Quick weight loss diets – are they worth it?

One of the first things that people do when they want to lose weight is to stop eating. Makes sense – reduce calories, body uses more energy than it takes in – that’s the best quick weight loss diet? No.

One of the biggest myths surrounding weight loss is that it involves in cutting back on food – this system of losing weight is a myth. The reality is that there is no secret system that doesn’t involve hard work, in the form of regimented eating and exercise.

So why doesn’t losing weight quickly loss involve stopping eating?

When you cut back on eating, your metabolism changes; your body, through animal instict, actually stores food in the form of fat (which is exactly the opposite of what you are trying to achieve).

The result is that you probably start putting on weight as your metabolism slows down and you accumulate fat. In addition, through reducing your food intake, you lose out on important vitamins and minerals. This is also known as crash dieting – for years, people have been told that the only quick weight loss diet involves crash dieting, which is simply not the case.

Really, one should think of the quick weight loss program, rather than just a diet. I say program because exercise is one of the biggest contributors to weight loss. Increase exercise and you increase the number of calories that you use up on a day to day basis. Decrease calorie intake (but maintain a healthy diet – no crash dieting!) and this is the key to losing weight quickly.

Amongst the many reasons that you only lose weight quickly through both dieting and exercise combined is that people give up quickly if they do not see results! Only doing one and not both will definitely guarantee worse results.

How to select an exercise plan for quick weight loss

Choosing your exercise type is important. There is no point doing an exercise that you dont like, or you get bored of quickly! The key is to mix up your exercise types (remember that your body quickly gets used to one exercise, so cross training is the key here.

Include exercise wherever you can in your daily routine. This can be something simple like walking to work, or getting off the bus one stop early, taking the stairs instead of the lift or even playing more with your kids outside. Anything that keeps you moving and keeps your heart rate up is beneficial for burning calories and helping you work towards that goal of losing weight. Combine this active lifestyle with your healthyeating diet and you have the recipe for quick weight loss

What is veganism and why consider a vegan diet?

Globally, obesity is affecting more and more people, a problem that is worsened by junk food and lifestyles that are definitely less than active. This article aims to show that by examining elements of a diet such as a vegan diet, it is possible to get some ideas that we can use to improve our own diets. Becoming a vegan is a massive lifestyle change, but there’s no reason that we can’t borrow from their diets when aiming to reduce weight or even for a bit of detox dieting!

Vegans tend to achieve a balance in that they tend to maintain healthy weights – this is for 2 reasons.

1. they watch their diet closely
2. the diet they eat is extremely low in processed foods.

Veganism goes beyond simply being vegetarian – it relates to diet and lifestyle choices that eliminate the requirement for animals for nutrition, clothing, shelter or any thing else. This article relates to veganism from the point of view of the vegan diet. 1 in 20 vegetarians is actually vegan, which means that they will also avoid dairy products, which most vegetarians may consider consuming.

The food pyramid of a vegan diet

Without eating meat, vegans are required to make some significant changes to their diet. It is recommended that they:

• eat around 3 servings of vegetables(with a mix of all colours of vegetables, e.g. carrots, broccoli and peppers
• eat around 4-5 servings of grains (these grains should be the bran and germ)
• eat around 3 servings of fruit (important for vitamin C and a good source of fibre)
• eat around 2 servings of legumes (beans, peas, lentils). Beans, in particular soya beans, are a high source of protein, which is essential for keeping you feeling full for longer, assisting in weight loss.

It has been noted that diets that avoid meat are lower in saturated fat and cholesterol. Vegan diets are high in fibre, magnesium, folate and all sorts of vitamins.

Vegan diets and calcium

Without eating dairy products, a vegan’s diet will be low in calcium, therefore they will need to find a substitute. Soy milk is a good source of protein and is often supplemented with calcium. It is recommended that vegans take a calcium diet. Women, in particular need to make sure that they are taking sufficient iron, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D. Importantly, those on a vegan diet will need to supplement their diet with omega fatty acids, which are traditionally found in fish.

Note: it is recommended that before any major changes to your diet, you should consult your doctor, or even a nutritionist, as ultimately diet depends on individual requirements.

Introduction to good carbohydrates

Over the past few years, there has been a significant amount of discussion relating to the topic of good carbohydrates v.s. bad carbohydrates. The  purpose of this article is to helpe dispel some of those myths to help you make healthier choices relating to your diet.

To clarify, this article is not about supporting the low carbohydrate argument. Certainly, eating regimes that are very low in carbohydrates should definitely be avoided. One of the key reasons that people find losing weigh difficult is because they consume too many refined carbohydrates, in the form of:

• pasta
• bread
• rice
• muffins &
• juices, to name a few.

Losing weight whilst consuming a significant amount of any of the above refined carbohydrates will be very difficult. This is even if you have a strict exercise regime. The intake of the above carbohydrates causes big shifts in your blood sugar levels and increases in insulin levels. The effect of this is that your body is encourage to store body fat directly. Another negative aspect of these bad carbohydrates is that your appetite is lifted.

The whole grain myth

A marketing ploy that has been around a while relates to ‘whole grain’ foods. Cereal manufacturers were and are successful in confusing consumers into thinking that the majority of these foods are healthy, when really they represent just excess calories. Why is this so?

One of the key ingredients in many of these whole grain ingredients is refined flour (a bad carbohydrate). Refined flour is a definite cause of blood sugar spikes and the subsequent increases in insulin levels. Over many years, high blood sugar levels can lead to insulin resistance and eventually type-2 diabetes. So if refined foods are so commonly used, how do I get around not using them in my diet?

Here are some guidelines in making sure that your diet contains good carbohydrates:

1. Lower the amount of grainy foods in your diet. This involves reducing pasta, cereals and rice.  If this is not possible, consider brown rice or brown pasta as an alternative.
2. Add organic meat and dairy to your diet and up your intake of vegetables.
3. You still need to include carbohydrates in your diet, but this time you’ll be getting your good carbohydrates from vegetables, sweet potatoes and fruits. Note that fruit juice is not a good replacement for fruit as fibre is reduced significantly.
4. Despite the bad aspects of grain, it does provide fibre, therefore you should include some in your diet. You should focus your diet on dense grains; the bran and the germ. Swap your oat meal for oat bran. You can add brans to your salads, yoghurts etc to increase the fibre content of your meals.
5. Reducing pastas, cereals etc will make you feel like you’re starving yourself, unless you replace that void with some other food. You should consider the following healthy foods:
- avocados
-nuts
-seeds
as well as healthy proteins such as organic dairy and meats. Like good carbohydrates, foods high in protein help control your appetite and control your blood sugar levels, which is essential in helping you lose weight.

For more unique healthy eating techniques and exercise techniques for losing your stubborn stomach fat, go to Workouts & Diet Tips for Losing Belly Fat Fast

This chocolate fudge recipe comes from a Certified Nutrition Specialist, Mike Geary. Mike aims to find different ways to make yummy foods that the majority of people can’t believe are actually healthy for the body. If you’re a fan of having something sweet any time of the day, then I know that you have tried to find ways to enjoy sweet desserts that aren’t like your typical junk sweet treats.

The low fat content myth

One of the biggest problems with manufactured health treats is that manufacturers of many ‘health foods’ lower the food’s fat content only to raise the sugar content. At the end of the day the body converts extra sugar to fat, so there is no point in eating these ‘fat-free’ snacks. Another trick is to reduce the fact content, but to increase the sodium content, because salty foods tend to be flavoursome.

The recipe below is Mike’s well known healthy chocolate-peanut-butter fudge recipe (note that you can exclude peanut butter, if you are not a fan, or if you have an allergy to nuts). This recipe takes around five minutes to make and is very straight-forward. The excellent thing about this healthy recipe is that there are no added sugars and all the fat that is used is sourced from ‘healthy fats.

Healthy chocolate fudge recipe ingredients:

* One extra dark chocolate bar (try to find a chocolate bar that has a cocoa content of at least 70% – the higher the concentration the better for this recipe (the amount of sugar in the chocolate bar is reduced)

* 4 to 5 Tbsp of your favourite peanut butter

* 2/3 to 3/4 cup of coconut milk (coconut milk provides the body with healthy saturated fats)

* 2 tbsp rice bran (the rice bran adds to the fibre content)

* 2 tbsp oat bran (oat bran also contains fibre – the soluble kind)

* 1/2 cup raw pecans, almonds, or walnuts (these ingredients contain healthy fats, in addition to antioxidants, vitamins and minerals)

* 1/2 cup dried raisins (depending on your preferences)

* 1 tsp vanilla extract

* a dash of stevia to lightly sweeten (stevia is a natural sweetener that contains very few calories). Alternatively any other sweetener will work as well.

Chocolate recipe directions

Begin with placing the coconut milk, peanut butter, and chocolate in a average sized saucepan, with the heat turned right down. Constantly stir the mix as the coconut milk, chocolate and peanut butter melts together. As soon as this mix is melted entirely, add in the other ingredients and mix thoroughly.

When you are satisfied that all the ingredients are mixed together well, place the entire mixture on to a sheet of greased paper, on-top of a baking dish. Place the baking dish in the fridge and leave for at least 6 hours to solidify and cool.

You have now just made a super healthy chocolate fudge dessert!

Note: be sure to remember that you cant double your portions, simply because this is a healthy recipe! Thankfully this recipe is not only much lower in calories than normal fudge, but contains vitamins and minerals that you otherwise wouldn’t find in a chocolate fudge recipe.

If you liked this chocolate fudge recipe, be sure to check out these 5 tips to Get a Flat Stomach faster – the natural way.

Healthy Eating Tips

When you hear the phrase healthy eating, you probably start thinking diet. Eating healthy is so much more. By making good food choices, you help ensure your body has the nutrients it needs to perform well, which keeps you healthy and gives you the energy.

Healthy Food Pyramid

Eating a variety of foods from the healthy eating pyramid is a good place to start. Make sure your healthy eating plan includes an assortment of grains, vegetables, fruit, dairy products, and proteins. When selecting grains, opts for whole-grains whenever possible. They are digested more slowly, which keeps you feeling full longer, and provide your body with much-needed fibre, phytochemicals and antioxidants. Don’t be fooled by foods that masquerade as whole grains; check labels to be sure. Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables. They also provide fibre and antioxidants, as well as vitamins. Choose reduced fat dairy products such as yoghurts and cheeses whenever possible. These a great source of calcium needed for strong, healthy bones. If you’re lactose-intolerant, look for lactose-free alternatives. Proteins provide the building blocks our bodies need to maintain and provide energy. The best protein options are those that are low in fat. Vegetarians can get their protein through nuts, seeds, legumes and soy products.

Eating fat

Fats and oils should be used sparingly. Choose foods that are low in saturated and trans fats. Your fat intake should be composed mainly of healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Don’t deprive yourself of treats. An occasional treat in moderation can be a part of your diet.

Speed up your metabolism
Pay attention to when and how you eat. Your metabolism doesn’t get revved up for the day until you have fueled your body with food. If you’re skipping breakfast, you’re shortchanging yourself of hours of energy. To keep your metabolism going strong for the day and avoid snack attacks, try switching to mini-meals. Instead of eating three big meals a day, break your day into four to six smaller meals. Avoid distractions while you eat as this can lead to digestive disturbances such as heartburn, as well as you taking in more food than you truly need. Take time to savor your food. More than just being fuel for our bodies, food can be an experience. Eat slowly, paying close attention to the flavors and textures. It can take the brain a few minutes to get the message from your stomach that it’s full. If you’re not taking the time to enjoy your food and listen to your body’s signals, you risk overeating.

Water and weight loss

Water is an important aspect of any healthy eating plan. With approximately 75% of our bodies made up of water, you need to be sure to stay hydrated at all times. The water you take in helps your body remove toxins and wastes. If you find you’re hungry all the time, check to see if it’s truly hunger you’re feeling. Thirst often masquerades as hunger. Try a glass of water before reaching for food.

Sodium and weight loss

Watch your salt intake. Many packaged foods contain high amount of sodium. Check food labels carefully to be sure you’re not inadvertently taking in more than necessary. Excess sodium intake can lead to a build up in your blood, forcing your heart and arteries to work harder to move it. In some people, this can lead to problems such as swelling or high blood pressure. Be careful not to swing too far to the other end of the spectrum though. Our bodies need some sodium to maintain the correct balance of fluids, transmit nerve impulses and work your muscles. As with other aspects of your healthy eating plan, aim for a good balance.