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Eat this, eat that! Do this do that! We’ve always complied to what our parents always drilled into us right from the young age.

Attained good Education and good Morals to go with it. Now, the real life (Adult life) starts, but because of the hustling and bustling, looking for a good job, house and perhaps a perfect love one, this has taken its toll on most of us. You can hardly find time to sit, let alone eat, hence you’re as THIN as ever.

You keep getting all these compliments from acquaintances and friends on how thin you look and how well you’ve maintained your figure. You will accept these compliments, but deep down inside of you, you know you had nothing to do with it. It’s not some “MAGIC Weight Loss Program”. It’s just that you’re far too busy trying to live a better life, but as result had to compromise along the way.

Okay, now you’ve found the job you really want and of course there comes along the house (Property) you really want too. Now life is rosy, good, Fun. You’re more relaxed to the extent that now, you’ve now set up a time-table of meals to have consumed on each day of the week.

Life couldn’t be any better, as now, you’ve also found a lover, a companion. Set up a home together and hence ultimately start raising a family as you feel you’ve attained all your life ambitions.

Now you’re in the routine of; waking up - drop the kids in school- go to work - call partner at work to assure him or her everything went all right - go home after work, oh I forgot, go to the shops for few groceries on your way home - get the meal ready, and eat - go to bed. You might not live your life in this order, but at least you get the drift.

You’ve now fall in this pattern of routine until one day one noticed your favourite jeans and top (don’t tell me you haven’t got one, as we all have one), you know, the ones you always want to wear out shopping, to the cinema, staying at home in, and perhaps visiting the in-laws in, are slightly tighter than usual. What do you do, “Hey, honey, we need to go shopping for some clothes”.

What have you just done there? You’ve just accommodated your new waist size, you’ve just accepted that you’re comfortable with this new weight. Indeed, what you should have done when you found that your favourite clothes are tighter than usual is: “TRY AND FIT BACK INTO THEM” whichever way or means possible.

But the sad truth is, almost all of us are guilty of this. And we continue to keep our slim, now too-tight clothes somewhere in the corner our of bedrooms in the hope of fitting into them some time in the near future. But you know what? You never will, but for just a handful of us will eventually do.

So, let me ask the above question again. ”How Do You Know You’re Overweight? The answer is, we all know this all the time as the signs are there for us to see and for us to do some thing about it. But we hardly do, maybe because of our busy schedules or just in plain “DENIAL”.

I bet when you saw the above headlines, I bet you thought you’re going to be reading something like, “11 points to look out for….blah blah blah”.

The bottom line is, the only way to know you’re overweight is by you “ADMITTING” it and immediately doing something about it.

The adjustable gastric banding surgeries, including Lap Band surgery, is a form of restrictive weight loss surgery designed for obesity patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or greater or between 35 and 40 for those who have conditions that are known to improve with weight loss. The Swedish adjustable gastric band differs greatly from the Lap-Band because it wasn’t designed for use with keyhole laparoscopic surgery. An American company, INAMED Health, designed the BioEnterics LAP-BAND Adjustable Gastric Banding System, which was originally introduced in Europe in 1993.

If someone has a dependency on alcohol or drugs, they won’t be eligible for adjustable band surgery. And mentally disabled or emotionally unstable people won’t be considered for lap band surgery. However failure of dietary or weight-loss drug therapy for more than one year can make one eligible for the adjustable gastric band procedure.

Inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract like ulcers, esophagitis or Crohn’s disease do not make someone a good candidate for lap band surgery. In general, gastric banding, including the Lap Band procedure and weight loss system, is indicated for people whose Body Mass Index is above 40, or those who are 100 pounds (45 kg) or more over their estimated ideal weight according to the 1983 Metropolitan Life Insurance Tables or those between 30 to 40 with co-morbidities which may improve with weight loss (those are: blood pressure, diabetes, sleep apnea, and arthritis).

During surgery the surgeon uses a specialized needle to avoid damage to the port membrane. Compared to other weight loss surgeries gastric dumping syndrome problems do not occur in lap band surgeries because no intestines are removed or re-routed. When fluid is introduced into the stomach the lap band expands, placing pressure around the outside of the stomach and this decreases the size of the passage in the stomach and restricts the movement of food.

Lap band or gastric band placement, unlike the traditional malabsorptive weight loss surgery (called Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery, and the biliopancreatic and duodenal switch) does not cut or remove any part of the digestive system. There are many port designs and they may be placed in various positions based on the preference of the lap band surgeon. Unlike those who have procedures such as Roux -en -y gastric bypass surgery, duodenal switch or biliopancreatic diversion, it’s unusual for gastric band patients to experience nutritional deficiencies or malabsorption of any micronutrients.

Many doctors make the first adjustment between six to eight weeks after surgery to allow for the stomach - time to heal. After that the ‘fills’ are performed as needed. The patient may be prescribed a liquid-only diet, followed by soft foods and then solid foods for a specified length of time. Each surgeon and manufacturer will have their own orders and specifications. And during pregnancy, deflation should be considered if morning sickness is experienced.

The initial weight loss in gastric banding is slower than with Roux-en-y gastric bypass surgery but statistics indicate that over a five year period the weight loss outcome is very similar. The amount of weight lost during the months after surgery will depend on the individual and their personal circumstances, their motivation, and mobility.

Other complications of adjustable gastric band surgery include ulceration and irritated stomach tissue. A common occurrence for lap band patients is regurgitation of the non-acidic swallowed food from the upper pouch, which is commonly known as productive burping. And this is not normal.

Occasionally, the narrow passage into the lower part of the stomach may become blocked by a large portion of food that has not been chewed. Other adjustable gastric band post-surgery complications that can occur are: abdominal pain, loss of strength, infection, fever, hernia, pain, chest pain, incisional infection, incision pain, and even death.

Before you undergo any lap band weight loss surgery or adjustable gastric band procedure, get fully informed by your doctor or lap band or gastric band surgeon. Make sure if you’re traveling away from home for surgery to consider the travel time and related travel expenses for both the surgery and follow-up appointments. Please be aware that lap band surgery or adjustable band surgery can have some serious adverse effects and complications. You may want surgery closer to home in the event you need to make numerous trips due to these complications.

In 1911, Dr. William Howard Hay made known about food combining. After practicing medicine for 16 long years, Dr. Hay developed some forms of illnesses like high-blood pressure, dilated heart, and Brights disease or more popular as chronic nephritis, which is a kidney-related disease.

Since around that time, there was no available treatment yet for enlarged heart conditions, this provoked Dr. Ray to come up with treatments to his deteriorating health. His basic instinct told him than in every health condition, there must be an underlying cause to trigger such health problem. Then, he came up with improper chemical components within the body as the basic cause.

He experimented on himself. He did it by “eating fundamentally” as he would put it. He took foods in its most natural form, with no protein and starch combination together in the same banquet. The incorrect chemical condition was acidity, which was acquired by too much ingestion of highly acidic foods. These acids collected were in higher levels that the body cannot tolerate anymore.

Along with his form of diet, Dr. Hay recommended physical activities like exercises, fresh air and lifestyle changes. Actually, Dr. Hay’s number one rule for the diet is not combining starch and sugar with acid fruits and protein in the same meal. Second, salads, fruits and vegetables should be given importance within the course of the diet, and protein, fats and starch must be taken in moderation or very less amounts. Wholegrain and unprocessed starches are the only ones recommendable. It is also advisable to give at least four hours interval for the next meal of another food group, Dr. Hay calls this a “food combining” diet. Acidic foods include those that are rich in protein, dairy, meat, and fish, while carbohydrate-rich foods include, grains, potatoes and rice.

Strict compliance to this Hay Diet reverses degenerative and chronic conditions like arthritis, indigestion and constipation. This is favorable for those with allergy and asthma. Another benefit is the weight loss effect reducing the risks of obesity-related maladies such as gallstones, heart diseases, and diabetes.

As Dr. Hay attempted to treat his own systems, his doctors were surprised and he was relieve to find out that after three months of his own remedy, his condition does improved. Because of this, he came to believe that somehow, medicine has some glitch to treatments of diseases. He thought it should work if medicine could come near to treating the illness itself rather than the aftermath of the predicament.

Dr. Hay was convinced then that he had a successful approach to treating diabetes. He started treating his patients with diet and showed to them how his patients can attain optimum health through diet with no irreversible organic changes. Through the years, Dr. Hays was popular for his creative method called the “Hay Diet.” Aside from the diet, Dr. Hay also taught the significant importance of exercise, fresh air, daily bath and sunshine.

When I was a child, I spent a few years being terribly overweight. Thanks to the many hours I spent learning about how to make better food choices and several degrees later, I was able to come up with a fantastic way to eat for energy and good health.

It’s not easy for me to stay trim. When you are overweight as a child, the fat cells have a tendency to plump up in no time.

Now, I eat to be trim and stay healthy. Plus, I like to feel energetic. And my grocery shopping trips are no longer overwhelming. There are so many processed foods that should be avoided…especially when it comes to our health!!

Yesterday, I had the fortunate experience to be able to meet and talk with clinical nutritionist, Beatriz Gallager, CNS. I wanted to hear what she had to say about food. So, I asked her to tell me what two foods I should avoid.

Her reply was just as I had hoped for. She told me to stay away from the artificial sweetener, aspartame. In fact, I don’t use any artificial sweeteners. I would never feed them to children, either!

Secondly, she said to avoid any or all foods that have been microwaved. (In fact, I have my microwave hidden behind cabinet doors. If my spouse didn’t purchase the microwave, it wouldn’t be there at all…)

Then, Beatriz Gallagher, told me to try the following experiment: Put two potted plants on your counter. Water the first plant with tap water. Water the second plant with water that has been microwaved to the boiling point- and then cooled to room temperature. Water and take care of the plants, as needed. Yet, water each one the same way for 7 days. The first one should receive tap water. The second plant should receive the boiled/microwaved water.

One of the plants dies. Can you guess which one that would be?

The bottom line is that we have to feed our bodies good, nutritious foods. Unfortunately, in America many of the food choices we have been hoodwinked into believing are good for us…are not! And, in turn, they make us look and feel worse.

We all know that the best way-perhaps the only way-to get the body to surrender its fat stores (something it clearly hates to do) is through exercise and reduced calorie intake.

We also know, however, that the body is particularly adept at adjusting its own internal systems in the face of exercise and, particularly, reduced food intake. It does this, of course, by adjusting to the exercise (thus the need to increase intensity) and by slowing down the metabolism (which consequently slows down fat burning). It’s a perfectly natural survival instinct of the body. You see, in the face of fewer calories coming in, the body would much rather slow down the metabolism than give up the fat stores.

This is one of the main reasons why when you start out on a fat loss program you tend to make very good progress in the short term (maybe for a few weeks or a month), but you eventually reach a point where progress tapers off significantly. This is the body reacting and adjusting in a way that, unfortunately, hampers further fat reduction.

It’s at this crucial point that Metabolic Thyrolean steps in. You see, this formula contains ingredients that in a sense urge your body to continue to run your metabolism on high and burn up fat tissue.

HOW IT WORKS
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By focusing on three key biological areas associated with metabolism-the liver, the thyroid, and the brain- the scientific formula in Metabolic Thyrolean seeks to establish an environment within the body where metabolism and fat burning are optimized.

Let me try to explain without getting overly technical. In the thyroid gland, the reaction to a reduced calorie intake is a parallel reduction in the conversion of the hormone T4 into T3. T3 is much more metabolically active than T4, so any reduction in T3 is unwanted from the perspective of burning fat.

One of the active ingredients in Metabolic Thyrolean is guggulsterones, which have proven to stimulate production of T3 thus helping to maintain high metabolic rates.

Now most of the conversion of thyroid hormones takes place, of course, in the liver and is regulated by a particular molecule known as ATP. Once again, a reduction in calorie intake leads to a reduction in ATP stores.

The natural phosphates contained in Metabolic Thyrolean can help to maintain higher ATP stores in the liver. This in turn can lead to better thyroid hormone conversion and higher levels of the metabolically active T3.

Finally, when you drop your calorie intake, your brain has an interesting and significant chemical response: neurotransmitters in the brain, which also play an important role in metabolism, become less abundant. Again, Metabolic Thyrolean attempts to address this problem by stimulating the production of these neurotransmitters primarily through the inclusion of the amino acid L-Tyrosine. L-Tyrosine is a known precursor to important neurotransmitters which naturally stimulate the metabolism.

THE HARD EVIDENCE
——————
Moving beyond the science behind Metabolic Thyrolean, it’s perhaps most important to investigate the actual clinical effects that this supplement has. Here again, the early results are extremely positive.

In a six week study of individuals on moderate exercise (three 45 minute aerobic sessions per week) and reduced calorie programs (1,800 calories per day), the group supplementing with Metabolic Thyrolean lost over 3 TIMES MORE FAT than the control group or the group given a placebo. Needless to say, that’s a very significant and positive result. Here’s the details:

Pounds of Fat Lost
Control = 2.9 lbs.
Placebo = 3.0 lbs.
Metabolic Thyrolean = 9.48 lbs.

BOTTOM LINE
————

Slim Fast and the Slim Fast diet plan have been around for more than 20 years now. Without a doubt they have become the most popular diet shake around. But, does this weight loss plan really work?

The Slim Fast Diet Plan

The Slim Fast plan is not difficult to follow. You have a Slim Fast shake for breakfast in the morning and another one for lunch. For dinner, the plan calls for a “sensible” meal. Sensible can mean many different things to people, but that’s another story.

You can also have two pieces of fruit each day as well as one of Slim Fast’s nutritional bars.

The shakes and nutritional bars can be purchased at any grocery store or Wal-Mart.

The Slim Fast diet plan also includes regular exercise and encourages you to drink 8 glasses of water a day. These are two important points and keys to success in any type of weight loss program.

Does the plan work?

The Slim Fast plan will reduce your daily calories to around 1200 if you eat that sensible dinner each night. This means that anyone should lose weight with the plan.

While you can definitely lose weight with Slim Fast, there are some drawbacks. Since this is a calorie restricted diet, you may not get enough vitamins and minerals to maintain good health. A multi vitamin could help.

The reliance on making yourself a sensible dinner can also be difficult. Because you have only had 2 shakes all day along with a piece of fruit, you’re going to be hungry. It’s very easy to get carried away at dinner. It will take some extra discipline to make it work.

Carbohydrates are not evil. There seems to be a very big trend that seems to suggest that carbs are not good for you unless your a marathon runner or something. Or that they just make you fat. Your weight lifting diet actually benefits from carbs when consumed sensibly. Any weight lifting diet that attempts to cancel them out completely should be questioned. (No, I’m not talking about Atkins, it has it’s place)

Question: What is one of the key factors when you need to bulk up while following you weight lifting diet.

Answer: Energy.

If your body lacks the fuel that it needs to burn energy and repair itself, you will have a serious lag in your ability to build muscle. Carbohydrates are a source of this fuel. Carb intake for a “weight loss” is very different for carb intake for a weight lifting diet.

There are other factors but for now lets look at Carbohydrates.

Come good sources of carbohydrates are pasta, rice, potatoes, fruit and veggies. Carbs should be consumed with the future in mind. What I mean is just as they say your decisions today shape your success tomorrow, the carbs you eat to day help your workout tomorrow.

It takes time for you body to process a meal and convert carbs into usable energy. There are some forms that are in drinks that take effect faster but in our weight lifting diet we need to plan ahead.

I’m not gonna try to confuse you by talking about good carbs and bad carbs and all that scientific stuff. I bet you that if you asked Arnold if he cared about good and bad carbs he’d probably laugh at you and might say, in his notable accent, “I would just workout and then go get a healthy meal, I could care less about how it works, it just does”.

You should make sure that you have a carb packed meal after a good workout and something to hydrate you and replenish your electrolytes. Do not consume things with refined sugar or even any of those “just like sugar” products.

Your weight lifting diet should be carb enriched but not over done because when you finally get to the burning stages to chisel and burn excess weight to give you that statuesque look you don’t want to have to join “The Biggest Loser” just to do it.

As a matter of fact when you see a bodybuilder during the building phases when his carb intake is high, many times they appear to overweight. They know what they’re doing and will come to a time when they shed all of that and that’s when all that you see is muscle and veins.

By the way you need carbs in a weight lifting diet because they help in the production of blood and clotting, your immune system, As a matter of fact when you’re over training your body with bad workout practices your body goes into a specific survival state that switches to burning any source of carbs available and burns minimal fat.

This is one reason why some people say I work out like crazy but I don’t seem to really be losing fat. It’s all about survival and when we put stress on our physiological system, intentionally our bodies have a very cool emergency back up plan. Your weight lifting diet plan should utilize this to your advantage.

Juice fasting is an advanced detoxification technique that speeds up the process that eliminates toxins from the body. It is also a fantastic way to quickly lose weight. Juice fasting has been responsible for changing lives all over the world. It makes people feel healthier, look younger which sky-rockets self esteem and dramatically enhances a person’s life.

Juice fasting involves the intake of only raw vegetables and fruit juices. Both of these substances are rich in antioxidants (which fight free radicals) and vitamins (which are essential for overall health and wellbeing).

Juice fasting is a fairly extreme way for body detoxification and to lose some excess weight. The detox diet is a more gentle way and includes a greater variety of foods; having said that, it’s not quite so effective. It takes longer to detox the body and the rate of weight loss is not quite so extreme.

Some fruits and vegetables commonly used in juice fasting are: parsley, kale, beet greens, chard, spinach, dandelion leaf, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, beets, sweet potatoes, dark grapes, apples, citrus (especially grapefruit), Açai berry, yucca root, fennel, spearmint, peppermint, basil, ginger, garlic, green onion, chile pepper, fresh turmeric root, milk thistle, juice, spirulina.

Juice fasting is an extreme method to detox the body, so a juice fasting diet should not be embarked upon lightly. You need to seriously weigh up the pros and cons and decide whether or not you are prepared for a mental, physical and spiritual overhaul. You should consult your doctor or health professional before you begin.

Juice fasting is a very extreme method of detoxification. While it is extreme, it is also highly effective. Juice fasting has been responsible for complete life overhaul of many, many people. It is a great (and healthy) method of rapid weight loss. It can lead to a dramatic change in your overall complexion. Your skin will glow and your hair will shine.

Juice fasting is an excellent method to detox the body, but not for some people. For some people, juice fasting could be potentially dangerous or harmful. Are you one of these people?

Juice fasting may not be suitable for people that are…

- Pregnant – your body will undergo some extreme changes that could be potentially damaging to the health of your unborn child.

- Suffering from a variety of diseases and illnesses such as: diabetes, eating disorders, liver disease, low blood sugar, malnutrition, addictions, anorexia, anemia, asthma, low blood pressure, infection, gout, cancer, epilepsy, terminal illnesses.

- People with other chronic conditions should only attempt the juice fast diet with supervised medical attention.

- People currently taking prescription drugs and medication should consult a doctor or medical professional before embarking upon a juice fasting program.

If you don’t suffer from the above, then it is more than likely that you can start the juice fasting diet program. But, as with any extreme change to your traditional lifestyle, you should seriously consider consulting a doctor or health care professional before you begin with the juice fasting program. Good luck!

It can be very frustrating to stay motivated and to lose weight. Sometimes I feel that I am always starting out, but never ending up where I want. But I’ve learned that to stay motivated for me requires setting and achieving small goals. The following tips always helped me lose the weight.

1. Drink more water- I used to drink water sporadically throughout the day, mostly at dinnertime. However, I found that I was dehydrated frequently. I tried carrying a water bottle around with me and it helped me to stay hydrated throughout the day. Plus, drinking first when I felt hungry prevented me from overeating frequently.

2. Divide meals into healthy portions- Dividing a meal into 1/3 veggies, 1/3 carbohydrates, and 1/3 meat will create a balanced meal. Make sure you at least have protein at every meal because it will keep you feeling fuller longer. Add vegetables and fruit into your diet. Rather than focusing on what you can’t eat, focus on what you can eat. Don’t eliminate all your favorite foods, but reserve them for the weekends. You will enjoy them more if you don’t eat them every day. Plus you won’t end up binging because you restricted yourself too much.

3. Weigh in daily with a digital scale- I weighed myself every morning and every night at the same time. A digital scale will show the difference in small tenths and hundredths of the weight so you can see small progress, plus you can track your body fat percentage. This also helps you to track your progress closer. Remember water weight and clothes can cause your weight to fluctuate slightly.

4. Don’t eat carbohydrates a few hours before bed- Restricting carbohydrates before bed will allow you to sleep better and lose weight. If you go to bed slightly hungry (not starving), your body will burn more calories. Eat protein if you get hungry close to bedtime.