It isn’t food that makes us fat, but our relationship with food. We develop and hone this relationship throughout our lives, starting from when we are babies. Not only does food satisfy our nutritional needs, but it also plays a vital part in satisfying a whole range of emotional needs. Food is such an integral part of our daily existence that it is difficult to even envisage some events without food; celebrating something or needing consolation, meeting up with family and friends or even going on holiday. The list just goes on and on. According to the Structure House philosophy everyone develops a set of expectations, habits, associations, and states of mind related to food. The sum total of these, influenced by our family dynamics, our cultural backgrounds, our individual attitudes and our tastes, is regarded by Structure House as our “relationship” with food.
Gerard J. Musante, Ph.D, one of the America’s leading experts on obesity and weight loss, is a clinical psychologist and a Clinical Fellow in the Behavior Therapy and Research Society. He served on the faculty of Duke University Medical Center, where he pioneered the behavior change approach to weight loss, and currently maintains his association with Duke University in the capacity of Consulting Professor in the Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. Structure House, one of the few resident weight loss programs in the United States, was founded by Dr Musante in 1977. Dr Musante drew on his experience of over thirty years in helping thousands achieve lasting weight loss to write his book, “The Structure House Weight Loss Plan
.” This book aims to provide readers with all the information and insights they would have gained had they attended the resident program at Structure House.
Continue reading ‘The Structure House Weight Loss Plan.’
A single search on the internet or even a stroll down to your local drugstore can easily overwhelm you with the sheer range of diet pills available; all promising to help you lose weight. Some of them may actually work, others really do nothing at all, and then there are those that are simply dangerous to use. In such a minefield it is very welcome and comforting to come across a weight loss pill that is FDA approved. Alli, on sale in the U.S. since June 2007, is the only over–the-counter FDA approved weight loss pill.
To dieters Alli offers more than just a weight loss pill – it is supported by a well developed online weight loss program, the “Alli 1-2-3 Start Plan” that offers education, advice and support. After you purchase Alli, the diet is tailored to your individual needs as soon as you register online and create your personal profile. You’ll be provided with feedback, customized guidance, next steps, as well as access to a variety of weight loss resources and meal plans.
The Alli nutritional plan also focuses on aspects such as your general mindset, your relationship with food and exercise and your reaction to setbacks. According to the Alli program your approach to weight loss and your new lifestyle is critical to reaching your goal weight and then maintaining it. Continue reading ‘Alli can help you lose 50% more weight!’
Author: Margaret Paul, Ph.d.
If you are a junk food junkie or you often don’t eat well and are unconcerned with health and nutrition, why is this? Everyday we read about or see on TV how sugar, soft drinks, many kinds of fats, fried foods, factory farmed foods, devitalized, packaged and processed food, pesticide laden food, and other kinds of junk food cause illness. What causes you to ignore the research and go right on eating badly?
Continue reading ‘Feeling the Effects of Food’
The South Beach diet was developed by a practicing cardiologist, Dr. Arthur Agatston. Dr Agatston did not initially set out to develop a weight-loss plan. He simply got frustrated when his patients, when following the standard, low-fat American Heart Association diet, failed to lose weight or improve their blood chemistry. He then developed a new diet specifically for his patients, which later became the basis for The South Beach Diet, an international best seller. The South Beach Diet was first published in April 2003 and has been on the New York Times best seller list for more than 96 consecutive weeks, with more than 8.5 million copies in print. It was #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list for 38 weeks.
The diet is formulated on the premise that many of us are addicted to carbohydrate foods. Many experts commented that the South Beach diet is really just a revised version of the Atkins Diet. Both of these diets kick off with a first stage designed to get rid of addiction to high levels of carbohydrate consumption. The South Beach diet varies from Atkins in that it consists of three instead of four phases. While the first and last phases of both diets are very similar, the middle two phases of the Atkins Diet has been replaced by a single stage in the South Beach Diet. As result of this difference the typical rate at which South Beach followers lose weight is lower than that of Atkins followers, but fans claim that the South Beach diet is easier to stick to since it offers greater variety at an earlier stage in the diet.
The South Beach Diet is introduced as a balanced weight-loss and maintenance plan that encourages people to eat a variety of foods, such as lean sources of protein, reduced fat cheeses and dairy products, legumes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables, and good fats like olive and canola oil. Snacking is encouraged along with approved sweet treats and desserts on a daily basis. The glycemic index (is a ranking system for carbohydrates based on their effect on blood sugar) plays a critical role in the diet, as it forms the basis for Agatston’s advice on how to choose the best carbohydrates to accompany a meal. The concept of the glycemic index (considered with the actual glycemic load) is generally accepted as a crucial component of healthy diets nowadays.
Continue reading ‘Review of the South Beach Diet’
Thought it was just another fad? Well apparently not. It is refreshing to find that there have been quite a few scientific studies done that support claims that oolong tea can really assist people with weight loss and is in general very good for your health. The polyphenols it contains not only helps you lose weight, it also remove free radicals and improve your health in general. Oolong tea is also marketed as Wu-long tea.
In China, tea has historically been used as a medicine. Tea can be categorized into three types, depending on the level of fermentation: i.e. green (unfermented), oolong (partially fermented) and black (fermented) tea. White tea falls in the same category as green tea, just in case you wondered. It has been known for some time that tea helps to control obesity and this is common knowledge in China. The western world is now fast realizing the wisdom of this ancient belief. A classical Chinese pharmaceutical book called the “Bencao Shiyi” (A supplement to the Materia Medica) states, “Drinking tea for a long time will make one live long and stay in good shape without becoming too fat and too heavy.”
Oolong tea falls somewhere between green tea and black tea in the duration of time the tea leaves are allowed to oxidize (ferment). The different brands of oolong tea are often slightly more or slightly less fermented, resulting in subtle differences in taste. Tea connoisseurs classify the tea by its aroma (often floral or fruity), and they describe the taste and aftertaste as melon like. Many people absolutely love it, but we have come across people that actually do not like the taste at all. Fortunately for those people all the goodness of oolong tea can also be taken in the form of a tablet! Considerably more expensive, but for those that don’t like the tea, it is a much more pleasant way to get all the benefits of oolong tea.
Continue reading ‘Oolong tea can really help you lose weight!’
I don’t know about you, but I believe that technology is one of the main reasons why we are nowadays able to live such long and fulfilling lives. Many of us would not have been around today, had it not been for major advances in medical science and technology. So I, for one, am a big believer in using the best that technology has to offer. Yes, we have to develop healthier eating habits, become more active, and all those good things, but…if technology can make life a bit easier, why not?
Have you ever found yourself at a work, family or other social function surrounded by the most wonderful variety of mouth-watering food (high in fat off course), just as you started your new diet? Or do you sometimes feel the need to throw caution to the wind for just one night? Well, fortunately, help is at hand. Fat binders allow us to eat fatty foods and then prevent the excess fat from forming that hated “protective layer” around your thighs or waist!
Continue reading ‘Beating the Bulge with Proactol’
I found my own response to the book “The Gabriel Method” as published by Jon Gabriel (2007) quite surprising. Somehow the book, and thereby the method, failed to live up to my expectations. This reaction is even stranger in light of the fact that, based on my own research and experience, I wholeheartedly agree with most of the key messages in Jon’s book.
The book just failed to grab my attention, and I found myself drifting off time and time again while reading it. I had to force myself to finish it. Although it’s probably just a case of different strokes for different folks, it is worth noting that one of my friends, who incidentally bought her book at the same time as I did, ended up with a very similar experience.
Having read extensively on the topic of health and general wellness for some years, I have come across most of the views expressed by Jon. After hearing most of them so many times before, it may have affected my experience of the book negatively. It could very well be that someone reading self help and/or diet books for the first time may find this book absolutely engrossing.
Continue reading ‘The Gabriel Method didn’t float my boat’
You’ve reached the point where you decided that you have had enough of not being able to enjoy your life as much as you should because of the “excess baggage” you are carrying around. The question then, with so many diets out there, is “How do I go about choosing the right diet for me?” The eventual answer to that question will be worth millions, and truth be told, there will probably be as many answers as there are people, because we are all so different. Some of the considerations for choosing a diet are your lifestyle, your personality, your genetic make-up and your community. What follows is a list of some of the more important aspects to consider.
1. Does your diet suit your lifestyle? If you are working full day at an office, you simply do not have the time to go and search for exotic ingredients some of the celebrity diets require. Or you may not have much time available to spend in the kitchen weighing off portions or preparing food. Some of the diets may not fit your budget, while others can be easily accommodated. Do you have the time and the opportunity to attend required weigh in sessions? Make sure that whichever diet you choose, it is practical and easy to execute taking into account your lifestyle.
2. Avoid strict diets. Instead of going on a very strict diet, choose a diet that considers a healthy lifestyle and teaches you how to enjoy healthy, nutritious and appetizing food. One of the most important success factors for your diet is your mindset, so it is essential that your diet trigger positive associations in your mind. In short, you have to enjoy it. Often, when the diet is very strict, and you have made a mistake, it is very easy to feel like a complete failure and abandon the diet in its entirety. Choose a diet that allows you sufficient freedom of choice with regards to food types and regularity of meals to still enjoy your life, and that helps you to get back on track should you have made a mistake.
Continue reading ‘How to choose the best diet’
1. Drink plenty of water. It is very important to drink 8-10 glasses of water every day, whether you are trying to lose weight or not. Water is required by all of the systems in your body to function correctly. If you are dehydrated, your body will try to protect you in all sorts of ways, including retaining as much water as it can. Without water, therefore, your body can also not get rid of the excess fat and toxins while you are trying to lose weight. There are many more reasons for developing a love for water, which we will discuss as a topic all by itself. For know, also keep in mind that your body often confuses hunger with thirst. By making sure that you are properly hydrated, you will be in a better position to control your food portions!
2. Try new types of water. Most people don’t like the idea of drinking 8-10 glasses of plain water each day. Try different types. Maybe you like sparkling waters better. Maybe club soda or even different flavoured waters to add some variety. Just be careful to check the energy contents of the drinks.
3. Be careful of white foods. In general, white foods are best avoided when you want to lose weight. This includes white bread, white rice, white pasta, white sugar and even white fruits. Rather find healthier substitutions that contain whole grains and lots of extra vitamins and minerals. Not only will it look more appetizing, but it will also taste better.
Continue reading ‘General tips on nutrition’
1. Increase your general activity level. If you seriously want to lose weight, you need to understand that getting enough exercise is as important as changing your eating habits. While it is not necessary to start running marathons, it is very important to raise your general activity level. Be conscious of your activity levels and ensure that you are consciously focusing on becoming a more active person. Not only will it help you lose weight, but it will also help you to keep the weight you lost from coming back.
2. Gradually become more active during the day. Any additional movement you introduce habitually in your life can make a big difference. Maybe you can try putting on some music and start dancing while you clean your house. Park your car a bit further from your destination and walk from there to the office, store or wherever you need to go. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Simple changes such as these can make a massive difference at the end of a month!
Continue reading ‘The easy way to get more active’
