Best diet foods for weight loss

There are many ways to lose weight; there are those that may put your health at risk like surgery, weight loss pills, and fad diets and there are the so called “natural weight loss methods” like exercise and diet. Among all these weight loss techniques, nutritionists and fitness experts would agree that eating right is the best way to do it. So here are the best diet foods for weight loss.

#1 Oatmeal for breakfast

Oatmeal is known to be rich in fiber and is very good for the heart due to its ability to lower cholesterol. Furthermore, oats are heavy on the stomach which means a bowlful of it is enough to make you feel full for the whole morning. For this reason, you get to avoid unnecessary mid-meal snacks.

Although oats are carbs and low-carb diets are quite popular because of their ability to help you lose weight fast, recent studies reveal that people who consume whole grain carbohydrates are less likely to gain weight or develop obesity than those who are under a fad diet.

Tip: If you wish to maximize the benefits you’ll get from oats, serve a bowlful of oatmeal topped with fresh fruits like strawberries, blueberries, and apples. These fruits contain very little calories and are rich with essential vitamins and minerals. Also, try using oats instead of breadcrumbs when preparing meatballs or as breading for turkey and chicken. These are healthier and not to mention, tastier!

#2 Steak for lunch

Meat lovers will surely rejoice to hear that weight loss does not require you to limit your diet to fruits and vegetables only. In fact, eating meat –lean meat that is – is highly recommended because they contain high amounts of protein. Protein helps build the muscles, and the muscles help burn more calories, thus including lean meat in your diet will surely help you lose weight and may even give you some muscles to brag.

Tip: Frying lean meat would significantly increase the calorie content of the dish. So, instead of frying it, better grill or bake it with some aromatic herbs rub for that “oh so delicious” meal minus the calories.

#3 Vegetable and fresh fruit salads for dinner

This one is quite obvious because vegetable and fruit salads are almost always in a dieter’s list. However, do remember that not all salads are healthy. There are those that contain heavy salad dressings and some meat that could spike the calorie content of the dish to as much as 500 calories. In fact, a hamburger at McDonalds which accounts to 250 calories is a better choice than the McDonald’s Premium Southwest Salad with Crispy Chicken which contains 430 calories per serving.

Tip: When preparing a salad, use olive oil or lemon juice with a dash of salt and pepper instead of mayonnaise or any other heavy salad dressings. It will significantly decrease the calorie content of the dish.

The above suggestions, if done right, will surely help you lose weight fast. Also, don’t forget to drink plenty of water after every meal and as often as you can, this will help your digestive system and increase your metabolism for a more effective weight loss.

Celebrity weight loss secrets

Celebrities set the standards of what’s hot and what’s not; they’ll define what’s the difference of “slender” and “anorexic” as well as the “fat” and a “sexy plus size”. Popular men’s magazine, FHM releases a yearly edition of 100 sexiest women in the world which tells the readers who has flaunted the best body every year. Let’s take a peak on who made it on the top 5 this year and learn their different celebrity weight loss secrets.

#1 Cheryl Cole

Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Cole was voted as the sexiest woman in the world for 2009 and 2010 because of her gorgeous body, brown eyes, long legs, well defined cheekbones, and her hair which underexposes her cleavage. But there is more to those refined features why she got the top spot, she also managed to shed off 150 pounds of useless flab.

How she did it? Well, aside from the fact that she had a little help when she was stricken by malaria July of this year, all the singing plus dancing during her on and off stage performances surely burned her lots of calories.

#2 Megan Fox

Transformer bombshell Megan Fox shares she’s under Vinegar diet. It is a popular diet in Europe where you drink raw apple cider vinegar. This diet is said to work as it suppresses the appetite as well as clean the digestive organs and speeds up one’s metabolism.

Fox needed to go really slender to fit in her Jonah Hex costume where she played as the gun-toting prostitute. However, she might have gone overboard that the producers of Transformer 3 need to let her go because she’s too thin to play the role of Mikaela Banes.

#3 Marisa Miller

Supermodel Marisa Miller who wore the “Fantasy Bra” on the latest Victoria Secret Show landed on the third spot in the list. Thanks to her genes, she has a natural slender physique but Miller’s body is also a product of her active lifestyle. She enjoys surfing, horseback riding, dancing and doing domestic stuff like laundry, grocery shopping, and cooking.

#4 Frankie Sandford

21 year old and member of the girl group The Saturdays, Frankie Sandford has the most amazing flat belly with tight muscles in the midsection. How she got it? Let’s take into account that The Saturdays perform at such intensity where they move, dance, and sing at the same time. Although she claims that she is not obsessed with exercise and enjoys every food that she can grab, dancing burns a lot of fat and tones the core naturally.

#5 Keeley Hazel

She is one bombshell with a cause. She posed nude for PETA in 2009 where she was quoted “I believe that killing animals for vanity is wrong.” Aside from her good heart, Keeley Hazel has a really gorgeous body. Her Secret? Living an active lifestyle. She did modeling, filming movies, album recording and a lot more. With her hectic schedule, she did not fail to make sure that she eats the right food and drink plenty of water.

Getting on FHM’s 100 sexiest women in the world list may be quite hard for most of us. But then again, it may be hard but it’s not impossible. Who knows, your face might be on the Year 20something’s sexiest women in the world.

Best weight loss exercise for great results

There is no better way to burn off calories but to sweat it out through exercise. It may be hard, but this is one hard work that will surely pay off. Simply allocating at least thirty minutes to an hour a day for exercise could help you shed off those pounds in no time. This article contains the best weight loss exercises that will help you achieve great results.

#1 Stationary bicycle / spinning – vigorous

Stationary bikes are almost like the real bike only that it won’t get you anywhere. This is perfect for people who prefer to stay at home or would like to do something else while burning off some calories. With this equipment, you do not have to worry about missing an episode of Oprah or Grey’s Anatomy as you workout. Furthermore, this is ideal for people who are not used to exercising and to people who are very overweight because it has lesser impact which makes it a knee and ankle friendly equipment.

This exercise could help you lose 500 to 1000 calories/hr depending on how fast you go and how much resistance you put in it. And since developing a rhythmic pace is easier with stationary bikes, you’ll have better chance of burning more fats.

#2 Elliptical trainer

If problems with your knees, hips, back, and joints prevent you from working out, an elliptical trainer might be the best option you have. It has little to no resistance compared to the traditional treadmills and stationary bikes.

Most elliptical trainers come with a handle that provides upper body exercise making elliptical trainer a very effective cardio exercise that allows you to burn 500 to 800 calories/hr. Again, this depends on how fast you go and the resistance you put on it.

For more information read: Elliptical vs treadmill

#3 Step aerobics – high impact

Step aerobics can literally bring your calorie-burning workout to the next level. It makes use of a step or a raised platform about four to twelve inches high where you step up and down while alternating the leg used. You can do step aerobics with a music to improve your leg coordination and to make it more fun. With this alone, you can burn as much as 600 calories/hr.

For people with advanced skills, you may use dumbbells to incorporate upper body exercise. This technique could help you burn up to 800 calories/hr, making it an excellent cardiovascular exercise that could get your heart pumping up to the fat burning zone.

#4 Running

Whether you use a treadmill or do the actual run outside, running is definitely a good calorie-burner. Like any other exercise, the amount of calorie burned depends on how fast you go. If you are running as fast as 12mph, you’ll be able to burn as much as 1,521 calories per hour; 1,224 calories/hr at 10mph; 918 calories/hr at 8mph; 783 calories/hr at 7mph; 684 calories/hr at 6mph; and 576 calories/hr at 5mph.

Although running may seem the best calorie burning exercise, running a constant speed of 12 mph per hour to burn 1,521 calories is almost impossible, not unless you are a professional runner. The same thing goes with other workouts; the amount of calories burned will always vary due to the inconsistent speed as well as the body’s ability to adapt.

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.

Weight loss – How to calculate my ideal weight?

As a weight loss advisor in a fitness gym, it has been our policy that every new member will be assessed by me. Because of that, I have met a lot of people with different weight who have been struggling with weight loss for a long time. Some people are aware of their current weight status; some are in denial, while others just don’t care.

Many people have a different perception of what is the ideal weight. Some say it is a hundred pounds while others say it’s one hundred fifty. These numbers may be correct, but do you know that the ideal weight is determined together with the height?

During physical assessment of new members, one of the basic things I discuss with them is their Body Mass Index or BMI. Through BMI, I am able to determine if the client is underweight, normal, overweight, obese, or extremely obese. This way, together with their fitness instructor, we are able to formulate an effective weight management program specifically designed for that particular client.

Body Mass Index or BMI is a widely used tool by health professionals to categorize an individual to a certain weight group. This method is defined as the ratio of body weight and height. It is usually correlated with the percentage of fat deposits in the body, however people with increased muscle mass or those with larger body frame can also have an increased BMI.

There are three ways to measure a person’s BMI, the first equation is by dividing the weight in kilograms by the square of the height in meters. This is the simplest and universally used formula:

BMI = ( Weight in Kilograms / ( Height in Meters x Height in Meters ) )

Another way to get the person’s BMI is by dividing the person’s weight in pounds times 4.88 by the square of height in feet. The last option is by dividing the weight in pounds times 703 by the square of height in inches.

BMI = ( Weight in Pounds / ( Height in inches x Height in inches ) ) x 703

BMI = ( Weight in LB / ( Height in ft x Height in ft ) ) x 4.88

You may use any of the equations above, depending on which equation you are comfortable with. However, the first equation which is utilizing the SI unit of measure is highly recommended because it is what health professionals use.

After computing the BMI, the next step is to interpret the results. Look at your BMI and try to see where you BMI fit in to the following categories:

• People with a BMI between18.5 – 24.9 are considered to have an ‘ideal weight’.

• And just little above that, i.e. BMI of 25 – 29.9, are categorized as Overweight.

• In the 2007 survey of the US Department of Health and Human Services, It has been recorded that 63% of the total population of America are overweight.

• People are facing weight issues in a different scale. However, the most alarming concern is the growing population of people who are overweight and obese. This problem has not only affected the adults but it has also affected the children as well.

For a healthy weight loss it is very important for everyone to know how to calculate the ideal body weight because it can give you an indication if you need to eat more, eat less, or just continue eating the same amount of food. By doing so, you will be saving yourself the trouble of seeking medical interventions to help you add or lose weight.

Weight loss stories: Parasitic Worms for Weight Loss in Hong Kong

The fitness industry in Hong Kong is big. This is because of the increasing obesity rate in the country due to sedentary lifestyle, fast food availability, and long working hours. Hong Kong locals have tried a lot of weight loss innovations available including diet pills, body suits, exercise machines, fat-burning soap, and just about anything.

A new weight loss craze in Hong Kong is the ingestion of the eggs of a certain parasitic worm called Ascaris (Ascaris Lumbricoides).  Health Officials confirmed the news and further explained that a certain Chinese-language website has been promoting the use of products that contain worm eggs that promises fast weight loss results.

A representative from the Hong Kong’s Department of Health said that there is no supporting study or solid evidence that the use of parasitic worms is an effective way of losing weight. Though one of the signs of Ascaris infestation is weight loss, this effect happens at a later stage where these worms can do more harm on the body than good.

The health officer further explained that Ascaris Lumbricoides or commonly called as roundworm is a giant intestinal parasitic worm that could grow up to 15 to 35 inches long and could produce more than 200,000 eggs per day inside the body. Furthermore, these worms could cause diarrhea, stomach pain, distention, and malnutrition because they eat up most of the nutrients from the body and could lacerate intestinal walls using their sharp teeth.

With their uncontrollable population growth, these worms could roll up in a ball also called as “Ascaris bolus” that could cause an obstruction on the intestinal, biliary, and pancreatic ducts. Obstructions on these pathways cause serious complications which can be fatal. Moreover, these worms could migrate to other parts of the body like the lungs, causing respiratory problems.

The DOH-HK spokesman urged the people to consult a health professional before starting on any “special” diet so people will know the pros, cons and risks of that particular weight loss program. He also added that eating less and exercising more is still the healthiest and most effective means of losing weight.

For those who have already ingested the eggs or have Ascaris adults living in their intestines, you would need to contact your nearest healthcare provider or the DOH-HK immediately for de-worming and counseling. However, for worse cases of infestation, the patient may need to undergo a surgery for manual removal of the worms.

Which are the best weight loss foods?

The calories we get from the food we eat are very important because it acts as a fuel to keep our body working. The excess calories that we take in are converted into fat deposits or “reserved energy”. The fat deposits can be burned by doing regular workouts, sports, and any other activities that require energy.  However, because people are so busy with their job, family, and any other things as well as the preference of staying at home to relax during weekends, the excess fats are left unburned and accumulated overtime causing the person to gain weight. Every 3,500 excess calories that we put inside our body allows us to gain one pound, and every 3,500 calories we burn shed off a pound. Since it is easier to control the amount of calories we put inside the body than doing intensive workouts to burn it off, this article aims to provide information on which are the best foods for weight loss.

There are a lot of diet programs available today; high protein diet, low calorie diet, low-fat diet, no-fat diet, low-carb diet, no-carb diet, water therapy diet, and even starvation diet. These diets could probably help you lose weight, however losing weight does not necessarily equal to being healthy. So, health professionals certainly agree on one diet, and that is eating a balanced diet. A balanced diet is composed of a daily meal that contains the recommended amount of carbohydrates, protein, fats, calcium, and vitamins and minerals. If you want to lose weight, the adjustment happens on the amount of calories you take in everyday; eat low-calorie foods from all the food groups daily. You have to remember though that you should not go below more than 10%-20% from your daily recommended calorie requirement because your body needs energy to perform its physiologic functions like the blood circulation, respiration, and pumping of the heart.

Carbohydrates from whole grains

Carbohydrates from whole grains are important energy source; the less processed they are, the more nutrients and fiber they contain. Nutritionists recommend eating 6-11 servings from this food group per day. For example:

Protein

Protein plays a major part in the building and repairing muscles. Lean muscles help in metabolism, thus resulting to faster weight loss. It is recommended to eat 2-3 servings of protein each day.

Vitamins and Minerals from Fruits and Vegetables

It is recommended to eat 2-4 fruit servings and 2-5 vegetable servings per day. The nutrients we get from this food group like fiber help in cleansing the body. Other nutrients like Vitamin C, Iron, and Folic Acid helps in making our body strong and healthy.

Calcium

Try to have 2-3 servings of dairy products daily because it provides us with stronger bones and healthier teeth, thus helps in preventing osteoporosis and bone breakage when doing workouts or sports.

Fats

Eat fats in moderation as this contains very high calories. It is recommended to use low fat alternatives like non-stick cooking spray when cooking food. Avoid foods that are high in saturated fat as they raise the bad cholesterol level; instead eat fats that are high in monounsaturated which lowers the bad cholesterol.

Use the above as a guide in planning your daily meal. It is highly recommended to plan your meal a night or a week before so you can calculate the amount of calories you will take in ahead of time thus avoiding over consumption of calories. You may use free online food calculators in case the food you are planning to eat is not listed here. With commitment and discipline, you will achieve the lean and healthy body you always wanted in no time.

Weight loss diet tips for men and women of all ages

“I’m on a diet!” This is what we usually hear from people who want to lose weight. But what diet is effective in losing weight? Starvation diet is definitely a No! No! Our body needs food to produce energy so we can do our daily activities. The nutrients we get from food including fats and carbohydrates are important in maintaining the physiologic function of the body. However, these nutrients become bad for the body when they are taken in excess. The nutrients, if not converted to energy are stored in the body as fat deposits, thus the appearance of the undesirable belly fat and love handles. A balanced diet comprising all these nutrients as well as protein, vitamins and minerals, and calcium should be supplied to the body through the food we eat. This article shares some weight loss diet tips for men and women of all ages

The role of fat in a weight loss diet

Fats are an essential food nutrient because they provide twice the amount of energy than carbohydrates and proteins, and they help in protecting body organs and tissues and maintaining the body temperature.

Fats= 9 calories

Carbohydrates= 4 calories

Protein= 4 calories

CAUTION: Too much fat can be very harmful to the body. Excess fat do not only form the bulges on your body but it could also clog the arteries of the heart causing myocardial infarction or heart attack.

What is a low-fat diet?

Low- Fat diet has been promoted by the US Department of Health since the late 1970’s. But what does low- fat diet really mean?

Basically, there are three types of fat: The Saturated fat which is the Bad fat because it increases the blood cholesterol level, The Polyunsaturated fat that decreases the blood cholesterol level, and the Monounsaturated fat which decreases the Low- density Lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol or the “bad cholesterol”.

Low- fat diet means: decreasing the consumption of food that contains saturated fat while increasing the consumption of food that contains polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat. Food like most meat and dairy products, butter, and tropical oils such as coconut oil and palm oil should be avoided as they are high in saturated fat. Polyunsaturated fat are usually found in plant food sources such as corn, soybean, safflower, and sunflower. Food sources for Monounsaturated fat includes olive oil, peanut oil, canola oil, and some fruits like avocado.

Carbohydrates are bad or good?

Carbohydrates provides real-time energy in the body and should account for 50- 60% of the total calories we take in everyday. However, with sedentary lifestyle, the calories you get from carbohydrates that are supposed to be converted to real-time energy are stored as fat deposits, thus you gain weight.

Low –carb diets are among the most popular weight loss diets. There are many variations like:

The Anabolic Diet which alternates low carb and periods of high carb eating

Carbohydrate addicts which serves 2 meals with no carbs and 1 meal of 1/3 carb a day

Ketogenic Diet which eliminates carbohydrate completely and compensates the caloric need with high fat and moderate protein intake.

But as per definition, having less than 50-60% of carb ratio in a serving is low carb diet. If your goal is to maintain your current weight, do take in moderate carb which is about 40-50% carb in your diet. And if you want to lose weight, you may go with low- carb diet which contains 25-39% carb. Lower than this is not really recommended as it could cause conditions like ketosis, presence of ketone bodies in the blood. Very high ketone level can make the blood acidic and may damage organs like the liver and the kidneys.

Some weight loss diet tips that can help eat healthier are:

• Instead of eating ice cream, have a low fat yogurt or sherbet.
• Use skim milk (fat- free milk) instead of whole milk.
• Instead of eating pasta alfredo (white sauce pasta) eat pasta marinara (red sauce pasta).
• You may substitute bacon with lean ham.
• Since the American Heart Association recommends avoiding coconut oil because it contains 85- 90% saturated fat, use olive oil or canola oil when cooking food.
• Chocoholics may eat dark chocolate which is rich in anti-oxidant rather than a milk chocolate.
• Use beef loin instead of brisket
• Instead of white bread eat whole grain bread such as wheat bread
• Snack on Peaches (61 calories/pc.), blackberries (62 calories/serving), and carrot sticks (52 calories/cup) instead of fried chips.

Being overweight or obese doesn’t only place a person at risk from developing diseases like diabetes, respiratory diseases, cancer, osteoarthritis and cardiovascular diseases but it could also affect one’s emotional and social life. People who are overweight and obese could suffer from low self-esteem, depression, and impaired body image. Because of this, more and more people are being conscious of their weight. Losing weight is a tough challenge; you must be really committed as lifestyle changes should be made.

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