Weight Loss - A Technique that Works

A pill is just not going to do it. Not in the long run. Neither is a fad diet. We're talking about permanent weight loss and optimum health. We're advocating an active, aggressive approach to our fitness and ideal weight. This time we're going to do this right, and we're going to get gorgeous.

The system is called Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle. It was developed by a professional bodybuilder. Bodybuilders are people who must be fit in order to earn a living. They can't yo-yo. They are physically in shape and they stay that way. Tom Venuto, the bodybuilder who developed the Burn the Fat system, has been bodybuilding for 23 years, and has all kinds of degrees in exercise science and personal training. Here are some of his fundamentals:

• No diet pills
• No powdered or liquid meal replacement drinks
• No expensive supplements
• No following trendy diets that were only thought up to sell books
• Once the weight is lost, it stays off permanently
• Anyone can benefit, no matter your genetic or hormonal situation
• Your metabolism will change, but it will change naturally
• The ultimate goal is good health, and a naturally high energy level

Here's how it works:

You keep track of the number of calories you take in each day. And you keep track, with a caliper, of your percent body fat each day. But your most important tool is a notebook and a pen. Each day you record your caloric intake and the caliper measurement. The goal is to burn off more fat than you take in through calories. It's done scientifically, you throw your whole self into the project, you exercise every day, and you see results.

Through this work - and the details provided in Mr. Venturo's book - you change your lifestyle. Lifestyle becomes about health, about eating properly, about not getting ripped off by so called diet foods and fad diets. Lifestyle becomes about strength and fitness. And as you see yourself getting stronger and slimmer, you start to feel better, and you will love having a gorgeous, fit body. And there's no way you'll let these new life-giving habits get away from you.

The Burn the Fat system's basic premise is to gain muscle while burning off body fat. It works for women as well as men, for people who want to lose 100 pounds and people who want to lose 10 pounds. "This is not a quick fix," explains Mr. Venuto. But he adds, "You'll notice the first changes start to happen the very first week."

It seems like common sense, but Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle is not just about losing weight. It's about building muscle, building strength, and adding energy to your life. It's really about improving the quality of your life - a gift only you can give yourself.

Suzann Kale is a technical writer and copy editor. She helps edit articles at http://Weightloss.WorkoutCompanion.com and has written many articles for science-oriented sites and hard copy magazines. She also runs a site on cosmetics and animal safety.

The 7 Point Effective Weight-loss Plan by Andrew Poole

Any new weight-loss plan has to be viewed against the failure of the diet industry to provide a long term, sustainable means of enabling us to maintain a stable weight. The simple facts are that most people who lose a significant amount of weight will eventually put it back on. Also, the Diet Food and Drink Market alone is worth Billions of Dollars annually and increasing, and yet according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), in 2005, 1.6 BILLION people globally were classified as overweight and that growth is set to continue to $2.3 Billion by 2015. So, the Diet Industry is huge and is predicted to get even bigger but the number of people classified as overweight is going to increase dramatically too.
A major factor in this is we are encouraged to engage in short term dieting - the rapid weight-loss and quick fix diets - to meet our short term needs, without giving too much thought to what happens once we've achieved that weight. Nothing stops us from going back to our old habits and that's how the inevitable cycle progresses.
It's obvious that we need to reconsider this and view our approach to weight-loss as a permanent change and not just a short term expedient. Permanent change involves looking at an overall method which will not only lose us the weight we need to shift to get down to our desired weight but with just slight adjustments, as opposed to radical changes, will enable us to keep at or around that weight indefinitely.
It's becoming more and more recognized that a combination of the right foods and some form of exercise are the only way to provide this desired outcome.
With so much misinformation out there, knowing the right foods and exercise is a hard task but the following 7 point plan meets healthy eating requirements without taking the pleasure of out of eating; it provides the essentials to enable our bodies to function properly without reliance on supplements and it gives some pointers to the level of exercise necessary.
The 7 Point Plan:
Point #1 - eat regularly and have nutritious snacks. Your body is programmed to recognize starvation symptoms and will stop burning fat as a survival mechanism. Eating regularly will keep you blood sugar levels stable and you'll be less likely to want to binge on sugary foods.
Point #2 - avoid sugary refined foods, alcohol and caffeine as much as possible as these lower your metabolism and encourage your body to store calories. Caffeine also increases the reactivity of the body to the stress of everyday life and increased levels of stress negatively affect weight-loss and although it is included as an ingredient in many weight-loss aids, caffeine actually stimulates appetite.
Point #3 - eat plenty of protein. Protein slows down the release of sugars into the blood as it takes longer to digest than carbohydrates. The need to eat protein every day is worth emphasising, because your body can't store it - you can't stock up on it by bingeing on protein once a week, for example. Vegetarians needn't panic as foods such as nuts, seeds, beans, pulses, vegetable protein foods and soya products all contain protein. There are also small amounts in grains and dairy products.
Point #4 - eat complex carbohydrates as they provide sustained energy through releasing it slowly. Complex carbohydrates are often confused with unrefined carbohydrates, but complex in this case refers to how complicated the chemical structure of a carbohydrate is.
There are three kinds of complex carbohydrates:
Glycogen - Which is your body's major fuel source and is converted into energy.
Starch - which is only a no-no when things like sauces and oils are added to bread, pasta, rice etc.
Fibre - as is found in fruit and vegetables, and which helps your body to process waste and also makes you feel fuller for longer.
Point #5 - eat plenty of essential fats. Fats and weight-loss - are you kidding? There are bad fats that clog up the arteries and cause all sorts of problems and there are good fats which the body simply can't live without and it's these we're concerned with. The Omega 3, Omega 6 and Omega 9 fatty acids are among the good guys and are also known as essential fatty acids. These EFA's help keep blood sugar levels stable which we know is important for weight-loss.
Omega 3 fatty acids come from foods like flaxseeds, extra virgin olive oil, green leafy vegetables, and cold water fish such as tuna, sardines, salmon, herring, and lake trout. Omega 6 fatty acids are found in seeds and nuts. Some fish and animal meats also provide a derivative form of Omega 6.
Point #6 - exercise regularly. The good news is you don't have to become an Olympic athlete. Any exercise for weight-loss and maintenance should be at a level that keeps your body in its fat-burning zone. And this is quite a low level of intensity such as swimming and power walking or even low-intensity aerobic workouts. Consistency is important with exercise and it needs to be done every day or at least every other day. Point #7 - drink water. Drnking water is being recognized as an important part of weight-loss for a variety of reasons. In simple terms, drinking water before a meal gives the sensation of feeling full which means you will eat less. Water increases metabolism thus burning off fat more quickly and it helps maintain muscle tone. It also aids elimination of toxins released from fat cells as they are used as fuel. The volume of water needed will be determined by a person's own body size and the amount they are overweight, as well as other factors such as climate or needing to re-hydrate after exercise.
Those 7 points are the basis for a diet and exercise regime which will initially lose you the weight you want and then be adjusted for weight maintenance. Make it the blueprint for your life and say goodbye to serial dieting forever.
About the Author
Andrew Poole is a qualified specialist Weight-loss Coach and the creator of the New-Slimmer-You Weight-loss Support Plan www.new-slimmer-you.com He offers a special gift to subscribers to his informative newsletter

Yoga And Weight Loss By Donovan Baldwin

Many people in America today try all sorts of things in pursuit of healthy, permanent weight loss. Unfortunately, they mainly seem to try fad diets, diet pills, celebrity diets, the grapefruit diet...you name it. In fact, stick an adjective or noun in front of the word "diet", and you might be the creator of the next diet craze.
while a someone might temporarily lose a few pounds with a "diet", diets are not successful when it comes to permanent weight loss and healthy weight loss.
As they say, I have some good news and some bad news.
The good news is that there IS a known and proven way to achieve significant, healthy, permanent weight loss. More good news is that, although some modification to what you presently like to eat will be necessary, extremely drastic changes are seldom required. Oh, yes, you might have to learn to substitute something you don't like that much right now for something you do like, but, in time, you can get accustomed to this, and even learn to like the new flavors and foods. I know. I've been there.
The bad news is that, along with modifications to your eating habits, you are going to have to become more active. Dare I say it....?
You will have to exercise!
The benefits of exercise is an article in itself, and I have written elsewhere about how exercise can take many forms, so there is no need to lock yourself into an unpleasant or painful exercise regimen. What I really want to do here is give a small pitch for the practice of yoga as my exercise program of choice. Remember, however, my exercise program of choice might not be yours. As much as I like yoga, you will have to decide if yoga is right for you.
Before I speak specifically about yoga, let's just list some of the known benefits of regular exercise in general. Exercise...
>Reduces the risk or affects of many illnesses and conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, arthritis, high blood pressure, and osteoporosis to name a few. Some studies even show possible reductions in the risk for some cancers.
>Elevates mood and reduces depression.
>Helps maintain healthy bones, muscles, joints, and nervous system.
>Delays affects of ageing, making seniors more mobile and self sufficient and less likely to fall prey to injury or illness.
>Reduces risk of premature death (sounds like a big one to me).
>Helps maintain a healthy weight.
Okay, since any good exercise program can provide these benefits, what does yoga have to offer that makes it special?
In addition to providing the basic benefits of exercise in general, yoga does have a few specific things going for it.
1. Despite the apparently agonizing contortions seen in every yoga book, the benefit is in the attempt to achieve the position. The models in the books arrived at their present level of ability over time, and many a skilled practitioner of yoga today began in the same shape you're in right now. It is okay to modify a position or to come out of it a little early if your body is not ready yet. The regular practice of your best version of the movement or position (asana), combined with yoga breathing techniques (easily learned) will produce progress over time.
2. No personal trainer or special equipment is needed, nor is it necessary to go to the gym or even out in public at all. You can do yoga naked if you don't have a pair of gym shorts, and a carpet is just as good as a yoga mat...at least at first. Yoga is actually so simple that it CAN be learned from a book, although it certainly wouldn't hurt to get guidance or training from a certified instructor.
3. Yoga is relaxing and relieves stress. Not only is this of great personal value in today's world, but if any part of your weight loss problem is stress related, and I can almost guarantee some relationship, the stress relief offered by yoga can ease that portion of your weight loss journey.
4. In addition to being good for your health for several reasons, simply learning yoga breathing and practicing it regularly can help you burn fat.
5. As you begin to progress in your ability to better perform yoga poses (asanas) you will notice a sense of control, of mastery of life and self, which will become more evident. This new inner strength will aid you in facing difficulties, including temptations concerning eating and your new eating behaviors. You will also find yourself more forgiving, not only of others, but of yourself as well, and when you slide a little, you will be better able to shrug it off and get back on your path to success.
6. With more progress in your yoga practice, you will begin to experience new feelings of health, strength, and well-being. These feelings will in turn motivate you to take even more control of your life so that you can continue your progress with no desire or temptation to return to the way things used to be.
Nothing is perfect for everyone, but, as you can see, the practice of yoga does have some benefits to offer which may make it valuable in the pursuit of healthy, permanent weight loss.
The author is retired from the Army after 21 years of service, has worked as an accountant, optical lab manager, restaurant manager, and instructor. He has been a member of Mensa for several years, and has written and published poetry, essays, and articles on various subjects for the last 40 years. He developed an interest in health and fitness in the '70s after reading numerous books, including Dr. Kenneth Cooper's "Aerobics". This has led him to continue his personal research into health and fitness for over 30 years, and to pursue course work on the subjects of health and fitness, including yoga, which he practices regularly. Learn more about Yoga and Weight Loss.

Are You Losing Body Fat or Water?

“I tried that diet and lost 8 pounds in the first week!”
“I’ve gained three pounds in one day! It must have been the cookie I ate or maybe the mashed potatoes!”
These are comments I hear so often that I decided it would be a good topic for an article to help people have a better understanding of the fluctuating numbers on their scale. It is important to understand, when we step on a scale, it is measuring every part of our physical being at that moment in time, which means it measures our fat, muscles, organs, tissue and water weight.
Water weight can affect your total weight anywhere from 1-10 pounds and sometimes even more. It is important to understand what kinds of dietary factors can make these fluid shifts happen. To start, many of the high protein, low carbohydrate diets such as Atkins, or the beginning of South Beach can cause a dramatic shift in your water weight. This is because as you significantly cut back carbohydrate intake your body starts breaking down the stored carbohydrates (glycogen) to use as energy, and this breakdown causes the body to excrete large amounts of water. Once the body begins to use stored fat for energy, weight loss slows. This is why most people lose a significant amount of weight right away on a low carb, high protein diet. Extreme low carb, high protein diets can often lead the body to a state of dehydration because of the significant fluid loss.
What is misleading is when a person following a low carb plan eats a carbohydrate-rich food they can easily gain 1-3 pounds. However, this weight gain is just your body replenishing the fluid it lost and is not gained fat. I have had numerous clients struggle with this and they end up yo-yoing back in forth with fluid weight thinking that it must be the half cup of rice they had the night before that caused them to gain that 2 pounds when in fact eating the rice just allowed them to regain some of the fluid they had lost from following a strict low carb plan. The fact is carbohydrates do not affect your weight quite that simply. Excess refined carbohydrates can strongly stimulate insulin production, which promotes fat deposition and increases appetite. This kind of weight gain will happen gradually, not dramatically overnight.
Sodium is another dietary component that can lead to fluid gain. Sodium can cause the body to retain fluid, which can lead to these frustrating daily weight fluctuations. Some people are more sensitive to sodium than others. Watch your diet and see if your weight gain corresponds with a high sodium meal the day before. For example, eating out in restaurants can often increase your sodium intake significantly.
The best way to tell if you are retaining fluid is to pay attention to your body. If you get indentations on your ankles and lower legs from your socks then you are retaining fluid. If you wear rings and they become tight and leave an imprint in your fingers when you take them off then you also likely retaining fluid. Any kind of puffiness in your skin is a good indication of water weight.
The bottom line is that it takes 3500 calories to gain or lose 1 pound of body fat. This equates to an extra 500 calories a day over 7 days to gain a pound. This means if you gained 3 pounds in one day you can chalk it up to fluid weight otherwise you would have had to consume10,500 extra calories that day which is not likely! True weight gain happens gradually and likewise we lose it gradually. Check your weight weekly instead of daily and look for overall trends. If you are seeing dramatic daily changes in your weight, it is likely the ever-changing shifts of our bodies’ water weight.
Meri Raffetto is a Registered Dietitian and owner of Real Living Nutrition Services. Sign up for her monthly newsletter to learn what's new in nutrition, weight loss success stories, healthy recipes, and more. Go to http://www.reallivingnutrition.com for more details.