Anyone who has ever tried to lose weight has most certainly wailed at some point “I am doing everything right and yet not losing weight”. It can indeed seem like an uphill battle trying to make those pounds budge. But in reality, the concept of weight loss or gain is very simple. When the calories consumed by the body are higher than the calories required by the body, the extras get deposited as fat resulting in weight gain. So the easiest way to lose weight is to know the amount of calories required by your body and consume approximately the same or less. There is no need to embark on drastic starvation diets to reduce your calorie intake. You can do so by making a few simple lifestyle changes.

Tips to reduce unwanted calories from your diet

The first step to effective weight management is to calculate the calories required by your body and the amount you are consuming. Once this is done, you can use one or more of the following tips to bring your consumption down according to your specific needs:

Vegetable and fruits: Replace at least one snack in the day with vegetables or fruits. This will not only reduce the calorie intake but also provide essential vitamins and minerals.

Skim Milk: Replacing cream with skimmed milk or low fat creamer is another easy way to cut down calories without any change in the nutrition.

Fruits as desserts: Replace the dessert in your meals with fruits. They will not only satisfy your sweet tooth but also provide much needed fiber and fructose to the body while reducing the calorie content drastically.

Brown bread: Replacing regular bread with whole wheat bread can help reduce the daily calorie intake by 100 calories while cutting out a slice of cheese from your diet will help reduce the calorie counter by another 100 calories.

Chew: By chewing your meals properly, you allow time for your brain to process that it is full and thus reduce your calorie intake automatically.

Water: Last but not the least, replace diet colas with water to reduce calorie intake drastically.

When it comes to weight loss, most people want to see results without sacrificing their comfort or cravings. No wonder the diet industry is flourishing with new weight loss pills and miracle equipments making an appearance everywhere and promising to provide results without any hard work. Sugar free snacks and drinks can also be included in this category. They promise to provide the satisfaction of taste without the calories. The market is full of sugar free edibles today and sugar substitutes are becoming increasing popular with people trying to lose weight. But the question is whether they really help in weight loss?

What are sugar substitutes?

Sugar substitutes are artificial sweeteners which try to mimic the taste of regular sugar without the calories. There are many sugar substitutes in the market with varying levels of sweetness. These sugar substitutes contain sweetening agents like saccharin, sucralose and neotame all of which contain lesser calories than regular table sugar while retaining the sweet taste. Due to this, food items prepared with sugar substitutes are often considered to be low in calories.

Will sugar substitutes help in weight loss?

While too much sugar is definitely bad for you and is likely to cause weight gain, experts say that cutting out all sugar from your diet is neither healthy nor required. Ultimately, weight loss is caused only when you burn more calories than you consume and unfortunately, most of the recipes which use sugar substitutes have an overload of calories from other sources anyway to make up for the bitter aftertaste. Some studies have also shown that sugar free drinks can actually increase weight as even the artificial sweeteners stimulate the body to produce enzymes which make the body crave sugar and reduce its ability to burn calories. Artificial sweeteners have also been attributed to cause other serious health problems like high blood pressure, insulin resistance and risk of diabetes. The bottom line is that sugar substitutes may help in moderation but ultimately, the tried and tested combination of healthy diet and exercise remains the most reliable way to lose weight.

tea not your cup of...tea? gulp down on these!

Great tea extract for weight loss is the most recent talk in the field of dieting.  Use of Green tea involves the concept of the tea (or supplement) without milk, since this inactivates the active principles which increase metabolic rate. Green tea is not only a stimulant, but is also very healthy. This is one of the other major factors leading to massive sales in green tea extract worldwide. In this article we are going to look at the usage of Green tea extract for weight loss:

Stimulation of metabolism:

It stimulates your metabolism and as a result also increases digestive rate, with elevated levels of digestive juices. The result is a drastically increased digestive rate with increase in energy production. It thereby helps in promoting more fat burning than you normally would. It is also proven that substances in green tea, known as catechin and epigallocatechin have the ability to reduce the weight in the body. A combination of caffeine and green tea form a perfect blend for effective weight loss.

Cholesterol management:

Cholesterol in the body is well managed with the help of green tea. What it generally does is to remove bad cholesterol and promote synthesis of good cholesterol in the body. This process not only reduces body weight, but also improves the chances of preventing a heart attack.

Reduction in the amount of fat absorbed:

It was found out that green tea causes the cells in the body to reduce the intake of fat. The cells are eventually made to reduce the fat intake thereby the chance of fat accumulation is less. It has also been found that it enhances the ability to use the fat, a process known as lipolysis. This causes a rapid lowering of the body weight. If the cells of the body are tuned in such a manner that they do no accumulate unwanted fat in the body, and are more likely to promote usage of fat as fuel, the need for crazy diet plans id drastically reduced.

Insulin control:

It enhances the production of adepoctin in the body which promotes better insulin secretion. Secretion of insulin in a timely manner helps to reduce secretion of a hormone called leptin, which signals the hunger reflex to be activated. Over time, this regular release pattern of insulin promotes better utilization of fats as fuel, and a reduced chance of it being stored in unsightly bulges.

Antioxidant support

Green tea extract has been shown superior to many synthetic antioxidants in its ability to absorb and neutralize reactive oxygen species. These molecules are what is responsible for a variety of ails, ranging from again, to fatigue, to cancers. A demographic survey once conduced revealed the consumption of green tea as a staple part of the diet was highly attributed to the longer life spans of people of Japanese origin. While this may vary today, overall Japan has one of the highest life expectancy rates on the planet.

 Conclusion: Green Tea Extract for Weight Loss

With so many reasons to use green tea extract for weight loss, aging and many other ailments, give it a try, there’s nothing to lose.

Before starting the Master Cleanse program, there are several mandatory and optional ingredients you need to stock up on. Good quality cayenne pepper, organic maple syrup and unrefined sea salt are some of the mandatory ingredients and most people know about these. However, there is one more mandatory ingredient which is often overlooked – pure, unadulterated, filtered water. The role of pure water in the Master cleanse program or in any cleansing program for that matter, is largely underestimated.  Most people tend to use unfiltered tap water to drink and to prepare their lemonade and juices. This is a big no if you want to really get the best out of the program.

The role of pure water

The main reason to start a cleanse is obviously to get rid of the toxins in the body. But when you use regular tap water, you are actually putting toxins back into your body. Tap water is treated with chlorine to kill the bacteria in it and chlorine is one of the harmful toxins that you are trying to get your body rid of.  Also, tap water collects toxins from different sources on the way before reaching you. Bottled water is not a good choice either because apart from being expensive, plastic is non-biodegradable which means it is bad for the environment. It is really not ok to dump toxins into the environment in order to detoxify yourself. So, if you are serious about detoxification, your best bet is to invest in a good water filter.

Which water filter?

There are many water filters in the market which do the job well. You need to consider your price and size requirements and choose one accordingly. Aquasana is one of the best water filters available in the market. It is an easy to use, countertop filter that uses a three-stage system to remove toxins like chlorine, lead, cysts and pesticides from water. It also improves the taste and removes odor without removing any healthy minerals. Above all, it is quite affordable with the water filter costing less than 100$ and the replacement filters costing less than 60$. You can get more details about the water filter from the Aquasana web site.

High fat food items are the biggest culprits when it comes to stomach bloating. Fried items, most dairy products including milk, most baked goods and desserts are all very high in their fat content and should be avoided if you want to feel less bloated. Carbonated fizzy drinks including diet sodas and beer as well as soft drinks can also cause bloating. In addition, while most fruits and vegetables are healthy for you, sometimes they are also responsible for bloating. Vegetables that are known to cause bloating include beans, cabbage and onions while fruits that generally cause bloating are apples, peaches and pears.

Foods to cure bloating

In addition to avoiding the food items that cause bloating, there are also foods that you can specifically include in your diet to get rid of the feeling. In general, protein rich foods like fish, eggs, nuts and meat are good options. You should also drink plenty of fruit juice and water. You can try replacing milk and milk based products with soya milk and tofu, both of which are good sources of protein. Vegetables like spinach, broccoli, cauliflower and fruits like papaya and kiwi can also help you feel less bloated. If you still feel bloated after making these dietary changes, then you might be intolerant to certain food groups. In that case, you should consult your doctor to discuss the possibility of availing medication.

Don't be going around scaring the children now!

Caffeine is one of the best ways by which we can wake up fresh every morning, but beyond that the side effects are something that we need to look into very closely. Caffeine is basically a substance that is present in coffee, chocolates and many natural plants. Caffeine may cause a lot of after effects in the body and are pretty severe in a few cases especially in persons predisposed to caffeine sensitivity. let’s take an inside look at  what and the most common side effects of caffeine so that we could avoid them or keep them minimal should they occur. Starting your day by introducing caffeine leads to drastic problems in the later years, To begin with:

Insomnia:

Ongoing usage of caffeine leads to a syndrome of insomnia. While caffeine intake is normally started to eliminate the problem of sleepiness, eventually it gets rid of it forever. So better keep a keen eye out for that.

Blood pressure rise:

Many sources around says that caffeine reduces blood pressure. Well that be the case they are all undoubtedly wrong. Caffeine increases blood pressure in the body, and may eventually cause heart disease in prone individuals. If you’d want your heart, better keep your mind away from caffeine.

Dehydration:

This is a very serious condition resulting from intake of caffeine, since even in small doses it is known to act as a diuretic (promoting urination).  To compensate for this change, water intake must be increased, not only to quench thirst and replace lost fluids, but also to help cool the body. Some people even experience heat stroke following an outing after drinking their morning ritual. Use of alcohol exacerbates this effect, so it is a must that you avoid alcohol if you insist on caffeinated drinks.

Headaches:

For those who have generally seen people heading to coffee shops to get rid of headaches, congrats! you will understand this nicely. Caffeine creates headaches too. You go to a coffee shop for reducing your headache continuously, but what you don’t realize is that caffeine caused a rebound headache. Yes, indeed it helps to relieve spasm of blood vessels, buy after that is achieved, it dilates again, leading you back to square one.

Addiction: this is the best and the worst side effects, I’ve seen people who’ve lived without food, but once you get addicted to caffeine it’s hardly possible to run away from it. People who get addicted to caffeine might have started drinking or taking caffeine for the sake of headaches or body pains or maybe even sleepiness. Caffeine causes changes to body chemistry which signals inability to function without it. This is how addiction to drugs develops. Not because you want to use it, but changes have occurred to the body. It’s like providing a remedy for a problem, and when you remove the remedy. Tadaa! That becomes a problem.

Conclusion:Side Effects of Caffeine

Used judiciously, Caffeine can be an effective short term weapon. But following repeated use, only the side effects of caffeine are noticed.

We often hear about diets which cause rapid weight loss by getting rid of the water weight in the body. Such diets are usually considered fads and not recommended for long term weight loss. In general, if a diet causes you to lose a drastic amount of weight within a short period of time, you can safely assume that most of it is water weight and will come back soon. So, why is water weight loss considered so bad anyway? Read on to find out.

Weight loss is weight loss, right?

Not really. There are different ways in which you could lose weight and the type of diet you choose determines the type of weight you lose. Broadly speaking, you can lose weight by burning fat or by getting rid of the water in your body. Fad diets are usually very low in calories and carbohydrates. When the body does not get all the carbohydrates it needs, it starts tapping into its carbohydrate “reserves” for its energy needs. Now, turns out that these carbohydrates are bound to the water stores in the body. So, when the carbohydrates stores are emptied, you also lose the accompanying reserves of water. This is what causes those drastic weight losses.

Why is it a bad thing?

It is a bad thing because your body needs that water, as simple as that. Losing excess amounts of water can lead to several problems like dehydration, diarrhea, nausea, dizziness, low blood pressure and fever. Even after all these problems, the minute you stop dieting, the water weight comes back anyway. In contrast, fat loss occurs when you really start using up more calories than you consume through exercise and activities. The body taps into its fat reserves when this happens and hence not only is the weight loss more healthy but also permanent.

have you had yours?

Everyone keeps talking about the advantages but many of us overlook the side effects of green tea extract. In this article we are going to brush through the side effects of green tea extract.  Green tea as you may know is an herbal product which is produced via extraction of the principles from the leaves, and being devoid of unwanted elements. It is absolutely herbal. This is one of the reasons why people consume it so rapidly, but nevertheless things may still go wrong. Let’s look at the possible side effects green tea extract:

Loss of appetite:

People think that because green tea is herbal, is safe to keep drinking it all the time. Well, congratulations you’re on the verge of losing your appetite. Of course it is true green has a few nutrients, but it doesn’t mean it has all the nutrients possible. It would’ve been called super tea and not green tea if that was the case. It slowly makes you lose your weight, by among other things, killing your appetite.

Sleeping troubles:

Every now and then it happens that people are unable to sleep while consuming green tea extract. This is indeed one of the more common effects of green tea extract, and it is for this reason it is not advised that you consume green tea extract five to six hours before bed.

Stomach upset:

For people who love green tea this is going to really upset you (literally). Green tea causes stomach upset. People have repeatedly noted that green tea extract causes rise in the stimulation of the stomach’s gastric juice.  This increased secretion of stomach juices leads to indigestion, gas and may even interfere with sleep if bad enough.

Caffeine withdrawal

The caffeine content in the green tea is pretty high which upon cessation may cause various syndromes such as:

Headaches

Sleeping problems

Aches

Psychiatric issues

These problems arise more often than not due to the relative amount of caffeine consumed, not to green tea itself.

Allergies

If we take a look at the allergies that are healed by the green tea, we tend to miss the allergy it causes to people who are not used to it. For some people it may be a reaction to a component of the leaf, or a compound contained in green tea. Other rarer cases involve an allergy to caffeine.

Liver issues: low dosage of green tea extract is pretty much harmless, but high dosages cause depletion of liver enzymes which are cumulative over time. There are a few low grade extracts that cause immense problems to the body with associated questionable manufacture practices. It is best to purchase green tea capsules which state the amount of standardized drug you are getting, or purchasing recognized brands of tea.

Conclusion: Side Effects of Green Tea Extract

Green tea when it is consumed in low doses it does not pose problems, but when the dosages become bigger the side effects of green tea extract become more pronounced.

The rules of calorie counting

Generally speaking, the rules of calorie counting are pretty simple. You consume a certain amount of calories when you eat which is then used up by your body for its various activities. Whatever is not used up gets stored as fat. If your calorie intake is more than your needs, you get fat and if it is less, you lose weight. So, to lose weight, all you need to do is to ensure that you are consuming fewer calories than what your body needs so that it is forced to use up the stored fat. Most calorie counting diets try to make you adhere to this principle by calculating your body’s calorie needs and then counting the calories you consume to make sure you remain below the limit. Overall, when you consume 3500 calories less than your body’s needs, you lose a pound. It’s that simple.

How good is calorie counting

The answer to this question is annoyingly similar to most diet related answers – it depends. If you are really conscientious about counting every calorie that goes into your mouth, record everything sincerely and remain within the allocated limits, then calorie counting will definitely lead to weight loss. The problem is that every single bite of food and sip of coffee counts here. Most people tend to underestimate the amount of calories they consume in a day as it is difficult to keep track of every single thing they eat. There are tools and websites to help you keep track of your calories and if you really have the patience to do it, it is definitely worth a try.

What is intermittent fasting?

Simply put, the intermittent fasting method is an eating cycle in which you alternate periods of fasting with those of normal eating. The duration of fasting and eating periods vary from a few hours to a few days depending on the plan that you choose. The idea behind this eating pattern is to avail the benefits of fasting without making drastic lifestyle changes or feeling exhausted. The plan is flexible enough to incorporate into your regular lifestyle and can indeed be a good option if you are unable to stick to a diet due to your lifestyle.

Advantages of intermittent fasting

The intermittent fasting pattern is believed to prevent the body from going into the starvation mode by avoiding prolonged periods of hunger. A bout of fasting is always followed by eating and so the body does not slow down its metabolism in this method. Also, you are unlikely to feel cranky or weak as the fasting periods generally do not last very long. By not eating anything for certain periods, you will automatically reduce your calorie consumption and lose weight. Since the body’s metabolism is intact, the weight loss will be in terms of fat and not water weight. This will ensure that the weight you lost stays away for good.