How to Go Out, Eat What You Want, and Still Lose Weight

If you've ever tried to lose weight, you know that eating everything you want all the time is not going to get you results — but neither is eliminating all your favorite foods. So when it comes to indulging smart, take The Biggest Loser: Australia trainer Michelle Bridges's advice: 

As a weight-loss coach, trainer for years, and author of The Total Body Transformation ($23, available April 8), Michelle shares this tip with her clients so that they can eat their favorite foods without the guilt. The gist: have a before-and-after plan, so you can indulge in everything you want without falling off the healthy bandwagon. If you're going out on a Saturday night, for example, Michelle recommends starting the day with an effective workout and the right food choices. "Eat clean, light, small portions," she advises. "You might take out your snacks, because you might want to save that for a couple glasses of wine at night. Then when you go out, you have your meal. There's no guilt, and there's no beat-ups."

The second part of your plan should be what you're going to do the day after your night out or cheat day. "Go for a walk or just be active or have your meal plan set up," Michelle recommends. "You're having your moment, but then you have a plan, so you're not waking up and going, 'Oh my god, what have I done? Forget it. Let's go out for breakfast and have pancakes.'" This two-pronged approach to indulging will help you stay on track without giving up or feeling like you've sabotaged your success.

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Seven Crazy Ways Houstonians May Be Trying to Lose Weight

I know I am not the only woman who has her favorite jeans from years ago hiding in the back of the closet. No, I'm not a hoarder but that's my motivation. One day I am determined to fit into those jeans again.

"There are no shortcuts," said trainer and owner, Bella Barak, of Bella Body Fitness in Houston. "The only way to lose weight is through eating clean and exercise, everything else is just a gimmick."

Is Houston becoming the new Hollywood? There are so many ways to fight that extra belly fat. Some women have tried body wraps and corset training to get quick results. Here are a few more dubious ways women are trying to get their sexy on and stay slim.

7. Tummy Tuck Slimming System
If you desire a tummy tuck and can't make the trip to the surgeon's office, then fear no more because all you really need is $40 and 10 minutes, so say the ads. Within that time frame the Tummy Tuck System claims to trigger a fat burning reaction that is supposed to aid in your weight loss. Uhm, okay. When I saw the commercial I was skeptical and I'm not the only one who believes this doesn't work.

6. Hypnosis
This alters your state of mind and must be done by a professional (on a comfy couch!). This will help you get a better mental image of yourself so better decisions are made when it comes to eating habits. I have always secretly wanted to try hypnosis to find out if someone can actually change my train of thought on eating. What if it works? Watch out Beyonce!

5. Mouth Spray 
Not supposed to freshen your breath but help you fight those cravings. Three sprays are all you need to feel fuller and fight the urge to get a second plate of your mother's favorite dish or eat that cookie dough ice cream. This spray may just do the opposite and make me hungrier.

4. Hula Hoop
The hoop you twirled around your waist while in elementary school may be just what you need. You can take classes at Nia Moves where you don't need any experience and they teach you different aerobic workouts with the hoop. The calories you burn vary on your weight and how fast you can hula hoop. I use to do this as a little girl growing up and still find it entertaining. Hey, it might make you feel young again, but with less baby fat.

3. Cosmic Jump Workout
Now this is fun. Jumping for joy and losing weight at the same time? Cosmic Jump Trampoline Entertainment Center has found a way to incorporate childhood activities into a workout. Why should losing weight be all about pain?

2. Laxative Tea
Is this the easy way out? I guess it depends on how often you drink tea? There are some women who drink dieter's tea as a quick way to get to a flat stomach. I'm not saying that it works, but it's out there. I heard through the grapevine that some taste like grass and others don't smell so good. But there are flavors available such as lemon and raspberry mint. I will plead the fifth about the tea.

1. Corset Training
Not every woman is born with an hourglass figure so that's why someone invented the corset. Old school right? There are several different materials available and you are supposed to wear it several hours a day several times a week. "Ain't nobody got time fa that." I fell victim to this and ended up purchasing this latex entrapment. It did make me look slimmer, but it also cut me in the process. It's hard to run three miles when you can't breathe. It started falling apart and I am proud to say it's in the trash.

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Diet Pills: Are They EVER A Good Idea?

 are lots of weight loss supplements on the market that claim they can help you shift the pounds faster. But do they actually work? And are they even good for you? Here's the expert verdict...

We've spoken to expert nutritionist Dr.Marilyn Glenville to find out whether taking diet pills is ever worth it...

'There are some diet pills on the market that are touted as helpful with weight loss but I do have concerns with them,' she says.

Ephedra:

This is a Chinese herb, also known as ephedrine and ma huang, which has been used in diet pills because it has a stimulant effect. It can cause an increase in metabolism but the stimulant effect also causes an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. These side effects have been associated with strokes and heart attacks. Other side effects can include irritability, anxiety, skin reactions, trembling and sweating.

Guarana:

This is a plant that is found in Brazil. Like ephedra, it is used for its stimulant effect, as its caffeine content is twice that found in coffee beans. Side effects can include anxiety, irritability, increased heart rate, sleep problems, dry mouth, heartburn and trembling.

Raspberry Ketones:

Raspberry ketones also occur in cranberries and blackberries. But the level naturally occurring in fruit is very low so it has to be made industrially in order to achieve a concentrated level. There is much publicity surrounding raspberry ketones and their ability to help you lose weight but, looking at the evidence, there has been no research on humans as to their effectiveness and only two studies on 

mice. Side effects can include jitteriness and anxiety. I would be especially careful if the diet supplement also contains other stimulants like caffeine because the side effects can be stronger.

So is there a better alternative? 

'Food is the foundation of health and you need to eat right in order to lose weight. A number of chemical reactions are involved in turning glucose into energy instead of fat, and certain vitamins and minerals do help this to happen. If you are deficient in these nutrients, the body will find it harder to let go of weight.

Supplements can be used alongside a healthy diet to make the food side of things more effective but won't replace eating well. These supplements should really just be more of the same nutrients that you can get from food. 

The most useful nutrients for weight loss are: 

Chromium: 

Helps control cravings and binges. 

Magnesium:

Helps balance blood sugar by contributing to the production and action of insulin.

B vitamins:

Help food turn into energy instead of being stored as fat. 

Alpha lipoic acid:

Release energy by burning glucose so less fat is stored. 

Amino acids:

Have fat-burning benefits and also help control appetite. 

But ultimately, eating well is the only thing that will work long-term...

'If someone is really serious about losing weight (and, more importantly, fat) then they need to think about food and eating as a way of life, so that healthy, enjoyable eating becomes a habit - something you do everyday without even thinking about it, just like cleaning your teeth.

People should aim to eat well 80 per cent of the time. No one is perfect and we don’t need to be to achieve our weight-loss goals. Be kind to yourself and let go of the other 20 per cent.

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I’ve finally become thoroughly British – I’m hooked on dieting and now I’m as mixed-up and miserable as the rest of the country

Confession: since last Mother’s Day I’ve been on the 5:2 diet. I’d never dieted before but now am hooked and so, properly British, am anxious, obsessed about what to eat, what not to eat, what’s in, what’s out – perpetually discombobulated. For two days a week, I eat only 500 calories, which is very hard and makes me more belligerent than David Starkey; for the other five, I eat normally and become as sweet as honey. And the weight drops off. I am full of fear that I will swell up if I eat reasonably seven days a week, so stay on course. I’m not sure this is a healthy way to be. (Eric Pickles, I salute your guts and free spirit.)

Now there is added pressure never again to be the round, fleshy plum I once was. Sally Davies, our Chief Medical Officer, eminently sensible, size 12-14, states she is extremely worried that obesity is becoming normalised in Britain and that plus-size models may be disincentivising overweight people who should lose weight. There are serious flaws in this quasi-official concern. It simply piles on the guilt and shame, which sometimes leads to more comfort eating and more kilos being piled on. It does not examine the exceptionally twisted relationship that most Britons have with food and their bodies. Worst of all, now it is even harder for people to know what is a reasonable size and shape. She is right to point out the dangers of obesity, but hers was half a message, and half-messages are unhelpful, and arguably dangerous.

She must know how young women in particular have been brainwashed into thinking only very thin is beautiful. Some even die before they reach this goal  and most battle against their own flesh.  Self-hatred among those who have boobs and bums and tums is shockingly widespread and growing. No class is immune. Go to any girls’ private school and see just what the average type there is. Our top health adviser needs to speak up against the normalisation of extreme skinniness, too, because that is leading to some tragic mental instabilities and, according to some medical researchers, serious vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

Say we come to agree about what weight is within the acceptable/desirable/healthy spectrum. We still don’t know how to get there because food faddism, conflicting research, unending arguments and hopelessly mixed and muddled advice sap the will. These confusions don’t seem to be as prevalent in other EU countries and parts of the world but they are spreading. Exports of British food and drink to China are expected to raise £39bn, and there has been a growth in food sales of between 300 to 600 per cent to Bulgaria, Hungary and the Czech Republic – let’s hope it’s not in sticky toffee puds and frozen, fat chips.

Butter was forbidden. Now it’s allowed and all those marg substitutes are damned. The mother of our Queen-to-be apparently tried the Dukan diet – oh, I don’t know, broccoli only on Wednesdays, and beef broth without salt for breakfast and whites of eggs. All that suffering to get into a small dress? Pierre Dukan, the doctor who invented the dos and don’ts, was temporarily banned from practising as a GP in France. Boy George apparently lost weight on something called “biotyping” – eating stuff that didn’t inflame his hormones or something like that. The Paleo diet is allegedly keeping Tom Jones in shape and Miley Cyrus too. That is meat, nuts, no grain, dairy, peas, beans, sugar.

Sugar is now pronounced the deadliest enemy of all; its opponents are like fiery priests. It may well be banished from God’s kingdom and prohibition orders imposed on fruit and fruit juice. Black marketing and smuggling will thrive. (I wonder if Chris Martin just wouldn’t eat any more kale, Gwyneth Paltrow’s fave in a tiresomely rigid eating regime? Can you imagine life with her? Never a Magnum moment.)

While the proselytisers rail, big business and crafty TV cooks sell us sugary delights, pre-packaged products and killingly calorific recipes. Councils do not stop the proliferation of fast-food parades and all our governments are held hostage by the food and drink industry. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, that self-reverential food activist who speaks up for endangered fish and all that, also shows us how to make “healthy” flapjacks dripping with butter and peanut butter. He, Nigella, Jamie, Mary Berry and others do not include calorie counts in the stuff they urge us to make. Trust me. You can get very tubby eating wonderfully made, middle-class grub.

The only food whims I was subjected to were invented by my mum: “Beetroot because it makes blood straightaway, cashews for fresh kidneys, walnuts for the brain – and almonds, also – milk to keep skin white.” Life was simple then. Now I am lost in a labyrinth with too many culinary maps. How did we Britons become so dysfunctional, joyless and demented about basic pleasure and life-giving food?

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No need to banish glutten

WHAT IS GLUTEN? Gluten is the storage protein found in cereals like wheat, barley and rye. 'Gluten intolerance' is a term used to refer to the entire category of gluten issues: celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity and wheat allergy. 
THE MEDICAL FACTS Celiac disease (CD) is an inherited auto-immune disorder that affects the digestive process in the small intestine. What it essentially means is that the protein gluten triggers an inflammatory injury in the small intestine, resulting in malabsorption of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fat-soluble vitamins, folate and minerals, especially iron and calcium. CD is a lifelong condition, and
THE MEDICAL FACTS Celiac disease (CD) is an inherited auto-immune disorder that affects the digestive process in the small intestine. What it essentially means is that the protein gluten triggers an inflammatory injury in the small intestine, resulting in malabsorption of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fat-soluble vitamins, folate and minerals, especially iron and calcium. CD is a lifelong condition, and tinyurl.com/lsgf7hkif not diagnosed early and treated with a strict gluten-free diet, it can be associated with complications like osteoporosis, lymphoma, anaemia, delayed puberty and infertility in both men and women, and even repeated miscarriages. The classic symptoms of CD are diarrhoea , weight loss, headaches and fatigue, joint pain, damage of dental enamel, anemia, acid reflux and heartburn. 
As with the case of many auto-immune disorders, CD is more frequent in women than in men, for reasons unknown. Celiac disease tends to cluster in families, but the inheritance pattern is unknown. 
Non-celiac gluten sensitivity - this term was coined for those individuals who cannot tolerate gluten and experience symptoms similar to CD, yet lack the antibodies and intestinal damage as in the case of CD. The symptoms of this may be similar but they would not come positive in the blood test nor would there be any intestinal damage. 
As with most allergies, wheat allergy is just an immune system response to a food protein because it considers it dangerous to the body - but it's not permanent. This immune response is often time-limited and does not cause lasting harm to the body. Diagnosis of the same is done through skin-prick tests and a food challenge. 

HYPE, FAD, REALITY Now, let's address the hype and fad revolving around 'the gluten-free diet!' For many, it is a new diet trend that should be tried to help fight the ever-increasing battle of the bulge. But abstinence from all gluten products — wheat (rotis, parathas, naan, roomali), semolina (rava), couscous, cracked wheat, barley, oats, rye, breakfast cereals made from these, noodles, pasta, bread, biscuits, spaghetti, soba noodles, cakes, pastries and the list continues — isn't the right answer. 
Giving up many of these is a direct, sure shot way to lose some weight but eliminating some of these integrally from our system is difficult. Losing weight doesn't mean we have to banish all of them from our daily meals. How long will you be able to avoid these food items? Long-term weight loss is not a sprint. Like a marathon, it is a simply journey of endurance, the only difference being that it is a journey to a destination of your choice at a pace set by your body. 

WHAT IS GLUTEN? Gluten is the storage protein found in cereals like wheat, barley and rye. 'Gluten intolerance' is a term used to refer to the entire category of gluten issues: celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity and wheat allergy. 
THE MEDICAL FACTS Celiac disease (CD) is an inherited auto-immune disorder that affects the digestive process in the small intestine. What it essentially means is that the protein gluten triggers an inflammatory injury in the small intestine, resulting in malabsorption of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, fat-soluble vitamins, folate and minerals, especially iron and calcium. CD is a lifelong condition, and if not diagnosed early and treated with a strict gluten-free diet, it can be associated with complications like osteoporosis, lymphoma, anaemia, delayed puberty and infertility in both men and women, and even repeated miscarriages. The classic symptoms of CD are diarrhoea , weight loss, headaches and fatigue, joint pain, damage of dental enamel, anemia, acid reflux and heartburn. 
As with the case of many auto-immune disorders, CD is more frequent in women than in men, for 
reasons unknown. Celiac disease tends to cluster in families, but the inheritance pattern is unknown. 
Non-celiac gluten sensitivity - this term was coined for those individuals who cannot tolerate gluten and experience symptoms similar to CD, yet lack the antibodies and intestinal damage as in the case of CD. The symptoms of this may be similar but they would not come positive in the blood test nor would there be any intestinal damage. 
As with most allergies, wheat allergy is just an immune system response to a food protein because it considers it dangerous to the body - but it's not permanent. This immune response is often time-limited and does not cause lasting harm to the body. Diagnosis of the same is done through skin-prick tests and a food challenge. 
HYPE, FAD, REALITY Now, let's address the hype and fad revolving around 'the gluten-free diet!' For many, it is a new diet trend that should be tried to help fight the ever-increasing battle of the bulge. But abstinence from all gluten products — wheat (rotis, parathas, naan, roomali), semolina (rava), couscous, cracked wheat, barley, oats, rye, breakfast cereals made from these, noodles, pasta, bread, biscuits, spaghetti, soba noodles, cakes, pastries and the list continues — isn't the right answer. 
Giving up many of these is a direct, sure shot way to lose some weight but eliminating some of these integrally from our system is difficult. Losing weight doesn't mean we have to banish all of them from our daily meals. How long will you be able to avoid these food items? Long-term weight loss is not a sprint. Like a marathon, it is a simply journey of endurance, the only difference being that it is a journey to a destination of your choice at a pace set by your body. 
SIGNS YOU ARE GLUTEN INTOLERANT
Digestive issues such as gas, bloating, diarrhea and even constipation. Keratosis Pilaris (also known as chicken skin) on the back of your arms. Fatigue, brain fog or feeling tired after eating a meal that contains gluten. Diagnosis of diseases like Hashimoto's thyroiditis, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, lupus, psoriasis, scleroderma or multiple sclerosis. Feeling dizzy or off balance. Hormone imbalances such as PMS, PCOS or unexplained infertility. Migraine headaches. Inflammation, swelling or pain in your joints such as fingers, knees or hips. Mood issues such as anxiety, depression and mood swings. 
FOODS THAT DON'T CONTAIN GLUTEN
Rice and rice-based items such as dosa, idli, pongal, appam etc; ragi, bajra and jowar; curd, lassi, milk and cream; fruits and vegetables; ice cream and kulfi; beans, seeds and nuts in their natural, unprocessed form, fresh eggs, meats, fish and poultry (not breaded, battercoated or marinated).

By Pooja Makhija - Consulting Nutritionist & Clinical Dietician

Gluten-free diet not for weight loss

Diet fads come and go. One of the latest fads people are trying is a gluten free diet to lose weight.  Cleveland Clinic Registered Dietitian Kristin Kirkpatrick says gluten-free diets are around for a reason, but weight loss is not necessarily one of them.

"Typically people that can't have gluten are individuals that have something called celiac disease. We also see individuals now that are truly gluten-sensitive and actually can't have gluten in their diet but because it's such a trend we are also seeing individuals turn to gluten-free diets for weight loss," explained Kirkpatrick.

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. It gives dough elasticity and baked goods their chewiness. People with celiac disease will experience stomach pains, bloating and diarrhea if they eat gluten.

It's an auto-immune response and the only way to deal with it is to avoid gluten altogether. But there is no evidence backing up the idea that a gluten-free diet will help you to lose weight. Kirkpatrick says if you can tolerate gluten you should focus on developing a healthy diet overall.

"We have to remember that any calorie that you have in excess of what you burn, you're going to gain weight," she said.

You can create a healthy diet by excluding many of the low-nutrient, high-calorie foods that a gluten-free diet eliminates. Things like breads, pizza, cookies and crackers top the list.

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Exercise a misunderstood concept: Bollywood fitness expert

New Delhi: Exercise is a science, believes celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar - the woman behind svelte actress Kareena Kapoor`s once most-discussed "size-zero" figure - whose latest book shatters myths around exercise and educates readers on this "misunderstood" subject.
"Exercise is a science; so it`s not about getting up and going for a walk. It`s about understanding what goes behind movement, and the energy system involved," Diwekar told.

"The book attempts to address and project exercise as what it really is, a non-negotiable aspect of life. Exercise keeps not just your body in shape but also your involuntary organs like heart and lungs; is good for the nerves and brains; and good for hormones," she added.

The petite and fit frame of the Mumbai-based fitness trainer compliments her philosophy of "eating light and exercising right". In her third book "Don`t Lose Out, Work Out" (Westland, Rs. 250), she has focussed on the importance of exercise in everyday life and how it shouldn`t be considered as a "tool" for weight loss.

"The clientele is more keen on losing weight than gaining health or fitness," she said.

"Exercise is a misunderstood concept, we don`t look at it as something we ought to do as a matter of discipline or health, but something one gets forced or punished to do because of being fat, poor knees, cholesterol, or heart issues," she said.

Diwekar first came to limelight when Kareena confidently wore a lime-green bikini in "Tashan", flaunting her thin waist and toned thighs. The 33-year-old actress had always struggled to get rid of her "adorably plump" body, but under Diwekar`s guidance, she had lost weight by following a healthy diet and making exercise a part of her life.

The author of two books on fitness - "Don`t Lose Your Mind, Lose Your Weight" (Random House) and "Women and the Weight Loss Tamasha" (Westland) - strongly feels even though a lot of information is disseminated on the internet related to "fitness", people are still ignorant and casual about it.

"We still have a large number of trainers or dietitians who count their worth based on how many kilos their clients have lost...gym softboards always have the `biggest loser` for inspiration," she said.

"So it`s the inherent thrill of a short-term reward, coupled with ignorance that makes us casual about exercise," she added.

Unlike her previous books where she has championed the cause of "eating well" and not "losing sleep over weight", the author`s latest offering elaborates on the science behind exercise and breaks stereotypical myths like "spot-weight reduction".

"It isn`t uncommon for us to make statements like `let me lose some weight quickly first`. What we are saying is that we are fine with the harm that quick, extreme weight loss will bring because we care more about our weight than health," she said.

"This book urges people to stay away from cliches and stereotypes and adapt a lifestyle where exercise is a routine of life and not a burden."

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Intermittent fasting fuels fast weight loss, provides anti-aging health benefits

March 28, 2014

Intermittent fasting can produce rapid weight loss, prevent aging, and enhance longevity.

Research shows that people who do intermittent fasting lose weight more quickly and keep it off longer than those who follow conventional, linear diets where you're constantly depriving yourself. What's more, intermittent fasting has been shown to ward off diseases like cancer and dementia.

In intermittent fasting, you alternate between days of "fasting" (very low caloric intake) and days of "feasting." That's the idea behind the bestselling book, The 5:2 Diet, the HuffingtonPost reported March 26.

Aside from weight loss, regularly experiencing hunger has many disease-fighting benefits, say researchers.

Wild animals don't often die of cancer and diseases of old age,'' evolutionary biologist Dr. Margo Adler told Stuff. "They tend to die young as a result of environmental hazards and exposure to parasites. People might be able to reap some of the lifespan and anti-cancer benefits from dietary restriction."

Actor Hugh Jackman followed a 16:8 intermittent fasting regimen to achieve his rippling "Wolverine" body. In addition to sculpting his body, Jackman said intermittent fasting gave him more energy and improved his sleep. "I feel a lot better on that regime," he said. "My energy is better and I sleep better."

Hugh's 16/8 intermittent fast regimen involved doing all his eating for the day during an eight-hour window and then not eating at all (except for water) for 16 hours. Jackman typically consumes all his calories between 10 a.m. and 6 .pm.

Intermittent Fasting Protects the Brain and Slows Down Cellular Aging

While most people do intermittent fasting to lose weight, research from the National Institute on Aging (NIA) suggests that intermittent fasting can also improve brain functioning, and help maintain lean muscle mass.

"Just as exercise makes muscles stronger, fasting makes the brain stronger," Dr. Mark Mattson, chief of the NIA's neurosciences lab, told the Wall Street Journal. Mattson said the chemicals produced by fasting also appear to boost people's moods.

Mattson and his team conducted studies on animals with Alzheimer-like conditions, and found that alternating between days of fasting and normal eating seemed to slow or even reverse brain impairment. Intermittent fasting also helped the animals maintain their lean muscle mass even as they aged — the exact opposite of what happens to both animals and people as they get older.

Similar experiments conducted on humans (alternating between days of normal eating and calorie restriction) showed the same effects. Dr. Mattson said fasting for short periods of time like 16 to 24 hours induces a state of stress in the body, which responds by releasing neurotrophic proteins that stimulate neurons and other cells.

A major advantage of intermittent fasting is that it's easier to maintain than a linear diet where you're restricting yourself all the time. In the alternate-day fasting model, people ate whatever they wanted on non-fasting days and then ate a low-calorie diet (about 500 calories a day) on fasting days.

Intermittent fasting has skyrocketed in popularity, thanks to the runaway success of the Fast Diet (or 5:2 diet), which calls for fasting (500 calories a day) for two days of the week and eating whatever you want the other five days.

Another popular intermittent fasting diet is the Every Other Day Diet, where you alternate every other day between fasting and regular eating. Thousands of people say they lost dramatic amounts of weight quickly on both of these IF regimes.

Not only do most people lose weight quickly on these plans, but they say it's easier to stick to their diets. "We think that once the people get adjusted to the diet, it is easy to adhere to," said Dr. Mattson. "If you know that tomorrow you can eat normally, you can make it through today."

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6000 Register for Online Weight Loss Program

Ace Medical Weight Loss Center signed up 6000 registrants in 48 hours for the new Online Weight Loss Program “Shaping the Perfect You.” Portion control with the SlimPlate System provides an effective weight loss strategy for many.

Rock Hill, SC (PRWEB) March 28, 2014

6000 signed up for New Online Weight Loss Program “Shaping the Perfect You” launched by Ace Medical Weight Loss Center. The new Online Weight Loss Program “Shaping the Perfect You” gives step by step practical advice from a weight loss doctor on how to lose weight and keep it off. The program is a total of four sessions over a four month period.

Registration for the online weight loss program is simple. All one has to do is fill out a simple form onhttp://www.SlimPlateSystem.com/register. Along with great information from a weight loss doctor, registrants will receive constant motivation through social media channels and a blog.

The program is based on the step portion control weight loss method which form the core concept of the SlimPlate System. Portion Control weight loss method is a healthier solution compared to on and off diets many currently used. When weight is lost with portion control, the results are long lasting. Individuals using the portion control method will not have to worry about rebound weight.

The SlimPlate System is a 13 piece step portion control weight loss kit that has everything needed to achieve weight loss success. The kit includes plates, bowls, cups, and cutting rings. The portion control plates are marked with colorful line to outline where to put certain foods. The cutting rings are used when different shaped food becomes hard to portion items that do not fit within the lines.

The SlimPlate System was created by two well known weight-loss Physicians. Dr. Nwe is a Diplomate of the American Board of Obesity Medicine and is Board-Certified in Internal Medicine. She co-founded the Ace Medical Weight Loss Center with Dr. Grewal. Sandeep Grewal, M.D. is Board-Certified in Internal Medicine and was the recipient of The Charlotte Business Journal’s Health Care Innovator Award for 2013, and also named to the Top Forty Under Forty List in 2013.

http://tinyurl.com/l675zs7

14 Day Rapid Fat Loss Plan Review | How To Lose Stubborn Fat Fast

New York, NY (PRWEB) March 28, 2014

14 Day Rapid Fat Loss Plan is the newest weight loss method made by Shaun Hadsall, a certificated nutritionist that has helped millions of people burn fat fast. This new method concentrates on the usage of carbohydrates to reduce fat safely and naturally. In this program, people will discover a techniques named "Macro-Patterning" that comes with Deplete

Day, Cheat Day and Carb Baseline Day. This awesome technique can help the body convert ugly fat into energy. In addition, this method teaches users how to run and control the amount of carbohydrates needed to lose extra fat effectively. After the creator released 14 Day Rapid Fat Loss Plan, he has received a lot of good comments from clients regarding their success with this method. The site hynguyenblog.com tested this method and wrote a complete review.

A full review of 14 Day Rapid Fat Loss Plan on the site hynguyenblog.com shows that this is a revolutionary program that can help people melt fat away. This weight loss method reveals to users useful tips and powerful techniques to improve their metabolism and burn their unwanted fat whereas they still enjoy their favorite foods. Additionally, users will discover simple-15 minute exercises that focus on losing fat from the belly. When people buy this method, they will receive helpful bonuses that assist them in the weight loss process. These bonuses are 14 Super Sneaky Fat Loss Tricks book, the 14 Day Fat Loss Fast Start Guide book, 14 Fat Burning Desserts and more.

Helen from the site hynguyenblog.com states that, "14 Day Rapid Fat Loss Plan is suitable for anyone to follow. This weight loss program does not use drugs or pills that have side effects. Thanks to this method, people can lose their body fat and save their time and money. In particular, this program gives users a 60-day money back guarantee in case they are not comfortable with the result."

http://tinyurl.com/ka7ddxt

Want to go to war on your weight? Try the ration book diet: Mother of three lost nearly six stone

Carolyn’s interest was more than merely academic. A history buff, she had been cooking ration recipes for fun for many years, and knew that the frugal wartime regime had actually left the population healthier — despite the food shortages — than it had ever been before.

• 
• Carolyn Ekins had tried Slimfast, Weight Watchers and Slimming World
• But WWII diet was first success for 25st history buff from Nottingham
• She ate 'apricot' tart made with carrots and Lord Woolton's rolled oats pie

By LYDIA SLATER

Carolyn Ekins recalls the day her mother-in-law revealed the highlight of  her wartime childhood. ‘The weekly treat for her and her sister was sharing one fried egg,’ she says. ‘I thought: “Wow, how did you cope?” ’

‘There was a huge team of people at the Ministry of Health during the war working on healthy recipes that contained loads of vegetables,’ she says. 

‘That’s what really captured my imagination that you could live on a lot less and feel good on it. It struck me that living on Forties rations might be an interesting way to lose weight and save money.’

The social media administrator from Nottingham had fought a losing battle with her weight for many years. At her heaviest, she tipped the scales at almost 25st.

‘Everyone has a crutch they can rely on and mine has been food,’ she says. ‘I’m an emotional eater.’

A series of family traumas, including separation from her husband, had led her eating habits to spiral out of control until she worried for her own wellbeing.

‘I had a racing pulse, I was sweating, my back was hurting,’ she says. And as a single mother to three children, Jess, now 25, Josh, 21, and Emily, 16, she felt a responsibility to look after her health.

And so she embarked on a year-long ration diet. The results were extraordinary. In 12 months, Carolyn lost 5st 10 lb, getting her weight down to 15st 9 lb.

Numerous diets had failed her. ‘Slimfast, WeightWatchers, Slimming World, I tried them all,’ she says. ‘I had some success, but none captured my imagination. And I didn’t like relying on processed food full of preservatives.’

So in place of the diet meal replacement bars and milkshakes she had previously relied on, she began to feed herself and her family on mock apricot tart made with carrots and Lord Woolton Pie.

http://tinyurl.com/l3yvxpb

Updated: Thursday, March 27 2014, 04:59 PM EDT CINCINNATI (Liz Bonis) -- A warning if you are trying to lose weight for a wedding.   A new report in the journal "Body Image" found those who try to diet for the big day tend to gain weight rather than lose it.  Researchers recruited more than 340 women who were about a year away from the wedding day. They all said they wanted to lose weight.   They recorded weights internally, a month before the wedding, and six months after it.  Most wanted to drop 20 to 30 pounds.  But researchers found not only did they not drop that weight before the wedding, they instead weighed more six months after the weeding than they did at the beginning of the study. Experts  at the Cleveland Clinic, who also supplied the video, say the pressure of an impending wedding may make it more difficult to manage a weight-loss plan.  If you are thinking of dropping pounds prior to a wedding or another big event it's suggested you don't try and do it on deadline.  Rather focus on changes you can make and keep even after the wedding or event.  Such as better eating changes and fitting in fitness that is realistic for your own busy lifestyle. 

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Burn Fat and Get In Shape For Summer With These Natural Weight Loss Supplements

Michael Healey March 26, 2014-

With bathing suit season right around the corner, Health News Wires recommends two natural fat-burning supplements to lose those last few pounds of stubborn belly fat.

(Newswire.net -- March 26, 2014) Boston, MA -- Summer is less than three months away, now is the time to lose extra weight with exercise and a proper diet.  The natural weight loss and appetite suppressants recommended by Health News Wires may help you break through plateaus and achieve your weight loss goals.

Being overweight, even by a few pounds, increases the risk of several unwanted health conditions, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes and metabolic syndrome.  Engaging in regular, high intensity exercise and eating a diet high in fiber, vegetables, nuts, seeds and lean protein will help lose weight and add fat burning muscles.

People may work hard, losing weight all winter, only to give up when they struggle to burn the last couple pounds of unwanted belly fat.  Rather than quit in frustration, a natural weight loss and appetite suppressing supplement could be the key to burning the last couple pounds of fat.

http://tinyurl.com/mdlla32

The real reason you can't stick to a diet? Guess what ... it's you

An author and commentator argues that something is missing from a list of people who could "wreck your diet."

The article from Health.com doesn't mention that you could be the reason you are wrecking your diet. Instead, Health.com says it could be a best friend, a food critic, or even a cake-baking coworker.

Julie Gunlock, director of the Culture of Alarmism Project at the Independent Women's Forum, responds tongue-in-cheek: "Isn't this kind of this website, Health.com, to offer us 11 reasons why our diet hasn't worked – rather than the real reason, [which] is you don't have enough self-control and ability to stick to your diet?"

Gunlock says when it comes to dieting everyone has good days and bad days – but that these kinds of articles are "designed to relieve you of personal responsibility."

"It's not your fault, it's the insecure spouse, they say; the food critic, the sports fan, the workout partner, the easily insulted family member," she comments to OneNewsNow. "[Granted], it doesn't help you to hang out with people who are constantly ordering the double burger and fries at lunch; but again, people know that if you want to stick to a good diet, you need to get moderate exercise and eat right." -


http://tinyurl.com/o84h76q

George Stella Releases THE COMPLETE LOW-CARB COOKBOOK

By this point in the new year, many who resolved to lose weight have already begun sliding into their old ways. Instead of dieting, those who make lifestyle changes have a greater chance of losing weight and keeping it off.

Many have shed pounds with the low-carb diet, but few have motivated so many others to follow in their footsteps as George Stella. George Stella's Food Network television show and five bestselling cookbooks have established him as the leading authority on low-carb cooking.

Utilizing fresh ingredients that anyone can find in their local supermarket, George Stella's recipes are simple to make, but truly satisfying. Stella's amazing weight-loss success, down-to-earth voice, and pension for comfort-foods have put his books at the very top of every health-conscious person's cookbook collection.

In The Complete Low-Carb Cookbook, Stella has compiled a lifetime of expertise into one, easy-to-follow book. Whether you have been living a low-carb lifestyle for years, or are simply looking to eat less processed foods, The Complete Low-Carb Cookbook has over 130 recipes from the basics, to the gourmet. Over 60 full-color photos help you present the food to look as good as it tastes. All recipes are made without any wheat or added sugar, making them gluten-free and great for diabetics as well.

The Complete Low-Carb Cookbook is not just George Stella's best collection of recipes-but his definitive word on low-carb eating. With hundreds of helpful tips, you aren't just following along; you are learning how to use Stella's techniques to reinvent any of your own recipes without the use of processed foods. You are also learning how these techniques helped his family lose over 560 pounds!

The Complete Low Carb Cookbook will be launched on QVC today, March 26, 2014. Readers will enjoy full-color photographs of many recipes in the cookbook, and they will have access to the same strategies that helped Stella shed 265 pounds and keep the pounds off.

http://tinyurl.com/lsekd6m

The Process, Part 10: When Losing Weight Definitely Is Not A Good Thing

I was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes almost exactly one year before dermatologist #2 told me I had Merkel cell carcinoma.

I didn't think I was heavy, but one of the first things my internist said when I found out I had diabetes was that I needed to lose weight.

He asked for 10 pounds so I, of course, lost 28.

How? I simply ate less and exercised more. And I got on the scale every morning to see how I was doing.

This is not what the weight loss professionals tell you to do. But the professionals typically deal with a... well... typical rather than an excessively compulsive patient like me. (He doesn't use those exact words, but that's my internist's characterization, although I really can't argue with it very much).

Honestly, getting on the scale and noting the steadily declining number was fun to see while I was losing the 28 pounds, made me think I was getting better and provided daily data-driven reinforcement that I had taken control of the situation. The best way to explain this is something my Washington, D.C. friends will readily understand: It was like running for office and getting daily tracking poll results each morning that show you're doing well.

My weight loss was a source of pride and a topic of conversation each day with my trainer and my beautiful and talented wife (The BTW). It also didn't hurt that I looked great. In fact, I hadn't weighed that little since I was in my early 30s and running 10K races once a month.

Unfortunately, my experience successfully losing weight to deal with diabetes is making not losing it now to deal with cancer much more difficult.

Here's the problem: I'm not supposed to lose weight, or at least not much weight. The concern from all my oncologists, my internist and my dietician is that the combination of two of the side effects of The Process -- losing my sense of taste and having trouble swallowing -- will mean that I just won't eat much. That will make it impossible for my body to get the nutrition it needs to deal with the radiation.

Over the past year, I've put back about 10 of the 28 pounds I lost in connection with diabetes and I wouldn't mind if I lost that again now. That makes getting on the scale and seeing the number fall during The Process a positive.

But Team Stan doesn't want me losing too much too fast, and that makes getting on the scale and seeing the number fall a negative.

Any accelerating weight loss that before The Process began would have been a good thing now has to be monitored closely and slowed.

It would be great if I could re-lose the weight I gained over the past year and then not lose any more. But it's far more likely that the weight loss will continue after I reach my personal goal of 7-9 pounds unless I eat more. And, as I explained in Part 9, eating just isn't much fun when you can't taste anything.All this means that I'll somehow have to find an alternative for the less positive reinforcement I'm going to get when I step on the scale each morning. Telling myself that it will be better for me in the long run not to lose as much as I can is going to be a difficult sell, given how up to now the lower numbers on the scale has always been the goal.

It's this kind of situation that often makes The Process so difficult: I have to reprogram myself to do some basic things very differently than I've done them over most of my life.

I now have to force myself to eat food that doesn't taste good and to eat as much of it as I can. Not losing weight is a positive rather than a negative. Eating lots of nibbles -- noshing -- all day and night is what I should do, even though I've always been told the opposite.

So far the weight situation has been hard. Having clothes that fit well (or are even a little loose) still makes me smile, even if that's not the way I should be thinking right now.

tinyurl.com/k22cqty

How can I lose the fat around my belly?

KARL HENRY – PUBLISHED 24 MARCH 2014 02:30 AM

I've been dieting the last six months and lost two stone. I'm now eight stone and 5ft 3in. I'm happy at this weight. The problem is, I still have a pooch belly. I run 10km, three to four times a week, and it takes me one hour.

I then do three sets of 40 sit-ups, front and side planks, five sets each, and then dumbbell exercises.I do feel toned under the fat around my belly but I've had two children, 3 and 10 months, maybe that has stretched things.

Karl says: Firstly well done on your weight loss, that's serious hard work to lose that weight. It can be hard to know without information on how you lost it in terms of food but I still think I can give you some recommendations that will help.

Firstly, sit-ups etc won't have any effect on your pooch belly. They simply strengthen the muscles below, the layer of skin or fat on top isn't affected at all.

You're basically looking to reduce your body fat and to do this you need to ensure that you have a full body exercise routine, working all the muscle groups all around the body.

By doing this you will increase the lean tissue all around the body, increase your metabolic rate and burn more fat all around the body just to keep the lean tissue there.

Secondly you need to ensure that you are eating a clean diet, with all the food groups and reduce your sugar content. Link this with a protein intake of 1.5g per kilo body weight, so around 75 grams of protein per day.

Thirdly you need to shake up your runs and work harder in them.

Aim to run a faster 10k, maybe doing intervals and more races to ensure that you work harder in them.

These recommendations should make a big difference for you.

As you have got quite fit, now it's time to take it up a notch!

Any motivation tips for staying on the paleo diet?

Q: I've been on the paleo diet on and off for a while. I lose weight, feel great but end up putting back on all the weight and more. I was wondering had you any tips on how to stay motivated or ways to stay with the paleo?

Karl says: Any diet that you find hard to sustain will generally mean that you yoyo in terms of weight and inches, I'm afraid.

Especially if it is quite different to what you normally eat as you are forcing yourself to give up your favourite foods etc and eventually you binge on those foods, putting the weight back on and more which can be so frustrating.

http://tinyurl.com/l3onxab

Six Health And Wellness Tips From A Two-Time Olympian

U.S. Snowboarder Elena Hight's Advice Includes Meditating, Practicing Yoga, Going Outdoors, Eating Fresh Produce and Soaking

CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 24, 2014

CHARLOTTE, N.C., March 24, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- It can be difficult to make changes that improve your health, your diet and your fitness, but two-time Olympian Elena Hight has some smart suggestions. The snowboarder's tips include meditating for a few minutes each day, practicing yoga, going outdoors, eating fresh produce and soaking in Epsom salt.
"A lot of people are overwhelmed by healthy living, because they don't know where to start," Hight said. "Simplifying it really helps."
Hight, 24, has competed in the 2010 and 2006 Olympics in snowboard halfpipe, and she's been accomplishing the unprecedented since she was a kid. At age 13, for instance, she became the first woman in a competition to land a 900 – the equivalent of 2.5 complete rotations. At last year's X Games in Aspen, Colo., Hight also became the first snowboarder to land a double backside alley-oop rodeo in a halfpipe competition.
One of Hight's tips: adding two or three cups of Epsom salt to a bath and soaking for 15 to 25 minutes.
"It's such an easy go-to when you have sore muscles or after a hard fall," said Hight, whose workout regimen earned her a place in ESPN The Magazine's 2013 Body Issue. "It relaxes my muscles and rejuvenates me."
As part of her beauty routine, Hight also mixes Epsom salt with coconut oil or another essential oil for a body scrub.
"I just find it really hydrating, and a great exfoliant," Hight said. "I spend a lot of time in the wind and outdoor elements, and I get a lot of dry skin. This helps slough it off.
"Epsom salt is one of those great things you can find anywhere – any grocery, any pharmacy."
Other tips from Hight:

• Cook with organic, local foods, use fresh produce and free-range, organic meat and eggs. "I try to bring out the best in foods and not try to cover them up."
• Meditate for at least 10 minutes every day to help stay calm and focused.
• Do yoga for benefits similar to meditation. Newcomers should try different studios near their homes to find where they'll be most comfortable.
• Going outdoors and making fitness fun. "As long as you're enjoying yourself, you'll want to go out there and be active."
• Buy beauty products that are made without any animal-cruelty. Many products advertise this on the package, or there's a list kept by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), http://features.peta.org/cruelty-free-company-search/index.aspx.

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How to Lose Weight for Your Wedding (Or Any Other Special Occasion

There is a massive gulf between what I know about food, nutrition and exercise now, and three years ago. And evidence of this is in the photos from my wedding day.

Everyone says I look nice, but I can't get past my round face, the bat-wing fat near my armpits and the decidedly un-toned (I think that's a word) look of my arms.

I'm not a self-hater - it's just that I think I look infinitely better now (which is a nice thought to have in my 30s) than I did in those photos, and all of this is down to the right combination of exercise and nutrition.

However - disclaimer alert - I'm not a personal trainer or a nutritionist (although this knowledge has come by talking to many of them and trying their services out), so you may disagree.

We've all got something we like to get in shape for - whether it's our own wedding, a friend's wedding or more commonly - a holiday.

I hate phrases like wedding diet and bikini fit, because they imply a burst of discipline and stricture that just isn't sustainable after the event takes place. Worse, you may find that it doesn't give you the results you wanted.

So this is a short guide to what worked for me, and what has sustained.

Don't fall into the gym trap of eating what you want

This is maths you can't argue with, unfortunately, but 80% of weight loss is to do with what you eat. I was one of those women that fell into the trap of thinking going to the gym gave me carte blanche to eat what I wanted because I needed 'energy'.

Rather than creating a calorie deficit, which is necessary to lose weight, I kept plateauing and not understanding why.

If you're not losing weight, I guarantee you the answer is in your diet - I've always been in serious denial about this, but the only time I've ever managed to look better is when I've cut out the crap - so lowered the amount of alcohol, stayed off the choc and took smaller portions.

Portion sizes

Which brings us onto portion sizes. I have only figured out that I've been eating way too much over the last two years. I've gradually managed to cut them down - and here's the important bit - without feeling hungry by the end of it. I can't stand feeling hungry, which is why I'd never be able to stick to a strict diet plan.

What has changed though is that when I get up for a snack or something to eat, I do this (really silly but effective) thing where I check in with my tummy. "Are you hungry?" I ask. And if the answer is no, then I make a tea or just have a walk around because half the time, I'm eating out of boredom.

My advice is the next time you eat, do it mindfully. After each bite check in with your tummy and soon enough, you'll reach a natural place of rest where you'll know how happy you are with what you have eaten.

Reduce your simple carbs

I tried doing a low carb diet, but when I realised this meant giving up lentils, beans and certain fruit, it just didn't feel right to me. However, I have noticed a huge difference since giving up simple carbs - so this is bread, pasta - the usual culprits.

The easiest way to do this is to stop having cereal and/or toast in the morning. Also reduce the number of bananas you have - they are handy if eaten before a run or big workout, but they have carbs and a lot of sugar, so they will cause your blood sugar to spike pretty much in a similar way to a chocolate biscuit.

The calories we get from carbs like bread and cereal converts into pure energy, unlike an avocado, or smoked salmon, which may seem higher in calories, but is actually used more effectively by your body. If you're eating a big bowl of cereal and then plonking yourself in your chair at work - where is all that energy going to go? In your fat cells, that's where.

I found it helpful to have pure protein for breakfast, some carbs (in the form of lentils) in a big salad at lunch, saving my reward for dinner. I've since swapped white rice for brown, and hardly eat toast unless I have to. My replacement for pasta/bread/rice however is quinoa, which is packed with protein and other nutrients, is wheat-free and you can buy it in a bag from the supermarket and zap in the microwave. I then add a squeeze of lemon juice, mint, peppers and cucumber.

You are what you treat

Treats are great - in fact, a brilliant feature in Women's Health this month shows how treats actually creates a more sustainable way of healthy eating.

But if you're like me, the treats creep up, so what works for me is keeping a diary of what I'm eating (when I'm in weight loss mode) or using a calorie app like MyFitnessPal and making sure I only eat out once a week because I literally have no willpower when I'm eating out.

Also a no-brainer - don't keep any chocolate or crisps in the house and bollock your partner if he brings it in.

Exercise - what to do

The general rule of thumb is a minimum of three sessions a week, all should include cardio and two should also include weights.

I tend to store fat around my tummy and under my chin, and what I found worked for me was a combination of running (outdoors if you can) and high intensity interval training. The latter is basically when you run and jump around like a mad bastard and then take a short break, and then begin it all over again. This is genius for burning through body fat and I've found it makes the biggest difference.

Weights are also imperative if you want a nice strong shape, and they help you burn fat long after you've finished.

Check in with a personal trainer

The biggest thing that stopped me from getting a personal trainer was the cost. I just couldn't really justify it on top of a gym membership.

But in the long run, paying for a personal trainer for one month actually set me up to work out on my own for a long while. I learned how to hold stances correctly so I didn't injure myself, and the shame of having to step on the scales and see whether my body fat had gone up was a good preventative.

Lastly...

I swear by the Nike Training App, which is geared towards women. It has many sequences of exercises on your phone from 15-minute focus segments to 45-minute workouts, and when I'm too lazy to go to the gym or if the weather is dire, I just put it on and work out at home. It's also great if you travel for work loads.

 

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