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March10th

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Slow And Steady Wins The Race

Posted in: Healthy Lifestyles, Natural Weight Loss

In an era where weight losses are tracked weekly in reality shows like The Biggest Loser, it can be easy to think that losing 5-10 pounds in a pinch is the norm. These expectations are unrealistic and can lead you to regard diets that don’t achieve this as ineffective. Temper your expectations and you will find that the results can be just as good, if not better.

Health experts cite 1-2 pounds lost per week as a realistic target. Research shows that weight loss is easier when you start that diet or exercise regimen before it plateaus and weight loss becomes that much harder. This is the period when only your will and dedication can lead to good results. Remember that the formula for losing weight is simple: you need to expend more calories than you consume. Every successful diet or exercise plan either helps you expends more calories or makes you cut down on calories consumed. The key is staying focused and motivated enough to continue with the program.

The good news is that it gets easier the more you get used to your diet and exercise programs. A decrease in overall body weight also decreases the body’s energy requirements. This means that you need to consume less food that when you initially started losing weight. Exercise is also something that you will grow accustomed to. Exercising for a sufficient amount of time releases pleasure-inducing chemicals that make you feel better as you are exercising. That should be enough motivation to start exercising!

All else fails, just remember the basic formula that every dieter should start from: expend calories, consume less calories. Eat well, exercise enough, and the results should be there.
March8th

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Sophia Bush Boxing-Cardio Regimen

Posted in: Celebrity Fitness, Celebrity Weight Loss

Sophia Bush sees herself as a role model for teenage girls everywhere. The actress is most known from her role in the CW series One Tree Hill – a show that skews to a large teenage girl demographic. Bush is not a fan of crazy weight loss methods and instead focuses on living a healthy lifestyle. That healthy lifestyle is achieved through one of her passions – Boxing!

Bush and her personal trainers Jason Walsh and Harley Pasternak work together around four times a week. The boxing exercise reigmen is composed of exercises such as heavy-bag training. The heavy bag is of course one of the major tools used by boxers in preparation for fights to develop punching power. It is a stuffed bag weighing between 40 to 100 pounds. The weight makes punching the bag a very strenuous exercise!

It’s not all about punching, though. Footwork is a critical component to any boxer’s arsenal. It allows the boxer to evade punches and get into position to deliver a punishing blow. Circling the heavy bag while delivering a combination of punches will develop that skill. For regular joes, it serves as a great full-body cardiovascular exercise. Coordination and core stability are also developed.

Perhaps another benefit to punching a heavy bag is the opportunity to unload some stress! After a taxing day at the office, it might just be time to unwind by unloading all the pressure you’ve accumulated on a willing target in the heavy bag. Just remember to observe proper technique and safety precautions. Warm up with light punches before going all out. Punching too hard too much will lead to hand injuries!

It is also a good idea to enlist the help of trainers just at Bush does. They will show the proper form and technique to achieve maximum results. Punching with the proper form minimizes the risk for injury and also aids in developing coordination. You’ll be floating like a butterfly and stinging like a bee in no time at all!
March5th

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Sophie Dahl Channels Her Ancestors

Posted in: Celebrity Weight Loss

Sophie Dahl comes from a family of celebrities with renowned author and grandad Roald Dahl being the most famous. Sophie herself is a regular contributor to Vogue and Food Illustrated in addition to being a model. She is noted for being one of the first models who have railed against the need for ultra-thin models. “Starving is not sexy,” says Dahl before listing the myriad of health complications that may arise from it.

Dahl has had many experiences when it comes to food, and she has shared it with us in her book Miss Dahl’s Voluptuous Delights. This collection of 100 recipes is intended to serve as a helpful resource on eating healthy while indulging in some delicious cuisine. Drawing from recipes learned from her family and her own misadventures, Dahl pens a wonderfully whimsical compendium of recipes and the stories that go along with it.

Check out some of the recipes found in the cookbook: Grandma Gee-Gee’s Ginger Parkin, Dad’s Chicken Curry, Coconut Curry with Prawns, and Chocolate Chestnut Souffle. The recipes are divided into season so there should be something appropriate no matter the time of year.

The book is loads of fun, and it should be given that the book was conceived by Sophie after having nightmares about food. One of her nightmares involved being chased through a forest by men made of mashed potatos in striped thights, she describes in an interview with the New York Post. You can expect the same kind of creative delights in the book itself.
March3rd

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Disputing Conventional Obesity Theory

Posted in: Diet Plans That Work

The formula for weight loss is simple: expend more calories than you consume. But for those struggling with obesity, it might not be so simple. Dr. George Schauf challenges conventional thinking when it comes to fighting against overweight problems in his book, The Calorie Conspiracy. This self-described “part-expose, part self-helf book” introduces a concept that seeks to provide a viable long-term alternative to traditional caloric theory.

According to Dr. Schauf and the scientific evidence he has studied, combating obesity is more than just counting calories or using up more calories than you consume in a day. His technique called QQF stands for quality, quantity, and frequency. Dr. Schauf argues that what you eat, how much of it you eat, and how often you eat it has major effects in your ability to lose weight. His book is an attempt to improve the rising obesity rates in the nation.

The book also discusses how improper weight loss diets can have adverse effects on the amount of vital tissue in the body. Another topic of discussion is the Never After Breakfast Theory. All in all, this book seeks to challenge the conventional weight loss methods that are predominant in the market today. If you want to read about something new, this book can help you do just that.
March1st

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Leona Lewis Detoxifies

Posted in: Celebrity Dieting, Celebrity Weight Loss

English pop singer Leona Lewis has made quite a name for herself after becoming a multi-platinum selling artist and Grammy nominee. Lewis is also a strong advocate for protecting animals as she supports the World Society for the Protection for Animals in addition to being a vegetarian. She was selected as PETA’s 2008 Person of the Year.

You might think that the pressures of superstardom has gotten to Lewis, but she disputes that. In a time where celebrities are taken to task for even the slightest flaw in their looks, Lewis says that she puts pressure on herself to stay healthy and eat well. You won’t see anyone pressuring her to stay slim, that’s for sure.

Lewis tried to detoxify one summer and the results were very positive. She went from a size 14 to a size 10. She ate mostly vegetables and made it a point to avoid processed food of any kind. As part of the detoxification process, Lewis also made sure to drink plenty of water to flush toxins out.

One of the disadvantages of processed food is that it sometimes strips vital vitamins and minerals as it is processed. Vitamin C is destroyed by heat, so processed fruit sometimes have lower vitamin C than fresh produce.

Additives, flavorings, and preservatives also have their drawbacks. They have little to no nutritional value as they only serve to prolong the shelf life of the product. Even more dangerous is the use of substitute ingredients. These low cost alternatives to natural ingredients have many health risks associated with them. The cheaper price and lack of information on the part of the consumers are reasons as to why they are still widely used.

Processed food also contains more calories over nutrients than other foods. This has popularized the term “junk food” because of the empty calories gained from eating such foods.

In short, always be on the lookout for fresh produce. It may be a bit costlier, but the benefits to your health and fitness are immense.
February26th

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Uma Thurman’s Martial Arts Training

Posted in: Celebrity Fitness, Celebrity Weight Loss

The Kill Bill movie series solidified Uma Thurman’s appeal as a badass femme fatale, and it helped her shed her post-pregnancy weight as well. Thurman became pregnant during filming and director Quentin Tarantino was adamant that she remain the lead character as it was written specifically for her. A combination of martial arts and swordsmanship training allowed Thurman to prepare for the role and regain her pre-pregnancy form.

The high energy workouts afforded by the training allowed Thurman to lose around 25 pounds in 6 weeks. Thurman also participates in other types of training sessions, Wushu, yoga, pilates, and outdoor sports.

Martial arts is a serious discipline. It is not only physically demanding, but it also trains your mind to be mentally stronger. Discipline is instilled in every student, and that can greatly help in your weight efforts. After all, controlling your portions and finding the energy to exercise are some of the most common stumbling blocks to weight loss. Being in the right frame of mind can make controlling your decisions much easier.

Another benefit of martial arts training is that it improves your cardiovascular fitness and endurance. This means that it becomes easier to exercise the next time around. You’ll get tired less often, leaving you with enough energy to do your everyday tasks to your maximum potential. Flexibility is also improved as that is a major component of most any martial arts discipline.

This type of training has become ubiquitous in recent times. There are many training dojos around the country, and, if working out at home is more your thing, there are plenty of martial arts training videos available on DVD. This type of exercise is also relatively inexpensive compared to hiring a personal trainer or enrolling in a gym. This makes it easier for you to give it a try!
February24th

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Staying Healthy Starts Young

Posted in: Healthy Lifestyles

When it comes to raising children, staying on top of every little thing can often be very exhausting. And yet parents still go the extra mile for their children because they know how important it is to monitor their children.

Statistics show that the rate of obese children and teenagers are at a higher level compared to years past. A new study conducted at the Eastern Virginia Medical School indicates that chubby babies, despite looking healthy, have increased chances of growing up to be obese. Health complications, such as diabetes, high blood cholesterol, and elevated cholesterol are also concerns.

The testing consisted of 111 children with higher than average body mass index. Researchers observed these children to gain weight during infancy at an excess rate per month when compared to the average rate. This started when the children were 3 months old. The results also show that 50% became overweight by age 2, and 90% became overweight by age 5.

Lead researcher Dr. John Harrington says that it might be time for physicians everywhere to reevaluate how to handle the diets of children even at a young age. Parents and physicians need to start combating excess weight gain at a young age to prevent it from steamrolling into something that becomes a lot more unmanageable after reaching adulthood.

A health observer also remarked that medical schools should consider the possibility of increasing awareness and information regarding diet and nutrition to aid parents and physicians ample means to combat obesity.
February22nd

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Victoria Beckham’s Japanese Diet

Posted in: Celebrity Dieting, Celebrity Weight Loss

Victoria Beckham always manages to look slim, and the former Spice Girl attributes her trim figure to eating healthily. Beckham is a big fan of Japanese cuisine which typically includes foods such as rice, fish, fruit, vegetables, and soy. Tea is also a major component of the average Japanese diet. The city of Okinawa in Japan has one of the best longevity rates in the world, and you can be sure that the cuisine helps with that.

One of Beckham’s favorites is edamame beans. This soybean is fast gaining popularity due to its many health benefits. The United States Department of Agriculture calls edamame beans “a snack with a nutritional punch”. Edamame is a type of soybean. It contains loads of protein and omega-3 fatty acids. This ensures that your body gets a healthy amount of protein and fat in your daily diet. Edamame also has a slight laxative effect, and this is a common traditional remedy in some parts of Asia. Soya products also help reduce the risk of stomach, colon, and prostate cancer.

The beans can be eaten as a whole. Another popular way is to use them as a dip. The Oriental section of your local supermarket usually has this in supply. Beckham always orders a bowl when dining at London’s number one Japanese restaurant, Nobu.

Seaweed shakes are also a part of Beckham’s diet. It is packed with vitamins and nutrients and also acts as a detoxification agent. It even helps you have smoother skin. Miso soup is another traditional Japanese dish, and it contains both tofu and seaweed.

Take note that edamame beans and seaweed shakes need to be supplemented with some carbohydrates. It is always better to have a balanced diet so as to get all the necessary vitamins and minerals in the body. Japanese rice is a nice treat, and sushi is another Japanese dish if you’re looking for carbohydrate sources.
February19th

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The Thermic Effect

Posted in: Guilt Free Food

Simply put, the Thermic Effect refers to the energy used in consuming and digesting food. And in the process of consuming energy, we burn calories. Dietary fat is an example of a food with a low thermic effect. It is processed easily and is quickly stored by the body as body fat. You can see why eating unhealthy fats can lead to weight gain. Not only is it processed quickly, but a gram of fat contains almost twice as much calories as a gram of protein or carbohydrate.

On the other end of the spectrum you have protein. This type of food has a high thermic effect; which is to say that it takes a long time to process it. Carbohydrates, on the other hand, fall somewhere in between fats and proteins. The thermic effect is often computed as 10% of the calories contained in the food consumed.

One of the myths that have arisen because of this is the negative caloric intake of celery. Celery is believed to have a high thermic effect, such that eating one burns more calories than it gives you. Scientific studies, however, have disproved this. Though celery does indeed have a high thermic effect, the human body is a very efficient system. It only needs 10%, as mentioned before, of the caloric intake to process the food.

Still, celery is an example of a low calorie food that can help you diet. It helps keep you full while avoiding too much calorie consumption. Other examples of low calories food include: apples, grapefruit, oranges, broccoli, lettuce, and onions. Basically, most fruit and vegetables.
February18th

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Kylie Minogue’s Glycaemic Diet

Posted in: Celebrity Dieting, Celebrity Weight Loss

Kylie Minogue’s physique has long been the envy of women everywhere. The pop superstar keeps trim by following the Glycaemic Diet, a diet that conforms to the Glycemic Index (GI). This diet actually has a lot of variety. It is composed mostly of foods low on the GI scale, foods such as whole grains and fruits. It also avoids foods high on the GI scale, such as processed carbohydrates.

The Glycemic Index is basically a scale from 1-100 on how fast food is converted into blood sugar. Foods with a low rating is converted into blood sugar slower, and, as a result, helps regulate blood sugar levels. Foods with a high rating tend to cause sugar spikes, something that the body gets used to and causes negative consequences later. Sticking to foods on the lower end of scale ensures that you feel sated longer and this leads to less snacking.

Just a tip to remember: The GI diet is not a short-term diet. It promotes healthy eating that leads to a healthier and fitter you. It also encourages exercise in conjuction with the diet, something that we all need to do anyway.

Here is a brief classification of the GI scale:
1. Low GI – 55 or less – fruit and vegetables, whole grain breads, pasta, milk, yogurt
2. Medium GI – 56-69 – whole wheat, sweet potato, table sugar
3. High GI – 70 or more – corn flakes, baked potato, watermelon, croissant, white bread, white rice

There are many widely available guides on the exact ratings of common foods. Consult them for certainty or if you just want to find out for yourself. Educating yourself is one of the best and easiest things you can do to lose weight!