Wednesday, 21 December 2011

Weight Loss Effectively: Tips to Lose Weight This Christmas


Christmas Day is often noted as period for weight gain, but for you it doesn't have to be. You too can maintain your Christmas weight loss and keep losing weight well into the New Year.
Researchers claim that everyone gains on average one to two pounds during the holiday season - 1 to 2 pounds that are almost impossible to lose, am i right? however by simply incorporating the following tips into your Christmas diet you too can prevent this Christmas weight gain and keep your body healthy, happy and fighting fit.
1. Opt for Turkey - compared to other red meats, turkey is high in protein and low in fat saving you countless calories.
2. Roast all your vegetables - avoid saturating your roast potatoes and vegetables in fat. Instead boil them for 10 minutes to soften them up before lightly drizzling them in low-fat vegetable oil and putting them in the oven.
3. Make your own treats - forget investing in a 2 kilograms tin of Roses that is packed with 10,000 calories and instead make your sweets from scratch. Christmas cakes, Yule logs, trifle... by making the slightest amendments to your ingredients list, you too can produce low-fat and low-calorie versions of each of these puddings.
With your trifle for example, simply swap normal jam and jelly for their sugar-free counterparts and use fruit canned in juice instead of syrup.
4. Make alcohol free punch - drinking just half a bottle of wine can increase your calorie intake by 250 calories, so take the step to swap alcohol for some fruity punch that your entire family can enjoy. Alternatively invest in some non-alcoholic wines.
5. Make your Christmas active - forget sitting in front of the television watching annual re-runs and instead go out for a walk or a bike ride with your family. This will help stop you from snacking on all those naughty chocolates, and will prevent that post-afternoon slump.
Alternatively if it is too cold to go outside, switch off the television and play some games. Charades, Twister... pick something fun, active and enjoyable for the whole family.
6. Swap salted peanuts for unsalted - one of the easiest steps you can take for controlling your Christmas weight loss, is making simple alterations such as swapping salted peanuts for their unsalted counterparts. Salted peanuts are saturated in fats which are bad for your heart, and this is the same for many other Christmas foods.
Simply sit down and make a list of all the foods you'd normally purchased for Christmas. If you discover that they have got a low-fat version, swap them for these lower calorie versions and exclude foods you cannot replace.
7. Buy no biscuits or chocolates - easier said than done, but the reality is you wouldn't normally used it, let alone eat all these chocolates and biscuits. So set yourself a rule: buy one tin or none at all. More often than not someone will buy you a box of chocolates as a present, so let them buy it for you and resist the temptation to buy them yourself.
Remember: One 2 kilograms tin of Roses contains 10,000 calories.
Maintaining your Christmas weight loss doesn't have to be achieved at the sacrifice of your own enjoyment. You too can have a Christmas to remember, simply by making the above modifications to your Christmas diet.
So make the change, and begin planning for your Christmas now. Back


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5301721

Sunday, 18 December 2011

15 Fat Burning Foods - Eating Your Way To Natural Fat Loss


Quickly, can you name 15 fat burning foods in the next 30 seconds? How did you do? Well, there are a wide variety of fruits and vegetables that are hyped as foods that you can eat to help you to lose weight. They are also known as negative calorie foods and have what is known as a high 'thermogenic' value. In other words, they use more calories in the digestive process than what is actually contained within the food itself. This process speeds up your metabolism, which can lead to fat loss.
In actuality, it is not the food that burns the fat, but the nutrients in these foods that help in breaking down fatty deposits and make it easier for your body to help flush out the fat. Also, when your body is properly nourished it has a positive affect on maintaining your blood sugar level. Regulating your blood sugar level has proven to be the most effective method to maintaining the body's fat-burning capacity by eliminating the feel of hunger.
Following are 15 fat burning foods known for accelerating fat loss; they are packed with nutritional value and can assist you in achieving your weight loss goal and improve your overall health in numerous ways:
Beans
Steep in fiber and an excellent source of protein as well as iron, a single serving of beans is very filling and can satisfy your appetite for hours. The great thing is that they come in many varieties including lima beans, black beans, kidney beans, navy beans, green beans, wax beans, northern beans, and garbanzo beans. They are great for helping to keep the blood sugar level balance.
Garlic
This staple has a worldwide reputation as a miracle food and comes in over 300 varieties; it contains vitamins A, C, and D. One of the most common is the American garlic; it has a white paper-like skin and a very strong flavor. Its many forms include whole peeled gloves, minced fresh cloves, dried garlic powder, garlic extract, garlic salt, and whole peeled gloves. Garlic contains the compound allicin which studies have shown can help lower cholesterol and high blood pressure; it is a natural diuretic food that aids the breakage of fat. It has been observed that allicin begins to degrade immediately after it is produced, so its medicinal effect decreases over time. Cooking degrades its even further and microwaving allicin, more likely than not, totally annihilates any health benefits.
To receive the optimal effect, crush a little raw garlic and combine with the cooked food shortly before serving. Be careful not to overdo it - too much can irritate or possibly damage the digestive tract. Keep in mind that raw, crushed garlic yields not only the most powerful flavor but, as an entry on the 15 fat burning foods list, it is an extremely effective ingredient to have as a part of your health and fitness arsenal.
Carrots
This vegetable contains high levels of carotene, which is transform into Vitamin A. Carotene stimulates the metabolic rate of the body and speeds the elimination of fat deposits and waste. In addition, research has shown that this compound may be of significant benefit for maintaining blood sugar level and possesses antioxidant properties that can reduce the rate of certain types of cancer as well as cardiovascular diseases.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Known as a simple home remedy for ailments ranging from sinus headaches to a sore toe, apple cider vinegar also has the natural ability to accelerate fat loss. Made from apples, it contains malic acid, which is an essential ingredient for converting sugars and fats into an energy source that fuels the bodily functions such as walking, running, breathing, and blood flow.
Apple cider vinegar also have high levels of potassium that has an antiseptic quality , which helps to eliminate stored fats. Pectin is another ingredient contained in the fresh apples from which the vinegar is made; it is a soluble fiber that binds to cholesterol globules and pulls them out of the body. It works 24 hours a day to help your body remove unwanted fat. This also helps remove unwanted heavy metals. Less fat and cholesterol in the body reduces the risk of just about any ailment!
Onions
Like its fellow vegetable in the 15 fat burning foods category - garlic, onions have minerals and oils that will help to promote fat loss by the breakdown of fat deposits and speeding up your metabolism. They also are rich in vitamin C and chromium. Chromium is a mineral that is promoted as a weight-loss supplement due to it's supposed ability to stabilize blood sugar levels and boost the body's fat-burning metabolism.
Tomatoes
Whether raw, steamed, fried, stewed, crushed, pureed, or reduced to a sauce, the tomatoes is one of the most frequently eaten "vegetables" in the United States. It has a high Vitamin C and Citric malic-oxalic acid content. The acid contains enzymes that will hasten the metabolic process. It also helps the kidneys to release more water, which filters out large amounts of fatty deposits. Because it is a "fatless" vegetable, many people employ tomatoes fat-loss diet for a brief period of time.
Celery
Raw celery has a high calcium content and when eaten the calcium is sent directly to work. This pure form of calcium will stimulate your endocrine system. The hormones in your body will break up the fat that is stored in the body. In addition, celery contains a high amount of iron and magnesium; these minerals are excellent for flushing out your system.
Cucumber
The high silicon and sulfur content in cucumbers works to stimulate the kidneys to filter out uric acid, which is a waste product formed from the metabolic breakdown of substances in food called purines. Once this uric acid is washed out, it speeds up the removal of fat, and loosens the fat from the cells.
Asparagus
A good vegetable source of vitamin E, and a natural treatment for rheumatism and arthritis, asparagus is also a natural diuretic that promotes the elimination of fluids in the body. This pick for 15 fat burning foods contains a chemical that accelerates metabolism by assisting in the breakdown of the oxalic acid that tends to bind fat to cells. Its affect in reducing fatty deposits into small bits makes it easier to expend them out of the body.
Beets
This is another powerful diuretic that supports the functions of the liver and kidneys. Beets wash out floating body fats; they are rich in a special iron that cleanses the corpuscles. Corpuscles are blood cells that can contain fat deposits.
Cabbage
Because of the cabbage ability to inhibit the transformation of sugar and other carbohydrates into fat it is of great value in the fat loss war. It contains the minerals iodine and sulfur, which cleanses the body of waste matter from the membranes of the stomach and intestines. If you have a pot belly or want to rid yourself of love handles, cabbage is a natural diuretic that will help to break up the excess fat stored in these areas.
Olive Oil
This item should be at the top of the 15 fat burning foods for everyone. Numerous studies have shown that the reasons for southern Europeans low rate of cardiovascular disease is their frequent use of olive oil as their primary source of dietary fat. By utilizing olive oil in the same way, you can reap the same health benefits. Extra-virgin olive oil (nuts, avocados, and canola oil) is made of monounsaturated fat and helps to lower the levels of the 'bad fat' ldl cholesterol and also the blood fats that are known as triglycerides.
The fats that you need to avoid, the saturated fats found mostly in animal foods and diary products, are what raise those levels. That is why it is recommended that you eat only lean meats and nonfat dairy products. The bottom line here is, olive oil, used in healthy amounts as a replacement for the "unhealthy fats," will enhance your fat loss program.
Apples
This is a food that is high in fiber and provides your body with volume; it prolongs digestion, which makes you feel full longer. Eating apples in place of junk foods, decrease the likelihood of you eating foods that are less filling and high in calories. This encourages stable blood-glucose levels. Because fat burning foods such as apples have fewer calories, they are popular in fat loss programs that involve calorie counting. The high water content of apples is another reason why apples are great for weight loss. The water within the apple is absorbed by the body and helps to keep blood-oxygenation levels high.
When this occurs, your body's metabolism is stimulated and burns glucose energy. A low blood-oxygenation level makes your body feel sluggish and the nutrients that you do eat cannot be effectively transported to the areas of the body where they are needed. So, why not add apples to your list, and the next time you feel the urge to have a snack, pick up one and start munching knowing that you are making a significant contribution to your fat loss efforts.
Oatmeal
There is a reason why professional bodybuilders have relied on oatmeal as a staple of their breakfast; it is very high in nutrients. It is an amazing source of cholesterol fighting, fat-soluble fiber that is filling and provides a good amount of energy to propel you through any workout. Avoid instant oatmeal and choose rolled or steel cut oats instead.
Lean Turkey
This is another favorite food of bodybuilders. Many studies have proven that the proteins contained in lean turkey boost the metabolism that promotes fat loss and helps to build up the lean muscle tissue that enables you to burn even more fat. (calories.) The reason lean meats stimulate metabolism and burns calories is because it uses more energy in the digestion process that other foods.
So there you have it, 15 fat burning foods that not only promote fat loss but contains vitamin and minerals that yield many other health related benefits as well. As with any changes in diet or fitness related activities, you should always consult with your health care practitioner first!


Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/983964

Hollywood's Top 10 Weight Loss and Gains

If you think it's hard to lose weight . Just watch this video, and you'll know Nothing is impossible...