Ideal Weight

Since women are biologically different from men, they have a different approach towards diet, weight loss, exercise and health matters.

Women on an average have a higher percentage of body fat as compared to men. This knowledge actually helps in defining weight loss goals and an appropriate exercise routine. Women should keep this natural difference in mind so that they can set more realistic weight loss goals for themselves without feeling guilty.

Women also experience hormonal changes that differ from those experienced by men. These changes often manifest themselves in the form of irregular menstrual cycles and other physiological changes.

For example, it was found that under extreme conditions such as starvation, women in concentration camps during the second world war frequently developed irregular menstrual cycles. Even female athletes who undergo vigorous training experience similar changes because they have a very low percentage of body fat.

The adverse effects of PMS (Premenstrual Syndrome) can be reduced by regulating fat intake in the diet and stabilizing blood sugar levels. Mood swings can often be alleviated by consuming adequate quantities of foods rich in soluble fiber like oats, apples and beans so that the blood sugar levels remain stable.

Combining fat with good amounts of protein and carbohydrates can help slow down the rise in blood sugar levels from the carbohydrate consumption. Try and avoid foods that are high in fat and sugars and instead consume more fruits and vegetables. Bananas and walnuts are excellent sources of soluble fiber.

Certain ailments such as arthritis and fibromyalgia are more common among women and food allergies can develop as a result of these health problems. Having a balanced nutritious diet and allergy tests can actually help in such cases. For example women who develop an allergy to cows milk can switch to rice beverages and those allergic to peanuts can avoid consuming foods that contain traces of nuts for awhile.

Women who suffer from rheumatic symptoms may sometimes develop an allergy to wheat. A gluten free diet and consuming wheat-free products can help in such cases.

During menopause, when women experience several hormonal changes and have fewer periods, consuming a low sodium diet can actually help lower the severity of any discomfort. Instead of using high quantities of salt while cooking, it can be substituted with herbs, lemon juice or garlic for flavoring. It is always recommended to consult an experienced physician regarding the adequate levels of sodium in your diet.

Older women should also try and reduce their intake of saturated fats. This is because with age, estrogen levels lower leading to reduced HDL cholesterol which are beneficial to the body. As a result, the LDL cholesterol levels will tend to rise and this can prove to be very harmful to the body.

Although statistics reveal that men in general have a higher risk of heart diseases as they grow older, most people are unaware that during menopause women are actually at an equal risk of having a heart attack as compared to men of similar age. Thus, it is important to avoid saturated and trans fats as they help to reduce those risks.

Since women are more prone to suffering from osteoporosis in old age, they can help reduce the risk of this disease by lowering the caffeine consumption in their diet. Lowering caffeine can help reduce the loss of calcium from the body. Moderate wine consumption is also considered beneficial for women because wine not only has lower calories compared to a lot of other beverages but it also contains anti-oxidants and other helpful compounds which are good for the body.

The key to good health is possessing the detailed knowledge about what foods are right for you depending on factors like gender and age so take the time to find out what constitutes a proper diet for you.

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For fast weight loss after pregnancy, tips and tricks that emphasize the importance of physical exercise as well as knowing as much as you can about nutrition are the best forms of defense for keeping those extra pounds at bay. Although the rich and famous make it look incredibly easy, you really don't need a host of personal trainers and state of the art equipment for losing weight after having a baby.

Combining smart, healthy eating, exercise, and the right mind set, it really is possible to regain your familiar figure. Here are five fast weight loss after pregnancy tips and tricks that any new mother can do to quickly get back in shape while enjoying motherhood.

1. Breastfeed: Not only will your baby benefit from being breastfed, but you will too as you'll be burning more calories than mothers who choose to bottle feed. New mothers do have to consume more calories, however, studies have shown that most women tend to burn those calories faster than if they were not breastfeeding their babies.

2. Realize the benefits of exercise: Join forces with friends, family, your co-workers, or other new moms to get together to regularly exercise. Bring the babies along for a walk in the park and make pushing the stroller a part of your workout.

Walking is something you can start doing within a week of giving birth, unlike some exercises. For at least six to eight weeks, avoid any exercises that are particularly exerting, such as running or jogging, until your body has had the chance to fully recover from the pregnancy.

3. Stay well rested: Besides giving you more energy and helping you to feel better in general, sufficient amounts of sleep helps your body to properly regulate hormones, which in turn, directly affect your appetite.

Finding enough time to sleep is one of the trickiest tasks for new moms, but if you sneak in an hour or so every time your baby naps, you should be able to compensate for the sleep you're sure to lose during the night.

4. Snack frequently: Snacking on healthy foods frequently helps rev up the metabolism, gives us more energy, which ultimately increases our productivity, generating more endorphins in the brain and helping us to just feel better in general.

Satisfy your brain's need to snack as well as satiating your hunger by nibbling on things such as raw vegetables, which are crunchy and great with a low-fat dip, or pretzels, an excellent low-fat snack food, and fruits that provide a solution for the sweet tooth.

5. Use a smaller plate: The old saying, "The eyes are often bigger than the stomach" holds true for many people, but using a smaller plate is one way of battling this phenomenon. Actual studies have been done on both men and women who were given different sized dinnerware to see how they may have influenced how much the participants ate. Sure enough, the bigger the plate, the more food that was consumed, and the worse the person felt physically after overeating.

Portion control must be a priority for effective weight loss, and using a smaller plate can be an incredibly easy alternative than measuring or weighing your foods.

Shedding pregnancy pounds doesn't have to be a challenge. Visit http://www.pregnancyweightloss.net and discover what other moms already know, you can easily lose your baby weight without unhealthy fad diets and starvation techniques.

One of the most common health problems today is being overweight. Weight problems significantly increase the risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, respiratory problems, arthritis and many others. The question naturally arises how should we lose weight. Just as important is how do we prevent gaining it back.

Well, let me allow you in on a little secret. The answer is not by dieting. Americans are obsessed with dieting. The irony here is that it is this very obsession that prevents us from maintaining a healthy, stable weight. Another little secret is that fad diets are even worse. It is true that fad diets will help you lose weight, and in some cases very quickly. In the long run they will not have a lasting effect.

It is believed that as many as 90% of those dieting will regain the weight that they lost withing a year of losing it. It is not uncommon to gain even more weight than was lost in the first place. Dieting and fad diets can cause more problems than they cure. Some of these include headaches, insomnia, constipation, water retention, heart palpitation, nervousness, irritability, and stress on the digestive system. It should be evident that dieting or fad diets alone are not the solution.

To achieve your goal of losing weight and keeping it off, you should consider a multi-faceted approach.

Dieting without sufficient stomach and digestive strength will cause overexertion, dehydration and undernourishment. This leads to further weakening of the digestive tract. When this occurs weight loss will become very difficult. It is important to remember that we depend on our digestive system to absorb and assimilate nutrition. This in turn sustains the body's normal functions. One very important way to maintain our digestive integrity is to chew our food very well. It is helpful to sit while we eat. Last by not least, we should not eat 3 hours before bed.

Another important aspect of improving our health and losing weight is to maintain regular bowel movement. This does not suggest the use of laxatives which only weaken the digestive system. Regular bowel movements can be achieved by eating food rich in fiber (whole grains), chewing well, sufficient rest and regular exercise.

This next point is a big one and contrary to what you usually hear. Drinking too much water can cause water retention. The main characteristic of fluid deficiency is dryness. Water in and of itself does not do an adequate job. This results in dehydration. When you drink too much water the kidneys will become weak. In that case they are not able to deal with the excess fluid. This alone can cause bloating which in itself will contribute to excess body weight. You should drink only when thirsty and not gulp. You should also avoid soda, drinks with artificial sweetener and power drinks.

Here is another point contrary to popular belief. You should eat 3 meals per day, not several smaller ones. You can eat as much as you wish with the following caveats. Chew your food extremely well. You will be satisfied sooner. Up to 90% of digestion will take place in your mouth, thereby taking the burden off your digestive tract. Your food should be natural, consisting mostly of whole grains, vegetables and fruit. Avoid processed and prepared foods. Do not eat at least 3 hours before bed time.

You should exercise regularly. Obviously, this provides several benefits including the increase of your body's metabolism.

Chinese herbal supplements can be a great adjunct in your weight loss program. The good ones are all natural and do not have any serious side effects. One word of caution. There are several Chinese teas around at the moment that promise spectacular results. I have consulted with a Chinese doctor. He informs me that these teas, while harmless, provide no weight loss benefit.

There you have it. If you have a weight problem there is no time like the present. Now there are two things you have to do in order to accomplish your goals. Focus and take action.

Kathryn Soloff is the mother of 8 children and a natural foods cook for over 30 years. She is co-publisher of http://www.natural-remedy-dot-com.com/fatburnerreviews/herbal_fat_burners.html where she provides additional advice, tips and hard to find information on Weight Loss

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Most people try several different diets in their lifetime but either fail to follow through because it's too restrictive or they get discouraged once they reach a plateau where the weight is no longer coming off.

Then they are back to the bad habits of over eating, eating the wrong kinds of foods, and not exercising.

What are the main causes of backsliding into old habits and what can you do about it?

1. First and foremost is starting with a body whose system is cleared out of all the old toxins and poisons that are stuck inside of you. Have you ever seen clogged up pipes in your home from years of junk going through them?

The same thing happens in your body. All the junk you eat, over time, has an accumulation affect in different organs in your body. How does your body absorb the good vitamins and minerals it needs when it has layers and layers of junk that it can't get through for the absorption process to work?

Your first step should be a good detoxification process. If your intestines and bowels are clogged from years of poor diet choices, you are going to continue to have poor results from any diet you go on.

Even a good diet will take longer for maximum achievement because your body doesn't have the initial "clean pipes" to start with that will release all the bad toxins that have been there for quite some time.

2. While you are doing the detoxification, you should also be taking digestive enzymes. With all the processed foods in the typical diet of today, the digestive flora in our stomachs has become less then ideal.

By taking digestive enzymes, your putting good bacteria back into the stomach to efficiently digest your intake of food and once properly digested, it can then travel through the rest of your organs in a maximized state for either elimination or absorption.

3. Your next step immediately following detoxification is a liver and kidney flush. Everyone knows how important your liver is...without it, you're dead! But what exactly does it do?

Your liver plays a major role in maintaining normal blood sugar levels which is a main source of energy for the brain, heart and muscles. It assists the body in the removal of toxins and helps digest the food we eat. It produces many complex chemical compounds needed to survive, such as bile, cholesterol, blood clotting factors, and vitamin E.

There are over 500 functions that your liver performs. It treats about 1,300 ml of blood per minute, cleaning out toxins and any other harmful poisons. It is your body's garbage disposal system.

When it gets overworked and is not functioning up to its optimum level, you could start having systems of fatigue, aches, pains in joints and muscles, headaches, and many other illnesses.

If you are taking prescription drugs, your liver is one of the main organs that will be affected. Even over-the-counter drugs can have a bad affect on your liver if you take too many of them (i.e. aspirin). Cirrhosis of the liver is the eighth leading cause of death in the United States.

A liver function test will show many signs of impending diseases. Here is a synopsis of what a liver function test will diagnose and the impending possible diseases if not caught early on.

With as important as this organ is, supporting it with additional natural liver support supplements would be a very wise step to keep it operating efficiently.

4. Now that you have cleaned your body, it's time to start taking in the good vitamins and minerals that you need on a daily basis. If you don't care to eat the recommended daily allowance of fresh fruits and vegetables, you're setting yourself up for failure in your quest to become healthy.

They have some wonderful products out now that added to a 16 oz. bottle of distilled/spring water, gives you the equivalent health benefits of 5-6 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. How easy is that?

Have you ever wondered why your body craves those potato chips or that candy bar? It is usually due to a lack of proper vitamins and minerals. With the right vitamins and minerals now being absorbed properly, you no longer have those cravings.

The initial time it will take to start running your body efficiently through the detox programs and starting the regimen of getting proper vitamins and minerals - 2 weeks. Once past this stage, the rest will be a cakewalk.

You'll begin to see impressive results in both your weight control and overall appearance.

Your hair, skin, and nails will look better than they ever have. Your energy level will increase dramatically assisting you in weight loss and you'll have a whole new outlook on life!

Jackie Martin writes from a perspective of her own self-education after three siblings (in the last five years), her mother and several other extended family members were diagnosed with cancer. Her blog: http://whencancerhitshome.blogspot.com deals with the personal side of each siblings diagnosis as well as her self-education resources and findings.

Milk and cheese have always been on the weight loss don't do list for as long as I can remember. Every time I've read someone in the know describing almost any diet program, the weight (fat) gain perils of dairy always comes up. In fact, I've heard this advice more from the fat-trimming body builders and fashion model community than anyone else, and they should know. Right?

Well, maybe not. A few years ago, I started seeing articles in the health and fitness press sounding the alarm to put a hold on the milk and cheese ban for dieters, and not only that, suggesting that these dairy products might actually promote weight loss. For milk junkies like me, this was tasty news indeed.

A study conducted by Michael Zemel, Ph.D., is an example of the shot heard 'round the dairy world. Dr. Zemel set about to test the weight loss diet benefits of milk, cheese, and yogurt in a study including 25 obese men and women over a period of 24 weeks. All of the participants were placed on weight loss diet, with their daily calorie intake reduced by 500. (Zemel also published a book on the subject.)

One third consumed an average mix of foods that met the calorie requirements, and provided about 500 mg. of calcium per day. Another group ate the same diet, but also took approx. 1100 mg. of calcium supplements. The third group added dairy foods to their diet to also give them about 1100 mg. of calcium each day, but their overall calorie intake was adjusted to match the other groups.

Each of the groups lost weight thanks to the universal 500 calorie per day reduction. But here's the shocker: the third "milk and cheese" group lost the most weight! They lost about 6 pounds more on average than the second group, who took the 1100 mg. of calcium per day, and who lost about 4 pounds more than the first. (The first group lost an average of 14.5 pounds.)

But that's not the most significant result. The big news is this: while groups 1 and 2 lost about 8 percent of their fat from the belly, the dairy group lost 66 percent! Have you seen the warnings lately in the news about belly fat? It's been directly linked to diabetes, various metabolic disorders, and also cardiovascular illnesses. Most recently, belly fat in middle age has been linked to dementia later in life.

So how does dairy do it? The questions are always better than the answers, but it seems that milk, cheese, and yogurt may slow the process of fat cell formation, while at the same time speeding up metabolism, which burns calories faster. This process does not have fast-weight-loss, crank up the heat diet-pill effect, but is thought to be rather a steady-as-she-goes way to burn calories over the long term.

Assuming this study holds for practically everyone, and there are more studies that indicate that the results are repeatable, then adding daily dairy to the diet is a good thing for long-term weight management. But as sure as someone suggests this, people will run out and start consuming dairy products on a more-is-better basis, and will then of course gain weight rather than lose it.

It has to be stressed that a person should only consume just so many calories in a given day, and anything beyond that point is stored as fat. The trick is to add dairy to the diet, but remove something else to keep one's daily calorie intake in balance. Overeating with dairy products, which is very easy to do, will only result in added pounds, and the blame will be incorrectly placed. (The yogurt should be plain nonfat, or at least low-fat. Sugar content doubles and even triples in flavored varieties.)

If you're not lactose intolerant, and you enjoy dairy foods like milk, cheese, and yogurt, try working them into your diet while keeping your calorie consumption unchanged. Keeping the rest of your diet and exercise routines unchanged, check your weight at the end of 30 days, and see if dairy may be the weight loss diet supplement you've been looking for.

See Paul's test of the Cheia Vida Slim 10 Day Slim Down Challenge, with videos and weight loss tips on his blog at http://fasthealthyweightloss.wordpress.com

Paul W. Whitten is a life-long nutrition, health, & fitness enthusiast. He writes about his fat burning dietary exploits to help others lose weight too.

Do you want to get rid of those extra pounds you packed on? Although they sure did not pile on overnight, you'd like to get rid of them overnight, wouldn't you? While you cannot get rid of excess pounds THAT easily you definitely can get rid of those extra pounds quickly and safely by following these simple tips:

1. Eliminate all sugared drinks - This means ALL sugared drinks, including sugar in your coffee or tea. If you cannot stand to drink it without sugar, don't drink it at all. If you have to drown out the taste with sugar and cream, you obviously do not like the taste of tea anyway. Avoid drinking any kind of soda, juice, sweetened iced tea, and alcohol; they all have sugar in them. Drink water instead.

2. Eliminate all fast foods from your diet - Skip the hamburger and fries. If you eat at McDonalds even a few times a week, you can expect to keep gaining weight. Hamburgers, fries and soft drinks offer just about all the empty calories you don't need for the day, without the nutrition. And they do not fill you up. Cook at home. Make some foods for the week and heat them up when you come home from work. Yes, it is a bit extra work, but it's worth it.

3. Avoid all fried foods - These are loaded with fat and pack on the pounds. Replace them with broiled foods.

4. Exercise - Dieting without exercising can be a colossal waste of time. If you shudder at the thought of aerobics then settle for a daily walk instead. The routine will do you good and raise your metabolism, allowing you to burn more calories. Any physical activity is good, so go on and get off that couch today.

Follow just these 4 simple and easy-to-do tips and you'll find yourself losing those extra pounds faster than you ever thought possible.

Have you had enough? Are you ready to do something about it? Change your thinking and you can change your body. Your Weight Loss success story can start today! More information on easy weight loss and more is available at http://www.easyweightlosscoach.com

Fast weight loss diets are not for the faint of heart. They're not based on balanced eating plans. You shouldn't exert yourself when you're on one because they can put stress on your body. And you should never stay one for more than a week. Most important of all though, BEFORE you launch one of the diets promising fast weight loss, visit your doctor and get medical advice. Here are three of the most popular fast weight loss diets:

The Three Day Diet is the simplest of the three diets. It consists of an exact menu for three days. Each breakfast is one small amount of protein, one starch, and one fruit. On one day you'll have an egg, 1/2 of a banana, a piece of toast, and black coffee.

Lunch is even less. It's a small amount of protein and a starch. For one lunch you're recommended to have 1/2 cup tuna and a piece of toast along with your black coffee. Dinner is a little different. You will have a larger serving of protein, 2 servings of vegetables, a fruit, and a cup of regular vanilla ice cream. I personally think it's also one of the strangest diets.

However, there are more of these diets that also have their quirks. One is the Chicken Soup Diet. This is based on a complex recipe for chicken soup. You get some choices of different breakfasts, and then you eat as much soup as you want the rest of the day. One breakfast for the Chicken Soup Diet might be Total cereal, nonfat milk, and juice. A different one would be yogurt, fruit, and wheat germ. When it comes to diets for fast weight loss, with the exception of breakfast this one has zero variety and is boring.

The Grapefruit Diet is one of the most intricate of the 3 fast weight loss diets. There's a lot to remember, and it's all considered important. For instance, there's a certain amount of grapefruit or other specified juice to eat with each meal. You're warned not to eat more or less than what's suggested. Otherwise, it's said the diet will not work.

Also, you're not allowed to take anything away from the diet. If you don't want to eat two slices of bacon with your breakfast - too bad. They claim you won't burn fat if you don't adhere precisely to the diet, including eating the bacon. Hmmm.

A diet like this is hard to understand.

You're also advised to drink 8 eight-ounce glasses of water every day, but only 1 cup of coffee at a meal. Butter can be used as a condiment, or to fry foods. You're only allowed to eat at meal time; no snacking except the beverage at bedtime. You're given two lists: one of foods you can eat and one of foods you cannot eat. Yet, on this "accelerated" weight loss diet you're encouraged to eat until you're full at any meal. Again I say...hmmm.

You're warned not to eat certain foods at the same time they claim the more you eat (of the "allowed" foods), the more you fat you burn. Breakfast on this diet is grapefruit, 2 eggs, and 2 bacon slices. That's the basic guideline however; they also indicate you can eat as much eggs and bacon as you wish. Is this also confusing to you?

Lunch is grapefruit, salad, and meat. Dinner is grapefruit, meat, and a salad or vegetable. You get a bedtime snack of tomato juice or nonfat milk. Yippee! Let's face it - you'll be hungry regardless which of the diets you try. They're extremely restrictive with very, very little food variety. Speaking for myself, that usually means I'll not only be miserable but my chances of sticking to it - even for a short time - are pretty slim. (Pun intended)

And doing fast weight loss diets like this can get complicated. If you do participate in one, please be careful. They may not be safe. And definitely consult with your doctor.

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After the Christmas and New Years holidays, it seems that most people return from their resting places with a few more pounds on, and who am I to judge them? If I myself ate to the verge of exploding, and drank as if every single beverage was running out. It is perfectly understandable why people gain some weight during these days, however it is also perfectly understandable that people want to lose those very pounds by the time the New Year has begun, I mean, that is why the New Years resolutions are for right?

You will notice that most of the people that actually wrote their New Year Resolution wrote this line: To lose some weight before summer. Why? Because they are probably planning to attend the beach, and every single person alive wants to look great in a bathing suit. This is where those popular and famous diets for weight loss come into action; there are many eating routines which claim to make you lose dozens of pounds just by eating whatever you want, but if that was the case, everyone would be perfectly fit, dont you agree?

The truth behind diets for weight loss is that they consist of a perfectly balanced intake of nutrients, which is why they claim that you can eat whatever it is that you want, given that you do not consume more than you should (which sometimes may be just a small bite). Diets for weight loss are not poorly developed, at least not all of them, however if you are truly aiming to reach your weight loss goal, then you should compliment that weight loss diet with an exercise routine that may allow you to burn the excessive amount of fat that you have been holding in your body for the last few months or years.

People who watch and manage what they eat, are not only benefited by the weight loss bonuses, they are also benefited from a healthier kind of life, and a lower risk of heart problems. Here is what you should do when following a weight loss procedure:

First of all you will need to keep those calories under control, no more than 1000 per day, and you will also need to practice an exercise routine; run until you get tired, then walk, once you recover start running again and repeat the process for 1 hour or 2, this is called a cardiovascular exercise routine, and it is the fastest method for burning fat.

This article can be freely published on a website as long as it's not modified in any way including the author bylines, plus all the hyperlinks must be made active just like below.

Jean Lam is a writer, author, publisher and owns several sites. Visit his weight loss obesity website for lots of articles about losing weight. Also check out the weight loss eBook that will give you tips for your weight loss problems.