All of us know the importance of the heart when it comes to good health. This organ is very important to ensure that all our bodily functions carry on smoothly and there is no problem with any of the processes. To ensure that this blood pumping organ remains in good shape we have to take care that we feed it with the right kind of nutrition. A healthy diet will not only ensure optimum heart health but this would also have an overall advantageous impact on our health. There have been many well known professionals of the like of Nobel laureate Dr. Louis Ignarro who received the Nobel Prize for his groundbreaking research on the health benefits of Nitric Oxide who have been researching ways to improve cardiovascular health. We know these things for sure – a diet high in saturated fats can raise your cholesterol, which is a risk factor for heart disease. People that are obese are more at risk of taking on heart diseases. A diet high in sodium may elevate your blood pressure, resulting in inflammation and even heart disease. In order to prevent heart disease and improve your health, there are some very basic additions that you can bring about in your diet.

Eat plenty of fish. When talking of fishes, it is generally seen that herring, sardines, and salmon essentially are excellent sources of Omega 3 essential fatty acids. Other fish are great too, but the advantage of Omega 3 associated with these mentioned fish may help to get your cholesterol down to a healthier level.

Choosing healthy fats and oil. Saturated fat will increase the risk of heart disease. It’s found in meat, butter, and even in coconut oil. You should avoid them until your cholesterol levels are down to normal levels and you are at a healthy weight. Even the people who like red meats can enjoy seafood and nuts for their main sources of protein. Monounsaturated fats such as olive oils are very good towards protecting your heart. Olive oil is an ideal choice for cooking, dressing, or even as a dipping sauce.

Plenty of fiber. Fiber can help you control your cholesterol. Fiber is present in whole grain products which helps control sugar absorption as well, which will help you keep your digestive system healthy.

Choosing carbohydrates. Eating for your heart involves staying away from sugary foods such as candy, cookies, cakes, and pastries. Eating a lot of sugar isn’t good for your heart disease at all. Choices for healthy carbohydrates involve whole grain breads, whole grain pasta, brown rice, and a lot of vegetables. You should make fruits and vegetables the main aspect of your diet.

Healthy cooking methods. Stir frying and saut?ing with olive oil or canola oil are both great methods, as you shouldn’t dip your food in batter and fry it anymore. If you cook chicken, remove the skin and bake it in the oven covered with foil. Instead of frying your fish you should always bake it. Steaming your vegetables is an excellent way to maintain most of its nutrients. You should not use cream sauces or lots of butter anymore either. When you eat vegetables, try squeezing lemon juice on them or enhance them further with your favorite seasonings. As you introduce healthy changes to your diet, keep in mind that it takes time for them to become habits. Eating healthy is always great for your body and your lifestyle especially when it comes to your heart and the subsequent prevention of heart disease.

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A large number of scientists from around the world suggest that sugar addiction can greatly contribute to our bodies changing – and aging, much faster than they otherwise would. It has been suggested that “cross-linking” takes place when sugar molecules attach to protein molecules, causing the linked molecules to alter their function. Some of these molecules accumulate in specific soft tissues which then stiffen over time and become less functional. This can occur in arteries, tendons, cartilage and can result in failure or deterioration.

It has been determined that a high concentration of sugar in the blood is likely responsible for cross-linking and any foods that have such a high concentration, such as sodas, should be generally avoided.

When foods which are high in sugars – commonly known as high glycemic level foods, are consumed, inflammation can occur. This process also invariably releases a very high proportion of free radicals throughout the body.

Comprehensive holistic health solutions direct us towards a balanced, even perhaps defensive approach to nutrition as we get older. Foods which are known to be problematic should naturally be avoided, but we tend to avoid taking an overall view of holistic nutrition and often take shortcuts due to our busy schedules. It is unfortunate that we often put good health far down the list of priorities, until we suffer an unfortunate wake-up call of some kind. We can deduce from this that we do not prioritize our lives correctly and should put good health and longevity right at the top of the list.

When it comes to medical and scientific studies, there are far more than enough of them around to clearly show us that consuming saturated fats and high levels of cholesterol are quite bad for our health, and cause significant symptoms of premature aging too. Sugar may be one of the silent killers, as it is not regarded with such anticipation as those foods which are high in fat. The truth is that sugar has zero nutritional value and has been shown to cause a spike in appetites as well.

Further studies by dermatologists suggest that eating sugary foods can significantly contribute to the development of wrinkles. Once again it is found that when glucose enters the bloodstream it attaches to the proteins used by the body to keep our skin supple and affects their ability to perform. In such situations collagen and elastin are no longer able to help us in our battle against a weathered look.

Aging should be a natural process and we should not contribute to its acceleration. If we were to treat our bodies as a temple and take a much more educated look at what we eat or drink on a daily basis, then we would feel more productive and more able to take on the trials and tribulations that life presents to us each day. Many people preach that caloric restriction extends life expectancy by keeping the flow of insulin in check. Sugar addiction can cause insulin levels to become highly elevated and it follows that we will age far before our time, unless we’re careful.

Tags: Arteries, Cartilage, Defensive Approach, Deterioration, food addiction, Free Radicals, Good Health, Health Solutions, Healthy Eating Habits, Healthy Lifestyle, Holistic Health, holistic health solutions, holistic nutrition, Inflammation, Longevity, natural health and wellness, nutrition consultant, Nutrition Solutions, nutritional consulting, Protein Molecules, Saturated Fats, Silent Killers, slim down, Sodas, Soft Tissues, Sugar Addiction, Sugar Cravings, sugar free recipes, Sugar Molecules, Tendons, Wake Up Call

Nutrition used to be something like: “eat fresh food and stay away from potato chips”… now we are told beware of ‘free radicals’ in the body. Antioxidants are supposed to be good for you, but how do we encourage one and fight the other?

“If I’d known I was going to live so long, I’d have taken better care of myself.” — Leon Eldred

We live in an age where we are beginning to see an awareness developing between eating habits and good health. Several buzz phrases like low carb, high protein, and Hoodia are mentioned as a means to gaining a better life while honing a better physique.

Another phrase that is repeated often is ‘’antioxidants”.

What exactly is an antioxidant and why is it important?

Everyone has what is called ‘free radicals’ that roam throughout the body. These free radicals have the potential to attack the body, primarily in the form of cancer. Antioxidants fight back. A nutrition plan that includes antioxidants can assist in staving off the potential for acute illness due to free radicals.

Drinks such as coffee and tea often have a certain amount of antioxidants, but it is fresh fruit that is especially rich in antioxidants. Fruit, of course, remains high on the list of recommended foods by the U.S.D.A., but it may surprise you to know that extra virgin olive oil as part of a balanced diet can provide as much antioxidant as a piece of fruit.

The health benefits of olive oil remain a delightful discovery for many. It’s not often something that adds significant good taste to a gourmet meal and can also be an extremely healthy choice.

A diet that is lean in saturated fats (red meat) balanced with a healthy dose of fatty acids has pointed to a number of health benefits. Most of the fatty acids that your body may need can be found in extra virgin olive oil.

The health benefits of olive oil extend to the reduction of LDL (bad cholesterol) while increasing the amount of HDL (good cholesterol).

Case Study

The University of Barcelona conducted a controlled study that followed 16 individuals that were advised to refrain from certain foods that contained phenols (an antioxidant designed to attack free radicals). After abstaining for four days the test group was given extra virgin olive oil to determine if this alone could increase the levels of phenol in the body.

50ml of olive oil was provided to test subjects while they refrained from things like butter, nuts, eggs and margarine. After the first day the total intake of olive oil was cut in half. One week later, blood samples indicated elevated amounts of the antioxidants vitamin E and phenols. Oleic acid and monounsaturated fatty acids were also seen at higher levels – both acids are indicative of lower LDL (bad cholesterol) oxidation.

Some researchers believe that the health benefits of olive oil may still be untapped, and many have indicated regular ingestion of olive oil may be one of the best kept health secrets available.

Beyond its antioxidant properties, extra virgin olive oil has provided significant data to indicate it may also lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease and aid in the fight against colon cancer specifically.

Isn’t it time to discover the virtues of olive oil for yourself?

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Tags: Acute Illness, Bad Cholesterol, Balanced Diet, Benefits Of Olive Oil, Chol, Coffee And Tea, Delightful Discovery, Eldred, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Fatty Acids, finess, Free Radicals Antioxidants, Fresh Food, Gourmet Meal, healt, healt and finess, Health Benefits Of Olive Oil, Healthy Choice, High Protein, Nutrition Plan, Potato Chips, Saturated Fats, Virgin Olive Oil

Facts about nutrition are becoming important to a greater number of people and that is terrific news for your health. There is an old saying that states: “You are what you eat.” – This holds true today just as it did centuries ago; even if it was originally coined when the majority of people received insufficient food. Today it refers more to the worldwide trend of over-eating.

Fortunately packaging now gives more advice on calories and servings. The major fault is that we ignore serving sizes; many people are quite happy to eat double size servings and then wonder why the pounds keep going on and the inward curves turn outward.

The new US label regulations force manufacturers to be more open with Nutrition facts and here are few tips concerning what you should check on the label.

Check serving size and use it. This figure is nutritional fact.

Check calories. A healthy adult requires at least 2,000 each day in total. Try to keep it below 2,750. The average American adult currently eats around 3,500 calories each day.

Avoid sugars. Sugar is calorie high and each one of us should check whether we need the amount of sugar that we use. I avoid sugar in beverages so that I can eat sweet things from time to time.

Know your fats. Foods that are low in saturated fats, trans-fats and cholesterol are good foods and will help reduce the risk of heart disease. (5% DV or less is low, 20%DV or more is high). Most of the fats you eat should be polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats. Keep total fat intake between 20% and 35% of total calories.

Reduce salt intake. Research indicates that our total sodium (salt) intake should never exceed 2,300 milligrams (about 1 teaspoon) each day to reduce the risk of high blood pressure. You should also know that the majority of salt is taken in from processed foods rather than from the saltshaker. – Watch those processed foods. Also look for foods that are high in potassium because they counteract the effects of salt on blood pressure.

Finally we come to exercise. The whole world seems to have forgotten how important it is to exercise and exercise burns calories which reduces weight. We should slowly work our way up to one hour of exercise each day. This can be done in 12 five-minute periods or 6 ten-minute periods until you are able to exercise for longer periods.

If you are looking to lose weight you will find more articles in our News Blogs articles section.

This article is copyright (c) David McCarthy and may be reproduced in its entirety with no additions.

[Sponsored] Bryan Seawell is the proud owner of this article and he owns a site called: “alli weight loss review“. See how he can help you with his site: “alli weight loss review” and allow him to share with you his best known secrets here at his exclusive site, “alli weight loss review“. Thank you for your trust and belief in Bryan. Hope it will benefit you and others. Have a wonderful day ahead. [Sponsored]

Tags: American Adult, Check Calories, Exceed 2, Fact Check, finess, Foods That Are High In Potassium, Force Manufacturers, healt, healt and finess, High Blood Pressure, Insufficient Food, Monounsaturated Fats, Nutrition Facts, Nutritional Fact, Processed Foods, Risk Of Heart Disease, Salt Intake, Saturated Fats, Serving Sizes, Sodium Salt, Sweet Things, Trans Fats, Worldwide Trend

Cholesterol is just one of substances that the body can make on its own. Unfortunately, eating food that is high in oil and saturated fats creates an imbalance. If precautions are not taken now, the chances of a heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases get higher as the person ages.

Cholesterol is classified into two. The first is called LDL or low-density lipoprotein. This is better known as bad cholesterol and having too much of it can cause problems in the health of an individual.

It is a good thing that the body can counter this with HDL or high-density lipoprotein, which is called good cholesterol. There must a balance between the two so that the heart, blood circulation and all the other systems are working.

The only way for the patient to know the levels in the body is through a blood test. Those who fall within 4.4 to 7.1 have a small chance of experiencing a heart attack. Any figure above that is bad and anything below means the risk are much lower.

The natural way to reduce cholesterol will be to do something physical everyday. A person can do brisk walking every other day while those in between can be working up some sweat in the gym while working on the weight machines.

Studies have shown that getting those muscles to work is much better and safer than taking prescription drugs that are known to have certain side effects when it is taken. The same goes for the use of food supplements since the human body needs exercise to keep in functioning.

Another natural way will be to eat right. This may mean changing one’s eating habits but the long terms effects are rewarding. The individual will have to cut down on red meat, other oily foods and junk food. This includes bread, cake, candy bars, cookies, French fries and potato chips.

Changing the way food is cooked is also another way to reduce cholesterol naturally. Instead of frying, the person can try steaming, boiling or the quick way of throwing it in the microwave.

There was a time that doctors encourage children and adults to drink milk. Though this can help strengthen the bones as one ages, this too is has certain ingredients that are not safe. This should be changed for soy or non-fat milk that may taste a little different but is much healthier than the old one.

It is strongly encouraged to drink lots of water and natural fruit juice since it also has the properties that can reduce cholesterol just like eating it before it is mixed using the blender.

Unsweetened tea is also safe to drink. It may taste different so mixing a sachet of Equal or Nutrasweet can add some flavoring.

Watching the food and drinks being consumed is the best way to watch the cholesterol levels and improve the overall health of the person. The first blood test may show disturbing numbers but by exercising and going on a diet, there will be some improvements.

It does not cost much to live a healthier lifestyle if only one tries. This just proves that lowering the cholesterol can be done which is much better than ending up in the hospital with complications that will either mean the life or death of the patient.

[Sponsored] Bryan Seawell is the proud owner of this article and he owns a site called: “alli weight loss review“. See how he can help you with his site: “alli weight loss review” and allow him to share with you his best known secrets here at his exclusive site, “alli weight loss review“. Thank you for your trust and belief in Bryan. Hope it will benefit you and others. Have a wonderful day ahead. [Sponsored]

Tags: Bad Cholesterol, Blood Test, Candy Bars, Cardiovascular Diseases, Eating Habits, finess, Food Supplements, French Fries, Good Cholesterol, healt, healt and finess, Heart Attack, Heart Blood Circulation, High Density Lipoprotein, Junk Food, Low Density Lipoprotein, Natural Ways To Reduce Cholesterol, Person Ages, Potato Chips, Prescription Drugs, Red Meat, Saturated Fats, Ways To Reduce Cholesterol

In most of my newsletters, I like to provide a healthy snack or meal recipe that not only is delicious, but also helps to get you closer to that hard-body appearance that everyone is looking for. In this article, I’d like to give you healthy food ideas in a different way. This time, I figured I’d just give you some ideas of what I stock my fridge and cabinets with. Remember, if you don’t have junk around the house, you’re less likely to eat junk. If all you have is healthy food around the house, you’re forced to make smart choices. Basically, it all starts with making smart choices and avoiding temptations when you make your grocery store trip. Now these are just some of my personal preferences, but perhaps they will give you some good ideas that you’ll enjoy.

Alright, so let’s start with the fridge. Each week, I try to make sure I’m loaded up with lots of varieties of fresh vegetables. During the growing season, I only get local produce, but obviously in winter, I have to resort to the produce at the grocery store. Most of the time, I make sure I have plenty of vegetables like zucchini, onions, fresh mushrooms, spinach, broccoli, red peppers, etc. to use in my morning eggs. I also like to dice up some lean chicken or turkey sausage into the eggs, along with some swiss, jack, or goat cheeses. Coconut milk is another staple in my fridge. I like to use it to mix in with smoothies, oatmeal, or yogurt for a rich, creamy taste. Not only does coconut milk add a rich, creamy taste to lots of dishes, but it’s also full of healthy saturated fats. Yeah, you heard me…I said healthy saturated fats! Healthy saturated fats like medium chain triglycerides, specifically an MCT called lauric acid. If the idea of healthy saturated fats is foreign to you, there are several articles covering this topic at my site below.

Back to the fridge, some other staples:

• Cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, and yogurt – I like to mix cottage or ricotta cheese and yogurt together with chopped nuts and berries for a great mid-morning or mid-afternoon meal.

• Chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds – delicious and great sources of healthy fats.

• Whole flax seeds – I grind these in a mini coffee grinder and add to yogurt or salads. Always grind them fresh because the omega-3 polyunsaturated fats are highly unstable and prone to oxidation, creating high levels of free radicals in pre-ground flax.

• Eggs – one of natures richest sources of nutrients (and remember, they increase your GOOD cholesterol).

• Nut butters – Plain old peanut butter has gotten a little old for me, so I get creative and mix together almond butter with sesame seed butter, or even cashew butter with macadamia butter…delicious and unbeatable nutrition!

• Salsa – I try to get creative and try some of the exotic varieties of salsas.

• Butter – don’t believe the naysayers; butter adds great flavor to anything and can be part of a healthy diet (just keep the quantity small because it is calorie dense…and NEVER use margarine, unless you want to assure yourself a heart attack).

• Avocados – love them…plus a great source of healthy fats, fiber, and other nutrients. Try adding them to wraps, salads, or sandwiches.

• Whole grain wraps and whole grain bread (look for wraps and bread with at least 3-4 grams of fiber per 20 grams of total carbs).

• Rice bran and wheat germ – these may sound way too healthy for some, but they actually add a nice little nutty, crunchy taste to yogurt or smoothies, or can be added when baking muffins or breads to add nutrients and fiber.

• Leaf lettuce and spinach along with shredded carrots – for salads with dinner.

• Home-made salad dressing – using balsamic vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, and Udo’s Choice oil blend. This is much better than store bought salad dressing which mostly use highly refined soybean oil (full of inflammation-causing free radicals).

Some of the staples in the freezer:

• Frozen fish – I like to try a couple different kinds of fish each week. There are so many varieties out there, you never have to get bored.

• Frozen berries – during the local growing season, I only get fresh berries, but during the other 10 months of the year, I always keep a supply of frozen blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, cherries, etc. to add to high fiber cereal, oatmeal, cottage cheese, yogurt, or smoothies

• Frozen veggies – again, when the growing season is over and I can no longer get local fresh produce, frozen veggies are the best option, since they often have higher nutrient contents compared to the fresh produce that has been shipped thousands of miles, sitting around for weeks before making it to your dinner table.

• Frozen chicken breasts – very convenient to nuke up for a quick addition to wraps or chicken sandwiches for quick meals.

• Frozen buffalo, ostrich, venison, and other “exotic” lean meats – Yeah, I know…I’m weird, but I can tell you that these are some of the healthiest meats around, and if you’re serious about a lean healthy body, these types of meats are much better for you than the mass produced, hormone-pumped beef and pork that’s sold at most grocery stores.

Alright, now the staples in my cabinets:

• Oat bran and steel cut oats – higher fiber than those little packs of instant oats.

• Cans of coconut milk – to be transferred to a container in the fridge after opening.

• Various antioxidant rich teas – green, oolong, white, rooibos are some of the best.

• Stevia – a natural non-caloric sweetener, which is an excellent alternative to the nasty chemical-laden artificial sweeteners like aspartame, saccharine, and sucralose.

• Organic maple syrup – none of that high fructose corn syrup Aunt Jemima crap…only real maple syrup can be considered real food. The only time I really use this (because of the high sugar load) is added to my post-workout smoothies to sweeten things up and also elicit an insulin surge to push nutrients into your muscles.

• Raw honey – better than processed honey…higher quantities of beneficial nutrients and enzymes. Honey has even been proven in studies to improve glucose metabolism (how you process carbs). I use a teaspoon or so every morning in my teas.

• Whole wheat or whole grain spelt pasta – much higher fiber than normal pastas

• Brown rice and other higher fiber rice – NEVER white rice

• Cans of black or kidney beans – I like to add a couple scoops to my Mexican wraps for the fiber and high nutrition content. Also, beans are surprisingly one of the best sources of youth promoting antioxidants!

• Tomato sauces – delicious, and as I’m sure you’ve heard a million times, they are a great source of lycopene. Just watch out for the brands that are loaded with nasty high fructose corn syrup.

• Dark chocolate (as dark as possible) – This is one of my treats that satisfies my sweet tooth, plus provides loads of antioxidants at the same time. It’s still calorie dense, so I keep it to just a couple squares; but that is enough to do the trick, so I don’t feel like I need to go out and get cake and ice cream to satisfy my dessert urges.

• Organic unsweetened cocoa powder – I like to mix this into my smoothies for an extra jolt of antioxidants or make my own low-sugar hot cocoa by mixing cocoa powder into hot milk with stevia and a couple melted dark chocolate chunks.

Well, I hope you enjoyed this special look into my favorite lean body meals and how I stock my cabinets and fridge. Your tastes are probably quite different than mine, but hopefully this gave you some good ideas you can use next time you’re at the grocery store looking to stock up a healthy and delicious pile of groceries.

[Sponsored] Bryan Seawell is the proud owner of this article and he owns a site called: “hoodia balance review“. See how he can help you with his site: “hoodia balance review” and allow him to share with you his best known secrets here at his exclusive site, “hoodia balance review“. Thank you for your trust and belief in Bryan. Hope it will benefit you and others. Have a wonderful day ahead. [Sponsored]

Tags: Coconut Milk, Cottage Cheese, Creamy Taste, finess, Food Ideas, Goat Cheeses, healt, healt and finess, Healthy Food, Healthy Snack, Lean Body, Local Produce, Mct, Meal Recipe, Medium Chain, Personal Preferences, Red Peppers, Saturated Fats, Smart Choices, Staples, Triglycerides, Turkey Sausage, Yogurt

Fat has had a lot of bad press and for many people, just a mention of the word can evoke misery. You can try to lose it, try to hide it, try to avoid it, but your body still needs it! Did you know that fat helps to insulate our nerve cells, keeps us warm, balances our hormones, keeps skin and arteries supple, lubricates joints and is a component in every cell?

The key issue here is recognizing which type of fat your body needs, how much your body requires and which type is your enemy. Armed with the right information, you can focus on getting more of the good fats and less of the bad fats into your daily diet.

There are two types of fat to be aware of. Saturated fats – let’s call them “the enemy” and unsaturated fats – “the good guys”! It is easy to tell the difference because saturated fats are hard at room temperature. Saturated fats are not essential to your health. They come from animals and are found in meat, eggs and cheese. They are harder to digest and full of cholesterol.

Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature and have been divided into two groups. Monounsaturated fats such as olive oil, and polyunsaturated fats such as sunflower oil. Polyunsaturated fats are split into Omega 3 fatty acids and Omega 6 fatty acids. Monounsaturated fat (Omega 9) although not essential, is not harmful in moderation – a good quality (extra virgin first cold pressed) olive oil is a healthier alternative to the usual vegetable oil. Good sources of Omega 6: safflower oil, sunflower oil, evening primrose oil, walnut oil, pumpkin oil, sesame oil. Good sources of Omega 3 are mackerel, herring, salmon, pilchards, sardines, tuna and flax seed oil. Here are some important facts about fat in our diet.

1. Fat is the ‘energy reserve’ of animals, plants and humans.

2. The ideal body-fat ratio should be approximately 19-26% of a woman’s body weight, and 12-18% of a man’s body weight.

3. There are two different types of body fat – brown and yellow. Brown fat is situated inside the body and is ‘active’, containing mitochondria that produce heat (thermogenesis) and as a result burn energy. Yellow fat is found nearer the surface, is less active and more likely to accumulate. Women tend to have a higher ratio of yellow fat than men.

4. Women need higher levels of fat because it is essential for reproduction and so the body stores it ‘just in case’.

5. An average healthy intake of good fats in the diet should be approximately 30-40 grams a day. The fat content of diets in affluent populations can be nearly four times this amount!

6. Most foods containing fat combine saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat in varying quantities. For instance, butter’s fat content is almost 100%, of which 60% is saturated, 30% monounsaturated and 10% polyunsaturated, compared with sunflower seeds’ fat content of 73%, of which just 12% is saturated and 21% monounsaturated and 67% is polyunsaturated.

7. Heat, light and oxygen destroy essential fatty acids, which is why it is best to keep oils in dark containers.

8. Essential fats must come from the diet because your body cannot produce them. The essential healthy fats are Omega 3 and Omega 6 (known as essential fatty acids).

9. Weight for weight, fat provides more than twice the amount of usable energy than carbohydrates or protein (you’ll find 9 calories in every gram of fat).

10. Fat contributes to the palatability, texture and the smell of many foods, it also slows down the process of digestion providing an extended period of satiation after a meal.

When you know the good from the bad, fat is fabulous!

[Sponsored] Bryan Seawell is the proud owner of this article and he owns a site called: “hoodia balance review“. See how he can help you with his site: “hoodia balance review” and allow him to share with you his best known secrets here at his exclusive site, “hoodia balance review“. Thank you for your trust and belief in Bryan. Hope it will benefit you and others. Have a wonderful day ahead. [Sponsored]

Tags: 3 Fatty Acids, Bad Fats, Body Fat Ratio, Brown Fat, Cold Pressed Olive Oil, Energy Reserve, Evening Primrose Oil, finess, Flax Seed Oil, Good Fats, healt, healt and finess, Nerve Cells, Oil Sunflower, Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Omega 6 Fatty Acids, Omega 9, Polyunsaturated Fats, Safflower, Saturated Fats, Sesame Oil, Unsaturated Fats, Walnut Oil

You did not gain your excess weight overnight and you will not lower your weight overnight either. In truth we have a weight set point which is similar to a thermostat in as much as it tries to keep your weight constant.

If you over indulge in food at a party, your weight may go up a little but soon will return back to its typical weight. However, slowly over the years of eating the wrong foods (junk foods, high glycemic index foods, foods with too much saturated fats like fatty red meats) increases your weight set point and your weight goes up.

So it will take some time (but not as long as for your weight gain) to lower your set point to the desired value. Note – for those in a hurry – if you reduce your caloric intake too low (below 1500 to 1200 depending on your current weight and activity level) your body will shift into the starvation mode and slow down your metabolism and stop your weight loss. In fact later your slower metabolic rate will increase your weight – hence the yo-yo syndrome.

The phases of a good diet program:

* Phase one – rapid weight loss

In a good diet program using both food control and exercise, at first your weight may go down rapidly as you lose water weight and eat more fiber and thus cleans your colon.

* Phase two – some weight gain

Next as you exercise chances are your weight will go up a little as you are replacing fat with muscle. Don’t give up. Muscle weighs more than fat. I tell my weight reduction clients not to weigh themselves the first few weeks and look in the mirror and notice how they look so much better.

* diet program and plateau phase

Next in any good to be super fit and lean.

For me the last five pounds have been very challenging as I attempted to lower my weight so much that my body fat percentage would go down from very good to extremely good (from 13% to 12% or less). This was a challenge for me. Then the solution came because I was helping one of my weight loss clients.

* How I examined the low glycemic index diets

In order to guide my diet program clients I study the science behind many diet programs. I have known that low glycemic index diets are very sound from a scientific point of view. I used to eat}consume mostly a low GI diet, but did not adhere to it totally.

I had been studying various commercial programs for a client who did not have the time and inclination to follow my teachings and needed to get ready for a summer wedding and noticed that the one program which, if you follow it correctly, is successful was based on eating portion controlled low GI menu.

* How I overcame the last few pounds

Last week I started to follow a good carbs diet. And lo and behold, my weight has gone down two pounds in the last week (the perfect amount) and most importantly my body fat content has gone down to 12.4%.

I still have a little to go but I’m very happy with the progress and will continue with the low GI diet. In fact soon I’ll need to buy tighter belts as today I reached the last nutch, but as my belt size is now the same as 40 years ago, but that’s a good problem to have.

So you see diet program need not be difficult to impossible. You need to have reasonable expectations and goals, with room for plateauing, and eat plenty of good healthy foods with good proteins, fats and carbs. A mainly vegetarian diet with lean meat (mostly fish, or skinned chicken) with plenty of fruits and water will keep you satisfiedl while allowing you to lower your weight safely and become more healthy.

Click here to find a recommended diet program which does allow you to produce a sustained weight loss.

P.S. Visit this blog for tips on how to loose weight.

Tags: Body Fat Percentage, Caloric Intake, Diet Program, Excess Weight, Food Control, High Glycemic Index, High Glycemic Index Foods, Junk Foods, Metabolic Rate, Phase One, Phase Two, Plateau Phase, Program Phase, Rapid Weight Loss, Saturated Fats, Starvation Mode, Typical Weight, Water Weight, Weight Reduction, Will Take Some Time