Healthy weight loss

Weight loss: An introduction to a healthier life style

Losing weight is based on a simple mathematical equation.

Weight loss = calories in – calories out

The matter is quite straight forward, if the calories coming in are less than the calories going out then weight loss will be achieved. In simple terms this theory is true however, many people, especially those who have tried to lose weight would argue that is simply not that easy. In reality, there are a number of factors that play a role in achieving or failing weight loss.

As a beginning this article will look into the general concepts of weight loss and introduce ways of achieving weight loss as part of a healthier lifestyle. Some of the points raised here will be looked in more depth at later point.

Weight loss success and failure. The factors:

Through the years a number of different diet plans and trends have come to light, promising amazing results. As with everything, some of these diets work for some people and some don’t work for others. So why is that?

Before looking into different diet tips for weight loss is worth looking into what influences weight loss. The human body is like a machine made by different systems. These systems are interrelated and work in collaboration with each other.  Nothing works in isolation, even if one system fails, the others adapt to compensate. In simplistic terms food is the fuel of the machine – the human body, and it would make sense that there will be a number of factors to influence both the way fuel is processed, but also the way fuel itself can affect the works of the machine. These factors can include the presence of disease/health condition, age, gender, medication, level or kind of activity, individual behaviour towards food and individual genetics. Through time, science has looked and has suggested different influential factors and it is an ongoing project.

Each and every factor on its own or in combination can affect how we metabolically process what we eat. Gender differences, for example, can translate into that women tend to use more fat as fuel during exercise (women have more free fatty acids and growth hormone). However, even the type of exercise (i.e. aerobic, strength) has a different effect on what fuel we burn.

Moreover, behaviours towards food can form as early as preschool age and can determine what we eat, when we eat it and why. Child feeding practices for example, have been suggested to affect the innate self – regulation mechanisms in regards to food. In addition, people can use food for comfort, for pleasure, emotional compensation and so on.

The above mentioned are only some examples, aiming to give an understanding. They would not even begin to cover the subject and its complexity. Someone would understandably ask ‘so what is one meant to do?’ Although each person has individual differences and circumstances, this however, does not mean to say that there are not dietetic guidelines that can be applied for the general public.

Weight loss: a healthier approach

An important point to mention is that losing weight does not necessarily mean healthy, such as exercising doesn’t always mean fit. It has been well documented, that a healthy balanced diet which aims in long term weight results is the best way forward. However, ‘a healthy balanced diet’ is a broad term and not always well defined.

A number of studies have looked into diets which are based in low carbohydrate intake. Many of these studies indicate that low carbohydrate diet can have positive results in terms of health outcomes and long term weight loss. A diet such as the 40-30-30 (also called ‘the zone diet’) and other variations of it or some styles of Mediterranean diet are examples of a lower carbohydrate diet. In essence what they recommend is to reduce the amount of carbohydrate intake in the diet, and increase the protein intake.

For example the zone diet recommends that food intake consist of 40% carbohydrates, 30% fat and 30% protein. Some people may feel comfortable in reducing the amount of carbohydrates to less than that. However, for someone who already has a high carbohydrate diet it would be recommended to reduce the amount of carbohydrates gradually and not to an extreme degree, especially for women. The body is very good in adapting to changes (such as changing the fuel) however; it does require time to make such adaptations.

A point to mention is that such diets are not about depriving yourself from food whether it is the amount or the kind of food. It is about ‘balancing’ food in a healthier way. When talking about carbohydrates people often that is only things like pasta, bread, and potatoes. Vegetables, legumes, fruit and sugars also belong in the carbohydrate category, however, with exception to sugars, the latest contain smaller amount of carbohydrate per gram and also include important to the body, vitamins and minerals. Although calories are not the end to all means they do matter. By lowering carbohydrates by substituting pasta, bread etc with fresh vegetables and fruit will allow to not necessarily change the size/amount of food but the quality. In addition, it does not mean waving goodbye to pasta, bread etc but balancing the amount consumed.

It s important to mention that such diets regimes will lead to long term sustainable weight loss and better health results, but it is not a quick solution. It will not provide the answer in losing loads of weight in 1 week or 2 weeks time. Firstly, even if someone starved themselves they would mostly lose water, use all the glycogen stores, and burn some fat in the process. Starvation is not a recommended diet and most probably not the healthiest option either; in addition, when you deprive the body from fuel, metabolism will slow down in order to preserve energy (as mentioned earlier the body will adapt to changes, and in this case if inadequate fuel is coming in will try to save its reserves). In simple terms will be burning less. This does not mean to say that there is not short term, quick diet regimes which are healthy, is about proposing a ‘healthier’ approach to life as a whole.

In addition, to a healthy diet introduction of physical activity would be hugely recommended. Physical activity, whether being structured exercise (i.e. gym, classes, running) or simple being more active will not only aid in losing weight but also improve health.

Why opt for a ‘healthier balanced diet’ and physical activity? Firstly, such diets are not about depriving yourself from food.  Secondly, it may not promise miracles in short term, however, it can lead to long term sustainable weight loss and can have positive outcomes in terms of health. One can argue that by improving health will improve in some respects quality of life.

A guide to a weight loss beginning

So where does someone start when weight loss is such a complex matter. Here are a few steps to take to help you make a choice for a diet regime.

1. Find the reason why you want to lose weight. Before even choosing a diet to follow, it is helpful to make a list of the reasons you want to lose weight and how much weight is your goal. Is it to get in that dress for the w/end, for health reasons, to feel better or look better, or even just to be healthier? What the reason will be is an entirely personal matter, however, by knowing the reason will help to choose the appropriate diet plan. It will also help to stay in focus in why you have chosen to lose weight and why it is important to you. See also Weight loss motivation

2.Make a food diary. Spend a week keeping a diary of everything you eat and drink, it will provide you with the full picture of your food intake. That 1 biscuit in the office, the 2 large lattés with 2 sugars, or that 1 packet of crisps at lunch may not look as much at the time but it all adds up. It well be that is only those little things that need to change to achieve your goal and not necessarily your whole diet.

3. Be realistic. Setting to high goals or unrealistic goals is like setting ourselves to fail. Losing too much weight too fast may not be a realistic goal, or even saying ‘no’ to the biscuits may be almost impossible. What is possible for you? Changes can happen gradually, or just being aware of what you can and can’t do will help you decide which one is the best way to go.

4.Opt for healthier options. I could not stress this point enough. The world of dieting and weight loss can be a mind field. Look for those options which are well explained, and ideally backed up with scientific evidence. Look at pros and cons, and ideally discuss options with your doctor, especially if there is a health condition, medication, or thinking of using supplements/pills which are meant to aid weight loss. Our health is very important, and there are options out there which can be detrimental to health.

Weight loss tips to lose weight

We often get the question: Are there any weight loss tips to lose weight fast and safe? The answer is definetely YES. There are many ways to lose weight without danger and side effects. Weight loss has 2 major routes. The first route is the fast route by taking one of those miraculous weight loss products or diets and the second route is to approach the whole process with a clear and sensible mind.

By taking the first route at the beginning you may see some good results but in the long term you will end up in a worse situation that you were before starting your weight loss efforts. This is mainly because:

1. Weight loss products that promise quick and dramatic results do not work as advertised. This is a fact. There are many reasons of why they fail but we are going to explain those in a separate post.

2. Weight loss should be specific and tailored to the needs of each individual. This is especially true for weight loss diets. You cannot just follow a diet given to your friend and expect to see the same results. What works well for one person may not work for another and vice versa.

3. If anything is too good to be true then it is a fake. If you are overweight for some years do you really believe that there is a magic way to lose the extra pounds in just a few weeks? If it was so simple and magic then the majority of the population would not suffer from obesity and people would not care about finding ways to lose weight. It is true that there are some cases that people managed to lose a lot of weight in a short time. It happens but this is only the exception to the rule.

The general rule is that in order to lose weight you may need a lot of time and you have to put a lot of effort and hard work.

Having said the above, the alternative way to lose weight is the healthy way. By adopting this method to lose weight you are guarantee 2 things. First that the whole process will do more good than bad to your overall health and second that you will not get the weight you lost back after a few months. The good think about healthy weight loss is that you know in advance that the method will work. It may take more time than adopting a chemical diet but the results will be solid and permanent.

Some ways to adopt for a healthy lifestyle are:

1. Forget about the rule of 3 main meals per day (breakfast, lunch, dinner). Your diet schedule should include a good breakfast, 3 small size meals (including snacks) with 3 hours interval between them and one lunch meal taken at least 3 hours before going to bed.

2. Do not exclude any nutrient or vitamin from your daily intake. This means that you should eat all kind of foods from the food pyramid.

3. Make fruits and vegetables your friend and sweets and fatty food your enemy. Trust your friends better than your enemy.

4. Eat a lot of water daily and do not rush to the fridge as soon as you think that you are hungry. Eat a class of water first and your hunger may go away.

5. Start moving. Find every excuse you can to move your body and be more active. Walk around the house, dig your garden, paint your house, do anything that makes your body move and spend calories. If you do like join a gym or buy a bicycle and take regular rides.

The above are just a sample of the things you can do to enjoy a healthy lifestyle. Stay tuned for more healthy weight loss tips to lose weight.

10 Weight loss tips for everyone

Weight loss is a process that affects everyone, men, women and children. The following article gives you 10 weight loss tips that can help everyone wishing to start a proper, fast and healthy weight loss effort.

Weight Loss Tips #1 – Start your weight loss process slowly

Avoid drastically reducing your calories. Quick and rapid weight loss can cause problems with your body’s metabolism and muscle mass. When you lose weight too quickly, you really need to be careful and carefully monitor the proportion of your weight in your body. Is it mainly coming from water , body fat or muscle mass? Most of the time, it unfortunately comes from lean muscle mass and this is what is causing you serious problems with your metabolism. Muscle is your body’s most important and active tissue for burning calories and fat. It’s basically your body’s fat burner and you need to always keep it active. When you lose a lot of weight, which usually comes from excessive dieting or some other not healthy way of losing weight, the body’s muscle mass is affected and you will end up lossing some of the most powerful tissue for keeping a nice body shape.

The worst thing that usually happens with weight loss is when the person finally decides to terminate the weight loss diet and go back to their unhealthy eating habits. The calorie intake is increased and the weight goes up, but since their BMR (basal metabolic rate) is at low levels and they have already lost muscle mass, they end up increasing their body fat very quickly! Have you ever heard of the term “yo-yo” dieting? This is one of the main reasons why so many people have problems and hard times with their weight loss efforts.

Weight Loss Tips #2 – Water, Water, Water

Drinking lots of water is one of the most important factors for losing weight. Our bodies are over 70% water and they need a large amount of this liquid to maintain their daily functions. Water helps to clean our systems and get rid of harmful toxins. When you water intake is not enough, your body actually turns to the water reserves is has which in turn, leaves you bloated. In order to release the extra water, you need to drink enough of it during the day. Water is also the best no-calorie source to fill up your stomach which makes you feel that you are not hungry. Try consuming ice cold water to actually burn more calories. Your body needs to warm up the ice cold water and it uses calories to do so. This is the so called the “thermogenic effect”. You can burn about 100 calories a day by drinking one gallon of ice cold water. Over a period of a month, this comes to almost 1 pound (for a month) and 12 pounds of easy weight loss per year!

Weight Loss Tips #3 – Protein should be part of your diet

Make sure to include protein at every meal. Try to go for 1 gram of protein per pound of your body weight. By eating enough amount of proteins, you will keep your nitrogen levels high that help the repair and growth of the muscles. Protein has a high thermogenic effect of 30% which makes it the best thermogenic food compared to all other foods. This means that for every 100 calories of protein you eat, 30 calories are burned by your body in order to digest the food you eat leaving you with 70 more calories.

Weight Loss Tips #4 – Build more muscles

Exercise can help you build more muscle mass. By adding more muscle mass you are adding the most important fat burning tool to your body. Muscle tissue is the most metabolically active tissue of the body, so make sure to build as much muscle as possible. Studies have shown that for each pound of muscle you add to your body, you can burn about 35 to 50 calories more per day. So, if you manage to add an extra 10 pounds of muscle you will be in position to burn approximately 350 to 500 calories more per day. This is without making any other changes to your diet. In some other research, researchers found that regular weight lifting training can improve the basal metabolic rate by about 15%.

Weight Loss Tips #5 – Eat less but more often

By eating small meals, you will be able to increase your metabolism and keep yourself full throughout the entire day. It will also give you more energy and keep your insulin at constant levels. Ideally, you must eat 5 to 6 times per day, about every 3 hours. You must aim to eat small amounts of foods several times a day instead of eating large amounts of foods a few times a day. If you wait a lot of time between meals, you will end up eating more and consuming more calories since you will be very hungry.

Weight Loss Tips #6 – Eat more fiber

Eating more fiber is one of the greatest weight loss tips. Fiber will give you a feeling of fullness with a low amount of calories. Fiber can also help you to reduce constipation, indigestion, gallstones and cholesterol, and also help you in fighting heart diseases and some forms of cancer. You should eat a variety of fibers both soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber can be found in fruits and insoluble fiber in found in whole grains. Foods rich in fiber include: oat bran, beans, lentils, fruit, vegetables, whole wheat bread, brown rice and oatmeal.

Weight Loss Tips #7 – Eat more foods that are “thermogenic”

Thermogenic foods are the type of foods that your body needs to use a lot of calories in order to properly digest them. Some of the best thermogenic foods are vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms, squash, celery, zucchini, peppers, lettuce and green beans. These foods are very low in calories which allows you to consume a large quantity.

Weight Loss Tips #8 – Liquids also have calories!

Soft drinks and full sugar fruit juices can destroy your weight loss efforts. They contain large amounts of sugar and calories and are very easily consumed since they are in liquid form. A cup of cola type drink may contain 415 calories of pure sugar. This quantity of sugar causes a rise in insulin levels and makes you to feel hungry very soon after drinking it. By simply drinking diet soda, you can cut a huge amount of excess calories and start losing weight. Although this is a good start, you can better drink water instead as your primary liquid source.

When drinking juices, make sure that you check them for high amounts of processed sugar. Look on the ingredients list for “high fructose corn syrup” which is another way of saying sugar and see how much of this is contained in your drink. The first ingredients on the list are usually the ones that contain the largest amounts. The majority of fruit juices available are nothing more than flavored sugar water. A great alternative if you want to enjoy a fruit juice is to get a good juicer and make your own fresh and healthy fruit juices. This will provide the best levels of freshness and nutrients compared with the processed versions.

Weight Loss Tips #9 – Be patient, proper and healthy weight loss takes time

Be patient and don’t get disappointed if you’re not losing weight very fast. Remember, it didn’t take you 4 weeks to gain those extra 20 kilos so it is for sure that you will have to spend more than 4 weeks to lose them! Create a smart weight loss plan and focus on losing the proper kind of weight, which is body fat. You should set a weekly goal of no more than 1 pound per week. This way you will have a much better chance of not getting the weight back after you terminate your weight loss diet.

Weight Loss Tips #10 – Plan what you eat based on your activity

Plan what you will eat based on for the activity you will be doing. If you will be sitting at office all day then do not eat a meal with a lot of calories. Eat a smaller meal since you’re body will not need that much energy. On the other hand if you will be doing exercise, then you should eat more calories to provide your body with enough fuel to carry out the training session.

20 healthy weight loss tips

This article provides you with 20 healthy weight loss tips. When you want to loose weight you need to make sure that you do it the healthy way and in a way that it will not cause any problems to your physical or psychological health. Everybody, very well knows the basic principles for weight loss: less food, more exercise. It may sound easy but the exhaustive pace of everyday life makes it almost impossible to achieve.

After a full day in the office, nobody is enthusiastic about the idea of green salad consisting of boiled chicken for dinner, following with two-hours running on the treadmill.

The bad news is that you never lost ten pounds in three days-which means that you should be prepared to start a weight loss process that will take time and effort.

The good news is that there are some healthy weight loss tips that can help you loose weight without having to fall into hunger or adapt to “drastic” solutions with disappointing results.

This article presents 20 healthy weight loss tips that will help you get the body you always dreamed off in a fast and healthy way, and it will also help you maintain this weight for a long time.

Tip #1. Drink lots of water

We often confuse thirst with hunger, leading to load our body with unnecessary calories, when what we really need is a glass of cold water. If you prefer, you can add some lemon slices to the jug of water for extra flavour, or to drink tea with fruit flavour but no sugar. It is a simple and healthy trick that will help you a lot in your weight loss efforts.

Tip #2. Think about what you can add to your diet, not what to remove

Set a goal to try and consume the recommended 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. This will ensure that your body takes the necessary fiber, while fighting hunger. You must also not forget the many benefits of vegetables for your health and disease prevention.

A good way to eat more vegetables is to mix them with the food. For example you can have vegetables in your rice or soups, in chicken as salads or in pasta. This is better than eating them on the side.

Eating more vegetables is a healthy habit that once you get used to it you will not realise that you are doing it.

Tip #3. Eat only when you are hungry

Many times, our desire for food is not due to real hunger, but due to other several psychological factors. Hunger is the message of our organism to tell us that we need fuel, so if the desire for food is not due to hunger, the food will not make us feel better. On the contrary we will feel worse because of the extra unnecessary calories we will consume. It is also a not healthy habit because it does not offer anything and will help you destroy your weight loss efforts.

Try to reduce the portions of your meals and increase their frequency. Notice after each meal if you feel bloat or tiredness so as to understand when you feel real hunger and when you eat because of other factors.

Tip #4. Avoid after dinner snacks

The most dangerous time to destroy your weight loss efforts and diet is after the last meal of the day, when you lie down in front of the TV with a pack of chips or a box of crisps and biscuits. This is the time that you eat out of a habit, without really being hungry.

If you cannot resist the temptation of a small “sin” after a long day, obtain healthy snacks such as low-calorie cereal bars or ice cream without sugar and fat, and allow yourself to have one per day. When you get used to this try to further reduce the calorie load, with a cup of tea with no calories.

Tip #5. Enjoy your favourite foods

To completely avoid your favourite food will not create the desired results since the feeling of deprivation leads at sometime to exaggeration. Think the last time you did not eat a chocolate for a month and the quantity consumed when you decided that you are ‘allowed’ to eat chocolate.

Instead of excluding from your weight loss program and diet foods you really enjoy, be sure to buy them in smaller amounts and to eat them less often, once or twice a week. Moreover, the expectation is what makes the satisfaction greatest.

Tip #6. Do not be too strict on your weight loss program

When you need to exit your diet for a while, walk to the cafe serving the best waffles, or organize a night out with friends. For even better results, do not buy sweets or other snacks for home- instead replace them with plenty of fruits and limit these night outs to one per week. Thus, you will not have to worry that you will give up to the temptation while you are at home.

Tip #7. Eat several small meals during the day

The weight loss is achieved by the consumption of fewer calories than those we burn. When, however, we are constantly hungry, this is not easy at all. Research shows that people who eat 4-5 meals a day find it easier to control their appetite and weight.

Apply this method for your own weight loss program. Try to divide the calories you consume during the day in many small portions. Make sure that you consume as much as possible calories before noon, with the evening meal being the last time you eat in a day. This is not only good for your weight loss efforts but it is also a healthy habit because it gives enough time to your body to function the ‘burn’ process properly.

Tip #8. Spicy food!

Add seasonings or hot spices in your food, which will enhance the taste and make you feel that you eat more.

The meals enhanced by tasty spices will stimulate your taste and create a sense of satisfaction, without actually eating more.

When you want something sweet, choose a hot caramel flavour with cinnamon or ginger. It gives you for some time the sweet flavour you need, with fewer calories.

Tip #9. Fill the kitchen with healthy and easy meals

The easy-made meals or snacks that are prepared quickly solve a lot of your problems (cooking time, preparation time etc) and lead you a step closer to weight loss success. These will prevent you from ordering something from a fast food restaurant or to order pizza, because you can within 5-10 minutes prepare your own healthy meal.

Such healthy foods include:

Frozen vegetables
Ready, purified salads
Canned vegetables (tomatoes, beans)
Arab pies of bread or wholemeal toast
Slices of boiled turkey (for toast)
Low-fat cheese
Black rice (quick boil)

Tip #10. Order kids meal!

When eating out, you can order an individual pizza or a small sandwich. In this way you keep the calories low and the quantities consumed controlled.

Another trick is to use smaller plates. This helps the portions look larger, and if by looking at them you mind is satisfied, then most likely your stomach will also be satisfied.

Tip #11. Eat season fruits and vegetables

If you do not like certain fruits or vegetables, this is possibly due to the fact that you eat them when they were out of season. This makes them almost tasteless and odourless. In contrast, season fruits and vegetables are more delicious and less likely to disappoint you. They are tasty and healthy and help weight loss!

For example, strawberries, which are naturally sweet, sprinkled with a little cognac, or low-fat yogurt and accompanied with canned fruits, are one of the best desserts you can enjoy without guilt.

Tip #12. Replace the fried potatoes that accompany your meal with grilled vegetables

Eating fewer fried potatoes, pasta or bread and more vegetables, will help you a lot in your weight loss efforts. Experts say even that you can save 100-200 calories if you reduce the amount of fat and starch foods to your plate and increase that of vegetables.

Tip #13. Find alternative ways to manage stress

Sometimes in our life, we are faced with situations that create us a lot of stress. Instead of looking to food for comfort, prepare some inedible healthy tactics to fight stress that work equally well.

Experts suggest to read a book, listen to music, write a diary, to practice deep breathing, meditation, or you can browse an album with photos of your loved ones.

Tip #14. Exercise a lot and keep fit

It may sound weird, but it is wrong to use the exercise as a means of punishment for yourself because you eat a lot, or in order to win the right to eat more. That is why many people say they hate exercise.

Instead, focus on how beautiful you feel, how much better sleep you have at night, and how much more energy you have when you exercise. Physical exercise is good for you whether you are trying to lose weight or not. See, therefore, exercise positively and try to make it your second nature. By exercising regularly and following a proper heart attack diet you also ensure the healthiness of your heart.

Tip #15. Adopt the standards of the Mediterranean diet

It is a fact that the Mediterranean diet is a standard for any form of diet. The purpose is to include the Mediterranean diet in your weight loss program and diet.

The ingredients are simple. Use virgin olive oil as often as possible, preferably in salads with fresh vegetables, eat legumes one to two times a week and replace meat with fish, so that you do not consume meat more than once per week.

Tip #16. Avoid alcohol

Especially during the summer, excessive alcohol consumption should be avoided, as it is causing increased urination and dehydrates the body, not to mention the calorie load that alcohol has. Prefer lots of water and natural juices that will not give you a lot of extra calories and above all they are healthy.

Tip #17. Prefer fish and seafood

Especially in the summer you should eat light. The main concern is replacing meat with fish. Therefore you should prefer fish instead of meat, which will provide you with the necessary feeling of satisfaction, but with fewer calories and in a healthy way.

Avoid, therefore, fried food and prefer fish and seafood. Some ideas for fishmeals are: mackerel, mullet, red snapper, bonito, perch, sardines, crops, rock, sea bream, and grouper.

Tip #18. Treat constipation problems

In their efforts to start a diet, many individuals experience constipation problems, which, apart from the adverse effects on the body, also affect the weight loss process.

Two basic steps you must follow to address this problem is: the daily consumption of more fiber, which have the capacity to contribute to the greater mobility of the gut, and the increased consumption of liquids, helping to correct the metabolic function. So you should increase the consumption of fruits and vegetables like oranges, apples, pears, plums, broccoli and greens.

Tip #19. Do not exclude from your diet any food group

Many of the “active” weight loss diets you will find support the exclusion of certain groups of foods such as carbohydrate-or fat-from your diet. This, according to nutritionists, is a big unhealthy mistake, as the body needs all nutrients-vitamins, minerals, trace elements, fiber, proteins, etc., which recruits from the different levels of the food pyramid.

Thus, carbohydrates such as bread and pasta, and meat and olive oil should not be missing from our diet, as they provide our body necessary nutrients and also have several benefits, ranging from disease prevention and the proper functioning of the metabolism, to high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-3), helping to reduce cholesterol levels.

Tip #20. Eat a good breakfast

Some people when they are trying to loose weight they make the mistake of not eating breakfast. Avoiding breakfast is not a good idea at all because your will feel hunger during the day and at the end you will consume more calories during your meals. Not eating breakfast will also help you to eat snacks, in order to fight your hunger and at the end the calories you consume are more. In fact, research shows that people who eat breakfast every morning are more likely to maintain normal weight and they also find it easier to adapt to a healthy weight loss program.

To succeed in your weight loss efforts is up to you. This article gave you 20 healthy weight loss tips that can help you lose weight in a fast, healthy and efficient way.