Meal replacement is a weight loss strategy that is fast regaining lost ground following recent clinical trials, and it is certainly one deserving of a second chance. Meal replacements can take the form of diet shakes, bars and other pre-packaged foods. These products are formulated to replace a meal and should contain all the necessary nutrients your body needs to keep going. The recommended way of using meal replacements is referred to as “partial meal replacement”, where only one or two meals are actually replaced every day.
Weight loss should, in theory, be rather easy. Your body needs a basic supply of energy to keep it going; influenced by a number of factors including your sex, height, weight, age and activity levels. If you then consistently take in fewer calories than required; your body will use stored fat to compensate for the deficit and you should lose weight. The average woman needs about 1800-2200 calories per day, while the average man requires about 2000-2500 calories per day. Your individually calculated daily energy requirement is referred to as your TER, or Total Energy Requirement.
If you reduce your daily calorie intake to a level of about 500 calories less than your daily requirement, you will lose approximately a pound per week. This is a healthy weight loss rate that will not damage your health or your metabolism. So, to lose weight you must find a way to consistently limit the number of calories you consume every day. The majority of people find it very difficult to limit their food portions, and really battle to refrain from overeating when confronted with some of their favorite foods.
The main reason for the success of meal replacement programs is that it offers dieters an easy and convenient way to manage their calorie intake. Since a single serving replace a meal, it automatically restricts calorie intake and enforces portion control. Usually the meal replacement program will also result in reduced temptation, since you will not come in contact with the foods that may normally act as a trigger for you to overeat. Dieters also often find it difficult to stick to their diets when they are traveling or when they do not have the time and energy to cook. When you use meal replacements, these problems are solved.
Continue reading how meal replacements can help you lose weight
Weight Watchers is one of those diets that never goes away. It has become a familiar beacon in a sea of fad diets and miracle cures. Although Weight Watchers has been around for more than 40 years their weight loss plans are always changing to take advantage of the most current scientific information and research. The lives of millions of people have been changed for the better after they successfully lost weight using this user-friendly weight loss system.
Weight Watchers was founded in 1963 by Jean Nidetch, at the time living in Brooklyn, New York. Like many of us, she found it incredibly hard to lose weight. Just before the birth of what was to become Weight Watchers, Jean managed to lose 20 pounds, but found that she really battled to keep up her motivation levels. In examining her own needs, Jean realized just how important empathy, rapport and mutual understanding are to the whole process of losing and maintaining weight.
By sharing weight loss tips and supporting each other Jean and her group of friends all lost weight, and the word spread quickly. As the group expanded, Jean joined forces with Al Lippert to start up Weight Watchers
. True to its humble beginnings the key focus area of the program from the start was the concept of group counseling. The Weight Watcher meetings became the hallmark of the program and today over 1 million people are attending weekly meetings in 30 countries around the world.
Continue reading Weight Watchers Review and see how this program can help you lose weight.
Ever wondered why it is that when you open a pack of chocolate chip cookies you can’t stop until it is all gone? And then, while you are still eating; why are you already thinking about what else you have in your pantry? Dr David Kessler was watching an Oprah show on weight loss where one of the guests complained that she simply could not stop eating, and didn’t know why that was the case. Since Kessler didn’t know how to answer this question himself, he decided to launch a thorough investigation into why it is so hard to control compulsive overeating.
Dr David Kessler is a former commissioner of the US Food and Drug Administration under presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton. He is widely acknowledged for his role in the fight against tobacco companies, as well as for his efforts to bring about better food labeling. The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite
was finally published earlier this year following a seven-year investigation, which involved numerous scientists, physicians, and food industry insiders. What surprised Kessler was that where he was expecting a journey into nutrition and endocrinology, he ended up inside the human brain and the food industry.
In “The End of Overeating” Kessler explains how the US obesity problem came about, and what can be done to get it under control. This easy to read book carefully explains in lay terms the science behind the current obesity epidemic. Kessler believes that modern foods (rich in fat, salt and sugar) are simply too palatable. These foods overstimulate the brain’s reward centers, all the while conditioning us to want more and more. The bottom-line? We simply eat too much and compulsive overeating becomes the norm. Many people literally get addicted to certain types of foods very much the same way as they get addicted to tobacco or drugs.
Continue reading how to stop compulsive overeating and help turn the tide against the obsity epidemic
A British woman lost over 44lbs in weight and dropped her dress size from 22 to 14 in four months after being hypnotized into believing she had a gastric band fitted. She is understandably ecstatic with the result. She says she is now completely satisfied with small food portions, and simply cannot eat the same large food portions she was used to.
Marion Corns told the UK newspaper The Sun that she decided to try this procedure after her weight ballooned to 216 lbs. She is 35 and a mum of three from Whiston, Merseyside. Before going on this treatment Marion tried “every other diet and plan the world has to offer”, including Atkins, Weightwatchers, Slimfast, milkshakes, weight loss pills, and even a personal trainer!
The treatment was completed over five sessions, during which Marion was talked through each step of the medical procedure as if she was operated on for real. So strong were the suggestions that Marion “remember” every part of the procedure right from being wheeled into theater, the sound made by the surgical equipment and even the smell of the anesthetic. Marion started losing weight after the 4th session and felt a tightening sensation in her stomach after the fifth.
To contribute to the “realness” of the experience Marion was asked to handle a model of a stomach and gastric band, while smells and sounds of the operating room were introduced into the room by computer driven equipment as she was undergoing her treatment. At the end of the treatment it was suggested to her that her stomach was the size of a golf ball.
Continue reading about losing weight through hypnosis with a Gastric Mind Band
We know all about fashion cycles. So it is no surprise that an old and out-of-date weight loss program can make a comeback as easily as did the mini, and just as many times too! Someone delves into the archives, discovers an old diet they can put a new spin on; and before you know it, you have the latest “in” diet. The origins on a diet can provide valuable clues as to how good the program is likely to be for you from a general health perspective. The Neera Super Cleanse Diet is originally derived from the Master Cleanse system, a detox program created by Stanley Burroughs in 1941. In other regions of the world this diet is referred to as the Lemon Detox Diet. Since these two diets are almost identical; what is discussed for one, also goes for the other. A deeper look into the background of Burroughs and his Master Cleanse system really makes you think twice about this so-called wonder diet.
Stanley Burroughs began his alternative health practices in the Portland area in the 1940s. Some of his areas of expertise included detoxification, colored light therapy and deep reflexology. Burroughs got into trouble with the law when a cancer patient, whom Burroughs was convinced he can cure, died following treatment by Burroughs. The patient was subjected to a number of treatments including plenty of Burroughs’ special lemonade, colored light therapy and deep abdominal massages. An autopsy later found that this patient died as result of massive internal bleeding in the abdomen. While a second degree murder conviction was eventually overturned by the California Supreme Court, it noted that Burroughs was susceptible to a possible conviction of involuntary manslaughter, as evidence strongly suggested death occurred as result of the repeated massages the deceased received from Burroughs. In 1960 Burroughs was also convicted of practicing medicine without a license.
Continue reading ‘Neera Super Cleanse – lose weight with this Lemon Detox Diet fast but consider the cost’
Author: Sonia Devine
In order to lose weight, we have to eat less of the wrong types of foods, watch our portion sizes and exercise more. That makes sense, right? There is no getting around the fact that if you want to shed kilos you must be expending more energy than you take in. But is there such a thing as going to extremes? In some cases, yes. Some people eat very little yet are still overweight and (understandably) very unhappy about it!
This is exactly what was happening with my client ‘Gina’, who initially came to me because she was struggling to cope with life. She had very low self esteem, and was often reduced to tears due to the high level of stress she was under. To top it all off, ‘Gina’ was also suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) which caused her to experience severe and frequent panic attacks. Even though she was overweight, she was not in the right frame of mind to do anything about it at that point in time. We agreed to work on the more pressing issues first and address her weight later on.
As she progressed with the therapy, ‘Gina’ became emotionally much stronger and after some time, she decided it was time to lose weight. I asked ‘Gina’ to tell me about her current diet. As I listened and took notes, I was shocked to discover that despite being several kilos overweight, ‘Gina’ actually ate very little, and often skipped meals. She rarely ate until lunchtime; most days she would eat half a sandwich, sometimes a whole sandwich if she wasn’t feeling too anxious. Dinner was a handful of pasta and some kind of sauce. That was it! Continue reading ‘Are You Eating Enough?’
Author: Donovan Baldwin
People searching for weight loss programs and diets today seem to be searching more for rapid weight loss than permanent, healthy weight loss. Unfortunately, it is a fact that quick diet weight loss programs are seldom without their dangers, and their results usually range from erratic to nonexistent.
I would advise anyone seeking to lose weight to substitute the term ‘healthy weight loss program’ for ‘rapid weight loss program’. I hope, the following short discussion will explain my position to some extent.
You, like so many others in today’s society, are concerned about losing weight. Like so many others, you are looking for some sort of rapid weight loss program or plan. Rapid weight loss, also often referred to as quick weight loss or fast weight loss, involves, as its name implies, losing weight in a short period of time. Claims of such programs often cite fantastic results in anywhere from two to seven days.
In the United States, approximately two-thirds of the adult population is overweight or obese, and hundreds of thousands of these Americans are understandably interested in rapidly losing that unwanted weight. Many simply wish to lose weight before an important event, like an upcoming vacation or a wedding, while others are willing to accept the fact that permanent, healthy weight loss is a lifetime commitment. Continue reading ‘What are the Dangers and Problems of Rapid Weight Loss’
By Pat Barone
If the invention of TV remote controls and video games ushered in the couch potato lifestyle, could a similar device rescue us? Nintendo’s Wii Fit, which debuted in late 2006, has grown in popularity, but is it a brilliant rescue device for the overfed, a novelty that will soon fade in popularity, or a clever motivator that appeals to the addictive and/or competitive personality?
Betting on the fact that Americans love their TVs (the average American spends 19-25 hours per week in front of the screen!), Nintendo fashioned Wii Fit with a little competitive edge to keep your interest with the addictive qualities of a video game.
Depending on the activity you choose (Wii has tennis, baseball, boxing, bowling & golf, and the upgrade Wii Fit features weight lifting, aerobics, yoga, jogging, hula hoop, ski jumping, rhythm boxing and step aerobics), you might be holding a wand-like device about the size of a remote control or wearing wrist bands while standing on a surfboard-like balance board in front of your TV. You simulate the movements and force of whatever activity you are playing and the game console translates it onto an animated picture on your TV screen.
So, does it work?
Continue reading ‘Wii Fit: Can it Replace the Gym?’
Author: Kyley Zimmerman
Over the years, people have doubted the effectiveness of aromatherapy for weight loss. More recently, though, scientists have studied the relationship between weight loss and the sense of smell. And they’ve reached some interesting conclusions.
So… Can you use aromatherapy for weight loss? The short answer is “Yes”.
This is not to say that aromatherapy is a “magic bullet” or instant weight loss cure – there is no such thing. But aromatherapy can be a valuable part of a healthy, sensible weight loss program.
Aromatherapy does two things: It can help manage cravings and feelings of hunger, and it can also address some contributors to weight issues such as stress, anxiety and depression.
Continue reading ‘How to Use Aromatherapy for Weight Loss’
Author: Cliff Smith
Stevia sweetener is an all natural food that is a healthy replacement for sugar and artificial sweeteners. Formerly only approved by the FDA as a dietary supplement, Stevia can now be referred to as an all natural “food additive”. One of the biggest reasons that stevia sweetener is in the spotlight now is because of the increasingly disturbing reports that have surfaced about other sweeteners like aspartame and high fructose corn syrup. Whether you choose to only eat all natural foods or not, you may want to consider switching to stevia rather than using sugar, or the sugar substitutes currently on the market.
Stevia sweetener is gaining acceptance for several reasons. It is calorie free, helps people maintain healthy blood sugar levels, and it is totally natural. It comes from the stevia plant, which is related to all natural foods such as lettuce and chicory. Stevia is 250 to 300 times sweeter than sugar, but it does not affect blood glucose levels in the same way that sugar does. Stevia sweetener has even been recommended for diabetics in many cases and it is an excellent all natural food supplement for dieters who wish to control their cravings for sweet things. Continue reading ‘Stevia Sweetener is All Natural Food That Replaces Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners’
