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Monday, July 6

Boost your metabolism and lose weight faster

You can change your diet and workout so your body burns more calories. Nutritionist Joy Bauer shares tips on increasing your metabolism

In this installment of “Today’s Health,” we look at how you can boost your metabolism. Many dieters are quick to blame a sluggish metabolism for their inability to lose weight. But do you have control over your metabolism? Yes and no. Nutritionist Joy Bauer tells you how you can change your diet and your workout to increase your metabolism.

Dieters often complain that they can’t lose weight because they have a “slow metabolism.” Unfortunately, many companies capitalize on this misconception by marketing products that promise to give consumers a so called “metabolic advantage” that helps melt away the pounds. Here’s the real story:

What is metabolism?
Metabolism is the process by which your body converts calories from food into energy. People often believe that a slim person’s metabolism is high and an overweight person’s metabolism is low, but this isn’t usually the case. Metabolism alone does not determine your weight. Rather, weight is dependent on the balance of calories consumed versus the calories burned. Eat more calories than you need — you gain weight. Eat fewer calories than you need — you lose weight. Metabolism is merely the body’s engine that burns calories and regulates your caloric needs.

Three ways your body burns calories:

1. Basic body functions. Basal metabolic rate is the amount of calories your body needs to sustain vital functions — digestion, breathing, blood circulation, adjustment of hormone levels, cell growth and repair, etc. Typically, your basal metabolic rate makes up 66 percent to 75 percent of the total calories your body requires for a day.

2. Digestion and absorption of food. About 10 percent of your day’s calories are burned digesting and absorbing the food you eat. Yes, you actually need calories to burn calories.

3. Exercise. Daily physical activity accounts for the rest of the calories burned.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13910708/

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Burn fat fast – speeding up your metabolism

A slow metabolism, gift or curse? Despite what people say about sluggish metabolisms being a result of low activity levels coupled with bad eating habits which makes people prone to gaining weight I can assure you this is not the full story.

Some people just have a slower metabolism than others which make there bodies prone to storing fat if they over eat the same way some people stay skinny no matter what they throw down themselves.

I have personally fought with a slow metabolism throughout the years and this has allowed me to figure out how to naturally boost my metabolism without overdoing cardio and workouts. Allowing me to keep a lean physique.

There are 3 main points to keeping your metabolism revved

1. Do weight training at least 3 times a week. Weight training is what causes you to lose body fat and turns on your body’s furnace for days afterwards.
This is due to basic recovery biology; when you breakdown muscles through a weights workout your body will go into recovery mode causing fat to be used to fuel the process of muscle repair and rebuilding which happens mainly while you sleep therefore it is important to eat a small easily digested meal before you sleep try and stay away from complex carbohydrates in this meal as they are useless before sleep. opt for something light, like a protein shake with and apple or cottage cheese with pineapple.
2. Make breakfast your biggest meal. This will really fire up your metabolism for the day as your body is in starvation mode after the nights rest. Therefore it is important to re-fuel and get your bodies engines going again.
A perfect meal would be some Eggs with lean bacon and some fruit. If you are in a rush go for fruit and raw nuts.
3. Eat when your hungry. all these meals should be small and light so you can digest them easily and keep your metabolism revved up. This is because your body burns of calories in the process of digesting a meal therefore eating a small meal every few hours will constantly kick start your metabolism as well as keeping your blood sugar levels stable which means you will have plenty of energy and feel great throughout the day. Try to focus on Lean meat, Vegetables, fruit and healthy fats.

Now I am sure you have heard this all before. And well you probably have as they are easy ways to keep metabolism fired up. Don’t worry though there are some more un orthodox tips coming up which will make your metabolism burn like its on fire!!!

—>Protein, Keeping a nice serving of protein in all your meals will do a great job of getting your metabolism going as Protein requires the most calories to burn increasing your metabolic rate, As well as this protein allows your body to build muscle and the more muscle you have the more calories your body will burn, knocking your metabolism up a gear. Whey Protein, Chicken, Tuna, eggs, Low fat cheese and milk are all great sources of protein and try and include a good serving with all your meals.
—>Green Tea, No its not only for yoga teachers, all of us should be sipping at green tea and even taking the capsuled forms as it is a great metabolic booster and can make your body burn up-to 400 extra calories a day if you drink 4-5 cups a day. If you lead a hectic lifestyle and do not have the time to drink constant green tea I recommend you buy a good green tea supplement like that of Primaforce and take one capsule in the morning with breakfast.
—>Chili’s, Add them to anything except breakfast(unless of course you enjoy it with your cereal), grab some cayenne, crushed chillies or tabasco and add it to your Pasta, salad, chicken and just about anything else, on top of making your food taste good. Hot foods will raise your heart rate which will increase your metabolism for a few hours after eating.
—>Grapefruit, personally I like to start the day with a serving of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice or half a grapefruit 20 minuted before I eat breakfast. This is because Grapefruit has been shown to regulate blood sugar levels which is essential in the morning and will stop you craving all day, give it a try its amazing! if you find it too tangy sprinkle some splenda on top, but after a few days of eating the grapefruit you will get used to the bitter taste and start to enjoy it without the extra sweetener.
—>Cinnamon, Sprinkle it on anything you like. Cinnamon helps your body metabolize sugar and therefore stop your body storing excess sugar as fat. Try it on banana’s or your cereal its delicious.

If you follow these rules your metabolism will be firing on all cylinders making you a fat torching machine
This is an old article of mine that was featured on lifespy

Source: http://nodiets.wordpress.com/2007/01/26/burn-fat-fast-speeding-up-your-metabolism/

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Thursday, June 11

Losing Your Belly Fat Naturally

It wasn't all that long ago when a strong set of arms really defined the sexiness of an individual but that has changed in recent years. It has a lot to do with the fact that people are showing more of their abdominals whenever they are out in public and for that reason, a sexy stomach has really replaced arms as the definition of physical fitness. That is why people will work on this area of the body to an excessive degree.

You might not be aware of this but the fact of the matter is that many of us are working our abdominal muscles in the wrong way. We may be embarrassed to show our abs in public because of a layer of fat that is covering over our muscles and not allowing that six pack to shine through.

In order for us to truly understand what we need to do to get the abs that we want, it is often necessary for us to look at it from a new perspective. First of all, it doesn't matter how hard you work your abdominals, that is not the way for you to get the good looking abs that you're looking for. This is a truth that is often hidden under much of the misinformation that we get from infomercials and other weight loss products.

In order for you to truly get the abdominal muscles that you want, it is necessary for you to look at other areas of your body. You're never going to lose fat from one area of your body and not lose it from others. If you have a layer of fat on your stomach, you have a layer of fat on almost your entire body, although it may not be as recognizable. Losing fat from one area of your body necessitates that you lose it from other areas as well.

Another thing that is true is that the larger muscles of your body are what is going to burn the fat off of your abs, not the ab muscles themselves. The leg muscles and at times, the muscles in the core of the body are the ones that you really need to concentrate on building. If you work out your legs on a regular basis, your body is going to be leaner as a result.

There is a simple formula that you need to keep in mind in this regard. Every pound of muscle that you have on your body is going to burn 60 calories every single day without any extra effort on your part. 10 pounds of muscle in your body will burn 600 calories every day, or a little bit over 1 pound of body fat every week.

If you're working the larger muscles of your body whenever you are at the gym, you are going to notice results in the body fat composition of your body as a whole. The leg muscles are the easiest for you to bulk up, so make sure that you're working them first while you're at the gym.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Losing-Your-Belly-Fat-Naturally&id=2454426

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How to Lose Fat and Build Muscle With Exercise - 3 Exercises That Works Fast

Here I'm going to show you how to lose fat and build muscle with exercise.

Yes losing weight is great, but we also need to build some lean muscle along the way to be healthy and to gain a good amount of strength for good health.

Check out Compound exercises. These are exercises that involves more than one muscle and are the most effective when it comes to burning fat and building muscle all over your body.

If you don't or for some reason can't go to the gym, there are simple exercises you can do at home, but you have to do them at least 3 times per week, and make sure you end them with some stretches that last at least 5 minutes so that you won't be sore the next day or so.

1. First you can do some stretches, you can call this the warmup.

2. Do some leg squats. Back up against the wall and slide down until your legs are at a 90 degree angle. Then hold yourself in that spot for at least 15 seconds, then glide back up and start the process again. Do this for about 10-15 times and you're all set until the next time.

3. Push ups are very effective when done on a regular basis, at least 3 times per week. Make sure you Google in "compound exercises" to get a better understanding about them and to find out how much and how often to do them without over doing yourself.

Doing compound exercises combined with a well balanced diet can do wonders for you if you can make the commitment to stick with it. You asked, "how to lose fat and build muscle with exercise?" and I gave you a good place to start, and it works.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Lose-Fat-and-Build-Muscle-With-Exercise---3-Exercises-That-Works-Fast&id=2455056

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Mind Control to Lose Weight

We all want to lose weight, gain muscle and be healthier, but the trouble is that these things never seem to come to us. There is a reason for this and it is simply that we do not make small changes in our mindset to bring about the big changes.

For instance let's say that you want to lose weight. You try every diet for a few weeks only to fall off and fall into your old habits. Even the people on the Biggest Loser tend to gain their weight back and do you know why this is? The mind is not changed. You need to change your mind before the outward changes are going to manifest for you.

The best way to change your mind is not to one day say "I want to be thin" actually the best way to say this in your mind would be "I am thin" since your mind will accept the now but does not really understand the future and the past when making change.

The next thing that you need to do to make those changes in your life is to do the small things. To lose weight of course you need to clean out your cupboards but that is not going to help you at the grocery store, instead you have to change your mind on what you like and do not like for food. No one that I know of really likes rice cakes but they will always eat them to lose weight. What would be the point of eating rice cakes at home and then eating lots of cake when you go out for dinner?

The best way ot think of what you will eat is to change your mind from craving snacks and desserts all the time to changing to eating different fruits and vegetables in a way that is simple and really tasty. Change the way you think from wanting pie to wanting fruit salad instead.

This is the real crux of the whole diet dilemma. anyone can do a diet for a week or two but after that you are convinced that you can go back at least a little bit to those foods that you ate before so instead it is critical to change to eating the foods that are healthy, revel in that and make sure they taste good so that the lifestyle is changed to eating those instead of the food that is bad for you.

Food is not the only place where you want to make these changes in your head. When it comes to exercise often we will think that to lose weight we have to exercise. Instead the exercise mindset must be changed to "I want to exercise because it makes me feel good". So how do you make the changes to have your mind really believe that? First you need to exercise with the goal in the end not in losing weight but in feeling better, having more energy, and better stamina and concentration.

No one wants that feeling of exhaustion in the gym initially it is really uncomfortable and when the going gets tough you will want to stop since it seems like it is doing nothing anyway. If you focus instead on the idea that every workout is helping all these other parts of your life then you will see the results not only on the scale but in other parts of your life and you will continue to do those workouts for all the right reasons.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Mind-Control-to-Lose-Weight&id=2454805

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Acai Berry - What is Acai Berry and Why Should it Bother You?

Has a previous ill encounter with the claims that accompany health products left you skeptical of trying anything new? Read on to find out why you cannot afford to miss this great way to lose weight with the acai berry supplement.

Acai Berry Is Tried And Tested

Having benefited the South American natives for centuries now, the acai berry fruit has recently found admirers across the globe owing to its miraculous properties. The claims of renowned experts like Dr. Perricone and Dr. Oz have further strengthened people's faith in it.

It Offers Amazing Benefits

This gift of nature is a must try if you are determined to get rid of those extra pounds. From helping you lose weight quickly without spending hours at the gym or living off that harsh diet regime to increasing your energy levels and fighting the aging process- this unique food does it all.

It Could Change Your Life Too

The magical effects of this product are enough to raise a plethora of doubts in the mind of a thinking soul. Having said that, if one devotes some time reviewing the wonder stories its users have to narrate; all that skepticism would vanish in thin air. After all, who wouldn't prefer a fit and healthy life over a fat one?

You too could change your life big time by incorporating this small wonder in your diet. No matter you shop for it online or at some health store, make sure that you go in for a reputed brand in order to lay your hands on a genuine enough product.

Source: http://ezinearticles.com/?Acai-Berry---What-is-Acai-Berry-and-Why-Should-it-Bother-You?&id=2455172

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Lose Belly Fat Fast - The Magic Way to Stop Fat From Being Digested

Have you been trying to get rid of your belly fat for long without any genuine success? Unfortunately, you are not alone in this situation! The word "magic" in the title may have drawn your attention. It is not a trap! Imagine there is a natural food able to prevent fat from being digested? It would be magic, isn't it? This substance does exist! It comes from crustaceans.

Shells of Crustaceans

Chitin, a polysaccharide isolated from mushrooms, was first discovered by a French chemist Mr. Henry Braconnot about two centuries ago. Later on, chitin was discovered in the shells of aquatic crustaceans and other arthropods (lobsters and crabs). Chitin can be chemically converted into the more valuable chitosan.

Chitosan Properties

Chitosan is a natural substance (with a structure that looks like cellulose) known as "the fat magnet" because of its capacity to act as a lipid binder at the rate to 5 to 10 times its weight.

Advantages

As you probably know, human body cannot digest fiber very well. When someone takes a dietary supplement of chitosan it passes through the gastrointestinal tract with an amount of fat bound to it and finally both of them, fiber and lipid, are eliminated through feces. As the result, this dietary supplement would help its consumer to lose both weight and fat. It would have weight loss properties. Additionally, it has also been observed that this substance can lower plasma cholesterol and triglycerides.

Disadvantages

In theory, chitosan is the perfect natural product to lose fat fast. But, there are a lot of controversies about its activity. Many scientists are skeptical about its capacity to play the role of a fat-blocker. Why? Because recent clinical studies on humans were not able to corroborate its famous biochemical function! In fact, during many years, studies were just conducted on animals!

Moreover, regular absorption of high-dose chitosan supplements induces a depletion of all the liposoluble vitamins (such as vitamins A, D, E and K) and some essential minerals (such as calcium and magnesium).

Are there other Losing fat programs without any disadvantages?

As we have mentioned in the introduction, it would be magic to find something natural able to stop dietary fat from being digested. It does exist, it's not a lie, but it seems to work just on laboratory animals. Are you a little bit disappointed? Don't give up! Stick with healthy eating habits and regular exercise.

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Let's Talk About Health is a personal blog that aims to share online information about health. This blog is a collaborative effort of individuals who are currently registered members of other online community sites. Let's Talk About Health does not claim any form of ownership or copyright in the materials found in this blog. Most of the contents featured in this blog come from other sites. The said materials are owned by those sites where these resources are posted.

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