Diet and Weight Loss Ramblings

Basically losing weight is not always that much fun. I was having an uninspired meal yesterday with my sweetie and realized that even if you are watching your weight or on a weight loss program, you can still enjoy good food if you are creative.

Living on Miami Beach, we have access to fresh fruits, vegetables, and seafood. We should always enjoy what we eat. Food should be as fresh as possible, well prepared, tasty, and good looking! Dieting doesn't mean you have to suffer! Check out the recipes below. You're gonna love em.

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Roasted Asparagus
List of Ingredients 2 lb Asparagus, raw 1 tbs Oil, olive, salad or cooking 1/4 tsp Salt, table 1/4 tsp pepper, black 1 tbs Spices, thyme, fresh 1 tbs Lemon juice Instructions for Preparation Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Snap off and discard woody bases from asparagus spears Place asparagus spears in a 15x10x1 inch baking pan, and drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle on the salt, pepper and thyme Roast about 20 minutes or until tender crisp. Transfer to serving platter and sprinkle with fresh lemon juice to taste.		NutritionFacts per serving makes 6 servings Amount per serving Calories 66 Calories from fat 23 % Daily Value * Total Fat 2.6g 4% Saturated Fat 0.4g 2% Cholesterol 0mg 0% Sodium 101mg 4% Total Carbohydrate 7.3g 2% Dietary Fiber 3.3g 13% Protein 3.4g Percent values are based on a 2,000 calorie per day diet. Your daily values may differ. Additional Information 35% of calories from Fat 44.4% from Carbohydrates 20.7% from Protein

Mediterranean Chicken
List of Ingredients 1 tsp Oil, olive, salad or cooking 4 oz Chicken, breast, meat only, raw 1/4 tsp Garlic, raw 1 tsp Onions, raw 1/4 cup Tomatoes, red, ripe, canned, stewed 1/4 tsp Spices, thyme, ground 1/2 tsp basil, ground 1 tbs Olives, ripe, canned (small-extra large) 1 tbs Parsley, raw 1/4 tsp pepper, black Instructions for Preparation heat oil and saute chicken until golden. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside saute garlic in pan drippings for 30 seconds, add onion and saute. add tomatoes and bring to a boil. lower heat, add wine and simmer for 10 minutes. add thyme and basil and simmer for another 5 minutes. return chicken to skillet and cover. cook over low heat until chicken cooked. add olives and parsley, cook for 1 minute.		NutritionFacts per serving makes 1 servings Amount per serving Calories 197 Calories from fat 62 % Daily Value * Total Fat 6.9g 11% Saturated Fat 1.1g 6% Cholesterol 65mg 22% Sodium 290mg 12% Total Carbohydrate 6.5g 2% Dietary Fiber 1.6g 6% Protein 27.2g Percent values are based on a 2,000 calorie per day diet. Your daily values may differ. Additional Information 31.5% of calories from Fat 13.2% from Carbohydrates 55.3% from Protein

These nutritional calculations were made using Recipe Calc Software©

Benefits of Detoxing for Weight Loss and Health

Benefits of Detoxing for Weight Loss and Health

In my opinion colon cleanses are one of the more drastic options to try to lose weight extremely fast. Yes it is disgusting, and in my experience does not lead to long lasting weight loss, although temporary results may be achieved. Most physicians will tell you thatyour body does a good job cleaning itself out; however, there are those individuals who do have problems and need the extra help.

Most likely if you have a well balanced, healthy diet - that's 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, you are ingesting enough fiber to maintain healthy bowel movements. Before attempting the colonic cleanse, first review your diet and add more fruits and vegetables and see what happens.

The USDA Food Pyramid Guide recommends eating 5-9 servings of fruits and vegetables each and every day. While that may sound like a lot, 5 to 9 servings is easier to do than you may think.

A serving size is:
One medium-size fruit
1/2 cup raw, cooked, frozen or canned fruits (in 100% juice) or vegetables
3/4 cup (6 oz.) 100% fruit or vegetable juice
1/2 cup cooked, canned or frozen legumes (beans and peas)
1 cup raw, leafy vegetables
1/4 cup dried fruit

Wondering how many servings you really need each day?

• Small children (between 2-6 years old) and women typically need about 1,600 calories to reach or maintain a healthy weight need about 5 servings – 2 fruits, 3 vegetables
• Older children, teenage girls, active women, and most men typically need about 2,200 calories to reach or maintain a healthy weight need about 7 servings – 3 fruits, 4 vegetables
• Teenage boys and active men typically need about 2,800 calories to reach or maintain a healthy weight should have about 9 servings – 4 fruits, 5 vegetables
  

Click here to visit the USDA website for more information on the USDA Food Pyramid.

Here is an interesting article regarding the benefits of detoxing for weight loss and health that I found at EuroDietSecrets.com.

"It may seem to be a little disgusting when you are detoxing or cleansing. Your body shows some signs that you have built up toxins. These toxins can affect your whole body fitness and health.
Do you feel sluggish and stressed? Do you experience continuous aching, diarrhea, constipation, and a feeling of clumsiness. These symptoms along with rapid weight gain and the incapacity to lose excess weight can be signs of having toxins in the body.

Moreover, the toxins found in the body are found and stored on your fat cells. Americans who consume the typical American diet may eat 70 trillion garbage cans for each cell. In detoxing your body and cleaning that unwanted garbage in your cells, you should pay attention to your elimination organs.

There are particular organs in your body that deal on cell waste management. These organs play a major role in the detoxing process for a fit and healthy body.

Your liver is the organ that recycles the unwanted chemicals in the body. It sorts out the toxins and places them to the organ for elimination during the process of circulation. The principal elimination organs will back up the liver on where these toxins will be stored and then eliminated.

The lymph glands also play an important role in eliminating the toxins. A network of tubing brings out the excess waste of the cells from the body and to the final eliminating organs. The appendix, thymus, tonsil, and spleens are major lymphatic glands that help the major organs of the body in cleansing and detoxing.

The kidneys help in the water management of the body. They are the ones that keep the good chemistry of the blood alkaline by eliminating the dissolved acid waste. You can help your kidney to function very well by drinking plenty of water. It is much better if you drink fresh alkaline juices and purified water. You may take ½ ounce of alkaline everyday to see positive results on your body weight.

The lungs are the organs that keep the blood air purified. They allow the oxygen to go directly to the bloodstream. It is also responsible in removing waste gases that are found in every cell of the body. Deep breathing and fresh air is very helpful in keeping the lungs healthy and free from toxins. If you are in the urban area, it is recommended that you find an oxygen rich area where you can perform deep breathing.

The colon is a solid waste management organ in your body. Medical practitioners have found many peolpe that may have an 80-pound mucus and rubber like solid waste that are found on the walls of the colon. Detoxing and cleaning the colon can be a real tough thing to do. However, having a free waste colon can certainly provide you good benefits of having a clean and healthy body.

If you are experiencing some signs of detoxification, you may try doing a regular walking exercise. Exercise is a good key in having a fit and healthy body. Many diet doctors also suggest that you drink plenty of lemon water. This is an effective way of maintaining a very good circulation and can increase the rate of detoxification inside the body."

Once again, I highly recommend small changes in your diet, drink more water (at least 8 glasses each day), and exercise before trying this method.

Tag: benefits detoxing weight loss health

Do You Need to Lose Weight?

Do You Need to Lose Weight?

Every day in the United States, millions of Americans tell themselves “I want to lose weight.” Are you one of those people? Although many people who tell themselves that they need to lose weight do need to lose weight, not everyone does. So, the question that you should ask is “do I really need to lose weight?” If that is a question that you have, here is some information that may help you.

There are many signs that you may need to lose weight. You may need to lose weight is if you are obese. Often, we do not realize that there is a difference between being overweight and being obese. While healthcare professionals have varying definitions for obese, generally those people who are thirty or forty pounds overweight are obese. If you are obese, you shouldn’t only be worried about your appearance, but your health, too. Obesity has been linked to multiple health complications, including diabetes, heart disease, and the early onset of death.

Has someone told you that you need to lose weight? This is another sign that you should think about starting a weight loss program. Whether your physician recommended losing weight or if a close friend or relative has, you should at least take their suggestions into consideration. Unfortunately, many of us are embarrassed or become upset when we are told that we need to lose weight. What you need to remember is that usually the person mentioning your over weight situation isn’t as concerned with your appearance as they are with your health.

Do your clothes no longer fit? This is yet another sign that you may want to think about losing weight. Of course, it is normal for some individuals to gain weight or to have their weight fluctuate; however, you may want to think about starting a weight loss program or developing your own weight loss plan if you find that your clothes no longer fit or are difficult to get into.

Unfortunately, many people do not just have a small weight gain. Small weight gain often leads to more, which could have a negative impact on your health, appearance, and even your self-esteem, not to mention the cost of new clothes, which you may not be able to afford.

If you find many simple tasks or activities, like walking up a flight of stairs, difficult, or you are short of weight you may need to think about losing weight. Obviously, becoming breathless from simple activities may not necessarily just be a weight problem, but there is a good chance that it is. When you lose weight, even just a small number of pounds, you will likely find it easier to do many of the activities that you love or even the tasks that you need to do, like take your kids to the park.

These are just a few of the many signs that you may need to lose weight. If you do want to lose weight, you are advised to proceed with caution. There are many weight loss products on the market, like diet pills or exercise equipment, which do not work. Save yourself money and protect your health. Consider consulting with your physician before starting any weight loss program, even one that you develop yourself.

There are many great programs available which do work. We will explore those and many others in this blog as I share my struggles with weight loss......

Tag: need to lose weight

Diet and Weight Loss Products: How to Spot a Scam

Diet and Weight Loss Products: How to Spot a Scam

If you are thinking about losing weight, there is a good chance that you will do so with the help of a number of weight loss products, like diet pills, meal replacements or exercise equipment. If you are interested in buying these types of diet or weight loss products, you should always be on the lookout for scams, as they do exist.

The weight-loss business is a growing industry. Americans spend an estimated $30 billion a year on all types of diet and weight loss programs and products, including diet foods, pills, meal replacements and drinks. Trying to sort out the many claims of efficacy-- often misleading, unproven, or just plain false--can be confusing and costly.

When it comes to weight loss products, such as exercise equipment and diet pills, many people wonder how they can tell if they are being scammed. Unfortunately, you often cannot tell by reading an advertisement in a magazine or online or by watching a television infomercial or even by looking at the weight loss product in question. One of the best ways to determine if the weight loss product you are interested in purchasing is really worth your money is to do some research first.

One of the easiest ways to go about determining if the product or products you want to buy are worth the cost is by visiting the online websites of retailers that allow their customers or the general public to rate or review their products. Many consumers are good enough to alert others to a product that is a waste of money or even alert others to a product that is well worth the cost. If you can find weight loss product reviews, you are advised to read them.

When reading diet and weight loss product reviews, such as product reviews for diet pills or exercise equipment, it is important to remember that no product is perfect. Even some of the best products, like the ones that come highly rated and recommended, will often have a few bad reviews. You should be cautious of any weight loss product that has more bad reviews than it does good reviews. For sure this is a sign that the weight loss product in question may not be worth your money.

Find product reviews or just specific weight loss products being discussed by performing a standard Internet search on your favorite search engine like Google or Yahoo. Your search phrase should be the name of the weight loss product in question. Your Internet search may lead you to online message boards where weight loss and other health issues are being discussed, health related Web sites, forums and the like. These types of Web sites, forums and message boards are a great way to also learn about weight loss products that you may not have otherwise came across.

Another way that you can determine if you are being “scammed,”, is to examine the Web site of the product distributor or manufacturer. When you buy a diet pill or another weight loss supplement, you should be provided with as much information about the product as possible. Be cautious of any product whose Web site offers claims to help you lose weight, but doesn’t explain how it is done, or those that insist you can lose weight without exercise or changing your diet in any way. The same can be said for exercise equipment.

Another great way that you can determine if the weight loss products are worth the money is by speaking with your doctor. Many times you don’t even have to schedule a visit; a telephone call will often get you the answers that you are looking for. Most doctors will let you know if a weight loss pill or supplement that you are interested in buying is worth the money. Even if they can’t tell you about the specific product in question, there is a good chance that they can at least review the active ingredients with you. Your physician may also be able to provide you with advice about exercise equipment, too.

Basically, if you have the money to spend on weight loss products, you may be interested in going ahead and buying the product or products in question anyway. That is fine, but you also need to remember that many weight loss products, especially the ones featured on television infomercials are relatively expensive, and many may be dangerous to your health. So do your research first, even if you have the money to burn.

tag: diet weight loss scams

Fad Diets Don't Work

Fad Diets Don't Work

After many years of trying every new fad that came along, the Cabbage Soup Diet, the Grapefruit Diet, The Hollywood Diet, diet pills, and spa wraps, I'm here to tell you fad diets simply don't work. Why? The answer is actually very simple...fad diets are not natural.

The term fad diet describes the many diet approaches used to temporarily lose weight through unsafe and usually unrealistic methods. Quick fix programs simply do not work...although billions of dollars are spent each year. These quick weight loss plans offer a quick loss of weight but unfortunately the weight is gained right back because people return to their old eating habits and former life style.

There are many types of fad diets. Avoid those types of diets that recommend a certain nutrient, or combination of foods encouraging you to loss weight fast. Fad diet plans do not teach lifestyle or better eating habits for long-term weight management, and they do not help people attain the will power to exchange one lifestyle with another.

Diets that promote a very low calorie meal plan, approximately 1,000 to 1,500 calories per day and with no exercise program cause the body to become less efficient at burning fat, making it easier to store fat and regained weight each time a diet is stopped. In the long run this type of fad diets may make a person fatter instead of leaner. And, worse yet, these fad diets are not safe.

Only your weight and exercise level determines the number of calories right for your body. Your diet meal plan and healthy lifestyle habits will maintain long-term weight control. Healthy lifestyle habits include regular exercise, behavior modification, and a healthy, nutritious diet with a wide variety of foods. Beware of any diet that excludes any particular food group.

Everyone should be aware of any health problems before engaging in a diet program. All diets should include a warning to check with your physician before starting a diet. Also most fad diets make no mention of physical activity, in fact, they may brag that you can lose weight without exercise. Exercise and physical activities are essential in the process of weight loss and some of these diets can actually harm one’s health.

Most fad diets involve a 10 to 30 day period in which your diet is restricted to a select collection of bad-tasting, inconsistent health foods or recipes. Generally you'll lose water weight during this period as a reaction to the starvation process, so you will quickly lose weight. And, as you continue to starve yourself, your body starts working in order to keep up with the energy needs. But since you are not burning fats and as you typically avoid fats in this type of diet, your body will try to preserve the fat that it has in its store.

If you continue this diet up to a month your body will burn its stored fats having no other alternative to stay alive. Then you'll start getting weaker and not be able to feel well and perform your normal duties because it requires a lot more effort and time for the body to produce energy from fat rather than from muscle.

Usually by this time you'll go back to your normal eating habits but since it will take some time before the reconstruction of your muscle occurs during this time, the body stores most of the food intake as excess fats.

So now at the end of the reconstruction process, you're back to your initial weight and you'll gain back the weight you lost in the starvation process and little bit more.

A good diet meal plan includes the proper nutrition for a normally body so it should contain vitamins, minerals, proteins, carbohydrates, as well as fats. An unbalanced diet may cause excessive reserves of body fat - defeating your purpose of dieting in the first place.

By using fad diets in your weight loss process your body will experience both starvation and weight gain in a short amount of time.

tag: fad diets