Five Secrets to Weight Loss

by: Margaret Paul, Ph.D.

Weight loss - such a "big" topic! Every month another book or program is out by another expert on weight loss. Everyone wants to know the secret to losing weight. 

Weight used to be a major issue for me. Losing weight was never out of my thoughts, and I can't tell you how many different diets, pills and programs I tried until I discovered some "secrets" that have worked for me for many years now. 

Fat Burning Foods for Weight Los

By Krista Klein


A size zero figure, a fit transition into your middle ages and a lean mom are the three most coveted spots in a woman’s life. More so now, with the advent of numerous lifestyle changes that demand and glorify a certain type of physique. And even if we do leave aside the glamour aspect of a fitter you, we also see and read and know that many major health issues arise from excessive weight and lack of exercise. To combat health problems too, a more regulated diet and exercising becomes imperative!


Every day a new diet plan and a new novel idea for losing weight floods the internet and people start working on it as soon as possible. But more often than not, these diets and food charts bomb. Reason is simple enough- you cannot lose weight by taking away essential nutrients from your body. The positive effects of doing so are largely outnumbered by the negative effects of the same. Therefore fat burning foods are the most plausible and effective way to cut down on your calories. 

Why Crash Dieting Is Ruining Your Metabolism and Health...

By: Randy Dehetre

When you first start a crash diet – and literally stop eating – you might notice that you lose a fair amount of weight, but the ugly truth is that the weight you are losing is mostly water and muscle mass. Body fat is notoriously difficult to get rid of because it's difficult to break down, when your body doesn't have enough energy coming in from food it will automatically start using energy stored in your muscles – you are effectively turning yourself in to a globule of fat!

Your body is a remarkable piece of machinery and one of the most advanced chemical factories on Earth. It is also extremely efficient which is not good news if you plan on losing weight by simply eating less. If you can't understand why you are putting on weight or not losing any weight then the first thing many people try to do is reduce what they eat.

The problem with simply reducing your food intake is that your body will soon realize that it is getting less food and as a result your metabolism will slow down to compensate and when you start eating normally again (which invariably happens on a crash diet) you'll find that you end up putting on even more weight than before.

Why can't lose weight?

inspire HEALTH article by Professor Kerryn Phelps

You've been eating less and exercising more, but still can't lose that stubborn excess weight. Could genetics, hormones and other health issues be sabotaging your best efforts?

Think you've tried everything to lose weight and still it won't shift? It's true that some women find it harder to lose weight than others and, sometimes, it can take a bit  of detective work to figure out what's causing stubborn weight gain...

FLUID RETENTION ...
Fluid retention is often unfairly blaimed for women being overweight. However, some people do carry a few extra kilos as a result of retaining water. It might be a reaction to hot weather, or the menstrual cycle or the result of too much salt in the diet. It can also be a sesult of too little protein in the diet or of a deficiency of vitamin B1.

Carbs that burn fat ...

by Author unknown from CLEO Magazine (Australian Edition)

No typo here. There is actualy a carb that slims you down...

We all know the carbs in moderation; yes, we're looking at you (tasty, tasty) chocolate brownie. But did you know there are certain types of carbohydrates that actually help our bodies combat fat and maintain a healthy weight when eaten regularly? We kid you not. All hail resistant starch!

the smeaky fat-fighter
Found naturally in bananas, oats, lentils, cooled-down cooked potatoes, and a range of other foods, resistant starch is a sneaky sort of fellow. Compared to other types of carbohydrates, which are digested quickly or slowly, resistant starch actually passes through the small intestine without being digested. It changes the order  in which the body uses food as energy, and puts fat at the top of its list to burn.

In research published by the Journal Of Nutrition And Metabolism, Australian scientist Dr Janine Higgins explained, "This effect over time could cause an increase in lean body mass and a decrease in fat stores. This increase in lean body mass could help reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease, and could have a positive effect on your body shape."

The no-diet diet

by Nathalie Gibbins


Imagine a diet where you don't have to count calories, give up certain foods or go hungry ... Too good to be true? No, it's food combining - and it could help you lose weight forever.


You can expect to improve your digestion, send your energy levels soaring and chase away a host of common health woes, including allergies, headaches, bloating and IBS. Diets don't get much better than this! It's based on the theory that certain food groups don't digest well with others, so should be eaten at separate times. All you need to do is plan your meal around two simple rules.


RULE #1 - Don't mix protein with starch


"Different foods need different conditions in order to be digested," says Kathryn Marsden nutritionist. "Protein needs an acidic environment, whereas starch needs an alkaline one. By eating the two together, your stomach won't be able to break down either food, so neither can be properly digested." The result, is that half-digested food passed from your stomach to your small intestine, where it isn't in the correctly broken-down form for vitamins, minerals, and other vital nutrients to be absorbed. In addition, the length of time it takes to digest proteins, and starches is different. "Most animal-based proteins take around eight hours to be broken-down, whereas starches move more speedily through your system, requiring three to four hours. Eat them together and your whole digestive system slows down. This mean you're left with food hanging around in the gut, which goes off - just like it does in the fresh air - causing acidity, bloating, burning, and gas,"


RULE #2 - Eat fruit on an empty stomach


If you think you're being good by eating fruit for dessert, think again. "Fruit passes quickly through the digestive tract, in arounf half an hour. When fruit is delayed in the stomach because it's accompanied by other foods, not only is much of its goodness lots, but the rest of the meal spoils. The acids in fruits interfere with the production of the stomach acids and disturb the alkaline medium needed by starch-digesting enzymes. But when eaten on its own, fruit passes quickly to the small intestine, ready for its crucial nutrients t be absorbed," says Marsden. So try to eat fruit on an empty stomach - as a mid-morning snack, for example - and leave an hour before eating other foods.


TIP
Don't be afraid to increase portion sizes to compensate for not mixing proteins with starches. For example, don't just skip the potatoes with steak - replace with extra vegetables or salad.