From 190 lbs to 140 lbs. My Incredible Journey in Weight Loss

Are you overweight ? Are you struggling to find a solution to your excess belly fat ? If yes you are the same person I was 10 months ago. At that time I weight 190 lbs. The cause of me being overweight was inactivity in my daily life. I’m a freelance web designer working at home. Being a web designer mean I had to sit all. I didn’t sit only when working but after the work was finished as well. I usually relax by watching TV with soda and potato chips. Well you see how gain huge belly.

Searching for solution

I searched the internet for weight loss solutions but what I found is a lot of contradicting information. Some advised me to go for low carb, some said I should try raw food and others recommended me a very strange diet. When I searched for the exercising tips some said you should do the cardio while other said interval training is better. I was very confused with all of these but I didn’t just sit and did nothing I actually tried what these guys recommended. In the end the result was very disappointing. I dropped 4 lbs within 3 weeks but my knees were hurt so bad that I had to see a doctor. Because of my knees injuries I had to stop any workouts for 2 months to prevent the permanent knees injuries.

For overweight people the problem of knees injuries are very real. Try doing the workouts some people on the internet advise you to do you might have to say goodbye to your knees.

My doctor recommended me a weight loss program called The 1000 calorie Challenge program. I didn’t believe him right away but I decided to give it a try in the end because I wanted to lose weight fast and become a healthy person again. What I found in this program is unlike anything I’ve seen. It’s packed with practical and easy to follow information. I was thrilled by the quality of this product and I started the diet and workouts this program teaches right away.

The workouts designed by The 1000 Calorie Challenge program are unique and comprehensive which I could follow without hurting my knees and other body parts. This program also tells you how much you should do the exercises regarding your weight and condition. To achieve the maximum result you don’t need to do the exercises as much as someone else does because our body is different from person to person.

The 1000 Calorie Challenge is packed with the most comprehensive diet solution. It makes sense and easy to understand. Basically, it tells you which food you should consume and which one you should avoid. You should eat fatty food but eat only the right one. You should consume enough carbohydrate but only the right one. If you eat then right these food will accelerate fat burning process which makes you lose weight even faster.

This program doesn’t only give you the correct and practical ways to lose weight fast but it is an encyclopedic ebook on weight loss subject. I have learned so much about nutrition and science of exercise. After you finished this program I assure that you can become a fitness expert that can give advice on fitness and weight loss to your friends and family.

By following The 1000 Calorie Challenge program for 2 weeks I lost 11 lbs in total. I was fascinated by the result. My body felt great and energetic. More importantly my knee did not get hurt from doing the workouts.

Today I weight 141 lbs. I lost over 50 lbs during the past several months thanks to The 1000 Calorie Challenge program. Losing 50 lbs seems impossible to some people but with this fantastic weight loss program losing any amount of lbs is possible and painless.

Frankly, I’m against the idea of spending money on weight loss program because I believe everyone should have an access to health-related information for free. However, because of The 1000 Calorie Challenge program I finally lost over 50 lbs. You may want to visit the official product website. Here it is http://www.1000caloriechallenge.com.

Smokin' Hot: Are You Cooking With Extra-Virgin Olive Oil?

I use extra-virgin olive oil liberally and indiscriminately. It goes into salad dressings, marinades and the bottom of frying pans; it's drizzled into the blender for hummus, dumped onto vegetables for roasting and smeared over cast iron pans. I love the smell, the olivey flavor and the sound my over-priced tin makes, which I bought because I loved the design and which I now decant my cheaper olive oil into.

I've started to realize, though, that my promiscuous ways may have a downside. The "smoke point" of an oil (the temperature at which it begins to burn and decompose) is quite low for extra-virgin olive oil (320 degrees Fahrenheit), in fact it's 50% lower than both the more refined/processed extra-light olive oil as well as corn oil.

Why does this matter? Because at the smoke-point the oil starts to give off gaseous fumes, its flavor deteriorates and nutrients are diminished. It's not that it's so terrible to use an oil over it's "smoke point", its just that you're no longer getting the qualities of the oil that you likely chose it for in the first place. I still sometimes use butter, for browning meat, for example, even though I know it might smoke, simply because I'd rather a hint of sweet butter even at the risk of a whiff of sweet smoke.

As a rule of thumb, vegetable oils tend to have a higher smoke point than animal fats (you can cook corn oil at higher temps than butter), and more refined oil has a higher smoke point than less processed ones (canola olive can withstand high temps but flax seed oil can't and "light" olive oil is more stable than the pure stuff.)

It should also be noted that coconut oil is a saturated fat (like butter and lard) and for some people, consuming it, can lead to a rise in cholesterol levels. There is increasing evidence, though, that high cholesterol is not a cause of heart disease and consuming whole foods with high levels of cholesterol (butter, eggs) do not raise ones chances of getting disease. Excessive levels of trans-fats as well as gross over-consumption of all food, will get you sicker much faster than a dollop of butter in the pan.

Beware of Fake Fiber Foods

Are you sure that you are taking the real fiber on your diet? As we all know, fiber is the indigestible portion of the plant foods. It helps our intestines to function normally and help us feel full and reduces our appetite and cravings. One of its health benefits includes regulation of blood sugar levels and lowers blood cholesterol which can lessen the risks of certain heart diseases.

To achieve these benefits, your fiber sources must come from real plant fiber and not fiber substitutes. Fiber rich foods like whole grains, fruits and vegetables are good sources of fiber, but the more processed the food is, the less fiber you will get. This is the reason why you should know the difference of fake fiber from the original and healthy ones.

Lets face the facts here, processed foods are tasty and delicious plus it is ready to eat. Unlike fruits and vegetables that you still have to peel. This shows that not all fiber sources are equal in the market competition. Obviously, more people prefer the more convenient way to eat - processed foods.

This is the reason why food companies get too tricky when it comes product marketing. They will do everything just to effectively promote their products and make profit. They presents their products as "cholesterol free", "fiber enriched" and many other product tag lines without telling the truth about their products main content. You as a consumer, must learn how to avoid this kind of deceit whenever you are in the local supermarket.

Companies have started using "fiber additives" to make their products look good health wise. But this additives does not give the same health benefits of a real plant fiber. These are synthesized, isolated, processed or whatever you want to call it and that is not good for you. The usual labels you could find in these pretending healthy foods are inulin, maltodextrin, polydextrose and many others.

Food companies takes away the natural health beneficial properties of real organic fibers once they are synthesized. All the nutrients are removed, making the fiber less effective.

The best way to get real fiber is to be cautious on what you buy in the market. You must look at each food label and see if there are soluble and insoluble fiber content in the list. Then see where the fiber is coming from, the more organic and natural it originated, the more health benefits you will get.

Another way is to prepare your own organic fiber foods like salads, oats, vegetables and fruits. It is still the best way to sustain an over all healthy lifestyle. So choose natural all the time, it is good for your body always!

Home Remedies for Food Poisoning - Simple Remedies for Beating the Stomach Bug

You'll be glad to know that there are some simple home remedies for food poisoning you can use the next time you eat something that doesn't set well with your stomach. There are approximately 76 million cases of food poisoning every year according to the Centers of Disease Control.

Most of the cases of food poisoning go unreported so that number is actually quite low. Often times the symptoms of food poisoning are similar to other forms of illnesses like a stomach virus. Thankfully, there are some home remedies that can help prevent food poisoning from entering your house.

Bananas. As a result of food poisoning, your body is losing a lot of potassium from vomiting. This can make you feel even weaker, so it's important to replace the potassium by eating a banana. A banana is easy on the stomach and can get you back that much needed potassium.

Chicken Soup. It's important to ease back into eating with something bland like chicken soup. It's tasty and easy for your stomach to digest.

Sugar. Your body needs to stay hydrated. You lose quite a bit of fluid normally through vomiting or diarrhea. Sugar helps you body retain fluid.

Sports Drinks. Along with fluids, your body is losing a lot of electrolytes. Sports drinks like Gatorade are a great way to re-supply the body.

Make sure you give your stomach time to rest before you jump back into eating spicy or fried foods. Your stomach needs ample time to recuperate.

These are just a few home remedies for food poisoning that can help bring relief as you're getting through the first 24 hours.

Eat 5 Meals and Lose Up to 5 Pounds in a Week!

Did you know that you can eat 6 meals a day and still lose weight? Yes you can! I was told for years that I had to starve myself in order to lose weight. In fact I remember that a very prominent dietitian told me that when I felt those hunger pangs in my stomach and when I really felt like I was over the edge I should hang in there because that is the body signaling me that it is burning up excess fat!!!

Can you believe that I actually fell for that rubbish? I was equally ignorant and I believed her as did thousands of her clients and she became a millionaire in a couple of years. As for us, her clients - we just got fatter after we got off her "starvation diet" as we used to call it. We were allowed to eat things like "wheat grass juice" and bran pancakes for breakfast with raw onion, cucumber and tomato and black tea. For lunch we were allowed whole wheat and bran pancakes with boiled vegetables and lentils and for dinner we could eat a Green salad and grilled or steamed fish or chicken. In between we could drink tender coconut water and live on Air.

Is it any wonder that we were dying to get off that merciless diet and that 99.9% of us relapsed? Can you imagine staying on that diet for a long period of time? I would rather be fat! So the diet I will be giving you next week is just the opposite. It is full of colour and flavour and you can eat between 5 to 6 meals per day. It is mandatory to eat 5 meals. Mexican omelettes with cheese for breakfast and wild rice and stir fried chicken with sweet peppers for lunch. Peanut butter and apples or hummus and carrot sticks for snacks and avocado salad with salsa and nut crusted baked fish for dinner. You can also eat a piece of dark chocolate after lunch and maybe a strawberry yogurt pudding after dinner.

Can you lose weight on this diet? Firstly, it is NOT A DIET. It is a revolutionary way of eating healthy and losing inches. I can vouch for it. So enjoy your weekend and finish off your cheat meals because from Monday till next Saturday you are going to knock off a minimum of 3 pounds.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids: Good for the Heart

N−3 fatty acids or popularly known as Omega-3 is a member of the unsaturated fatty acid family, the healthy fats so to speak. That's right, not every fats you hear is bad for your health and Omega-3 is one powerful nutrient that is good for the heart and has more health benefits.

n-3 fatty acids are divided into several polyunsaturated acids such as α-linolenic acid(ALA), eicosapentaenoic acid(EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid(DHA). Omega-3 are known to be essential in growth and in health and just recently, a study suggests that it effectively supports cardiovascular health.

EPA and DHA are said to be more potent when it comes to heart protection and heart attack prevention. Other health benefits includes protection against arthritis, varicose veins, depression, dementia, and certain cancers. It is also studied to reduce cholesterol levels (LDL), triglycerides (blood fat that promotes heart disease) and blood pressure thus resulting to lesser risks of heart attack.

N-3 fatty acids are also good for the brain, helping to ease the symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Although N-3 does not cure ADHD totally, omega-3 can help improve brain development and function thus lessening the risks of many brain illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease.

Omega-3 regulates heart beat and reduces the level of unhealthy fats in the blood stream. Also, N-3 fatty acids fights inflammation and plaque build up in the blood vessels, joints and elsewhere in the body resulting to good circulatory system. Since human body cannot produce N-3 fatty acids naturally, we can only get them through foods that contains high in omega-3 content.

EPA and DHA are found in the following foods:

* Salmon
* Herring
* Sardines
* Anchovies
* Tuna

Generally, Omega-3 are found in many foods like egg, meat, vegetable oil, flaxseed, walnut, milk, cheese, spinach, krill oil, green-lipped mussel, purslane, broccoli, edamame and many others.

In summary, Omega-3 are antidepressants, good for the heart, relieves muscle and joint pains, reduce the risks of cardiovascular diseases, prevents stroke, lessen the risks of mental illnesses and many other health benefits. Today, omega-3 can be bought in capsule form as a dietary supplements but it is still much more ideal to eat natural foods because it is less harmful to the body.

Obesity And Its Life-Threatening Effects To Health

Due to the insurmountable pressure or stress brought about by the stiff competition in the corporate world, it has dramatically increased the incidence of binge eating and crash dieting and other related illnesses in an attempt to cope with amounting stress. There is a substantial market for products offering promising weight loss results such as juice, coffee, pills and tablets, CDs, websites, fitness centers and spas using state-of-the-art techniques and medical procedures in the field of reconstructive surgery or rehabilitative medicine.

Yearly, about 35-55 billion US dollars is spent in weight loss programs, medical procedures and pharmaceuticals, services including weight loss and fitness centers. Meanwhile, in 2009, about 1.4 billion US dollars was spent by Western Europe in weight-loss products, including prescription drugs. Although there is a natural way of losing weight, many resort to quicker, less painful and more convenient way of losing weight. This unnatural way of losing weight, on the other hand, without proper guidance from experts, oftentimes result to various illnesses and disorders.

The question as to who really needs to lose weight remains an issue as pressure from peers, media, entertainment and the fashion industry dictate how men and women should look. Skinny thin women commercial and ramp models, for many, epitomize the ideal attributes while men with six-packed abdomen represent masculinity. These fallacies and wrong notion, thus distort the mind of most individuals who are trying to cut down on their weight and food consumption.

Surely, if you belong to the obese or overweight bracket or if you do not feel good about yourself such that you suffer from joint pains, shortness of breath and other health problems, then you really have to lose weight. Individuals who really need to lose weight include diabetics, those who suffer from cardiovascular problems, endocrine disorders, gastrointestinal diseases, psychological dysfunction and among others.

Obesity increases the workload of the heart in an attempt to pump or distribute blood to the system, thus the heart's natural pumping mechanism is disrupted. Because the frequency of pumping is increased, the heart muscle is also enlarged and eventually becomes overworked. When the heart is overworked, it results to a host of other illnesses such as congestive heart failure, pulmonary congestion and among others.

Diabetes, a disorder in the insulin production and absorption, can result to a whole host of disorders with obesity as the cause. Uncontrolled diabetes results to long-term multi-organ dysfunction such as gastropathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, retinopathy and among others.

Obesity does not only limit to physical dysfunction but also encompasses the psychological aspect of a person. Research shows that obesity is linked to body image and mental health issues and as damaging as the physical effects. Furthermore, the emotional and mental effects include social discrimination and withdrawal, low self-esteem, suicide and insanity.

The magnitude as to the life-threatening complications of obesity is unthinkable and beyond imagination, thus it is vital to maintain a desirable weight appropriate for our body mass index. With the aid of experts, you do not need to suffer anymore as now is the time to embark on a major weight-reduction program suitable for you.