knowledge that they will fail in this attempt as
well. Guess what? They will.

Henry Ford once said, "If you think you can or think you can't you will always
be right." If you think you are going to fail at this diet you are dooming
yourself to failure before you even deprive yourself of the first bite. Think
about that before you begin because only a true masochist could find pleasure
in perpetuating this vicious cycle without ever stopping to wonder why none of
the other diets have worked for you. Henry Ford also said, "Failure is only the
opportunity to begin again more intelligently". In case you were wondering I
would say his words are quite profound. Seriously though, if you do not examine
the reasons for your failures you are certainly dooming yourself to repeat them
and if you are already planning to fail why on earth would you even try?

You are the only person who can take control of your need to eat. You are the
only one who can pay attention and notice when you are eating for emotional
fulfillment and when you are eating from necessity. You and you alone can get
yourself out of your chair and on your feet. You are the only one that can take
the responsibility for the condition in which you find yourself. There are
medical exceptions but even in these situations if you are trying diet after
diet and failing over and over again then you must at some point in time
realize that it is quite likely not the diets that aren't working.

We must all be accountable for our successes and failures in life. It is no
different when it comes to dieting. There are few better feelings in the world
than for someone to notice and compliment your efforts. If you are very obese
unfortunately, it may take a little more time for people to actually notice the
weight you've lost. Too many men and women give up simply because no one noticed
and that is an incredible shame. Give your dieting practices an opportunity to
work before you decide they are a failure and you just might surprise yourself
with a roaring success.

The truth is far too few people hold themselves accountable to their dieting
and weight loss goals. This means that far too many people are giving up
without really ever bothering to give it an effort. If you have an issue
holding yourself accountable to your dieting plans, perhaps you would do well
to diet with a partner. This helps you not only set goals but also to meet and
exceed challenges along the way. A partner can also benefit from the
partnership as he or she will be challenged and feel the need to perform better
than if he or she were dieting alone.

You must hold yourself accountable to your stated dieting and weight loss goals
in order to achieve any lasting results. If you have not had dieting success in
the past, then perhaps it is time to bring some degree of accountability into
the picture and make it happen.

Dieting for Health

There is no greater reason to diet than for your personal health and well
being. Those of us who are overweight know better than most the risks and
possible consequences that may result because of our weight. Much like smokers
however, the risks do not always seem quite so cut and dry until we reach our
very own turning point. Whether your eating habits are born of an addiction to
certain foods, an emotional need, or years of learned behavior and conditioning
things will not change until you completely adjust your eating habits and your
lifestyle choices.

Dieting for many has become a lifestyle in and of itself with people rapidly
flip-flopping or yo-yoing from one diet to another with little success and
growing despair over a sheer lack of results. The truth is that until you
decide to forgive yourself for your failures and get right back on the wagon,
so to speak, after falling off no diet is going to be successful. A simple diet
isn't going to magically make the pounds disappear and constantly depriving
yourself of those things you enjoy most may have a more detrimental effect than
a positive effect.

The number one thing most people need to learn is that dieting isn't always a
good thing. What most people who are overweight need more than anything else is
to incorporate positive lifestyle changes into their daily routines. People
scoff at the notion of taking the stairs or parking farther away and yet those
are perfectly plausible methods of working a little more physical activity into
your day. If those do not work for you how about learning to dance? Seriously,
there are beginner dance classes in most communities that will welcome and
invite dances of all ages, sizes, and fitness levels if you are willing to make
the effort. What a great way to get fit, learn something new, and have fun
without filling deprived.

Another great thing about an activity such as a dance class (consider ballroom
dancing with your significant other) is that you are not eating or tempted to
eat during the time that you are dancing in most cases. Another great thing is
that you are burning those calories you didn't eat. If dancing isn't you thing,
try joining a walking club or finding another hobby. Anything that gets you on
your feet and away from the temptation of your refrigerator is a good thing
when it comes to dieting and weight loss. You cannot lose a significant amount
of weight by dieting alone. You must incorporate physical fitness into your
daily routine in order to achieve those immediate and visually stunning results
that many dieters are hoping to achieve.

Another pitfall when it comes to dieting is that people give up far too
quickly. Just as the results are beginning and progressing people get tired of
the process or frustrated that they aren't accomplishing enough dramatic weight
loss as quickly as they had hoped and give up all together marking off yet
another failure when they could have achieved greater success than ever before
if they had stuck with their original diet plan a little longer.

One more thing you should remember when it comes to dieting is that the scale
can be your best friend or your worst enemy when dieting. If you are weighing
yourself every day in hopes of watching the scale tick off yet another pound
you are dooming yourself to failure. You will never achieve the results you are
hoping for you if you are going into depressive bouts of Rocky Road or Chunky
Monkey every night because you didn't lose 10 pounds overnight.

When it comes to dieting there are very few diets that work. There are however,
many lifestyle changes that when practiced consistently and aggressively will
work. The thing to remember is that you are the one who must work because it is
quite unlikely that any diet will.

Dieting for Fertility

Obesity has many negative health consequences. Some are better known and
documented than others. Recent studies have shown that yet another potential
consequence of obesity is difficulty when it comes to conceiving a baby.
Fertility troubles are a growing problem in this country and around the world.
One reason that is being hailed as a very viable culprit is obesity.

While most people look immediately to the female in the relationship for this
particular problem the facts indicate that male obesity can also lead to a low
sperm count, which can also hamper fertility efforts and progress.

Our bodies were designed for specific purposes. It is utterly amazing how well
each part of the human body works to support the others. There are very few
machines that can compete with the genius of the design of the human body.
After thousands of years to study the human body there are still many mysteries
hidden within. The truth comes down to this however, we put things into our
bodies, and abuse our bodies in ways that our bodies were simply not designed
to take and yet we still manage to adapt and survive many of these things.

It's amazing when you think about that the human body endures the many things
it does without permanent and irrevocable damage. The good news for those
attempting to conceive is that the human body also has the remarkable ability
to heal itself. This means that those who find their efforts to conceive have
been hampered by obesity have also seen positive changes by losing as little as
five to ten percent of your ability to conceive.

If both partners are overweight then it might be a good idea to work together
to shed those unwanted pounds and adopt a healthier, more active lifestyle.
Being active when trying to conceive and throughout the pregnancy is a good
idea for the female in the relationship at any rate as this can help in the
process of labor and delivery.

If you are trying to conceive without success and have been doing so for more
than a year it is probably in your best interest to seek the services of a
fertility specialist in order to rule out other possible considerations. Though
it is rarely a bad idea to adopt a healthier lifestyle you should also consult
your doctor before beginning a strict diet or weight loss regimen in order to
make sure there aren't other factors that may be causing your weight issues.
This is particularly true if you have gained a good deal of weight in a rather
short amount of time.

In addition to conception difficulty obesity can also lead to a greater risk of
miscarriage once conception has occurred. Obesity also leads to a greater risk
of conditions such as gestational diabetes during the pregnancy, pre-eclampsia,
and in some cases still birth and birth defects. It is no small hindrance to a
healthy pregnancy and should be carefully considered before attempting to
conceive.

Another consideration when it comes to obesity and fertility is that being
overweight can also hamper the affects of fertility treatments. This means that
the process is typically lengthier and will cost significantly more over time
than if obesity were not a factor. When coupled with the risks to the baby this
is something that should not be taken lightly when making plans for fertility
treatments.

If your BMI is greater than 30 there are many fertility clinics that simply
will not offer their services. Some limit it to greater than 35 and others 40.
If you feel that fertility treatments are the only course of action available
to you and your BMI is greater than 30, the first suggestion you are likely to
hear is the suggestion that you make serious weight loss efforts and lifestyle
changes before proceeding. You may find that once you begin to shed the pounds,
fertility intervention is no longer necessary.

Weight Watchers Dieting

When it comes to dieting there are very few organizations that have achieved
the lasting success of Weight Watchers. They have been around quite a while and
show no signs of stopping. More importantly, their success stories speak volumes
for those who join and stick with the program. So what makes this program so
successful when many others come and go?

Community

Believe it or not, one of the most important things about Weight Watchers
secret to success, so to speak, is the sense of community that is forged
between the men and women who are trying to lose weight. There is something
humbling and exciting about standing in front of the scale week after week and
sharing not only your personal successes and failures but also the failures and
successes of others.

Far too often we those who are dieting simply do not have an adequate support
system at home. The bonding that is done during the Weight Watchers meeting is
a strong bond of men and women who may come from different backgrounds and
walks of life but who share a common goal for their futures-weight loss and
better health. That is not a bond to be taken lightly particularly when they
laugh and cry together. They are in their own way going through the trenches
together and the success of this type of program for motivating and encouraging
is nothing short of phenomenal.

Evolution

Weight Watchers has a pattern for success but they are not beyond evolving with
the needs of the time. While they will be the first to state that the most
successful participants typically attend the meetings, Weight Watchers also
offers alternatives for those with busy schedules and even those that are
simply too afraid to go to the meetings. For these people there is the
anonymity of online forums, message boards, and support groups.

Weight Watchers hasn't limited its evolutionary process to this alone, they've
also in recent years added a points system that allows dieters participating in
their program to more easily gauge how well they are doing by their dietary
standards and requirements without needing to count every single calorie or
weighing their food. We live in a world of busy people and it is often more
hassle than many dieters find to be worth the effort to count every single
calorie (particularly when dining out).

The Weight Watchers website is another example of their commitment to evolve
and accommodate the diverse needs of the men and women participating in their
program. If you haven't checked it out in a while you really should take a look
and see what amazing insights and information they have to offer.

Commitment to Fitness

Weight Watchers knows that it isn't just diet that gets results. When you
combine diet with exercise the results are much more immediate and more
profound. The fact that Weight Watchers stresses the importance of exercise and
physical fitness in addition to proper nutrition and changing your way of
thinking when it comes to food is yet another reason for their widely known
success.

Weight Watchers is just one of many different weight loss and dieting programs
in the market today. The fact that they have made a name for themselves and
stand out above the rest in many ways is nothing to take lightly. It seems that
there is a new weight loss program cropping up every other month or so and yet
Weight Watchers continues to achieve visible and sustainable results in those
who really work the program. Very few programs can make that claim for as long
as Weight Watchers has been able to.

When you combine all of the things mentioned above with the pre packaged foods
that are offered by Weight Watchers, the extensive recipes that are available
for Weight Watcher's participants, and a solid track record for success you
would be robbing yourself of the potential for lasting success if you didn't at
least see what the plan has to offer you.

The Greatest Dieting Mistakes

When it comes to dieting there are many mistakes that are made on a near daily
basis. While there are many real profound mistakes that go along with the
territory there are a few that seem to have far more profound and lasting
implications than others. Hopefully by learning about these mistakes you can
learn to avoid them in your own weight loss pursuits.

Perhaps the single largest mistake that dieters make is adopting an all or
nothing attitude. These are the dieters that scour the pantry and the
refrigerator removing anything that could be seen as a potential source of
temptation. They embark on a dietary regimen that is nearly impossible to
maintain and believe that all is lost the moment they stray from the strict
guidelines of their diet.

While this may work for some in the short term, it sets them up for failure,
frustration, and ill will towards the entire dieting process. The important
thing when it comes to dieting is the goal. Your goal is to shed pounds. There
are many ways in which this can be done that do not require starving yourself
or punishing yourself in the process.

Another great mistake when it comes to dieting is selecting a diet plan where
you eat the same thing every day. Despite our human need for structure and
routine we tend to enjoy changing our lunch routine on occasion. Select a diet
or new nutrition plan that allows you to enjoy a wide variety of foods rather
than one that limits you to the same meal or meal selection day in and day out.

Other common mistakes include depriving yourself of everything you enjoy. One
thing that we often forget is the importance of moderation. Fill up on servings
of fruits and vegetables but allow yourself to enjoy the occasional indulgence
for the sake of sanity. If you never allow yourself to enjoy a taste of
chocolate, why on earth would you want to live forever? Seriously, do not
forget to enjoy food for the sake of dieting. There is nothing wrong or sinful
about enjoying food. The problem lies when you enjoy only the wrong sorts of
foods.

You should also avoid the mistake of not setting goals. While you do not want
to set goals that are impossible to achieve you should also avoid the opposite
end of the spectrum, which involves having no goals at all. Those who set
aggressive goals that are achievable will see the greatest degree of success.
Making those goals public and asking for support is another thing that will
help you achieve greater success. This is one reason the Weight Watchers
program has enjoyed the phenomenal success is has.

The final mistake when it comes to dieting that is made all too often is giving
up. We all have setbacks along the way. Even those who have achieved monumental
dieting success have met with failure on the road. The end result however, for
those who stick with the plan is a healthier body and that is something that is
worth fighting for. Your goals may get side tracked but you can set new goals.
You may have had a bad day or even a bad week when it comes to your dietary
goals and plans. Do not let this defeat your desires to become a healthier you.

Learn to overcome those mistakes and move on from them. Let your failures teach
you as much as your successes and you should be well on your way to the
healthier person that you know is hiding inside. Whether you want to get rid of
10 pounds or 210 pounds the only way to achieve that goal and make it last is by
dedicating yourself to the process of becoming a healthier person. A healthy
person has healthy eating habits and doesn't starve him or herself. Nor does a
healthy person binge on things that aren't healthy. Learn to enjoy food in
moderation and you should be well on your to the success you seek.

The Dieting Mind Set

When it comes to dieting, far too many people set themselves up for failure
before they even begin the process. They literally dread going on their diets
and before they start the process are planning their mishaps along the way. Sad
to say but true, far too many would be dieters are planning their first Rocky
Road mishap while eating their last bowl of Rocky Road before the big event.

I have no idea why we tend to do this to ourselves but it is something I see in
dieters everywhere. The far too popular notion is that one must binge on the
foods most loved and enjoyed before beginning the dieting process because these
things must be completely eliminated in order to shed those unwanted pounds. If
you are honest with yourself, nothing could be further from the truth.
Moderation is simply a concept that many of us are loathe to embrace.

You must change your way of thinking about food and your personal enjoyment of
food in order for any diet you embrace to be successful. Food isn't the enemy.
And that is something that not enough people really understand. Even the
'tasty' foods aren't the enemy. The enemy is your personal inability to
properly portion the foods you eat. The problem is that the vast majority of us
eat the wrong foods far more often than we eat the right foods. This is where
the problems lie.

Our bodies need the nutrients we are lacking by not eating the five servings of
vegetables and three servings of fruit each day that we should consume. Our
bodies know that something is missing and we feel hungry or deprived. If we
were actually consuming the proper balance of fruits and veggies each day we
would find that we were far less likely to feel hungry and desire those foods
that aren't as healthy. This means we would be much more likely to enjoy them
in moderation as they should be enjoyed.

Portion control is another problem that we have. We live in a society of "up
selling". Super sized fries and empty calories by the gallon of your favorite
cola are offered with almost every fast food meal that can be bought. You must
learn to say no to these things and avoid situations in which you may feel
tempted to partake in these up sized orders.

To be truly successful when dieting you need to embrace the process as building
a healthier you rather than depriving yourself of something. Do not think of
your weigh loss plan as something negative but rather a positive force in your
life to make changes for the better. When you have negative thoughts do not
direct them at your diet. When you feel deprived remind yourself that you are
depriving your bones of carrying around that excess weight. Remind yourself
that you are depriving your wardrobe of those bulky clothes that are designed
to hide the bulges. Remind yourself that you are depriving your body of years
of bulges and bringing back the body of your youth.

Do not get so caught up in the dieting process that you forget to enjoy some of
the goodies that life has to offer. Watching your weight and counting your
calories does not mean that you can never go over your allotment. The goal
however is to find balance. If you learn to portion your food correctly,
indulge in moderation, and incorporate enjoyable calorie burning activities
into your daily routine you may be amazed at the results.

Dieting for weight loss and health is only depriving if you allow it to be. If
you cannot control yourself when it comes to indulging then by all means avoid
indulging. However, if you can learn to incorporate those small treats into
your routine in moderation and burn those extra calories as well, then you
should find yourself a much happier and more successful 'dieter' than you have
ever managed to be in the past.

Teen Dieting

We have the highest teenage and childhood obesity rates today than at any other
point in the world's long history. Much of the blame for this is on the fast
food, low energy society that we have become. Far too often we feel that it is
safer to keep our children inside our homes rather than out and about in the
great outdoors. The things we are doing for the protection of our children are
actually detrimental to the health of our children.

There are things however that are being done to address the problem and get our
children more involved, more active, and better educated about making the proper
choices about diet, nutrition, fitness, and overall health. The problem for most
teens is getting them off the computer, phone, or away from the television long
enough to get active.

Even video games are getting in on the act of getting children up and active by
creating games such as Play Station 2's Dance Party Revolution and the new
Nintendo Wii gaming system that seem to be taking the market by storm. These
systems allow consumers, to actively participate in the game play adventure
rather than sitting back and playing the game in a static environment. It is a
great way to get teens off their seats and active. These games are also fun for
adults and will have the same effects when it comes to activity. Whoever thought
we'd be actually encouraging game play for exercise?

Get Outside and Get Active

Teens learn by example and whether they care to admit it or not, they typically
enjoy doing things as part of the family. Go rock wall climbing or mountain
climbing. Go bike riding as a family. Camp in the great out doors and go
hiking, boating, or biking yet again. Learn a new sport together. It's amazing
how much fun you can have learning how scuba dive and while you are at it,
neither of you will be consuming empty calories. Even if the sport you take up
together doesn't involve a lot of physical activity it is quite likely more
active than sitting in front of the television.

Have your teen join a recreational sports team. We have all kinds of sports
teams available in our community in which our teens can join. Even those with
no skills at all can join and play in some of the leagues while other leagues
are competitive. Getting out and about for a softball game, soccer game, and
even volleyball can be a great way for the family to do something together and
the games and practices are opportunities for your teen to be active.

Lawn work is another way to get out and get active with your teen. The key, as
always, is in your teen burning more calories than he or she consumers. It is
often easier said than done but it is quite possible if you work to get them
out and about. Find things however that will be interesting to your teen and
focus on those rather than torturing them with activities that hold no interest
at all (well maybe not the yard work). At any rate, filling their time with
activities is also allowing time that they aren't consuming calories as well
and that is something worth considering.

Encourage your teen to eat healthier foods. Eliminate calorie-loaded sods,
fruit juices, and energy drinks from your pantry shelves, and encourage your
teens to drink plenty of water each day. Introduce as many vegetables as
possible to the diet of your teens and get rid of the prepackaged convenience
goodies that teens are notorious for depleting in one sitting. Also having your
teens actively participate in the preparation and clean up for meals will help
them pay more attention to the things they put into their mouths as well as the
messes they make in the process.

Setting Goals When Dieting

As with most things in life, setting goals is very important when dieting. When
you look at things truthfully and objectively you should notice that most of the
things you've accomplished in life have been accomplished because you not only
had a goal but also had a clearly planned and well thought out process for
achieving that goal. That being said, why is goal setting so important when it
comes to dieting?

First of all, it is difficult to achieve a goal if you do not have a clearly
defined goal. There are times in life when it is almost impossible to tell
whether you are succeeding or failing because you aren't certain exactly what
the desired outcome should be. Identifying your dieting goals before you begin
eliminates this particular possibility.

Second, having dieting goals gives you a measuring stick by which you can judge
your process. This is important so that you know when your efforts are failing
behind and when you're moving along schedule or ahead of schedule. In other
words, you will know when to celebrate and when to give yourself a swift kick
to the rear.

Now that we know why we set weight loss goals, let's discuss how we should go
about setting those goals that are so important for dieting success. You want
to set goals that are aggressive without being impossible to achieve. If you
set goals that are beyond your reach you will find that frustration will be
your dieting partner until you reach the point where you give up all together.
In order to avoid this you should take great care to insure that your goals are
possible for you to achieve.

When it comes to weight loss be specific when setting your goals. Rather than
setting a total goal of 40 or 60 pounds start with a specific goal such as 10
pounds in one month. Then you can extend the goal to the next month until
you've reached the overall goal of 40 or 60 pounds. It is much easier to lose
10 pounds four times than it is to lose 40 pounds at once. It's a trick of the
mind but it works. Ten pounds sounds simple and achievable. Forty pounds sounds
like an insurmountable obstacle.

Another thing about goals is that you want to hold yourself accountable but you
shouldn't call the whole thing off if you only lose 9 pounds instead of 10.
Instead, find out where you dropped the ball for the final pound and set your
10-pound goal for the next month.

You should also take great care that you are working with your personal goals
and not the goals that someone else is pushing on you. The truth is that if
it's personal to you, it will be much more rewarding than if you are doing this
for someone else. If your heart isn't in it, there are very few goals that are
going to motivate you properly.

Finally, you should establish small (non-food) rewards for accomplishing your
dieting goals. Perhaps your reward will be a new accessory for your new (or new
old) wardrobe or a pedicure for your new look. Make your reward something fun
and frivolous and teach yourself that accomplishing your goals can be
accomplished by something other than food. This is a key to dieting
successfully.

Healthy Dieting Tips

When it comes to dieting you will find all kinds of crazy and faddish diets on
the market today. In addition to the many diets there seems to be every kind of
diet aid you can imagine. From shakes the diet industry has evolved to include
everything from candy bars and pudding to pills and patches. Each item makes
the claim that it can help you drop those unwanted pounds quickly and easily.
Well I can tell you for a fact there is very little easy for must of us about
dropping a few pounds.

If you would like a few tips that should make your weight loss goals a little
easier to achieve then perhaps the following tips will help you out.

Drink Plenty of Water

There really isn't enough that can be said about the importance of drinking
water in an effort to reach your fitness goals. Water hydrates the body first
and foremost but water is also an important way of tricking your body into
believing it is full. Other drinks do not work nearly as well as water in this
endeavor and many drinks, even fruit juices, contain empty calories that you
can ill afford when dieting.

Another great thing about drinking a lot of water while dieting is that it
helps your skin retain its elasticity so you can avoid some of the 'loose skin'
look that often accompanies massive weight loss. As an added bonus drinking
plenty of water will have your skin looking radiant and beautiful as well.

Set Goals

Having goals is one of the most important things you can do when working to
loose weight. Try to make sure that your goals are aggressive but can be
achieved. If you are frustrated early in the dieting process by unrealistic
goals you are much more likely to give up. However, challenges are always going
to inspire us to achieve greater things in life. If you can find a 'weight loss
partner' in order to have a little friendly competition for the weight loss
totals for a week or a month then you are going to be far more likely to
accomplish your goals than if you keep them quietly to yourself.

Eat More

Did you read that twice? Yes, eat more healthy foods that are high in fiber.
Eat more vegetables and fruits-fill up on these foods that are good for you and
you will not be inclined to binge on calorie laden junk food.

Move!

While this seems a little too simply stated for most, getting up and moving is
one of, if not the absolute best way to burn calories. The simple truth is that
you are not going to lose weight unless you use more calories than you consume.
The more activities you enjoy that burn calories, the more likely you are to
shed those unwanted pounds and meet your weight loss goals.

Some great activities that actually burn calories include the following:
gardening, golf, dancing, playing volleyball, walking, jumping rope, playing
hop scotch with your little ones, and playing tennis. I mention these
activities because you can trick yourself into believing that you aren't really
exercising while burning calories. Even cleaning house requires movement and
energy and if you dance around a little to some good music in the process you
might burn a few extra calories.

Dieting, when successful can help restore self image and self-esteem in people
who are otherwise beautiful people inside and out. The steps above are not the
only things that are involved in the dieting process but they can help you
reach your weight loss goals particularly when combined with a diet plan that
you feel confident you can follow. Be sure that on those days when will power
is non-existent that you do not derail your diet efforts all together by giving
up. The most important thing you can do when dieting is to go back to dieting
once you've strayed.

Finding the Beauty Within While Dieting

There seems to be one universal truth when it comes to dieting. No one really
enjoys the process though we all eagerly await and anticipate the results. The
problem is that far too many men and women around the world focus so much on
dieting and perfecting their external beauty that they forget the beautiful
people they are inside along the way. Our culture is becoming obsessive about
the perfect body and the perfect body image.

If there was one message that should make it out to everyone dieing it is this:
dieting should be more about health than beauty. You should not need to conform
to some preconceived notion of what is or should be beautiful. If we create a
world where everyone looks alike it would be rather boring in the end.

You need to focus on being happy with who you are in order to achieve the
greatest dieting success you will have ever dared dream. Many of use eat out of
emotional need or a simple need for comfort when we are depressed, hurting,
uncertain, or simply in unfamiliar territory. There is no solution that will
work for everyone when it comes to making peace with who you are and this by no
means indicates that you should no longer seek to be the healthiest you there
is. It simply means that your focus should be more on coming to terms with who
you are as a person than in creating a new person or imagine behind which you
can hide.

Dieting for the most part is an opportunity for many men and women to become
someone else. Whether that someone is the person you used to be or some person
you think you want to be, you are quite unlikely find happiness at any weight
until you accept you for the person you are inside. This is often a difficult
process but one that is well worth the effort. Once you've accepted the person
inside you can address the specific needs that often lead to the excess weight
to begin with. Depression is a common factor in weight gain as well as an
inability to lose weight. By finding contentment depression will no longer a
controlling factor in you life. For many, this is the freedom they need from
their weight problems while others will find there are still hurdles remaining.

The important thing is that you stop allowing the person you are to be defined
by what the scales say about you. Once you've reached a point in your life
where you are happy with your appearance and feel that your personal fitness
level is in hand you should discuss things with your doctor and see what he or
she has to say. We do not need a nation of size 5 women. We need a nation of
women who are self-aware and self confident and not afraid to be who they are
on the inside regardless of how they look on the outside.

Finding the beauty within is often the most important aspect of dieting that
there can be. Take the time while dieting to get to know the person you are and
introduce that person to the person you want to be. In time the two will work
out a healthy compromise and you will find that image isn't really everything
no matter what the glossy magazines try to tell you.

Dieting Without Sacrifice

So many people view dieting as some sort of cosmic punishment for not having
the perfect body. They believe that enjoying food is somehow bad for them,
which couldn't be further from the truth. If you want to be completely honest
with yourself, when it comes to dieting, it isn't about giving up food or
flavor; it's about discovering new foods and flavors. At least that is what it
is for those who truly love food as well as adventure.

There are many spices out there that can make even the blandest of foods a
little exciting. Fish and chicken are popular diet foods because they are lean
meats. However, adding a little blackening seasoning is a great way to put a
little punch in your meal that will make it taste great without packing on the
calories of dressing marinades or soaking in butter before broiling. You do not
have to stop there. Italian seasoning can also add a little flavor to your
kitchen without adding the extra calories that you are working so hard to avoid.

There are all kinds of seasonings that will work well in this instance. Many
great seasonings for chicken also make great additions to chicken that will be
included in salads for healthier lunches or salad wraps. Grains are good for
you when you concentrate on whole grains. They are quite often the primary
source of fiber in a diet and you need fiber almost as much as you need water.
At any rate, simple things that spice up the same old lunch can have a huge
impact on your enjoyment of food.

You can even enjoy the occasional treat when dieting as long as you do so
sparingly. The key when dieting is to learn about proper portions and moderate
indulgence. You can find all kinds of low sugar or low carb desserts on the
market that you can enjoy sparingly. You can even find sugar free or low
calorie candy in some cases though you should keep in mind that calories,
particularly when it comes to candy you eat unconsciously add up quickly and
you must pay close attention to those things you put into your mouth.

My point in all this though is that you do not have to sacrifice flavor in
order to diet. You can live without butter; there are many substitutions on the
market that are quite remarkable. But seasonings are a great way to add a lot of
flavor for a tiny bit of effort on your part. Desserts are also great and you
can find many dips and sauces that can be made with fat free or low fat
mayonnaise or sour cream in order to cut a few more calories during your
dieting process.

These dips and sauces can often make a great substitution, when paired with
vegetables, for those chips and dips we love so much and often miss when
dieting. Cucumbers, green, red, and yellow peppers, broccoli, and carrot sticks
all have a nice little crunch to them that when combined with a good low fat dip
can help cure the crave beast for greasy chips that often rears its head when
dieting.

If you watch your calories carefully during meals you should be delighted to
know that there are many little snack treats that are prepackaged in 100
calorie packs for your enjoyment. This means that you can indulge on occasion
in those treats that you love most without sacrificing all your dieting efforts
in the process. These snack packs have become one of the best marketing ploys
since the invention of diet colas. We all want the benefits of losing weight
and will readily admit that if it were a simple process we'd all be thin.
However, having something like these hundred calorie snack packs to carry you
through the worst of your cravings can mean the difference between dieting
success and failure. They are definitely the difference in the old way of
dieting and the new way of dieting without sacrificing flavor.

Dieting with Slim Fast

Slim Fast is another great diet aid that has been around for quite a while.
From it's origins as a thick and gritty powder designed to help you stave off
hunger to it's current incarnation as a line of weight loss products and meal
bar supplements we have seen some amazing transitions and longevity in this
particular product.

Slim Fast is becoming famous for the new flavors they have introduced and their
steady stream of testimonials from those who have met or exceeded their goals by
using the Slim Fast system. Using Slim Fast when dieting can assist those with
little will power when it comes to chocolate and sweets achieve their weight
loss goals by having the higher calorie shakes and snacks throughout the day
followed by a sensible meal in the evening and indulging in their craving for
sweets throughout the day. It's a good plan as long as those using it can
manage to stick with the plan.

In the past Slim Fast would not have been a product I would have recommended
for those needing to lose a large amount of weight. That has changed however in
the last year or so as they have introduced a much more aggressive health and
wellness plan that is appropriate to those who have more pounds to take off
than the simple 20 or so vanity pounds that was typical of the Slim Fast user
of the past.

When it comes to dieting, not all plans are one size fits all, nor should they
be. It's good to see that Slim Fast is also adapting to meet the various needs
of consumers. Not only does Slim Fast offer consumers shakes and meal
replacement or snack bars that are convenient to use even when on the go but
they also offer meals that you can prepare as well as healthy convenience meals
to replace those evening meals when you are on the run. For those who like
options, Slim Fast seems to have more options than ever before.

More than options however, it is good to see that Slim Fast, even after all
these years, is still getting results by those who stick with the program. The
truth is that the product wouldn't have been around this long if it wasn't
working for someone along the way. Like many other weight loss plans, Slim Fast
has taken to pushing the benefits of an active lifestyle in addition to the need
for a healthy diet. There are some that will argue that you are not getting all
the nutrients you need from drinking shakes but it could be reasonably argued
from reading the label that the average shake contains more vitamins and
nutrients than a sad margin of people consume on a daily basis.

Whether your dieting goals are very short term and specific or long term and
lifestyle altering, Slim Fast can assist you in reaching those goals. This is a
lifestyle adjustment in itself though and you must be prepared for a new way of
eating in order for this plan to work for your specific dieting needs. If you
haven't checked out Slim Fast lately and you have made the decision to lose
weigh but are uncertain how to go about it, perhaps it's time you take a second
look at the Slim Fast line.

Dieting with a Busy Schedule

When it comes to dieting many of us find that the number one hindrance to our
success is the lack of time to prepare the proper meals and snacks for our
dietary needs. It is often much more convenient to throw one thing in the crock
pot for the family or resort to the fast food last resort rather than preparing
the healthy and nutritious meal that we should be eating.

There are things you can do however that will reduce the temptation to hit the
drive thru and keep you on course with your dieting needs. The first of these
is a process known as once a week cooking. With this method you cook enough
meals to last you a week on one day. This means that for every night of the
week you have a diet friendly meal ready to go. If your entire family is
dieting or eating healthier with you, this works for this situation as well.
Dieting and incorporating healthier eating habits into the food for your entire
family is a great way to set an example for your children will keeping you
motivated and removing temptation.

With once a week cooking you freeze the food that won't be immediately consumed
and thaw it the morning you will be eating the food to cook when you arrive home
after work or decide it is time for your evening meal. This is a process that
works well no matter how many soccer games, dance practices, and band recitals
you have on your calendar for the week. You can manage to stick to your diet
while having a great meal for your family each and every night of the week.

You should also make sure to have a nice supply and cleaned and cut fruits,
vegetables, and salad ingredients in your refrigerator in order to make these
dishes readily assessable for quick lunches or snacks. Having these foods
readily available will help you resist the temptation to snack on higher
calorie prepackaged food while also helping to insure that you have a ready
supply of fresh fruits and vegetables to help you get your 5 servings a day.

You should also keep some conveniently packaged yogurt on hand as a good quick
and easy dairy product. Sugar free pudding cups are another decent snack for
those who need something quick and easy to have on hand. Preparation and
planning are essential to successfully meeting your weight loss goals. By
preparing as much of the food as possible ahead of time you will never even
miss the convenience of those high calorie pre packaged meals and snacks that
so many of us survive on when not dieting.

Another time saver is to work your fitness opportunities into the course of
your day. Rather than performing one lengthy workout each day, try to find
methods of bringing a little fitness activity into the most mundane portions of
your day (go stair climbing at lunch, park on the top level of the parking
garage and walk down-then up when returning-the stairs), park far away from the
door of the supermarket and see if your mall has a walking path that is clearly
marked. You'll be amazed at the hidden opportunities many of us have for
exercising during our busy days. The trick is often in discovering the
activities rather than the time.

When all is said and done, dieting doesn't have to be as time consuming as you
may think it is. There are all kinds of prepackaged plans for dieters however
if that is the choice you feel is best for you. Whether you are going with Lean
Cuisine meals, Weight Watchers frozen entrees, Jenny Craig, or the Slim Fast
program there are all kinds of opportunities to work dieting and fitness into
even the busiest of schedules. When planning your dieting practices be sure to
consider the tips and advice mentioned above.

Dieting to Lose a Few Vanity Pounds

There are those among us who wish to lose a few pounds rather than 20 or more
pounds. While many of us would be grateful if that were the case for us, most
will find that the smaller the amount of weight needed to lose the more
difficult it seems to remove. The good news is that those with little weight to
lose generally do not face the painful issues with exercise and physical
activity that plague those with far more weight to lose.

There are some great products on the market that will assist those with
relatively little weight to lose enjoy the weight loss process without feeling
deprived. The new market of 100-calorie snacks is an excellent tool for just
this situation. You can get the treats you need to get you through the day
without exactly packing on the pounds in the process. You can count calories to
no end but if you have only a few pounds to reach your goal weight and aren't
delighted with your tight and tone new body, then perhaps it's best to work on
tightening and toning rather than more dieting.

The thing that far too many people forget along the way is that dieting can
only get you so far when it comes to results. There will come a time when
weight training and cardio exercises of some sort are the only thing that is
going to get you to the body you so rightly desire. Dieting is good for
dropping the pounds, but dieting alone is unlikely to bring you the body of
your dreams. You should also keep in mind that exercising and ramping up your
fitness routine is a great way to renew your dedication to the process and your
enthusiasm. This is particularly true if you have found a fitness routine that
is appealing to you.

The fitness routines of today are not the tired old aerobics workout of the
1980's. You have many options ranging from kick boxing, Tae Bo, Yoga, Pilates,
and even belly dancing for those that dare. The point is that you are not as
limited as you may think when it comes to entertaining options for your workout
routine. Find a workout that you can actually be excited about doing and do it.
There is a lot of truth to the old Nike commercials that boldly proclaimed:
"Just Do It". Whatever it may be in your fitness routine, it will not do
itself. You must be an active participant in your weight loss and fitness
endeavors in order to achieve any results that will be favorable.

Whether your weight loss and dieting goals are to shed a few pounds or many
pounds along the way it is quite likely that you will at some point reach a
plateau in which you discover that you need to ramp up either your level of
physical activity or calorie burning methods or you will need to ramp up your
calorie cutting exercises. Either way, dealing with the setback is almost as
important as your decision to lose those pounds in the first place. Get back in
the game and renew your efforts. In no time you should have lost those few
pounds that you were hoping to lose and established the body you were aiming to
create.

Dieting for Weight Loss

The most common reason that people cite for dieting today is weight loss. While
most of us would love to claim the noble mantle of dieting for health the vast
majority of us are doing so for vanity. This, however, is a perfectly
acceptable and plausible reason for making the lifestyle changes that are
necessary in order to diet. In fact, this reason might prove to be a far
greater motivator than many of the other commonly stated reasons for dieting.

When dieting for weight loss one of the most common complaints is constantly
feeling hungry. In order to help combat this, you might want to incorporate
some of the following strategies into your dieting program. First of all, eat
more high fiber foods. Whole grains, apples, pears, and lima beans are a great
source of fiber as are many breakfast cereals. Easy does it however when it
comes to fiber as it may be filling but there are some unpleasant side effects
that may accompany heavy fiber eating (remember that beans are a good source of
fiber). Try using a product such as Bean-o when consuming larger amounts of
fiber. You might also try spreading your fiber intake throughout the day rather
than consuming all your daily fiber at once.

Another method for feeling fuller when dieting is to drink plenty of water
while dieting. Water provides an important service to the body and is very
necessary when it comes to delivering all the nutrients where they need to go.
Water also helps regulate your metabolism, which is very important to the
dieting and weight loss process. Additionally, water will help you skin retain
its elasticity so that your skin can go more easily back into place once the
serious weight loss begins.

Learn to control your portions. We live in a world where portions are over
inflated and super sized so often that we no longer know what an appropriate
portion looks like. Restaurant meals are quite often more than adequate for at
least two full meals and that is before salads, soups, appetizers, or desserts
have been ordered. Learning to portion correctly can save you from over loading
your calorie intake for the day massively. It can also help you get extra
helpings of the lower calorie foods such as lettuce and other vegetables rather
than taking such large portions of calorie rich starches or fried foods.

Do not go "Gung Ho". There are limits to what the body and the mind can handle.
When you go on a diet you are making a drastic change to your bodies caloric
intake. If you go overboard you can lead to health risks along the way. Begin
cutting calories a little at a time and incorporate changes as you go rather
than going in with an all or nothing attitude. If you go overboard with your
dieting plans chances are that you are dooming your diet to failure.

Take your diet one step at a time for the best results and be sure to
incorporate extra physical activity into the mix. Even gardening when done on a
regular basis can burn calories, so can cleaning the house, and playing with the
little ones. Take a walk to the park or the corner store rather than getting in
the car and pull a wagon or push a stroller while you're at it. The added
weight will be just enough resistance to burn a few extra calories.

Dieting for weight loss does not necessarily have to be a major sacrifice on
your part but in order to be successful it will be a radical change in
lifestyle, particularly if you need to lose more than a few vanity pounds. The
health implications of loosing the weight are well worth the required effort
and should not be taken lightly no matter how excited you are about your new
body that is hiding inside your old one.

Avoid Dieting Make Positive Changes Instead

Why is it that merely saying the "D" word, you know "diet" brings immediate
thoughts of failure to the minds of many men and women around the world? Could
it be that we have all learned through trial and error that diets simply do not
work? I know many of you are sitting back with jaws dropped at the moment. After
all, this is an article about dieting, right? It is and it isn't. Dieting is the
kiss of death for many while a new phase in your life or lifestyle adjustment
may be just the thing that will mean success for you and your fitness and
health goals.

Eating for some is an addiction. Unfortunately, you can't exactly give up
eating all together as a smoker can give up cigarettes. I'm not applying by any
means that giving up cigarettes is easy but how much more difficult would it be
if you were forced to have three a day? At that point you may as well enjoy
them every time the urge hits right? The same holds true for food. You must eat
in order to survive. You cannot live without eating. This means that if food is
a problem in your life, you must find a healthier way of viewing food.

Isn't this where diets generally come in handy? The short answer is no. This is
where diets often fail. Diets do very little to change how we view food. In
fact, most diets only serve to tell us which foods are good, which foods are
bad, and which foods (typically most of the foods we enjoy most) are strictly
taboo. Diets begin by forcing people to feel deprived or punished. And no one
likes to feel either of these things.

Even worse however, is that we punish ourselves further when we slip along the
straight and very narrow pathways upon which our diets place us. This means
that we are going to wallow in guilt over every little misstep we make until we
give up all together and decide to over indulge once again and ignore the guilt
all together.

In order to have real success you must make a lifestyle change. This is the
only way that you will be able to shed those unwanted pounds without
experiencing the horrible guilt that so many dieters go through each and every
step of the way with their diets. Set goals for yourself. Keep them aggressive
but realistic for fitness, dropping pounds, and eating new healthy foods. Even
if your goal is as simple as eating 5 vegetable servings a day it is a great
place to start.

Change your way of eating. Then change your way of seeing food and you will
experience amazing changes in your attitudes toward your health, your body, and
even your fitness level. As the first pounds begin to drop you will begin to
experience more energy and less pain when exercising. This should help keep you
motivated to do even more as time goes by.

Do not think that long term weight loss goals will be as easy to achieve as the
first five or ten pounds. Consistency is vitally important when making these
lifestyle changes. Take each day as it comes and begin again the very next day.
This means that even if you fall completely "off the wagon" today, you can start
over tomorrow. The trick is in staying the course more days than not and
learning moderation and balance when it comes to straying from the straight and
narrow.

There are many ways to fail when it comes to dieting and I know people who have
failed in almost every one I can possibly imagine. There is no way to fail,
however, when you are making positive changes in your life that are getting
positive results. It may take weeks, months, or even years to reach your goal.
As long as you are making steady and continuous efforts and progress, you are
doing many great things for your health and well being.

3 Hour Dieting

When it comes to the world of dieting you will find that there are many diet,
weight loss, and fitness plans on the market. It takes years for some to become
a contender and others remain a best-kept secret of sorts. One such 'best kept'
secret would be the 3 Hour Diet that was designed by Jorge Cruise. I am sure
that there are many reading along and chuckling under your breath that there is
no way one can lose weight by eating every three hours however the science
behind the theory is fairly common and Jorge Cruise is a mainstay in the
fitness industry.

The long and short of this diet operates with the knowledge that if you do not
feed your body accurately and regularly your body will go into what is called
'starvation mode'. In this mode your body holds onto the fat rather than
burning it up and consuming it for use. This means that your body is burning
muscle rather than fat to take the energy it needs in order to function.

With the 3 Hour Diet you will not feel hungry all the time, in fact, there are
many who claim they are constantly setting alarms and reminding themselves to
eat. You will also learn the proper foods to eat in order to achieve the best
possible results. The key is in learning which foods are right for you when
dieting with this plan. You can purchase the book The 3-Hour Diet by Jorge
Cruise and you can sign up online for more information about the weight plan
itself and how to incorporate it into your busy routine.

I do recommend purchasing the book if you are seriously considering this as
your method of dieting as there are many wonderful hints, tips, and tricks that
are mentioned in the book to help you keep things going no matter how busy and
hectic your lifestyle may be. One thing you need to keep in mind is that
dieting with a program such as this is no small commitment. You need to stick
to the timetable as much as possible in order to achieve the results this plan
is famous for. If you aren't willing to eat every three hours then this plan
really may not be the plan for you.

Otherwise, if this is something you would be interested in, I highly recommend
it. There are special considerations based on the amount you weight currently
and the amount of weight you are hoping to lose. It is best if you are honest
throughout the process in order to achieve the best possible and most immediate
results. The claim is that you can lose as many as 10 pounds in the first two
weeks and there are those that have claimed to do just that over and over
again. This is a diet that even many celebrities endorse for quick and
immediate results.

The good and the bad about 3 hour dieting is that it is effective but takes a
very real commitment on the part of the one that is dieting. This diet is one
that is taking the world by storm. If you haven't heard of it before now,
please take the time to check it out and see if this is something you could
incorporate into your life. The results that have been reported as a result of
this diet as nothing short of phenomenal. If there were one diet I would
recommend above others for those who hate feeling hungry, it would be this diet.

Dieting and Fitness

When it comes to living a long and healthy life, there are two necessary
ingredients: diet and fitness. While some believe that they are one thing all
together, nothing could be further from the truth. It is quite possible to have
a perfectly healthy diet with deplorable fitness habits. It is equally possible
to be very physically fit with less than savory eating habits.

There's a clever little line in the Jimmy Buffet song "Fruitcakes" when his
'lady' is lamenting: "I treat my body like a temple You treat yours like a tent"

I can't help but think of this line whenever I think about all the people
around the world who are going on these garbage in, garbage out diet plans
hoping to achieve the weight loss success of those who are endorsing these
products.

To be completely honest, it is possible to shed pounds through diet alone. It
is difficult but possible. It is also possible to be physically fit and have a
few extra pounds hanging around. To a large degree we are what we eat. If we
consume a high fat low substance diet our bodies are going to lack the fuel
required to burn the fat. At the same time if we aren't providing our bodies
with the tools it needs to build muscle it doesn't matter how many weights we
lift.

When it comes to diet and fitness, the best results are achieved when they work
together rather than separately. Use your fitness routine to burn excess
calories and use your diet in order to properly provide your body the nutrients
and fuel it needs to build muscle. I've heard many times in my life that a pound
of muscle weighs less than a pound of fat. While this is not true at all, a
pound is a pound regardless; a pound of muscle occupies less space on the body
than a pound of fat. Pound for pound, I would much rather mine be composed of
muscle than fat. Dieting alone does not build muscle and that is something you
will do well to remember in your efforts.

You should also realize that as you are building muscle you may be shedding
inches while not showing a great deal of progress on the scale. It is very
important that you keep this in mind throughout the weight loss process. Do not
measure your progress by the scales alone or you will achieve misleading
results. The problem is that far too many people do just this and get
frustrated and give up when they are actually making progress. Do not allow
yourself to be a victim of the scales. Look in the mirror, try on your tight
pants, and measure your waistline. Measure your success by how you feel after
climbing a flight of stairs not by how many pounds fell of the scale this week.

By incorporating fitness into your diet routine you are also enabling your body
to burn off any extra calories you may have consumed during the day. This means
that if you want to have a small 'cheat' during your day, you can make up for
it by burning a few more calories than normal in the evening. This isn't
something that should happen often but an occasional occurrence isn't going to
make or break your diet.

You should also look at dieting and fitness as a ball and glove type of
relationship. While you can play ball without the glove, it seems to work so
much better if you have both. Diet and fitness when combined can create
fantastic weight loss results for those who take them both seriously. The thing
to remember is that neither works as well alone and neither will work unless you
are willing to do the work. You must make this a priority in your life in order
to achieve the best possible results.

Dieting and Diabetes

Very few people realize the profound effect that weight has on diabetes. Even
instances of gestational diabetes are much greater in patients that are
overweight than in those that are not. Type 2, or adult onset diabetes is more
commonly found in overweight people than those that are within their 'ideal'
weight ranges. In fact, almost 90% of those with Type 2 diabetes are
overweight. If you are suffering from Type 2 diabetes, the best gift you could
possibly give yourself just might be the gift of getting your weight under
control.

Among those that suffer from Type 2 diabetes almost 40% have high blood
pressure, which is another condition that is believed to be exacerbated by
excess weight. Being overweight might also lead to a condition known as insulin
resistance in which the body no longer responds to the insulin that is needed to
assist the body in using sugar and glucose as fuel on a cellular level.

There are some things you can do to help yourself out if you have been
diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes or labeled at risk for this devastating
condition. First of all, take off the pounds. I know this is much easier said
than done. Dieting is never easy and rarely fun for the average person.
However, if you do not begin to take drastic steps toward procuring the best
possible health for yourself you may not be able to enjoy the quality of life
you had planned for your golden years. Let your condition be your motivation
and make plans to enjoy watching your grandchildren and great grandchildren
graduate college.

Fight it standing up. Don't sit down and let Diabetes control you. Stand up and
take control of your body back. This is a fight to the finish and if you let it,
diabetes will be your end. If you fight it standing up, lose the weight, get out
there and exercise, listen to the doctor's orders and follow them. Find the
strength within you to battle this disease head on. You'll be amazed at what
happens when you decide to stand up and fight for your health.

Get active. Find activities that you enjoy and get out there and do them. Don't
make those activities passive activities either. Even if it's just going out to
play shuffleboard everyday get out there and play. Enjoy your time in the sun.
Pick flowers with the little ones. Take up golf. Do whatever it takes to get up
and moving each and every day in order to remember why you want to live forever
in the first place.

Watch what you eat. Garbage in, garbage out, right? You have strict dietary
requirements once you've been diagnosed with diabetes. This means that you
absolutely must follow your dietary restrictions. Learn to live within those
limits in order to live and enjoy life to the fullest you can. The amazing
thing is that there are all kinds of foods available that are friendly to those
with diabetes that weren't around just a few short years ago. It is quite
possible to live and eat quite nicely with diabetes if you stick to your plan.
The most important thing about dieting with diabetes is that you never lose
sight of how crucial it is to do so.

Dieting for Children

It is difficult in the world we live in to watch as so many children are
literally overburdening their bodies at such young ages by being overweight.
These children simply cannot run, jump, and play with the other children
because their bodies simply will not allow them to do so. For these children,
dieting is almost a necessity despite our best efforts to insulate them from
the self-esteem issues that often accompany obesity.

If you have a child that is well outside the normal weight range for his or her
age you are the one who must make the efforts and take the necessary steps to
insure they shed those pounds in order to live a life that is as close to
normal as possible. The first thing you need to do however is consult with your
child's doctor about the best possible course of action that will also safeguard
the health of your child.

Put quite frankly however, if you do not take the efforts to assist your child
in shedding those pounds you are placing the health of your child at risk. We
do not let our children play in the street, we don't let them run with knives,
why on earth would we allow them to commit suicide by Twinkie? If you have a
child that is overweight, the following tips should help you and them with
their dieting.

First of all, do not make food a punishment or a reward. Food is part of the
problem with your children and you do not need to use it against them. Instead,
introduce them to healthy alternatives. Do not keep the junk in the house and do
not let them purchase lunch at school. Pack their lunches for school so that you
know what they are eating. If you don't give them junk food they cannot have it
when at home and you can work to insure that they can't get their hands on junk
food when they leave the house.

Incorporate healthy snacks into your families eating plan rather than junk
food. Fresh fruit, cut up vegetables, nuts, and frozen yogurt are good healthy
snacks for your kids. When in doubt consult the food pyramid but watch calories
in the process. You want your children to eat a well balanced diet while
eliminating junk food and sweets for the best result.

Cut out the juices and pop. This may be a huge ordeal in your house but the
greatest gift you can offer your child is a deep and abiding appreciation for
water. Water works to make their bellies feel full and keeps them hydrated for
the added activities you should be introducing into their routines.

Have them take dance, take up a sport, or simply get out and run around the
yard. The worst thing you can do is to allow your children to become comatose
television, computer, or video game zombies. Get them out and get them active.
This helps in two ways. First of all, they aren't eating if they are outside
playing and having a good time. Second, they are burning calories as they play
which is a huge bonus in the dieting process for your children.

As your child begins to take off the weight you should begin to notice a very
profound difference in not only the way he or she carries his or herself but
also in his or her interactions with others. Your child will experience
restored and renewed self-confidence as the pounds come off and the teasing at
school stops.

If you are at a complete loss as to how to help your child take the weight off
there are camps that are designed specifically to deal with weight issues and
building self-esteem in children ages 7-19. One of these camps may be just the
answer you are looking for. Another thing to consider is to lead by example. If
you don't eat the junk food, if you are active, and if you do not engage in
emotional overeating your child will not be learning those behaviors from you
or having them reinforced by you.

Dieting by Weight Loss Surgery

Those who are what is considered morbidly obese have few options when it comes
to losing weight when time is of the essence. Many have bounced from one diet
to the next for the vast majority of their lives only to find failure after
failure and a growing sense of hopelessness and helplessness.

One common misconception when it comes to the morbidly obese is that they did
it to themselves and if they didn't want to be overweight they wouldn't be.
While this is nice in theory it isn't always true in practice. There are
certain medical conditions that can result in a person being unable to control
the weigh they gain. There are also environmental issues that can affect the
weight of a person as well. It's ironic that in many cases alcoholics and drug
addicts are treated and viewed with greater compassion than someone who is
obese.

The surgery itself is major surgery and not an option that should be taken
lightly and without a great deal of thought. Most people find that weight loss
surgery involves a major change in lifestyle before and after as well as an
entirely new way of eating that is a lifelong commitment. Because of the life
altering changes that result from this surgery it is recommended that those
receiving the surgery have a BMI that is greater than 40. This means that it is
recommended for men who are greater than 100 pounds overweight and women who
overweight by 80 or more pounds.

You should carefully weigh the benefits and the risks of a surgery such as this
before deciding that this is the course of action you need to take. The risks
are great with this surgery and should not be overlooked in desperation to shed
the weight you've wanted to shed for so long. Nutritional deficiencies occur in
almost 20% of those who have received this sort of surgery as the result of
insufficient nutrients. This can lead to osteoporosis and other conditions as
you age. Complications can result from the surgery itself. You can have
lifelong issues when consuming too much or the wrong sorts of foods, and there
are some who achieve their goals only to find that the weight comes back in
time. As with anything in life there are no guarantees when it comes to weight
loss surgery.

In order to determine whether or not this surgery will be beneficial to you,
you may want to ask yourself the following questions.

Is my weight significantly hampering day-to-day activities? Is my weight
causing other secondary conditions that may be harmful to my health? Is my
weight something I honestly feel I can take control of on my own? Can I commit
to the lifelong consequences and follow up that will be required?

The problem with most people who find the need to resort to weight loss surgery
is that they cannot take control of their bodies back. The odds of a good
candidate for weight loss surgery losing the weight of his or her own design
are very slim as he or she has most likely tried and failed every diet in the
books.

Only you can determine whether or not weight loss surgery is a viable option
for your weight loss needs. If you decide that this is something you are
interested in learning more about, be sure to discuss the possible consequences
thoroughly with your physician.

Dieting and Weight Loss Drugs

There are many pills, potions, lotions, powders, and creams that promise to
melt off the pounds you've put on while you sleep. The sad truth is that only
one pill sold over the counter at this point in time has the FDA back up its
claims of aiding in weight loss period. This drug would be the over the counter
form of the drug that has been prescribed as Xenical. In the over the counter
form it is known as Alli. Alli along with diet and exercise is known to boost
the weight loss process to provide more immediate and long lasting results.

With any medication such as this there are those that will tout its
effectiveness as well as those that will shout out the dangers of this chemical
we are potentially introducing to our bodies. The one thing that is important to
remember is that Alli holds no claims to work without consistent weight loss and
fitness efforts on your part. This product is meant to supplement your own
efforts not to work as a substitute for your own efforts.

It should be mentioned that there are consequences that occur as the result of
taking Alli and not following up with a diet that is low in fat. Among the side
effects that can result are flatulence, loose stools, and bowel incontinence.
This is not a drug for the faint of heart nor is it a medication for those that
are not completely dedicated to the cause of loosing weight and dieting.

While Alli is not the overall solution that so many are hoping for, it can lead
to more substantial effects for your efforts and that is nothing to overlook
when it comes to importance. According to the website for Alli you have as much
as 50% greater weight loss potential when you combine Alli with diet and
exercise than dieting and exercise alone would bring. This is a huge break
through for the weight loss community and diet industry at large.

While this isn't the magic pill that will melt off the pounds as you sleep it
is a pill that is documented to get results and some of these results are quite
impressive for those who stick to the plan. If you have been struggling with
dieting, diet plans, weight loss, and incorporating a bold and beneficial
fitness routine into your life there is no time like the present to check out
Alli and see what outstanding results this product can introduce into your
fitness plan.

If Alli helps even a tenth of those who decide to take it achieve their fitness
and weight loss goals then this is the miracle product we hoped it would be.
Most miracles, after all don't come free and most of them do not come for less
than $100 a bottle for certain.

If you are one of the many out there who is struggling with obesity and feels
hopeless when it comes to controlling your weight and your life, then perhaps
Alli is the answer to your prayers. My best recommendation is to discuss this
product seriously with your doctor before making any sort of commitment in
order to decide if you are committed enough and ready to take the next step or
if your physician feels this may not be in your best interest at the time.

Jenny Craig for Dieting

When it comes to dieting and diet commercials I'm sure that many of you have
seen the formerly "Fat Actress" Kirstie Allie singing the praises of Jenny
Craig for helping her lose 75 pounds. While most of us would agree that this is
quite an accomplishment there are many of us watching from home and thinking
there is no way that little tiny pizza is going to make a meal.

Much like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig has experienced phenomenal success over
the years and incredible longevity. Also like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig has
shown an incredible ability to evolve and adapt to the varied and growing
demands of consumers. Not everyone is content to enjoy tasteless boxed foods
that were prepared for the sake of convenience rather than flavor and yet many
would rather sacrifice the flavor in favor of something that didn't keep them
in the kitchen too long and weaken their resolve to avoid the Rocky Road hiding
in the freezer behind the ice trays.

Regardless of your desires, Jenny Craig is rising up to meet your demands. Not
only can you order the pre packaged food through Jenny Craig that has made them
famous but now they offer tried and true recipes on their website which allow
you to try out your own culinary talents and fulfill your love of cooking. Yes,
some of us actually do love to cook. Incidentally for many of us that is how the
pounds became a problem.

Jenny Craig is an attractive dieting option because they offer multiple plans
to suit different budgets. Far too many weight loss or dieting plans are one
size fits all when it comes to budget despite their flexibility when it comes
to pounds but that's a story for another day. Dieting is difficult enough on
its own without adding financial worries when it comes to paying for the plan
into the mix. This is perhaps one of the greatest features I've seen about
Jenny Craig and that is saying a lot because they have plenty of other great
features as well.

Jenny Craig is yet another weight loss plan that stresses the importance of the
calories that must leave your body as well. It is important that you remember
this as you incorporate any method of dieting and weight loss into your
lifestyle. In order to achieve maximum success you absolutely must make the
time in your schedule to exercise. The calories consumed are just as important
as the calories that are taken in and that is something far too weight loss
plans stress. Jenny Craig, fortunately, isn't one that fails to stress this
crucial fact.

Dieting has almost become a bad word in our society. So many people are
constantly on this diet or that diet only to find that they are failing time
and again to achieve the results for which they were hoping. There are those
who will not succeed with Jenny Craig just as there are countless others who
will. The trick is in becoming a success story rather than one of the many who
have given up and moved on to other dietary pastures. There are plenty of plans
on the market from which to choose. The problem is often not the plan but your
ability to stick with the plan for the long haul.

Atkins for Dieting

Most people around the world by now have heard of the Atkins diet. It has been
one of the most highly touted and highly controversial diets of our time. Those
who love it have nothing but great things to say about it but those who are
critical are not shy about their opposition either. The largest criticism when
it comes to the Atkins, or low carb diet would be the near absence of whole
grains, which are considered the cornerstone to a healthy diet by many.

Dieting with the Atkins diet involved eliminating a large degree of
carbohydrates from your diet. In the past there hasn't been as much of an
emphasis on fitness and exercise with the Atkins diet as there seems to be
currently. This is good news however as an active fitness regime is as
essential to successful weight loss as cutting calories and in this case
cutting carbohydrates.

You should take great caution that you are getting accurate information when it
comes to Atkins dieting if this is something you are considering in order to
meet your fitness and weight loss needs. There is a great deal of misleading
and incorrect information that is floating around out there when it comes to
the Atkins diet and weight loss plan. First of all, weight loss is the direct
result of burning more calories than you consume. It doesn't matter how many or
how few carbs you enjoy or deny yourself during the day if at the end of the day
you've consumed a few thousand calories too many.

The notion that you can eat anything you want during the day as long as there
are no carbs is simply incorrect. Calories still put on the pounds whether you
are using the Atkins plan for weight loss or not. That being said there are
some interesting insights in this diet and a good man of the foods that are
eliminated are those that have the most complex sugars for the body to dispose
of. For this reason there are many who have followed the honest to goodness
plan to tremendous results.

If you are considering dieting with the Atkins plan you should realize that
this is a lifelong commitment in order to achieve the maximum benefit of the
plan. There will be lesser restrictions as you reach the maintenance phases of
the plans but you are making a conscious decision to pretty much sacrifice a
good deal of the carbohydrates that many of us have enjoyed throughout our
lives. This is a concept that is much easier said than done over an extended
period of time and especially in a society when most of us cannot commit to a
mate for that long.

At any rate, dieting with the Atkins plan has produced results for a good deal
of people around the world. The news of these results has made it one of the
most talked about, tested, and tried systems for dieting on the planet and many
people have mixed reviews. Those who love it and feel that it is effective are
enthusiastic in its support though those that are honest will admit that you do
feel as though you are sacrificing a good deal for the sake of your dietary
needs. Those who hate it hate it, and there is nothing that is going to change
their opinion. The only way to know for sure is to try for yourself.

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