Free weight loss advice for healthy weight loss

March 20, 2009 by  
Filed under Weight loss advice

Weight loss does not mean that you should cut all the small everyday pleasures that enhance your full of stress life. You just need to improve your existing nutritional habits. This requires patience and perseverance. This is known as «the Food Behaviour Modification», and has proved that this is the best weight loss advice that can lead to a successful weight loss. An additional advantage of this method is that it helps you maintain the weight you lost. The ingredients that will help you to change your dietary behaviour is knowledge on nutritional issues and self control. To succeed in the self-control you usually need the assistance of a specialist. This article provides for free, weight loss advice that can help your lose weight in a fast, consistent and healthy way.

Items that usually need improvement in a successful weight loss process are: the frequency we eat certain foods and the frequency of meals. In order to be able to improve in this area please consider the following weight loss advice:

Eat a variety of foods from all levels of the food pyramid.

This means the daily consumption of milk, vegetables and fruits, from which we receive the required amounts of trace elements, minerals, vitamins and fiber, which is necessary for proper regulation of all metabolic functions of our organism. More specifically, milk should be included in our diet (2-3 portions) each day according to sex and age of the individual. Regarding fruits, this should be in 4-5 portions daily, while for an individual a vegetable salad to accompany the main meal of the day is enough. This is a very important weight loss advice because it is vital for our organism to receive all nutrients. Some weight loss diets suggest otherwise and this is simply not healthy and should be avoided.

Also it is recommended the daily consumption of certain foods from the group of «Cereals and bread», the number of which depends on our individual characteristics. Food items in this group are: bread, pasta, cereals, potatoes, legumes, etc. It is advisable not to eat meat more than three times a week, of which two will be covered by some kind of low fat meat low in cholesterol, such as chicken and turkey. This will help you to bring fish in the weekly diet more often, so as to support our organism every day with high biological value protein.

Fish that we should eat more often should be high in fat. Latest studies have shown that the fat in fish contains a high percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids omega-3, consumption of which has been associated with reducing cholesterol levels in humans. Finally, as an additional source of fat we should use only olive oil, which forms the basis of the Mediterranean diet and has been associated with the prevention of many diseases such as coronary heart disease, cancer of the bowel etc. Of course the amount of oil we use should be controlled, especially during our weight loss efforts, since it is an extremely comprehensive source of energy.

Another advice that can really make a difference is to control or minimize during your weight loss efforts the consumption of sweets and alcoholic beverages, since they carry a lot of calories.

A very important weight loss advice is to take your meals regularly during the day, without any omission. There are no brochures or specific hours that you should be eating the meals. This is something you will have to adjust to your own personal habits and lifestyle. So your goal should be to provide your body regularly, every 3-4 hours, small meals in order to supply energy to cope with the most efficient way the continuing obligations.

Little weight loss tips which can help your weight loss effort, are:

Chew your food slowly.
Never buy food hungry.
Prepare a list of what items you need in advance and do not add to it while shopping.
Drink daily at least 7-8 glasses of water. Water does not add weight. Instead it can help you lose weight.
To keep a diary for a specified period to record what, where and when you eat and under what conditions (eg, boredom, irritability, anxiety). Watch what are the problematic conditions and replace food with some other activity.
Keep always with you snacks with low calorie value.
When faced with a very attractive meal remember that this is not your last chance to eat this food. Satisfy your self by eating only a small part of it.

If everything your read now seems too good to be true, you can try, with the help of a nutritionists, who will determine the quantities needed, and you need to convince your self that weight loss can ultimately be a pleasure…

Too often we hear from them about our different views on healthy eating. The question is whether force if scientifically justified. Most often these are misconceptions and erroneous views, but unfortunately not knowing the adopting and repeating the following in our daily diet. Here the most views most often are nothing more than myths.

Question: I will not eat breakfast so i will accelerate my weight loss efforts because I eat fewer calories

Weight loss advice: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. After hours of night sleep, a proper and balanced breakfast provides the body with the necessary energy for a good start, prevents us from looking for snacks during the day and certainly it does not give us unnecessary calories, since we have all day to burn them! A cup of milk (130 calories full fat, 100 calories low fat) with half cup of cereal (100-120 calories the 40gr) or with three toasts with a little honey (120-140 calories), can supply you with calcium, phosphorus and magnesium, which give strength and power.

Question: A good breakfast can make you feel hungry during the day.

Weight loss advice: Imagine that your metabolism is like a clock. If you put in a battery will start to work and will not stop unless you remove the battery. So if you do not provide your body with the «battery» (food) will not start working. In short it will not do any combustion. Conversely, if you supply it from the morning with a good breakfast will not only makes combustion (resulting in starving all day), but you will feel a greater well-being and mental clarity, to continue the rest of your day.

Question: Eat SALAD when you want to loose weight

Weight loss advice: The salad is a colourful, creative way to get nutrients. Vegetables are a valuable ally for health because they are rich in vitamins, minerals, micro nutrients and fiber. The vegetables can be eaten in any form: fresh, frozen, canned, dried or in juice form. The value in terms of energy efficiency is very low (10-50 kcal / 100 g) and almost all vegetables contain no fat and no cholesterol.

So do not be afraid to consume plenty of vegetables, and never get in the process of counting the portions of salad you eat, but only the oil you use.

Question: When you follow a weight loss diet you should eat only boiled-Grilled with Salad.

Weight loss advice: For many years there is the prevailing view that a weight loss diet equals baked or boiled dishes with no flavour and taste. Or even the combination of «roast with salad» at each meal. This has resulted in the person who wants to lose weight to lack not only valuable nutrients from the starch group, but also certain foods, which they are integrated in the diet immediately after they stop the weight loss diet, thereby regaining the lost weight! No food alone can constitute the sole means for a healthy eating. The nature is also the first to teach this rule, giving food characteristics such as odour, colour, taste and causing the people to choose from a wide variety of foods. Do not be afraid to combine protein with carbohydrate (starch), i.e. the meat with rice or potato or macaroni or mashed potatoes. On the contrary you should have this combination in every meal for 2 reasons: 1) the carbohydrate (starch) has protein-protective properties that help the digestion and absorption of food. 2) You cannot deny your self a tasty lemon potato for a whole life!

Question: I should not eat oily fish when I am on a diet

Weight loss advice: All fish are beneficial. Both the small fish (e.g. smelt, anchovy, smelt a) consumed with the bone, providing valuable calcium, which helps to “build” strong bones and fat (e.g. herring, salmon, mackerel, sardines, sea bream) containing omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which act beneficial to the cardiovascular system. Some fish may have fat but it is not saturated fat, but polyunsaturated fat.

Question: Beef has less fat than pork

Weight loss advice: The difference between the fat in beef and pork is the fat in beef is contained in the muscle fibers, while in the pork is visible. So do not be afraid to eat a pork steak (of course without the visible fat) or a tenderloin steak.

Question: Your weight may suddenly go up

Weight loss advice: Sometimes you cannot loose weight although you make great weight loss efforts. Other times you may notice a sudden weight gain or you may feel very inflated although you may have not eaten too much the previous days. These examples are indicative of the situation known as fluid retention, where the body keeps more fluids than you need. The phenomenon of fluid retention is more often on women, which experienced it at least once a month. This is because fluid retention is a typical symptom of women periods. During the period (two to three days before) the because of fluctuations of body hormones the problem of retention is created. These variations and the particularly high levels of estrogen affect the balance of the body fluids leading to the kidneys to retain more sodium and then retain more water in order to restore balance. The best solution to reduce the phenomenon of retention is to drink more water. You need to drink at least one to two litres of water a day. In this way helps to balance fluids in your body and proper functioning of the kidneys primarily responsible for the elimination of excess water and sodium. In conclusion, do not be afraid when you see that you have suddenly gained weight!

Question: Bananas are fattening

Weight loss advice: Bananas are rich in vitamins A, B and C, and potassium, calcium, phosphate, carbohydrate, and natural sugar (assimilated), keeping the levels of blood sugar constant. The banana is considered the most important supplier of energy to the brain. In addition, helps to regulate blood pressure and water balance in the body. A medium banana (100 grams) has 98 calories and the difference with other fruits is that it contains more sugar and not fat. So do not be afraid to eat a banana, always in moderation.

Question: Grapefruit helps break down fat

Weight loss advice: The grapefruit is important because this fruit is an excellent source of vitamin C and carotene (Anticancer). It has been found to reduce cholesterol and helps to combat atherosclerosis. The term given to it by many, as fat burner is not valid because there is no scientific evidence that it contains enzymes that help burn fat.

10 Weight loss tips for a fast and healthy weight loss

1. Start your day with 30 minutes running (hungry) before breakfast. When you wake in the morning the glycogen in your bodies is low. This means that in the morning running burns more fat.

2. Drink every morning a glass of water with a little lemon juice. If it is difficult to drink it then you can drink chamomile or green tea or any other warm drink and prefer to mix it with a spoonful of honey. It stimulates the function of the gut, activates the metabolism and helps to make a good preparation in the stomach before we accept the food we consume. Also, the lemon is known for its capacity to assist in burning fat and weight loss.

3. Consume 1 to 2 servings of green vegetables daily. Except that can help you loose weight, they contribute to good mood and health and also help in maintaining youthful skin.

4. Replace processed white sugar with honey. Honey is metabolized better in the body and has beneficial health properties and less calories than sugar. For many people it also has much better taste!

5.Forget processed fats and anything that contains butter such as cakes, pastries, biscuits, cookies, and croissants. If you need something sweet to eat, try a low-fat yogurt, with a spoonful of honey and a few nuts. Another solution for something sweet is dried fruit. E.g. two dried figs or two plums.

6.Consume without fear protein such as chicken, turkey, fish, tuna, Solomon cooked roast or boiled.

7.Exercise! If your job is to be seated in front of an office, you need to find time to walk for 1 hour either going to work on foot or a stroll to the shops. Climb the stairs and not the elevator. Make more love. Start your favourite hobby, play tennis, go swimming or dancing. Go out with friends and dance until the morning!

8.Always take with you at work a toast with black bread and turkey so as to eat it if you feel hungry before lunch and resist the temptation of biscuits or cheese pie offered by your colleagues.

9.Get rid of the stress. Stress can be very harmful to our health, and also according to recent surveys it can also make us fat; because in times we feel stress we consume more calories without understanding it.

10.Do not postpone your weight loss diet for Monday or tomorrow but start now. Even if you eat something forbidden at noon, you can avoid the extra calories by eating less at night.

The above article gave you free weight loss advice for healthy weight loss diet. Knowing how your body reacts to weight loss diets and the nutritional characteristics of the major foods can help you loose weight in a fast and healthy weight and also in a way that you will not gain the pounds you lost as soon as you end the diet.

Weight loss help – How to lose weight fast and easy

March 15, 2009 by  
Filed under weight loss help

This article explains in simple terms how to lose weight fast and easy. The weight loss help provided in this post, gives you an answer to 40 common questions regarding weight loss. In order to lose weight fast and easy you need to understand the weight loss process so as to avoid the marketing traps of many weight loss programs. It is very important to know what are the truths and myths about weight loss diets in order to create in your mind a clear plan on how to correctly approach your weight loss efforts.

1. The reasons we gain weight is due to our metabolism, genes, water, our thyroid, etc

Nobody can say with absolute certainty what is causing our weight to increase beyond the «normal». But whatever the cause of weight gain (increased caloric intake, inadequate nutritional care, poor quality food, food intolerance, decreased tolerance, obesity genes, increased fat consumption, physical inactivity, carbohydrate consumption, repetitive weight loss diets, hormonal problems or psychological reasons), there is one true fact: We wouldn’t gain weight, or at least we would gain less weight if we choose our food carefully, eating less and sleeping more.

2. Some people weight more because they have a heavier body frame.

The difference between a heavier and a lighter body frame is a few hundred grams, not kilograms, like some people imagine. Simply, those who have heavier body frames have the margin to weight more than those with a lighter body frame.

3. All diets can help in your weight loss efforts if you follow them strictly

There are diets that do not work, even when you follow them strictly, because they are not personalized, or because we are following them when we are in a bad psychological situation, or because they create exaggerated expectations and are causing us frustration because they do not take into account our personal preferences and do not fit easily into our way of life.

4. Following the same diet with my wife, we can both lose the same weight

A woman’s weight loss process is slower than of men, while men can lose more weight than women in the same period. Someone living in cold climates can help you lose weight faster and more easily than someone living in warm climates, while young people can lose weight easier than older people. Those who have excess weight and those who have not followed a weight loss diet before lose the first pounds faster than those with less unnecessary weight or those who regularly follow a weight loss diet.

5. The criterion of a good diet is weight loss

Good diet is one that without being unilateral or extreme, suits our needs, helps us to loose weight by reducing the losses from the necessary (muscles) and increasing losses from the unnecessary (fat) and more importantly that when you end the diet you are taught how to eat properly, so that in future you will not once again gain the weight you lost.

6. A diet lasts for a specific period of time

A weight loss diet may last hours, days, weeks, months or years. Diets with timetables nearly always fail and if they are successful, their effects on weight loss are only temporary. That is why the adoption of a healthy weight loss diet and proper nutrition is the only permanent way to have a normal weight and not the «diet». Healthy eating habits are forever while a diet is only for the period you can withstand it.

7. It is not important how to reduce calories, but it is enough to reduce them

The reduction in calories should be done by limiting foods that contain less useful nutrients, especially those containing sugar and those that have a lot of calories and fat. If you reduce calories from anywhere, your organism would deprive the necessary for its healthy functioning nutrients and among these the nutrients that will help the weight loss process.

 

8. The calories do not play a role in weight loss.

You lose weight when the energy (calories) your body receives is less than the energy (calories) it burns. When you eat fewer calories than the quantity you need, you lose weight, because the body covers the energy difference between what it needs and what we give it, from the stocks. This is the only reason that the caloric intake plays a major role in an attempt to lose weight, but this does not mean that weight loss depends solely on the calories.

9. If you do not reduce the calories significantly you cannot lose weight

The low-calorie diets (less than 1200 a day) are dangerous because the body begins to burn more muscle tissue than fat. When the daily deficit overcomes 1.200-1.500 calories then you can loose up to half a kilogram of body protein (muscle) and more than one to two pounds of water (risk of dehydration).

10. There is a weight loss diet in which you can lose half a kilo of fat per day

If you calculate that the average person to maintain its weight needs 2.000-2.500 calories a day, you can understand that it is impossible under normal circumstances, to create a calorie deficit that will lead to a daily loss of a half kilo of fat. Even with increased physical activity, losing weight from fat does not exceed a certain threshold, and usually, depending on calorie intake and physical activity, is 1% per week.

11. To lose weight you have to ‘shut down’ your mouth

If you suddenly start to eat less than what you need or abstain completely from eating, the brain realizes the reduction of energy and reacts with a mandate to use the reserves. If the situation continues and it feels that it is threatened, it will create conditions for survival with fewer calories: Will force us to limit our physical activities, creating «artificial obstacles» such as dizziness, fatigue and drowsiness, will increase the feelings of hunger, will decrease metabolism and will increase its resistance to reduce the weight, i.e. with the same calorie deficit will not lose any weight, while with the largest deficit of calories will lose fewer weight.

12. Our body handles all food in the same way.

In order for food to be digested it needs a greater or lesser amount of energy, which depends on the nutrients each food contains. The foods that contain many proteins require enormous amounts of energy to be digested while the foods containing fats and carbohydrates do not need large amounts of energy for their digestion. In some cases the increase of the metabolism for the 2-4 hours of digestion exceeds 30%. Conversely, if the meal contains only carbohydrates or fatty foods, then either there is no change in the metabolism or only a minimal increase. That is why most weight loss diets are based on protein foods. Moreover, the method of eating the food plays an important role. The same amount of food can be digested with a higher energy costs (burning calories) when it is solid, than if it is in liquid form. For example, the same orange can make you less «fat» when eaten than when consumed as juice.

13. Diet means deprivation.

This is absolutely not true. The most acceptable weight loss diet today is based on normal daily consumption, based on our personal preferences, improving quality and reducing the quantity of food we eat and increasing physical activity whenever possible. A successful weight loss process does not prohibit any foods but control the quantities to be consumed. In this sense, diet does not mean deprivation, but keeping the food enjoyment in lower doses and less guilt.

14. Weight loss diets that help you lose weight slowly are effective?

The slow diets are safer from the fast diets but difficult to follow for long periods. But because you lose weight slowly, the chances of abandoning the effort are greater. But this does not make them ineffective, but more «difficult», because they require more patience and effort.

15. Individuals suffering from thyroid cannot lose weight.

The reduced thyroid hormone secretion has the effect of reducing the speed of metabolism and this causes an increase in the body weight, in most cases, an increase of 2-3 kg – no more. With the help of an endocrinologist the problem is treated, the organic effects are reduced and thus a weight loss process can be initiated.

16. Diets can give you weight loss help up to a certain point and then they stop

You can lose weight easier at the beginning of a diet because you are loosing mostly water. The real weight loss begins when the body starts to use the fat reserves. Then it takes more days, maybe weeks, to lose even 1 kilo. If you abandon the effort at this point, you will once again gain the weight you lost.

17. Protein diets are the best for weight lost

Any diet that promotes the greater intake of some nutrients at the expense of others is dangerous because it disrupts the biochemical balance of the body and does not supply all the ingredients needed.

18. There are weight loss diets that can help you lose fat locally.

No diet, exercise, creams, medicine, nutritional supplement or machine is able to cause local fat reduction, without first having a general reduction of fat: The release of fat is not affected (or it is affected slightly) from local infinitesimal stimuli. Any observed reduction in the size of a region may be due to other reasons such as a reduction in the overall fat, in «muscle tightening» and reduction in fluid retention.

19. The weight loss process should target the ideal body weight

The ideal body weight statistics refer to averages and have significant differences and it only concerns us if we are an average or a statistical sample! In essence we should target a body weight that will allow us to feel and look good.

20. I can lose weight from specific parts of the body.

The way we lose weight is mainly dependent on our genetic characteristics. Nobody knows, and cannot know in advance from where it will lose weight and cannot expect that the weight will be lost from the same part as the previous diet. Often due to weight loss the problematic areas seem fatter, the weaken areas seem more weaken and almost always we keep the same body shape, but with smaller dimensions.

21. The time spend on chewing food is irrelevant.

The brain needs at least ten to fifteen minutes to realize the message that the stomach is full. If you eat quickly, you eat more than you need.

22. There are special diets that help you lose only fat.

No diet can make us lose only fat, a «good» diet can, in conjunction with proper exercise and psychological support, to maximize fat loss and minimize loss of muscle mass.

23. Fruits make you lose weight

No. If we eat too much, we get many calories from simple carbohydrates. The excess carbohydrates not consumed with physical activity is stored as fat.

24. Smoking can prevent you from gaining extra weight

Some people may smoke to «control» their desire for food. In the long term this creates a reduction in metabolism, since smoking reduces oxygenation of the body and weakens the cardiovascular system.

25. If you eat only one meal a day, you will lose weight faster

No, because with only one meal we usually eat too much because of hunger. Even if we eat less, the body will adapt by storing more calories and increasing fat reserves.

26. The diets with many vegetable fibers have more advantages.

The consumption of foods high in fiber ingredients (cereals, legumes, fruits and vegetables) allows us to eat more quantities of food than in other diets; they reduce the uric acid and cholesterol and remedy existing constipation. The high fiber diet is not suitable for all people and it should be well structured to avoid shortages of basic amino acids and iron, decreased absorption of calcium, vitamin B12 and avoid gastrointestinal disorders.

27. The large intake of water helps weight loss

The water reduces hunger and helps the body to break the fat more easily, but in no case it does not help in getting rid of fat. But consuming less water, below the level of daily needs, it is forcing the body to reduce combustion, enables the use of fat and increases fluid retention.

28. If the scale is «stuck», we should further reduce the intake of calories.

By reducing the perceived calories, the body, believing that it is in a state of starvation, will react by reducing the metabolism, attempting to save energy. This will reduce the rate of weight loss and lead to a ‘stuck’. To overcome this problem, you do not need to reduce the calories, but a slight increase (approximately 10%), more physical activity and higher-quality selection of food.

29. To lose weight we must cut fatty foods completely.

The complete abstention from foods containing fat leads to a lack of vitamins and fatty acids that cannot be composed by the body. In the long-term the stocks of vitamins are reduced seriously and this increases nervousness, reduces concentration, is causing skin problems, rachides, problems in the bones and joints, increased inflammation, immune system problems, affects the female periodic cycle, affects fertility and the production of hormones such as testosterone and estrogens.

30. Can I lose weight by eating every day only one kind of food in unlimited quantities?

Such diets are inadequate and dangerous! The unbalanced consumption of foods, the lack of vitamins and minerals and the unilateral consumption of food quickly leads to physical and psychological collapse and you quickly regain of all the weight lost, leaving the body with problems that require a long time to restore, if they can be restored.

31. The carbohydrates are more fattening than fat.

The fats have twice as many calories per gram than carbohydrates (9 calories versus 4). Furthermore they need no energy to assimilate, so your body by taking fat stores more calories.

32. The diet with few carbohydrates helps the body to avoid looking for sweets

Quite the opposite: The few carbohydrates reduce serotonin and cause melancholy, with an intense desire to «enjoy» by some sweet, especially chocolate.

33. It does not matter if we eat more at night than in the morning.

It does matter a lot. As the day progresses, we need less food, because the energy needs of the organization are reduced by limiting our activities. Food that is not «spent» on energy accumulates as fat.

34. All foods should be eaten unsalted.

When we are on a weight loss diet, we must reduce the salt, but not to cut it completely, because the sodium is one of the regulators of the water balance in our bodies. There are diets that provide for rapid weight loss tips where you can lose, 2-3 pounds the first few days because of the increase diourisis. Soon the great expulsion of water is perceived as a threat to the balance of water, and the body reacts with fluid retention.

35. Products for diabetics have fewer calories.

The macaroni for «diabetic» contains more protein and fiber and less carbohydrate, but they have almost the same calorie value as the «common» macaroni. The jam for «diabetic» has, instead of sugar, the same amount of fructose and eventually the same calories as the normal jam, which contains sugar.

36. We can eat steak and salad constantly until we lose the weight we want.

No. First the weight loss comes mostly from water loss and the excessive intake of animal protein and fat increases the risk of dehydration, reduces the intake of vitamins and minerals, causing nervousness, constipation and increases in dangerous levels of uric acid, “poisoning” the organism.

37. When you lose the first pounds you look slimmer

It depends. In unorthodox diets 75% of the weight lost is from muscle tissue, glycogen and water and only 25% from fat, so the percentage of fat will not be significantly reduced. And while we have lost weight, the large loss of muscle tissue and water would make us look wider and perhaps fatter than before.

38. The liposuction is a weight loss method

No. It is local surgical method of removing fat and no general method of reducing body weight.

39. There are special diets that increase the speed of metabolism.

No diet can significantly increase the speed of metabolism. The deprivation diets reduce metabolic rate, because the body reacts automatically to a large reduction of perceived food, reducing the number of calories needed to maintain weight.

40. Certain foods have the capacity to help weight loss dramatically

There is no food we can eat in unlimited quantities, and instead of getting weight to lose weight. When talking about foods that help in weight loss, we mean foods, which contain relatively few calories, are rich in nutrients, vitamins and minerals and we can benefit from them when we eat them in moderation.

Fast and Easy Weight loss Tips

If you want to lose weight, you should choose a way that gives you stability in solving the problem.

Follow a diet that can become a way of life.

Do not get stressed because of your weight

Check your passion for food.

Exercise daily (Weight Loss Exercise Tips) and find new interests in your life (the one that you live now not in another life), which will occur when you achieve your weight loss efforts.

How to lose weight fast and easy is a process that needs special care and attention. To succeed in your weight loss efforts you need to avoid the traps of many weight loss diets and weight loss programs. Remember two things, First anything that sounds too good to be true is fake and second the difference from theory to practice is only one thing: Action!

Free weight loss help guidelines

February 28, 2009 by  
Filed under weight loss help

The abundance of information on nutrition and weight loss help available in the different media confuse than help many people on weight loss matters. This article summarizes 14 free weight loss help guidelines that can help you understand the myths and truth behind weight loss. The main areas covered are:

What is the natural (normal) weight for a person?
I do not eat anything and I cannot lose weight! What’s wrong? Please help!
It is possible to lose weight selectively from a specific part of the body?
What is the best way to get weight loss help?
Some foods or beverages can increase the metabolic rate
The body of each person tries to maintain its «natural-specific» weight
Slimming pills can provide weight loss help
After a weight loss diet many people recover their lost weight
I will go on diet so as to loose weight in the abdomen and get tight abdominal
Difficulty losing weight despite eating very little
Fasting is a good way to lose weight
Mediterranean diet can help the weight loss
Be active
There is no ideal diet

Free weight loss help guidelines

1. What is the natural (normal) weight for a person?

Someone is in “normal” weight not when it weighs according to the different weight comparison tables, but when he/she feels good with the weight and when the weight of the person does not put at risk their health. When someone has this weight then maybe there is no need for a weight loss.

Let’s say that someone, either because it has a medical problem or simply because he/she does not like what they see in the mirror, decide to start a weight loss procedure. The decision to loose weight, at least in the first case (medical problem) should be taken with the help of a specialist and a doctor should supervise the treatment. The first question is: How much weight you can lose? To calculate this we must bear in mind that, like other physical characteristics (height, eye color and hair, etc.), so our weight in a largely hereditary. For most of us then, a look at our relatives will give us a good idea of how we can lose weight.

2. I do not eat anything and I cannot lose weight! What’s wrong? Please help!

Unfortunately there is no answer to this question that can cover all situations. The reasons are often quite different for each person. Hormonal disorders can cause sudden and seemingly inexplicable changes in our weight. Therefore, if for no specific reason you identify a sharp increase or decrease in your weight, you should not delay the visit to your doctor and seek for weight loss help and advice.

Another reason responsible for the phenomenon “I do not eat anything but there is no weight loss for me” is that many people underestimate the quantity of food they eat. In a survey carried out in America several years ago found that most people actually eat double quantities of food than what they say they are eating when they are asked.

You probably have read many times before in free weight loss information around, that to lose weight you should burn more calories than you take in food. One reason that makes the weight loss process more difficult is because when starting a diet we tend to reduce physical activity, perhaps because of the tiredness that we feel from hunger. The reduction in activity offsets the reduction of food and actually although we eat less, we cannot succeed in our weight loss efforts.

One reason that may lead to “unexplained” weight gain, or resistance to efforts to loose weight are multiple changes in the metabolic rate. After a period of strict weight loss diet the weight returns quickly, despite eating less food than before starting the diet. The explanation is that during a strict weight loss diet our body changes the metabolic rate to save energy, since it does not know whether the lack of food is voluntary (preparation for the beach!) or because simply we do not have enough food to eat! The best way to prevent the reduction of metabolic rate during and after the diet is exercise, especially exercise with weights helps maintain muscle mass of the body. Significant amount of muscular mass is lost along with fat in during a weight loss diet.

3. It is possible to lose weight selectively from a specific part of the body?

The answer here is probably negative. The reason that is probably negative (and not absolutely negative) is because, although there is no way to selectively lose fat from one part of the body, we can with appropriate exercise, to improve significantly the condition of the “problematic” areas. The “problematic” areas on our bodies are not the same for all: for women are mostly the buttocks and legs, while men in the abdomen and waist. Certainly the concentration of fat in these areas is something disliked by men and women. People who have fat, concentrated mainly from the waist up, especially in the abdomen, are more likely to get cardiovascular disease than those who have concentrated fat from the waist down. Those who therefore have a big belly must quickly get weight loss help and start a diet. The weight loss will reduce the amount of fat throughout the whole body and of course in the abdomen, thus reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

 

4. What is the best way to get weight loss help?

The answer to this question is not easy. Nearly all surveys show that all weight loss diets help in reducing the number of calories that we consume and this can have direct and often impressive results, but very small chance of success in the long term. For serious cases of obesity, drugs that are currently being tested or surgical treatment may be able to help weight loss.

The only tested, perfectly healthy and almost guaranteed way to successfully maintain or loose weight is the physical activity combined with healthy eating habits. Have you ever seen overweight workers who do manual work? For those who do office work the only way to increase physical activity is through exercise, which should include aerobic exercises and exercises with weights. The problem with exercise is that it does not bring instant, impressive effects like a weight loss diet. To see the effects on weight, exercise should become part of your daily program. The first weeks will be difficult, but the good results will not take long to appear: weight loss, feeling of wellbeing, increased energy, better sleep and better physical health indicators. So prepare with the help of a specialist your fitness program, which can include a combination of aerobic fitness (walking, swimming or cycling, not running – to avoid injuries) and weights (moderate resistance – many iterations). Start slowly and gradually increase the duration and intensity of your effort.

Proper exercises can “tight” the buttocks and legs can strengthen the abdomen and “slim” the waist, thereby improving the appearance of problematic areas of the body. There is also the case that exercise will increase metabolism and provide for better weight loss help. Do not expect however spectacular results with the exercise quickly. The weight loss help will be initially small, but it will be healthy and permanent, provided that you continue to exercise. If you stop, the extra weight will return. But before you start any exercise program, those who have chronic health problems and aged over 40 (men) and women over 50 should first consult their doctor.

5. Some foods or beverages can increase the metabolic rate

This is one of the weight loss myths. Unfortunately there are no such foods. But it is true that some foods rich in protein like red meat and dairy products help to increase muscle mass and facilitate the burning of calories. Also the increase in metabolism caused by a meal (food thermo genesis) appears to be slightly higher after a meal rich in protein. In conclusion, however, this small difference in metabolism may not substantially help weight loss.

6. The body of each person tries to maintain its «natural-specific» weight

Many specialists believe that every person has a metabolic rate that allows it to maintain a certain weight, regardless of the intake of calories. This explains the fact that during dieting, often from a point onwards there is difficulty in weight loss or even reach the target body reacts and tries to return to its original ideal weight so supporting the theory known as «set point theory». Of course the above theory is a myth, especially when you think that if we take the body weight and care so to return to the «natural-specific» weight … But one thing is certain: the adoption of healthy eating habits and exercise in daily contribution to the acquisition and maintenance of ideal body weight. So do not leave yourself stuck in the extra pounds with this poor excuse.

7. Slimming pills can provide weight loss help

Slimming pills should be used under strict medical supervision. Their reception should be the last resort for obese individuals (BMI> 30) that while they have lost some pounds initially, they can no longer loose weight. Some of the fat burning pills reduce appetite and provide a sense of completeness, while others alter the function of the stomach so that less fat entering the circulation. However, long term use can lead to various health problems, so it is important that the physician who proposes them to know well the patient’s medical history. In any case, the balanced and proper diet; exercise, modification of dietary behavior and a generally healthy lifestyle are demonstrably better and safer medicines. The only pill that would strongly suggest would be the pill that increase the desire for exercise, but unfortunately such pill does not exists yet!

8. After a weight loss diet many people recover their lost weight

This is true and it is really disappointing. Recent survey results showed that only 10% of people who have lost weight managed to maintain their new silhouette after 9 months, and over time in five years only 5%. The stabilization in a specific desired weight can be achieved when at the end of the diet you do not return to your old unhealthy eating habits. You should try to keep the good eating habits acquired during the diet to control your caloric intake, the size of each meal and of course to include the exercise in your daily lives.

9. I will go on diet so as to loose weight in the abdomen and get tight abdominals

The abdomen is one of the first points of the body (especially in men), which relaxes when you lead a sedentary life. Moreover, the central-type obesity (abdominal) is closely linked to health problems such as heart disease. Correct and healthy diet to weight loss, aerobic exercise, abdominal and trunk exercises certainly help in acquiring well-trained abdominal. Unfortunately the local slimming can only be done in our imagination. When we lose weight we lose everywhere, but of course faster than in the areas, which have higher, fat accumulation.

10. Difficulty losing weight despite eating very little

First check the BMI (Body Mass Index) to see if your weight is normal or not. Then try to measure the calories you consume daily as you may recruit more than what you think. You must not forget that as we grow the metabolic rate decreases, so you must try to work out on a daily basis in order to spend enough calories. If you manage to spend with exercise 2000-3000 calories per week then you will see that your weight will start to fall significantly.

11. Fasting is a good way to lose weight

The long-term fasting is not a good option for weight loss, as the body does not recruit all the necessary nutrients and this leads to weakness and a strong sense of fatigue. The fasting that lasts one to two days per month operates more innovative, and a balanced diet is certainly the best option for weight loss. Do not forget that when you remove entire food groups from your diet is difficult but not impossible of course, to take all the nutrients you need.

12. Mediterranean diet can help the weight loss

A diet rich in vegetables, fruits, cereals, legumes, fish, containing sufficient amount of protein and a limited amount of fat is considered very healthy and balanced. This is none other than the diet known worldwide as the Mediterranean diet. However, care is needed so that the calorie intake is such that it leads to a slow but steady weight loss. A reduction of our caloric intake by 500 calories a day (just eating smaller portions) is sufficient to achieve the weight loss that we want to achieve with fixed steps to reach our ideal body weight and of course to remain in it.

13. Be active

Try to be in constant motion, by doing so you burn more calories than not moving at all. Be active, use the stairs instead of elevator, prefer walking instead of the car for your shopping and engage with various household activities and gardening. Also try to attend dance lessons, to do cycling or skates. Some of these activities can be the first step that will help you change your mind and attitude towards exercise.

14. There is no ideal diet

Experts believe that the ideal diet is the one that is causing weight loss with a slow but steady rate, is moderate in fat and protein, rich in carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables and cereals. The variety in the choice of food, ease in cooking and to create a diet according to the preferences of each individual are essential ingredients for a successful diet. Finally, daily exercise and a diet low in saturated fats and high in complex carbohydrates is the combination that leads to successful weight loss.

As mentioned in the beginning there is a lot of free weight loss help available in the media today. This sometimes confuses people who are interested to learn more about weight loss. The most important thing to remember is that weigh loss help can be provided by a specialist and that it is a process that takes time and will need a lot of effort. There are no miracle diets or quick way to loose weight naturally and of course healthy.

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