Archive for the ‘weight loss’ Category

Featured recently on CNN, “Anything You Want Diet” is becoming very popular and nutritionists and dietitians are thrilled.  But, of course, as in anything, there are some rules.

Anything You Want means that it has to be natural, have no preservatives, no chemicals and not be processed.  Think of whole grains, beans, even dairy is allowed as long as it isn’t processed cheese.

The “Anything You Want” diet really helps to boost the idea of returning to natural food the way it is found on the farm. Real farms, not giant factory farms. Shop at farmer’s markets, join a co-op, stay on the perimeter of the grocery store and watch pounds melt off.

It’s often recommended before you start clean eating like this, to detox your body of the toxins and chemicals already built up. I recommend the lemonade diet which is the Master Cleanse in pill form (so there is no starvation, you get to start “clean eating” right away.

Hopefully the “Anything You Want” diet will catch on and change the way people are eating. Good luck!

Jennifer Hudson Before and After pictures have been popping up all over the Internet and we just have to congratulate her on her tremendous weight loss. Jennifer went from a size 16 to a size 6 using Weight Watchers which is a very good, sound eating and exercise plan.

Besides the Jennifer Hudson weight loss, there have been some other celebrity weight loss efforts in the news too. Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher are doing a lemonade master cleanse and Kym Johnson from Dancing With the Stars is using the pill version of the lemonade diet.

But Jennifer’s weight loss is a bit different, taking her from a plus-size woman to a very trim size 6 which is quite dramatic. She says that this is her natural size and I hope her body agrees with her. Her boyfriend isn’t quite convinced yet though. Apparently he is missing some parts of her that we don’t always want to lose when we are slimming down!

Though we thought she always looked great, we applaud her efforts to be healthy and her ability to create this positive change in her life after the horrible murders of her mother, brother and nephew.  Jennifer Hudson before and after pictures are truly an inspiration to those who want to see that it CAN be done, no matter what the circumstances.

If you are trying to lose weight and are worried about having loose skin and stretch marks, you might want to try MSM soap. I just saw a video on YouTube of a lady that lost a lot of weight but had little to no stretch marks and no loose skin. This is quite rare and so people started asking her how that could be possible.

She started writing about this MSM soap that someone got her turned onto when she was in college. She thinks it was what kept her from getting stretch marks in the first place but also helps to fade them. As far as loose skin, I read on a review site that this MSM soap can help with elasticity.

I don’t know if it works but for just a few dollars for a bar, I am going to try it out and will let you know my results. Also, going to get some for my sister who has lost 75 pounds since Halloween and has loose skin on her arms and legs.

According to the Amazon site, this MSM soap “gives off sulfur that can be helpful in treating skin disorders including acne / psoriasis / eczema / dermatitis / dandruff / scabies / diaper rash and certain fungal infections.” At Last Naturals Msm Herbal Bar 3 oz ( Multi-Pack)

It doesn’t mention stretch marks and loose, sagging skin specifically but maybe this is something that is just word of mouth for right now.

We will let you know how this MSM soap works for us on stretch marks and loose skin!

Is this something you have been asking your so so tired self…”Why Am I So Tired?” Feeling like it’s tough to hit the gym and do everything it takes to battle your weight loss and get healthy? If so, the culprit may be something so simple, so easy to do, and you can begin getting relief in days.

Imagine a prescription from your doctor that says you need to go out in the sun, sometime between 1:00-3:00 and chill out for about 10 minutes? Could you stick with that? Well that is exactly what is happening all over the country.

Even in the summer months, with the blessing of air conditioning, we do not get enough sun in order for our bodies to produce Vitamin D. We have been told for the last decade to “Stay out of the sun” so much, that now we are darn fearful of it. We slather on the sunscreen, put on our hats, get under umbrellas and stay inside when we can. But by doing this, our bodies are missing out on Vitamin D.

While current recommendations for Vit D are 200 I.U. a day from birth to age 50, 400 for adults aged 50 to 70, and 600 for people over 70, many doctors are recommending even higher amounts, 1,000-2,000 per day based on research that will soon be released. Here’s a good offer because you get a pack of 3 bottles… Source Naturals Vitamin D3, 1000 IU, Tablets, 200 tablets (Pack of 3)

So what does Vitamin D do? Basically, it is a food of life for every single part of your body. Everything from your bones, to your brain, to your toes wants Vit D and needs it to function well. Lack of vitamin D can result in colon, breast and prostate cancer, high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, osteoarthritis, multiple sclerosis, Type 1 diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.

African Americans tend to have lower levels of Vitamin D than white people and African American women in particular, seem to have the lowest amounts. Spending some time in the sun with exposed skin (the body converts the suns rays to Vitamin D in your body) can significantly improve your overall body function. You can also get Vitamin D from milk and cereals but the amount is still insufficient for what your body really needs.

So if you are feeling run down, worn out and so so tired, a boost of Vitamin D from the sun might be what you need to stop asking the question “Why am so tired?”

Subliminal Weight Loss MP3 music might be able to help you. Are you constantly on a journey to lose weight? Perhaps you get on the scales and you haven’t lost half as much weight as you would of liked, or perhaps you cheat just once and have a fatty meal. Before long you are on a slippery slope back to your old habits, and so the cycle continues.

Does this happen to you?

Many people fall into this yo-yo weight loss pattern, but don’t fully realize why, and sadly only some ever break free and actually lose weight. They pretend it was the wrong diet, or lie to themselves about it being their fault. However, the real reason lies within your mind. In the behavior patterns they have been programmed into for many years.

Read the rest of this entry »

This is a great video that shows a lot of before and after weight loss success pictures set to a really inspirational song. A New Day has come! Enjoy!

Before and After Weight Loss Success Pictures

From time to time you may experience a diet low or a diet plateau. That day when you just can’t resist the drive-thru or the chocolate, or the potato chips, or the ice cream…or…ok, you get the point. We all have a diet low every now and then, the trick is knowing how to pull yourself up and out of it. Here are some tips to keep you moving forward even when you are in a lull.

Tips for Climbing Out of A Diet Low or a Diet Plateau

1) Remember the big picture. There are 30 days in a month (give or take). If you are not 100% on 1, or 2, or even 3 or 5 of them, you are still doing great being healthy 25 or more! That’s a pretty big achievement considering in your past, you were probably not eating really healthy on any of the days! So take your accomplishments, big and small, and celebrate them.

2) Work out. I know, it might be the last thing you want to do. But give yourself one hour at the gym, on the bike, walking, whatever. Just one hour of moderate exercise can change your entire mood. Don’t worry about if you are exercising “right” or “hard enough”.  Just get out and MOVE.

3) Tell someone. Tell your partner or your friend that you are struggling. Sometimes just getting it off your chest relieves some of the food pressure and gets you back on track. Or it will just bring a little more accountability into the mix which you might be needing.

4) Do over. Sometimes all you need is a fresh start. If you are having a diet low, consider your next meal your new start. Make a collage of why it’s important for you to reach your goals. Look at before and after pictures. Find that motivation again. Put pictures up of people who inspire you to be great. You know the saying “Fall down seven times, Stand up eight.”

Remember, you can do this. You want to be healthy and live life fabulously. Do not let a diet plateau get in the way of your lean body dreams!

To the right —->>>, a free downloadable (is that a word?) diet planning eBook that has worksheets like a diet shopping list, menu planner, measurement tracker … etc that you can use with any diet plan. Get it now cause it wont be here much longer and we swear it’s super easy to download. You’ll get it instantly to your e-mail and we will NEVER sell or give away your e-mail address to anyone.  Just give your name and e-amil and then “Lettuce” know how it works for YOU! waaha ha ha ~BurnFatClub.com

There are a variety of crazy weight loss tricks out there, from taking water pills to faking ADHD to get Adderall to ingesting a tapeworm. Do they work? No, and for those that do make you lose some weight, you have done far more harm to your body and your ability to keep the weight off.

But what about some “crazy weight loss tricks” that are a bit healthier and make more sense? Sometimes you do need to drop weight fast for a wedding or a reunion. How can you do it safely?

The answer is very simple and it has been proven on the show “The Biggest Loser” and the beaches of California time and time again. Get ready to spend some time in the gym or hitting the pavement because exercise can help you lose weight very fast. On one episode, Koli consumed about 4.800 calories during a temptation challenge. In order to not be kicked off the ranch, he had to burn those calories and then some. So he hit the gym with his bro, Sam, and he kicked butt. Boxing, the dreaded ladder, treadmill time, pulling ropes, pushing weights…everything he could do to burn those calories, and he did it!

So, you can too. Think of it this way. Suppose your wedding or reunion is a month away. How much can you work out each day between now and then? Where else can you work out that you don’t normally? In your car (butt squeeeeezes), in your office (have dumbbells, will travel), waiting in line (calf lifts)….be creative and think of how you can add more movement to your day.

Now, of course, you cannot be hitting the McD’s drive-thru every day either. Healthy fuel is required in the form of mainly vegetables, fruits and beans. Salad should be your best friend!

To lose a pound, you need to burn 3,500 calories. You can do this by either reducing your daily caloric intake or by burning them off through exercise. I would recommend slightly reducing your daily intake by 500 calories and then upping the exercise, especially cardio. Think about boot camp in the military. I know people who have dropped 60 pounds in 10 weeks.

So, there you have it. Keep your eye on the prize and you can do whatever it takes to get there. No need for crazy weight loss tricks, try something healthy instead.

It’s true that sometimes that is what you need, a kick in the pants, to get you re-focused on your goals. Can you rely on yourself to get this when you falter? Here are some tips to make sure that extra boost is there when you need it (and we all need it at some point!)

1. Share you goals with others. These should be close friends, but you can also use the anonymity of strangers on the Internet. There are pro’s and con’s to both. I personally like using a mixture of both. There are times you will want to confide to someone about something very personal and sometimes the Internet turns out to be a good place to share how bad you had to go to the bathroom when you were working out that day. Other times you need someone that is going to love and accept you through your failures and successes. If they know your goals, they will support you and that will give you the extra push to make them proud. When you fall short, let them know you want some correction. My sister is famous for giving me a kick in the pants every now and then. She makes sure I get to the gym or do something every day. I need that sometimes.

2. Stop. You are off track? Do things seem unattainable? Stop. Clear your mind. Go for a run, not to exercise, but to let go of everything “in the way.” Are you extra worrisome this week? Something bothering you and creating roadblocks? Anything that takes away the focus from your goals needs to be worked through and let go. Meditate, get an extra hour or two of sleep, but mostly, take action again on your goals. Think about how you started this journey. You know you did it once, you can restart again…fresh and ready to take it to the finish.

3. We all have our “WHYS”….why we want to lose weight, be healthy. Mine include little things like being able to ride a roller coaster, and crossing my legs. Other things are more serious like wanting to be able to take care of myself in emergency situations, not wanting to get diabetes, and doing everything I can to live as long as I can. Remember your “WHYS”…write them down. Post, no PAINT them on your bathroom wall as daily reminders of your true goals.

Here is A KICK IN THE PANTS video….Diet Before and After Motivation:

When it feels like you aren’t doing it, like you can’t diet, you can’t exercise, you can’t burn fat, everything is falling apart….and you aren’t getting a kick in the pants like you need, make your own video of how far you have come to get you back on track!

There is a chronic obesity weight loss cycle in America right now and there are some very complicated reasons this problem continues to exist.  However, let’s talk about three of the simple reasons and what you can do about them.

1.  Problem: Poor Food Choices

One of the primary reasons for obesity and poor health in the country is directly related to our consumption of unhealthy food.  It is not a secret that we eat a ton of processed foods and many of them lack any real nutritional value.

Next, and very high on the list, is our love for greasy, unhealthy, fast foods.  Some would argue that the explosive proliferation of fast food chains is one of the key factors for so many people being obese today.  For most of these quick eat companies, it is all about making money and they could care less if you die of heart disease or if your kid is 300 pounds in the 5th grade.

Solution:  Eat More Natural Foods and Cook More Often

Most of the older adults in the United States remember being told in school about eating your fruits and vegetables on a daily basis and drinking 8 glasses of water.  It doesn’t mean we all did it but it seems to have been taught a little more aggressively.  In today’s America, we have children that literally don’t know what a tomato is and that lack of knowledge is part of the problem.  We are so used to feeding our kids fast food every day that they have no idea what they really should be eating, and when you try to introduce it to them they don’t want it.

It’s going to take some work but it can be done.  This drive to eat better applies to adults just as much as kids.  One way to start is to skip the drive-thru and cook at home a little more often.  Yes, it takes additional effort but it’s not that hard to come up with an extra 30 minutes to provide healthier food, and improve the health of your family.

2.  Problem: Lack of Exercise

You really don’t have to be an expert in food or fitness to know that a lack of exercise is another major problem that contributes to obesity, weight loss issues, and overall unhealthy citizens.

A few decades ago, kids did not spend as much time sitting in the house and neither did adults.  The growth of cable television and video games are just two of the reasons this has happened.  There are undoubtedly many others but the main issue is we just don’t move enough.

The body is a very sophisticated machine and two of the things it needs to function effectively is the proper fuel and exercise.  If you fail to give it those things, it will not work right for long.  That may be an oversimplification but it is something we all should consider.

Solution:  Increase Activity

One of the problems with exercise is that it sounds, feels, and looks like…exercise.  Many of us just don’t want to work out and busy lives make it even harder to do.  The secret is to find something that doesn’t feel like exercise.  It can be something fun, or maybe even some kind of work that you enjoy doing.  Either way, you need to pinpoint an activity that you don’t mind doing and one that does not give you the dreaded “I have to exercise” mentality.

Some good options for increased physical activity are:

• Cycling
• Basketball
• Walking Your Dog
• Working Around Your Home
• Gardening
• Shopping
• Dance Classes

3. Problem:  Lack of Government Oversight

There are many people out there that will say that the government should not be involved in issues of what we eat, how we exercise, etc. and you might have good arguments on both sides.  However, only the government can help control companies that infuse our food and drink with ingredients that not only contribute to obesity but are blatantly unhealthy.

It is not uncommon for us as consumers to find out years or decades later that certain companies knew the dangers of their products but continued to push them to us simply to increase profits.  That should not be a surprise in a world where billion dollar corporations fail because they are being greedy and not caring about anything outside of more profits.

A great example of this is the use of high fructose corn syrup which is found in thousands of different products. This is an ingredient that is part of a multi-billion dollar industry and its manufacturers care about making more money not whether or not you get fat.  Their job is to add it to more and more products even in cases where there are far better options.  In the end, your good health is seldom their primary concern.

Solution:  Education and Action

The only way to get around these problems is for watch dog groups and the government to make sure that these companies are doing the right thing.  Secondly, we need to become better educated on what we eat and what we should not eat.  How many of us really take the time to read product labels, and do you have any idea what you are putting into your body on a regular basis?

Finally, we need to speak out and demand better treatment.  There have been many instances where Americans rose up to protest certain actions of companies and there is no better reason than your good health.  We need to rise up and stop accepting the low standard products that are fed to us.

Did you know that some farmers said that they grow a separate patch of potatoes to be used by their families because the ones they grow for commercial purposes are loaded with pesticides and other unsafe chemicals? If farmers don’t want them, why should you want them?

As mentioned in the beginning, these are some simple explanations but the overall problem is far more complex.  Ultimately, we need to be more responsible for our long term health and take the steps needed to make sure that happens.

What is your opinion on obesity and weight loss?  Please leave your comments and suggestions.