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How To Lose Weight Without Losing Your Mind!

Ah the ever present battle to lose those unwanted pounds. In today's society we are bombarded with weight loss products and programs. Everywhere you look, it's low-fat this and reduced calories that. It seems every other commercial is advertising some miracle DIET pill or program. Fitness clubs are opening up on every corner and new weight loss books are being published at lightening speed! Yet with all this going on around us, we are still not losing weight. What we are doing is driving our friends, family and ourselves insane! Not to mention the damage we are causing our minds and bodies with all the DIETs and pills. So how do we lose the weight and keep it off? I believe I have finally found the answer!

I have taken the pills, tried the DIETs (even cabbage soup), and spent more money than I could afford on programs. Finally one day after stepping on the scales and seeing that after a week of DIETing, I had not lost one pound, I started thinking about metabolism. I knew metabolism had to do with the rate in which your body uses up or burns calories. So, if I had a higher metabolism, I would burn calories faster than I consumed them, which meant I could lose weight. So I started looking up everything I could about metabolism.

I found many pills that claimed to raise metabolism, but after all the money I had spent on DIET pills already, I was hesitant to spend more. Then I found out that some foods can give you the same results. The thought of boosting my metabolism with something as natural and tasty as strawberries really caught my attention. I started eating and drinking these natural metabolism boosters along with what I normally eat, and I have started losing weight!

I found most of my information from the book "The Fat Flush Foods" by Ann Louise Gittleman, M.S., C.N.S. I recommend you read the book for full details on these foods like how to buy and prepare them correctly. If you don't want to spend the money on the book, at least look them up on the internet. If you don't prepare some of these correctly, they won't work properly and some can be harmful.

So, without further ado, I present you with a list of natural metabolism boosters!

- Apple Cider Vinegar - Flaxseed Oil
- Flaxseeds - Water
- Protein: Beef, Eggs, Lamb, Salmon, & Whey Protein - Kale
- Berries: Raspberries, Strawberries and Blueberries - Almonds
- Spelt - Yogurt
- Chromium - CLA
- GLA - L-Methionine
- Herbs & Spices: Cayenne, Cinnamon, Cloves, Dried Mustard, Garlic and Ginger
- Oregon Grape Root

It is still recommended that you cut back on your sugar and salt intake and it is always good for you to exercise. This doesn't mean strict DIETs and exhausting exercise programs. Just use less salt, less sugar and maybe take a walk around your block every day. Eat when you're hungry, don't starve yourself. Now you can snack on berries, almonds, hard boiled eggs, yogurt and more.

10 Easy to follow Tips to help YOU Lose Weight

DIETing is not easy. If it were, we would probably all be thin. Since we are not, here are some tips that successful people use to lose weight so that others can benefit, too.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 1: DRINK 8-10 GLASSES OF WATER EACH DAY

Okay, for many people this is a big problem. Water doesn’t taste all that great generally because water doesn’t really “taste” like anything. Drinking water 8 to 10 times each day gets easier the more you actually do it. It is simply a matter of conditioning your taste buds, and yourself, so that it becomes easier to do. Once you get started, you will begin to crave water.

To begin with, you should drink a glass of water in the morning first thing, before you eat. This is probably the easiest glass you will drink all day and it will help you remember to drink water all day long. Better yet, why not drink two glasses?

If you really cannot bear the taste of water, try using a water purifying pitcher or filter. You can also add a few drops of lemon or lime to your water – but no sugar or sweetener! Ice also helps.

Check out flavored waters on the market, too. Just keep an eye out for additives.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 2: EAT BREAKFAST

Do not skip breakfast. If you need to go to bed a little earlier so that you can get up 20 minutes earlier each morning – do it! Breakfast is so important to your good health and to weight control. According to Dr. Barbara Rolls a professor of nutrition at Penn State University, "Your metabolism slows while you sleep, and it doesn't rev back up until you eat again."

Eating breakfast is not only good for overall weight loss, it will help you stay on track with your DIET the rest of the day. You are more likely to binge on something sweet and in the “bread” group if you skip breakfast.

You can always keep a couple of hard-boiled eggs in the fridge or some high-fiber, low starch fruit around. If you plan to eat fruit at all during the day, breakfast is the perfect time to do it. SUCCESS TIP NO. 3: EAT AT LEAST 3 MEALS AND 2 SNACKS EACH DAY

This can be one of the hardest adjustments to make. After all, you are busy! You already have a “full-plate”. When do you have time to worry about filling your plate with more frequent meals?

Just like eating breakfast will increase your metabolism, so will eating more often. This will also help you curb your bad-carb intake by making sure that your snacks are planned and occur regularly throughout the day.

Really, it will just take a minimal investment of planning time at the grocery store and at home each morning before you head out for the day to make some healthy food choices and prepare a few healthy snacks and meals. For suggestions, just see the handy list of snacks and appetizers listed later.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 4: AVOID WHITE FOODS

This is one easy way to remember what not to eat. If it is made from sugar, flour, potatoes, rice or corn - just say no. Remembering this rule of thumb will make it easier to recognize those rice cakes as an unhealthy high-carb snack.

Always look for colorful fruits and veggies to substitute for the white ones. Buy broccoli, lettuce, bell peppers, green beans and peas, brown rice in moderation, leafy greens like kale and spinach, apples, melons, oranges and grapes.

These foods are not only colorful they are also high in fiber, nutrients and important antioxidants. Eating colorful fruits and vegetables will give your DIET variety as well as give you added health benefits.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 5: EAT YOUR VEGGIES

It is so easy to use a low-carb DIET as an excuse for poor nutrition. Resist this temptation. If the only vegetable you have eaten in the last 5 years has been the potato, now is a good time to begin experimenting with other vegetables. This is important for your overall health and to avoid some nasty side effects of not getting enough fiber in your DIET.

If you try hard enough, you will find vegetables that you enjoy eating. Experiment with grilling veggies and cooking with real butter to add flavor. You can also search for new recipes on the Internet or in cookbooks.

Remember, if you are only eating 40 grams of carb a day or less, two cups of plain salad greens contain only about 5 grams of carbohydrate. You have no excuse not to eat your veggies.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 6: PREPARE YOUR OWN FOOD AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE

While more and more restaurants are offering low-carb friendly menu items, many of them are still not ideal low-carb fare. There are many recipes for quick and easy meals that you can prepare yourself at home. Try to do this as often as possible.

If you cook your own foods, you know exactly what the contents are and you will be able to better control for hidden sugar and otherwise processed foods.

Another benefit is the cost savings over the long run. Even if you must go to the grocery store more often, you will save a significant amount per meal as opposed to eating at restaurants and fast food establishments.

It will also be easier to maintain your DIET with your own favorite fresh food selections on hand.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 7: INVEST IN A GOOD SET OF FOOD STORAGE CONTAINERS

Having food storage containers of various sizes on hand will make it so much easier for you to plan your meals and snacks. When you buy nuts, fruits and vegetables in bulk you can simply prepare, separate and store them for easy use later.

For instance, you can pre-slice your apples and snack on them over several days. Simply cut them, rinse them in pineapple or lemon juice and store. This will make a quick and easy snack for later.

Fix your lunch and take it with you to work. Better yet, fix your lunch and 2 snacks for work.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 8: EAT SOME PROTIEN AT EACH MEAL & AS A SNACK

In addition to everything that’s been discussed before, eating protein helps you burn more calories. Jeff Hample, Ph.D., R.D., a spokesman for the American DIETetic Association says that, "Protein is made up mainly of amino acids, which are harder for your body to breakdown, so you burn more calories getting rid of them.”

Just think – eating a protein rich snack can help you lose weight. How about a few slices of turkey or ham or some string cheese?

Eating protein will also help you feel full so that you are less likely to crave unhealthy snacks.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 9: DRINK A GLASS OF WATER AFTER EACH SNACK

This will help you get in your 8 to 10 glasses of water each day but it can also have other benefits. Ever feel hungry after eating a handful or standard serving of nuts? Try drinking water afterwards. The water will help you feel full and prevent overindulgence.

Drinking water after a snack will also help remove the aftertaste from your mouth and can help curb your desire for more.

SUCCESS TIP NO. 10: EAT SLOWLY & ENJOY YOUR FOOD

You will feel full and more satisfied if you take the time to savor your food and chew it slower. Don’t get in the habit of eating while standing or eating quickly. Sit down and chew.

No More Sugar & Starch with the Low Carb DIET

Made famous by a certain Doctor and his best selling books. Here is the lowdown on the low carb DIET.

A brief history lesson...

A low carb DIET was first documented as being used for weight loss in 1862. A Doctor (not Atkins) used it to treat a patient for an illness caused by obesity. There have been many reincarnations of it since but none have caught on like Dr Atkins.

Despite many of Dr Atkins peers at the time who disagreed if a low carb DIET would work he went ahead and found that it did. He first published these findings in 1972. Twenty three years and 10 million selling DIET books later, the techniques are still being used today.

How you do the low carb DIET

Simply eat low carb foods instead of high ones. Low carb foods include red meat, poultry, salads, fish and cheese. High are breads, pasta, rice and cereals. See individual labels on foods and add the daily total.

• Weeks 1 & 2 - Limit carb intake to 20 grams per day
• Weeks 3 to Desired Weight - Add 5 to 10 grams to the daily total per week. Ensure your weight is always decreasing and lower the daily amount if it isn't.
• Desired Weight to Lifetime - Desired weight is now achieved so increase the final daily total by 5 grams. Then monitor your weight, if it starts to rise slightly decrease the daily total. If it starts to fall increase daily amount. You should end up with an exact number of grams of carbs you can eat each day where your weight doesn't change. This is the "lifetime" amount.

How the the low carb DIET works is not fully known and has resulted in two main theories. First is that low carb foods tend to be low in calories and it is the lower calorie intake that causes the weight loss. Second is that the level of insulin in the blood dictates how much fat is stored. Eating less carbs is said to lower the amount of insulin in the blood so the body is less inclined to store fat.

Lack of carbs in the body

The main function of carbohydrate in the body is to provide energy. When the body is short on supply it will find an alternative source. This will be from the extra fat and protein you eat to replace the carbs or if there is a calorie deficit, your body will use it's fat stores. Many people report headaches and other symptoms in the early stages and this adjustment could be the reason.

A DIET high in fats and protein has it's own health risks. A high fat DIET is known to increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. (Stephen Barrett M.D.) Too much of something is never a good thing and protein doesn't escape either. An excess has been linked to potential kidney, bone and liver problems. (Web MD)

The low carb DIET overall

The low carb DIET will make you lose weight and it's not due to fluid loss (your body adjusts by making you feel thirsty). However the problem is the body simply needs carbohydrate. Evolution still expects us to be physically active and carbs are our main source of energy.

We don't need to forget the low carb DIET approach entirely but there are now better alternatives. These include the South Beach DIET and the GI DIET where certain carbs are allowed and/or slowly re-introduced. These modern versions are much better nutritionally. Overall do look at the original low carb idea but move on when it comes to a long term plan.

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