Saturday, November 29, 2008

Eating to Lose Body Fat, Some Facts About Fat

By Ricardo d Argence

Today, we are constantly bombarded with offers selling the latest fat loss plan or gadget. From medications and drink concoctions to tiny magnetic devices, each targeting the same thing: body fat. Sounds good, right? Getting rid of fat from our bodies either by burning it off through physical activity or taking it our fo our diets. The body actually needs fat for its processes and requires fat consumption in order to remain healthy. Yes, you heard correctly.

Although everyone is going crazy trying to lose a huge a mount of weight, we can't lose sight of the fact that in small amounts fat is part of a healthy diet. The purpose of fat cells is to help regulate hormonal levels, furnish energy sources, as well as provide cushioning for the body's internal organs. The problem then is not in the presence of fat but the amount. The three-percent threshold, when crossed, signals a dangerous situation to vital parts of the body.

There are basically two types of fat that you receive from your diet good and bad. Good fats are called Polyunsaturated and Monounsaturated Fats and bad fats are Saturated or Trans fats. The latter we need to avoid while the former is an essential part of a balanced diet. Things like omega 3 fatty acids are essential to the human body however; the body is unable to manufacture it. Therefore, we must get it from our diet.

In order to get the good fat the body needs you should know what foods contain them. Examples of good fat foods are nuts, avocados, sunflower seeds and fish oil.

In deep fat fried foods and heavily preserved foods,the kind of fat you should avoid will be contained. A diet high in saturated or trans fats, including products such as cheese, french fries, and potato chips, quickly leads to health problems.

Tran's fats tend to have a doubly bad effect on the body, it increases the amounts of bad cholesterol in the body while at the same time lowering the good cholesterol.

So on top of adding weight to your midsection you can see that the storage of fat can have an adverse effect on your health. Along with high cholesterol, you are flirting with the possibility of diabetes, stroke, and heart attack. The short answer is cut back on the bad fats, exercise more and you will lower you risk of these and other health problems.

Belly Fat, What Causes It and How to Get Rid Of It

By Ricardo d Argence

There are many, many people that struggle with their weight everyday. A lot of people are experiencing the same thing. A flat belly signals that your body is healthy.

When looking to shed belly fat there are no miracles but there are some blasting tips for loosing those stubborn inches. Before beginning, it is vital that you are aware of the causes so that you are not left to guess and speculate about why you have suffered with belly fat.

It is a common belief that those who drink a lot of alcohol have a lot of belly fat as many alcoholics do. For one reason, it is, since it lowers down the body's metabolism. One cannot blame alcohol as the sole cause of fat in this region. All in all, it is the total calories consumed which count. If you eat too many extra calories they will end up stored as belly fat.

There are another factors like stress and lack of exercise. Many times stress can contribute to the presence of fats. Your body have so mechanism in that it secrete the cortisol enzymes that stimulated the liver to release the sugar in your body but that is not needed to your body. Stress also tends to make us eat more. Lack of exercise lowers the body's metabolism is one of the reason on the other hand. Most of us fall here and we easily take these fates.

Thyroid disorders and genes factor into a person's belly weight as well. They could turn out to be your greatest enemy if you fall under this category. The thyroids enzymes are the enzymes are the big impacts since like a cruise control and aslo it keep our body's metabolism running in the right speeds. It's the same with hereditary factors.

You can still do something about it, no matter what's the cause of your belly fat. In the next lines you'll find some tips to burn your belly fat.

You should investigate why you eat and how you eat. Cutting down on your intake of processed food, fast food and junk food will cut your calorie intake dramatically. Minimize the use of fatty ingredients such as oil, butter, margarine, and cream. Instead of doing this you should eat fresh fruit, home cooked meals containing fiber, lean fat, protein and a wide range of grain products.

For regular exercise to be effective it does not need to be difficult but steady and routine. It is important to start an exercise program gradually rather than overwork yourself from the get go. You can play tennis or swim to substitute.

Most important you will find that lifestyle changes will help you a lot. Cut down on alcoholic beverages most especially beers. It is also important to take some time to wind up. Everyone needs some relaxation in their life.

You must realize that results cannot be expected to take place immediately. Even though it is doubtful that there are any quick fixes, it's still worth it in the end.

Fast Weight Loss with These Quick Tips

By Cristina Conley

Allow me to go out on a short limb here and say: dieting works . . . at least in the short term. But you can improve the effectiveness of most diets and improve your long-term odds of success by mastering a few easy lifestyle additions.

Over the past years, I've compiled a long list of simple lifestyle changes that combine to build a practical, long-term approach to dieting. Add a few of these changes to your current routine individually until they become habit. In a short while, you'll notice better, more lasting results if you are able to absorb these changes. Plus, they'll help kick-start any fast weight lose diet.

Ice cold water: drink an ice-cold glass of water (make it at least a pint) when you first wake up and before each meal. Your body will be forced to raise the water to your body temperature, burning a few extra calories in the process. Plus, it will make you feel fuller when you eat and help keep you properly hydrated.

Add negative calorie foods: there are a handful of foods out there that consume more energy when burned than are contained within the foods themselves; i.e. they have a net negative caloric impact. Try adding asparagus, broccoli, blueberries, beets, radishes, cucumbers, strawberries, tomatoes, and similar foods.

Two-hour rule: don't eat for at least two hours before bedtime, and ideally, in the final three hours that you are awake, consume only fresh vegetables or salad. This is actually easier than it sounds. If you eat dinner at 7:00 PM and go to bed at 11:00 PM, add a small garden salad as an evening snack around 9:00 PM. This will keep you from snacking late at night when the food will have little chance of being metabolized.

Drop your cardio: you are probably aware that you burn calories every minute that you are exercising. But when you stop, your metabolism quickly returns to normal. Combat this by engaging in interval training instead of cardio. Interval training can be completed in 15 to 20 minutes and will boost your metabolism for a full 24 hours. Just make sure you exercise. Muscle burns calories, so build muscle to help achieve quick diet loss.

Eat brown foods: try to stay away from processed foods or foods that increase your blood sugar. Whole wheat bread, sweet potatoes, brown rice are good substitutes for white bread, potatoes, and white rice.

3:1 deficit-to-normal ratio: after three days at a caloric deficit, add a higher-calorie day. If you're dieting at a 30 percent deficit for 3 days (e.g. 2400 calorie diet dropping to 1650 calories), make the fourth day a 10 percent deficit. That is, in this example, consume an extra 510 calories on every fourth day. This will nip any plateaus in the bud

Remember, for maximum effectiveness, add these habits into your current fast weight loss plan. When you stop dieting, retain these habits for the long-term to help you keep off the weight it took so long to lose. It's always easier to maintain than to lose! - 17570

About the Author:

Coffee - A Short History

By Karl

The true history of coffee is very hard to verify.

The legend is that long ago, a sheepherder realized the effects of coffee while tending his sheep.

His sheep ate a certian type of berry from a plant and started to become very active.

The sheephearder tried the berry himself and had the same results.

Rumor has it that a monk told him to be careful of the devil's fruit.

There is another rumor that monks did eat the devil's fruit to keep them awake during long prayer sessions.

Another wide spread legend claims an Arabian was banished to the desert.

He boiled and ate an unknown plant.

He was fortunate enought to survive by eating the unknown plant.

The residents of a town close by felt the survival was a religious sign.

The plant was then named Mocha, after that town.

Few people realize the coffee plant originally grew only in Ethiopia.

Ethiopian warriors used it as food while they went on raids.

Coffee migrated to Arabia, and the Arabians began to market coffee in the middle east.

It was the Turkish people that were the first to drink coffee.

They added spices such as clove and cinnamon to create a sweeter taste.

Via the Venetian trade merchants, coffee found its way to Europe.

Soon after, coffee became a popular drink and coffee houses began to be built.

Today, millions of people enjoy their coffee throughout the day.

There are many brands and flavors of coffee for everyone to enjoy, so try some.