Is Weight Loss Really Easy? Follow These 2 Steps!

Weight loss is neither too easy nor too hard. But yes, it is very simple. You don't need the assistance of fad diets and pills to lose weight. You can get rid of fat by following two simple weight loss steps that I outline in this article:

1. Stay away from fructose corn syrup: Fructose corn syrup should be avoided for two reasons:

1. It will make you gain weight. Fructose-corn syrup blocks the receptors that tell your brain whether you are full or not. When you eat foods that are rich in fructose-corn syrup, you are very likely to overeat and gain some extra pounds!

2. Secondly, they spike up your blood sugar level! Even if you don't suffer from diabetes, you will soon, if you continue to eat foods rich in fructose corn syrup, that is!

Foods such as chips, candies, soda, etc, contain fructose corn syrup. For this reason, hence, these foods should be avoided as much as possible!

2. Small meals are the way to go: People these days devote the least amount of time possible to eating. Most people only have three meals per day, while some even wrap up the day with only two! This is a great way of gaining in inches and pounds. In order to lose weight, you need to eat six small meals per day, instead of three large ones. You can simply split each of your meal into two, and eat each small meal at the regular interval of 3-4 hours.

Eating smaller meals has three major advantages:

1. Since you are eating frequently, you won't feel hungry at odd times. When you don't feel hungry, there is no reason behind eating junk foods!

2. Since you are eating frequently, your body will keep your metabolic rate high at all times!

3. Since you are eating small meals, your blood sugar levels won't spike up to abnormal levels. Thus eating small meals is also good for diabetics!

As you can see, eating small and frequent meals has many advantages!

If you follow the above two instructions, you will soon be on your way to permanent weight loss! There are more to weight loss such as eating right foods, incorporating some physical activities in your lifestyle, etc, but the above two weight loss tips are seldom preached by the so-called 'weight loss experts'!

The Biggest Secret of Successful Weight Loss

When it comes to weight loss, the biggest hurdle that people face is that of getting started. They just don't have any idea of where to start from! If you are one of these people then this article is for you! It doesn't really matter whether you want to lose ten or hundred pounds, the tips I am going to share with you in this article are going to help you anyway!

The first step to successful weight loss is to set some goals. Goals should be used in the same way as milestones are used on highways. Just as without any milestone, you will have no idea of where you are going, without a goal, you will have no idea of how much work you need to do to shed all the extra pounds!

First you should ask yourself some questions:

1. How much weight you want to lose?

2. By when you expect to lose all the weight?

Then write answers to these questions on a sheet of paper. Oh yeah, before I forget, let me tell you that writing your goals is one of the surefire ways of making sure that you never forget them! Write your weight loss goals on a piece of paper, make copies of that paper, and stick each paper on every place you can.

Make sure you don't forget to stick this paper on your refrigerator and kitchen, since it is in these places that the demon called temptation tries to ruin your weight loss efforts!

Setting goals is just not enough; in order to make the goals achievable, you must set REALISTIC goals. If you have a goal of losing sixty pounds within a couple of weeks or a month, that is not going to happen. Setting such unrealistic goals for yourself will nullify the very effect of goal setting.

When you set unrealistic goals and fail to achieve the same, you will be disappointed and frustrated with yourself and your weight loss efforts.

Ideally, no matter what you do, you would be able to lose no more than 1-2 pounds per week. So create your goals accordingly. If you want to lose sixty pounds, it will take you at least six-seven months to achieve the same!

Set small and achievable goals for yourself so that when you achieve them, you will feel more confident to move forward. This is the biggest secret of successful weight loss!

The 2 Things You Should Do To Lose Weight

If you are serious about weight loss, I mean, healthy and permanent weight loss, it is important for you to set realistic goals. Most people have no set goals in mind except that of losing weight very quickly. The quicker they can lose weight, the better. They have no idea of how much time it takes to lose weight healthily.

Diet: These people get attracted to fad diets and weight loss pills that promise the moon. While they end up losing a few pounds, that is not fat loss. With most of the fad diets, you will lose more water and muscles than fat. I am sure you will agree that this is an unhealthy way of losing weight! Moreover, such weight loss is not permanent. Sooner or later you will regain all your 'lost' pounds.

One more thing: your aim shouldn't be to have a body like Jessica Alba or Victoria Beckham; remember that they have money to help them maintain that slim figure, which you probably don't have.

Moreover, you don't need to be like them. To become healthy, all you need is to lose enough weight so that you can reach your ideal body weight! To do that, you won't need to use any fad diets or starve for weeks. All you need to do is to eat right and include the right dose of exercises with it; with this combo, you are sure to lose all those tenacious pounds!

I would suggest that you forget about the word 'dieting' and focus on healthy eating instead! For starters, you can replace fizzy drinks and soda with water; this way, you will be able to quench your thirst without getting any fatter. Some people think that soft drinks that come with the 'low-calorie' tag are okay. However, this is wrong! Low-calorie soft drinks not only taste bad, but being deprived of fructose, they make you crave for sugar.

You should also replace white flour with whole grain wheat. Whole grain wheat contains little fat. Being rich in protein and fiber, it will help you with weight loss!

Exercises: Speaking of exercises, weight training is one of the best exercises for quick weight loss. Contrary to what women think, not only is this exercise not just for men, it also won't take away the femininity of women.

As a matter of fact, if one wants to build huge muscles like bodybuilders, the presence of a hormone called testererone is important, which women don't have. Besides, bodybuilders aren't able to build muscles just by doing exercises. They also use protein shakes, supplements and steroids to acquire the muscular body.

There are many other benefits of exercises than just weight loss. Exercises will make you more energetic; you get this extra energy by burning your fat deposits. Apart from that, you will also be able to sleep more soundly.

Another way you can benefit from exercises is that they help you build strong lean muscles, improve your immune system and stamina. Exercises also help in improving the tone and appearance of skin, something which most women are obsessed with!

10 Tips To Improved Hair Care

Hair care is an important part of looking good and feeling good, both inside and out. There are an endless number of hair care products that promise to shape up, curl, straighten, moisturize and rejuvenate, but what is the best way to maintain healthy hair? Here are 10 tips to get you started.

If you notice split ends, have them trimmed. This will result in healthier hair and a better overall appearance. A trim is relatively inexpensive and should only take a matter of minutes at the local salon.

Use a low to medium heat on your hair dryer. Extreme heat can dry out the hair and cause the frizzies.

Avoid prolonged exposure to the sun, which is not only bad for your skin, but can dry out your hair as well.

Many people suffer from dandruff. If you are one of the many, avoid scratching or rubbing the head as this will promote flaking. Instead, use a shampoo and/or conditioner that is especially designed to treat dandruff and eliminate flaking.

If you have thin hair, add a volumizing shampoo for added body. If you have thick hair, using a healthy shine shampoo will bring out the additional beauty.

Avoid harsh hair care products, which can dry out or damage the hair. In some cases, individuals have even experienced hair loss in using certain at-home perm and/or coloring treatment products. If you want to have this type of treatment done, have it done at the salon.

In choosing a salon, make sure that you opt for one that has been in business for awhile and has a clean, professional workspace.

Ask friends for referrals. If they have used a certain hair care product, which coincides with one that you are searching for, inquire about their experience. The same is true with salons, which are often best recommended by friends and family.

When brushing your hair, use soft strokes rather than those swiped in a hurry. A part of quality hair care is, just as the name implies, caring for your hair.

When using styling products, make sure that they do not overheat prior to using them on your hair. Extreme heat can and will damage the hair, not to mention the discomfort of a burn resulting from an overheated styling product.

The information contained in this article is to be used for reference only. It is not to be used in place of, or in conjunction with, professional hair care advice. Anyone who notices a concerning condition, relating to their hair, should consult a dermatologist for proper diagnosis and/or treatment.

Are The Foods You Eat Putting Your Health at Risk?

Food (and water) is the absolute first thing you need in order to ensure life. Without it you would wither away and die. You need food for its nutrition and for its sustenance. But are the foods you consume today supplying you with good solid nutrition, or are many of them slowly robbing you of your health and taking years from your life?

Here are some things to consider: 

THE HAZARDS OF EATING MEAT 
Eating meat (particularly pork and red meat such as beef) in of itself is unhealthy especially when eaten in too large of quantities. Certain meats, such as beef, can take up to 72 hours to digest completely. Therefore, if you eat meat two or three times a day, you could still be digesting the food you had for breakfast the other day while you are again consuming another round of it.

This explains why many autopsies reveal from 5 to as much as 40 pounds of undigested meat still in the systems of many people!  Now, imagine how unhealthy it becomes if the animal where the meat came from was treated with antibiotics and other artificial health sustainers? These chemicals stay in the meat fibers; and no amount of washing, cooking, or boiling will get rid of them. Do you really want that in your food?

Hence, many people today are immune to antibiotics for humans. They ingest the antibiotics from animals, and the extra strong antibiotics kill both the good and bad bacteria in the human body. The more you eat chemically treated meat, the more you weaken your body’s defense mechanisms. This hazard is aggravated further when the meats are processed with artificial flavors and preservatives.

PRECAUTIONS WHEN CONSUMING FISH
Many “fresh” fish in the market today are loaded with preservatives to lock in their “freshness.” Some use formalin, a chemical used in embalming human corpses, to preserve newly caught fish. A few wicked sellers may wash marketed fish with food coloring or textile color to give these fish a “fresh” look. To ensure your safety and enjoy the nutritious benefits of fish, buy them from trusted sources only.

 PRECAUTIONS WHEN CONSUMING BREAD
Many white breads are hard to digest. Their hard residues stay long and may form blockades in the intestines. Moreover, eating white bread actually rapidly elevates blood sugar levels in your body. Whole wheat bread is a healthier food alternative to white bread as it supplies better nutrition, but many of the whole wheat breads today still have preservatives because they are commercially produced. Make sure it is made with “whole wheat flour” and not “enriched whole wheat flour”. Always check the ingredients just to be sure.

CHEMICALS IN FOOD
Aside from having their nutrition values greatly reduced, a lot of food today is treated with harmful chemicals. Washing, cooking, and boiling for long hours may lessen the chemicals in your food, but these harmful substances may not be fully eliminated. Peeling the skin off some fruits will not ensure safety either.

Imagine swallowing and accumulating all those fertilizers and pesticides in your body. Do you still wonder why we have so many deadly diseases today that were unheard of in the days of our ancestors?

Insects know better. They will not touch crops with pesticides. That is why you will find these crops sold in the market without any sign of insect bites. People buy them because they look clean and delicious. They don’t know that these outward appearances conceal inner hazards of the food they are buying. Some people think it is a good option to eat fruits and vegetables that show a few nibbles from insects.

 PROCESSED FOOD 
After having your veggies and fruits treated with fertilizers and pesticides (and these are given to farm animals as part of feeds), they also undergo artificial processing to prolong their “freshness.” They are treated with preservatives, which mean more chemicals. Some instant noodles are treated with chemical wax, which may be cancer causing. Do you know that these noodles are banned in some countries?

 Because processed food terribly lacks real nutrition, their sellers sometimes put synthetic vitamins in them and pass them off as “plus factors” for good health when actually; these synthetic vitamins often do little to nothing for you or in some cases can even harm your health.

If you want to live a long, happy, and healthy life, always be on the lookout for the presence of preservatives in your food. Look at the labels and find out if some of the ingredients can be harmful to your health.

2 Easy Ways To Conquer Weight Loss Plateau

You were probably losing weight successfully for the first few weeks after you joined a new diet program, only to be stuck to a certain point later. When people start a diet program they rapidly lose a few pounds, because most diet programs are created to offer you 'instant weight loss'. Sadly enough, this 'instant weight loss' is more often than not 'temporary' weight loss.

You will lose weight very quickly for the first few weeks but after that, you will suddenly discover that the scale is not going down anymore! You are not losing any more weight than what you have lost already! You have hit a situation commonly known as weight loss plateau! In such situations, the only remedy is a complete overhaul of your lifestyle habits.

You have probably done the same sets of exercises as well as ate the same types of foods over and over again during those first few weeks when you were losing weight. As a result your body got accustomed to your diet and exercise routine. When that happened, your weight loss methods failed to bring any sustainable results!

If you want to go beyond this point, you need to change your diet and exercise regimen.

Here are two methods you need to follow to get out of the weight loss plateau.

1. Calorie-counting is not the way to go: When you count your calories, you basically limit the intake of calories to an abnormally low level. When you eat low calorie foods, there is no incentive for your body to increase your metabolic rate since it has to burn only a few calories. The result is that your metabolic rate always remains at a very low level. When your metabolic rate is low, you aren't able to burn fat!

In order to burn fat and lose weight successfully, you need to forget about calorie counting and eat enough so that your body is forced to keep your metabolic rate at a high level. Your body needs fuel to burn fat, and it can get that fuel only from foods!

2. Exercise more:  If you have been avoiding exercises altogether, or have been doing only light exercises, then you cannot lose weight. Weight loss is only possible if you perform high intensity workouts daily. Instead of being afraid of exercises, try to love them. Exercises are yet another powerful way of increasing your metabolic rate.

Follow these two methods and you will soon be able to acquire the slim body you desire!

Yoga for Back Pain Relief

The back is a well-designed body part that is made up of bones, muscles, nerves, and soft body tissues. It is a very important part of the human body because the bones of the back acts as a supporting frame for the back and the whole body. The back muscles work with abdominal muscles to keep the body upright and mobile. However, because of the stress of everyday life, many individuals tend to overwork or overuse  their back muscles, which then leads to back pain. This condition may hamper performance and affect everyday. Common symptoms of back pain may include spasms, stiffness, pain, numbness, and sometimes pain in the leg area and depends on the cause of pain and its severity. Back pain is one the most frequent health complaints that are received by doctors in the United States. However, individuals experiencing back pain should not despair because of the availability of many methods and medication that may give back pain relief.  One of the most popular alternative back pain treatments is the ancient Indian meditative exercise called yoga.

Not long ago, the primary treatment for chronic back pain was sufficient rest and the use of painkillers. Nowadays, doctors are encouraging their patients to manage pain and illness by engaging in activities like yoga. Many medical researches suggest that yoga is one of the most effective treatments for body pain. Yoga has gone from a spiritual discipline practiced by many in the Far East into a mainstream exercise routine that is taught in many fitness gyms around the world. Other than back pain relief, many medical researches also show that yoga helps strengthen one's bones and muscles, reduce stress, and promote moments of relaxation. Yoga works by building strength, improving flexibility, and reducing joint and muscle pain.

Other proven benefits of yoga include:

Increases muscle strength, endurance, and stamina;
Develops muscles in the abdomen, legs, and arms;
Release of physical tension;
Helps maintain good and proper posture;
Serves as a good warm up for athletes; and
Improves an individual's overall performance

However, not all forms of yoga can be used for back pain relief. When the back is injured or hurting, slow-paced and gentle stretches and poses should be practiced. Some yoga posses and stretches may aggravate back pain and lead to serious injuries. A type of yoga called Viniyoga is adapted from yoga that gives emphasis on precise deep breathing and slow stretches. Another type of yoga called Iyengar yoga, focuses on accurate bodily alignment. Students of this practice use different props like straps, blocks, blankets, and many more. This type of yoga works best with individuals who have little mobility and need some support.  

Individuals who want to engage in physical activities like yoga should consult doctors and other health professionals before taking yoga classes. Certain injuries to the wrist, back, and ankles may prevent some individuals from practicing yoga postures and positions. Furthermore, yoga should be practiced with care and precaution. Some people have reported injuries that were acquired by executing yoga postures without focus, or by attempting difficult positions without working on them gradually or by not having proper supervision. Oftentimes, beginners complain of muscle soreness and fatigue after engaging in yoga. These effects may disappear with continuous practice. Yoga is a great way to strengthen the body and improve overall health.


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You Want To Gain Weight?

It may be hard for you to believe in this morbidly obese country that we live in but there do exist people who have trouble gaining weight and need help to do it. This is true in famine ravaged countries in say Africa for obvious reasons but it is less intuitive in this country where there is no shortage of calorie rich food. So who are these people who want/need to gain weight?

Well there are at least three major groups of people in America that need help to gain weight. These are athletes, persons with iatrogenic and disease-caused cachexia, people, who are unable to feed themselves correctly, and lastly people whose bodies are using calories at a higher rate than "normal" people and not counting athletes. So lets take a few minutes to at least consider these groups of people.

First and perhaps most obvious are athletes who have trouble gaining weight on a normal diet because they are burning off as much or more calories than they are taking in. Athletes, especially those at the elite level, often consume ungodly amounts of food just to supply their bodies with enough fuel to work at supernormal levels of physical activity and support fantastically high rates of metabolism.   Second are those with diseases that cause a loss of appetite such as anorexia for an obvious one or mental illness or cancer with associated cachexia that are maybe less obvious. In the case of anorexia nervosa there needs to be cognitive behavioral therapy that changes the basic structure of thought for these people that makes them think that they are fat. For mental illness a mixture of both behavior therapy and drugs that stimulate the appetite and helps the person want to consume enough calories to gain weight. For cancer patients these appetite stimulating drugs are really the solution if they work.

The group that is unable to feed themselves is the third group to discuss and these are mainly people at the extremes of age. It is obvious that babies need to be fed in order for them to gain weight but it is perhaps less obvious in the elderly who often survive on what is known as a "tea-and-toast" diet because they either do not possess the physical energy or they no longer have the mental faculty to provide themselves with a good nutrition.

The last group are those that have a high metabolic rate but aren't athletes with lots of physical activity. The best example of this are people whose bodies are fighting serious illness, most commonly infection. The immune system needs lots of energy so it is important to keep these patients well fed so that they can at least maintain if not gain weight.


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