Fun Ways to Pep up Your Weight-Loss Program

Most people consider weight-loss program as a difficult and stressful experience. Unfortunately, they are unaware of the fact that losing weight can be a fun event as well. Including few tricks in your weight loss program can help you to lose the extra flab without the pressure that we normally associate with these kinds of programs. Read on to know more about these interesting tips.



• We all know that a healthy diet is essential for losing weight. Don’t fall into the trap of believing that a healthy diet consists of bland and tasteless food. Perk up your regular diet by adding fresh fruits. For example, add few pieces of apple to the regular breakfast cereal and watch how you whip up the ‘healthy diet’.

• Many people need to sit at their desk for long hours at the workplace. One can burn loads of calories by sitting on a stability ball instead of the regular chairs. Of course, it looks a bit weird sitting on an exercise ball, instead of the chair, but this step can help you in your weight-loss program. In addition, this will help you to improve your posture.

• Another weight loss tip that you can consider is to join a dance class. Dancing is fun and can be effective in burning loads of calories. Alternatively, you can also sign up for swimming or biking classes.

• Weekends, for most of us mean eating out at expensive restaurants. This weekend spend your time more creatively. Go for a picnic or a hike and bring your own lunch. Not only this will help you in burning the calories, but you will be saving loads of money as well.

Remember that weight-loss program need not be boring and strenuous. Spice up your weight loss program by implementing the above-mentioned tips. Cheers.

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The Secret to a Successful Diet Plan

People have different preferences for diet plans when it comes to losing weight. Some like to follow a high-protein diet, while others prefer carbohydrate-rich diet. No matter what type of diet plan you are following, maintaining a food journal is always recommended. We provide more information regarding how a food diary can help you in weight loss.



• Using a food journal can help you to stick to a healthy diet. You can keep a track of everything you are consuming throughout the day and thus understand the source of your extra calories. Many times, we take a bite from other’s plates and forget all about it when we calculate our calorie intake. Thus, we assume that we have consumed 1000 calories, whereas in reality our total calorie intake was 1200.

• According to a recent survey, almost 25 % of people who wish to follow a healthy diet underestimate their daily calorie consumption. Writing down the food items that you are consuming throughout the day will help you to calculate the daily calorie consumption correctly.

• Maintaining a food diary means that you need to write down every extra snack you eat or cheat on your diet plan. This accountability can assist you to curb your mindless eating to some extent.

• Using food journal as part of your fitness program can help you to get an honest opinion about your diet plan. It helps you to analyze it and understand whether you are taking enough of fruits, veggies and other healthy foods and make changes accordingly.

With the help of a food diary, not only you can stick to a diet program successfully, but can also lose weight fast.

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Avoid Saturated Fats, Not “All Fats”

Fat is usually considered as a bad food choice for for people opting for weight loss programs. However, most dieters fail to understand that fat is a concentrated source of energy. They also fail to cauterize fats and tend to avoid fats altogether. True, saturated fats are bad for health and must be avoided; but you must include polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats in the regular diet plan. These unsaturated fats come from vegetable sources and remain liquid at room temperature.



These fats have several health benefits such as transporting fat-soluble vitamins E, A, K, and A throughout your body. They also protect the internal organs and benefit your heart and immune system. Some polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats include Essential fatty acids or EFAs such as omega-3, which help in increasing metabolic rate and burning fats. This, in turn, helps you in achieving successful weight loss.

Dieters often opt for low-fat foods as healthier alternatives without considering the fact that less fat usually means more sugar. In fact, a classic example of this is the reduced-fat peanut butter. Though these products come with a fraction less fat, the healthy fat is usually replaced with a carbohydrate called maltodextrin. This carbohydrate is most commonly used in many processed foods as a filler. And a serving of such reduced-fat peanut butter is equivalent to 10 calories. Therefore, dieters usually trade the healthy fat of peanut butter for double the sugar and empty carbs. If you still want to opt for the low fat varieties, it is recommended to read the ingredients list along with the nutritional data. Food that includes fewer ingredients is considered as healthier option.

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Don’t Let Diet Myths Confuse Your Food Choice

Health and diet myths, no matter how innocent they sound, may become dangerous for the dieters. They are most likely to become innocent victims of such well-intentioned misinformation. These dieters may even suffer from lunch/ dinner plate panic and would rather starve themselves than having the so-called “unhealthy” foods. But before discussing about these myths, let’s see what is considered as “healthy food”.



A proper diet plan includes well-balanced meals, rich in various essential nutrients such as protein, fiber, fat, and carbohydrate. These meals must be potion controlled and low calorie, and at the same time must be able to boost your metabolism. Diet myths, on the other hand, usually confuse food choices and will only make your weight-loss harder, not to mention making your meals less enjoyable.

Most common diet myths are around chocolates and chocolate bars. They are considered as the source of empty calories and thus, must be avoided. However, many fail to understand that researchers consider dark chocolate as a health food; it is rich in cocoa, which includes a heart-healthy compound called flavonoids, also found in green tea and red wine. The most potent form of flavonoids is found in dark chocolate. In a recent study conducted by the Greek researchers, it was found that having dark chocolate that contain 100 mg of flavonoids can relax your blood vessels and improve blood flow to your heart.

Tip: Replace your taste for milk chocolates with dark chocolates, as the later is rich in flavonoids.

Many believe that too much of protein can hurt the kidneys. This too is nothing but myth; most of the poewerlifters and strength athletes follow high protein diet at it helps in burning fats and building muscles. In 1983, researchers found that high protein food increases the amount of blood that the kidneys filter per minute. A number of scientists immediately jump off to a conclusion that high-protein diets place the kidneys under greater stress. However, these scientists were proven wrong soon after. Studies later found that though high protein diets increase blood flow to your kidneys, they do not affect the overall kidney function adversely.

Tips: Include more lean protein in your diet and opt for baked, grilled or boiled meat and fish.

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Eat Protein for Burning Fats

The amount of quality protein that you take on a regular basis is one of the most important nutrients to influence your metabolism, resulting in burning the existing fats. Moreover, they also help you to sustain muscle during the weight loss session. Other advantages of protein include improved antioxidant function, improved immunity, improved muscle fitness, enhanced insulin and leptin function, and building HDL cholesterol.



Protein contains 22 biological compounds, better known as amino acids. They help in building the basic cell structure of your brain, heart, blood, other internal organs as well as nails, hair, and skin. In addition, protein helps the body to produce the hormone glucagon. This hormone glucagon burns the existing fat to produce energy. The hormone glucagon is also responsible for decreasing the production of cholesterol in your body and stimulates the kidney for releasing excess fluid and salt. Though protein produces a moderate amount of insulin, it helps to maintain the blood sugar levels of the body to counteract the effect of insulin.

According to some recent studies, adult women should consume 100g of protein daily and adult men need 150g of protein on a regular basis. Foods such as eggs, soy, beans, meat, and dairy products are good sources of protein. However, some of these foods are high caloric and also include carbs. This is where you need to consult a dietitian to formulate a proper diet plan, depending on your daily calorie requirements. You may also use meal replacement products, as they come with extra protein powder.

For an ideal diet, you should combine your protein intake with a third meal of some low fat/ lean protein such as chicken or turkey, and low glycaemic vegetables such as cucumber, broccoli, and cabbage.

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Secret Tips for Simplifying Your Diet Plan

In the mad rush to make ourselves fit, we often draw up a complicated diet plan that hardly benefits us and ends up making us more confused. To get rid of this problem, we provide few tips that will help you to simplify your diet program. Here we go.



Eat your breakfast- One of the golden rules of fitness is to eat breakfast daily. It will burn calories faster and thus help you to shed the pounds in the long run. Opt for fiber-rich foods such as barley for making you feel ‘full’ for a longer time.

Maintain a food diary- Writing down every food item consumed during the day helps you to calculate the daily calorie intake correctly. Many of us love taking bites from other people’s plates and later overlook it. The result is that we fail to reach the fitness goals and wonder where we went wrong. Maintaining a food journal on a regular basis will help you to keep track on what you are eating.

Plan healthy snacks- Planning the mid-morning or afternoon snacks will help you to avoid the high-calorie food items that you may consume on an impulse. Try unsalted popcorn, handful of dried nuts, plain yoghurt or a fruit at the snack time. These snacks will provide you with the required nutrition and prevent you from overeating.

Increase your water intake- According to a study published by the University of North Carolina; participants who drank 7 cups of water consumed 200 calories less (on daily basis) as compared to those who drank 1 cup of water. Drink water before and post your workout routine and with every meal and snack.

Simplify your diet plan with the help of these secret tips and fulfill your fitness goals faster. Your comments and suggestions are most welcome. Cheers!

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How to Get Tight Glutes and Thighs

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but there is no way around it. If you want to have tight glutes and thighs you must exercise and eat right. Not only will you need to do cardio but you will also need to do some weight resistance training to really tighten up your glutes and thighs.

These are large muscle groups so they tend to require more effort and perceived exertion. People either love to work their legs or they hate it. Mental focus will be key to your success. Envision your goal and work for it.

My favorite all around glute and thigh exercise is the stationary lunge, difficult but effective. My second favorite is squats. Once you can do sets of 12 with just your body weight you will want to add dumbbells. Start with a 5lb dumbbell in each hand graduating as they become easier.

3 sets of 12 for each of the two exercises should be plenty. Do these exercise once or twice a week but no more.

To burn fat do 20-30 minutes of HIIT cardio 3 times a week. These two things, resistance training and cardio, will get you on the right track to tight glutes and thighs.

Some great "diet" advice would be:

1. Stay away from processed food

2. Avoid white bread

3. Eat potatoes sparingly

4. Limit carbs after 5pm

5. Get plenty of fiber

6. Drink 8-10 glasses of water a day

7. Make sure and get your protein (1 gram per lb of boby weight)

8. Don't skip breakfast

9. Get your sleep, strive for 8 hours a night

And remember, you can work your glutes and thighs to death but if your eating habits are bad you won't see the muscle your building underneath all the fat.

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Samantha_Dotson

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Diet Tips for Building Chiseled Six-Pack Abs

Ask men which part of the body they would love to flaunt and most of them would say a strong, tight and ripped abdomen. A six-pack abs would be the perfect icing on cake for most people. To achieve six-pack abs, you must follow a healthy diet and indulge in strength training and cardiovascular exercises regularly.



Check out following tips regarding the healthy eating plan you should follow to get those ripped abs.

Tip 1-Avoid eating three large meals. Instead, opt for 5-6 smaller meals throughout the day. Your diet should have balanced proportions of fats, proteins and carbohydrates.

Tip 2-It is important to make your diet rich in proteins when you are aiming for six-pack abs. Consume lean meat, eggs and cottage cheese. These proteins will help you to build up the ab muscles and enhance your overall appearance.

Tip 3-Reduce your daily fat intake but do not cut it out of the diet plan completely. Eat good fats such as salmon, olive oil in moderate amounts.

Tip 4-Include healthy carbs such as brown rice, whole-wheat grains, fruits and vegetables in your diet plan. They will provide you with required energy, nutrition and yet have fewer calories. Stay away from pastas, noodles and sugar-rich foods. Satisfy your sugar cravings by munching an apple or any other fruit.

Tip 5-Drink loads of water (half a gallon every day) to ensure that you don’t suffer from dehydration. Don’t consume aerated or energy drinks because they are usually loaded with high calories.

These health tips will not only help you in building fabulous six-pack abs, but also enhance your overall lifestyle. In our subsequent blogs, we will provide tips with regarding how cardiovascular and strength-training exercises can help you to build the six-pack abs.

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High Protein Low Carb Diet Plan - Is It Good For You?

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There are many different ways to lose weight. Those who are overweight desperately looking to lose weight will spend an entire week straining themselves too much on extreme workouts in the hope that they will lose pounds. Those who don't like the idea of working out will go to the nearest clinic or hospital to undergo high volume liposuction which will not only be very expensive but can also very risky procedure. Others would just stick to their diet which can be effective but will surely take time. However, among all, diet is often considered as great alternative to lose weight.

One of the many diet plans ever introduced and still gaining popularity despite its high cost is the "Ideal Protein Diet". This is actually a low carb diet plan which has been developed under the theory of cutting the carbohydrate in the diet so that the body will use the stored fats and convert them to energy. These results in fat reduction, muscle tone enhancement and reduces cellulite. The sole idea of losing weight through this diet plan can be great however, it is just wise to learn more about its pros and cons before you actually get yourself into it.

Ideal Protein Diet Review - Considering A Low Carb Diet Because Of A High Protein Diet Plan

There are certain considerations about a low carb diet that you should at least know before considering a such a diet plan.

1. A low carb diet diminishes healthy glycogen in muscles and liver which can result in dehydration and weight loss but not definitely fat loss.

2. Diminished muscle glycogen from a low card diet will result in tiredness and fatigue.

3. A low carb diet runs the risk of metabolic acidosis state also known as ketosis. Induced ketosis results in headaches, irritability, bad breath, and many other health problems.

These are just few of the known side effects of a low carb diet when you will consider a high protein diet for losing weight. A balanced and healthy nutrition is very much important for our system. You can actually lose weight with balanced nutrition coupled with discipline and a regular exercise instead of spending too much on expensive diet programs. Remember, when starting or trying out any type of diet it is always best to talk and to consult with your doctor first - especially when it comes to some crazy fad diet telling you only to each one or two things.

Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Justin_C_Taylor

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Powerlifting Diet – Eat to Grow

Eating or diet is one of the most significant pieces to muscle-building puzzle. Powerlifting diet requires lots of calories; the more amounts of calories one consumes, the better chances he/ she has while accompanied by the weight. The food that the powerlifters consume must be more than the amount their body expend each day. The surplus amount of calories will help to build the new muscle tissue as well as repair the existing ones.



Generally, powerlifting diets tend to outdo the diet followed by bodybuilders and most fitness enthusiasts. But one must remember that powerlifting diet is not all about high calorie diet. The food taken by lifter must not result in fat gain; it must inhibit their muscle gains.

Protein is the name of the game!

True, the high-calorie meal plan followed by powerlifters must include higher amount of protein. In fact, it must include both animal protein and dietary protein. Those who follow into regular powerlifting or strength training programs must include animal proteins such as eggs, meats, cheese, milk and other dairy products in their meal plan. Protein supplements or dietary proteins that are broken down into amino acids during digestion are also important. They help in building new muscle cells. One must eat at least two grams of protein for per pound of the body weight that they want to have.

It must not be all-protein- diet!

Even the powerlifters should not eat too much protein. An ideal diet must include carbohydrate, protein and fat. They are the main source of body energy and low carb diet will result in lower energy level. It is recommended to have complex carbohydrates, rather than eating only simple carbs. Also, opt for those carbohydrates that are rich in fiber. This may include brown rice, oatmeal, sweat potatoes, and grits.

Body needs fat to manufacture hormones, brain function, lubricate the joints etc. For a powerlifter the main sources of fat must come from nuts, walnuts, flax seed oil, extra virgin olive oil, soybean oil, and peanut oil, and from oily fish like herring, tuna, and salmon.

A balanced diet for powerlifters must consist of 40% protein, 40% carbs, and 20% fat.

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