One popular diet program nowadays is Slim Fast Diet Plan. It is a program that follows a very simple set of steps that starts from the personalization of your meal intake. The goal of this is to reduce calorie intake by controlling the portions eaten while trying to provide a good nutrition, too. A typical plan is mainly consist of Slim Fast Meals along with a regular but sensible meal and several healthy snacks. Slim Fast meals are usually nutritious bars or shakes.
The Slim Fast Diet Plan is composed of four parts: Replace, Combine, Dine and Snack. Replace means eating a breakfast that is different from your usual ones. The suggested breakfast meals are Slim Fast Optima Rich Chocolate Royale Shake, Slim Fast Optima Chocolate Chip Chewy Granola Meal Bar, Slim Fast Optima French Vanilla Shake or Slim Fast Optima Strawberry Cheesecake Meal Bar. Each of these contains a balanced nutrition of a regular meal and 2-5 grams of dietary fiber.
The combine part of the Slim Fast Diet Plan involves mixing Slim Fast diet meals to those foods which you enjoy. Note that only 200 calories of your favorite food can be added to a Slim Fast product. An example of this meal is Slim Fast Optima Shake plus half of a turkey sandwich.
The third part of the Slim Fast Diet Plan, on the other hand, is based on eating sensible meals. The plan includes a Portion Size Guide which will help you decide which food to eat. Ideally, a sensible meal should be ½ a plate of vegetables, ¼ lean source of protein, and ¼ whole grain starch. A dessert can be a serving of a fruit or salad. All in all, this meal should contain at least 500 amounts of calories.
The snack part is composed of portions of calorie-controlled healthy foods. Slim Fast Diet Plan suggests fruits and vegetables such as an apple, half a banana, half cup of grapes or small cup of fruit salad. One of these healthy foods is to be eaten with snacks such as a Slim Fast Optima bar, 1 mini bag of light popcorn, a Slim Fast Optima Muffin bar or an ounce of pretzels.
As you may notice, Slim Fast basically works by controlling your food intake. It limits your meals to what it calls the sensible meals. While this may work for a few people, this may not be enough for those who need a higher amount of calories. This, in turn, can render you unstable and miserable through out the times you would be undergoing this plan.
So why not try a diet program that guarantees a weight loss of 11 lbs. in 9 days but will not sacrifice your food intake? Fat Loss for Idiots promises such amount of weight loss even if it will let you eat meals regularly. It will only change a part of your eating habit which is expected to trigger the fat-burning capabilities of your body.
At a price which is way, way cheaper than how much Slim Fast Diet Plan costs, the result from Fat Loss for Idiots is much, much more positive and motivating.
The slim fast diet plan makes people sick! Too much protein and not enough balance! Choose a balanced diet that TELLS you what to eat exactly. 96% of people who tried it lost 11 pounds in 9 days. See what they said here: http://www.FatLossForIdiotsRevealed.com
Keyword : Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Author : Kelly Purden
E-mail : submissions@isnare.net
National press has recently taken an interest in the benefits of folic acid, with coverage increasing throughout the media. Folic acid, a B vitamin and other folates helps the body to form red blood cells and aids in the formation of genetic material within every body cell. Folic acid also helps to prevent birth defects. Proponents of dietary supplements have encouraged the use of folic acid by women who are of the child-bearing age for a long time.
The public is becoming increasingly aware of the importance of this nutrient to prenatal development. In a survey done by U.S. Health and Human Services in 2007, about 40% of all women surveyed reported the daily consumption of a supplement that contained folic acid, while about 42% of women surveyed reported that folic acid is the most important vitamin for women of child-bearing age. This study also found that awareness of the benefits differed by age group. Younger women were the least likely to know about the benefits of folic acid, and therefore, were the least likely to consume folic acid. These younger women were also more likely to hear about folic acid from a magazine or newspaper or school or college, rather than their health-care provider.
On the contrary, the women who aged 25-34 and 35-47 were much more likely to hear about folic acid and its benefits from their health-care provider. Because of these results, the U.S. Health and Human Services considers it vital to increase young person education and awareness. Folic acid has long been known to help prevent birth defects. Recent research on folic acid shows that it may also help in preventing premature births, boost baby weights, prevent preeclampsia, reduce risk of Alzheimer's disease, and even cut male smokers' stroke risk.
Folate is determined from the term "foliage," and is a member of the B vitamin family where it can be primarily found in dark leafy green vegetables, legumes, citrus fruits, beets, meat, and wheat germ. Folic acid does not occur in nature and cannot be found in unfortified foods. It is not an active form of the B-vitamin. However, it is the most common form of folate used is supplements and in fortified food products due to the fact that it is highly bioavailable and chemically stable. It is also readily reduced to tetrahydrofolate, which is the active coenzyme form of folate. One study, comparing folic acid from orange juice and folic acid from a supplement showed that the supplement had a better absorption rate than the fortified orange juice.
Although folic acid is not generally associated with side effects, there have been some clinical reports that high level of folic acid can mask a deficiency of vitamin B-12. However, a deficiency of B-12 is very uncommon and it has been determined that only amounts about 3000 – 4000 micrograms per day of folic acid for extended periods of time may have this masking effect, which can in turn be eliminated by supplementing with a few micrograms of B-12. For more information about folic acid and its benefits to your body, contact your local health food retailer.
More information on folate or folic acid is available at VitaNet ®, LLC Health Food Store. http://vitanetonline.com/
Keyword : Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Author : Darrell Miller
E-mail : submissions@isnare.net
Obesity is a major contributor to the development of a number of serious illnesses, such as heart disease and diabetes. A balanced diet and regular exercise remain to be the most important and the safest ways to lose weight and keep it off. However, a lot of people find it quite difficult to sustain these, and thus, their attempts at weight loss become unsuccessful. Also, some people who are morbidly obese require other additional therapy to help them lose the unwanted weight. This is where other treatment options, specifically diet pills and weight loss surgery, come in.
The more radical treatment option between the two is surgery. There are several types of surgeries to help you lose weight, the two most common being liposuction and bariatric surgery. Liposuction is less invasive, and involves taking fat cells out of the body. It targets specific areas, such as the thighs and the abdomen. The downside to liposuction is that the fat usually returns in a few months; thus, many people require re-operations. Another form of surgery is bariatric surgery, which involves decreasing the size of the stomach so that less food is digested and absorbed. Bariatric surgery produces more drastic results, with patients losing up to 70% of the extra weight. However, it is also more invasive, and can have more serious risks and complications. Both kinds of surgery are costly. In 2002, the average cost for bariatric surgery is approximately $19,500.
Because of the high cost and the major risks associated with surgery, many people are turning to a cheaper and safer, albeit less effective, treatment option: weight loss pills. There are only approximately 10 drugs that have been approved by the FDA for weight loss, majority of which are appetite suppressants like phentermine. Using diet pills, such as phentermine, have been shown to produce lasting weight loss of approximately 10 pounds over a span of one year. Although it may require a longer time for an individual to lose weight with phentermine pills than with surgery, the pills are associated with fewer risks and low toxicities. Also, drug therapy for weight loss is much cheaper than surgery. On the average, patients spend approximately $300 for weight loss pills every year. Phentermine users spend even less than that, with costs of approximately $150 a year only!
Combined therapy, which includes a low-calorie diet, increase in physical activity, behavioral therapy and intake of weight loss medications, has been reported to be more effective than any of the said modalities used alone. Specifically, the use of phentermine diet pills help the individual adhere to a controlled diet program. Thus, phentermine weight loss pills help you lose weight while you try to form healthier eating and exercise habits.
Weight loss pills and surgery help combat obesity much more effectively. Between the two, weight loss pills work slowly, but are associated with fewer risks and much smaller costs. This is why a lot of people use phentermine weight loss pills. Try it and see for yourself
To find out about all of the different kinds of weight loss pillsand phentermine visit www.netnutri.com
Keyword : Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Author : Mark DeRosa
E-mail : submissions@isnare.net
Kids and Cooking: Start Out Healthy and Stay Healthy
November 9, 2008 Posted by chuchu at 10:27 PM |So often, children will model most aspects of their parent's actions. Whether it be the smallest quirks or the worst habits, children do learn from by watching what their parents do and that has consequences both good and bad. This is why it is essential for parents to start their children off on the right food concerning their diet and eating habits.
Several decades ago, it wasn't unusual for all families to eat every meal together, every day, all at the same table. In today's times, that scenario is more likely the exception than the norm. Parents are busy with child-rearing, work, and household responsibilities. There is often a lot of eating on the run and not as much concern for eating healthy, balanced meals. But in order for your kids to learn how to eat healthy and always be conscious of what is going into their bodies as they grown into adults, it is important for parents to learn that lesson for themselves.
Imitation is Flattering
Because kids are prone to mimic what their parents do, cooking can be a great lesson for the entire family. First, it teaches everyone to slow down and enjoy the quality time with each other that is often taken for granted. Second, cooking with children teaches the younger generation the importance of responsibility by preparing meals for the family. They get to understand the importance of hard work and the value of their parent's time that is put into the family. While younger kids may not immediately understand that message, it is one that should stick with them as they get older. The third most important thing cooking with kids can do is teach them how to express a side of themselves through the recipes they prepare or invent on their own. Plus, there are tons of lessons in math and science kids will not learn hands-on in the classroom.
The Hands-On Approach
Through cooking, kids get a better understanding of what their dinner is made from and how different combinations can be put together to make a meal. This is a prime opportunity for parents to educate their young about the importance of adding healthy and fresh foods into each meal. Kids can learn more by doing than by just simply listening. By having them actually adding the carrots to the casserole or learning how to measure a cup of peas, they may be more likely not only to eat what they have created but also to keep wanting to help in the kitchen.
Encourage Their Talents
While not every child will revel in their kitchen learning experiences, those who do can be encouraged to stick with it. There are professional course available that are geared towards teaching budding chefs about the basics of cooking for those children who develop a strong interest in the craft. It can be a wonderful outlet for children to use for creativity and build self-esteem. In addition to better physical health for the whole family, mental health is also affected positively.
It may seem at first glance that kids and cooking do not mix. Like with everything involving kids, parental supervision is required. There should always be a parent assisting with the cooking process to prevent injuries and burns but kids should also be allowed to practice mixing and pouring and the other safer areas of cooking without parental interference so they have an opportunity to learn.
The next time dinner needs to be prepared, call the whole family into the kitchen and get to work. You may be surprised at what your family can do together and you will be pleased with the new bonding time you will be instituting into your family tradition.
Georgina White has developed ways to make great tasting food using healthier methods. She feels that it\'s important to be kind to your body and provide it with healthy foods while letting the taste buds enjoy it too!
Keyword : Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Author : Georgina White
E-mail : submissions@isnare.net
For everybody interested in knowing the amount of cholesterol present in their blood, a cholesterol blood test is advised. This is the test that will provide you with an estimate of the level of how much cholesterol is found inside you. Doctors usually perform this test to provide their patients with the necessary medications. A cholesterol blood test can be requested in clinics, provided they have the equipments for it. It\'s a good thing that there are many devices used to have one\'s cholesterol level tested these days. As such, the whole procedure becomes easier, faster, and more efficient.
Currently, there are cholesterol test kits available from pharmacies. These kits can check your cholesterol level and give you the results within minutes. By purchasing these kits, you can obtain your cholesterol level anywhere and anytime you want.
More people are now concerned with their respective cholesterol count. This is a good thing because the instances of heart problems are reduced. Heart diseases are getting common these days. And it can strike almost anybody. However, heart failures are more observed in people aged 50 and older. At this age, the heart had worked so much that normal wear and tear shows. This is why people of this age are strongly advised to monitor their cholesterol level, along with other health information necessary to keep them within the pink of health at all times.
Cholesterol is considered as unnecessary substances that are found in the bloodstream. These substances find its way inside your body as you eat. Cholesterol can be found in meats, eggs, and other fatty food items. When you eat these foods too much, the result is a drastic increase in your cholesterol level. A lifestyle change is necessary to make sure that you won\'t further elevate the cholesterol that is already inside you. In fact, you should try to eat foods that can help eliminate them instead.
A simple test of blood cholesterol can actually change your life. And because these tests are getting more accessible as time goes by, there\'s no reason why people shouldn\'t watch their health conditions more seriously. Use the results of your blood cholesterol count to motivate you to lead a healthy lifestyle and follow a diet and exercise regime that can help you greatly.
The ideal number to obtain during cholesterol blood count is 200 mg/dL or lower. If you know for a fact that your family suffers from heart concerns, you might want to decrease your target. As much as possible, strive to a 100 mg/dL blood cholesterol count. On the other hand, the level of HDL level or good cholesterol in your body should be between 40 - 60 mg/dL.
Everybody aged 20 and above should perform regular cholesterol blood test. Checking one\'s cholesterol level every 5 years should be a good enough practice if you are not suffering from heart disease or any history of it. Otherwise, you might need to undergo the same test more frequently and with the help of a qualified health expert. Cholesterol blood count is also referred to as the lipoprotein profile test. If you don\'t know how to analyze the results of the test, ask your doctor. He should be able to give you the right medicines if it was found out that you do suffer from an abnormally high cholesterol level.
Part 2 - For part two of this article, head on to www.normalcholesterollevelonline.com where you can also find the truth about foods high in cholesterol and how to lower triglycerides.
Keyword : Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Author : Edward Chen
E-mail : submissions@isnare.net
How to Reduce Thigh Fat – Frequently Asked Questions
November 7, 2008 Posted by chuchu at 10:52 PM |When it comes to reducing thigh fat, most people have similar questions. In this article I have covered the 4 most common questions. We will talk about the role of your body's overall fat percentage, the meaning of your metabolic rate, recommended exercises and your eating habits. If you adhere to the exposed points you will be able to reduce thigh fat.
• How important is my body's overall fat percentage when it comes to thigh fat?
Good question. You have to lower your body's overall fat percentage in order to reduce any thigh fat at all. This is an important fact you should be aware of. It is not possible to lose fat only on a particular part of your body. Your metabolic rate has direct impact on your body's overall fat percentage.
• Which importance does my metabolic rate carry?
As I have just mentioned, your metabolic rate directly correlates to your body's overall fat percentage. An increased metabolic rate will result in an increased fat metabolism. This effect enables you to easier reduce thigh fat. You should consistently stimulate your metabolic rate. Exercises are a great way to do so.
• Which exercises are recommended to reduce thigh fat?
Here are some effective options: Power Walking, Jogging, Incline Walking, Rollerblading, jumping on a Mini-Trampoline, using the Climbing Machine or doing Circuit Training with weights. Make sure you choose an exercise you like. This will keep you motivated. You should perform at least 3 times a week. Try to gradually increase the number of your workouts to 4 or 5 a week. The duration of your workout should be between 30 and 40 minutes. This will ensure that your metabolic rate is sufficiently stimulated. There is no need to practice for an hour or longer, even if you can do so. Let's now take a look at your eating habits.
• Which food should I avoid in order to reduce thigh fat? And how often should I eat?
The primary thickeners are sugar and fat. Sugar in the form of monosaccharide and fat in the form of trans fatty acids. You should avoid or reduce the ingestion of food which contains a lot of sugar or fat. Here are some examples: crackers, candies, baked goods, cookies, sweets, snack foods, fried foods, salad dressings and sugary drinks such as lemonade. Instead of these kinds of food you should eat more vegetables, salad, potatoes, low fat milk, low fat quark,low fat meat and some wholemeal products. Additionally, it is highly recommendable to eat 5 smaller portions instead of the usual 3. This will also help you to increase your metabolic rate. And finally, you should drink a lot of water - at least 3 liters a day.
Now that we have discussed frequently asked questions, you probably see things from a new perspective. You should particularly keep in mind the necessity to lower your body's overall fat percentage and the significant meaning of your metabolic rate, which are important basics facts. By performing exercises and optimizing your eating habits you will get on the right track. There is, of course further in-depth information, especially regarding nutrition diet, but the knowledge provided in this article will enable you to reduce thigh fat.
Oliver Hetzel is an enthusiast in fitness and nutrition. His articles and unbiased recommendations have helped many people to lose weight naturally and permanently. He provides a popular Weight Loss Review.
Keyword : Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Author : Oliver Hetzel
E-mail : submissions@isnare.net
Are diet and exercise not nearly enough to help you lose those unwanted pounds? Are you looking for a fast way to lose weight, but don't have the time to go to your physician and ask for a prescription? Look no further! Fastin diet pills are the answer to your weight loss dilemmas!
Fastin is a nutritional supplement that is used to help an individual lose weight. It contains phenylethylamine hydrochloride, a compound that is chemically similar to stimulants and other anorectics, such as phentermine. A major difference is that phenylethylamine is a natural substance that can be found in the body. It can also be found in a number of foods, including chocolate.
Fastin diet pills work as a stimulant. It acts on the central nervous system to release chemicals that help suppress the appetite and make the individual feel full. Fastin diet pills also act as a thermogenic intensifier, meaning it increases the metabolism of the body. This process produces heat, providing the individual with more energy and helping the body burn more fat. Also, Fastin weight loss pills have the ability to elevate the individual's mood via its stimulant properties. Thus, Fastin not only makes sure that you lose weight by burning fat and decreasing appetite, it also gives you additional energy and elevates your mood!
Fastin acts within a few minutes of taking the pill. Swallow the pill whole; do not crush or break it. Fastin diet pills cause minimal side effects. One of the most common side effects of the drug is insomnia; thus, Fastin diet pills should not be taken at night. Although Fastin acts as a stimulant, it causes much less nervousness than other stimulants and anorectics available in the market. Also, Fastin diet pills should only be used for short-term treatment, as the drug tends to lose its effect when taken longer than recommended.
Fastin is generally a safe supplement to use. However, the drug may worsen some medical conditions. You should avoid taking Fastin diet pills if you have allergies to other stimulants, thyroid disorders, heart disease or hypertension. Taking other weight loss medications (fenfluramine, dexfenfluramine), as well as MAO inhibitors (selegeline, isocarboxacid), is also a contraindication to the use of Fastin diet pills. Pregnant and nursing women should also avoid the said medication. Fastin diet pills are also not recommended for use by children who are below 16 years old.
As with other weight loss supplements, the effects of Fastin diet pills can be augmented by combining the pill with a low-calorie diet and an active lifestyle. Fastin diet pills is a vital component in your weight loss regimen, helping you lose those extra pounds while you are learning to change your eating and exercise habits!
One of the best things about Fastin diet pills is that it does not require a prescription from a physician. You can buy Fastin supplements over-the-counter, making it easily accessible. With Fastin diet pills, there's no reason not to lose weight and be healthy!
To find out about all of the different kinds of weight loss pills and Fastin, visit www.netnutri.com
Keyword : Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Author : Mark DeRosa
E-mail : submissions@isnare.net
Who would have thought that our colon is very important? Or those problems with our colon will reflect as problems in other vital organs?
Experts from the Royal Society of Medicine in the United Kingdom have findings supporting the claim that an individual's health is influenced by the condition of his colon. Their conclusion states that infections that originate in your gastrointestinal tract are directly related to 90% of chronic illnesses.
Now that you know that, you might want to consider looking at the details of your diet. Or perhaps monitor if you have regular bowel movement.
Your Food and Your Health
The saying "you are what you eat" is finally backed up by a lot of scientific findings.
Results of a number of medical investigations state that our current lifestyle is one of the primary causes of colon deterioration. Pollutants in the environment that we directly or indirectly ingest also do harm to our bodies. These problems make it difficult for your digestive system to do its important role in the human body. Because of digestive system malfunctions, toxins can build up in our body making our system go haywire.
Doctors and dieticians also blame the problem to the food that we eat everyday. Improper food choices that you make add to the build up of harmful toxins. According to nutritionist, junk food and fast food that we all love may cause problems to our digestive system in the long run.
Mostly, you will not have a regular bowel movement if you love junk foods which are low in fiber. Low fiber diet doesn't promote peristalsis or the normal movement of the intestines. This low or no movement at all of the intestines means fecal matters being deposited instead of being excreted normally which will lead to toxin build up. The toxins in your digestive tract may fire back to the other parts of the body through the blood stream leading to a serious case of poisoning.
Colon Cleansing
Knowing the consequences of a polluted environment and a very bad diet, you may ask what you should do to make your colon healthy. Colon cleansing is recommended by most health practitioners to keep your colon in tip top condition.
Based on numerous studies, cleansing of the colon is recommended by medical experts. A number of methods are suggested but some are still being reviewed for their effectiveness. Doctors have cited safe ways of cleaning the colon by using colonics, pills, enemas, and other herbal products.
If you are on a tight budget, you may considerer some home made recipes tried and tested by some individuals, but it is recommended to seek the advice of the doctor prior to using home made colon cleansers. The doctor will be able to tell you if the main ingredients are not harmful to the human body.
It may be practical to use homemade colon cleansers since they are cheaper than the marketed licensed products. It should be noted though that licensed products have been subjected to a series of tests to prove that they are safe for human use.
Wong Darren is an online medical researcher and webmaster of Colon Cleanse. You may be interested in: \"3 Benefits of Colon Cleansing\" and \"6 Tips to Overcome Colon Cleansing Side Effects\".
Keyword : Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Author : Wong Darren
E-mail : submissions@isnare.net
Many of us get used to the niggles and aches that result from using a computer, but what started as a relatively minor issue is now having long term damaging effects on our overall health.
The NHS spends over £1billion on back pain-related costs, and £565million is being spent in the private health care sector on back pain. This is a growing problem for our society. There are also other costs; the Health and Safety Executive estimates that musculoskeletal disorders, which includes back pain, costs UK employers between £590million and £624million per year.
But, should back pain be tolerated? One organisation that doesn't believe so is Backcare - the national charity for healthy backs. Rather than believing in a miracle cure, they have been working with individuals since 1968 to help people manage and prevent back pain by providing advice and promoting self-help. This year they are holding an awareness week during 4th-10th October - 'Believe you can do it'.
Backcare have produced an awareness information pack which contains a range of self-help materials put into the real life context of work, home and leisure. The packs can be ordered from their website: www.backpain.org
Supporting Backcare's awareness week is local ergonomic office furniture supplier Posture People. "Since opening in 2002 we have seen a growing number of people suffering from back pain, many as a result of badly set up workstations and poor office furniture," says Jo Blood, Director of Posture People. "We are now routinely seeing customers as young as 13 who are already suffering with back pain. As a company we are passionate about trying to reverse this trend."
In order to support the campaign, Posture People are running a free advice clinic at their ergonomic showroom in Brighton. The clinic will provide one-to-one assessments about how people are currently sitting at their desks and offer practical tips for improving their workstation.
If you would like to book an assessment at the free workstation advice clinic, you can contact Posture People on 0845 313 1503.
If you can't make it to the showroom for a personal consultation, Jo has provided her five top tips for improving your workstation:
1. Always have your feet firmly on the floor or a footrest.
2. Your elbows should be at a comfortable 90 degree angle to the desk.
a. If you are too tall to achieve this, look at raising the height of your desk.
b. If you are struggling to reach the desk (with your elbows at a right angle and your feet firmly on the floor) then use a footrest.
3. Make sure your screen is about an arm's distance away.
a. If you find yourself still leaning forward to look at the screen – think about getting an eye test to check your prescription.
4. Have the top of the windows toolbar at roughly the same height as your eyes.
5. If you are a laptop user, get a laptop stand to raise the screen to the right height. But, this will mean that you will need to use a separate keyboard and mouse.
Posture People are an office furniture company that specialises in helping people with workstation problems. It is estimated that four out of every five adults (80%) will experience back pain at some stage in their life . Posture People were established to improve everybody's workplace, from the sole home worker to companies with 500+ staff. It is the only showroom in the South East, outside London that enables customers to try out its ergonomic and stylish products before they buy them.
For more information visit: www.posturepeople.co.uk, call 0845 313 1503 or visit their showroom:
Jo Blood
Posture People
116 Dyke Road
Brighton
BN1 3TE
matt Crick is writing for Posture People, who provide professional advice to help you find the best office furniture to suit you and individuals within your company. They can help in finding the correct ergonomic seating to solve any existing workstation complaints. They also provide a great range of ergonomic furniture and task furniture to ensure that your office looks the best it can for your budget.
Keyword : Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Author : Matt Crick
E-mail : submissions@isnare.net
Weight, weight loss, diet books, diet fads – you have been on diets, off diets, this is the \"forever diet\", you say, only to grow tired at its strictness. It has become an obsession. Lose weight and then regain what you have lost along with a few extra pounds. What do diets actually do – they make you think of food all the time. You have to plan ahead, pack meals ahead of time, anticipate any saboteurs. Always on guard. Is this really how you want to live your life? Being consumed with thoughts of food.
What would life be like if food was not such a prominent feature? Would you know how to redirect that energy to something more productive? Over-eating becomes a comfort. Food is a constant – it is there when you are happy, there when you are sad, it gives you a purpose when bored and what is the result – you body is out of shape.
Emotional eating is very common. Like those who self harm, relief comes when eating but it is fleeting and the emotion you had before is now compounded with feelings of guilt for eating the packet of biscuits or tub of ice cream and you feel even lower.
This is where hypnosis does its best work. Hypnosis in itself is a concentrated relaxation and in the case of weight loss, the concentration is on losing weight. You can stop yourself craving chocolate or cream cakes or whatever your problem food is. You can become motivated to exercise if you feel that is all you need. But where there is emotional eating, then hypnosis and hypnotherapy should be your first and only port of call.
We have two parts to our mind, the left and right side – the left is logical and analytic. It loves numbers – calories, point counting. But we don\'t eat with the left side of our brain, we eat with the right side – the emotional side. Unless the emotion that prompts you to eat is addressed then every diet fails and they do, because the emotion is not being looked at only the food and portion size.
Keeping a food diary to include the emotions before you ate and after eating would form part of the process. Remember we are trying to break the habit of a lifetime. As a little girl you no doubt were told to \"clean off your plate, there are starving children in Africa\" or you fall and hurt yourself \"have some ice cream\", you pass your driving test \"let\'s celebrate with a cake\". The one I love the most, you have lost weight and celebrate by having the foods you had denied yourself! So, the emotional connection to food is obvious – as previously mentioned, it is always there for happy and sad occasions. All major events and milestones punctuated with food.
During a session with hypnosis, we study how you view food. Was food an extension of love? Did you use your weight as a protective layer to keep men away so you wouldn\'t have to deal with heartache. These are significant reasons for the subconscious mind to encourage you to keep weight on. If you were overweight all your life and then in adulthood lose lots of weight and then regain it – what has happened. You never experienced your place in the world being thin and all with your weight loss may have come anxiety and your subconscious mind encouraged you to sabotage yourself so you could find your \"rightful\" place in the world again.
Weight is complex but you can with hypnosis learn to re-programme your subconscious mind. The primary function of your subconscious (and it only has the understanding of a 6 year old child) is to protect you and until you offer new, improved and positive ways to help you, it will continue with the old patterns. You can lose weight and keep it off forever but only if the desire to lose weight is stronger than the desire to stay the same and this time, you have more ammunition to help you, by addressing the emotional needs that food filled and by learning new ways to deal with upset, with happiness and all without involving food.
Zita Stanley is hypnotherapist/psychotherapist practising in Dublin and Portlaoise, Ireland. She has appeared on RTE (Irish television) and has been published in many newspapers and magazines. Visit www.ZitaStanley.com for more help and information.
Keyword : Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Author : Z. Stanley
E-mail : submissions@isnare.net
Physical Activity is an important aspect of weight loss and overall health. Pills, diets and other gimmicks that promise results without effort are ignoring the health benefits of regular physical activity. In order to be truly healthy, you must exercise, but there is an endless variety of activities that will help us accomplish this goal. Exercise doesn't have to be limited to an endless walk that doesn't get you anywhere. You can get fit while playing with our friends instead. So get off of the treadmill and go play.
The key to weight loss is to burn more calories that you consume. This can be done by exercising, by restricting calories, or, more effectively, by a combination of the two. Exercising while eating more calories than we need makes our efforts seem futile, as progress is painstakingly slow. Though we will still reap the physical benefits that come with regular activity, reducing our intake at the same time will allow us to see the benefits of our efforts. Those benefits will be visible to other people as well.
Dieting without exercise, on the other hand does slow the downward spiral that overeating sets us on. However, it doesn't help our bodies regain the level of fitness that will have us feeling our best. A combination of eating right and exercising really is the magic pill we keep searching for. Now that we are motivated to eat right and exercise, we are ready to get moving. Instead of joining the gym and making exercise a chore, go play.
Find a friend and play a game of tennis or racquetball. Courts are often located at local parks. Go for a bicycle ride with a friend or family member. You can ride through the neighborhood or check around for a bike trail. They are becoming more common in communities.
Play a game of basketball with your buddies from work. Basketball hoops can be found at a local park, hung over the garage or freestanding and adjustable hoops can even be set by the driveway. Playing a vigorous game with friends is a sure way to slim down and you'll have a blast doing it. Set a regular schedule for getting together for games, this way you can help each other stay motivated.
Swimming is also excellent exercise and many communities have a pool available for lap swimmers in the summer months. Some even have indoor pools available year round. While swimming laps isn't much of a group activity, it is an excellent choice of exercise and most of us consider it to be a fun pass-time. This makes it a good choice addition to the workout routine, as it will be considered more fun than work.
Taking the dog for a walk can be beneficial to both of you. He'll enjoy the outing and you'll feel better too. Walking briskly will of course, burn more calories than a leisurely stroll, but every step you take is a step in the right direction.
The goal in all of this play is to improve your overall physical condition. You want to see progress in your stamina and strength. Keep playing and even if progress is slow in the beginning, you'll soon find that you can play longer and harder than before.
Find a basketball hoop here, from an outdoor system to an indoor goal, get the hoop you want here.
Keyword : Wellness, Fitness and Diet
Author : Greg Williams
E-mail : submissions@isnare.net
