Maintaining a regular, effective fitness regime requires energy in the same way that a motor requires fuel. If we maintain high levels of physical activity but do not eat enough of the correct foods to sustain ourselves, our bodies are put at risk, and suffer many negative consequences as a result. Muscles and tissues that are not properly supported by nutrition become strained through a lack of energy.

Energy is received by eating the right proportions and combinations of carbohydrates, proteins and healthy fats and maintaining a healthy fluid consumption throughout. If you are exercising regularly, exerting yourself significantly, ensure that most of your calories come from carbohydrates. In fact, you should aim to get up to 65% of your calories from carbs and only about 15% from proteins. These carbohydrates should be made up of fresh fruits, vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes and beetroot), brown rice, barley, wholewheat bread, etc… The best proteins are found in lean meat, chicken / turkey, beans, lentils, peas and nuts.
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Weight loss is only effective in the long-term when you adopt an eating lifestyle, rather than a diet. This means that the eater needs to maintain a constant consciousness about what they eat, making it a habit, rather than a temporary inconvenience to their daily routine. This implies being able to adapt the behaviour you may once have taken in order to incorporate your new eating lifestyle into ordinary life. Visiting a restaurant can be traumatic, a total breach of your fad diet, or an unnecessary indulgence.

However, there are several small precautions that may be taken in order to enjoy your eating out experience without the guilt:

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The key to effective weight loss in children, teens and adults alike is to ensure that the average number of calories cut out each day is 100 and not more. Should you attempt to lose 300 calories, for example, the body goes into famine mode, storing each fat molecule in an attempt to protect the body from perceived starvation. The contents of a child’s lunchbox is vital, not only to his / her health, but also to their ability to concentrate in class.

The following options will probably not be greeted with much excitement at first, but children will become accustomed and will certainly benefit in terms of their weight, concentration and energy levels. Read more »

Obesity is taking over the world as more and more people are letting food control them and are becoming fat, or fatter, than they were 5 years ago. There is plenty of press about it, but not much seems to be stopping it.

Times have changed from the rationing times of the 2 world wars and food is in abundance now, as can be seen by the gigantic portion sizes shovelled onto our plates these days. On top of this, the food we eat is completely greasy and fool of butter now – it’s revolting.

Our only form of defence is attack, not the social epidemic of obesity as this would be a mammouth task, but take responsibility for yourself and start looking around for some all natural weight loss pills that will fit into your diet well.

Why Should I do this?

So you are probably wondering why you would take all natural weight loss pills and how exactly it would help you to lose weight. A number of all natural weight loss pills are available right at your local drugstore, which makes it easy and convenient to get started.

One of the best features of all natural weight loss pills is that you will often notice results as soon as a day after you have taken it, and everyone wants to get inspired by fast results.

However, you do want to keep in mind that even more options are available online, but some of these have not been proven as being safe and effective, so you really need to be careful and read all the fine print before you start taking any random pill. In fact, the best idea would be to find a type of pill that you think you would be interested in taking, and then speak to your doctor about it.

They will be able to offer you more information on the matter and let you know whether or not you are an eligible candidate to begin taking the particular pills.

Be prepared to make some changes to your diet and to your activity levels whilst you are taking your new all natural weight loss pill. What? You thought all you had to do was pop a pill. Sadly notfor awesome results, start walking more and eating less junk.

By drinking plenty of water (to flush out toxins), eating clean foods like wholemeal breads and fruit & veg, you will allow the all natural weight loss pills to have the desired affect you are after – looking thinner.

1. Eat at Home
Dining out is an expensive proposition. Just about any nutritious meal that you buy in a formal restaurant can be made at home for a fraction of the price. Even good coffee is cheaper to make if you do it yourself. Fast food is excluded from the category, as high-calorie, low-quality food can be had a bargain price, but the impact on your long-term health overrides the benefit of short-term savings. (If you love restaurants, try investing in them instead of eating at them. To learn more, see Sinking Your Teeth Into Restaurant Stocks.)

2. Eat Before You Shop
When you are hungry and you walk into a building full of food, there’s a high likelihood that you are going to fill you cart with unnecessary and expensive purchases that appeal to your taste buds. To keep your costs down, eat first and shop on a full stomach.

3. Shop With a Plan
If you stumble around the grocery store and fill your cart with everything that catches your eye, chances are you will spend a lot more money that you needed to spend. To minimize your cash outlay, prepare a shopping list before you leave home. Plan your meals for the week ahead, and make careful note of what you need to buy in order to prepare those meals. Once the list is made, purchase only the items on the list, and avoid impulse buys. (Learn how to create a budget. See The Beauty Of Budgeting and Get Your Budget In Fighting Shape.)

4. Put on Blinders
Grocery stores are designed to make you go through a maze to get to the most basic items you need in the hope that you will make a few impulse buys along the way. If you keep to your planned list of needed foods, you won’t be tempted when you get forced down the junk food aisle to get at the milk. Because most necessities and basic cooking items are found along the outside perimeter of the store, start there and work your way around the edge of the store, only stepping into the maze to grab any leftover items on your list.

5. Avoid Prepared Foods
Our fast-paced society encourages convenience, and the grocery store has capitalized on this trend. Ready-made meals are easy to buy, but come with a premium price tag. Instead of putting that rotisserie chicken and macaroni salad in you cart, buy the ingredients and prepare the meal yourself. The same concept applies to frozen entrées, baked goods and any other food that has been prepared in some way for added convenience.

6. Skip the Bottled Water
If you don’t like the water that comes out of the tap, buy a water filter. The per-gallon cost is significantly less than the cost of bottled water – and without all the plastic bottles to discard, it’s a lot easier on the environment. (To invest in water, read Water: The Ultimate Commodity.)

7. Shop Without the Kids
Hungry, tired, cranky kids increase the amount of time it takes to get your shopping done. Every extra minute that you spend in the grocery store increases the likelihood of extra items finding their way into your cart, including toys and snacks designed to keep the kids quiet while you try to focus on finding a few bargains.

8. Buy in Bulk
Bulk buying can save you a significant amount of money. Pay attention to the prices and pick up the family size package if the per-unit cost is lower and you have a place to store it. Shopping at big-box bulk retailers like Sam’s Club and Costco can also save on your bill if you shop there frequently enough to cover the cost of membership, but pay careful attention to your spending habits. The big boxes are often no bargain at all when compared to sales prices and coupon savings at other stores. In addition, they may encourage you to buy more than you need, driving up your grocery bill.(Bulk purchases aren’t for everyone. To learn more, check out The Dark Side Of Bulk Buying.)

9. Use Store Reward Cards
If the store that you visit most frequently has a reward card, be sure to sign up. In some cases, stores raise their prices when they offer reward cards, and without the card your bill will certainly be higher. If the reward card offers other benefits, such as a ham for the holidays or a discount on gasoline, be sure to maximize your benefits by paying attention to the cutoff dates and cashing in your points before they expire.

10. Use Coupons
Coupons provide an easy way to save money. Clip them and cash them in, paying particular attention to stores that double the value of manufacturers’ coupons. A number of websites also offer coupons exclusively, and they are a great place to search for discounts on the items you have on your list. If you frequent a website of your favorite brands, they will often offer discounts to their faithful public. A few minutes of surfing online can make a difference at the till.

11. Buy Locally
Locally grown or produced food is often available at a cheaper price because you don’t pay for long transportation costs. Farmer’s markets, fairs, and the local aisle at your grocery store are all game for deals on tasty and fresh food.

12. Look Down
Stores often place the most expensive items at eye-level. To find less expensive items, look down. Also, looking around your brand-name food can find you a cheaper generic alternative. Generic label products are often nearly identical to name-brand goods (in fact, they’re often produced in the same factory), so don’t pay for packaging when what you really want is the food inside.

Catabolic Foods will burn off more calories than you ingest, i.e. foods like those listed below will burn off more calories chewing and digesting than they contain.

Vegetables :

Artichokes
Asparagus
Broccoli
Brussel Sprouts
Carrots
Celery
Cucumber
Eggplant
Lettuce
Peppers
Spinach
Sweet Potatoes
Tomatoes
Zucchini

Fruits:

Bartlett Pears
Black & Blueberries
Cantaloupe
Grapefruit
Lemons & Limes
Pears
Pineapple
Oranges
Raspberries
Strawberries
Watermelon

Reducing the amount of calories that you take in every day is key to losing weight effectively. This does not necessarily mean reducing the amount of food you eat, but transforming your diet to ensure that meals are healthier. However, there are a few small steps that, when implemented on a daily basis, are bound to make a massive difference.

•    Eat off of a smaller plate – one of the main habits people who are concerned about their weight have is to pile their plates with unhealthy foods and then finish it out of habit. If smaller portions of healthier food are eaten at a slower pace, the eater will feel much fuller at the end of their meal.
•    Don’t go shopping when you are hungry – browsing through the grocery shelves with a grumbling stomach is likely to influence us to buy more, and the type of food we buy will generally be the type that is instantly gratifying because we are not in the “food preparation” frame of mind. Instantly gratifying foods include chips / crisps, biscuits, pies and sweets.
•    Weigh your options – when faced with a full fat and low fat / fat-free options, always opt for the low fat or fat-free version of the same product. The argument that the full fat versions taste better is only true to an extent. This is based on what you have become used to and you will adapt very quickly. The same is true of sugared and sugar-free options. However, there are many reports of the negative effects of some of the sugar replacements and each person will need to do research to ascertain the dangers.
•    Getting greasy – oil is sometimes necessary for food preparation, but it is vital that cooking oil be oils from vegetables (e.g. canola or olive oils). Even when using vegetable oils, be sure to use them sparingly, they are not rich in the nutrients that our body needs. When eating out, you have little control over the types of oil they use in your food preparation. If possible, opt for grilled versions of the same meal, or ask if they can use just a little olive oil to prepare your meal.
•    Eat more often – rather than eating 3 large meals a day, split these meals in half and stretch them over the course of the day. Eating less food more often increases you metabolism as your body is not struggling to digest big lumps of food at one time, but is rather kept active for extended periods as it efficiently digests comfortable portions of food.
•    Move it – exercise does not initially have to mean running marathons. Start slowly by parking further away, taking the stairs and jumping up from the couch more often. As your fitness gradually increases, take the next step, which may be a run around the block or a social game of tennis.
•    What’s on the menu – when eating out, resist the temptation to indulge in all 3 courses. Dessert is obviously the least desirable indulgence, but even a Starter and a Main Course can prove to be far too much food for one sitting. It is advisable that you either order 2 Starter portions or take a doggy bag home so that the rest of the meal can be enjoyed on the following day.

It has become a cliché that even a journey of 1000 miles begins with the first step, but clichés are born from phrases that are too true to ignore. The same is true of a weight loss programme, which usually feels like a mammoth task but, when dealt with in small, manageable steps, is certainly doable.

Forget the miracle creams, balms, injections and scrubs. For the best aging remedies, simply get eating.

Cooked tomatoes are rich in Lycopene. This antioxidant is very powerful and plays a key role in protecting against coronary heart disease and cancer. It is imperative that the tomatoes are cooked, and patients suffering from prostate-, colon-, rectal-, mouth-, stomach- or lung cancer are urged to include cooked tomatoes in their diet in the forms of ketsup / ketchup, pasta sauces, stews and soups.

Vegetables in the ‘cruciferous’ family include the broccoli, cauliflower, turnip, cabbage, Brussel sprout, radish and watercress. These vegetables have a high Vitamin C content, as well as sulphoraphane and genistein, both of which are known to fight or prevent cancer. Interestingly, these veggies also have high levels of carotenoids, which act to improve vision and prevent macular degeneration of the eyes, which is usually one of the many ailments that old age brings with it.

Garlic and ginger are both excellent antioxidants, which also have antiseptic, antibacterial and antiviral properties. They are very effective in lowering blood pressure and bad cholesterol, increasing the diameter of blood vessels to allow for easier transport of oxygen and nutrients via the blood, and treating infections of the intestines, lungs and skin. Garlic is also thought to have cancer fighting properties, as well as the ability to prevent heart disease.

Beans, in general, are excellent for your health. However, soybeans contain isoflavones, which are key to preventing hormonal imbalances. The soy protects against breast- and prostate cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis. In fact, it has even been shown to prevent Alzheimer’s disease and to maintain healthy levels of oestrogen in women, particularly during menopause.

Phytochemicals are vigorous antioxidants, and berries that are blue or black in colour (including black grapes) are rich in these valuable nutrients. Antioxidants prevent the signs and effects of ageing.

Yoghurt that is “live” (as indicated on the container) contains bacteria that are very beneficial to us and our digestive tract. These assist in the effective absorption of nutrients, improving digestion. Yoghurt also increases immunity, and thus helps to prevent against many of the illnesses that arise during old age.

Honey is an amazing resource for all sorts of health benefits and has been shown to prevent the signs of ageing – memory loss, anxiety, arthritis, asthma, Alzheimer’s, and more. Just one to two teaspoons of honey every day has been shown to have astounding health benefits.

A handful of nuts and seeds every day also promises many health benefits. Nuts and seeds are rich in fatty acids (such as Omega-3), which are essential for our bodies to function effectively. In addition, they contain an abundance of vitamin E, potassium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper and selenium. Apart from the basic health benefits, these also keep the skin looking younger and more refreshed.

As anyone who has struggled with weight loss can testify, food can be the enemy. However, this is as a result of the unhealthy ingestion of the wrong types of food, rather than the properties of food as a whole. As research has shown, the right food not only aids in weight loss and increases the metabolism, but can also assist in keeping us looking younger, and feeling healthier.

While most young people focus on their weight in response to an aesthetic need, the health dangers presented by being overweight are dangerous and manifold. In fact, many of those who have lost significant amounts of weight will testify to feeling so much healthier and more energised since their weight loss.

Some of the better-known side-effects of being fat or obese include:

1.    Sleep Apnoea: This sleeping disorder causes the overweight person to stop breathing for one or more breaths, despite efforts to breath. Each pause in the breathing is known as an apnoea and lasts for at least 10 seconds. This lack of oxygen causes the oxygen in the blood to decrease as well as severe disruption of deep sleep. The sufferer will usually be tired during the day, even if he / she is not aware that they suffer from the disorder.
2.    Diabetes: When the body is dealing with excess fat levels, it becomes resistant to naturally-formed insulin. This leads to insufficient energy being transported to the cells throughout the body. This is a very dangerous illness and requires carefully monitored treatment.
3.    Stroke: A stroke is defined as a disturbance of the blood vessels transporting nutrient-rich blood to the brain. It is caused by a blockage within the blood vessel. This, in turn, is cause by an air bubble, blood clot, or fat globule forming inside the vessel and being transported with the blood to the brain. When a person is overweight, they are at a considerably increased risk of forming such fat blockages, leading to possible disability and even death.
4.    High Blood Pressure: Excess fat leads to the body’s retention of sodium, which increases the blood volume and pressure. An increased blood pressure forces the heart muscle to work harder as it tries to ensure that the blood in circulated and oxygenated sufficiently. Placing this type of strain on the heart all the time is a recipe for disaster.
5.    Osteoarthritis: Knees, hips, ankles and spines work much harder trying to support an overweight person than someone of a healthy weight. Cartilage is eroded by joints under pressure. This leads to a host of osteoporotic problems as well as an enormous amount of discomfort.
6.    Abnormal Blood Fats (Cholesterol): More saturated fats in the blood increase the level of unhealthy cholesterol (LDL – low-density lipoproteins). These build up on the inside walls of the arteries and lead to blockages.
7.    Cancer: Fat is living tissue that actively produces hormones. These hormones are thought to increase the risk of cancer, particularly in women.
8.    Discomfort: Of course, being overweight also leads to the sufferer being hot, uncomfortable and even in pain as their body tries to support and transport their ample body. The heart works harder trying to get blood to all the tissues of the body (as fat is rich in blood vessels), causing strain and fatigue.

Clearly, then, the dangers posed by being overweight far outweigh any perceived benefits of indulging in fat- and sugar-rich foods.

Organic foods are those that are grown without dangerous pesticides and fertilisers, have not been contaminated by waste, additives or radiation and have not undergone chemical ripening. Organic meat or animal products comes from animals that are raised without the regular use of antibiotics, without growth hormones and on a generally healthy diet. No genetic modification is permitted. Many organic foods even require biodegradable or recyclable packaging to be considered organic.

Food that is not considered to be organic populates the shelves and fridges of our supermarkets and grocery shops. This is a multi-billion dollar industry, one that benefits from mass consumer support. However, organic farms are becoming increasingly popular as more people become aware of the health risks imposed by chemical- and hormone-laden foods. However, by the last half of 2008, organic food still only constituted just under 2% of the total food being sold globally. This is actually a fairly impressive figure as the supply of organic foods is under strain due to increasing demand, despite the higher cost.

Foods should have a sticker or label on to certify that they are organic. Organic food and the growing thereof are not only beneficial for the human body in terms of the lack of poisons on the food, but the farms themselves are advantageous to the entire environment for various reasons. Firstly, these farms work hard to maintain a healthy ecosystem so that plants and / or animals may thrive without needing the aid of chemicals and growth hormones. Secondly, the farms produce less waste. This waste may usually arise out of pesticide containers, polluted water and soil, packaging for medication and chemicals, and so on. Lastly, organic farms do not use pesticides, which means that the water, soil, land and animals are all free of such harmful chemicals.

Pesticides affect the farm workers, animals (including the birds that live off the grains and seeds) and eventually the consumers. Exposure to pesticides has been shown to cause dizziness, nausea, stomach cramps, vomiting, headaches, respiratory problems, memory problems, cancer, depression, miscarriages and birth defects. Infants and younger children have very little chance of exposure to pesticides if not through the foods that they eat.

Of course, there are critics, and these argue that these farms require so much extra space that they threaten rainforests and the like. They also assert that the farms produce much less than conventional farms and are, therefore, unable to sustain the world’s population at present.

Organic food contains up tom 40% more antioxidants, making the foods much more beneficial in terms of health, but also much tastier. Conventional foods often taste blander and more watery, while organic foods are richer in flavours and have more texture to them (e.g. organic apples are crunchier and sweeter). This is due to the purer soil.

BY taking small steps to improving the quality of our intake, we raise awareness of the foods that we allow into our body, giving us more control. A healthy body is a fit body, and it is imperative that we make the utmost effort to ensure that our bodies are fit and healthy at all times.