Weight loss diets

As you get older, controlling your weight and avoiding weight gain are important ways to prevent a host of weight-related health problems.

Indeed, if you are more than 20 pounds over your ideal weight, you are at greater risk weight related and potentially deadly conditions. Such diseases include diabetes, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, endometrial cancer, obstructive sleep apnea, and breast cancer.

What’s more, most people who are overweight tend to avoid exercise, and that avoidance just results to the accumulation of even more pounds. You are even at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease and other health problems, if you have a sedentary lifestyle and are overweight. And, if you already have a medical condition such as high cholesterol, being overweight puts you at higher risk for complications.

Luckily, studies show that even modest amounts of weight loss can improve your health significantly. For example the loss of 10% of body weight can significantly reduce blood pressure, high cholesterol, triglyceride, and high blood sugar levels.

Today, there are many techniques that can be applied to help people loss weight effectively. One of the known procedures in losing weight is through hypnosis.

However, the use of hypnosis or hypnotherapy in losing weight has wrought many misconceptions as regards both technique and effectiveness. And because it does not involve drugs or any kinds of medications and surgery, many people tend to think that losing weight through hypnosis seems to be one of the safest weight loss programs.

Below are some facts that will help you know more about hypnosis and its effects on losing weight to give you an insight about what it can do to your body weight.

Hypnosis required that it is conducted by highly trained professionals who understand the real concepts of hypnosis. It can be a serious risk if not done properly.

Even if many people tend to think that hypnosis will not pose imminent danger to their health, still, it is important to know that the person who will do the procedure is skilled enough. He or she should know what factors to consider before doing the procedures.

Hypnosis is a means of getting into the subliminal state of a person. When an individual is on the “hypnotic stage” the body tends to be more responsive to suggestibility because of its intensified state of concentration.

However, unlike what is widely believed, this does not necessarily mean that through hypnosis, one can already “reprogram” the mind of an individual.

Obviously then, hypnosis by itself does not eliminate excess fat from the body and, therefore, make you lose weight.

Infact most health experts contend that hypnosis should only be a part of a whole assimilated process. It should never be used as the sole the weight loss procedure.

Moreover, one session of hypnosis will at best just have very minimal results on an individual’s weight. But when hypnosis for weight loss is matched with psychotherapy it will tend to be more effective than hypnotherapy by itself. Keep in mind that hypnosis is simply a state of deeply relaxing the mind, in which one can still be in control of his or her own body.

Though considered paranormal and magical in its upshots by some, in reality, hypnosis can only run the range from trouble-free relaxation condition to proper initiation managed by a professional hypnotist.

Boiled down, people should be more aware that hypnosis is not a sole effective process in losing weight. It is more of a facilitator of various treatment techniques. It in some way assists you to accept treatment and changes that then lead to weight loss.

In this manner, people will be able to lose more weight with a more relaxed, refreshed and an accepting state of mind. As such, it should be combined with other weight loss management program to be effective in making people lose excess weight.

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We all know children are increasingly facing the need to diet and follow weight loss programs. Like their parents, young people are taking in too many calories and failing to get as much exercise as they require for optimum health. The proof is in the pudding, as they saying goes.

While North American children lead the way in packing on the poundage, they are hardly alone. A recent study in England by the government-backed National Child Measurement Programme found that, at the time they enter primary school, about 23 per cent of British children are either overweight or obese. By the time these children complete primary school, nearly 32 per cent are overweight or obese.

Interestingly, this weight gain among children is occurring even though the schools are significantly increasing the average amount of exercise time available per week during classroom hours. In 2002, less than 25 per cent of British students aged five to 16 received two hours of exercise weekly. Now, following a ramping up of the school exercise program, the figure has risen to about 85 per cent.

What the heck ate the kids doing?

This raises the question — what the heck are the kids doing? As it turns out, not all of them use the time available to them to work up a sweat. The issue, according to the Guardian, is one of motivation. Kids who aren’t into sports and exercise don’t feel inspired to get active simply because somebody tells them to.

A study by researchers at the State University of New York at Albany looked into the motivations of middle school students for pursuing, or not, regular exercise. They found that one of the factors influencing motivation was ability. Those who felt they weren’t skilled at sports were less likely to be motivated by personal enjoyment than those who were more athletic.

Clearly, parents of children who are not athletically inclined have an additional challenge on their hands in keeping them active and their weight down. One solution is to look for ways to incorporate exercise and physical activity into family life. Try buying bikes for mom, dad and the children and going on regular family excursions. Another tactic is to turn trips to the store for things like groceries into occasions for family walks. Walking to school, rather than catching a ride, is also good form exercise and helps develop healthy habits.

Encouraging abilities builds confidence

Every child has an aptitude for some form of sports or physical exercise. Encouraging these abilities will build confidence that could lead to self-generated motivation. Look for opportunities to foster positive feelings about exercise. You never know: a positive attitude about one form of exercise could lead to a wider interest in being active and staying fit.

For children that have put on weight and won’t engage meaningfully in exercise, formal dieting and weight loss efforts could be required. But it would be much better if the child were to develop a personal interest in physical activity, and then keep the weight off through healthy lifestyle choices.

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Did you know that the end result of all carbohydrates broken down by the body is glucose, also called blood sugar.So whether it’s a spoon of sugar, a piece of bread, or some broccoli, the body breaks each down to use at its main fuel source, blood sugar. So there is no question that the body needs carbs to operate.

But where should those carbs come from?
There are simple carbohydrates like fruit, syrup, and sugar and there are complex carbohydrates like bread, pasta, potatoes, and oatmeal.
The difference between simple and complex carbohydrates is the speed at which the body breaks them down to utilize as glucose.
Simple carbohydrates like table sugar and fruit are converted more rapidly for a quick energy boost. They create a quick boost of energy followed by a rapid
decline, almost like a “crash”.
Complex carbohydrates take longer to break down and offer a more sustained supply of energy for the body. So complex carbohydrates should be your main choice for energy for that precise reason.

Which foods should you consume for your complex carbs?
Well, if you want a quick way to drop fat weight, switch from starchy carbohydrates like bread, pasta, and rice to more fibrous, leafy ones like vegetables.
When I was getting ready for my bodybuilding show in which I lost almost 40 pounds in 9 weeks, I replaced my starchy
carbohydrates with more vegetables and fibrous carbohydrates.
The reason being, starchy carbohydrates like bread and pasta are more calorie dense than are vegetables like broccoli or green beans.
Weight (fat) loss comes from getting rid of excess calories, to create a deficit in calories so that your body must dip into stored body fat for energy.
When you begin to continuously create a calorie deficit, your body continuously will attack fat stores for needed energy and this is how weight loss (fat loss) occurs.
So what we want to do is cut out calories anywhere we can to increase the chances of creating a deficit of calories.
For effective fat loss, I feel it is important to choose those foods that offer high volume but low calories. This way you do not feel deprived, you’re still eating a lot of food, you’re just not getting a lot of calories in return.

Vegetables offer this luxury.
You can eat a lot in volume, but do not get a lot of calories in return, unless you deep fry them or drown them in butter, which I do not recommend.
This high volume, low calorie luxury is not true with starchy carbohydrates. A small serving of starchy carbs is still high in calories.
For example, a 1/4-cup of rice has approximately 150 calories. A 1/2-cup of oatmeal has about the same amount of calories, 150.
However, you can eat an entire box package of broccoli and have fewer calories than that. Or almost an entire bag of raw baby carrots.
Also, eating fibrous vegetables causes your body to work harder at breaking down these foods and metabolizing them.
What that means is, you almost burn off more calories digesting them than what you’re taking in by eating them!

Now, I know what you are thinking, I love my bread and I’m not getting rid of it. I absolutely agree, do not get rid of your breads, pasta, rice, and oatmeal.

But do moderate it, reduce the amount of each serving and instead, replace the smaller serving with more vegetables.
It all points back to what causes weight gain. Excess calories.
Starchy carbohydrates will give you more calories than vegetables.

So from a fat loss perspective, choose the carbohydrate that offers the lower calorie amount and larger volume–veggies.

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FDA Bans Drugs Containing Ephedra Due to Health Risks

Ephedra is a naturally occurring substance derived from the Asian supplement Ma Huang and is also known as Ephedrine, Pseudoephedrine, and Epitonin. Its principal active ingredient is Ephedrine, a drug that is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and found in over-the-counter asthma medications.

While products containing natural Ephedrine alkaloids have long been used to treat certain respiratory symptoms in traditional Chinese medicine, in recent years Ephedra has been extensively promoted as a stimulant that aids in weight loss, enhanced athletic performance and an increase in energy levels. Ephedra is now a household name and is primarily found in various over the counter diet pills.

Originally, the FDA could not regulate the production and distribution of Ephedra because it is a dietary supplement protected under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHE). According to the FDA, under this Act, the manufacturer of the dietary supplement is responsible for ensuring that it is safe before it is marketed to the public.

The FDA is responsible for taking action against any unsafe dietary supplement product after it reaches the market. As such, most manufacturers are not required to register their products with the FDA, nor must they get FDA approval, before producing or selling dietary supplements. The burden of proof lies on the shoulders of the manufacturers, and they are required to make sure that product label information is truthful and not misleading.

Despite the limitations the DSHE Act imposed upon the FDA to act as an agent of change, the FDA issued numerous warnings beginning in the early 1990’s detailing the health risks to consumers of products containing Ephedra.

Since the FDA was not able to regulate ephedra effectively until after millions of Americans had already consumed the stimulant, many consumers are unaware that suppliers of products containing the drug were able to make health and weight loss claims about these substances without a scientific basis. These suppliers also neglected to disclose the harmful and potentially deadly side effects of the products.

In 1994, the FDA began receiving many reports regarding the side effects of products containing Ephedra. While Ephedra-containing products account for less than one percent of all dietary supplement sales, the drug accounts for an alarming 64 percent of adverse events associated with dietary supplements.

Between 1994 – 2002, the FDA received more than 800 reports of adverse effects from Ephedra and Ephedrine alkaloids. These included but are not limited to:

* High blood pressure.

* Heart rate irregularities.

* Insomnia, nervousness.

* Tremors.

* Seizures.

* Heart attacks.

* Strokes.

* Brain hemorrhages.

* Death.

Ephedra’s effects are similar to that of adrenaline and it affects the central nervous system. Ephedra acts as a stimulant and it can cause rapid or irregular heartbeats, chest pain, psychosis and tremors. Ephedra dilates the bronchial muscles, contracts nasal mucosa, raises blood pressure, and is a cardiac stimulant. Complications from these adverse effects can result in strokes or heart irregularities that can cause cardiac arrest or death.

New medical research has suggested that ephedra can also cause primary pulmonary hypertension, a disabling and fatal condition of the lung. Reports of these adverse side effects have increased in recent years and include the deaths of a few high profile athletes.
Ephedra is a dangerous and potentially life threatening drug. As such it has become critical to monitor its production, distribution and use.

Perhaps this is why, in 2003 the states of California, Illinois and New York individually took action and banned the use of ephedra products. This in turn encouraged the Federal Government to move more quickly towards a blanket ban on the stimulant.
In December 2003, the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and the FDA announced the intention to ban Ephedra.

The DHHS stated that Ephedra can be linked to numerous health dangers and the FDA then urged consumers to immediately stop consuming products containing the drug. The FDA also strongly encouraged manufacturers to recall products still on the shelves.

Effective April 12, 2004, the FDA banned the sale of all Ephedrine over the counter dietary supplements, having concluded,”the totality of the available data showed little evidence of Ephedra’s effectiveness except for modest, short-term weight loss without any clear health benefit, while confirming that the substance raises blood pressure and otherwise stresses the circulatory system. These effects are linked to significant adverse health outcomes, including heart attack and stroke.”

It is now against the law to purchase or sell all dietary products containing Ephedra. The FDA notified 62 companies that market products containing Ephedra of the ban. Prior to the FDA ban one of the most popular supplements containing Ephedra was Metabolife356, which was manufactured by Metabolife International, Inc.

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