Posts Tagged ‘Diets’
Beneficial Weight Loss Program
Any body reading this article most probably is overweight and planning to start a successful weight loss program. There are a number of weight loss programs, some of these programs are beneficial and some caused more problems then benefits. Starting any weight loss program, it’s necessary to consult experts and make sure that the program will suit your body or not.
In most of the weight loss programs the best part is that you will most certainly lose weight if you follow the program. However it’s difficult to maintain the weight, as most of the people get overweight fast after discontinuing the weight loss program.
It is advised to consult a health expert before starting a weight loss program. If a program of losing weight is beneficial for one person may not suitable for another person. The metabolism of each person is different. You should not use programs that promise fast weight loss as it could prove to be harmful. The right program is the one which lose 2 to 3 pounds a week. Losing 2 pounds per week consistently, you will not only be a lot thinner and fit after some weeks but also most certainly stay that way.
Acomplia a weight loss drug is popular almost all over the world. A little dieting and exercise with Acomplia not only lose your weight consistently but also cure obesity. Acomplia is also used for combating smoking. Acomplia also has the benefits to combat alcohol. It also helps in balancing cholesterol. Acomplia also reduces extra fat and get you in to shape. For a successful weight loss program I personally recommend a little exercise, a little dieting and Acomplia as a weight loss drug.
Buy Acomplia and have a successful weight loss program.
Weight Loss: A Scientific Approach
Copyright (c) 2009 Stephen Smith
Losing weight is simple and easy to do. Virtually every diet and weight-loss program can help people shed the excess kilos in a short period of time. The problem is, losing weight and keeping it off long term is actually quite difficult.
The main reason why most diets or weight-loss programs don’t work is simply because they’re not sustainable. Starvation diets, low-carb diets, replacing food with shakes for main meals, the list goes on. None of these strategies offer long term, realistic and sustainable approaches to weight-loss.
Furthermore, the weight that is lost by using these approaches tends to be mainly water, stored carbohydrate and protein (lean body tissue) with some body fat. Our goal should be to maximise the amount of fat that is lost. In order to lose body fat instead of simply body weight, 3 criteria must be met:
1. A mild calorie (energy) deficit must be created.
2. The body must be encouraged to use stored fat as its primary fuel source.
3. Sufficient time must be allowed to pass in order to achieve substantial results.
Let’s look at each of these areas in detail:
1. A mild calorie (energy) deficit must be created. This means the body expends (burns up) more energy each day than is consumed, i.e. ‘energy out’ is greater than ‘energy in’. By creating a calorie (energy) deficit the body must then rely on existing fat stores in order to provide the additional calories it requires.
A mild calorie deficit can be achieved in two ways: eating less or boosting metabolism.
Eating less is the approach most diets use. Even though it is successful in the short term, the body soon adapts to it by slowing the metabolism and increasing appetite.
Boosting metabolism is a far more effective approach to losing weight and burning fat and it can be done through a variety of mechanisms. Increasing meal frequency (eating 5 meals a day instead of 3), eating foods that boost metabolism like chilli and curries, exercising and using supplements that boost metabolism like ‘thermogenics’ all assist fat burning in the body.
2. The body must be encouraged to use stored fat as its primary fuel source. This may be achieved by ensuring the level of insulin in the body is kept as low as possible. Insulin is a storage hormone, which means it increases the uptake of nutrients into cells. Whilst this may be beneficial from an anabolic (muscle building) perspective, insulin also promotes the storage of excess glucose as body fat. Worse still, it stops the mobilisation and utilisation of fat for fuel (fat burning).
There are many way to keep insulin low in the body. Eating small meals, controlling carbohydrate intake and using supplements like, glucose disposal agents (GDAs) all keep insulin low.
Eating large meals promotes greater insulin secretion by the pancreas. Therefore, small meals will keep this down.
Being aware of carbohydrate sources is also important because it is the macronutrient (carbohydrate, protein and fat) that has the greatest impact on insulin secretion. It is not necessary to follow a low carb diet in order to keep insulin low but by simply eating more low density carbs (broccoli, cauliflower, beans, peas, etc) and less high density carbs (bread, pasta, rice, cereals, etc) insulin will stay low.
GDAs assist the body in disposing glucose more effectively by increasing its uptake into the lean tissues of the body (muscles, organs, etc.).
3. Sufficient time must be allowed to pass in order to achieve substantial results. Since it takes time for the body to burn off body fat it is essential to allow sufficient time to pass rather than expecting dramatic results overnight!
If we estimate that a 300-calorie deficit won’t have a major negative impact on our metabolism and if we assume that all of those calories that the body needs are derived from fat stores (which doesn’t occur but for the sake of the argument we will assume that it does), then the body can only lose about 33 grams of fat a day! [1 gram of fat has 9 calories] That works out to be 231 grams of fat a week! This is a far cry from the several kilos of weight that may be lost in a week!
As a result of this, people must be realistic in their expectations. A good example of this is competitive bodybuilders who generally allow themselves 12-14 weeks to get ready for a show. These athletes are usually already lean by population standards but the 12-14-week period allows them to achieve extremely low levels of body fat without sacrificing their precious muscle tissue.
If you are serious about losing body fat, not just body weight, then allow yourself at least 12-14 weeks to achieve your physical goals.
Overall, these strategies are used by all successful weight-loss systems. They provide people with proven techniques and products that can help them lose weight and keep it off without having an impact on their lifestyle. Let’s face it, there’s nothing better than losing weight (which is mainly fat), getting in great shape and still being able to enjoy life!
Exercise Speeds Up Weight Loss
Most people join the gym or begin their exercise program with high hopes. Unfortunately, most people give up within six months of starting because they are not getting the results they want. Many figure that they will get the same results by dieting alone, but the reality is that the pounds will come off significantly faster when you combine healthy eating, portion control and add an hour- long activity, four times weekly.Adding four hour-long exercise sessions per week does not have to be as hard as it sounds. The first thing to think about is that your new exercise routine will not simple be from now until you successfully lose the weight, but these activity sessions must be thought of as activities you will continue to do to maintain the weight loss. Studies have shown that nearly 90% of individuals who successfully maintain their weight loss also continued their exercise programs.
Why does exercise speed up weight loss and help maintain your weight loss? One school of thought indicates that aerobic exercises especially, are crucial for weight loss. During aerobics sessions, your body begins to burn fat after thirty minutes of moderate intensity exercise. In order to turn your body into a fat burning machine you need to work out at 80-90% of your maximum heart rate (calculated by 220-age). This level of intensity in your work out will help increase your metabolic rate and help your body to burn fat even after you have finished working out. The amount of calories you will burn while exercising and in the hours after depend upon a number of variables, such as; your weight and the intensity of your workout. After doing aerobics exercises for several weeks, you will begin to notice that you clothes feel looser and that you feel healthier overall. Also, aerobic exercise has been shown to increase mood and help ease depression.
Another school of thought states that working out with resistance (that is, weight, or resistance bands) is the best way to lose weight. Once again, there are a lot of variables which will determine how successful you will be at losing weight this way. Previous research indicated that for every pound of muscle you added to your body, your resting metabolic rate would increase by 60 calories. That’s a fantastic finding, meaning that if you add five pounds of new muscle, you will automatically burn an additional 31 pounds of fat in a year. By adding this muscle you will also tone your look, so whether or not the scale says differently, you body composition is going to change for the better. There is merit to this plan, even though the research has not born out the claims that each pound of new muscle burns 60 calories of fat per hour. No one knows for sure how much fat you will burn by adding muscle; it seems to depend upon your gender, your age and your past history of exercise. In the end, though, there is good reason to add weight bearing exercises to your exercise plan; regardless of the amount of additional fat you will burn, you WILL burn more fat, especially in the two hours after your workout. Also, weight bearing exercise decreases your odds of getting osteoporosis, something you haven’t likely given much thought to if you are still under 60, but something you will be especially happy about when you are older.
So what should you do? Because no one can tell you for sure how much weight you will lose given either strategy, and because you need to add activity to your lifestyle for the rest of your life, the best thing to do is to add activities which you enjoy doing anyway. Promise yourself at least four, one hour activity slots per week, and PUT THEM IN YOUR CALENDAR. It’s really easy to allow exercise to drop to the bottom of your to-do list, especially if you already have too much to do and not enough time. By putting the appointments in your calendar, you are agreeing to make it a priority to keep yourself healthy. Make it a priority; the same priority you would give going to work and don’t let other people’s needs get in the way. Then, do what you love. Try new activities; curling, squash, racquetball, spinning, biking, volleyball; the list is endless. If you choose activities you enjoy, rather than repetitive exercises on the treadmill or climber, you will have a greater chance of sticking with them throughout the rest of your life. If you have been a bit of a loner in your exercises so far, getting out and being part of a team will do wonders both for your weight loss and your soul. And the great thing is that many of these activities combine both aerobic exercise and weight bearing together. If you feel that you should have some degree of real exercise each week, add a treadmill/weight lifting session to just one of your scheduled sessions. That way, you will feel as if you are doing the “real work” of exercise while enjoying your weekly activities.
In the end, any exercise speeds up weight loss. While the jury is out on how many calories, or how much fat you will lose exactly, there is plenty of research to indicate that you will build muscle, burn more fat and feel better. What are you waiting for? Go out and start having fun! Your body, and your scale, will love you for it.